Scrutinized: How to disable Perma-Death

First off, you need to have access to the game folder in the Steam files. The usual pathway is C:/Steam/steamapps/common/Scrutinized … Within this folder, you should find all files the game is running in the background. We’ll be searching for the save data stored within the folder in order to manipulate the game’s progression and disable permanent death.

The file “sharedassets4.asset.res5” can be found in the “Scrutinized_Data” folder and can essentially be described as the save data we need to make use of. If this file is missing from the folder, you probably don’t have an active save file of Scrutinized. As soon as you begin a new game, the save file should be added.

With this, you are ready to follow the steps below to save your progression. Remember, you can still die. This method only allows you to have more chances at completing a night that’s troubling you. The methods below can be repeated indefinitely.

If you die or fail in either of these modes, you’ll have to start from the beginning. But how can you avoid this?

Simply play the game. As soon as you complete the first night and step into the second night, pause the game and copy&paste the save data into another folder that is not directly linked to Scrutinized. As such, this folder should not be within the Scrutinized game folder just to be safe. This is pretty much it.

If you’re killed in the second night now, you can simply paste the saved data into the Scrutinized_Data folder and you’re now able to retry the second night without having to worry for data deletion. Repeat this method over and over again and you’re essentially externally saving your game.

Below you’ll find a short summary …

Step 1: Complete a night.
Step 2: Pause the game and open the folder “Scrutinized_Data” within the game folder itself.
Step 3: Copy&Paste the file “sharedassets4.asset.res5” into another external folder.
Step 4: Fail the night and exit the game.
Step 5: Paste the saved data into the Scrutinized folder again and regain your save.
Step 6: Retry the night (and do this method again if you fail the night again).

Do this for every night in the game and you’re sure to beat the game easily. The game only saves data when you have completed a night. You cannot make a “save state,” so to speak. Of course, if you’re very skilled, you won’t have to do any of this.

Saving your data in Nightmare is tricky, as the game explicitly states that it doesn’t save. But the game still needs data of your progress and we can use that to our advantage. The method practically does not change. Save your data externally upon night completion and be ready to paste it into the game’s folder again.

Before I explain the method of dealing with Nightmare, you need to know how the game saves in this mode particularly. Anytime the game’s main menu loads and appears on screen, the game checks to see if save data is available. If the game detects you exited the game or failed a night in Nightmare mode, the game automatically deletes the save. As such, the method of exiting the game and pasting the save data into the game folder does not work here. But there’s a workaround.

As soon as you load into the main menu of the game, minimize Scrutinized and open the game folder. While being in the main menu, paste the save file of your Nightmare playthrough into the Scrutinized_Data folder and start a new game in Nightmare Mode. After you’ve skipped the intro, you quickly realize that your save data carried over. Your save data allows you to retry the night, even on Nightmare.

Below you’ll find a short summary …

Step 1: Complete a night.
Step 2: Pause the game and open the folder “Scrutinized_Data” within the game folder itself.
Step 3: Copy&Paste the file “sharedassets4.asset.res5” into another external folder.
Step 4: Fail the night, but stay in the main menu!
Step 5: Paste the saved data into the Scrutinized folder again.
Step 6: Start a new game in Nightmare mode.
Step 7: Retry the night.

Remember to lock your windows and keep your lights on. Otherwise, the Russian guy in the neighborhood will tear you a new one!