Sons of the Forest is currently available for PC via Steam Early Access. While those wanting to play through the story should probably wait until it’s finished, there is a good chunk of content to play through with some endings (and many unanswered questions).
You’re free to explore the island, building and crafting as necessary, but certain items must be gathered, and locations visited to complete the story. Let’s go through all the steps. Spoilers follow, so be warned.
Full Walkthrough
Crash Landing and Starting Location
The introduction cutscene sees the player traveling with other mercenaries in a helicopter. It eventually crashes, and you’re left in the water to escape. Upon awakening on the island, a mysterious individual with a gun greets you and knocks you out, thus beginning the game.
Near your starting location, you’ll see Kelvin on the ground in pain. Use a medkit to help him. Kelvin will become your AI companion, and you can use a notepad to issue commands. Having him around is optional, but Kelvin can prove invaluable for building, gathering resources and combat.
Stun Gun and Rebreather
In the island’s northern part are some caves where you can find the Stun Gun. Though this is optional, it does prove helpful for non-lethal takedowns. Use an axe to break down the wood planks covering the entrance, and enter the cave. Keep going forward until you reach a fork – follow the right path that the flashlight is pointing towards until you encounter 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. You’ll eventually 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’re 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 cave entrance that’s boarded up, similar to the one with the Stun Gun and Rebreather. Break the planks and enter inside.
Keep going forward until you reach a slight drop, then go left – there’s a body with a printed email and path that goes further inside. Follow it until you see some bodies, and then look to your right to see a writhing creature. Pick up the time bombs nearby to blow it up and goes inside.
Keep going until you find another body with a printed email and some corpses hanging further ahead. The path will eventually go slightly right – follow it, moving past some stalactites, until you see a light.
Progress past all the corpses until reaching a fork (which appears to have some bronze on the left and middle). Take the path to the left and crawl through the opening. Follow the flashlights, and eventually, you’ll find the Rope Gun. Use it to venture down until finding the exit.
Shovel
Also located on the western side, but closer to the mountain in the middle, is the Shovel. You know the drill – look for a boarded-up entrance leading inside a cave. Some corpses are standing upright just outside, making it easier to find.
Upon entering, you’ll need the Rope Gun to zipline up. Equip the Rebreather, enter the water, and dive into the hole. Keep going until you find a spot to re-emerge. Go straight past the bones and slide down. You’ll land in another pool but look around for a light and go straight down the path.
Keep going until you reach a large room with bodies around. Go to the left side, and you’ll find an opening that leads to another underwater section for the Rebreather.
Upon re-emerging, go straight until you find 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 writhing creature. Blow it up and go through the opening, which leads to the exit.
3D Printer
Though 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 it until you reach a cave entrance. Break the planks to enter inside and follow the short path to a room with the 3D Printer.
Maintenance Keycard
You’re entering the later part of the game, which requires collecting some keycards. The first is slightly northwest of the mountain in the middle. Check the glowing beacon on your GPS Tracker, and once in that exact spot, start digging with the Shovel. You’ll eventually unearth a hatch which 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 Keycard.
VIP Keycard
Next, you’ll want to go to the Bunker for the VIP Keycard. The glowing beacon on the northwest part of the map (near a lake) is where you should go. You’ll find some abandoned karts there – enter the cave nearby and go down until you find a hatch that says “Food and Dining.” Open it and go down the ladder. Use the Maintenance Keycard on the door to 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 downstairs, which leads to a flooded section. Swim ahead until you reach another door that needs a Keycard. This is where the VIP Keycard is needed, so take the opened hatch nearby till you get to a security room.
Collect the VIP Keycard from here and watch the security footage, which teases a mini-boss fight. Use it to enter the room, where Mr and Mrs Puffton await. If you have a shotgun, equip it, because they’ll tear you apart at close range.
Check the broken windows nearby and enter the water with the Rebreather. Keep swimming down and re-emerge, then move through the cave until you reach the exit.
Guest Keycard
Further south from the beacon for the VIP Keycard is the Guest Keycard. Follow the glowing beacon on your GPS Tracker, and there should be a cave opening. Venture through until reaching a corridor, and 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 Keycard.
Golden Armor
The Golden Armor is also required to finish the story and can be found on the southeastern part of the island, near the large lake. Again, follow the beacon with the GPS Tracker and enter the cave. Drop down into the hole until you reach some stairs. Go down the stairs and use the Maintenance Keycard to open the door.
Keep going down and enter the door, after which a cutscene plays. Go down the corridor until you reach another staircase, 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 backtrack and then take the door to the left of your current location, you’ll find a room with the Katana. Return to the staircase and down until you reach a door that requires the Maintenance Keycard. Open it and venture through the cave to find the exit.
The Bunker
This is it – the finale. Go to the northeastern part of the island to visit the last Bunker. It’s hard to miss 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 pass through. 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.
Pass through the cave until you get to some lava trickling down. Climb up to the left and follow the path. You’re 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 into another opening, and keep going until you reach an area with lots more lava. Stick to the leftmost path – it will wind through the lava and allow you to pass unharmed.
Go through the cave, and you’ll find an area with some documents and lava spilling from above. Take the left path and drop down. Eventually, you’ll reach a lava stream – go left past all the stalagmites. Eventually, an opening will appear.
Head straight and move through the opening to the final area, and the end of the game. There are two endings based on whether you enter the extraction helicopter or remain on the island.
Head here for our review of Sons of the Forest and stay tuned for more updates in the coming months.