How to Survive a Chase - MONOCHROME Wiki
Once the creature has a confirmed sighting, the run is not over. Here is the exact sequence that breaks pursuit and gets you back to searching.
Overview
A chase feels like the end of a run, and for most players it is. Not because the creature is faster, but because panic produces the one behaviour it can punish: running in a straight line down an open corridor. Survival comes down to a short sequence of decisions, and all of them are counter-intuitive under pressure.
A Chase From Both Sides
This recording shows a full chase sequence, including the moment the creature loses track of the player. The useful detail is how much of the escape is spent turning corners rather than gaining distance.
The Chase Sequence
Run these steps in order. The first two decide whether you survive, and the last three decide whether you get back to searching.
Do not attempt to gain distance by running. The whole sequence is built around removing its ability to see you.
Do not run straight
Moving along an open corridor keeps you visible and lets it close the gap. Turn at the first opportunity instead.
Take the first corner
Any corner that removes you from its sightline is progress, even if it is not toward your objective.
Head for planned cover
Use a locker or cabinet you noted earlier. If none is close, take the nearest enclosed container rather than the best one.
Freeze and listen
Once hidden, stay completely still. Movement inside a hiding spot can give you away again.
Exit the far side
Leave through the opposite opening and resume on the quietest available route, not the one you came in on.
Reset your plan
After a chase, re-establish where the creature is before searching again. Its route has changed.
Why Sprinting in the Open Fails
In a straight corridor, the only variable is distance, and distance is the one thing you cannot win. The creature closes ground faster than you can extend it, so a footrace always resolves in its favour.
Corners change the equation entirely. Every turn costs it a moment of visibility, and enough turns remove you from its tracking entirely. That is why a slow player who turns constantly survives and a fast player who runs straight does not.
The other reason open sprinting fails is noise. Running keeps generating attention, so even if you break sight, the creature still has a fresh noise trail pointing at your direction.
Chase Decisions
These are the decisions that come up during a pursuit, with the option that actually keeps you alive.
| Decision | Wrong Choice | Right Choice |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Straight down the corridor | First available corner |
| Speed | Full sprint the whole way | Sprint only to cover or a corner |
| Destination | The ideal hiding spot far away | The nearest usable cover |
| After hiding | Leave as soon as it seems gone | Wait for the patrol rhythm to resume |
| After escaping | Resume the same search plan | Re-establish its position first |
What a Chase Costs You
Even a survived chase is expensive. Understanding the cost is what motivates avoiding them in the first place.
- Two to four minutes of route time lost to the detour and the wait.
- Your mental map of the creature's position is invalidated.
- Any container you were mid-search on is left unopened, and may be forgotten.
- In a group, everyone's attention shifts and the whole team's noise spreads.
Recovering After a Chase
The recovery is where second deaths happen. These are the points to check before you resume searching.
Place the Creature
Do not resume until you know roughly which corridor it occupies now.
Recall Your Search
Work out which room you abandoned mid-search so it does not become the missing key.
Reorient Yourself
Confirm which side of the loop you are on before choosing a direction.
Lower Your Profile
Walk for the first thirty seconds after a chase instead of returning to normal pace.
Count Your Keys
Confirm how many keys and open deadbolts you have before continuing the sweep.
Plan the Next Hiding Spot
Pick cover for the room you are about to search before you enter it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do when the monster chases me?
Turn a corner immediately rather than running straight. Break line of sight, then reach the nearest enclosed hiding spot and stay still until it returns to patrolling.
Can I outrun the monster?
No, not in the open. Sprinting only buys a few seconds, which is enough to reach a corner or a hiding spot and nothing more.
Should I hide or keep running during a chase?
Hide. Continuing to run keeps you visible and keeps generating fresh noise, while getting behind cover removes both of those advantages at once.
How far away does it give up?
It does not use a fixed distance. It gives up when it loses your position and stops receiving fresh noise, which is why corners and silence matter more than space.
Does a chase mean my run is ruined?
Not necessarily, but it costs two to four minutes and invalidates your read on the creature's position. Reset deliberately with the avoidance routine.
Can a group survive a chase better than a solo player?
No worse, but not better either. The creature is a single threat, and the group's noise and spread often make chases more likely rather than less dangerous.