1️⃣Episode 1 — Little Star

Prologue: wake-up on the Cassiopeia, first contact with the mimic as Carter. No permanent crew deaths — Carter and Simms can die to failed QTEs but this doesn't affect the save-everyone requirement. Key setup choices:

• Escape the alien Simms as Carter — needed for the "Right to Bear Arms" chain.
• Choose Honor when offered to start Osmond's Humanitarian destiny.
• First Destiny unlock (practically unmissable).

2️⃣Episode 2 — Best Laid Plans

No deaths in this episode, but it plants the flags that decide Episode 5. Critical decisions:

• Power Games: disable the landing computer OR the fire suppressant system — your call here determines who you can save in Episode 5's fire.
• Little Faith: trust Anders (needed for the Williams sedation chain).
• Pursuit: re-enable fire control after the duplicate Simms deactivates it.
• Message Carter before the end of this episode — the earliest point for Social Butterfly.

3️⃣Episode 3 — The Sample

• No Games: Cernan must escape Williams without being caught (Not Today, Boss trophy).
• Crash: Stafford can die if you fail to get him back to his seat in time; if you deactivated Landing Gear in Ep 2, stay seated.
• Search: find Carter's Utility Strap after the second battery door (Lost and Found / Right to Bear Arms chain) — beeping, tight-squeeze side room.
• Interrogation scan order matters for later trust; scan deliberately.

4️⃣Episode 4 — Dragnet

• Overwatch: Cooper and Anders must escape Williams successfully.
• Power surge QTE: three-stage rhythm — failing stage 2 kills Thomas instantly. This is the first hard gate.
• Loaded Question: as Eisele, authorize the use of the gun (Right to Bear Arms completion).
• Triage order: Naomi → Riley → Akin keeps everyone stable.

5️⃣Episode 5 — Mr. Williams

The hardest episode. The Williams sedation chain unlocks here:

• Lab prep (missable!): interact with the lab equipment to prepare the sedative — the game gives no prompt; actively explore before leaving.
• Under Pressure: the fire + loadlifter decision. If you disabled Fire Control in Ep 2, save Mitchell; otherwise save Anders (keeps both alive if you also re-enabled it).
• Loadlifter QTE chain: five inputs, no margin. Practice the rhythm — a single fail costs Naomi or Riley.
• Waste Management: incinerate the doppelganger in the disposal bay (Recycling trophy).
• Find Secret 45 (Duplication Analysis) here — required to identify the real Anders in Episode 7.

6️⃣Episode 6 — Hostile Takeover

The most critical choice in the game — it decides your ending potential:

• Which Eisele: two identical Eiseles appear. Watch the fear animations — the newcomer looks genuinely scared; the other is subtly unnatural. Trust the newcomer / shoot the other (labeled Eisele, left side).
• Point Blank: don't shoot Williams (Suspect Acquitted chain).
• Eisele Interrogated: have Stafford ask them to prove they are human.
• Biometric scanner: everyone passes cleanly (We Are All Human trophy).

7️⃣Episode 7 — Revelation (Cycle 13)

• Search Party: after Anders mentions the stalactite cave, turn RIGHT (outside) to find the real Anders. Turning LEFT is a point of no return — Anders dies.
• Trust check: in the Williams/Anders confrontation, wait for the scanner prompt; with Secret 45, trust Anders.
• The earlier exact trust threshold or unlock shortcut was not substantiated. Track the actual save state and consult the corrected achievement and survival-planning pages.
• Perfect stealth through all alien sections (Perfect Stealth trophy).

8️⃣Episode 8 — Come True

The finale and the ending fork:

• Second Chances: don't leave Williams behind.
• Snap Decision: save the crew member.
• Knock Knock: let Mitchell in (assuming he's the survivor).
• Final choice: Expose the clone program (Humanitarian / True Ending) or Keep it classified (Scientist). Requires Eisele's Humanitarian destiny and all five alive.
• Don't miss any QTE: Return of the Beast, Uncontained, Teardown, Out of the Pan, Fueled Up, Seal the Exits, Grapple.

Ending details: All Endings →