⚠️ Heavy spoilers — the full survival route
This is the complete unforgiving route to keep all five Cassiopeia crew alive. Best attempted on a second playthrough once you know the story.
Route summary
+1 trust with each character by Episode 7, success on every lethal QTE in Episodes 4-5, and 'Reveal' as the final choice. Aim for +2 trust where possible — it gives a 1-input safety margin in Ep 7.
Per-Episode Survival Matrix
| Episode | Do this | Lethal trap to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | Escape Simms as Carter; choose Honor for Osmond | No permanent deaths here |
| Ep 2 | Trust Anders; message Carter; pick your fire-control flag | None |
| Ep 3 | Pass interrogation; Cernan escapes Williams; get Utility Strap | Stafford dies if you fail the crash QTE |
| Ep 4 | Triage Naomi → Riley → Akin; side with crew | Power surge QTE stage 2 = Thomas dies |
| Ep 5 | Prepare sedative (unprompted!); save Mitchell AND Anders; pass Loadlifter | Loadlifter fail = Naomi or Riley dies |
| Ep 6 | Don't shoot Williams; trust the NEWCOMER Eisele; everyone scans clean | Trusting the wrong Eisele locks the best ending |
| Ep 7 | Turn RIGHT at the stalactite cave; trust Anders (needs Secret 45); win defensive waves | LEFT = Anders dies; low trust = wave fails |
| Ep 8 | Reveal; save crew; let Mitchell in; pass every QTE | Any missed QTE can kill someone |
Critical Do-Not-Fail Moments
- Ep 4 power surge — three-stage rhythm QTE; failing stage 2 kills Thomas instantly.
- Ep 5 Loadlifter chain — five inputs, no margin; a single fail = Naomi or Riley.
- Ep 6 Eisele choice — trust the newcomer or permanently lose the best ending.
- Ep 7 stalactite cave — turn RIGHT, never LEFT.
- Ep 7 defensive waves — every character needs +1 trust to pass their door.
- Ep 8 final QTE chain — seven back-to-back checks, no failures.
Required Destinies
| Character | Required Destiny | Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| Eisele | Humanitarian | Compassionate choices; expose the truth in Ep 8 |
| Young | Brave / Hero | Stand firm in the Ep 7 bridge scene |
| Cernan | Practical | Prioritize Cernan's safety in Ep 3 and 7 |
| Mitchell | Healer | Save both Mitchell and Anders in the Ep 5 fire |
| Williams | Loyal | Sedation chain + persuade him in Ep 7 |
What You Unlock
Completing this route in a single run unlocks Crew Manifest, Beacon, Hold the Line, Foreseen and most story trophies, and puts you one clean Ep 8 replay away from the full trophy cleanup. Trophy guide →