Sons of the Forest Story Progression Walkthrough

Sons of the Forest is a visceral survival horror with an intricate story progression. While many things become available to you immediately from the start of the game, like building and crafting, all objectives are left by the developers for you to discover. This concept has confused some players because the game never clearly defines where they're supposed to go first or what to do. In this guide, we will outline a progression guide you can follow to go through the main storyline quests in Sons of the Forest.

Detailed Sons of the Forest Story Progression Guide

This guide will focus on all important objectives and in which chronological order they should be completed to progress the main storyline of Sons of the Forest. The game doesn't guide you and leaves the players figuring out which path to take. Such an approach has brought much confusion because players soon discovered they must obtain another item or component first to get a specific thing they're missing. If you follow this guide, you will be able to complete all necessary steps and the game's main storyline without losing any unnecessary time by aimlessly wandering around the island.

Getting the most essential items in Sons of the Forest

A couple of essential items will make your progress much easier the earlier you get them in Sons of the Forest. When starting with a new playthrough, you should get the following as soon as possible:

• Flashlight: The best light source in the game and will come in handy in any future cave explorations.
• Modern Axe: A much better alternative than the Tactical Axe you get in your survival kit when you start the game. It will be out in the open in an unguarded location that requires no preparation to visit, so you can pick it up immediately.
• Stun Baton: It may not be effective at killing stronger enemies, but it's extremely effective at disabling them, giving you time to reach for a more potent weapon. The Stun Baton will be useful, especially later in the game, giving you an advantage against more powerful enemies. Finding the Stun Baton is not hard since it too is located in an easily-reachable area. You will need to acquire batteries to power both the Stun Baton and the Flashlight.

Setting up a Base and Surviving the First Night in Sons of the Forest

Surviving the first few nights in Sons of the Forest should be simple. Initially, using only a tarp and a stick to set up a mobile base will be enough for you to get some rest and save your progress. That is until you find a location for a more permanent base where you can properly set up shop.

Eventually, you will need a safe place to return after a day's mission of gathering resources and finding items. This point in the game is the perfect time to pay attention to your companions. Befriending Virginia will benefit you, as she's proficient in combat. Your teammate Kelvin will also be of invaluable help to you, especially early on, in gathering resources to raise buildings and traps. Remember to use him to his fullest potential, as he will save you time on menial tasks like cutting wood and fishing. When setting up your first base, consider the following:

• Be mindful of enemy camps or areas with high enemy activity. You can test this by spending a few nights camping in a tent. Moving to somewhere else is better if you find yourself attacked frequently.
• Stay close to food and water sources. You will need both on a daily basis, so building close to a river is a good idea.
• Stay off the beaten path. Cannibals will use them to patrol areas occasionally, so avoid building close to roads.
• Stay in heavily wooded areas. The more trees a site has, the better. Building a base takes resources, and even the simplest buildings require a lot of wood to complete. Feel free to make your base in the middle of the jungle to minimize your effort and walking distance.

Related: Where is the Maintenance Keycard used in Sons of the Forest?

Getting the Maintenance Keycard in Sons of the Forest

To get the Maintenance Keycard in Sons of the Forest, you must prepare first. There are a couple of items you need to get first to gain access to a facility that contains the Maintenance Keycard. You will need to obtain the following items in this particular order:

• Rope Gun
• Rebreather
• Shovel

Getting these items is essential for completing the Maintenance Keycard level. Before doing the Keycard run, consider getting some readily available weapons to make the endeavor easier. A Shotgun and a Pistol can be acquired with minimum hassle; the first is available to you when you obtain the Shovel, and the second is left out in the open. Having both weapons will make your cave mutant fights much more manageable. Once you're ready and equipped, proceed to obtain the Maintenance Keycard.

Getting the Katana and Golden Armor in Sons of the Forest

To obtain the Katana and Golden Armor in Sons of the Forest, you must have the Maintenance Keycard to unlock the bunker containing both of these items. Once inside, you will get a glimpse of some story progression, as a cutscene will play out the moment you walk through the closed door reaching level two of the facility. 

Both the Katana and Golden Armor will be very useful for the game progression. The Katana is one of the two best melee weapons in the game, rivaled only by the Firefighter axe. It is an end-game item that will serve you well for the rest of the playthrough, and we recommend getting it as soon as you get the Maintenance Keycard.

You will need the Golden Armor to beat the game's final level. Besides providing the key to accessing the last cave area of the game, it also provides crucial protection in that area. Until then, you can still use it when you run out of armor points and cannot craft anything else.

Getting the VIP Keycard in Sons of the Forest

To get the VIP Keycard in Sons of the Forest, you must first obtain the Maintenance Keycard. Once you get it, go back to a location you might have already visited previously, the Food and Dining hatch. Once inside the fridge, you can unlock the keypad door leading you to the facility with the VIP Keycard, the Crossbow, and other valuable items.

Obtaining the VIP Keycard grants you access to two more areas, one of which is the facility where you can get the Guest Keycard and the other containing the Final Bunker.

Related: What to do with the Guest Keycard in Sons of the Forest

Getting the Guest Keycard in Sons of the Forest

To gain access to the facility where you can find the Guest Keycard, you'll need to have the VIP Keycard first. You can find the Chainsaw and the Guitar in the same facility. While the Guitar won't be useful to you since it's a mediocre weapon at best, obtaining the Chainsaw will save you a lot of time chopping down trees, furthering your building capabilities.

Reaching the Final Bunker in Sons of the Forest

You must have the VIP Keycard to access the Final Bunker on the easternmost green blip in Sons of the Forest. You can obtain the Cross in the same bunker, which will be helpful during the magma cave run. You will notice a cave with a strange golden door with an arm indentation when going through the crack in the bathroom wall. Equip your Golden Armor and use it to unlock the door. Proceed through the last cave level and watch the intriguing yet confusing final cutscene, explaining the game's ending. At last, you will have a choice of boarding the helicopter or staying on the island and playing the game further. Each option will reward you with its own achievement in the game.

If you choose to stay on the island, you will be able to roam around freely, exploring caves and locations you missed during your initial playthrough. You can expand your building and crafting skills, make an expansive base, and try out new additions as the developers release them over time.

Looking for more useful guides for Sons of the Forest? We have you covered with Sons of the Forest plot, explained, and Sons of the Forest Endings, Explained – How to get the ‘secret’ ending here on Pro Game Guides!