One of the most unusual and notable mechanics in Pathologic 3 is time travel, which allows the game’s protagonist, Daniil Dankovsky, to relive the same days, making different decisions or solving problems he only learns about after the fact. However, this ability, like death, comes with a price: amalgam. This mysterious resource, whose reserves you must manage throughout the game, prevents time travel and, in the worst case, permanent death.
There are several ways to obtain Amalgam, and it’s worth using them whenever possible (assuming you’re already stocked up), otherwise you’ll face the worst possible outcome—a Game Over screen, after which you can’t load a previous save and have to start from scratch. Cruel? Yes, but in reality, obtaining the resource isn’t difficult. The key is simply to do it in a timely manner.
What is amalgam?
Amalgam is a mysterious resource in Pathologic 3 that allows Daniil Dankovsky to return to previous days. He does this consciously, realizing he’s reliving moments he’s already experienced, but also has the power to change the fates of the characters, the city, and so on. You’ll be introduced to this mechanic immediately after the “tutorial” segment of Pathologic 3, and you’ll be warned repeatedly about its key features:
- Amalgam can only be stored in intact parts of Daniil Dankovsky’s psyche. These “vessels” appear as several empty segments, which gradually fill with white as the amalgam accumulates.
- If you die without a single Amalgam, you’ll get a Game Over screen. The game only offers one “second try,” where you return to the mirror room with the chance to replenish your Amalgam, but after that, your defeat is permanent. So, if you blink and die without an Amalgam again, you’ll have to start over from the prologue.
- Amalgam is consumed every time a day changes, even if you simply advance the chronology. It’s impossible to skip a day by sleeping.
- Amalgam is also consumed when restoring from a save after death or a heart attack. Essentially, it’s a resource that’s directly used to load previous saves if the hero dies.
How to get amalgam?
There are four main methods of Amalgam mining:
- Mirror Breaking – you’ll be taught this in the Mirror Room after Day 5. Mirrors can be found throughout the city, and you should break them as soon as you spot them, unless your amalgam supply is completely full. Mirrors will appear in various places and on different days – even in places they weren’t previously. Be alert and constantly check your surroundings.
- Completing thoughts on Daniil Dankovsky’s mind map , which can be considered akin to a quest system, rewards some with amalgams—especially for thoughts that inherently require time travel .
- End the day by talking to Eva . This can only be done once per day (meaning you can’t farm Amalgam infinitely this way), but in return you’ll receive a substantial reward of 100 Amalgam.
- Helping infected people in infected areas to ensure their safe passage will require careful use of the medications in your inventory to keep their heart rate within certain limits. Be careful: an error in this process will cause damage to Daniil Dankovsky himself.
