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If you only have a minute: your first Eloise quest unlocks Expeditions, extraction is mandatory, do not sell quest ingredients, always bring healing, and never take anything on an Expedition that you cannot afford to lose. The full list of 10 tips is below. Everything in this guide is the Closed Beta state (October 19-26, 2026), and numbers and mechanics may change before Early Access. How to get into the test: beta and playtests.
In the game, "the Living" are the players and "the Hunger" are the infected monsters. We keep the in-game English names (Steam lists English only).
How one Expedition works
The loop is fixed: prepare in the Chateau (a hub with the Stash, vendors, crafting and quests), go on an Expedition to a map, and come back through extraction. The developers call quests the "core spine" of progression.
| Stage | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1. Chateau | Finish Eloise's first quest, then talk to Reynauld and pick an Expedition in the Expedition Finder |
| 2. Launch | Only the party leader picks the Expedition and presses "Start Expedition". A party is solo, duo or trio. Once a match is found there is a 10-second countdown and no way back |
| 3. Expedition | Loot, combat, quests. Conditions change (weather, night). Expeditions rotate in three lengths: 12 hours, 3 hours and 1 hour |
| 4. Extraction | Enter an active Extraction Zone. A 30-second timer starts, then you walk to the balloon yourself and interact with it |
| 5. Return | Money goes to the Stash, quests count, and you get bonus experience |
Extraction rules that surprise people most (Missive XIII):
- Leaving the zone rewinds the timer instead of resetting it.
- The first player in the zone starts the timer for the whole party, but leaving is individual: everyone must reach the balloon on their own.
- The first balloon arrives shortly after the Expedition starts, while the timing of the second is variable. When the last one arrives, a 10-minute countdown begins. Anyone who has not left dies and loses everything.
- Red smoke over a balloon (Deadsmoke) shows up only when at least two separate parties are in the zone.
The Tidewatch tutorial takes about 5-10 minutes, and nothing from it carries over to the real game.
What you lose on death and how to protect loot
The Steam description is clear: much of your equipment may be lost, but all experience counts toward your character's level. The game has no forced wipes.
The developers have not described the exact death rules (which slots are lost, how much a Lockbox holds at the start) in open sources. Below is only what is certain, or clearly marked as in-game text or player opinion.
- Dying on an Expedition takes the gear in your inventory. The exception is the Lockbox. This is the in-game text as quoted by the fan site hunger-companion.com (unofficial).
- The Lockbox unlocks during Eloise's quests and lets you carry out one protected item even after death. Players on r/GOODFUNHUNGER write that an item inside stays locked until you take it out in the Chateau, so you cannot use a key stored in a Lockbox on an Expedition.
- The Stash is your storage (talk to Louis in the Outer Ramparts). Every unlocked character has its own Stash, and money from Expeditions goes to a separate currency slot. The Vault is a Stash shared by all characters on your account.
- Stash capacity is disputed. Missive X from June 2026 gives 50 item slots, 10 weapon slots and 4 expansion slots, while the in-game text (per hunger-companion.com) gives 70 and 25 plus 4 slots. Check in the game.
- After a server crash, your gear returns to the Stash after a few minutes.
- Maps, Missives, recipes and Cosmetic Schemas are meant to be used in the Chateau. Take one on an Expedition and die before reading it, and per the in-game text it is lost. In Closed Beta you can no longer move a map from the Stash to your inventory.
If you are left without a weapon, Louis gives a free Pricker dagger (the "I've hit a rough patch..." option). Some Reddit players miss a free armor and healing kit, while others say the Pricker is enough.
Characters and skill trees
There are no fixed classes. You pick a character (a Living), and its role is shaped by abilities, masteries, gear and professions. The developers: "HUNGER is not a hero shooter." Unlocking a starting character costs a Psyche Seed, and more seeds come from leveling and Prestige.
| Character | Description (developer interview) |
|---|---|
| Hugo | A former French nobleman |
| Eva | An assassin and thief from the Paris slums |
| Serene | From the island of Santa Dominga |
| Marie | A "battle nun" |
| Gabriel | A cavalryman of the Grande Armée |
| Otto | A Prussian mercenary, armor crafting and repairs (earlier called Abel) |
Each character has three abilities: Passive (always on), Tactical (Q key, short cooldown) and Ultimate (E key, long cooldown). Sources disagree on the level you get them (Getting Started Guide: from level 3; in-game text: Tactical from 6, Ultimate from 9). Masteries start at level 10.
Masteries are about 120 talents in five trees:
| Tree | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Physiology | Damage resistance |
| Martial | Ranged weapons |
| Arms | Melee combat (new in Closed Beta) |
| Survival | Stealth, hiding, detecting traps and the Hunger |
| Cunning | Evasion, surprising players, gathering |
The level cap is 100, which is enough for two full trees and part of a third. Prestige resets your level and masteries but keeps progress through the Chateau, Stash and quests. Which character to start with is not settled by official sources: it is a matter of playstyle.
Enemies in the beta
| Enemy | How to fight it |
|---|---|
| Dregs | The weakest zombies. Aim for the head: a headshot kills much faster |
| Shambler | Slow but strong. A hit applies Bleed (damage while moving) |
| Bloat | Explodes when you get close or when damaged, applies Poison (weaker healing), cured by an Antidote. Kill it from range or with a headshot |
| Waif | Crawls and slashes your legs |
| Drooler | Shoots its tongue |
| Brute | Huge, heavy damage |
The first three are described by the in-game tutorial, the rest by the 2025 developer interview. Closed Beta added new Dreg and Shambler variants. Noise (gunshots) attracts both the Hunger and other players. Weapons: weapons and gear.
Maps in the beta
Closed Beta has three maps, each about 1 x 1 km: Sarlat Farm, Jacques Bridge and Sombre Forest. We know the named locations from fan sources: Sarlat Farm has The Undercroft and Gunline Fort, among others, Jacques Bridge has Sleeping Eye Mill and Fort Sang Rouge, and Sombre Forest has Cutter's Hamlet and The Pit. The game does not mark quest objectives on the map, so you have to read the descriptions. A general overview of the game: everything about the game.
10 tips to start
- Start with Eloise. Her first quest unlocks Expeditions, and the in-game text advises you to talk to her first.
- Always finish an Expedition with extraction. Without it quests do not count, and after the last balloon you have 10 minutes.
- Enter the extraction zone early. The timer is 30 seconds and rewinds when you leave the zone, and you still have to reach the balloon.
- Never go on an Expedition without healing. Health is always 100 HP and only medicine heals. The Bloodbag heals slowly and is reusable, the Ampoule heals fast and is single-use (damage interrupts it).
- Wear armor and keep a reserve in the Stash. Chest armour is a second layer of health. Armour Plates repair quickly, Armour Tongs are reusable but slow. Putting on armor takes 10 seconds, so do it before a fight.
- Check the Journal (J) before selling. Quest ingredients (flour and charcoal, among others) are needed in Eloise's chain.
- Read maps and Missives in the Chateau before you take them on an Expedition.
- Watch your Energy. Holding a block for long and swinging without a hit drains Energy (the Exhausted state). A short, late block is better, and a parry stuns the enemy.
- Play quieter. A gunshot is loud and attracts everyone. Move slowly, gather information, listen.
- After a loss, run a cheap Expedition. Players advise rebuilding the basics on "low stakes" runs with poor gear instead of chasing losses.
Most common beginner mistakes
- Selling ingredients needed for quests (player reports on r/GOODFUNHUNGER).
- Taking a map or Missive on an Expedition without reading it.
- Staying on the map too long until the balloon leaves. The YouTuber Rexnor adds: do not refuse to retreat from a losing fight, and do not search loot in the open (searching takes time and a headshot kills). That is his opinion.
- Hoarding good gear in the Stash forever (Rexnor calls it "gear fear").
- Shooting and sprinting without a reason.
Players complain about a big gear gap between new and experienced characters and no level-based matchmaking (r/GOODFUNHUNGER, October 23, 2026). The developers promise to narrow that gap.
FAQ
Can you play HUNGER solo?
Yes, Expeditions are solo, duo and trio. Solo gives more experience than duo, and trio has no bonus (per the in-game text). There is no PvE-only mode, so other players can enter your map.
What happens when you die in HUNGER?
You lose the gear in your inventory unless a Lockbox protects it. Experience stays, and the game has no forced wipes.
How many characters are in HUNGER?
Six at launch: Hugo, Eva, Serene, Marie, Gabriel and Otto. Every unlocked character has its own Stash.
How many maps are in HUNGER?
Three in Closed Beta: Sarlat Farm, Jacques Bridge and Sombre Forest. Steam promises three large maps at the start of Early Access.
Does HUNGER have a Polish language option?
Steam lists English only, with no Polish interface or subtitles.
