Unless you find a toilet to drink out of, fire is the key to water.
You should have enough junk food from your starting inventory and whatever is in the shelter for it not to be a crisis. Once you're inside a shelter, take stock of the food and water you have. Follow rivers, power lines and roads to lead you to some form of habitation.
If you do not see any shelter, typical survival common sense usually applies to The Long Dark. This will make learning the game a lot easier since you won’t be bleeding off heat while you play around in the menus. In the 10 games I’ve started on the map, I’ve always started in sight of some kind of shelter. I recommend first trying the Mystery Lake map – there are many shelters and it still offers a challenge to new players while not being brutal. You should have some food, fire starting materials and maybe even a storm lantern if you’re lucky. The clothing you have on and gear you begin with is somewhat randomized. The first thing you’ll want to do is look through your starting equipment. I’ve been absolutely loving the gameplay experience and wanted to share some easy tips to help you get started and survive your first day. Death can come easily and quickly in the frozen wastelands of The Long Dark and getting started can be very intimidating. Hinterland Studio’s The Long Dark offers a far more grounded and meditative take on the survival genre.
