The map. Move along any path from where you stand. Each location holds a fight or a scene; once cleared, you can cross it freely. Shops buy and sell, studies teach new skills, and every chapter ends with a boss. Some locations hide clues, keys and secret ways into side chapters. You can save on the map, between locations.

Fights. Each round, every investigator acts once: attack, use a skill or an item, Take Cover or Change places. Then each enemy makes the move shown on its card. An attack rolls the weapon’s dice, and each die at or above its number is a success. Armour soaks damage point for point; occult and holy attacks ignore it.

Take Cover gives +2 armour until the next round and +1 skill charge (not two turns running). Change places swaps with the front investigator, who takes most enemy attacks.

Skills. Each investigator fills their charge bar in their own way, shown on their card: sixes, ones, doubles, a timing bar and more. Spend charge on skills. Most skills use the turn; those marked “free” don’t. Charge carries over between fights.

Statuses. Poison, Bleed, Burn, Chill, Madness, Disoriented, Blinded and the rest are explained on the card of whoever has them.

Health and death. After each victory, every living investigator recovers 3 health. An investigator at 0 health is dead until a Reanimating Reagent, used outside a fight, brings them back, or the next chapter begins: every new chapter starts with the whole party alive and at full health. If everyone falls, the run is over.

Satchel and gear. The satchel holds 6 items, more with a pack. Using an item in a fight costs that investigator’s turn. Each investigator can wear a weapon add-on, one coat-slot item, boots, a bomb and a sidearm; manage them under Party Equipment. If a slot is full, the Equip button names what is in it and swaps it out for you.

Modes and memory. Easy mode starts you with three investigators instead of two, and a full party can still take on a recruit in place of someone. Hard mode brings tougher, Hour-Touched enemies. Strange Tides brings an omen at every full moon. The Compendium records every enemy, place and clue you find, and new investigators, trophies and masteries unlock as you play. Reset progress, on the select screen, wipes it all.