Cursed Mode in Look Outside is brutal at first. Enemies hit harder, resources are scarce, and even the smallest mistake can ruin a promising run. But with the right plan, you can build a strong team and stabilize before the real horror begins.
This walkthrough is designed to help players get a solid head start in Cursed Mode, minimizing RNG while maximizing survival efficiency. By following it, you’ll end Day 2 with a full team (Sam, Leigh, Ernest, and Papineau) and everything ready to push further into the building safely.
Before You Start
This isn’t a beginner guide. You should already be familiar with Explorer or Survivor mode first.
The route below is optimized for consistency, not speedruns. You can always adjust based on your own comfort and discoveries.
Day 1:
- Explore Vincent’s apartment
- Defeat the Injured Neighbor / Leering Husk
- Get Sam to Level 3
Day 2:
- Recruit Leigh, Ernest, and Papineau
- Gather key disks and prepare for the landlord’s apartment
PART 1 — Start of Day 1
Step 1: Sam’s Apartment
- Water your plant and talk to it (yes, it matters).
- Pick up money and medkit.
- Interact with the bookshelf four times to unlock Screamatorium.
- Play Super Jumplad twice to learn Jump Attack and hit Level 2.
You’ll rely heavily on Jump Attack for your first real boss fight.
If you get a random hallway encounter early, avoid spending your money. Merchants can appear later with critical supplies.
Step 2: Explore Vincent’s Apartment (Room 37)
Avoid combat whenever possible — hugging walls will let you slip past enemies safely.
Loot priority:
- Carving Fork (Living Room)
- Fridge items
- Cleanerex (Bathroom)
- Shocky Bar
If you can grab the Glasses safely, they’ll help against the Leering Husk, but they’re not mandatory.
Equip the Carving Fork and head to the apartment below (36).
Step 3: The Wounded Neighbor / Leering Husk Fight
This is your first real test.
Important mechanics:
- After 3 turns, the Neighbor transforms into Leering Husk, resetting HP to 200.
- On turns 5 and onward, the Husk guards and ripostes every two turns.
- Jump Attack deals double damage due to piercing weakness (~100 damage per hit).
Battle plan:
- Turn 1–3: Guard each turn.
- Turn 4: Jump Attack.
- Turn 5: Guard (Husk ripostes here).
- Turn 6: Jump Attack again.
Two hits should finish it. If you miss, just repeat the guard/attack rhythm.
If you’re left at 1 HP, don’t panic. Heal or stop bleeding if needed, but it’s survivable.
Rewards:
- Kitchen Knife
- Key
Step 4: Escaping the Hallway
There are Onlookers near the staircase door. Avoid being trapped by luring them one by one down the hallway before unlocking the door. This part takes patience — getting ambushed here can end your run.
Once clear, head downstairs.
Step 5: Jeanne’s Apartment
On the ground floor, grab:
- Pool Cue (from stairwell)
- Cleaver
- Mop
- Cleanerex
- Bathroom loot
Avoid shadows — if you hear them, re-enter a room repeatedly until they vanish.
Return home when safe.
Before ending Day 1:
- Equip Pool Cue
- Eat TV Dinner
- Save your game
You’re now ready for the Day 2 setup.
PART 2 — “Spin to Win” (Recruiting Leigh & Disk Collection)
This section involves a bit of RNG but is the fastest consistent way to recruit Leigh early.
Step 1: Grinning Beast Fight
Head to the 2nd floor and unlock Apartment 21.
Use Impale twice — you’re looking for either a critical hit or instant kill.
If it fails, reset and retry. The odds aren’t terrible (roughly 1-in-5 attempts).
If you land a crit, remember:
- The Beast has ~437 HP in Cursed Mode.
- Use Tonic on Turn 4, and Whiskey on Turn 5 for extra stamina.
- If needed, finish with table knives/forks.
After victory, heal any bleeding and head left to find Leigh.
Leigh will ask $100 for her gun — it’s okay to say yes even if you don’t have the money. You get her either way.
Equip:
- Leigh → Cleaver
- Sam → Mop
Step 2: Lyle’s Apartment
Loot safely and smooch Lyle (trust me, it’s worth it).
Key items:
- Broom
- Drain Cleaner
Avoid risky fights here — they’re not worth it yet.
Step 3: Rat Baby & The Disks
- Go down to the 1st floor and enter the Rat Baby’s Apartment via the umbilical cord rooms (left, bottom door path).
- Leigh can wipe most rats with Cleave, and Sam can mop up survivors.
- Grab the Rat Baby item.
Next, you’ll collect the two key disks:
Earth Disk:
- Go to Apartment 13.
- “Give the wall a treat.” (Use the Rat Baby.)
- Collect the Earth Disk.
Mars Disk:
- Go to Apartment 11.
- Lure the Rat Freak to one side, then grab the disk quickly.
Return home carefully — shadows are more aggressive now.
If done efficiently, you’ll reach home by around 22:40.
Save and sleep.
PART 3 — Start of Day 2 (Building the Full Party)
Step 1: Morning Prep
- Water and talk to your plant.
- Take a shower to reset stamina.
- Make a sandwich (Bread + Tomato Can).
- Save your game.
Step 2: Shopping
Visit Eugene’s shop (2nd floor).
Haggle up to three times to drop the price of Cleanerex (x4) to below $80.
You’ll have six total Cleanerex now — a big help later.
Step 3: Recruiting Ernest
- From the staircases, go Left → Left → Up.
- Give Ernest the sandwich you made.
- He’ll join your party for the day.
Important:
If you explore the ground floor before recruiting him, he won’t join.
Step 4: Recruiting Papineau & Landlord Prep
- Wait for the bus crash event to open the landlord’s apartment (happens ~4 hours after the crash).
- While waiting, explore and loot the ground floor. Don’t waste the herbicide yet — save it for a later room.
- In the men’s bathroom, you’ll find Papineau — recruit him.
If you end near the laundry room, you may trigger the “cursed hand” event automatically.
Head back home once done and save your progress.
End of the Early Game
By midday Day 2, you should have:
- A full team: Sam, Leigh, Ernest, and Papineau
- Earth and Mars disks
- Reliable gear + Cleanerex stock
- Access to all main floors and safe progression paths
From here, your options open dramatically:
- Clear the Teeth Apartment
- Deliver laundry to Jeanne
- Explore Frederic’s Apartment
- Challenge the Rat King
- Or even push toward Antoine early (though it’s risky before Day 3)
At this point, you’ve survived the hardest stretch of Cursed Mode. You now have flexibility — and a powerful foundation to tackle the game’s midsection however you like.
This guide isn’t about speed or perfection — it’s about stability. The early hours of Cursed Mode punish reckless play, so having a consistent route matters.
By following these steps, you’ll start every run with a solid plan and a team that can handle nearly any encounter.