House of Ashes guide: Everyone survives full walkthrough (Theatrical Cut)

House of Ashes – Theatrical Cut walkthrough (Part 4)

This is the fourth part of our House of Ashes Theatrical Cut walkthrough and guide. We’ll talk about the following chapters: The Signal, The Assault, The Horror, and Enemy of my Enemy.

The Signal (Nick)

• Premonition: Thirst and Randolph’s Journal 5 – After a short cutscene, you’ll gain control of Nick. The premonition/stone tablet will be right next to you (on top of a crate). There are several secrets here, too, including one of the Randolph’s Journal entries. Just make sure you don’t interact with the radio immediately so you can examine all the objects in the vicinity.
• QTE – After interacting with the radio, Dar ambushes the group while Salim subdues Eric. As Nick, make sure you succeed in the QTE prompts here to fend off Dar. Oh, and Merwin will be able to fix the radio (affects the Air Support bearing). However, he’ll get shot and killed by Dar.

The Assault (Rachel and other characters)

This is a fairly important chapter in your House of Ashes Theatrical Cut run. In it, Rachel and Clarice will reunite with the rest of the group. Unfortunately, your pals notice that there’s something wrong with Clarice. It seems that she’s already turning into a zombified demon like Joey.

• Important decision #1 – Rachel can tell Eric that she understands his decision to cut the rope.
• Important decision #2 – Regarding Clarice’s health, Rachel can pick the worried responses so Clarice can stay with the group. Alternatively, you can make Jason shoot her in the head if you avoid replying (a parasite will scurry out of Clarice’s mouth without the group knowing). For this instance, I chose to keep Clarice.

The group will then run back inside the main temple. Several vampires will come barging in. The perspective will keep switching here.

• QTE – Bar the door and reactivate the generator.
• Important decision/possible death – Rachel can choose to run away or fire the machine gun:
  • Fire the machine gun – There are several QTE sequences here, including a few aim-and-shoot instances. Successfully taking out the vampires will earn you the Chekhov’s Gun achievement. However, if Rachel misses, she’ll get killed and infected by a monster.
  • Run – This is a safer option that leads to…
• Important decision/possible deaths – If you chose to run, you’re presented choices on how to cross the hallway. Remember where you planted those C4 earlier? Well, you need to pick the other option. Since we planted the explosives along the middle, you have to tell the group to keep to the sides. Otherwise, Rachel, Eric, and Clarice will get blasted to bits (you’ll get the “Double Tap” achievement though).

The Horror (multiple characters)

Bar none, this might be the most important chapter in the Theatrical Cut of House of Ashes. When you enter the burial chamber, Salim and Dar will ambush the group. But, your companions quickly turn the tide. It’s a standoff, but you can ease the tensions a bit. Just say that you need the help of your new Iraqi buddies just to get through this ordeal.

• Important decision/possible death – Once again, you’re asked what to do with Clarice. Do not let her go to the next chamber with you. Just leave her here. If she follows you to the next area, she’ll succumb to her illness, die, and reanimate. She’ll kill Eric just as this chapter is about to end.

• QTE – In the next chamber, a dozen vampires will attack the group. You’ll switch between different perspectives, button-mashing, button-pressing, and doing aim-and-shoot sequences to survive.
• QTE/possible injury/infection – Once it’s Salim’s turn, he’ll have to take out a couple of vampires. Then, there’s a moment when he has to choose between shooting a vampire that’s lunging for him, or shooting the vampire that has Rachel pinned down. Take out the vampire that’s coming for Salim. Otherwise, he’ll get injured. Rachel will get bitten and infected, but that’s okay since she’s still alive.
• Guaranteed injury – Balathu (the general from the prologue) will appear as a reanimated zombie. Nick can shoot or use a crucifix, but it wouldn’t matter. He’s guaranteed to suffer an injury here. Thankfully, we picked up the medkit from earlier. It’s going to get used in one of the later chapters.

The group gets separated during the chaos. Dar also meets his end (this seems to be unavoidable).

Enemy of my Enemy (Salim)

You’ll take control of Salim. When presented with dialogue options, choose the ones that don’t show overt hostility. This will boost Salim’s relationship with Jason and affect the Semper Fi bearing.

• Important decision – Confront or ambush. Choose to confront the person at the other end of the hallway.
• Premonition: Comrades – Salim will find this after helping Jason get through a crawlspace. It’s on a wall.
• Randolph’s Journal 7 – You’ll find this on the ground next to a light source.
• QTE/possible injury – Mash buttons to get through a door. A vampire will then appear. Salim and Jason will need to battle it. You could get injured if you miss the QTE prompts.
• Randolph’s Journal 8 – You’ll find a sick bay with several prison cells. The page is on the ground inside one of the cells. Examine all the objects here before you interact with the metal gate (it causes you to leave the area).

All right, let’s go to the next part of our House of Ashes Theatrical Cut walkthrough to discuss additional chapters.