INTRODUCTION

    With the exception of a few locked doors, BEYOND THE DOORWAY is almost completely nonlinear. It relies on the player's own ability to explore, experiment, map terrain and keep records of important landmarks and items. This, the cryptic (and sometimes not very helpful) clues, and the lack of a save function all conspire to make BtD a very difficult game to complete, unless the player has a few hours to kill. Even when you know exactly what to do and where to go, it takes over an hour to complete the full game.

    This is a brief guide to help those of you who feel hopelessly lost or aren't sure what to do next.

PROGRESS AND ALLIES

    Each time you rescue an ally, discover an Artifact piece, or get devoured by a monster, conditions on the island worsen. Initially monsters are all but absent from the property and you can pretty much explore the place in peace; later they'll be crawling out of the woodwork to get you. The worse things get on the island, the less likely you are to find your allies alive, so if you're keen on having an ally you better grab one before going on an Artifact hunt.

Jazz Hildegarde is the easiest ally to get. She's unique in that she will use whatever firearm you give her when you first enlist her help. She's got quick reflexes and due to already being a little crazy she doesn't freeze up too much, but when she does you may need to rescue her. She joins you with 1/2 health.

Jazz is the middle ground: not as good as Tyler, but way better than Randy. She's holed up on the top floor, in one of the red-carpet suites.

Randy Deane is Captain Ellis's engine dude. He's in such poor emotional shape when you find him that he suffers the longest and most frequent freeze-ups in combat. He makes up for it by occasionally going John Woo on monsters with his revolver, but has trouble hitting moving targets. He joins you with 1/4 health and needs healing badly.

Randy's virtually useless except as monster bait. Probably because he starts the game buried alive.

First Mate Tyler Marsh is the best ally. He has the least freeze-ups and recovers quickly. He has the fastest reaction time. He's got his own Coach Gun. And he joins you with full health. Naturally, he's the toughest ally to rescue, and usually dies before you get to him unless you're VERY careful.

Tyler is invaluable -- if none of your other allies survive, at least make sure he does. He's trapped in the secret basement.

ESCAPING THE ISLAND

The non-sunken boat is your ticket out of here, but you need gas for the engine and keys for the ignition -- and you have neither. Rescue your allies (or at least verify they're dead) to collect the Gas Can and Boat Key. Bring all survivors to the harbor map; "DROP" the Gas Can by the engine to fuel the boat, then click on the boat cabin (that part you go inside to drive the boat) to escape the island.

FIREPLACES

There are a large number of fireplaces in the hotel, and a few elsewhere too. You can start a health-regenerating fire if you feed it a Molotov Cocktail; or the more conventional route of dropping a Wooden Board next to it, then lighting it. You'll find several Funeral Pyres in the course of your adventure that can be lit in a similar fashion.

ASSEMBLING THE ARTIFACT

The Doorway or Artifact referred to in various notes and conversations is a blue ring-shaped stone that breaks into four pieces. Its pieces have been scattered around the island, of course, and finding them can cause more than a few migraines. Here are clues where to find them:

Piece #1 is under a loose floorboard in the lobby. If you can't find it, check under the chairs.

Piece #2 has been buried in the forest. Find the Metal Detector.

Piece #3 is on display in the first floor gallery, behind the Black Door.

Piece #4 was lost down a hole in the catacombs beneath the house. You can climb down holes by forming makeshift ladders. Got any Rope or Wooden Boards handy?

The Artifact can only be reassembled on the Blue Sundial. Once you possess the assembled Artifact, explore the island again to find all the hidden Portals leading to other dimensions.

ASSEMBLING THE AMULET

To open the Stone Gate in the secret basement, you need to place the Amulet on it -- the Amulet acts like a key of sorts. Alas, it too has been broken into four pieces, and to find them will require a little otherworldly exploration.

Piece #1 is, fortunately, upstairs in a west wing suite. You'll have to pry open the bathroom door to get to it.

Piece #2 is guarded by the Moschops boss of the acidic realm of Indigo. You'll have to solve the Shattered Fortress's bridge puzzle to reach it.

Piece #3 lies at the other end of Charybdis, and is guarded by the Maw of Despair boss.

Piece #4 was buried somewhere on the Red Horizon. The Ziggurat hides the secret to finding it.

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