In Winter Survival, the endless mode allows you to choose certain starting conditions. These influence not only the weather and time of day but also where you start and your starting quest, with some being easier than others.
The starting conditions themselves are one of the first choices you will make. All further choices will then determine other factors, such as tool durability, to make that specific scenario more challenging. You may even have a unique introduction cutscene, but the scenarios will be all the same with the same quest.
Also, the “I can’t remember” choices will randomly choose one for you, to add a little unpredictability to your journey.
Easy Winter Survival Starting Scenario – The Cave
The easiest of all starting conditions is the Home choice. This will set you up in a cave full to the brim with everything you need to construct your first home. You won’t want anything for the first portion of your journey, as lots of scavenging is already done for you.
In your cave, you’ll have access to everything you need to build your first lodging, and the quests that follow will revolve around building up your home and dismantling the ruins outside the base for more supplies.
Soon, you will have yourself a house, and from there, you can explore and forage.
If you want to skip the harsh beginnings, then this starting scenario will be for you. However, note that you’ll still have to quickly establish a food source and not get too carried away building your hut.
Moderate Winter Survival Starting Scenario – Explorer
If you want a beginning that doesn’t give you any quest and simply allows you to start like most other survival games, then this starting scenario is for you. By choosing “Nothing” as your first choice, you’ll have a random spawn in the world.
You won’t be given any quest, and you will be given minimal equipment, even if you select “Good Condition” when the choice comes up. You will be free to start your journey without any starting help and without any starting debuffs or challenges.
If you’d rather have a more neutral start to your game, then make sure to choose this starting scenario.
Hard Winter Survival Staring Scenario – The Sickness
If you want to kick things up a notch, then choose Sickness. This starting scenario is incredibly challenging, as it adds a respiratory disease that needs to be treated regularly. Although this scenario does set you up with a small shack and a few essentials, that handicap pales in comparison to the disease you’ll be fighting.
This disease will slowly kill you if not treated. You will start the game with your final dose. Each Syrup allows you half an hour of respite, so you’ll need to keep stocking up if you are to survive. You will be given a map to find another dose and a note leading to the next dose. You need to find all of these doses of syrup before your disease kills you.
Along the way, you’ll be finding scraps of a recipe to allow you to make the cure yourself, although it is so easy feat.
Very Hard Winter Survival Starting Scenario – The Bear
This starting scenario was not available in the Early Access, however, it is looking to be the most challenging thanks to what the developers have said about it. Upon full release, you’ll be able to select The Bear.
You will start the game in a very precarious situation. A bear is roaming around nearby, and you’ll have to evade it. I have a feeling that this starting scenario will lead you through escaping the clutches of the bear, although once you’re free, you’ll still have to keep avoiding it for the rest of the playthrough.
Bears certainly don’t go down easy, so there will be a huge threat constantly lurking around, just waiting to chase you down and rip you to threads.
So if you want to dance with death every time you step outside, then this starting scenario will be right for you.
With these challenging beginnings, you’ll need to know the save mechanic for Winter Survival inside and out.
