The Backrooms: Levels Guide
The Backrooms consists of numerous levels, each with its own unique properties, dangers, and mysteries. This guide provides detailed information about the most significant levels you may encounter during your journey through this liminal space. Understanding these environments is crucial for survival and progression through the game.
Level 0 is the first level of the Backrooms and the entry point for most wanderers who noclip from baseline reality. This expansive non-Euclidean space resembles the back rooms of a dated retail outlet, characterized by its disorienting layout and distinct yellowed wallpaper.
Environment
All rooms in Level 0 share superficial features: worn, moist carpeting, scattered electrical outlets, and inconsistently placed fluorescent lighting that emits a constant hum-buzz. This buzzing is notably louder than ordinary fluorescent lighting and tends to induce throbbing migraines that persist even after exiting the level.
Dangers
While Level 0 is devoid of hostile entities, its primary dangers stem from the lack of available resources. Many wanderers fall victim to dehydration, exhaustion, or starvation. The level's disorienting layout and confounding structure can cause intense visual and auditory hallucinations, with some cases reporting descent into "utter lunacy."
Notable Areas
The Manila Room is an isolated spatial anomaly within Level 0, distinguished by its manila-patterned walls that induce a soothing feeling. The room's overhead light is duller than surrounding areas and has an orange tint. This room serves as one of the few consistent exit points from Level 0.
Exits
- Wandering far and long enough may cause hallways to transition into Level 1's garages
- Breaking through a wall leads to Level -1
- Breaking through the floor leads to Level 27 (rarely to The Void)
- Rare emergency exits lead to Level 14
- Glass sliding doors resembling greenhouse entrances lead to Level 13
Gameplay Tips
- Maintain your bearings by marking your path with dropped items
- Conserve your flashlight battery as much as possible
- The fluid saturating the carpet is unsafe for consumption
- Listen carefully to the hum-buzz of lights; changes in pitch may indicate proximity to exits
Level 1 resembles an abandoned warehouse or industrial complex with concrete floors, exposed pipes, and dim lighting. Unlike Level 0, this level contains various resources and is considered one of the more habitable areas of the Backrooms.
Environment
The level consists of large open spaces connected by narrow hallways and maintenance corridors. Fluorescent lights hang from the ceiling, providing inconsistent illumination. The concrete walls are often marked with graffiti and mysterious symbols left by previous wanderers. The ambient temperature is cooler than Level 0, and the air feels slightly damp.
Resources
Level 1 contains various supplies crucial for survival, including:
- Almond Water - Found in crates or abandoned supply rooms
- Non-perishable food items - Hidden throughout storage areas
- Flashlights and batteries - Often found near maintenance areas
- First aid supplies - Occasionally found in office areas
Entities
While safer than many other levels, Level 1 is not entirely devoid of threats. Occasional entity encounters include:
- Hounds - Rare but dangerous if encountered
- Skin-Stealers - Extremely rare but potentially devastating
- Facelings - Passive unless provoked
Exits
- Metal doors with exit signs lead to Level 2
- Maintenance elevators can lead to Level 4
- Descending staircases sometimes lead back to Level 0
Gameplay Tips
- Establish a base camp near resource-rich areas
- Listen for mechanical humming sounds that indicate entity presence
- Search thoroughly for supplies before moving on
- Be cautious of other wanderers - they may not always be human
Level 2 is a dark, maintenance-focused level with a complex network of pipes, boilers, and industrial equipment. The constant mechanical noises and near-darkness make this level particularly disorienting and dangerous.
Environment
The level is characterized by narrow corridors lined with pipes of varying sizes, occasional boiler rooms, and maintenance shafts. The lighting is extremely poor, with only occasional emergency lights providing dim red or green illumination. The air is hot, humid, and filled with steam, making visibility even more challenging.
Dangers
Level 2 presents numerous threats:
- Frequent entity encounters, particularly Hounds and Smilers
- Scalding steam leaks from damaged pipes
- Unstable flooring that may collapse
- Toxic gas pockets in poorly ventilated areas
- Disorienting layout that makes mapping nearly impossible
Resources
Resources are scarce in Level 2, but occasionally you may find:
- Tools that can be used as weapons or for repairs
- Maintenance logs with cryptic clues
- Rarely, emergency supply kits with Almond Water
Exits
- Maintenance elevators can lead to Level 4 or back to Level 1
- Following certain pipe systems downward may lead to Level 3
- Emergency exit doors occasionally lead to Level 5
Gameplay Tips
- Conserve flashlight battery at all costs
- Move slowly and quietly to avoid attracting entities
- Listen for changes in the mechanical ambient noise - sudden silence often precedes entity encounters
- Mark your path with chalk or other markers
- Avoid areas with visible steam or unusual odors
This guide covers only the first three levels of The Backrooms. As you progress through the game, you'll discover many more levels, each with unique challenges and secrets. Remember that the layout and specific features of each level may vary due to the procedurally generated nature of the game.
For survival in The Backrooms, always maintain awareness of your surroundings, conserve resources, and listen carefully to the ambient sounds that might warn you of approaching dangers. Good luck, wanderer - you'll need it.