Don't Go Alone
Released: 1989
Published By: Accolade
Developed By: Sterling Silver Software
Don't go alone is a horror roleplaying game. You can choose your party from
a variety of 16 paranormal characters available. Your party goes to
investigate the haunted house on the hill, where you attempt to rescue your
grandfather from the clutches of the Ancient One. The house is huge and
you'll encounter over 100 spooky opponents and solve various puzzles in
order to find out the mysteries of the haunted house. An automap feature
helps you not to loose tracks in the huge dungeons of the game, which you
explore from a first-person perspective.
Instead of Health points, the characters have Fear levels, which increase
when they are attacked and decrease slowly over time. Instead of Magic
points, they have a concentration level which they can use to create various
chemical formulas, which also refills slowly over time.
General Tips:
* Search everywhere. Look in every room, go through every door. Check every
corner-you never know where something useful might be.
* Try to keep your characters at the same level. The person who does the
fighting gets much more experience in battle (though the other characters
get some). It's easy to neglect your medium in favor of the technician's
cool toys, the scientist's powerful formulas, and the warrior's mighty
attacks. But the medium needs to do the fighting in the final battle.
* Along those lines, try to kill everything you meet. Not only do you lose
out on experience when you run, but monsters tend to drop a lot of useful
stuff when you kill them.
* Don't be afraid to switch characters during a battle if one doesn't seem
effective or gets too scared to act. Press F1, F2, F3 or F4 to switch to the
appropriate character.
* Equip new stuff as soon as you get it! If the game doesn't tell you a new
weapon or armor's power, try using Irradium, then equip it again.
* When you find a new chemistry book, pass it around to all of your
characters so that they all learn the formulas. Then re-equip them with the
most useful ones. Generally, at least one character should have your best
attack spell, and one should have your best healing spell.
* When you lose against a monster (your party's fear level gets too high and
no one can act) it will laugh manically and run off, and steal something
from someone's pack. Immediately check to see what's gone, and re-equip if
necessary.
* Along these lines, try to keep an extra weapon and extra armor around in
case someone's gets stolen.
* If your party's fear level maxes out, you'll black out and find yourself
in a random part of the maze. Try to avoid this.
You start off at the entrance to the House, and the door locks behind you
when you enter-there's no escape.
First things first, get your party outfitted. Give both your scientist and
chemist the Oxyacid formula-it's the only attack spell you have thus far.
Head south, then west at your first opportunity, and follow the path around.
There's a dagger in that room, which you should immediately equip on your
adventurer.
Try to kill everything you meet, either with the Oxyacid formula or, as you
run out of concentration, the adventurer's attacks. You should have no
trouble getting everyone up to level two or even three this way, especially
if you explode the entire level before going downstairs.
The puzzles on this level are pretty simple. In the area where you "feel a
breeze", head in that direction and there's a wall that you can walk through
for an Iron Key.
You've got two choices for getting through the level: Either head south then
east to the area where you get teleported around, or south then west to the
Room o' Many Keys. If you go for the key room, then get the Iron Key from
the upper-left corner, and go around unlocking doors and grabbing the new
key in each room. If you meet a monster that seems too nasty for you,
fleeing isn't a bad idea.
My advice is to cover the entire level-though there's very little treasure.
Besides the dagger, you might find a few beryls or topazes, lanterns and
flashlights, and a Chemistry vol.1, which you already have four of.
Level 2
"Beware the shifting walls"-that's the warning you receive, and it's
appropriate. There are a lot of one-way walls on this level, and it's easy
to not notice them until you're through. Still, there's virtually always an
easy way back, and even if there wasn't, where would you go?
You can find a motorcycle helmet, a meat cleaver and a machete (the latter
in the area with the pile of trash) with minimal search. There are also a
fair number of iron and zinc keys, so grab a few of those for later use.
This level pretty much forces you into a certain route: East, north, then
south and west, the north again. (There's one critical secret passage to go
through in the northeast area-your party will comment on it.) Don't miss the
Chemistry vol. 2 in the far northern part of that area. And when you get it,
pass it to each of your party members so they all learn the formulas.
When you reach the square where everything goes dark, use either a
flashlight or a lantern-that's what they're there for. And don't throw it
away afterwards-you'll need it downstairs.
There are two stairways going down, both in the northwest. Both lead to the
same part of level 3, so it doesn't matter which you use.
Level 3
"Things are not as they seem." Which is the game's way of saying, "Very few
of the walls are real." Exploring this level means pretty much ignoring
walls unless you bump into them. If you found yourself getting annoyed at
the one-way walls on the last level, they two-way walls here should be a
nice change of pace.
There's a sword and a meat saw, both of which are lovely weapons, in nearby
rooms. Head south, and you can pick up a blow torch and tomahawk, which
means you'll have a weapon with power: 4 for each of your party members.
Along those lines, some monsters drop bomber jackets, and you can
occasionally find vests of body armor in the far northern part of this
level.
Be wary of pit fiends, if you meet one-they're pretty nasty for your level 3
or 4 characters. Try to build up to level 5 while you're here.
The last door in this level (which is in the center of the map) gives the
clue "Only the stone masters may pass." You need to have a Catseye to go
through (there's one in the jewel room, or you can get them from monsters).
If you have one, it'll be used automatically. Right past there to the stairs
to level 4.
Level 4
This level is remarkably easy to zip through - just head to the north west,
and you'll hit a teleporter that takes you one of several places, one of
which is right near the stairs going down. But you should take some time to
explode the place first.
For one thing, a quick search near where the teleporter drops you off (north
of the stairs down) will turn up a diving suit, which is an excellent piece
of armor for this level. Also in that area (a bit further north) is a
Chemistry vol. 3.
"The Armory," "The Weapons Room" and "The Formula Room" are all locked, and
you need Boron keys to get in. There's a Boron key in the room right next
door, but that'll only get you into one of the six rooms. The rooms contain:
Weapons room north: Rapier
Weapons room south: Colt
Armory north: Shield
Armory south: Radiation Suit
Formula room north: Part of a formula, but don't waste the key, as there's
another entrance to it.
Formula room south: Part of a formula (Sometimes the same as you can get in
the hall)
There are four 3x2 rooms in the mid-west area. The SE one doesn't have a
door, but there's a fake wall that leads in. There's a crossbow inside.
The room that gives the clue "Reflect on how to enter" requires you to use a
mirror. There's a copper key inside. There are a few other locked doors that
you can pick up different keys behind. (You can do them out of order if
you'd been grabbing extra keys from monsters.) Eventually you'll need a
krypton key; you can use that west of the stairs going up to pick up the
first gold key.
The level gives an important clue: "You'll need all five gold keys to reach
the Ancient One."
Level 5 - "The Garden"
Directly to the north of the stairs going up is a suit of Blood Armor, some
of the best the game offers. Further north from there are the stairs going
down.
If you head to the far NE, there's another suit of Blood Armor. There are
also diving suits, radiation suits, and shields to be had lying around and
from killing monsters. Take the time to upgrade your armor as best you can.
South of the second suit of Blood Armor (in the middle-east area) is a Chain
Saw, the most powerful weapon you can find thus far.
If you explore the big, open garden area (basically, the southern part of
the map), you can find a Chemistry vol. 2 and a Chemistry vol. 3. They're
far to the SE, if you still need them. You can also find a Spark Generator
for your technician, but you'll need a power source to make it work.
In the middle-eastern area, you'll hear a clue about searching around if the
door disappears. South of there is the one-way door you knew was coming.
Grab the second gold key from that room, then you can exit through the
series of fake walls to the west.
Level 6
You can exit the first room by walking between the two doors, straight
ahead.
To the south are a few long corridors, with annoying teleporters that bump
you back north. Stay to the west, and you should be able to go around them
all. If you head far to the south, there's a Chemistry Vol. 4 and a Rapier
in a square room. Further SW from there is a "maze" which contains two spark
generators. Don't bother with them.
You may have been tempted by the general lack of darkness on the last few
levels to throw out your flashlight. Don't--you'll need it here and on the
next level, too.
An odd facet of this level particularly is that you will often meet weaker
enemies from earlier in the game. They sometimes drop useful keys, but other
than that, aren't good for much.
Head to the southeast for the Auric Acid puzzle. You'll enter a ring-shaped
room and find clues like "Ct+ +","F=", "+Au+" and "+W+." Put these together
to get the formula "Ct + W + Au + F" which is "the acid that dissolves. It
allows you to walk through walls-and you need it to escape from the puzzle
area!
The stairs going down are in the east, in the center of the art gallery.
Just walk through the fake walls of that square central area.
Level 7
The major features of this level are a large number of hallways and rooms
that make your fear level rise automatically; and that it'll use up all of
those lovely keys you've been gathering. (But if you run out, never fear!
You know the formula for Auric Acid, so you can just walk around the doors!)
To the far west, you'll hear an electric hum. Go through the door to find an
electric whip, and more importantly, an atomic generator-that's the power
source you need for your technician's toys.
Now's the time to start maxing out your characters' levels. It'll still be a
little while before you can find the best weapons, but you want your team in
peak fighting form.
The stairs going down are directly west of the stairs going up, in a
darkened area. There's also a Chemistry Vol. 5 in that room.
Level 8
This level has four paths, "some long, some sh..." You need to go down to
the Level 9 five times in total. You can wander about this level to your
heart's content, but most of the best prizes are downstairs in the brothers'
rooms, and your characters should be at level 10 by now.
If you go NW, it's a short path without any good prizes. It leads to the
first younger brother's room.
The SW path is longer, and you'll need a platinum key to reach the stairs
down (younger brother number two). Also, if you head south, then west, you
can find a Chemistry Vol. 6.
If you head S, past the middle stairs down (those lead to the gold doors and
finally level 10), just south of that room is a flamesword. SW from there
(the easiest way is through the wall) is an X-ray machine.
The NE and SE stairs also require platinum keys to reach. NE is the third
younger brother, SE is the older brother.
Level 9
The four brothers' rooms. I'll list these by the stairway on level 8 you use
to reach them. Three of them also contain clues to the Shield of Zeus
formula, which you need to defeat the Ancient One, but if you'd already
picked up a Chemistry Vol. 6 or a pentagram, you don't need them.
NW - There's a flamesword in the NE area, then walk though the mid-S false
wall to find a teleporter. You'll appear next to a platinum key, and then
moving one space will take you back up to the entrance to level 8.
SW - Go north to find a bazooka, the second-strongest weapon in the game.
The SE corner holders the teleporter to the platinum key.
NE - No great prizes, but the warp is in the SW corner. It leads to the
third platinum key.
SE - The warp is to the north, and there's an atomic generator here if you
didn't get one (to power your x-ray machine) earlier, or if it was stolen.
This room contains the final gold key, instead of a silver one.
Center - You need 5 Gold keys to get through the doors, but you can use the
Auric Acid to sneak around one if you're short. And here's the final level.
Level 10
First thing you want to do is find the three rooms shaped like arrows, as
the tips have directions to the Ancient One. (One is north, one is
north-west, and one is south-west) Follow the corridors straight and you
should find them fairly easily.
Then you can search the entire level at your leisure. There are plenty of
things to find, including suits of Blood Armor, very important Spirit Wands,
copies of the various Chemistry books if you've missed them, and other
useful weapons.
When you're ready, go into the middle-north area where the rows of one-block
rooms are. Near one of them, your grandfather will say, "Remember the acid
of gold." Use Auric Acid and dive through the nearest wall into a one-block
room. If you got the right one, you'll teleport to the center of the square
maze.
In the middle-south of this level, there's a square maze. In the south-east
corner of it, you can walk through a wall and get warped to a one-block room
in a new area. This is where those directions (the three thirteens) come in
handy.
A note reads: SSESESEENNEES
Another note reads: SSWSWSSEEEEEN
A final note reads: ENEESSSWWSSEE
This leads you to the Ancient One, the final boss. To fight him, you need a
few things:
* The Shield of Zeus formula. (You can learn this from Chemistry Vol. 6, a
pentagram, or the notes on level 9) Use this first, to protect your party
from his attacks.
* The Spirit Wand. Equip your medium with this; it will be your main attack.
* Spirit Mirrors. They protect you from the attacks of the Ancient One. Have
at least one for your medium, and try to put one on your healer, too.
* The Mesonium formula. Give this to your medium as well, to boost her
strength, so you can take down the Ancient One in fewer hits.
* The Erato's Salve formula. Make sure at least one person has this. It's
your best recovery spell if your medium gets too scared to attack.
Warning: If you lose against the Ancient One, he'll run off like any other
monster, but when you walk forward, you'll be teleported to the very
beginning of the game!
If you beat the Ancient One, he'll release your grandfather and you get
treated to a lovely view of the mansion exploding as your characters rush
out.
Formula Name Effects Learn From
Cu + Bi + Te + N Copper Halo Diminish fear attacks by 25% Chemistry Vol. 1
Ag + O + Cs Silver Mist Restores concentration by 10% Chemistry Vol. 1
Zr + Xe + Tl + Na Ocularium Shows map Chemistry Vol. 1
F + K + O Oxyacid Causes 1-3 damage Chemistry Vol. 1
W + O + C Irradium Show invisible things Chemistry Vol. 1
I + Ga + Ir Valium Dust Reduces Fear Chemistry Vol. 2
y + I + V Vitallium Temporarily increase max concentration Chemistry Vol. 2
Th + U + Ir + Cs Atomite Causes 5-10 damage Chemistry Vol. 2
Rh + Eu + Ti Mesonium Increases strength 50% Chemistry Vol. 2
Rn + V + Cn Analyticum Reveals enemy's stats Chemistry Vol. 2
S + R + Cl + Ba Hypno Powder Disorganizes a monster Chemistry Vol. 3
Si + Ag + Nd + Au Ebbnium Reduces monster's strength Chemistry Vol. 3
H + Tl + Na + I Kill Flash Causes 20-40 damage Chemistry Vol. 3
Ra + N + Fe + Ar Neomycin Reduces entire party's fear by 50% Chemistry Vol.
3
Ir + He + Ra Demon's Breath Dissipates one monster Chemistry Vol. 3
O + Fe + V + B Ring of Fire Protection from beasts and cold
creatureChemistry Vol. 4
V + O + H + Ag Arrowroot Protection from undead Chemistry Vol. 4
Bi + He + H + O Cloud Wall Protection from otherworldly creatures Chemistry
Vol. 4
Cu + Ba + C + He Erato's Salve Makes party fearless Chemistry Vol. 4
C + Ar + Fe + Au Cloak of DarknesProtection from all (?) monsters Chemistry
Vol. 5
y + Th + Ct + U Dragon's Tooth Causes 50-100 damage Chemistry Vol. 5
U + Ra + Th + Tl Potion of Death Causes 100-200 damage Chemistry Vol. 5
Ar + R + Rn + Zr Timebender Doubles dexterity Chemistry Vol. 5
Ti + U + Nd + Th Shield of Zeus Protection from the Ancient One's
attackPentagram or Chemistry Vol. 6
Ct + W + Au + F Auric Acid Walk through 5 solid walls Puzzle on level 6 or
Chemistry Vol. 6
(T = Technician, S = Scientist, M = Mystic, W = Warrior)
Weapon Power Can be used by
Pocket Knife 1 T, S, M, W
Swiss Army Knife 1 T, S, M, W
Dagger 2 T, S, M, W
Meat Cleaver 3 W
Machete 3 T, S, M, W
Meat Saw 4 T, S
Sword 4 T, S, M, W
Tomahawk 4 W
Blow Torch 4 T
Crossbow 6 S, M, W
Rapier 6 T
Colt 6 M
Long Sword 7 T, W
Nunchaka 7 W
.38 Police Special 7 M
Spark Generator 8 T (requires power source)
Mauser 8 M
.45 Magnum 9 M
Saber 9 S, W
Electric Whip 10 T, S, M
Hunting Rifle 10 T, S, M
Broadsword 11 T, S, M
Chain Saw 12 S
Cutlass 12 W
Elephant Gun 14 T, M
Sonic Knife 15 T
Machine Pistol 15 M
Assault Rifle 15 W
Flamesword 30 W
X-Ray Machine 30 T (requires power source)
Flame Thrower 30 T
Bazooka 50 T, S
Spirit Wand 60 M
Armor Power Can be used by
Pair of Boots 1 T, S, W
Motorcycle Helmet 2 T, S, M, W
Bomber Jacket 3 T, S, M, W
Vest of Body Armor 4 T, W
Diving Suit 5 T, S, M
Shield 5 T, S
Bulletproof Vest 6 T, S
Radiation Suit 6 T, S, M
Suit of Blood Armor 7 T, W
Q: Where can I find this game?
A: Try these spots:
* http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?id=322
*
http://free-game-downloads.mosw.com/abandonware/pc/role_playing_games/games_d_f/
don_t_go_alone.html
* http://21ct.goodolddays.net/
* http://csr.oli.tudelft.nl/ondervereniging/xtc/
Q: Why does "?" sometimes appear in formula books instead of elements?
A: Not entirely sure. This may have something to do with your party's
Intelligence or Intuition ratings. I've had those question marks go away as
I went up in character levels. You can also find pieces of formulas
scattered around the various floors, which usually fill in a few of the
blanks.
Q: Are you sure this stuff isn't randomized?
A: Well, the formulas aren't. And the levels don't appear to be. The
locations of some objects may be (which makes the walkthrough portion of
this somewhat less useful), but I have yet to test that extensively. I've
only been through the game twice. My instinct says they aren't, because
items remain if you don't pick them up, and respawn if you save and restart.
Q: What about the third and fourth gold keys? Aren't they on, say, levels
six and seven?
A: Seems that way. I can't find 'em, though. I think the level 7 key has
something to do with the spot where the light seems brighter, and the level
6 key is in the art gallery, but again, those are pretty much guesses.
Q: Where's the complete item list? Why didn't you find all the keys? What
kind of a FAQ writer are you?
A: The lazy kind. If you find things that I've missed, let me know and I'll
add them in. Or just write your own FAQ-you might not have noticed, but
mine's the only one around at the moment.
Copyright 2004 Chuck Rozakis. Don't plagiarize. Don't steal. Don't post
without permission. Email me at chuckro15@aol.com.
