Save all characters - The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is out now and delivers yet another interactive horror adventure. As with previous releases from Supermassive Games, there are branching storylines and narratives in the game, all dependent on choices made by the player. It’s possible for every playable character in the game to be killed, but you’ll want to keep them alive in order to get the game’s “true ending.” Let’s look at how you can pull that off.

Spoiler warning: There are heavy spoilers for The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes after the image below. Do not proceed if you don’t want to learn about the possible deaths in the game.

How to save every character in The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes

The key to saving all five playable characters in The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is knowing all of their potential deaths and how to avoid them. Here is how each character could die, and what you need to do to keep them alive.

Eric King

Eric King has the most potential deaths out of all the playable characters in House of Ashes. You’ll need to take extreme caution to keep him alive to the end.
Eric will be shot twice by Dar and then impaled by a stalagmite during the Breaking Up chapter if you fail the quick time event and then refuse to cut the rope.
Eric will fall and be impaled by a stalagmite during the Breaking Up chapter if you choose not to cut the rope twice
Eric will be shot and killed by Salim during the After the Fall chapter if he goes through the tunnel and Nick fails his quick time event during The Truce chapter.
Eric will die in an explosion during The Assault chapter if you send him down the path where the explosives were planted.
Eric will be killed by vampiric Clarice during The Horror chapter if you choose to keep her with you after she’s been infected by the creatures.
Eric will fall and break his neck during The Ancient One if you don’t help him get up after he slips.
Eric will be killed by the creatures if you fail two quick time events during the final battle on the surface.

Rachel King

C.I.A Officer Rachel King can die in a multitude of ways, you’ll need to constantly be aware to keep her alive.
Rachel will be eaten by the creatures in The Assault chapter if you choose to fire the machine gun and then fail the quick time event associated with it.
Rachel will be killed by an explosion in The Assault chapter if you direct her down the path in which the explosives were placed.
Rachel will be shot and killed during the Strange Aeons chapter if you let Jason shoot her and put her out of her misery.
Rachel will burn to death during the Strange Aeons chapter if you bring the White Phosphorus and let her stab a canister.
Rachel will be killed by vampiric Clarice during the Semper Fi chapter if she doesn’t get shot during The Assault chapter and you fail the quick time event after she appears.
Rachel will be killed by the creatures if you fail two quick time events during the final battle on the surface.

Jason Kolchek

Jason can die in four different ways in House of Ashes. All of his potential death scenes are closer to the end of the game.
Jason will be killed by a vampire during the Semper Fi chapter if you go to help Salim and then fail the quick time event.
Jason will be killed by Balathu during the Semper Fi chapter if you go to help Salim and complete the first quick time event, and then fail the QTE to dodge Balathu’s spear.
Jason will be killed by a creature during the final battle if you fail the quick time event when entering the hut.
Jason will be killed by the creatures if you fail two quick time events during the final battle on the surface.

Nick Kay

Nick is tied with Salim for the smallest number of potential death scenes with 3. Similar to Jason, they’re all towards the end of the game.
Nick will be killed by creatures during The Vault chapter if you choose to approach the cocoons and then fail the associated quick time event.
Nick will have his neck snapped by Balathu during The Vault chapter if you succeed at the heartbeat quick time events and then fail the following QTEs.
Nick will be killed by the creatures if you fail two quick time events during the final battle on the surface.

Salim Othman

Salim is tied with Nick for the smallest number of potential death scenes with 3. They are all closer to the end of the game.
Salim will be killed by a creature if you fail the quick time event during the Semper Fi chapter.
Salim will be killed by creatures if the other characters leave him behind during the Semper Fi chapter.
Salim will be killed by the creatures if you fail two quick time events during the final battle on the surface.

Those are all of the ways that the five playable characters in The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes can die. Now that you’re equipped with that information, you can play through the game again and save everybody. Clearing the game with everybody alive will earn players the “true ending” of the game. You’ll be rewarded with the Golden Path achievement, and treated to the first trailer of the next game in The Dark Pictures series.