ELMIRA — Before you start
About
OverviewELMIRA is a co-op horror escape game where you wake up alone on a school trip, surrounded by an old hospital and no sign of your friends. The story runs across three chapters, each with its own puzzles, secrets, and — in Chapter 3 — multiple endings you can unlock depending on the choices you make. This guide walks you through how to approach each chapter, find hidden collectibles, and reach the best outcomes.
What is on this page
Contents
Before you start
Check
ELMIRA is built around atmosphere and sound, so the way you set up before you even press play matters. The game is designed for co-op, but solo play is possible.
- Wear headphones the game explicitly recommends them for the full horror experience, and audio cues matter for puzzles.
- Bring a friend or two the game is designed around cooperative play, and having others with you lightens the mental load.
- Brace for psychological horror the scares here come from sound and atmosphere rather than gore, but they can still catch you off guard.
Chapter 1 — the hospital
Step
You wake up near an old hospital with no one around. Your job is to explore, gather information, and push the story forward. Chapter 1 ends when you clear its main objectives, and there is a secret to find right at the start.
- Search every room items and hints are hidden throughout the hospital, and missing one early can slow you down later.
- Check the very beginning of the chapter there is a secret campsite hidden near the start, and finding it earns its own badge.
- Tell your teammates what you find sharing information with the group is how puzzles get solved.
- Keep moving until the chapter completion badge unlocks that is your signal that Chapter 1 is done.
Chapter 2 — skulls and the demon realm
Step
Chapter 2 raises the stakes with a demon realm mechanic. You will need to collect monster skulls to break through a set of gates, and a hidden map can tell you exactly where those skulls are.
- Find the ancient forest map early it shows the locations of the monster skulls.
- Collect the monster skulls you need a specific skull called the Rozusutoka skull to break open the gates of the demon realm.
- Clear the demon realm gates to finish the chapter the chapter completion badge confirms you are done.
Chapter 3 — endings and secrets
Tips
Chapter 3 is the most complex part of the game. Your actions determine which of the four endings you reach: bad, neutral, good, or best. There are also notes scattered throughout the chapter and a hidden cat to find.
- Read every note you come across — collecting all of them in Chapter 3 unlocks the Lore Master badge and fills in the story's background.
- Look for the hidden cat — it belongs to the developers and is tucked somewhere in Chapter 3 for those who explore carefully.
- Expect to replay the chapter — four endings means four different outcomes, and a single run will only get you one of them.
When you are stuck
Warn
Getting stuck is common in story-driven escape games. The solution is nearly always somewhere you have already been.
Badges at a glance
TableThere are twelve badges in total. Use this as a checklist across your runs.
| Badge | Chapter | How to unlock |
|---|---|---|
| ELMIRA | Any | Play the game |
| ELMIRA: Chapter 1 | 1 | Complete Chapter 1 |
| Chapter 1: Secret Campsite | 1 | Find the hidden campsite at the start of the chapter |
| Chapter 2: Rozusutoka Skull | 2 | Break the demon realm gates with the special skull |
| Chapter 2: Secret Map | 2 | Find the ancient forest map showing skull locations |
| ELMIRA: Chapter 2 | 2 | Complete Chapter 2 |
| cat | 3 | Find the developers' hidden cat |
| Chapter 3: Neutral Ending | 3 | Finish Chapter 3 with the neutral ending |
| Chapter 3: Bad Ending | 3 | Finish Chapter 3 with the bad ending |
| Chapter 3: Good Ending | 3 | Finish Chapter 3 with the good ending |
| Chapter 3: Best Ending | 3 | Finish Chapter 3 with the best ending |
| Chapter 3: Lore Master | 3 | Read every note in Chapter 3 |
Glossary
Glossary- Black eyed children
- An internet urban legend about children with entirely black eyes — ELMIRA uses this legend as the foundation for its story and atmosphere.
- Rozusutoka skull
- A specific monster skull in Chapter 2 that is required to break open the gates of the demon realm.
- Lore Master
- A Chapter 3 badge awarded for reading every note in the chapter, which fills in the game's backstory.
- Psychological horror
- Horror that works through atmosphere, sound, and tension rather than graphic visuals — the style ELMIRA is built around.
Common questions
FAQCan I play ELMIRA alone?
Yes, solo play works fine. The game is designed with co-op in mind though, so playing with at least one friend makes both the puzzles and the horror easier to handle.
How many times do I need to play Chapter 3 to get all the endings?
Chapter 3 has four endings: bad, neutral, good, and best. You will need at least four separate runs to collect all four badges, since each run produces one outcome.
What is the secret map in Chapter 2 and why does it matter?
The secret map is a hidden item that shows where the monster skulls are located across the forest. Finding it earns its own badge and helps you locate the Rozusutoka skull needed to finish the chapter.
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