EARLY GAME
Start with Six's journey through the Maw and focus on completing the story while collecting everything you can. There are 13 Nomes to hug, 10 statues to break, and at least 20 candles or lanterns to light. Chapter Select is available later, but grabbing these as you go makes cleanup much easier. The Maw is already unpleasant enough without having to revisit every dark corner.

In Chapter 1, unlock Highly Sprung by repeatedly jumping on a bed before moving on. Keep an eye out for Nomes and statues throughout the opening chapters. The first playthrough is also your chance to learn puzzle solutions, enemy behavior, and escape routes without worrying about the speedrun timer.

MID GAME
As you move through The Lair and The Kitchen, continue working toward Little Lost Things, Rascal, and Light Up Your Life. In Chapter 2, unlock Six's Song by walking back and forth across the piano keys. In Chapter 3, earn Kitchen Hand by throwing three different ingredients into the large cooking pot while a Chef is in the room.

The Janitor and the Chefs are good practice for your eventual deathless run. Learn where to hide, when to sprint, and which puzzles tend to slow you down. You don't need a perfect performance yet, but remembering those routes will save you plenty of trouble later.

LATE GAME
Finish the base story through The Guest Area and The Lady's Quarters. Chapter 4 is a useful place to earn Elusive, which requires several close escapes from enemies trying to grab you. If it doesn't unlock naturally, replay the chapter and let the Guests get close before escaping. Finish any remaining Nomes, statues, and lights along the way.

Next, complete the three Secrets of the Maw DLC chapters: The Depths, The Hideaway, and The Residence. Each chapter has five collectible bottles tied to its own trophy. You'll also want to throw a bandage ball into the bin in The Depths for Fun and Games Ahead, carry the wooden Nome to the furnace in The Hideaway for Ashes in The Maw, and find the hidden room and break its vase in The Residence for We'll Meet Again. Completing the DLC stories also awards their progression trophies.

TROPHY CLEANUP AND EXTRA TIPS
Once the story and DLC are complete, use Chapter Select to clean up anything you missed. The base-game collectibles and optional chapter trophies can be revisited, so check your remaining trophy requirements before starting another run. For a particular puzzle or collectible location, Ask Gami can help you narrow down what still needs doing.

Save Hard to the Core for a separate attempt unless you're already extremely confident. You must finish the base game in under one hour without dying, and there is no visible in-game timer. Pausing stops the timer, and the guide notes that PS Plus cloud-save backups can help protect your progress at checkpoints, indicated by a small white eye symbol. With the story routes memorized, aim for a clean run rather than risky shortcuts. One successful deathless speedrun completes the toughest part of the base-game list.