Level 1 - The Lobby Walkthrough

📋 Objectives

Collect 4 ladder pieces — Search all yellow rooms thoroughly
Repair the broken ladder — Near the ventilation shaft
Find the key on the upper floor — Climb the repaired ladder
Cross the Pitfalls Room — Use Q/E to balance on the narrow beam
Reach the exit before the Howler arrives — Listen for knocking sounds as your warning

🚶 Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Overview

Level 1 — The Lobby — is where every Escape the Backrooms journey begins. This level serves as your tutorial to the game's core mechanics: exploration, item collection, stamina management, and entity avoidance.

The environment is a series of interconnected yellow-walled rooms with damp carpets and fluorescent lighting — the classic Backrooms aesthetic.

The Lobby yellow corridors — The iconic yellow corridors of The Lobby — your first taste of the Backrooms.

Key Info: Difficulty: Easy | Entity: Howler (Bacteria) | Est. Time: 5-10 min

Walkthrough

Step 1: Find the Four Ladder Pieces

Explore all rooms and collect four ladder pieces scattered throughout the area:

Pieces are randomly placed each game — thoroughly search all rooms.
Look for glowing/interactable objects against the yellow walls.
Check corners, behind pillars, and in smaller side rooms.

Ladder piece location — A ladder piece — look for glowing objects in corners and side rooms.

Step 2: Repair the Ladder

Locate the broken ladder near a ventilation shaft and interact with it to place all four pieces.

Broken ladder location — The broken ladder — place all 4 pieces to repair it.

Step 3: Get the Key

Climb the repaired ladder and find the key on the upper floor. It unlocks the brown/red wooden door.

Key location on upper floor — The key on the upper floor — grab it and head to the red door.

Step 4: Cross the Pitfalls Room

After unlocking the red door, you enter the Pitfalls Room — a narrow walkway over a deep drop:

Use Q and E keys to lean and maintain balance.
Walk slowly — rushing causes falls.
If you fall, follow the arrows below to find an alternate exit.

Step 5: Escape Before the Howler

After a certain duration, the Howler spawns — signaled by loud knocking sounds. Sprint in short bursts to the exit door.

Pro Tips

Sprint in short bursts — walking recovers stamina faster than you think.

If you fall in the Pitfalls Room, follow the arrows to an alternate exit.

Carry the flashlight from this level into later levels — you'll need it.

The Howler knocks before appearing — treat it as your final warning.

The Lobby