Welcome to Rue Valley, a singleplayer, story-rich RPG where you'll navigate a charming yet perilous world. Moment-to-moment gameplay involves mastering combat, conquering quests, and making dialogue choices influenced by your character's personality traits. These traits can unlock new dialogue options and help you pass 'Checks' to complete tasks, or even block you from progressing certain 'Intentions'. It's a game that rewards exploration and careful consideration of your character's psyche.
This guide will help you conquer every aspect of Rue Valley, from understanding the crucial early game personality point allocation and passing your first Social Check with Robin, to mastering specific Intentions like 'Enter the Kay Ranch House Faster' and 'Shoot Alexander Kay'. We'll also cover how to unlock all Steam Achievements, including the tricky 'Tap Out!' and the narrative-driven 'Time Loop' and 'I Hurt Myself Today' achievements.
Getting Started
Begin your journey in Rue Valley with this comprehensive walkthrough. Learn character creation, early objectives, and how to navigate the first loop of this intriguing game.
Getting Started
Begin your journey in Rue Valley with this comprehensive walkthrough. Learn character creation, early objectives, and how to navigate the first loop of this intriguing game.
Controls & Basic Movement — Rue Valley Guide
Navigate the world of Rue Valley with ease. This guide covers essential controls, basic movement, and early game mechanics to help you start your journey.
Welcome to the Rue Valley walkthrough! This section focuses on the fundamental controls and basic movement mechanics essential for starting your adventure in Rue Valley. As you begin, you'll define your character's personality, which influences dialogue options and the ability to pass 'Checks' for certain tasks.
Pay attention to personality traits, as some can block specific dialogue, potentially causing you to fail 'Intentions'. After waking up and speaking with Dr. Finck, you'll exit his office and can interact with the environment. Moving left leads you to the motel reception, where you'll perform your first Social Check with Robin, the receptionist. Passing this check, which requires at least one point in 'Extraverted', will grant you your room's key card.
In your room, you can interact with a suitcase, which may lead to your character sitting on the bed or a chair. Time will pass, and you'll receive a phone call. Regardless of your choice, time continues to pass, allowing you to review your 'memories'. Following this, you'll experience a dream sequence that offers insight into your character. Upon waking, an icon will appear, offering a 'Hold to Recall' option that is initially unavailable.
Exiting your room, you'll witness an event involving a truck hitting a transformer. Before proceeding, a notable achievement, 'Tap Out!', can be obtained by drinking from the tap in your room's bathroom. If unavailable, continue by interacting with the vending machine, pressing the 'reddish button' to obtain water and lose the 'Thirsty' status. The sky will turn red, and explosions will occur, leading you back to Dr. Finck's office where you'll receive a 'Purple Pill'.
You'll repeat the process of checking into your room and interacting with the suitcase. Taking the purple pill is optional. After sitting down, you'll receive the same phone call as before. Time will pass until you review your memories again, presenting your first 'Intention'. You'll need 'Willpower' (also known as 'Inspiration') to commit to these intentions. Commit to the 'Memory or Fantasy?' Intention, then head outside to investigate the transformer.
Selecting all dialogue options will complete the Intention, ending the loop. After speaking with Dr. Finck, access your memories and 'Hold to Wrap Up' the Intention to gain 'Inspiration'. Outside, your character will decide to go home, unlocking a new Intention to leave. Attempting to leave will result in returning to Dr. Finck's office. A dialogue option tied to this intention will appear. During a second attempt to leave, you'll face a Decisional Check. Having '+1 Calculated' will help regain control of the car; otherwise, you'll lose control. Regardless of the outcome, you'll gain 'Inspiration' and fail the intention, unlocking the 'The Escape Failed Successfully' achievement. Select the Intention again and 'Hold to Give up'.
You can now engage in free roaming. Speak to the woman hitting the vending machine to gain the 'Fix Vending Machine' Intention. Commit to it in your memories, then speak to her again, offering to help. You'll attempt and fail to fix it. Visit the motel reception and speak to the receptionist. If the clock is 8:07 or earlier, you can give Riley a coffee to complete the Intention and earn 'Inspiration'. You'll also gain memories related to Robin, Ben Fleming, and Coral Destiny. Update the 'Rocket Launch' memory by asking Riley if she's watching it.
In your memories, wrap up the vending machine Intention. To gain a new memory, interact with the door left of yours on the second floor, adding 'The Stocky Man' Memory. Return to reception and speak to Robin about the time loop and Ben Fleming. The 'Stocky Man,' Jason Burns, will arrive, and you can overhear his conversation with Robin. Speaking to Robin afterward will reveal his name and backstory.
Driving south to Max Gas unlocks the 'Reality Show' Intention by interacting with the camera. Inside, you may find Max and Riley. Listening to them updates and creates memories like 'Careless Driver', 'Max Gas Lady', and 'Where's Walter?'. Speaking to Max reveals her name, Maxine Kay. Inquiring about Jason Burns updates both their memories. Interacting with the Kitty Poster grants 'Inspiration'. Select dialogue options related to the Time Loop and Reality TV to advance those Intentions. You can use your phone to ask about Walter Kay, but it's recommended to pass time and restart the loop. You'll need 5 Willpower or Inspiration to recall the dream icon before the loop restarts.
In the next loop, you can ask Dr. Finck about Coral Destiny and engage with the Reality Show Intention. Give Riley coffee again to discuss Coral Destiny and the Reality Show Intention. Learning about her past work at Coral Destiny updates her memory. Pursuing the Reality TV Show idea grants the 'Minor Bodily Alteration' Intention. In your room, interact with the mirror to perform this alteration, such as shaving. Upstairs, ask Jason about Maxine to update her memory and gain the 'Search Maxine's Room' Intention. This concludes the initial walkthrough segment.
Controls & UI — Rue Valley Guide
Navigate Rue Valley's controls and user interface with our comprehensive guide. Learn about personality traits, intentions, social checks, and essential gameplay mechanics to succeed.
This guide covers the fundamental controls and user interface elements of Rue Valley. Understanding these mechanics is crucial for progressing through the game's narrative and gameplay loops.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Personality Traits | Used to define your character and pass 'Checks' for dialogue and tasks. Requires 9 points total. |
| Checks | Tests based on personality traits that allow you to complete tasks, like persuasion, or can block certain dialogue options. |
| Intentions | Tasks or desires of the protagonist that are central to Rue Valley's gameplay. They must be committed to and then completed. |
| Inspiration / Willpower | A resource, also known as Willpower, used to commit to Intentions. Gained through gameplay actions. |
| Status Effects | Temporary conditions like 'Total Lack of Motivation' or 'Anxious Apprehension' that can affect gameplay and are often removed by taking pills or progressing. |
| Memories | Key narrative elements that can be reviewed and updated throughout the game, providing backstory and advancing the plot. |
| Dialogue Options | Choices made during conversations that can influence outcomes, pass checks, or update memories and intentions. |
| Interacting with Objects | Engaging with items like suitcases, vending machines, and mirrors to progress the story or trigger events. |
| Phone Usage | Used to pass time, receive calls, and potentially progress certain intentions or gather information. |
| Looping Mechanic | The game features a time-loop mechanic where events repeat, allowing players to learn and alter outcomes with each cycle. |
Character Creation
Learn how to create your character in Rue Valley, focusing on personality traits like Sensitive, Calculated, and Extraverted to pass checks and influence your playthrough.
Alright, so you're jumping into Rue Valley! When you first start, you'll hit the character creation screen. Now, it's not super deep with looks or anything, but it's where you decide who Eugene Harlow, our main character, is going to be. You can pick whatever personality you like, but if you're aiming to pass any of those tricky personality checks later on, I've got a little tip for you.
To give yourself the best shot at passing at least one check, try to pick up some points in these traits:
- Sensitive +2 or -2
- Calculated +1 or -1
- Sensitive +1 or -1
- Extraverted +1 or -1
Having at least one of these will make sure your personality choices aren't just for show. Just a heads-up, though: if you want to lean heavily into the 'low' side of a particular scale, you'll probably have to spread your points thin across the others. That's just how the game's designed! But hey, the good news is you can always replay and try a different build. The game's all about making choices and seeing where they lead.
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