I'm not sure how to do spoiler tags on here, so warning for spoilers.
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SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE SPOILED!
Ok...hopefully that is good enough. As a big hint, I would say think about who has a motive to kill. Who has power in MAN-ticore, and also who would have had a reason to kill Timmy?
If you're still struggling, then the answer is that the killers are Soren, Jon, John, Hunter, and Abzi, I don't know if there's a super obvious way to figure it out, but I just thought about the reactions to the different people. Soren was super apathetic to Timmy dying, and he also held a grudge because he felt Timmy got past him to Tad. Soren is also hinted at to be the most powerful person at MAN-ticore and he's the heir of the company. Jon and John are kind of obvious... I mean they give death glares to anyone who challenges their position and they're also violent. Hunter is tricky, but you can get scenes with him where he basically reveals he has a survival of the fittest mentality. He only cares about strength. And Abzi not only has the most to lose when rising stars appear, but there's also some hints here and there about him being very brutal (not to mention that creepy painting in his house).
After you get past that hurdle, you'll also face a series of puzzles. If you need hints or answers, then here's some help. For the first one, it's an algebra problem, using substitution. Treat the symbols, like x, y's, and z's. The ending amount is 154.5. The next one, I would focus on the riddle - the answer is ONE. And the last one, the hints mention Greek gods. It's an eight letter word with no numbers. Also the plaque says "only through him shall you find release." if you use the letters given, then it will lead you to Thanatos, the god of death.
This will lead you to ending four, the "beautiful" ending. I'm assuming it's the true ending, but I'm still trying to unlock the other endings, so I can't say for sure.
Most gallery items I've gotten from having to spend Insight during a conversation. I'm not sure how I made them pop up.
(In order of first row across 1-6 and second row across 7-12)
*These are 5 7 and 9, but I'm not sure what order. The hints disappear when you get the picture. (reply with the hints if you have them for these spots, and I'll try to place them with that info)
Hey #6 is actually tied The Violent End #6, I described the way the best i could to get to that point on another post but im not even sure thats the full path.
So there's actually one more way to get insight. So if you refuse Tad completely, are nice to chuck each time you see him, calling him sweet during his lunch, calling evandar and inviting him to the party, and if you are reluctant during the porn scenes each time; after the party you get a chance to go on a date with Abzi. If you select the bedroom option you get another investigation segment.
Letter, Watch, and necklace for the full 3 insight
but not very useful since the game ends very shortly after.
Also this path give the the Violent end #6.
Different ways to GET Insight
Search the Scene Insight:
In the wild:
So there's actually one more way to get insight. So if you refuse Tad completely, are nice to chuck each time you see him, calling him sweet during his lunch, calling evandar and inviting him to the party, and if you are reluctant during the porn scenes each time; after the party you get a chance to go on a date with Abzi. If you select the bedroom option you get another investigation segment.
Letter, Watch, and necklace for the full 3 insight
but not very useful since the game ends very shortly after.
Also this path give the the Violent end #6.
I've gotten passed it while calling Soren, and I've gotten past it while calling Evander. Got different endings.
SN: Beautiful ending and Dead End are 2 different numbered endings, but they are just the "good" and bad version of the same path.
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Dead end is accusing the incorrect killers or giving up, and beautiful is getting the correct killers.
Called Evander. You definitely need to have some sort of a bond with him. Also asked him out to lunch, at the part where the lunch person recommends getting something to defend yourself. Asked him to be date for the dinner. Other than that, focused on befriending Soren.
But i just cant seem to get anything but the True Ending, Dead End, Starface End
And I'm stuck with Bittersweet, Gutless, and Violent. I've tried it a bunch of different ways and a lot of choices don't really matter. I think the main points are being very nice and always choosing Jon or Chuck (doesn't mean you always have to go to lunch with chuck, though), at lunch with Soren and Hunter, choosing reason to celebrate, calling Evander, doesn't matter if you invite him or not (I stopped inviting him because it slows down speed test runs), you and Timmy aren't friends, gossip about him with Soren and Abzi, and refuse his gift. I also go to Port & Pier for the second lunch and Shakey's with Chuck on the 3rd. If this doesn't help, and I post the step by step in a Google Doc or something.
Alright, I figured it out. So the game has 3 major variables: Purity, Evander's heart, and Soren's heart. But mainly just Purity.
Both Evander's and Soren's heart variable are determined by who you call when you see the figure outside the window.
Now as for Purity, you start with a score of 5.
Being lewd, rude, violent or such will decrease points, while being hesitant, polite, "kind" and such increases it. E.g. complimenting Jon's outfit will increase it, while complimenting John's outfit will decrease it. I can write more precise decisions later in the evening.
Now, as for endings, here's what i found for the variables:
Ending 1: Purity over 10 TRUE END
Ending 2: Purity under 10, evanderheart true BITTERSWEET END
Ending 3: Purity under 5, choose gallery GUTLESS END
Ending 4: Purity over 10, sorensheart true BEAUTIFUL END
Ending 5: Evanderheart false or purity under 10 STARFACE END
Ending 6: Purity under 5, choose bedroom VIOLENT END
Ending 7: Purity under 10 and evanderheart false RETIRED END
Ending 8: E.g. Pick wrong killer DEAD END
I havent tested these out through the game yet, but ending 7 seems tricky, because you have to survive starhead but also Not meet the requirements to survive him later on, but Before the "facetime".. The idea being that you run away after the facetime..
Will keep combing through the code later but am in a hurry right now :D
This makes SO much sense. I now get why it seems like choices stopped mattering. Because I kept staying under 5 purity. lol
Also, I bet the talk with Soren while getting dressed is the signal of where your purity is. Only time I've gotten beautiful ending, that scene was different. (edit: I think I just proved this in my game)
And Thanks!
Here is every single choice in the game that affects the outcome. The rest dont do "anything" on the bigger scale as far as i noticed. Also note that i wrote the lunch dates separately, as they were in a different file. Seems Soren aint the central character to woo afterall, since he barely affects purity.
Purity system:
Workdays:
On the phone: “I’m a friend of Rivers” +1 purity // “I’m Skyye Manning’s brother” -1 purity
To Ted: “Everyone matters” +1 purity
To Ted: “Play along” -1 purity // “Refuse” +1 purity
To Ted (only after previous “Play along”): “Play along” -1 purity
Meeting John and Jon, preferring: “John” -1 purity
To Hunter: “I can look past it. Job’s a job.” +1 purity
On the phone, favorite person: “Tad” -1 purity // “Timmy” +1 purity
In the clinic: “River’s results, actually” +1 purity
Hunter and Timmy, about being friends: “We’re not.” -1 purity // “We’re getting there slowly” +1 purity
To Evander: “Ask for his number” +1 purity // “Rush out” -1 purity
Soren and Abzi lunch: “Lie” -1 purity
Soren and Abzi gossip: “Partake in gossip” -3 purity
Soren outside smoking: “Check” +1 purity
Fluffing Chuck: “Maybe it wont be that bad” -1 purity
Figure outside*: “Call Evander” +1 purity (also determines the variable “Evander’s heart and Soren’s heart depending on who you call, check other post)
Police: “I hate the police” -1 purity
A co-worker was: “Murdered” +1 purity
Pornscene: “Give them a show” -1 purity
Inviting Evander (only with Evander’s heart): “Invite Evander” +1 purity // “Don’t invite Evander” -1 purity
Liking a party outfit: “Abzi” -1 purity // “John” -1 purity // “Jon” +1 purity
Soren’s decorations: “It’s certainly innovative” +1 purity
Jon’s breakdown: “No, I don’t.” +1 purity
The “facetime” part is weird.. If your purity is 10 or above, you get the cliff facetime. If its under 10, and you have Evander’s heart (called him), you get the Bittersweet End.
“Else”, you get the Retired end #7.
But this is weird, because you need to be either at or over 10 purity or have Evander’s heart to survive Starface, yet this part comes very shortly after him, so theres no time to affect the variables anymore..
Lunch scenes:
“What do you think of Abzi, Adam?” Lunch with Soren and John
“He’s hot” -1 purity
“He’s a gracious host” +1 purity
“Don’t like him” nothing
“I find the idea...” (of holding a gun) Lunch with Evander
“Comforting” nothing
“Exciting” -1 purity
“Scary” +1 purity
“Nothing Timmy did came from strength or professionalism.” Lunch with Hunter
“Agree” nothing
“Disagree” -1 purity
Hunter congratulating about Adam’s first scene (Soren and Hunter lunch)
“It’s a reason to celebrate” -1 purity
“Dont know yet” nothing
“It’s not” +1 purity
Yeah. I've tried everything, down to exactly 10 purity. I can't get anything other than Dead End. BTW Do you have the 10th and or 12th gallery item? If so, do you remember how. I'm assuming one is ending 7 (you'll never be truly happy) and I thought 12 (blood is thicker than water) was True End, but I didn't get anything for it.
Should we try to just cheat to get it and see what happens?
Which I did. You get to the point when the call is made, he threatens you without kidnapping Evander, you run out of town. Evander, Soren and Chuck try to contact you but you ignore them and resign to Tad via email. No unlocks
You are right of course that it definitely looks bugged. There are no purity decisions between Starface meeting and after party meeting so you can move your Purity below 10 and enable Retired without cheating.
Honestly there was a perfectly good point in the game where it should imo have branched out in three paths. You could have gone with Chuck, gone to Abzi's party or continued with Evander. The Evander path could have continued as is (he could die or you could escape together), the Chuck path could either have you leave Manticore with Chuck or just replace Chuck with Evander in the kidnapping part and then there could be an all out evil route (heck perhaps even one where Abzi considers having you replace Soren).
Yeah. I agree. I think the Violent path should've been the "One of Us" path or something instead, where you do go up to the the bedroom instead of finding stuff and leaving, and eventually join them in their cult. Since it wasn't, I was kinda hoping that's what Retired path is, as in you join them, and you stay with the studio through retiring from porn.
