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Pathways into Darkness

FAQ Sheet/Walkthrough

Last Update: February 2, 1994

David Reevely (david_reevely@magic-bbs.corp.apple.com)

On a mildy defensive note, there have been one or two complaints

that the FAQ is inaccurate. This is not, strictly speaking, true. Some

of the solutions may not be the best way of passing the puzzles to

which they refer, but they all work -- none of them are actually

dangerous or outright *wrong*. It does have, of course, my own biases

in terms of combat style and puzzle solutions, which may differ from

those of other people, and while readers may disagree with me on some

solutions, those given here *do* work.

That said, there have been sufficient changes to warrant a new

full posting, rather than an addendum. These include a different route

through the teleporter maze (the route that was given worked, it just

took a lot longer), some further combat notes, and several more minor

changes. As always, send me suggestions at

david_reevely@magic-bbs.corp.apple.com, and they'll be included in an

update, should it be warranted.

These follow a rough chronological order within the game. Of

course, because there are several different ways of working your way

through, some might not apply to you or may be out of order.

This list is packed with spoilers, which is, after all, the

point. Read it at your own risk.

1. The manual talks about talking to dead people. Why can't I

talk to the German soldier? -You don't have the yellow crystal yet.

It's behind a locked door on the level above, "Never Stop Firing."

When you find it, double-click on it to activate it, then press TAB

while standing on the body.

2. What's the point of that blue rune? Why can't I open the doors

at each side of the hall? -You need to play the Alien Pipes while

standing on the blue rune in order for the doors to open. The Alien

Pipes are found on the Ascension level.

3. What do the chains do? -They open doors in other parts of the

pyramid. Pull each chain you run across once, then forget about them.

Check the map of the level you're on before and after you pull it,

paying special attention to the doors that are closed before you pull.

4. The manual makes such a big deal about conserving ammunition,

but I haven't had any problems. Why should I pay attention to that?

-In the earlier levels, you're fighting the easiest monsters in the

game. Use the survival knife whenever you're dealing with two or fewer

zombies or headlesses. It'll force you into learning some battle

tactics that will prove useful when you move up in weaponry.

Furthermore, there's a very limited supply of Walther ammuntion, and

there are two occasions when you'll need a lot of it; on the Ascension

level, fighting your way to the Alien Pipes; and after you've used the

Pipes on the ground floor and monsters are revealed beyond the doors.

5. I keep getting killed on that level where I come down the

ladder and am immediately surrounded by zombies. What's the best way

to get past them? -Once you've killed one zombie, start moving. Get

out of the starting chamber as soon as you can, and move down into one

of the corners of the hallway surrounding that room, so you've got

walls on two sides. The zombies can only come after you two at a time

and from one-fourth of your viewing area, instead of four at a time

from all sides. Use the Walther here, picking your shots carefully.

6. How do I kill those black spirits that don't seem to get

damaged by weapons? -Use the blue crystal, in the same way you'd use

the yellow crystal.

7. Where's the blue crystal? -There's a two-square hidden chamber

just to the south of one of the dead German soldiers on They May be

Slow. He'll direct you to it, if you question him closely enough.

Enter the chamber by walking south from the soldier's body and through

the wall. Pick up the blue crystal by stepping on it, just like any

other item.

8. After I've used the crystal a few times, it recharges more and

more slowly. How come? -All crystals but the yellow one will run out

of power eventually. After you've used them a few times, they'll slow

down. Eventually, they shatter. There is no way of preventing this,

besides not using the crystal unless you absolutely have to. Don't use

the blue crystal on regular creatures, if you can possibly help it.

9. Can I do anything useful with the silver bowl? -No. Its only

purpose is as treasure. There are several such items in the game, and

they should all be kept, since they increase your point totals at the

end of the game. They're heavy, but they don't affect your performance

in any significant way, besides cluttering your inventory.

10. What's the best way of dealing with the roomfuls of monsters

on Ascension? -Tackle them one room at a time, resting as often as you

safely can. Use the knife whenever possible, and try to keep

headlesses and zombies in rows so they can only attack you one at a

time. Another neat aspect of this strategy is that the headlesses with

fire their goo at you but will hit one another in the back instead,

causing damage to one another. Have the blue crystal ready when you

enter the northwestern room; there's a banshee that's going to come

after you.

11. What do I do with the Alien Pipes? -Use them on the first

level while standing on the blue rune. The doors to the east and west

will open, releasing some monsters. You'll want the Walther for this

one.

12. How do I best deal with the grey things? - They're ghouls. If

there are only one or two of them and your vitality is relatively

high, you can attack with the survival knife. It will take about five

hits, but the blows will keep the ghouls off-balance and unable to

retaliate.

13. Which ladder down should I take -- the one to the west or the

one to the east? - It doesn't *really* matter. The western ladder will

take you down to Wrong Way, which it isn't. The entry chamber in that

level is packed with ghouls, but nothing more serious than that. The

eastern ladder will take you down to Feel the Power, which is filled

with marauding packs of three oozes, which are nasty. With your

firepower, you're probably better off taking the western ladder, since

ghouls are much easier to deal with than oozes. Come back to Feel the

Power later, when your weaponry is more impressive.

14. How should I deal with all the ghouls in Wrong Way? -It'll

probably take a few tries to get past them. Use similar tactics to

those given in question #5, and never stop moving, except to shoot.

15. Why can't I get those doors to open? -They're locked. You

need the Silver Key, found on the level below, Welcome Tasty Primate.

It's near the northeast corner of that level.

16. What does the orange crystal do? -It's basically a more

powerful version of the blue crystal. It takes only one blast from the

orange crystal to kill a banshee, instead of two. Of course, the same

use limitations apply -- use it too often, and it'll shatter. That is

definitely something to avoid.

17. Where should I go from here? -It would probably be a good

idea to go back up to the Ground Floor and then take the other ladder

down. Fight your way past the oozes up to the northwest corner, then

take the ladder down to A Plague of Demons.

18. What keeps hitting me? -There are invisible wraiths that will

do you damage, if only slightly. The major danger here is when more

than two set upon you, and you have trouble finding one or more of

them. Regular weapons are effective against them, and they make a kind

of hollow gasping sound when you kill them. Around the north-center

section of the level, you'll find a dead American soldier. A search

will reveal a pair of infra-red goggles. Put them on and you'll be

able to see the wraiths just fine. Don't forget to turn off your

flashlight to conserve the batteries.

19. What's the point of this level? -In the southeastern section,

there's a silver door (you have to pass another door that will open to

reveal a small horde of creatures, so make sure you're fully rested

and properly armed). Beyond the door, there's a cedar box, the inside

of which is "slightly warm to the touch."

20. What does the cedar box do? -It will duplicate any ammunition

you put into it. It will work once per minute, assuming you remember

to remove the second clip or magazine. It is probably the most useful

item in the game.

21. Now what? -Go back up through the Ground Floor and down

through Welcome Tasty Primate. Take a ladder down from near the north

center to We Can See in the Dark, Can You? Turn out your flashlight to

make the bugs go away. Use your infra-red goggles to see well. Find

your way down to Happy Happy Carnage Carnage.

22. What do I do on Happy Happy Carnage Carnage? -Use your

Walther and all the ammunition you've generated using the cedar box to

fight your way up to either the northeast or northwest corners. Go

through the door just to the east or the west, depending on which

corner you're in. You've found the remains of the German expedition.

Question and search them all thoroughly.

23. How do I deal with all the monsters? -Maneuver yourself so

that you're facing parallel to the wall with the three doors, with

your back to the rune. Back over it and go until your back hits the

wall. Never stop shooting once the monsters start to come through. Use

a red potion to speed yourself up so you can dodge missile attacks,

and a blue potion if you need one. Be prepared to try this level a few

times.

24. What does the Red Cloak do? -It slows down your metabolism.

The world around you passes more quickly than your body moves, so

wearing the red cloak *except at particular moments* is something to

be avoided.

25. What does the brown potion do? -It's a poison. Don't discard

it you'll need it later.

26. Why can't I open the gold door on Beware of Low-Flying

Nightmares? -You don't have the gold key. You won't run across it for

several levels, so don't worry about it now.

27. How can I navigate the Labyrinth? -Although its exact layout

changes every time you enter it, the essential features remain the

same. There is a ladder in each corner. The one in the northwest

corner leads up to Happy Happy Carnage Carnage, the northeast corner

leads up to Beware of Low-Flying Nightmares, the southwest corner

leads to Need a Light, and the southeast corner leads to Lasciate Ogne

Speranza, Voi Ch'Intrate, which isn't a typo. Most importantly,

there's a violet crystal in the approximate center of the maze, which

you absolutely *must* get. There isn't really a very good way of

dealing with the electric orbs besides shooting them from up close --

knifing them takes too long, and you're almost always facing more than

one. Afterwards, take the ladder in the southwest corner to Need a

Light.

28. What was it that killed all those soldiers? -A very nasty

flamethrowing monster. Have the orange crystal and a lot of ammunition

ready, because it'll start moving towards you as soon as the door

shuts behind you. Fire at it continuously with your machine gun, and

when it gets ready to fire, run around a corner so that its missile

attack hits a wall instead of you. Alternatively, use the blue or

orange crystal to freeze it briefly and just keep shooting. It is

possible, though somewhat tricky, to freeze it in one of the wider

parts of the corridor and run past it, so you don't actually have to

kill it. Be very careful if attempting this manouevre, and don't

forget that the monster will be coming up behind you. As always, be

ready to try this level several times. Make sure you question all of

the soldiers about the bomb and search them.

29. Why can't I get past the little cross-legged guys? -They're

generating force fields that prevent you from passing or firing

through them. You need to use the green crystal (located a level

below, on Watch Your Steps) to quake down their barriers.

Interestingly, projectile grenades can pass through the barrier and

harm skitters that are behind the sentinels, though they won't do

anything to the sentinel itself.

30. What are the jumping lizards? -Just what they seem

unshootable annoyances. If you walk over enough exploding purple pods,

you'll kill them all.

31. How do I get out of the chamber that locks me in? -Put on the

red cloak and wait for three hours until the doors open again. As long

as you're there, make sure you use the cedar box to mass-produce

munitions of all kinds.

32. How can I get past the green oozes? -They'll leave you alone

if you're already poisoned, which is where that brown potion comes in.

Make sure you use it in a place where they won't be trapping you when

they stop moving -- they won't move, but you can't walk through them.

33. How do I kill the purple monster? -You can't. Put on the gas

mask and it can't hurt you, but it will block your path. You just have

to maneuver around it. (There has been some debate about whether or

not the gas mask is helpful against the purple monster's breath. It

stopped me from taking damage, and it's difficult to fathom any other

purpose the programmers may have had for it. Nevertheless, there are

many people who report that it does no good for them. If you find

you're one of those people, all you can really do is try to run around

past it and trap it in the room whose doors close behind you.)

34. Why don't my shots harm the blue greater nightmares? -They're

resistant to regular ammunition, including HE (High Explosive)

bullets. Use armour-piercing (SABOT) rounds for the AK-47 (ideal) or

grenades (wasteful and inefficient for use against only one monster

due to the long reloading time).

35. How do I get through all those teleporters on Don't Get

Poisoned, Please Excuse Our Dust and But Wait! That's Not All!

-Patience. On Don't Get Poisoned, take the south teleporter in the

first room, the east teleporter in the following room, and then the

teleporter in the southern section of that area to get to Please

Excuse Our Dust. On PEOD, take the south-center teleporter in the

first room, then the northernmost teleporter you find there, then the

easternmost teleporter, then a teleporter in the southwest corner to

move onto BWTNA. On this level, you have to use every teleporter

before you can move on.

36. What about the teleporter rooms on Where Only Fools Dare

Tread? -This has been the subject of some discussion. The ideal route

seems to be as follows: Enter maze. Kill greater nightmare. Advance to

middle of room. Turn right. Take teleporter. Kill greater nightmare.

Go straight. Take teleporter. Kill greater nightmare. Advance to

middle of room. Rest a lot. Make ammunition (frag grenades

recommended, along with quite a lot of AK-47 SABOT and HE). Turn

around. Take teleporter.

37. Is there any quick way of getting rid of all those monsters?

-No. Shoot them, fire grenades at them...generally deal with them like

any regular monsters. On the up side, this is the last army of

monsters of any consequence you have to fight, so you can deplete your

entire arsenal, if you feel the need. Crystals may be used

indiscriminately once you've eliminated the banshees (the violet

crystal is especially good for this, since it has an area effect).

Save a few clips of ammunition, since you'll have to work your way

back up to ground level and will undoubtedly face a few monsters in

the process. There are also some ghasts to get past just before you

leave, but they're neatly lined up in a row in a 1-square wide

corridor, so they're not too much trouble.

38. What's that red floating thing in the middle of the room? -A

manifestation of the alien god. You can't get rid of any of them until

you've faced the roomful of Greater Nightmares, at which point a

couple of MP-41 shots will do in the last one. This is the place to

deposit the nuclear device. Set it to detonate as shortly before the

estimated waking time of the alien god as you safely can, in case your

time is very tight or you get held up somewhere on your way to the

surface by some monsters you missed.

39. How do I stop the Alien Gemstone from hurting me? -Put it in

the lead box from Warning:Earthquake Zone. The crystal is radioactive,

and the box will shield you from its effects. You need it to escape

the pyramid, which is done by going back up to the ground floor and

walking directly south from the blue rune.

40. Anything else I should know? -That should about cover it.

Don't forget to revisit the gold door on Beware of Low-Flying

Nightmares to retrieve the gold ingots, now that you have the key.

Some combat tips:

-Never put yourself in a position where you have to fight more

than two monsters at a time, especially when you're dealing with

skitters and nightmares. If you can, back yourself into a one-square

alcove or short passage, so only one can attack you at a time. Failing

that, back into a corner, so you at least don't have to worry about

your back. If no corners are available, at least put your back to a

wall.

-If you can do so safely, back up as you shoot nightmares. Their

energy attacks will take longer to reach you and you won't be hurt by

their acidic juices when they explode. This may seem like a good idea

with oozes, but it's not. There's more advantage to getting an ooze

dead quickly than there is in trying to run away from it, and the best

way to do this is to shoot from up close.

-There has been some debate on whether grenades or bullets are

more efficient in terms of damage per second. I prefer even MP-41

bullets to grenades, but I don't think that it really matters, except

to the extent that you're likely to have more clips of ammunition than

you are to have grenades. To speed up grenade reloading, particularly

when facing large groups of monsters (and most particularly when

you're dealing with skitters, who can shoot "through" each other to

get to you), do it manually by clicking on the inventory window,

moving a grenade into the launcher, then clicking back on the game

window. This is a good two to three seconds faster than waiting for it

to happen automatically. The exception to this is the fragmentation

grenade, which is good for doing damage to a large number of

creatures, which can then be dispatched with many fewer rounds of

MP-41 or AK-47 ammunition, and is also good for the first one or two

rooms of Who Else Wants Some?, since headlesses and zombies are

relatively weak.

On the subject of secret rooms, you can get through the game

having found only the one with the blue crystal in it. Other rooms,

however, contain things like potions and teleporters that make it

easier and quicker. It's generally fairly obvious where a room might

be (look for small, blank sections of your map and try to walk through

the walls surrounding those blank sections), and you should also look

for pillars that you can see with your eyes but not on your map. If

you find one, try walking "through" it.

Good luck!

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