Chapter 1 · Early Game Route
Build enough Finder output, recognize when supply becomes the bottleneck, repair three cheap Bugs, and leave at 5,700 Raw Data.
Chapter 1 does not require a maxed Skill Tree. Reach 5,700 Raw Data to progress.
CHAPTER 1 / 4
5,700 Raw Data
Eight Steps · First Clear
If enemies are still alive when the timer ends, keep buying combat. If you clear everything early, start buying more supply.
Run Check
Choose what you see at the end of a typical round.
Your current target supply is outlasting the Finder. Improve reliable damage before adding more targets.
Prioritize
Early Chapter 1 is usually combat-limited. More targets do not help if your Finder cannot kill the targets already on screen.
Finder Damage
Finder Attack Speed
Round Time / Critical Hit
Start Data
Start Data Clusters
Data Cluster Size
Extra Data Clusters
Step 01
Buy the cheap Finder Damage levels first. Stop prioritizing raw damage once you can comfortably clear the current target supply.
Finder Damage Lv.3 is still worth buying, but it triggers a repairable range Bug. Keep 1,750 Cash available.
Step 02
Damage determines how hard each hit lands. Attack Speed determines how often the Finder applies that damage to every target inside its area-based attack range.
Attack Speed becomes more valuable as target density increases.
Check Finder DPS →Step 03
Use Round Time when targets remain as the timer expires. Use Critical Hit Chance when base damage is healthy and you want higher expected kill speed.
These support upgrades do not replace weak base damage.
Step 04
If you regularly clear all visible targets before the round ends, stop overbuying damage and increase the amount of Data available.
Move through Start Data, Start Data Clusters, Data Cluster Size, then Extra Data Clusters.
All three are fixable, relatively cheap, and worth repairing promptly on a normal first clear.
Bug 01 · Repair Early
Buy the repair node when it appears, then take the zero-cost follow-up it unlocks.
Bug 02 · Repair Early
Finder Damage Lv.3 is still worth buying. Reserve the repair Cash instead of avoiding the upgrade.
Bug 03 · Repair Early
Buy the repair node when it appears, then take the zero-cost follow-up it unlocks.
Chapter 1 Repair Budget
400 + 1,750 + 1,740
This budget repairs all three early Bugs; the follow-up upgrades cost zero.
3,890 Cash
Two Unlocks · Not Permanent
Chapter 1 · Lv.1
40 Raw Data
First Perk row · magnitude 10
Chapter 1 · Lv.8
2,600 Raw Data
Second Perk row · magnitude 15
Choose Protector options to move stored Karma positive.
Use Rational choices to pull stored Karma back toward zero.
Choose Tyrant options to move stored Karma negative.
You are not permanently locked into an ending by a Chapter 1 Perk choice.
This can still change later. Your final ending is decided when Chapter 4 completes.
Chapter 1 Checkpoint
Reach the Raw Data threshold. Repairs and a maxed tree are not unlock requirements.
5,700 / 5,700
First Clear
Reach 5,700 Raw Data and move on.
100% Later
Return for the full Chapter 1 Skill Tree requirements.
✓ Chapter goal reached
✓ Chapter 2 ready
✓ Max tree not required
Recommended before moving on
Corporate Data Chance Lv.1 immediately changes three systems:
Enabled
Firewall
−4
Start Data Clusters
−5
Data Cluster Size
Do not panic if your first Chapter 2 runs feel worse than the end of Chapter 1.
Troubleshooter
Check Raw Data collected, not your Cash balance. Chapter 2 unlocks at 5,700 Raw Data.
Not automatically. Once you're clearing the board early, additional supply can become more valuable than more damage.
Finder Damage Lv.3 triggers the Chapter 1 range Bug. Repair it for 1,750 Cash, then take the free +10% range follow-up.
Vision Data Chance Lv.1 triggers a −2 Round Time Bug. Repair it for 400 Cash, then take the free +1 Round Time follow-up.
Pick the direction you prefer, but Chapter 1 does not permanently lock your ending. Final stored Karma is checked when Chapter 4 completes.
Next · Chapter 2
Prepare for Firewall, lower starting supply, and the first major combat-versus-supply reset.
Continue to Chapter 2 →