Episode 3 Guide — Dialogue Choices & Who Gets Cut

TL;DR

• Episode 3 forces a cut—choices with Royd, Golem, Blonde Blazer, and Invisigal carry into Episode 4.
• Use 'I've been focused on my work' with Royd; pick [LET IT GO] for Golem; show empathy to Blazer.
• Complete all three hacking sequences for Invisigal and deliver the 'Potential' + 'All of you are Phoenixes' speech.
• Final cut: Sonar = loyalty/potential; Coupe = proven skill/risk. Your pick defines team makeup and future scenes.

What You Need to Know First

Before you start Episode 3, get your head straight. This chapter moves from relationship management to a surgical choice: someone gets cut. If you aim to control long-term story beats, prepare for three act phases—set up, sabotage during shifts, and the conference decision.

Minimums: you don't need perfect relationships, but you should be ready to intervene during sabotages, finish three hacking sequences, and make hard leadership calls in the conference room. Expect consequences that carry into Episode 4—Blonde Blazer and the survivor will remember your tone and choices.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Apartment chat with Royd

   • Best pick: choose 'I've been focused on my work.' It signals commitment without pity or flexing. 'It's minimalism' reads smug; 'I'm poor' makes Robert look needy. The recommended dialogue preserves professional credibility which matters in the lab scenes.

2. Laboratory conversation

   • When Royd explains Astral Pulse tech, pick 'Can you recreate it?' if you want the extra lore. It doesn't swing relationships massively, but knowledge helps later if you care about the world beyond punchlines.

3. Corridor: Golem confrontation

   • When Golem knocks your phone into the trash, pick [LET IT GO]. The short-term slap feels unsatisfying, but restraint builds Golem goodwill, which pays off in the conference. Remember: this is emotional intelligence, not cowardice.

4. Blonde Blazer's office moments

   • Breakup line: say 'I'm sorry, Blazer.' Empathy here is the only positive relationship boost. Don't ask 'Are you happy?'—that's a riskier read.
   • When she mentions cutting someone, pick 'I like it' to keep Blazer confident in your leadership. Brutal but effective if you want to control the process.

5. First shift: manage sabotage

   • Beach clean-up: intervene when Invisigal tries to ditch Punch Up. Letting it slide breaks team morale.
   • Undercover bust with Sonar: choose 'Withstand the noise' to help him push through auditory sensitivity.
   • Tailgate with Flambae and Malevola: complete the hacking sequence to prevent escalation. These moments tie directly into whether you arrive at the conference with injured heroes or a team that can function.

6. Conference room: define your leadership

   • When Golem refuses to sit, pick 'GIVE HIM THE CHAIR.' The bit where Robert throws a chair at Golem paradoxically shows respect while solving the problem; it raises your Golem relationship. Kicking him out is authoritarian and hurts cohesion.

7. The Phoenix speech

   • Theme: pick 'Potential' (forward-looking).
   • Follow-up: pick 'All of you are Phoenixes.' That pair transforms morale and opens better second-shift performance.

8. Invisigal park talk & mission

   • Destiny line: 'Fate is bullshit' or 'You make your own destiny' both work; pick the one that fits your Robert. 'This could make a difference' is the best mission motivator for purpose-driven action.
   • Hacking: finish all three jewelry store hacking mini-games. Failure hurts Invisigal's arc and the team's view of your competence.

9. The final cut: Sonar vs. Coupe

   Factor	Sonar	Coupe
   Loyalty	High	Questionable
   Skill Level	Developing	Proven
   Team Chemistry	Positive	Complex
   Growth Potential	High	Moderate

   • No objectively 'correct' choice. If you keep Sonar, you keep an underdog who grows and stays loyal. If you keep Coupe, you gain immediate competence but accept future risk. Expect Blazer and the survivor to remember who you chose.

10. Aftermath

• Your cut echoes into Episode 4. The survivor's missions and dialogue will reflect whether you favored loyalty/potential or tested skill/risk. If you want drama in later episodes, pick risk; if you want long-term ally arcs, pick loyalty.

Pro Tips

• If you want easier conference outcomes, invest in Golem goodwill early—take the small hit of [LET IT GO] in the corridor and give him the chair later. Golem rewards consistency.
• Practice the hacking mini-games in the jewelry store: they’re mechanical checks of your patience and timing. Failing one makes Invisigal feel expendable; finishing all three grants relationship and achievement benefits.
• Don't rail against Blazer's call too much. Saying 'I like it' preserves her trust and gives you more narrative control later. Leadership in this episode is about tone, not righteousness.
• When handling Sonar's noise sensitivity, pick 'Withstand the noise' and lean into crowd control support equipment if it's available. Small mitigation pays off both in mission success and in-story sympathy.
• For the Phoenix speech, pick 'Potential' + 'All of you are Phoenixes.' It's drama-lite but effective—turns a demoralized squad into one that at least shows up for Shift 2.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confronting Golem aggressively in the corridor. The impulse is satisfying but costs long-term rapport and conference leverage.
• Skipping or failing the three hacking sequences for Invisigal. It's the single biggest gameplay-to-story bridge in this episode.
• Being glib with Blonde Blazer's breakup. A flippant line avoids the relationship boost and can close off Blazer's trust.
• Assuming there's a 'right' final cut. Treat Sonar vs. Coupe as a thematic choice, not a puzzle with a single solution.