Sons of the Forest is currently available for PC via Steam Early Access. While those wishing to play through the story should wait until it’s finished, there is a good chunk of content to play through with some endings (and lots of unanswered questions).
You are free to roam the island, building and crafting as needed, but certain items must be collected, and locations visited to complete the story. Let’s go through all the steps. Spoilers follow, so be careful.
Full Walks
Crash Landing and Start Location
The intro cutscene sees the player traveling with other mercenaries in a helicopter. It ends up crashing, and you are left in the water to escape. After waking up on the island, a mysterious individual with a gun greets you and knocks you out, starting the game.
Near your starting location, you’ll see Kelvin on the ground in pain. Use a medkit to help them. Kelvin will become your AI companion, and you can use a notebook to issue commands. Having him around is optional, but Kelvin can be invaluable for building, resource gathering and combat.
Stun and Rebreather Gun
In the northern part of the island there are some caves where you can find the Stun Gun. Although this is optional, it is useful for non-lethal cases. Use an ax to break down the wooden planks covering the entrance, and enter the cave. Keep going until you reach a fork – follow the correct path that the torch points to until you come across a hanging body. The Stun Gun is right next to it.
Next, you’ll want to find the Rebreather, which is necessary for completing the story. Go back to the fork with the flashlight, and this time, go left. Eventually you will reach an area with a pool of water. Near the light is the Rebreather. Dive underwater with it and look for an opening. Follow this until you are out of the cave.
Rope Gun
On the western part of the island near some streams is the Rope Gun, which is needed to complete the story. Explore the area until you find a boarded up cave entrance, similar to the one with the Stun Gun and Rebreather. Cut the planks and go inside.
Keep going until you reach a small drop, then go left – there’s a body with an email printed on it and a path that goes further in. Follow her until you see some bodies, and then look to the right to see a writhing creature. Pick up the time bombs nearby to blow them up and go inside.
Keep going until you find another body with a printed email and some bodies hanging further ahead. The path will eventually go slightly to the right – follow it, moving past some stalactites, until you see a light.
Go past all the bodies until you reach a fork (which appears to have some bronze on the left and center). Take the path to the left and crawl through the opening. Follow the flashlights, and eventually, you’ll find the Gun Rope. Use it to venture down until you find the exit.
Shovel
Also located on the west side, but closer to the mountain in the middle, is the Spade. You know the drill – look for a boarded-up entrance that leads inside a cave. Some bodies are standing upright outside, making them easier to find.
Once inside, you will need the Rope Gun to zip line. Equip the Rebreather, enter the water, and dive into the hole. Keep going until you find a place to respawn. Go straight past the bones and slide down. You will land in another pit but look around for a light and go straight down the path.
Keep going until you reach a large room with bodies all around. Go to the left side, and you’ll see an opening that leads to another underwater section for the Rebreather.
After respawning, go straight until you find a body with the Shovel. There are some lights ahead, but you can ignore that for now. Grab the Shovel and go back to the same large room. Keep going until some rocks fly out due to another angry creature. Blow it up and go through the opening, which leads to the exit.
3D printer
Although not mandatory to finish the story, the 3D Printer is very useful for creating items. It’s easy to find – check the GPS Tracker on your phone, and there should be a blinking icon for the western part of the island. Follow her until you reach a cave entrance. Break the planks to enter and take the shortcut to a room with the 3D Printer.
Maintenance Key Card
You enter the later part of the game, which requires collecting some key cards. The first is just north-west of the mountain in the middle. Check the glowing light on your GPS Tracker, and once in that exact spot, start digging with the Shovel. Eventually you’ll find a hatch that says “Maintenance A.” Open it and go down the ladder. Go straight down the corridor and enter the first room on your right. Check the table for the Key Card.
VIP Key Card
Next, you’ll want to go to the Bunker for the VIP Key Card. The glowing pole on the northwest part of the map (near a lake) is where you should go. You’ll find some abandoned carts there – enter the nearby cave and go down until you find a hatch that says “Food and Eating.” Open it and go down the ladder. Use the Maintenance Keycard on the door on the right, and keep going past all the vegetables. If you explore a bit in these rooms, you’ll find a Crossbow and some bolts.
As you reach the end, take a left and go down the stairs, which lead to a flooded part. Swim forward until you reach another door that requires a Keycard. This is where you need a VIP Keycard, so take the hatch nearby until you reach a security room.
Collect the VIP Keycard from here and watch the security footage, which teases a mini-boss showdown. Use it to enter the room, where Mr and Mrs Puffton are waiting. If you have a shotgun, equip it, because they will tear you apart at close range.
Check the broken windows nearby and enter the water with the Rebreather. Keep swimming down and respawning, then move through the cave until you reach the exit.
Guest Key Card
Further south of the pole for the VIP Key Card is the Guest Key Card. Follow the glowing light on your GPS Tracker, and there should be a cave opening. Venture through until you reach a corridor, then go left. Take a right and use the VIP Keycard on the door. Explore the surroundings until you find some stairs and go up past the pool. Go through the bar and lounge until you see a sign that says “Nightclub.” Before the back wall, there is a table on the right with the Guest Key Card.
Golden Armor
The Gold Armor is also needed to finish the story and can be found on the south-eastern part of the island, near the large lake. Again, follow the pole with the GPS Tracker and enter the cave. Drop down into the hole until you reach some stairs. Go downstairs and use the Maintenance Key Card to open the door.
Keep going down and enter the door, after which a cutscene plays. Go down the corridor until you reach another set of stairs, then venture down to the Level 2 door and through another door. Just before the next door, enter the last door on the right and enter the room to find the Golden Armor.
If you go back and then take the door to the left of your current location, you will find a room with the Katana. Return to the stairs and down until you reach a door that requires the Maintenance Key Card. Open it and venture through the cave to find the exit.
The Bunker
This is it – the ending. Go to the northeastern part of the island to visit the last Bunker. It is hard to lose and requires the Guest Keycard. Venture inside and take the stairs down, until you reach a door on the left. Go straight and down another set of stairs to another door on the left.
Keep going until you reach a room with several paintings. Look for an open door on the right and go through it. Explore until you find a bathroom with a destroyed wall leaking steam – enter through the wall and press your hand on the door to open it.
Go through the cave until you reach some dripping lava. Climb left and follow the path. You are on the right track if you find several skeletons hanging. Crouch down through the opening, and you’ll reach a cave with more lava. Walk past it to another opening, and keep going until you reach an area with a lot more lava. Stick to the leftmost path – it will twist through the lava and allow you to pass unscathed.
Go through the cave, and you’ll see an area with some documents and lava pouring from above. Take the left path and drop down. Eventually, you’ll come to a lava stream – go left past all the stalagmites. Eventually, an opening will appear.
Go straight and move through the opening to the final area, and the end of the game. There are two endings based on whether you go into the extraction helicopter or stay on the island.
Go here for our review of Sons of the Forest and stay tuned for more updates in the coming months.
