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The Raven diner at night in Shadows of Doubt.
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Shadows of Doubt Walkthrough Guide (1.0)

Shadows of Doubt has dropped into 1.0 following a reasonable stay in Early Access. As a sandbox murder mystery game, it's quite something to sink your teeth into. Read our Shadows of Doubt walkthrough for heaps of useful info to help you on your journey towards retirement.

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All Social Credit Perks, Ranked in Shadows of Doubt

The social credit level up screen in Shadows of Doubt.
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

Social Credit is your 'level' as far as a game mechanic is concerned, and you earn Social Credit by completing any case. Social Credit levels each grant you a small permanent perk, which can range from minor quality of life features, to gameplay changing effects.

Social Credit Level 2 - Apartments

The Level 2 perk is one of the handiest in the list, as it allows you to purchase apartments. That's all there is to it, really. Prior to this, you can still find apartment advertisements on the job boards located at some businesses, but you'll be unable to purchase them.

However, Level 2 is also when you start getting targeted by random NPC muggers, so be careful when walking the streets.

Social Credit Level 3 - Loitering

The Level 3 perk is handier than you'd expect, despite sounding somewhat... strange. Level 3 allows you to loiter in bars and restaurants without buying anything, which is great for times in which you have to wait out a suspect, or wait for another murder to happen.

Without this perk, you can loiter in these businesses for (I believe, based on some minor testing) around an hour.

Social Credit Level 4 - Fast Travel to Locations

Allows you to fast travel from your apartment to any location you've previously visited. This can be handy in fringe cases, such as needing to go to one of the illegal businesses with names you can't quite remember, but honestly, I find fast travelling to remove some of the allure of this game.

Social Credit Level 5 - Fast Travel to Apartment

Level 5 allows you to fast travel to your apartment from anywhere. Another pretty immersion breaking perk, but handy in a pinch, especially in combination with the perks for Level 6 and Level 10.

Social Credit Level 6 - Apartment Debuff Removal (Partial)

Level 6 means going to your apartment removes some of the basic negative effects. From testing, I believe this to be any negative effects that aren't related to injury (bleeding, broken leg, bruised), or eating and drinking (hungry, thirsty).

Social Credit Level 7 - Echelon Zone Access

Level 7 is yet another incredibly handy perk, as it grants access to 'Echelon' living areas. Echelon Zones are reserved for the more elite Citizens in Shadows of Doubt, which means you're not even allowed to go in and knock on their doors. This makes investigating cases tied to these areas a bit of a hassle, so this perk is mighty rewarding indeed.

Social Credit Level 8 - Crime Scene Access

Level 8 should be the most useful perk on the list, but frankly I find it a little high up in the social credit tree to be too useful. Level 8 means that Enforcers will allow you to access to crime scenes, which as a detective, is pretty important. I believe this perk should be replaced entirely, and think introducing some kind of P.I License for purchase to the City Hall would be an infinitely better way of introducing this mechanic.

Social Credit Level 9 - Home Invasion

Level 9 means citizens are more likely to allow you into their homes with this perk. This can prove exceptionally handy for the thieves out there, though potential murderers are still more likely to prevent you from coming in.

Social Credit Level 10 - Apartment Debuff Removal (Complete)

Level 10 means visiting your apartment will now remove all negative effects. That includes injury and survival mechanic ones, which basically removes your need for medical attention or food at all. Level 10 is also the Social Credit tier that allows you to 'Retire' if playing on the correct game length, which is effectively the completion of your run.

Social Credit Level 11 - Stalking is Easy

Level 11 means that Citizens are less likely to get angry or scared if you're tailing them. Tailing suspects doesn't even really trigger this often, so long as you keep distance and don't just drone your way towards them. Bit of a useless perk, all in all.

Social Credit Level 12 - Trespassing Grace Period

Level 12 grants you a longer period of 'grace' when trespassing somewhere. I don't have exact numbers, but it basically means security cameras will take longer to set off the alarm, and citizens will take longer to get angry or run to pull the alarm themselves. This doesn't feel... particularly rewarding for the very last social credit perk.

How to Retire

Retirement is effectively the ending of your run in Shadows of Doubt, and requires you reaching Social Credit Level 10 to achieve it. However, what requires explanation here is how to even be able to reach Social Credit Level 10 to begin with, because without checking your settings, you'll never be able to. This is because the game length setting directly influences what the maximum Social Credit level is, with it being at minimum 3 on a 'Very Short' game, and a maximum of '12' on a 'Very Long' game.

In order to be able to reach Social Credit Level 10, and therefore Retire, you'll need to go into the 'Gameplay' settings tab, and change the 'Game Length' setting to at least 'Long'.

  • Demonstrating how to enable the ability to retire in Shadows of Doubt.
  • Demonstrating how to enable the ability to retire in Shadows of Doubt.
  • Demonstrating how to enable the ability to retire in Shadows of Doubt.

You'll then need to head to City Hall and collect a Resolution Form. You know... the ones you use to solve murders. How strange; if only there was some kind of message in that.

How to buy an Apartment

  • Buying an apartment in Shadows of Doubt.
  • Buying an apartment in Shadows of Doubt.

As stated previously, you'll need to first hit Social Credit Rank 2 to be able to purchase an apartment. Then, go to any location that contains a phone and job board. Examples of these are diners, restaurants, and City Hall. You might end up having to check a few, as not every board contains an apartment listing. You're looking for any square card that has a house icon on it.

Interact with the card, and it'll present you with the details, location, and button to buy the apartment.

How to find the Citizens Database in Shadows of Doubt

The Citizens Database in Shadows of Doubt is one of the most powerful tools at not-quite your disposal. This database contains the fingerprints, birthdates, physical descriptors and even addresses of every single generated citizen in your city. Finding and using this extremely powerful tool is also shockingly easy, despite technically being an illegal action.

Please be aware that using this tool can very quickly make your game extremely easy, as I remember on my second ever playthrough going through a bunch of names to try and find someone from only an initial. This had the unintended side effect of me knowing the names and fingerprints of a good 50% of the population, which made most of my murder cases a complete joke. If that's your jam, that's your jam, but if you'd like to keep some of the challenge, I'd suggest only using this system when you've got at least a little bit of information already. (Ideally either a full forename or surname.)

Thankfully, despite the procedurally generated nature of every Shadows of Doubt city, there is always a City Hall, and it is always laid out in the exact same way.

In order to find the Citizens Database, you'll first want to head to City Hall. From the front desk, you'll want to head up the stairs you can see at the very back of the room.

Instructions on how to find the Citizen Database in Shadows of Doubt.
Image by Pro Game Guides

Take the stairs up until you reach the first landing (don't go all the way to the top) and take the door immediately on your left when you get there.

Instructions on how to find the Citizen Database in Shadows of Doubt.
Image by Pro Game Guides

Head into the office, and head into the room with the blue door marked with a CCTV camera. This door is typically unlocked, but if you get unlucky, you'll need to use a Codebreaker (discussed more below).

Instructions on how to find the Citizen Database in Shadows of Doubt.
Image by Pro Game Guides

When you enter this room, do not turn on the light. It is very unlikely there'll be anyone in this room, but there is always a camera. Thankfully, so long as you leave the light off, the camera won't be able to see you.

The computer in that room contains the Citizen Database. This computer being unlocked also seems to be luck based, and if it is indeed locked, you can go and get a Codebreaker straight from City Hall itself. Go to any of the 'Locker' vending machines located in City Hall to purchase one for 75 Crows. There's usually one directly across from the Database room. Handy indeed.

  • The Citizens Database terminal in Shadows of Doubt.
  • The Locker vending machine in Shadows of Doubt.

How to use the Citizens Database in Shadows of Doubt

Using the Citizens Database is really quite simple. First, interact with the computer and log in if you haven't already (using a Codebreaker if needed). Then, select the 'Gov Database' application.

Using the Citizens Database in Shadows of Doubt.
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides

This will present you with an empty text field and a keyboard. You can either type yourself or use your mouse to select each key. You'll need at least two letters to present you with any results, and the results will pull from both forenames and surnames.