A written guide to every secret and exploration achievement in chapter 1, with screenshots.
Introduction
The goal of this guide is to be a concise, easy-to-use reference for every secret in chapter 1, plus all Imbued Remains* and a few achievements. I may add all weapon parts at a later date, but that might get too bloated.
*Two Imbued Remains are not in secret areas, but I listed them anyway.
The contents of each level are in roughly chronological order, with the larger levels broken into parts for ease of navigation.
If there are any big mistakes or confusing wording, let me know in the comments and I’ll fix it. A few levels probably need more screenshots for clarity.
1. The Grave
Part 1: First building
1/11:
Before entering the building, jump on the green truck to reach the ledge and the vent. Break it open and crawl through for the secret. Reward: TNT.
2/11:
When you reach this staircase in the first building, turn around and look up for a vent. To reach it, jump on the open door. Reward: weapon part.
3/11:
In the hallway with the steam pipe, blow open a crack in the wall with explosives. Reward: weapon part.
4/11:
Once you step into the lot in front of the building, turn right and look for these shipping containers. Behind them, there’s a vent in the wall. Crawl through, and at the end shoot the crate. This unblocks the door.
Now backtrack into the building. The door near the steam hallway is now unblocked. Inside, smash the toilet and crawl into the space behind it. Reward: lever-action rifle.
5/11:
Back outside in the lot, go left around the corner to find a crashed truck. Use it to jump up to the ledge on the building. There should be a crack in the wall right next to you. Blast it to open the secret area. Reward: a bunch of armor and ammo.
Part 2: Forest road
6/11:
After leaving the building and walking down the road, you’ll find a large wooden gate. Step through and immediately turn left. Next to a tree there are some boards you can crouch under for secret number six. Reward: ammo.
7/11(Imbued Remains):
Continuing down the road, you’ll see a pond. At the far end, there’s a drainage pipe running under the road. Swim into the pipe. Reward: armor and imbued remains.
8/11:
Leaving the road and heading into the mountains, you’ll come across a small locked cabin. Simply walk around back and smash the window to enter. Reward: sawed-off shotgun.
Part 3: Caves
9/11:
After some tunnels and a fall, you’ll come to a secluded lake. Cross the broken bridge and climb the piles of barrels and crates on the left to reach a toppled truck. Reward: ammo and some health.
10/11:
Several packs of enemies later, you’ll come to this area with trees and tents. One of these shipping containers is open in the back. Smash through the crates inside. Be sure to break the second set of crates too. Reward: TNT, shotgun, and a weapon part.
11/11:
A short climb later, you’ll cross a makeshift bridge and find a bunch of tents to your right. Turn left instead and jump over the large rocks. Reward: TNT.
Achievement: My Deepest Shame
Next to the last secret is an odd-looking tent. Spam interact on it for several seconds and the description will start changing. Keep interacting; once you’ve seen all of the text, the achievement will pop.
Achievement: Rescue Mission
Next to the key in the dark cave is a teddy bear. Simply carry it to the level exit. This isn’t the only bear in the game, but it is the first.
2. The Shipyard
Part 1: Docks
1/7:
After the long fall into the water, dive straight down to find a sunken boat. The secret is the box of ammo on the side. Reward: ammo.
2/7:
Swim under the shipping vessel. The secret is next to some boxes at the bottom of the lake. Reward: weapon part.
3/7(Imbued Remains):
To the side of the main boat is a small dock with row boats. One of them is upside-down. Swim into it from below. Reward: imbued remains.
Achievement: Don’t tell David
On the first floor of the ship, you’ll pass through this room and crawl through this vent.
At the vent’s T-intersection, go right and up and you’ll come out in a shower room. There is a bar of soap on the floor. Grab it, find an enemy, and throw it at them. Don’t worry about weakening them first, it does a lot of damage.
4/7:
Once you make your way to the top floor of the ship, jump onto the containers to find a cache of supplies. Reward: Some armor and ammo.
Part 2: Pitch-black cave
5/7:
The secret is behind this stack of crates in the middle of the cave. To find them, hug the right wall from the entrance. They should be just past the door to the chainsaw man’s cave. Alternatively, start at the end and hug the left wall. Reward: weapon part.
Part 3: More mountain areas
6/7:
In the first area after the cave, make your way down the minecart track to your left. You should easily spot the stash of supplies on side of the cliff to your right. Simply climb above them and drop onto the ledge. Reward: ammo and some health.
7/7:
Once you climb the huge stack of containers near the end of the level, crouch under these boards to your right and drop down. Reward: weapon part.
3. The Mine Town
Part 1: Dark forest
No secrets.
Part 2: Town
1/7:
When you come to the small bridge over the river, walk downstream (the direction the water is flowing; to the left) to find a tiny cave. Reward: armor and ammo
2/7:
Follow the same river upstream until you reach this point. There are a couple of boats propped up against the cliff face to the right. The box of ammo next to them is the secret. Reward: ammo
3/7:
Near the previous secret, climb up these boxes into the warehouse window. Turn right and walk along the ledge, then across the metal shelves, and jump out the window on the other side. Grab the weapon leaning against the fence to your right. Reward: STEN Mk.4.
4/7:
Walking down the road in the middle of town, the first cabin on your left is blocked and boarded. Jump on the stone wall to reach the roof, then jump down the chimney. Reward: lever-action rifle and ammo.
5/7:
In the kitchen of the mess hall (large building by corpse pit), move these boxes to find a vent. Reward: weapon part.
6/7(Imbued Remains):
In the basement of the mess hall, blast this corner with explosives. Reward: imbued remains.
Part 3: Mine building
7/7:
After climbing out of the silo, turn right and walk around back to find this stack of crates. Blast open the wall behind them. Reward: armor and a weapon part.
4. The Mine
There are no secrets until you reach this area where you drop into the water and fight all the zombies.
1/4(Imbued Remains):
In the middle of the water, dive down to find a minecart on its side. Reward: Imbued remains.
2/4:
In the same area, there’s a tunnel with minecart tracks. Break the boxes at the end and crawl under the boards. Reward: ammo, lever-action rifle, and a weapon part.
3/4:
Right after the water area, there’s a maze of tunnels. Next to this burning barrel, blast the crack in the wall to reveal a hoard of zombies. Past them is the next secret. Reward: ammo and a weapon part.
4/4:
The last secret is a while later, in the room where you find the Iron Key. Break the boxes next to the stairs and crawl into the revealed space. Reward: ammo.
5. The Crypts
Part 1: Before the key
1/6:
Going left out of the first large room, take a right into the room with a locked armory. There’s a small space above a tilted coffin that you can crouch-jump into. Alternatively, come back here after getting the key and the coffin will be gone, making the jump easier. Reward: molotovs.
2/6(Imbued Remains):
In the knee-deep water area, you’ll pass through this medium sized room with coffins. On the right side there’s a small crawl space behind a coffin. Reward: imbued remains.
3/6:
In this room with the rickety scaffolding, there’s a tunnel at the far end. Swim inside and check behind a piece of rubble. Reward: ammo.
4/6:
In the same room as the previous secret, look up to see a stash of stuff sitting on top of the scaffolding. I know three methods to get up there, but all of them are kind of tricky. I recommend toggling run because you’ll need to do a lot of crouch-jumping while running. Reward: ammo and a weapon part.
Method one: jump on this post near the brazier, then crouch-jump to the platform.
Method two: throw a barrel up to the lower platform, then make your way across the ledge around the room, jump to the lower platform, and use the barrel to reach the loot.
Method three: jump on this brazier, then jump to the platform. You will take damage.
Part 2: Skeleton war
5/6:
After fighting the jaw monster and getting the key, take a left out of that room, drop down, take the first door, and you’ll find yourself back in the room for secret 2.
Go straight and back down into the water area. In the first tunnel there’s a locked gate that you can now open. On the other side, just go up the stairs to find the items. Reward: ammo, health, and a weapon part.
6/6:
Back in the first large room, blast this crack on the right wall. It was always there, but waking the skeletons moved a coffin out of the way. Reward: armor and grenade launcher.
6. The Chapel
No secrets.
Imbued Remains:
Right at the start, in a cubby on the right wall.
7. The Asylum Grounds
Part 1: Sniper zone
1/6:
After clearing the first sniper area and heading into the second, walk straight forward to this wooden gate. Step through, and turn immediately right. Check under the boards next to the truck. Reward: armor and ammo.
2/6:
Head back to the entrance of this area and walk down this path to the side to find a shipping container. Break the crates inside. Reward: weapon part and ammo.
Part 2: Around the asylum
3/6:
On the left side, go through this trench and under the wall. Check under the stairs to your right. Reward: ammo.
4/6:
On the right side, look for this truck filled with crates. Smash through them for a piddly reward. Reward: 5 armor.
5/6:
Near the previous secret there are some shipping containers. Either climb over, or walk all the way around to get behind them. One is open. Reward: health and armor.
Part 3: The roof
6/6(Imbued Remains):
As you make your way across the roof, you’ll walk around the central tower. As you step down the stairs on the other side, stop and look to your right. Walk along this narrow ledge. Reward: imbued remains and a weapon part.
8. The Asylum
Part 1: Spooky opening area
1/5:
In the very first room, turn around and jump on this bookshelf to reach the second floor. The secret is over by the TV. Reward: weapon part.
2/5:
In the first hallway, the third room is filled with a ramp made of rubble. Crouch under the side. Reward: ammo and health.
Part 2: Around the elevator
3/5(Imbued Remains):
In the administration wing, you’ll have to climb up a small space between the walls. Instead of stopping once you reach the next room, continue climbing upward. Reward: imbued remains.
4/5:
In this upper floor bathroom covered with boards, look to your left for a spot you can crawl under near the door you came in. Reward: weapon part.
5/5:
In the rafters above the central room where the gasoline is, look under these stairs. To reach the item, crawl along the beams behind you. Be sure you’ve got all of the secrets before grabbing the gasoline. Reward: weapon part.
9. The Excavation Site
Part 1: Excavation
1/4:
Right at the start, look left for a pile of crates. Climb them, then jump to the lamp post, then jump to the ledge. Reward: weapon part.
2/4:
Near the start, in this area on the left with tents, go around the pillar and check behind this block.
Part 2: Ruins before the gates
Imbued Remains:
In this circular pit area, head left to find a library. The remains are in the middle.
3/4:
After finding and using the prison key, check for a crack behind these barrels in the destroyed prison cell. Blast it to open the neighboring cell. Reward: two weapon parts.
Achievement: There’s No Time For Resting
Stopping the lava waterfall reveals a dinning hall with a throne at the head. Sit in the throne for several seconds.
Part 3: Ruins after the gates
4/4:
When you come to this stone bridge, turn left and walk all the way to the edge. Look down for the last secret in Chapter 1. Reward: weapon part.
10. The Ritual Chamber
No secrets.
