Embarking on your journey into the dark and unforgiving world of Fear & Hunger can be daunting. This guide is designed to help new players navigate the initial challenges of the game, specifically on Fear & Hunger difficulty. We’ll walk you through character selection and the crucial early steps to reach Le’garde within Level 7 Catacombs, setting you on the path to survival.
Character Selection: Choosing Your Survivor
Your first decision is choosing a character, and while any character can conquer Fear & Hunger, some are more beginner-friendly. For newcomers, we highly recommend either the Mercenary (Cahara) or the Knight (D’arce).
Cahara (Mercenary): The Stealthy Start
If your playstyle leans towards evasion and avoiding direct confrontation, Cahara is an excellent choice. His starting skills offer significant advantages for navigating the dungeon:
- “Become a burglar”: Grants Lockpick, essential for bypassing locked doors and accessing hidden areas without needing keys.
- “Abandon your comrades”: Provides Escape Plan, a skill that increases your chance of successfully running from battles, a vital tactic in Fear & Hunger.
- “Rush straight to your mission”: Unlocks Dash, doubling your movement speed on the map, allowing for quicker exploration and escape. Cahara uniquely gains Dash with just one choice, whereas other characters require two.
D’arce (Knight): The Combat-Ready Approach
For players who prefer a more direct, combat-oriented approach, D’arce is a strong starting character. Her initial skill choices bolster her combat prowess:
- “Quickly stepped aside and dodged it”: Learns Fast Stance, granting an extra turn in combat, a significant advantage in the turn-based battles of Fear & Hunger.
- “Break ties with your family and run away”: Enables Dash (but doesn’t immediately teach it), which can be learned later with another choice.
- For the third choice, both options are beneficial:
- “Take the rear”: Provides better starting armor and leg guards, reducing the chance of leg injuries in combat.
- “Spearhead the coming assault”: Equips you with a strong starting spear for early combat and arm guards to protect against arm injuries.
- “Rush straight after him”: Teaches Dash, completing her mobility skill set.
Starting Your Adventure: The Dungeon Entrance
Upon starting a new game and creating your first save, the dungeon map layout is randomly generated. While map variations exist, this guide will cover common locations and strategies applicable to most layouts. Our initial goal is to navigate from the starting screen to Le’garde in Level 7 Catacombs. Remember, Fear & Hunger often offers multiple paths to your destination. From the starting screen, you can proceed left to the Basement or straight ahead into the main dungeon – we’ll be heading into the main dungeon for this walkthrough.
Before venturing further, press ‘T’ to light your torch – essential for visibility and safety in the dark dungeons.
Level 1 Entrance: Gathering Essentials
Map of the starting area in Fear & Hunger, level 1 entrance and basement options.
In this first room, your primary objectives are to locate the Mockup Book and the ritual circle. This is also the area where you can recruit The Girl if you choose to do so.
Search the bookcases typically situated in the center of the map to find the Mockup Book. If interacting with the bookcases prompts “Dusty old books fill the bookshelf,” select “Leave” and return later after acquiring more Lucky Coins from the Thicket to increase your chances of finding valuable items.
Next, locate the ritual circle, often found on the right side or along the upper part of the map. Interact with the circle and Pray to Alll-mer.
Be prepared for a potential encounter with a Guard in this area. Guards are among the dangerous enemies who can inflict severe status effects and game overs. One of the basic Guard’s unique game overs is triggered if your character is killed in combat with their stinger intact. To avoid this, either evade Guards entirely or ensure you do not die during combat with them.
Guards have a predictable attack pattern. They use their coin flip attack on the 2nd turn and every two turns thereafter. A suggested combat strategy against a Guard is:
- Turn 1: Target the left arm (holding the cleaver) to disable its primary attack.
- Turn 2: Guard to prepare for their coin flip attack.
- Turn 3: Attack the stinger to prevent their special game over condition.
- Turn 4 onwards: Focus attacks on the body to defeat the Guard.
While it likely won’t take eight turns to defeat a Guard, this turn structure provides a safe approach. Disabling both arms will cause the Guard to resort to a tackle attack every turn, while removing the left arm and stinger greatly reduces their offensive capabilities.
The exit to the next area, the Courtyard, is usually located along the top of the map. Be cautious as it might be guarded by a Ghoul. Ghouls are best avoided in the early game if possible, as their head and arm attacks can inflict infection if not destroyed quickly.
Upon exiting, you’ll enter the Courtyard.
Level 1 Courtyard: A Brief Respite
Detailed map of Level 1 Entrance in Fear & Hunger, showing locations of Mockup Book and ritual circle.
The Courtyard is a relatively safer area. Take this opportunity to gather any herbs and sticks you find – these are essential for crafting and healing.
You can find a well in the Courtyard. Descending into the well and opening the locked cell door provides an alternate route to the basement area. In the top right corner of the Courtyard map, you’ll notice a door marked with Eastern symbols – we will explore this area later in the game.
This initial walkthrough has equipped you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the early stages of Fear & Hunger. Remember to explore cautiously, manage your resources wisely, and prepare for the challenges that lie deeper within the dungeon. Good luck, and may you survive the horrors that await.
