Understand the job loop
Every shift mixes ordinary gas-station work with an investigation. Stock shelves, take deliveries, clean the store, serve customers, and sell enough goods to meet the nightly quota. The danger is that a customer may only be pretending to be human.
Treat those duties as one loop rather than separate minigames:
- Restore the store to a workable state.
- Serve one customer without rushing the check.
- Clear the counter and note what needs restocking.
- Reassess doors, hiding options, and available defenses.
- Repeat until the shift changes phase.
Field Note: Each full-game shift is randomly generated. Memorizing one exact route is less useful than building a reliable inspection routine.
Before the first shift, the developer says you adopt a cat, husky, puppy, or goose. Your companion needs medicine within the first three shifts, so personal profit is part of the opening pressure—not just an end-screen number. The Pets & Medicine guide separates that confirmed objective from values that still require live-build verification.
Check before you act
The official game description gives you three broad evidence channels: conversation, identification, and behavior. Ask the available questions, examine the ID, cross-check details on the computer, and watch how the customer acts. Do not let one strange detail replace the whole check.
A disciplined order helps under pressure:
- Read the ID before opening the computer record.
- Compare details methodically instead of relying on memory.
- Listen to the complete answer before moving on.
- Look once more at the customer after the paperwork check.
- Make the team say the evidence aloud before a final decision.
Keep the store recoverable
Quota work still matters while you investigate. A messy counter and half-finished delivery create extra movement when the situation deteriorates. Finish small tasks, keep routes through the shop clear, and avoid scattering the team across unrelated jobs.
In co-op, simple roles reduce duplicated work:
| Role | Primary responsibility | Handoff call |
|---|---|---|
| Counter | Questions, ID, computer check | “Record checked” |
| Floor | Stock, delivery, cleaning | “Aisle clear” |
| Support | Watches behavior and prepares supplies | “Defense ready” |
Solo players perform the same sequence, but should finish one task before starting the next.
Prepare for the consequence
If a doppelganger leaves, the game can shift into direct survival. The official guidance is to barricade doors, place traps, and find somewhere to hide. Before that happens, know where useful items are and keep walkways clear.
Entity Warning: This guide intentionally does not publish guaranteed tells or universal safe spots. Random generation and game updates can make rigid instructions unreliable.
Your first-night checklist
- Learn where the computer, stock, deliveries, and hiding options are.
- Agree on who makes the final customer call in co-op.
- Read every field rather than scanning for one familiar mismatch.
- Do not abandon quota work until the game clearly demands it.
- Save defensive resources for the phase in which they matter.
- After a failure, identify the missed step—not just the final attack.
Next, open the customer identification protocol or confirm your multiplayer setup.