Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream - Tips

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream looks like a squad tactics game, but it plays more like an intricate chain of real-time stealth puzzles. Every guard, doorway, hiding place and character ability is part of a carefully arranged sequence. Success comes from understanding that sequence, not from overpowering it.

Hanna, Alva and Sebastian are not interchangeable units. Hanna can enter narrow vents and incapacitate guards at range with her blowpipe. Alva reaches elevated areas through drainpipes and uses a slingshot to extinguish lights or provoke investigations. Sebastian can swim through otherwise inaccessible routes and physically incapacitate guards from behind.

The best solutions use all three characters as a relay team. One distracts a guard, another crosses the newly opened route and the third prepares the action that makes everyone else's escape possible.

Essential Eriksholm Tips

Detach the camera and inspect the entire encounter before moving anyone.
Observe a full patrol cycle, including pauses and conversations.
Leave inactive characters in genuinely safe positions.
Use the D-Pad to confirm the correct character before every interaction.
Move in short sections instead of crossing an entire area at once.
Walk while learning the route and run only during a confirmed opening.
Preserve Hanna's darts for guards that cannot be bypassed.
Use Alva's slingshot to change patrol behaviour, not only to create darkness.
Scout the destination of every vent, drainpipe and water route.
Use Sebastian against isolated guards rather than approaching watched targets.
Expect many encounters to have a deliberate sequence rather than an unrestricted solution.
Collect optional items only after the route to them and back is understood.

Treat Every Area as a Clockwork Puzzle

Guards follow routines. They turn, pause, speak, investigate and return to their posts according to patterns that can be studied.

Before moving, identify:

Where each patrol begins and ends.
Which guards can see one another.
Where sightlines temporarily separate.
Which character can use each route.
Which environmental object can create a reaction.
Where every team member should finish.

Do not begin with the question, “How do I eliminate this guard?” Ask, “What must change so this guard no longer blocks the route?”

The Solution Is Usually a Sequence

A typical encounter might require Alva to break a light, Hanna to cross the resulting shadow, Sebastian to move through water and remove an isolated guard, then Alva to climb into the newly opened area.

Individual actions make sense only as parts of the complete chain.

Scout with the Camera Before Moving

Detach the camera and rotate around the encounter. The isometric perspective deliberately hides information behind roofs, walls and foreground scenery.

Check:

Both sides of every building.
Alleys concealed behind foreground walls.
Upper balconies and drainpipes.
Water beneath bridges.
Vent entrances and their likely exits.
Guards outside the initial camera frame.
Optional collectibles away from the main route.

Use Zoom as a Tactical Tool

Zoom out to understand patrol relationships. Zoom in to inspect a weapon target, vent opening or hiding-place prompt.

Recheck the Area After Every Major Action

Breaking a light, incapacitating a guard or opening a route may change the behaviour of nearby enemies. Do not assume the original patrol pattern still applies.

Observe the Entire Patrol Cycle

Watching a guard walk away is not enough. Wait until the guard returns to the original position so you know how long the complete opening lasts.

A patrol may:

Stop at a doorway.
Look over a railing.
Speak with another guard.
Investigate a lamp or object.
Turn earlier on its return journey.
Temporarily overlap another vision cone.

Time the Slowest Character

Do not calculate the opening according to the fastest runner. Base it on the character who must complete the longest interaction or travel the most awkward route.

Start Moving at the Beginning of the Window

When a guard turns away, act immediately. Waiting several seconds and then running often leaves too little time for the final interaction.

Move in Small, Reversible Steps

A long movement command can carry a character through several sightlines. Advance from one safe point to the next.

Good temporary positions include:

Behind solid walls.
Inside marked hiding places.
Dark spaces outside patrol routes.
Rooms that no guard enters.
Elevated routes beyond ground-level vision.

Do Not Stop at a Patrol's Turning Point

A wall may block the guard while approaching but expose the character when the guard reaches the corner and rotates.

Keep an Escape Direction

Avoid parking a character in a dead end unless the next action is guaranteed to open another route.

Run Only After Solving the Route

Running is most useful during execution, not exploration. Walk through an unknown section mentally or physically before relying on speed.

Run when:

The exact path is visible.
The character must beat a returning patrol.
A distraction has created a limited window.
The destination is already confirmed safe.

Release Run Near Interactions

Slow down before a vent, hiding place or takedown prompt. Overshooting by a small distance may be enough for a guard to turn around.

Running Cannot Repair Bad Timing

When two vision cones never separate, the solution probably requires another character's ability rather than greater speed.

Position the Whole Team Before Starting

Later encounters become easier when every character is placed near the action they will perform next.

Before beginning the sequence:

Place Hanna within dart or vent range.
Move Alva near the correct light or climbing route.
Position Sebastian near water or an isolated guard.
Confirm everyone is outside active sightlines.
Set the camera where it can show the first two actions.

Minimise Travel Between Actions

A distraction may last only long enough for one short movement. Pre-position the next character rather than switching and making them cross half the area.

Leave Inactive Characters Completely Safe

A hidden-looking corner is not enough. Watch at least one full patrol cycle before switching away from someone for an extended period.

Switch Characters with a Purpose

Every switch should answer a clear tactical need:

Create the distraction.
Cross the opening.
Prepare the next route.
Remove an isolated threat.
Open the path for the remaining team.

Check the Active Character Indicator

Accidentally moving the wrong person can fail an otherwise perfect setup. Pause for a fraction of a second after pressing the D-Pad and confirm the selection.

Do Not Switch During a Vulnerable Interaction Without Planning

A character climbing, aiming or moving through an exposed area may need immediate attention. Complete or cancel that action before focusing elsewhere.

Use Hanna for Precision

Hanna's small size and blowpipe make her ideal for reaching concealed positions and removing a specific guard who prevents the rest of the plan.

Scout Both Ends of a Vent

The entrance may be safe while the exit opens directly into a patrol route. Use the detached camera to examine the other side before sending Hanna through.

Use Vents to Change the Angle

A vent often places Hanna behind an obstacle, allowing her to:

Reach an otherwise sealed section.
Approach a guard outside its normal sightline.
Operate an object for the other characters.
Find an optional collectible.

Save Darts for Structural Problems

Use a dart when a guard's presence prevents the entire sequence, not merely because the target is available.

Inspect the Body Location

An incapacitated guard can still be discovered. Fire only when the resulting position remains outside other patrols.

Use Hanna's Blowpipe from Maximum Safety

Before aiming, place Hanna behind cover and inside valid range. The safest shot is one that requires no movement after the weapon is drawn.

Check:

Whether the targeting circle reaches the guard.
Whether another enemy watches the target.
Whether the target will collapse in a visible place.
Whether a limited dart is genuinely necessary.
Where Hanna goes immediately afterward.

Do Not Fire During Overlapping Patrols

Wait until the target is isolated. A second guard may notice either the shot's effect or the missing patrol.

Prepare the Next Action Before Shooting

The removed guard creates an opening. Switch immediately to the character who needs to exploit it.

Use Alva to Rewrite the Lighting

Alva's slingshot can extinguish selected lights, creating areas where the team can move with less exposure.

Before breaking a light, determine:

Which sightline the darkness will affect.
Whether a guard will investigate.
Where that guard will stand during the investigation.
Which character crosses while attention is diverted.
Whether the route remains safe after the guard returns.

Darkness Is Not Automatically Safe

A nearby guard can still discover a character at close range. Combine darkness with cover, timing and distance.

Breaking a Light Can Be a Distraction

Sometimes the investigation is more useful than the darkness. Use the sound or damaged light to pull a guard away from a doorway.

Do Not Break Every Light

An unnecessary shot can disturb a stable patrol and make the encounter harder to predict.

Use Alva's Climbing Routes to Work Above the Patrol

Drainpipes and other vertical paths let Alva bypass ground-level obstacles.

From height, she may be able to:

Reach a light from a better angle.
Cross behind guards.
Open a route from the opposite side.
Scout the encounter.
Reach collectibles on balconies or rooftops.

Inspect the Landing Point

Do not climb simply because a pipe is available. Check whether a guard watches the top or whether Alva will be trapped there.

Use Height to Prepare, Not Just Progress

A rooftop may be the ideal place to wait while Hanna or Sebastian performs another part of the sequence.

Use Sebastian to Remove Isolated Obstacles

Sebastian's physical takedown does not consume Hanna's dart ammunition, but it requires a much closer and safer approach.

Use it when:

The guard is completely isolated.
Sebastian can approach from behind.
No patrol will reach the position during the action.
The takedown opens a route for the others.

Watch the Guard's Head and Feet

A stationary guard may periodically turn or shift position. Wait for the full animation before approaching.

Do Not Approach Through Another Vision Cone

The target may face away while a distant lookout still watches Sebastian's route.

Use Takedowns to Preserve Darts

When Sebastian can safely reach a guard, save Hanna's ranged option for a target that cannot be approached.

Use Water Routes to Attack the Puzzle from Behind

Sebastian can swim through sections unavailable to the others. Water frequently connects separated sides of an encounter.

A water route may allow him to:

Pass beneath a guarded bridge.
Reach the far side of a locked gate.
Approach a guard from behind.
Operate an interaction for Hanna and Alva.
Reach an otherwise isolated shore.

Scout the Exit Before Entering

The water itself may be safe while the climb-out point is watched. Rotate the camera toward the destination before committing.

Do Not Leave Sebastian Stranded

Confirm that the new area contains a path, interaction or return route. Swimming across without a purpose may separate him from the encounter.

Create Distractions with a Destination in Mind

A distraction should move a guard away from the route you want to use.

Before firing Alva's slingshot or triggering another reaction, predict:

Which guard will respond.
The path the guard will take.
Where the guard will stop.
How long the investigation lasts.
Whether another patrol replaces the original sightline.

Move While the Guard Is Committed

The best opening begins after the guard has started walking toward the distraction and cannot immediately turn back.

Do Not Stand at the Source of the Distraction

Place the active character away from the object being investigated.

Use the Reaction to Separate Guards

When two enemies protect one another, attract only one of them and use the temporary separation to move or incapacitate the other.

Understand Vision Cones as Moving Walls

A guard's vision cone blocks space rather than merely representing a detection warning. Your objective is to find when and how that moving wall opens.

A sightline can be defeated through:

Patrol timing.
Solid cover.
Darkness.
A distraction.
Removing the observer.
Using a character-specific route.

Check the Edge of the Cone

A route that appears safe from one camera angle may barely touch the outer boundary. Rotate and zoom closer before moving.

Do Not Assume Distance Is Enough

Some guards watch long corridors. Use physical cover rather than relying on being far away.

Use Cover That Blocks the Entire Patrol

An obstacle may protect against the guard's current position but fail when the patrol moves several metres to the side.

Before leaving a character behind cover:

Watch the guard reach both ends of the route.
Rotate the camera to inspect the side angle.
Check for a second observer.
Confirm the character is not standing at a corner.

Hiding Places Are More Reliable than Decorative Shadow

Use clearly interactive hiding spots when available. They are designed to protect the character during patrol movement.

Plan the Exit from Hiding

Entering safely is only half the action. Wait until the guard has moved far enough away before pressing the interaction button again.

Cancel When the Timing Changes

Circle or B is an important stealth command. Use it immediately when a patrol behaves differently from your prediction.

Cancel when:

The wrong target becomes selected.
A second guard enters the area.
The active character overshoots the safe position.
The weapon shot is no longer isolated.
An interaction will finish too late.

Abandoning an Action Is Better than Forcing It

A clean reset preserves the setup. Completing an unsafe action usually causes detection and a checkpoint restart.

Learn from Every Detection

Being seen reveals exactly which part of the solution was wrong.

After a failed attempt, ask:

Did the character begin moving too late?
Was another guard hidden by the camera angle?
Did the patrol turn sooner than expected?
Was the wrong character used?
Did an incapacitated body remain visible?
Did a distraction attract the wrong enemy?
Was the safe position actually inside a later sightline?

Change One Variable at a Time

Adjust the start time, route or character instead of improvising an entirely new plan after every failure.

Use the Checkpoint as a Practice Loop

Restarts are generally quick. Use them to refine the sequence rather than rushing back into the same mistake.

Expect Carefully Authored Solutions

Eriksholm offers tactical choices, but its encounters are more structured than the open sandboxes found in some squad-stealth games.

When an improvised method repeatedly fails, look for the intended relationship between:

The nearby character route.
A light or environmental target.
A guard's patrol pause.
A hiding place.
A vent, pipe or waterway.

Read the Level Design

A conveniently placed drainpipe, dark corner and isolated guard are rarely unrelated. They are visual clues to the sequence.

Do Not Force a Character Through the Wrong Route

When Hanna cannot reach a ledge, the answer may be Alva. When Alva cannot cross water, switch to Sebastian.

Search for Collectibles After Solving the Main Route

Optional discoveries often lie just beyond the obvious objective path. However, pursuing them too early can complicate an encounter that has not yet been understood.

A safer method is:

Solve the patrol pattern.
Identify the route to the main objective.
Locate the collectible.
Determine which character can reach it.
Plan a return path to the team.
Collect it during the safest part of the cycle.

Rotate Behind Buildings

Small optional objects may be obscured by foreground architecture. Use detached camera movement and zoom to inspect dead ends and balconies.

Do Not Risk the Whole Sequence for an Unclear Object

Confirm the prompt or collectible icon before entering an exposed side route.

Listen to Conversations

Guard and civilian dialogue supports the narrative, but it can also explain patrol behaviour or draw attention to environmental details.

Remain still long enough to hear complete conversations. Speaking guards may:

Remain stationary temporarily.
Separate when the conversation ends.
Reveal where they will move next.
Face one another rather than the route.

Use Dialogue as a Timing Cue

A repeated line or conversation ending can mark the exact moment to begin a sequence.

Keep Ammunition for Mandatory Targets

Hanna's ranged incapacitation is powerful because it solves problems from safety. That makes each shot valuable.

Before spending ammunition, ask:

Can the guard be bypassed?
Can Alva distract the target instead?
Can Sebastian approach from behind?
Does a vent or climbing route avoid the sightline?
Will another guard discover the body?

Avoid Convenience Shots

Removing a guard may appear easier, but it can create a body-discovery problem that did not previously exist.

Use Darts Where They Change the Encounter Permanently

The best target is usually a stationary lookout or patrol whose sightline blocks several required actions.

Do Not Break Lights Without Checking the Consequences

Alva's slingshot changes both visibility and enemy behaviour.

A broken light may:

Create a dark crossing.
Attract a guard.
Move attention toward Alva's position.
Separate a patrol.
Alter the timing of the entire encounter.

Use the Investigation Window

When a guard walks to inspect the light, move the character whose route has become clear. Do not wait for the investigation to finish.

Check the Light's Range Indicator

Move Alva into valid range before starting the timed sequence. Discovering that the target is unreachable wastes the opening.

Prepare Compound Actions

The most satisfying solutions link abilities without wasted movement.

An example sequence might be:

Place Alva within slingshot range.
Position Hanna beside a vent.
Move Sebastian near the water.
Use Alva to distract the lookout.
Send Hanna through the vent.
Switch to Sebastian and cross the water.
Use Hanna to remove the guard blocking Sebastian.
Use Sebastian to open the route for Alva.

Mentally Rehearse the Order

Before starting, identify which D-Pad direction and action follows each step. Hesitation can consume the entire patrol window.

Put Every Character One Action Away

The less movement required between switches, the more reliable the sequence becomes.

Use Safe Pauses Between Actions

A compound solution does not always need to be completed in one continuous rush. Look for intermediate positions where the team can safely wait.

Pause when:

Every active character is concealed.
The next patrol cycle must begin.
You need to rotate the camera.
A distraction has changed enemy positions.
The next character is not yet prepared.

Do Not Pause in Temporary Cover

A position safe for two seconds may become visible when the patrol reaches the far end of its route.

Recognise Points of No Return

Story progression can move the team into a new area. Search nearby optional routes before triggering an obvious major interaction or cinematic transition.

Before leaving:

Rotate around the complete area.
Check balconies and dead ends.
Look for unused character routes.
Inspect spaces behind the main objective.
Confirm that all team members have reached the exit.

Do Not Separate the Group Without a Reason

A character left behind may require additional patrol work to reunite with the others.

Adjust the Camera Instead of Fighting the Environment

When an interaction seems difficult to select, the issue may be the viewing angle rather than character position.

Try:

Rotating the camera ninety degrees.
Zooming closer.
Recentering on the active character.
Moving slightly away and approaching again.

Use a Wide View for Simultaneous Patrols

When two guards control the same route, frame both before beginning the movement.

Use a Close View for Weapon Targets

Zooming closer reduces confusion when a guard stands beside a breakable light or another targetable object.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Moving Before Scouting

The default camera angle may hide another guard or route behind a building.

Running Everywhere

Run only after the route and timing are understood.

Leaving an Inactive Character Exposed

Every team member remains part of the active encounter, even while another is selected.

Using the Wrong Character

Vents, pipes, water and takedowns belong to specific members of the group.

Firing at Every Available Target

Limited ammunition and visible bodies make unnecessary incapacitations costly.

Breaking Lights Without Predicting the Investigation

A guard may move into the route you planned to use.

Switching Characters Without Confirming the Selection

An accidental command can expose someone waiting elsewhere.

Watching Only Half a Patrol

The return journey may use different timing or sightlines.

Ignoring the Destination of a Special Route

A vent, pipe or waterway can end inside another guard's vision.

Trying to Improvise Through a Structured Encounter

Look for the relationship between environmental clues and character abilities.

A Reliable Encounter Routine

Detach the camera.
Rotate around the entire area.
Identify every guard and vision cone.
Observe one complete patrol cycle.
Locate vents, pipes, water and breakable lights.
Assign a role to each available character.
Move everyone into safe starting positions.
Confirm weapon range and available ammunition.
Begin the distraction or first incapacitation.
Switch immediately to the character using the opening.
Pause at the next genuinely safe position.
Recheck patrol behaviour before continuing.

A Reliable Recovery Routine

When the plan begins going wrong:

Press Circle or B to cancel the current interaction.
Stop running blindly.
Move the active character behind solid cover if possible.
Check whether another character remains exposed.
Allow the checkpoint restart when detection is unavoidable.
Identify the precise timing or sightline that caused failure.
Adjust one part of the sequence.

Because detection frequently leads to a rapid restart, recovery is less about fighting your way out and more about learning exactly why the stealth puzzle failed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Eriksholm a stealth game or strategy game?

It is a narrative-driven isometric stealth game with puzzle and tactical character-switching elements.

How many playable characters are there?

There are three principal playable characters: Hanna, Alva and Sebastian.

Should I move all three characters together?

Usually not. Position them separately so each is close to the route or ability required for the next part of the sequence.

What is Hanna best at?

Hanna can use narrow vents and incapacitate valid guards from range with her blowpipe.

What is Alva best at?

Alva can climb drainpipes and use a slingshot to break lights or create distractions.

What is Sebastian best at?

Sebastian can swim and physically incapacitate isolated guards from behind.

How should I use the camera?

Detach and zoom out while planning. Rotate behind buildings, then reattach and zoom closer during precise movement or aiming.

Should I run through guarded areas?

Run only after you understand the complete patrol cycle and know the exact safe destination.

Why do I keep being seen behind cover?

The obstacle may protect only from the guard's current angle. Watch the patrol reach both ends of its route.

Should I use every dart I find?

No. Preserve darts for guards who cannot be bypassed, distracted or safely approached by Sebastian.

Why did breaking a light make the area harder?

Nearby guards may investigate the damaged light, changing their positions and sightlines.

How do I distract guards?

Use suitable environmental actions or Alva's slingshot, then move while the guard is committed to investigating.

Can guards discover incapacitated enemies?

Yes. Consider where a target will fall and whether another patrol visits that position.

How do I know which character should use a route?

Hanna uses narrow vents, Alva handles many vertical pipe routes and Sebastian can traverse water.

Why can I not interact with an object?

You may have the wrong character selected, be standing at the wrong angle or need to complete another step first.

How do I deal with overlapping patrols?

Use a distraction to separate them, change the lighting, remove one carefully or reach the area through a character-specific alternate route.

Is every encounter open-ended?

No. Many sections are tightly authored stealth puzzles with a deliberate sequence of character abilities and patrol timings.

What should I do after being detected?

Study which sightline or timing caused the failure and refine the sequence after the checkpoint restart.

Are collectibles missable?

Some optional routes can become inconvenient to revisit after advancing, so explore before triggering major transitions.

What is the best overall beginner strategy?

Scout first, observe the full patrol, position every character, trigger one controlled distraction and switch immediately to the person who benefits from it.

Final Tips

The secret to Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is preparation. A difficult section often becomes simple once Hanna, Alva and Sebastian are positioned correctly before the first guard moves.

Use the camera as aggressively as any character ability. Rotate behind architecture, zoom out to compare patrols and inspect the destination of every vent, drainpipe and swimming route. When the plan begins, move decisively but never blindly.

Hanna provides precision, Alva reshapes the environment and Sebastian opens routes through strength and water. Their abilities work best as a chain. Find the first link, prepare the last one and the path through Eriksholm will begin to reveal itself.

See our Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream Controls Guide for the complete PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC control layout.

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