One day at a time.  Days slip by whether you’re ready or not. That expedition into the Depths, the scavenging job in an old apartment complex, that stranger’s suspicious offer. Each takes time you can’t get back. As deadlines approach and opportunities vanish, you’ll learn what truly matters with the time you have left.

Survivors, not saints.  No one survives Patchwater alone, but no one’s here to save you either. Cross paths with memorable characters: a shopkeeper clinging to hope in a dying city, an obsessed fisherman chasing rumors of a ghost ship, and many others who may help or hinder you. Anyone who’s survived this long didn’t do it by being kind.

Keep moving forward.  Your stats and dice rolls determine what happens next. In Patchwater, failure doesn’t mean game over. The story adapts and you have to deal with the consequences.

You’re no hero.  Fight for your life against monstrous creatures and desperate people. This is no power fantasy. You’re outmatched and survival depends on more than just brute force.