The Forest is one of the best survival horror games I’ve ever played. But keeping track of all that you have to do in the game can be quite difficult. If you’re a new player then chances are you want the easiest and most efficient way to beat the Forest. And that’s precisely what I’ll share with you in this guide.
- Obtain the Rebreather
- Obtain the Key Card to the Vault
- Obtain Climbing Tools
- Climb down to the bottom of the Sinkhole
- Swim to the Vault
- Finish the Game
Several questions come to mind when going through any playthrough of the Forest. Continue reading this guide to find answers to most, if not all, of the questions you might have. We shall discuss how to achieve all the steps mentioned above and get through the final section of the game.
How to Beat the Forest
If you’re looking to complete the game as soon as possible. But are confused as to which specific items you need, and what to do to finish, then we’ll review everything you need. It is surprising how you can spend weeks in the Forest trying to figure out what to do.
But the answer to finishing the game is quite short and simple. Just follow the steps we’ve mentioned down below, and you will have finished the Forest in no time. Follow our directions for the various items that you need. And be wary of monsters that can end your run prematurely.
1. Obtain the Rebreather
The Rebreather is an extremely important tool in the Forest. It allows you to breathe underwater and you can access underwater cave entrances using its help. The rebreather was added in the v0.14 update to the game. It has been a vital tool used by anyone hoping to beat the game.
Currently, there is only one known location where you can find the rebreather. This makes sense since the item is extremely beneficial. It allows you to breathe underwater through the use of air canisters. Air canisters can be easily found around many campsites and caves, for this precise reason.
The rebreather can be found in the Submerged Cave, or Cave 5, near the southern entrance. Once you go inside the cave, make your way to the water hole. You will find the rebreather right before you reach the water hole. It will be towards the left as you approach.
A skeleton will be attached to it, and there will be several air canisters in the area you can use. And that’s how you can obtain the rebreather.
2. Obtain Keycard to the Vault
The next major story item that is essential to beating the game is the employee Keycard. This is an important item to beating the game. It allows you to access the Vault at the end of the game. If you do not obtain this item you will not be able to complete the game.
Additionally, you must know that the employee Keycard is different from the gold Keycard Two. You will receive the gold Keycard two after entering the Vault. Find the employee Keycard in the boarded-up alcove that is next to Cave 6, or the Lawyer Cave.
And then you will find a large pile of corpses that will be protected by two creatures. These creatures include an Armsy and a Mutant Baby. You will find a Camcorder near this pile as well. If you’re looking for how to get into the cave itself then the Cliffside passage is the best. It is next to the shipping containers and is your best entrance point.
The reason why the Keycard is so important is that it will be used later to enter the Vault. This can be found inside the Sinkhole and after traversing through the Hell Cave.
Related: How to Get Water in The Forest (Ultimate Guide)
3. Obtain Climbing Tools
As you make your way through the last of the caves in the Forest, you will need Climbing Equipment. Of course, this will include various amounts of rope. But most importantly you will need to have a climbing axe. Which can help your character traverse the horrid landscape within the game’s final area.
The best thing about the Climbing Axe is that it functions both as a tool and a weapon. Version 0.15 introduced this. And if you are hoping to obtain it you can find it in the Ledge Cave, or Cave 9.
What’s interesting is that you are normally unable to go down to the climbing axe area without a climbing axe yourself. However, with a few careful jumps, you can reach the bottom. And make your way back up through the use of the said Climbing area.
To open the end of Cave 9 and Cave 3 you will have to blow up their respective walls. Dynamite helps in doing this.
4. Climb Down to The Bottom of the Sinkhole
To complete the story you must explore the Sinkhole. Cave HC and Sahara Research Laboratory are located here. The end of the game is exploring this final section. There are numerous ways that you can traverse through that final Sinkhole. In this section, we’ll discuss some of the ways we think are easiest.
- Traversing Cave 7 will open up a pair of Sacrificial doors at the bottom of the sinkhole.
- You can aim to jump straight into the pond at the center of the sinkhole.
- You can attempt to slide/jump down the ledges on the walls. This can be quite dangerous. However, if you have medicine, and materials to survive then this process can be made far easier.
- Constructing a set of stairs can help you get down to the sinkhole faster as well.
- The Climbing Axe can be used to climb down to the area of the sinkhole.
- A freestanding zipline can also be used across the sinkhole. This method should allow you to drop down into the pond’s center when you reach a certain point.
You can use any of the methods indicated above to get to the bottom of the Sinkhole. Make sure that you complete all necessary objectives above ground before descending into the Sinkhole. Moreover, numerous other items will be important in the final stretch of the game, so come prepared.
5. Swim to the Vault
Once you reach the center of the Sinkhole, you will realize that it is flooded with water. The only way to reach the inner sections of this area will be to swim through it. This is why we obtained the Rebreather. Use the Rebreather for swimming to the next section of the area.
This will be perhaps the longest swimming section in the game. So I recommend that you multiple air canisters if needed. Once you’re at the bottom of the Sinkhole and out of the water, you will find the Vault.
Related: What do Effigies do in The Forest?
6. Finish the Game
After reaching the Vault at the bottom of the Sinkhole, you can enter through it using the Keycard we obtained in the previous section. On the other side, you will find the Sahara Research Lab. You will be prompted to explore and search through this lab to find out the whereabouts of your son.
You will eventually come up to a location where a Resurrection Obelisk can be found. At this point, you will be in the final section of the game. You will find your son, Timmy, dead inside the Resurrection Obelisk.
At this point, your character should have realized that Matthew used your son as a sacrifice to revive his daughter, Megan. You will now to tasked with finding Megan. Once you do, Megan will transform into a boss mutant that you will have to defeat. You will receive the second Keycard at this point.
You can use the second Keycard to get to the second artifact in the game. This one will be an EMP that can shoot a plane out of the sky. You will be presented with the option to either shoot down another plane or obtain a human sacrifice to revive your son. Or to destroy the artifact and end the cycle of violence.
Beginners Tips
Before you delve into specific caves and try to obtain important items, we should discuss some basic tips. These tips will be beneficial to all of you regardless of your current progress or skill level. The Forest is not just a survival game but has a deep strategic element associated with every decision that you choose to make.
We urge that you follow these beginner steps to make your early game journey through the harsh lands of the Forest far more bearable. After all, nothing is worse than a run that ends a few hours after booting up into a game. That’s just no fun. Instead, we’ll go over every major thing you need to know and prepare.
Get a Map of the Game World
One of the best items you can pick up in the early game is the Map. This item will help you navigate the harsh and unforgiving lands of the Forest. It is also important to have a map, so you can readily ensure that you’re in the right position and spot for certain quests, items, and caves.
Overall the map is an extremely useful item, and having one readily available will improve your overall experience with the game. And you’ll probably beat the Forest far more easily. So where can you find the map in the game?
Where to Find the Map
You can find the map in the 2nd Cave in the game called the Hanging Cave. You can locate the cave in the largest cannibal village. Make your way to the center of the village and head to the entrance to the cave through a hole and rope inside one of the huts.
Alternatively, the first time you die in the overworld, your character will be dragged and tied upside down inside of this cave. This cave also has the extremely powerful Modern Axe, which is an important item that can provide a lot of stat boosts in the game.
Related: How To Find Aloe In The Forest (Quick Tips)
Farm Rabbits and Create Bags
Many bags can be created in the Forest. Either it’s a stick bag, water skin, a rock bag, or even a berry pouch. Each of these items can be extremely vital, as it provides a medium by which you can store your necessary items, without cluttering your inventory.
To make sure you have the necessary materials to craft all of these essential items, you will need to farm rabbits. This can seem harsh to any roleplayer out there. However, the Forest is far more survivable with these items. So I’d suggest you farm Rabbits through a bow and arrow.
Stamina Management
In the early game, your stamina is not going to be great. And you will constantly find yourself waiting for your stamina bar to refill, so you can continue making progress. If you’re facing the issue of constantly needing to stop then you can ease your Stamina burden by building a bench.
You can sit on a crafted Bench, and it should quite rapidly refill your stamina. Later in the game, you will have obtained so many upgrades that you will no longer need to worry about your stamina. But having a Bench in the early game can be immensely helpful.
The Forest is a fantastic game that requires a lot of trial and error to beat. If you’re new to the game then many systems can seem quite complex and not presented either. However, the game is tremendously fun once you get into it. And the story has a lot of moral weight to it.
I hope you found this article helpful in completing your first of many playthroughs.