How to play Sector 13: Haunted Woods
Sector 13: Haunted Woods is open-area co-op exploration, not a level-based game: with 1–4 players you track Anomalies, recover Artifacts and get out — while your real voice attracts whatever is listening.
Sector 13: Haunted Woods has no tutorial worth trusting and no level select — the demo drops you in the woods and expects you to figure out the loop. This page is that first hour, written from the official screenshots, the store description and the studio's own replies on the Steam discussion board.
The core loop
Every expedition runs the same four steps:
- Read your equipment. You spawn with limited field gear. The Artifact Finder shows coordinates of nearby Artifacts; the Anomaly Detector reacts when an Anomaly is close.
- Pick a direction and move. Follow the finder's coordinates to a new area of the forest — buildings, a train station, a mansion, a graveyard all appear across the demo's map.
- Work the site. Press
Eon glowing objects to interact, watch the detector readings, and keep the noise down. Recover Artifacts into your inventory (TAB). - Get out before night does. Night falls fast, and darkness is where the things that hunt you get bold. If a teammate goes down, you can revive them — but only if you reach them.
Your kit, in plain terms
| Tool | What it does | Verified from |
|---|---|---|
| Artifact Finder | Tracks coordinates of nearby Artifacts | Store page equipment list |
| Anomaly Detector | Detects Anomalies in the surrounding area; reacts visibly only when one is nearby | Store page + studio reply |
| Body flashlight | Toggle with T; light is limited and shared — players have asked for more than one | Official screenshots + forum report |
| Camera | Open with C; monitor-style views appear across the demo | Official screenshots |
| Held items (keys, gear) | Pick up with E, check with TAB, drop with G | Official screenshots + studio reply |
The enemies you will meet
Player reports from the demo (the studio acknowledges and logs these on the forum):
- Rabbits and the samurai are the creatures players name as actively attacking; several other threats tend to spawn behind you and knock you flying.
- Bears come up repeatedly in English and Russian reports — shouting at them does not reliably scare them off, and the volume judgment can misfire.
- Knockdowns are recoverable. A teammate can pick you back up, so splitting up alone in the dark is the real killer.
Settings to fix before you play
- Run the two-step mic test properly (shout over the red line, then normal speech for 3 seconds) — details on the voice chat page.
- If the test screen's OK button is off-screen, the studio's fix is the launch option
-ResX=1920 -ResY=1080 -WINDOWED— see controls & settings. - On mid-range GPUs the studio's own advice is 1080p at Medium settings first, then adjust.
FAQ
What do I do first in Sector 13: Haunted Woods?
Finish the mic test, agree on noise rules with your team, then follow the Artifact Finder's first coordinates instead of wandering. Interact with everything glowing (E) and check your inventory with TAB.
How many levels does Sector 13 have?
None — it is not a level-based game. The demo is one open area; the full game adds more locations, anomalies and creatures.
Can I play it solo?
Yes, single-player is listed on Steam, but the game is designed for 1–4 online co-op, and reviving teammates is a core safety net.
Is the demo the same as the full game?
No — the studio says forest scenes and overall performance were further optimized for the full release, plus a confirmed amusement park area. See release date & demo.
All guides5
FixSector 13: Haunted Woods voice chat not working? Mic setup & fixes
SystemSector 13: Haunted Woods artifacts: finder, inventory and keys
SystemSector 13: Haunted Woods anomalies: how the detector works
SettingsSector 13: Haunted Woods controls & best settings
Info