Getting Started with Winter Burrow

Your First Steps

When you first start Winter Burrow, you'll find yourself standing outside your childhood burrow on a crisp winter day. The world is covered in snow, and the air is cold. Your first goal is simple: enter your burrow and begin making it livable again.

🎮 Pro Tip: Take Your Time

Winter Burrow is designed to be played at your own pace. There are no time limits or penalties for taking things slow. Spend time exploring, observing, and getting comfortable with the world before diving into complex tasks.

As you explore the initial area, you'll notice interactive objects highlighted with a subtle glow. These are your first opportunities to gather resources. Start by collecting basic materials like sticks, stones, and any food you can find. These will be essential for your first crafting projects.

Controls & Movement

Understanding the controls is essential for navigating Winter Burrow effectively. The game supports multiple platforms, but the core mechanics remain consistent.

PC / Steam Controls

WASD / Arrow Keys	Movement
Left Click	Interact / Gather
Right Click	Use Tool/Item
E	Open Inventory
Tab	Open Crafting Menu
Spacebar	Jump
Shift	Sprint
ESC	Pause Menu

Console Controls (Switch / Xbox)

Left Stick	Movement
A Button (Xbox) / B Button (Switch)	Interact / Gather
X Button (Xbox) / Y Button (Switch)	Use Tool/Item
Y Button (Xbox) / X Button (Switch)	Open Inventory
Right Bumper	Open Crafting Menu
B Button (Xbox) / A Button (Switch)	Jump

Understanding Your Burrow

Your burrow is more than just a shelter—it's your home base, crafting station, and safe haven. Understanding how it works is crucial to your success in Winter Burrow.

Burrow Layout

When you first arrive, your burrow consists of a single main room in disrepair. As you progress, you'll be able to repair and expand this space, unlocking additional rooms and areas:

Main Chamber: Your starting area. This is where you'll place your bed and main storage.
Storage Room: Unlocked early, perfect for organizing your gathered resources.
Workshop: A dedicated crafting space with access to advanced recipes.
Kitchen: For food preparation and cooking (unlocked mid-game).
Library: A cozy reading nook where memories and lore can be reviewed.

Burrow Upgrades

You can upgrade your burrow in several ways:

Repair damaged walls and floors to improve insulation
Install better lighting for improved visibility and atmosphere
Add heating sources like fireplaces to increase comfort
Craft storage containers to organize your growing collection of items

🏠 Important Note

Your burrow's comfort level affects your character's rest quality. A well-maintained, warm burrow means better rest, which translates to more energy for exploration and gathering.

Gathering Your First Resources

Resource gathering is the foundation of Winter Burrow. You'll need various materials to craft tools, furniture, and supplies. Here's what to focus on in your first few hours:

Essential Starting Resources

🌿 Sticks & Twigs

Location: Found on the ground near trees and bushes

Uses: Basic tools, fire starting, simple furniture

🪨 Stones

Location: Scattered around the landscape, especially near rocky areas

Uses: Tool heads, building materials, decorative items

🍇 Berries

Location: Berry bushes in the forest (look for red spots)

Uses: Food, energy restoration, some crafting recipes

🌾 Grass & Fiber

Location: Tall grass patches throughout the world

Uses: Rope, fabric, bedding materials

🌰 Acorns & Seeds

Location: Under oak trees, near squirrel caches

Uses: Food source, planting (later), storage decoration

⏰ Time Management Tip

Gather resources in batches during good weather. Snow and wind can make gathering more difficult, so take advantage of clear days to stock up on essentials.

Introduction to Crafting

Crafting is how you transform raw materials into useful items. The crafting system in Winter Burrow is intuitive and expands as you discover new recipes through exploration and experimentation.

Your First Crafts

These are the essential items you should craft within your first in-game day:

Simple Gathering Bag: Increases your carrying capacity. Recipe: 5 Grass Fiber + 2 Sticks
Stone Axe: Essential for gathering wood from trees. Recipe: 2 Stones + 3 Sticks + 2 Fiber
Basic Storage Box: Organizes your items and frees up inventory space. Recipe: 8 Wood + 4 Fiber
Simple Bed: Allows you to rest and save your progress. Recipe: 10 Grass + 6 Sticks + 5 Fiber

How to Craft

Open the crafting menu (Tab on PC, RB on console)
Browse available recipes (locked recipes appear grayed out)
Select a recipe to view required materials and crafting location
If you have all materials, confirm crafting
Some advanced items require crafting stations (workbench, forge, etc.)

📚 Discovering New Recipes

Many recipes unlock automatically as you gather new materials or explore new areas. Some special recipes are hidden and must be discovered through experimentation or by finding recipe notes in the world.

Basic Survival Mechanics

While Winter Burrow isn't a punishing survival game, you do need to manage a few basic needs to keep your mouse healthy and energetic.

The Three Core Needs

❤️ Energy

Energy depletes as you perform actions like gathering, crafting, and exploring. When energy is low, you move slower and can't perform certain actions.

Restore by: Eating food, resting in your bed, sitting by the fire

🌡️ Warmth

The winter cold affects your warmth level. Being too cold drains energy faster and can prevent resting.

Maintain by: Staying near heat sources, wearing crafted clothing, returning to your burrow regularly

😊 Comfort

Comfort represents your overall wellbeing and mood. Higher comfort means better energy restoration when resting.

Improve by: Decorating your burrow, crafting cozy items, discovering memories

⚠️ Don't Worry Too Much

These mechanics are forgiving. You won't die from cold or hunger—you'll simply be encouraged to return home and rest. Winter Burrow is about cozy survival, not harsh difficulty.

Your First Week Goals

Here's a suggested roadmap for your first week in Winter Burrow. These are guidelines, not requirements—feel free to explore at your own pace!

Day 1: Settling In

Explore the immediate area around your burrow
Gather basic resources (sticks, stones, berries)
Craft a gathering bag and simple tools
Create your first bed
Rest to save your progress

Days 2-3: Expansion

Craft a stone axe and gather wood from trees
Build storage containers for organization
Start repairing your burrow's main chamber
Explore further to find new resource locations
Craft a fireplace for warmth and comfort

Days 4-5: Comfort & Crafting

Craft decorative items to increase comfort
Build a workbench for advanced crafting
Stock up on food supplies
Discover your first memory fragments
Begin planning burrow expansion

Days 6-7: Adventure

Venture to distant areas of the map
Find rare resources and special items
Unlock new crafting recipes
Complete your first burrow room expansion
Set goals for week two

Ready for More?

You've mastered the basics! Check out our other guides to deepen your Winter Burrow knowledge: