The Dark Pictures Anthology: Directive 8020 Guide – All Achievements

Turning points

Please note: this part of the anthology introduces a new mechanic that significantly simplifies the achievement process: the “Turning Points” system. It allows you to pause the game and return to the last important choice, or any point before it, via a decision tree, which looks like a flowchart.

The system is similar to what you might have seen in The Casting of Frank Stone, but here you can instantly rewind directly through the pause menu, so the developers literally encourage replaying and quickly changing your decisions. However, if you change something in Episode 2, you’ll have to replay it all the way to the consequences, even if they’re in Episode 8. There’s no fast-forwarding here.

If you are looking for a specific achievement, use the page search: Ctrl + F and the achievement name.

It is assumed that you try to save all Directive 8020 characters unless the achievement states otherwise.

Note on the Deluxe Edition: You don’t need the Deluxe Edition to get 100% of the achievements. However, the Deluxe Edition does contain a unique collectible—figurines of characters from previous The Dark Pictures Anthology games.

Achievements for the game mode

Now live with it

• Description : Complete the main story in Survivor style.

This achievement is unlocked after completing the game in Survivor mode. In this mode, the Tipping Point system is disabled—your decisions are final and irrevocable, and you cannot go back and change your choices.

Survival and Stealth Achievements

This section lists all achievements related to characters surviving particularly difficult moments or escaping from alien lifeforms in specific scenes. “Turning Points” in this case make earning achievements significantly easier.

Not today, boss.

• Description : Cernan escaped from Williams and was never caught.

At the beginning of Episode 3, “Specimen,” in the “Game Over” scene, you need to hide from an alien disguised as Williams. Sneak past him, interact with the panel to unlock the windows to reach a new room, then make your way through several rooms. Afterward, disable the control room lock and open the ventilation, allowing you to escape stealthily. If you successfully avoid the monster , the achievement will unlock upon entering the control room.

Don’t forget to fasten your seat belt

• Description : Stafford survived the crash.

During Episode 3, “Pattern,” in the “Crash” scene, either return to the chair as soon as possible, or, if you restarted the autonavigator in Episode 2, “Laid-Back Plans,” in the “Chase” scene for Eisley, you can restart the system again without returning to the chair.

But if you disabled the auto-navigator in Episode II, you simply won’t have that option. Or if Simms caught your eye, Isley won’t notice she disabled all systems and won’t be able to restart the auto-navigator. In that case, don’t try!

Recycling of organic waste

• Description : The double was incinerated in the disposal bay.

At the beginning of the fifth episode, “Mr. Williams,” in the “Incineration” and “Recycling Bay” scenes, you must successfully escape after Eiseley, activate the furnace with 3 switches, and lure the doppelganger into a trap.

If the achievement doesn’t unlock right away, don’t worry. It usually appears later, in Episode 6, when you repeat the previous steps.

Humanist

• Description : The entire crew survived.

Unlike previous games, you need to keep every character alive, not just the five playable heroes. The exception is the prologue characters, who still die (though it’s best not to let Simms fly off into outer space ). We have a separate guide dedicated to saving all the game’s heroes .

Note : After completing the mission with the entire crew intact, you can use “Tipping Points” and quickly replay Episode 8 to earn the “Not a Living Place Left” achievement by killing every character.

Key decisions (not related to the achievements above):

• Episode 2 (Suspicion) – Trust Anders.
• Episode 5 (Off the Record) – Put Williams to sleep.
• Episode 5 (Under Pressure) – Complete a sequence of events so that Mitchell and Anders survive (ideally, follow the “Steak Is a Little Raw” achievement, but other options will work). Use turning points if necessary.
• Episode 6 (Roulette) – Don’t shoot Williams.
• Episode 6 (Scanner) – Shoot Isley on the left (not the newcomer).
• Episode 7 (Search Party) – After Anders tells you about the stalactite cave, turn right and find the cave behind the stone bridge. Don’t turn left!
• Episode 8 (Second Chance) – Order Williams to come with you.
• Episode 8 (Tough Choice) – Choose to help Stafford.
• Episode 8 (Knock Knock) – Let Mitchell in.

Additional tips:

• successfully complete all stealth sections;
• Don’t fail QTE sequences;
• Enable accessibility settings to make QTE easier ;
• play on easy difficulty;
• Use turning points when necessary.

We are all human

• Description : All crew members have successfully passed the scan.

This achievement unlocks along the way to the “Humanist” achievement. You must keep all crew members alive until Episode 6, “Scanner,” and successfully complete the stealth sections for each of them.

The new arrival, Aizley, will be the real deal, while the other one will be a doppelganger. You need to shoot the doppelganger, labeled Aizley (on the left side).

Perfect stealth

• Description : The crew members returned to the bridge without losing anyone.

In Episode VII, all characters must successfully evade aliens during all stealth and chase sequences. The achievement unlocks upon arriving on the bridge. Typically, this includes one stealth sequence for Brianna Young, plus a chase sequence for Joseph Cernan.

The road home

• Description : The crew departed for Earth without any strangers on board.

You don’t have to keep everyone alive to achieve this achievement, but it’s a good idea to combine it with the Humanitarian achievement to avoid having to replay the game.

The condition is that there should be no doubles left on the ship , and the ending should lead the crew back to Earth.

To avoid strangers:

• follow the recommendations to achieve “Humanist”,
• Don’t get caught by aliens in stealth scenes,
• In Episode 7, rescue the real Anders from the planet’s surface by turning right after the message about a cave with stalactites.

For the Earth ending:

• in episode six (Directive 8020) send out a distress signal,
• by episode eight and the “Why Are We Here” scene, lead Yang to the “Hero” destiny,
• After blowing out the candles, choose humanity as your wish. This won’t happen on the Pragmatist’s path.

Then Young will tell you about the Cassiopeia workstation in orbit. After the IKA is refueled, you’ll be able to return to Earth.

Achievements for character deaths

There was no living space left

• Description : The entire crew was killed.

This achievement is easiest to obtain from a save in which the entire crew survived. Simply replay Episode VIII and quickly kill all the characters, failing the chases and stealth sequences.

Restart Episode 8 from the point “Second Chance” and follow these steps:

1. Second chance – leave Williams on the ship.
2. Misdirection – Get caught by a monster while playing as Stafford.
3. Atrium – Get caught by a monster while playing as Isley.
4. Shoggoth – Get caught by the monster while playing as Brianna Young.
5. Thresher – Fail a QTE challenge while playing as Cooper.
6. Knock knock – don’t open the door for Mitchell.
7. Return of the Beast – Fail a QTE challenge while playing as Cernan.
8. Heavy Load – The monster will blow up the ICA, killing the surviving Anders.

This method will also unlock the “Rainy Day Item” achievement.

Harvest

• Description : A scanner scan triggered a chain of deaths.

This is a rather specific achievement. You need to send characters to the scanner when there are fewer than three playable characters left alive.

Recommended route:

Episode 2, scene “Electricity is not a toy”:

• turn off the fire alarm system,
• Either get caught by Simms or ignore the screen she interacts with later when you follow her while controlling Eisley.

Episode 3, scene “Crash”:

• Kill Stafford by failing the QTE and not returning to the chair in time.

Playing as Samantha Cooper, increase the “Professional” trait to achieve the “Medic” fate. Williams will then automatically die in Episode 5.

Next you need to fail one of two stealth scenes:

• or for Cernan in the fifth episode, the “Game Over” scene,
• or for Isley in the fifth episode, the “Recycling Bay” scene.

Please select any of the options listed.

Episode 5, scene “Under Pressure”:

• save Anders,
• Let Mitchell die.

At the end of Episode 5, in the “Helper” scene, you can send Cernan or Eisley to the Hydroponics Department.

If you failed the stealth mission for Cernan in Episode III, send him out and deliberately get caught in the “Close Encounter” scene in Episode VI. He will die after the “Split” scene. The same applies to Isley if you failed her stealth mission in Episode V.

Episode 6, scene “Scanner”:

• another Cernan or Aisley will appear, depending on who survived,
• Order both of them to go through the scanner.

The doppelganger will kill the real character. By this point, only Cooper, Yang, and Anders should remain alive. After this, the doppelganger will kill the rest of the crew, and you’ll earn the achievement.

A reserve for a rainy day

• Description : A second squad was sent to the lower compartments to reroute the fuel.

This achievement can be obtained in Episode 8. You need to ensure that the first team dies while attempting to reroute the fuel, after which a second team is sent in (if enough playable characters remain alive).

Achievements for character destinies

These achievements are unlocked by achieving specific Fates for playable characters. They work similarly to the trait system in previous games in The Dark Pictures series: progress is determined by dialogue and/or choices throughout the game, as well as decisions in timed scenes. Each character has two traits associated with their Fates.

Show of character

• Description : Character destiny unlocked.

This achievement will unlock during the first episode’s spacewalk. Regardless of your choices, you’ll receive one of Carter’s destinies—Parent or Craftsman.

All possible futures

• Description : All character destinies unlocked.

Each character has traits. Their progress is displayed in the “Crew” section of the game menu: both bars change depending on the options chosen. However, to obtain a Fate, you don’t need to fill the bar completely—it’s enough for one of the two traits to be higher than the other by a certain key moment. Some decisions can also result in negative values ​​for these bars.

Thomas Carter

The Turning Point – Episode 1, “Heart-to-Heart Talk” scene:

• Determination – Complete the prologue/first episode with Carter at the highest level. During the spacewalk, choose Anxiety and Trust.
• Caution – Complete the prologue/first episode with Carter’s Caution trait at its highest. During the spacewalk, choose Wish and Compliment.

Brianna Young

The Turning Point – Episode 8, Scene “Why Are We Here”:

• Seriousness – By episode 8, the “Why Are We Here” scene, Yang’s Seriousness trait should be higher than Loyalty.
• Loyalty – By episode 8, the “Why Are We Here” scene, Yang’s Loyalty trait should be higher than Seriousness.

Nolan Stafford

The Turning Point – Episode 6, Scene “The Fallen Crown”:

• Support – This trait should be highest for Stafford in Episode 6, when you talk to him on the bridge.
• Determination – This trait should be highest for Stafford in Episode 6 when you talk to him on the bridge.

Laura Eiseley

The Turning Point – Episode 8, Scene “Aegis”:

• Sanity – Finish the game with Eisley having the highest stat in this trait.
• Empathy – Complete the game with Eisley having the highest Empathy trait.

Samantha Cooper

Turning Point – Episode 5, Scene “Suspicion”:

• Professional – By the fifth episode, the “Suspicion” scene, Cooper’s Professional trait should be at its highest.
• Humor – By episode five, the “Suspicion” scene, Cooper’s Humor trait should be her highest.

Joseph Cernan

The Turning Point – Episode 8, Scene “Explanations”:

• Focus – Cernan must survive until the beginning of Episode 8. Whichever trait is higher at that point will be retained.
• Philosopher – Cernan must survive until the beginning of the eighth episode. Whichever trait is higher at that point will be fixed.

Messages to Andromeda

These achievements are tied to the message Brianna Young sends back to Andromeda in Episode VII. The necessary decision, however, is made earlier, in Episode VI and the “Directive 8020” scene.

Don’t get involved – it will kill you.

• Description : Yang sent a warning to Andromeda.

In Episode 6, during the “Directive 8020” scene, choose to send a warning to the Andromeda. The achievement will unlock later, in Episode 7.

Message in a Bottle

• Description : Yang sent a distress signal to Andromeda.

In Episode 6, during the “Directive 8020” scene, choose to send a distress signal to the Andromeda. The achievement will unlock later, in Episode 7.

Simms’ Secrets and Recordings

Simms’s secrets and notes can be found while exploring locations, where scenes labeled “Exploration” appear. You must interact with various interactive objects and documents.

• Simms’s Logs are video diaries of duty technician Simms, a character from the game’s prologue. To earn the achievement, you need to find 10 of these logs.

There’s also an achievement for finding all 50 collectible secrets. They’re divided into several categories.

The name of the subchapter where the collectibles you need are located can be found on the secrets pages in the game’s Turning Points menu.

Additionally, the Turning Points flowchart allows you to check what collectibles are available in each episode, how many you’ve missed, and what part of the chapter they’re in.

Methodical search

• Description : All secrets in the game have been found.

Categories of secrets:

• 6 belong to the Cassiopeia category.
• 10 are categorized as “Mission Whale”.
• 8 belong to the “On Duty” category.
• 5 fall into the category “O Death!”
• 12 are categorized as “Conspiracy”.
• 5 belong to the category “Research Associates”.
• 3 fall into the “Gloomy Future” category.
• 6 belong to the “Crew” category.

You’ll need additional codes and passwords to access some items. The password for the cafeteria locker in Episode 3, “Search,” is 0402, and the code for the anomaly log in Episode 5, “Silence,” is 3196.

Hi, Mommy…

• Description : All Simms entries found.

There are 10 Simms Notes in the game. They can be easily found through the “Turning Points” menu to track your progress.

O Death

Description : All of the Keeper’s secrets have been found.

To unlock these secrets, you must either first find the “Oh, Death!” secret in Episode 8, “The Way Back,” or complete Episode 8 entirely, after which the rest can be found through the “Tipping Points” menu.

To find the first secret—the obol—you’ll have to solve a few environmental puzzles . It’s actually quite simple. In Episode 8, the “Way Back” scene, walk down the hallway and you’ll notice an empty battery slot. Remember this location, move on, and take the battery from the slot by the door that leads to the next room. Go back and insert the battery to open the vent. Continue down the tunnel and you’ll have to make your way through a room with multiple servers. Just look for different nodes and interact with them. Nothing too complicated. Eventually, you’ll find a wall monitor with Simms’s final recording. In the same room where you found Simms’s final recording in Episode 8, there’s a new secret on the floor next to the monitor… an ancient coin. Pick it up to unlock the “Oh Death!” secret category. Now you can return to previous episodes to find four more of these collectibles.

Story achievements that can’t be missed

Rise

Description : Episode 1 completed.

The cycle is complete

Description : all 8 episodes completed.

These achievements are story-related and unlock after completing the indicated chapters.

Achievements related to decisions and actions taken

Lost and Found

• Description : Carter’s tech bracelet was found.

In Episode 3, “The Search,” a scene that unfolds near the end of the chapter, after the second door, which opens with the inserted battery, you can hear the beeping of a Tech Bracelet. Explore the area where the signal is coming from: move forward, remove the barrier, and crawl through the narrow passage to find the Tech Bracelet and earn the achievement.

In the game’s first episode, Carter can be caught by Simms, or he can escape and hide in his cabin. In the latter case, he’ll record a warning; in the former, he won’t, but this doesn’t affect the achievement or the placement of the Tech Bracelet.

Don’t go through the locked door to the elevators or you’ll miss the item.

The right to bear arms

• Description : Permission to use weapons has been granted.

This achievement depends on your actions in Episodes 1, 3, and 4. In Episode 1, you must escape the alien Simms doppelganger as Carter and hide in your cabin. Only then will he record a warning on his tech bracelet!

Then, in Episode 3 and the “Search” scene, you need to find Carter’s Tech Bracelet in the cafeteria. See the “Lost and Found” achievement described above.

After this, in the fourth episode, the scene “Inappropriate Use”, playing as Eisley, allow him to use the pistol.

The steak is a bit raw

• Description : Mitchell and Anders were not harmed during the experiment.

This route is not necessary to save all the characters, so it is listed separately.

In the second episode, “Electricity Is Not a Toy,” choose to disable the auto-navigator rather than the fire suppression system.

In the same second episode, in the “Chase” scene, turn the fire suppression system back on after Simms’s doppelganger disables it. To do this, Isley must stay out of her sight!

In the “Under Pressure” scene of Episode 5, choose to save Anders and successfully open the door. This will ensure Anders isn’t harmed, and the fire suppression system will save Mitchell.

A chatterbox

• Description : Messages sent to all crew members.

This achievement is unlocked by sending a message to every crew member via the built-in messenger. It’s available in some exploration sections.

Control:

• M — on the keyboard .
• Y — Xbox / Steam Deck .
• Triangle – PlayStation.

After you message every crew member at least once, you’ll instantly earn the achievement. You won’t be able to message everyone right away, so return to the messenger several times as you unlock new contacts.

Be sure to message Carter before the end of Episode 2! The earliest chance to get this achievement is Episode 6.

Data leak

• Description : The truth about the cloning program has been revealed.

To earn this achievement, you must guide Brianna Young to the “Hero” destiny and first make a wish for humanity in Episode 8. For more details, see the “Road Home” achievement description.

In this scenario, Yang will leak information about the clone program to Earth in the finale. She will appear in handcuffs at the end. Also, in pre-launch flashbacks, the following options were chosen, if they are significant, but this has not been confirmed:

• Resist – Episode 6.
• Sorrow – Episode 7.
• Question – Episode 8.

Pull the bookmark

• Description : The path has been changed by a turning point.

Play with the “Tipping Points” system enabled. Open the “Tipping Points” tab in the pause menu, select one of the tipping points, and reload from it. You’ll likely earn this achievement naturally while hunting for other achievements.

Achievements associated with Williams

These four achievements are tied to the same solution path, so they are combined into one block.

Is it decaf?

• Description : Williams was euthanized.

In Episode 2, the “Distrust” scene, choose the option to trust Anders when Mitchell asks Stafford about her.

When playing as Samantha Cooper, don’t focus on the Professional trait. Instead, focus on maximizing the Humor trait.

In Episode 5, the “Suspicion” scene, agree to tranquilize Williams and synthesize diazepam. The synthesis code is 168. Later, Anders will tranquilize Williams, and you’ll earn the achievement. This will also unlock the “Password 1” achievement.

Password1

• Description : Anders hacked Williams’ computer.

Ensure Anders survives the experiment in Episode 5, the “Under Pressure” scene, without taking any damage by choosing to save Anders. She’ll later hack Williams’ computer, earning you the achievement. This will also unlock the “Suspect Acquitted” achievement in the future .

The suspect was acquitted.

• Description : The crew was convinced that Williams was human.

In Episode 6, the “Roulette” scene, if you’ve fulfilled all the previous requirements, you’ll be able to choose the “Don’t Shoot” option. This achievement will then be unlocked.

If the previous route was not followed, you may find yourself in front of a double, not the real Williams.

This solution is convenient because it will also lead you to the “Cleanliness” achievement.

Frankly speaking

• Description : Williams was convinced to reveal the truth about the mission.

Continue the route after the previous decisions and keep the characters alive until Episode 7, “The Truth” scene. Successfully complete all stealth sections. The achievement will unlock at this point, but only if you’ve earned the three previous achievements and rescued the real Anders in Episode 7, “Search Party.”

Don’t save Anders’s doppelganger. When she tells you about the stalactite cave via messenger, turn right, not left. Make sure you enter the cave with the stalactites on the ceiling!