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Day 2: Trigger Happy
Update 2 Video - Hanging with the bros and taking a test drive
Before we run screaming out into the wilderness, there’s still one building that we haven’t fully checked out. This is the view of the guest building from that creepy warehouse/murder bachelor pad place. Once again, I should point out that you can see right into the bathrooms. You’ll also notice that there’s no fencing set up around this property. Forget serial killers or voyeuristic perverts, there’s absolutely nothing stopping a bear or a wolf from poking around here and ripping an unwitting guest to pieces.
This is the room in the bottom right. It’s currently unoccupied. The developer intends to add “more than 3” women, so I guess this is where lucky number 4 will eventually reside.
And yes, every room has these giant window walls that let you see every freaking corner of the room. At the very least Max was gentlemanly enough to put up some damn curtains over here. Still, this would not be my idea of comfortable privacy. If I had to stay here, then I’d definitely be demanding a room on the first floor at least.
Like, look at this view of the ground floor apartment bathrooms (this is the unoccupied suite. We can’t just barge in to Emily/Nana/Vera’s rooms willy-nilly like this). Sure, there do appear to be privacy shades that you can pull down, but who wants to do that every single time they go into the bathroom?
Not to mention that this room in particular shares a direct line of sight with the fucking basketball court.
Unfortunately, as there are only two suites per floor, that means that someone has to get shafted with ground floor digs. That unlucky person is Emily, who we can see is just chilling out reading a book at the moment.
I try to zoom in on the book, but the title is a garbled mess. Also, Emily in no way acknowledges the fact that James is standing right outside her bedroom window and creepily staring at her.
On the way up to the first floor, I turn around in order to note the lack of a door to this building. Just like with the main building, anyone or anything is free to wander around this property as they please.
Nana and Vera’s rooms are on the first floor. You can knock on the door to talk to them as part of the dating-sim mechanics. It doesn’t seem to work all the time, however, as when I knocked on Nana’s door she simply told me that she couldn’t answer it right now.
Even though she’s just sitting on a chair and is clearly not busy.
In case you’re curious, Max’s unsettling obsession with windows hasn’t blinded him to the concept of safety entirely. The windows are bulletproof and also apparently soundproof, as Nana begins to nod off in her chair while I unload an entire magazine at her from the other side of her balcony door.
Meanwhile, Vera is busy posing for selfies with her phone that does not appear to be turned on.
The second floor has a pretty awesome pool which is (of course) also enclosed with glass. Max’s pervertedness knows no bounds (remember, you can see straight into this pool from Max’s room/bathroom).
There’s also a nice little picnic/barbeque/bar area near the steps into the pool.
Finally, this area over in the corner by the lounge chairs has a half-bath. Just a sink and a fairly big toilet room (which thankfully does have a door separating it from the sink area).
And that’s the entirety of the Together BnB compound property.
I make a desperate last-ditch attempt to drown James so that I might escape this nightmare, but unfortunately his lack of a head means that he has no need to breathe.
So close to merciful freedom… Oh well. I guess we better head into town then.
We picked up a few business cards from Max’s desk drawer, so our objective is to visit them for clues about where he might have disappeared to. We also have “Room Key 2”, which I haven’t discovered a use for yet. “Room Key” is for the locked bedroom just down the hall from Max’s, but I haven’t run into any other locked doors yet. It’s possible that “Room Key 2” is what let’s you get into that unoccupied guest house bedroom, but I’m not entirely sure.
There is a room in the house that we don’t seem to be able to enter or even see into, but I couldn’t interact with it.
See this shot of the main building’s entrance? It’s where I pointed out the lack of a lobby door early on in Update 1.
Now, you see how there’s a curtained off window just to the left? Next to the rotary phone room, there is a door that leads to that curtained off room. There was no prompt to interact with that door, however, so I didn’t point it out. This was before I picked up these room keys, though, so as soon as I get the chance I’m going to open the game up and go investigate further.
That room is one of the only ones in the main building that has curtains. What exactly is that room meant to hide? 
Questions for later. For now, we set off into the untamed wilds of… wherever the hell this is. British Columbia? Colorado? Beats me.
You can set a waypoint by using the map function on the cellphone. Unfortunately, James seems to have hiked the entire way here because there is no car or method of fast-travel we can use. That means we’re hoofing it nearly a kilometer through the Rocky Mountains.
I amuse myself by firing blindly into the trees. The handgun has no ammo limit. You do need to reload it, but other than that you’re free to shoot as much as you want. Reloading is manual, by the way. You don’t just automatically reload when you click after running dry. Handy to keep in mind for when danger approaches.
Speaking of danger…
I crouch and fire a few shots at what I think is a deer. Could also possibly be a hitchhiker, but we’ll figure that out post-mortem.
Whatever that thing is, it turns and runs as little red puffs of blood appear around it. That said, it only escapes about 10 feet before stopping again. Survival instinct is apparently not a strong suit of this thing.
I get closer and manage to finally put it down as it attempts to escape a second time. Looks like it was a deer after all.
Truly a majestic creature.
Searching the carcass results in James pulling some giant combat knife out of his pocket and going to town. We acquire a deer skin from the kill. I’m sure that will come in handy for… some reason or another.
At this point I also discover that James enters some kind of firing stance when the gun is drawn.
His walk/run cycle changes to compensate for the stance. He also gains the ability to walk sideways like a (somewhat) normal human being, which makes me wonder why he is unable to do that in his normal stance.
I continue the journey to reach the local 7-11, but eventually notice something off to the right. It looks like a house. Let’s investigate our neighbours.
I spot another deer as I head for the house, but until I know what the deer skins are used for I will refrain from slaughtering any more adorable forest critters. Assuming that I don’t get bored, that is.
Hmm… It doesn’t look like much from here. Maybe it’s just a weird choice in stucco or something.
Where the fuck are we…?
I search the creepy abandoned house, but only find a few cardboard boxes, some broken wooden crates and pallets, and a couple of scattered pieces of old furniture littered around the yard. I couldn’t get inside and all the windows are papered over/non-transparent.
I’m going to leave now.
At the very least this area has paved roads. Still not feeling especially at ease around here, though. The sun’s just about to go down as well, so I’ll be running around in darkness before too long.
Finally, our first stop. A gas station/convenience store place. I wonder what the going rate is for fuel?
Okay, so we’re definitely somewhere in the US… circa 2008. Either that or these are current gas prices in Taiwan that have been directly converted to gallons.
I obviously shoot at the gas pumps a few times. Sadly, it does not result in death’s fiery embrace.
This place is weirdly new considering how dilapidated that house back there was.
A new friend!
Or possibly… an enemy. 
I KNEW IT! BODYSNATCHERS! FUCK THIS PLACE, I’M OUT!
Oh, never mind. The body turning to liquid while the head attempts to escape on its own was just due to incredibly janky character rigging.
After being booted back to the main menu and loading an auto-save, we actually try and talk to this new guy instead of blasting him in the face immediately like a violent psychopath.
It’s been a while. How do you know I’m here… damn, it must be your brother.
Do we know you?
I guess we do.
So many stuff to take care around!
We have the option of saying “You’re welcome!”, but I’m busy looking around the store, so I don’t bother. Also I’m an asshole.
It’s damn good quality eh? Fuck! He’s got quite the fortune with all these!
But he’s missing! I came here because the guests called me.
Oh really! That’s why he didn’t came visit these days. So he left all the BnB stuff for you to take care?
Few days ago he told me. He’s been chatting with a chic on the phone for two hours. Shit! Why didn’t he just fuck her, takes 2 hours too.
You fucking wish you had 2 hours of stamina. More like 2 minutes, am I right ladies?! :imunfunny:
Look around eh? let me know if you need anything.
*Eric then gets up and wanders off to answer a phone call in the back room. The door closes behind him so I can’t see what he’s up to, but I don’t hear any talking from the other side. His cellphone is also still laying on the counter next to the cash register, so I can only assume that he called his own store to give himself an excuse to stop talking to us.*
We can look around the store and check out the (surprisingly diverse) selection of cosmetics, jewelry, and ornaments. Based on the trailer for the game, I originally assumed that the insane prices were due to this gift shop being run by the player and therefore being comically inflated. Turns out that this is simply a shop for buying gifts that you can give to the ladies as part of the dating-sim aspect.
The insane prices (like $1,250 for a bottle of Nail Polish) are instead simply a result of the developers taking the likely average selling prices in Taiwan, switching the 圓 to a $, and calling it a day.
For reference, 1250 is roughly $40-$50 for those of you in the UK/Canada/USA.
I wander around the store a bit more to inspect all the useless overpriced junk we’ll eventually have to buy if we ever want to get some sweet lovin’. For some reason, just off to the right of the entrance, there’s a section of the store that’s been partitioned off. Inside is an entire lingerie section.
…Why… uh… why does Eric have this much sexy designer lingerie in stock in the middle of nowhere?
Let’s just go hit up the second store. I’m getting progressively creeped out and the looming darkness of night is not helping matters.
I spot a wind turbine along the way to our next destination. Better keep that in mind for later when I go roaming the world map looking for bodies clues.
Once again, this store is way too new/nice looking for this area.
Check out the video to see me scope out the full assortment of groceries available to us. The selection is kind of ridiculous.
It’s also unbelievably well stocked with fresh produce. I shit you not, there are nearly 30 different types of fresh ingredients in this place from cabbage and potatoes to pomelo and Japanese pears. All of them are available for us to purchase, as there is apparently some kind of cooking mechanic present in this game. I’ll have to try once we have some cash and see if that’s been implemented yet.
There’s also a full candy section with stuff like Super Smarties (no clue if it’s the UK/Canada type or the USA kind), Strawberry Pooocky, and Apple Mentts.
No, I did not misspell any of those things.
Anyway, let’s check in with Ken.
You’re Max’s brother eh?
They keep saying “eh.” Maybe we really are in Canada and those gas prices are because of the carbon tax getting out of control.
It’s… James right? here for vacation?
*A brief moment of awkward silence for no reason*
Wow! It’s been a long time!
I’m not a chef anymore, I’m now taking over my dad’s store. We have fresh products here.
I think this is mistake in phrasing. I searched around for Ken’s brother and found no sign of life in or around this store. I’m pretty sure what Ken means here is “My brother (Eric) is up the street, selling souvenirs.”
Come see us if you need anything!
*Ken looks at us kind of strangely for a second, as if he’s looking for someone else*
Where’s your brother? you didn’t come together?
I’m also looking for him!
That’ explains! Haven’t seen him in days. I think he went to the forest up north for hunting. So now you’re looking after the BnB?
The guests called me, I had to come and check!
*Another moment of awkward silence*
But don’t worry, he’ll be back in a few days.
At this point we get a text message from Nana. I wonder what’s up?
Stupid bullshit, apparently. You do know that I’m trying to find my missing brother, right?
I should mention that these text message things happen at the speed of a real life text message conversation. Nana takes anywhere from 2 to 5 seconds to send a new message, and whenever you reply to the conversation you have to wait a few seconds for the little checkmark to appear beside it before Nana will start texting again. At the moment I’m mandated by the game to reply to her, so I can’t do anything else until this conversation is over with.
No problem, but don’t forget to send me the photo!
Nana is also one of those texters that likes to divide a single message into 4 or 5 separate texts. One of my aunts does this and it drives me up the wall because the text notification will go off like 6 times in a row over the span of 15 seconds.
Sure if there’s a chance.
I look forward to it! By the way, you’re not going back to be with your girlfriend tonight, are you?
Let’s see… I will continue my investigation on Max and may stay a while longer!
Really? Splash!
Splash? Do you mean “Sploosh”? I think you may be coming on a tad too strong there, Nana. Stuff some ice in those pantsu of yours.
We feel at ease with you around! I heard some weird noise last night, I’m terrified!
*gasp* Is it Sasquatch?! 
If you can help patrol at night… I would be able to sleep till dawn! Pretty please?
At night? …I would kinda prefer that Sasquatch patrols take place during the day, if possible.
I will have a look if I have time!
Damnit…
Well, that wraps up that conversation with Nana, who seems to be trying to lure us outside during the night to search the woods for strange noises. This, despite the fact that our brother vanished into the wilderness not too long ago. Nothing suspicious about that.
It also happens to be night by the time I leave Ken’s store. Lovely.
What you are looking at, by the way, is a very creepy rundown shack that is just up a dirt path next to Ken’s store. Going inside, it appears to be a storage shed, as there are some boxes on shelves and tools and generators and such. There’s also a small orchard nearby.
So despite how modern the store looks, Ken is still making use of a shed and orchard that look like they spent 20 years sitting abandoned to time.
The last store appears to be a weapon shop, so I haul ass over there in the hopes that I can arm myself with a tank, or something that can fight off the horrors of this Silent Hill-esque realm I find myself trapped in. The handgun is feeling less and less up to the task.
Straight and to the point. I like it.
Are those Katanas? And flintlock pistols?
Is that an RPG?! And a goddamn Browning M2?!
WHY IS THIS PLACE SO HEAVILY ARMED?! It’s in the middle of nowhere!
This seems like a trap for gullible idiots. But there’s nobody around and I can’t find a way to make the store owner appear… and I also want something with more firepower, so… Yoink!
Who the hell is this loser?
Oh, it’s you! What brings you here? You still look like a kid.
Buddy, you look like a teenager that only just got his stubble. I’d be careful with throwing the “kid” label around.
They’re wearing fucking aprons…, you should man up you know. Hahaha!
Do you want coffee? I’ll get my lil’ bitch make you some coffee.
Excuse me?
She’s good! Susie! Where did she go again!
Hopefully she slipped out the back door when we came in and is halfway to the next state/province by now.
Ah, right, here are the keys your brother left behind last time. Bring it back to him for me, will ya?
*We got the car keys! And also a safe key! …Wait, what?*
He hasn’t been drinking here for the past few days. Is he with you?
My brother has gone missing, I’m also looking for him.
Shit! Your brother hands around and dig up other people’s privacy. Maybe someone’s up his ass. Or he went off selling his scoop to newspapers, made money and went out.
I thought Max was a BnB owner/hunter? Are you telling me that he’s also some kind of investigative journalist or something on the side?
*Logan turns back around and points at us*
You’d better watch out yourself. Let me know if you need a gun. I’ll give you discounts. Alright, I gotta go find that bitch!
Unfortunately, I do not have the cash to buy the assault rifle, which seems to be the only available buyable weapon (which is also unfortunate). I sell the Deer Skin I got earlier, but it’s not enough.
On the plus side, we at least have access to a car now. That is great, because it’s started to rain and is also pitch-black outside. We’d better get back to the BnB before I’m ambushed by—
Oh, wait. I forgot something important I had to do.
Every asshole tough guy is only “tough” up until the moment that they’re the ones staring down a barrel. Get fucked, Logan.
Justice served, I return to the car and start trying to figure out how to drive the thing back home. There are no controls listed (that I could find) for the car. WASD handles steering and movement, but other than that I’m not sure if the car has any other features.
The developers at least had the common sense to bind the headlights to the “L” key, so at least I won’t have to navigate the area blindly.
RIIIIIDGE— Never mind, it’s not that impressive.
What is impressive is the car’s ability to not give a damn about lakes. As seen in the trailer, the car is totally submersible and isn’t even slowed down by water. You can even drift in the lake!
That said, apparently people have been getting the car stuck on small ledges and pieces of geometry, so it’s not totally unstoppable. Good thing the “Roadside Assistance” option is there I guess.
Playing a game doesn’t excuse sloppy parking. 
I make sure James parks that thing like an adult.
The house is empty, so I rifle through some drawers and such in the kitchen. There’s some stuff in the fridge and cupboards, so I’m not sure what the ladies were so worried about in terms of food.
Speaking of the ladies, they’ve decided to change into their sleepwear while I was gone. Still not concerned with privacy or the paranoid gun-wielding stranger, though. Almost like they’ve got nothing to be afraid of…
I briefly search the area for signs of anything weird. Satisfied that I did a good enough job “patrolling”, I head back to Max’s room. We picked up a key to a safe that’s hidden somewhere in there. It’s time to find it.
It turns out that it was hidden in his closet. I hadn’t thought to try opening that when I first came in here (probably because I got distracted by the handgun). Well, let’s see if there’s any clues in there about where Max went.
Leaving the keys with someone else… Max, how careless!
Before I can investigate the safe further, the phone pops up with a message from Emily.
Yep! Can’t leave you all here, can I?
Ha! I thought so.
He?
I think that’s supposed to be “Ha?”
Nevermind! By the way, yesterday a girl called and asked for Max.
Do you know who she is?
No, but her reception seems bad, it goes on and off.
Uh…
Thanks for the info, I’ll keep that in mind.
You’re welcome! Hope it helps. So that’s about it! See you tomorrow!
Ok.
Curiouser and cur—
Uhhh…
As soon as I make a second attempt at investigating the safe, Emily calls. I answer, but there’s no answer from her end and then the call abruptly ends.
She then texts immediately after and says that she dialed James by accident.
Sure!
I’m finally allowed to check the safe. There’s two stacks of cash, $15,000 each (so basically 2 stacks of about $550 when converted to CAD/GBP/USD).
Behind the money, there’s a combination lock, meaning that there is a tiny safe within the normal safe. This one returns the message “Future levels of this item will be unlocked”, which likely means that it is intended for future story content. Still, it’s very strange.
By the time I return to the window in Max’s room, the ladies have all closed their curtains. Nervous at the prospect that I can’t tell what they’re plotting, I have James get to bed with his trusty gun close at hand.
So let’s go over what we’ve learned so far:
-Max allegedly told the BnB guests that he was going hunting and would be back before nightfall
-He recently acquired precious ores or gemstones or something, which Eric was appraising and described as high-quality.
-Eric also mentions that Max had been having lengthy discussions with some mystery woman.
-Despite living over a kilometer away through forest and mountain trails, Max left both his car and his keys at Logan’s store. Leaving his car could be explained by Logan’s assertion that the two were drinking buddies, but why exactly would Max have left behind his keys? Even if you argue that he didn’t want to take the car keys because he didn’t trust himself not to drive, why the hell would he leave the key to his secret safe behind? A safe that contains like $1,200 in hard cash and something else hidden in a combo lock.
-Despite leaving his keys and vehicle at Logan’s (and not picking them back up before he supposedly went “hunting”), Max’s handgun was left back in his room.
-Logan suggests that Max had a habit of poking his nose into private affairs. Either he was a busybody, or Logan's words were literal and Max is some kind of journalist or reporter that is always hunting for juicy stories.
-Emily tells us that a woman called for Max the day before James got here, but was in an area where the reception was very poor.
Next time on Together BnB, we do a little more exploration of the world map to see if we can turn up anything odd. According to the trailer, there’s supposed to be a collapsed tunnel or something nearby and I’m curious if—
DIE, BODY SNATCHERS! 
