Dark Deception – All Achievements Guide

Overview

This guide is intended to help players on Steam get each and every achievement in Dark Deception with some additional tips and tricks included.

Overview

NOTE: While Dark Deception keeps getting updates featuring new levels and content, this guide will be incomplete and a work in progress until the game is finalized. As such, this guide will be constantly changing until then. It currently goes up to the “Crazy Carnevil” level (Chapter 3). When future chapters drop, the contents of this guide will change constantly as new information becomes available. This may result in the new levels’ achievements being done out of order.

Ensure you on the latest version (v1.6.1) if you wish to use this guide for help. To check your game’s version, refer to the upper right corner of the main menu.

Object renders are by “RamChoops” from the Dark Deception Wiki (Fandom).
Screenshots and map guides are of my own making.

Need help finding any achievements in Dark Deception’s various levels? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Each level comes packed with five achievements in total so let’s break them all down.

Monkey Business – Chapter 1

Monkey King
Get an S rank in Monkey Business.
The description says it all. My personal recommendation is to replay this level later on when you obtain powers (speed boost, teleportation, primal fear, etc.) to make the experience far less painful if you’re having difficulty beating it without any.

Requirements:

Time: Less than 10 minutes
Soul Shards: 289
Bonus Shards: 1/1
Secrets: 2/2 (Look at “Eagle Eyes” for locations)
Lives Lost: 0 (Can not die once)
Shard Streak: 250

The monkeys always know your exact position and plot ways to catch up to you. Listening with stereo headphones can help clue you in on where they are and how close they are. If you need a quick breather, the secret rooms can act as short break areas. Moreover, the Murder Monkeys cannot turn around, so using teleportation to get through them can help greatly.

Shard Enthusiast
Collect 100 soul shards without deaths.
This is one is fairly straight forward. Just acquire a total of 100 soul shards without dying to the Murder Monkeys. The game will give you an indication of your streak through the popup below.

Eagle Eyes
Found a secret!
The first level has two secret rooms you can find. Use the tablet map to help you search. Their locations are shown below. Collect either of the two files for the achievement.

Not Monkeying Around
Don’t die for 2 minutes.
Successfully evading the three Murder Monkeys for at least two minutes gets you this achievement. This one goes hand in hand with “Shard Enthusiast” in terms of difficulty, so if you have one it shouldn’t be too difficult to nab the other.

Service, Please!
Ring the service bell 10 times.
At the very start of the level, look to your right and interact with the service bell. After ten rings, the Monkey cutout should appear, prompting the achievement to unlock.

Monkey Business Map Guide

Elementary Evil – Chapter 2

Too Cool for School
Get an S rank in Elementary Evil.
Beating Agatha at her own game with an S rank will net you this achievement. With this being the first level with two zones, it’s important to note that there is double the number of bonus shards and secret files to be found.

Requirements:

Time: Less than 20 minutes
Soul Shards: 283
Bonus Shards: 2/2
Secrets: 4/4
Lives Lost: 1 or less (You can only die once)
Shard Streak: 250

Since there’s only one of Agatha (up until the escape sequence) it’s a lot easier to deal with her. She will relentlessly search and torment you while you collect the soul shards. However, she’ll only chase you if she can see you with a direct line of sight. Closing doors can slow her down but opening/closing them can also clue her in on your general location. In Zone 2, she’s able to teleport around and even uses the ability to her advantage while pursuing you. Just use her words against her by using them to help you determine where she is.

Secret Locations:
The key to finding the locations of each secret is to analyze your tablet map. Look for empty rooms that bulge out from the main map. There are three in the first zone and only one in the second. All four secrets are behind unlocked doors. However, the “Mysterious Room” in Zone 1 and Agatha’s hiding place don’t count as required secrets for the S rank.

Playtime!
Slide down the slide!
In between both zones by the ring altar is a playground slide. Upon interacting with it, you will slide down it and earn the achievement.

Peer into Darkness
Found Agatha’s hiding place.
Hidden deep in Zone 2 is Agatha’s hiding place. Unearthing it doesn’t earn you any secret files, but it does unlock this achievement.

Ahead of the Class
Beat Elementary Evil without using any stun orbs.
Avoiding the stun orb power-up in both zones of the school will net you this achievement. Either find a way around them or teleport past them to make sure you don’t activate it.

Smarty Pants
Didn’t touch any fake portals.
Scattered across Zone 1 in the Malak escape chase are fake portals that spawn Agatha in her frenzy mode. You can either get around them by using the teleportation power (that you get later) or you can dodge them completely by taking a specific route as shown below.

Elementary Evil Map Guide

Deadly Decadence – Chapter 2

The Golden One
Earned an S Rank in Deadly Decadence.
Besting the Gold Watchers with excellence is not an easy task, but ultimately a satisfying one to complete. With there being three in Zone 1 and four in Zone 2, keeping a close eye on them is crucial.

Requirements:

Time: Less than 25 minutes
Soul Shards: 354
Bonus Shards: 2/2
Secrets: 4/4
Lives Lost: 1 or less (You can only die once)
Shard Streak: 250

The Gold Watchers only move when you’re not looking at them. However, this also applies to their general direction. Watching their direction, despite any distance or walls that may be in between, will still lock them in place. A commonly used strategy is luring them all to one room, using teleportation to get around them, and then playing the level while always looking towards their place. But an equal threat working against you is the traps. Listen to the audio cues to know when they’re about to go off and whether it’s safe to progress or not. Don’t put all of your attention into your tablet map, as it can get you killed.

Secret Locations:
The first secret is found next to the hedge maze on the right side. Open the gate, be wary of the traps, and grab the file. You can collect this before entering the manor or after when you’re escaping. It’s recommended that you do it as early as possible, however, as a Gold Watcher will be guarding it if you want to snatch it later.
NOTE: There have been several reports that the secret won’t be registered as collected if you get it before Zone 2. For the time being, it is recommended you grab it after the second zone during the escape sequence of the level. Just be cautious of the Gold Watcher guarding it.
The second secret is found on the left side of the manor’s interior. Interact with the wall to make it raise. Just keep an eye out while collecting the soul shards for the room that appears to be a mistake on the map.
The third secret is found behind another walled-off area. Interact with the walls and go around the corner to find the secret.
The last secret can only be collected by flipping the lever shown below in the middle of the manor. Continue north and you’ll find yourself in an area with no soul shards whatsoever (the area is gated off without flipping the lever prior). Keep going until you come across the final secret file of Deadly Decadence.

Fools Rush In
Killed by every trap type in Deadly Decadence.
This level introduces you to traps, adding the mazes themselves as an additional threat. Learn how both the spike and pendulum traps function by doing to both of them at least once.

Bushmaster
Completed the hedge maze in under 6 minutes.
This one’s fairly self-explanatory. Just complete the hedge maze in under 6 minutes (which is what you’ll need to do to get a shot at S Rank) and you’ll be golden.

Observant
Didn’t get killed by any traps.
Making it out alive of Deadly Decadence without getting killed by any of spike or pendulum traps nets you this achievement.

Watching the Watchers
Watched a Gold Watcher for 10 seconds.
Watching the Gold Watchers freezes them in place. Doing it for ten seconds unlocks this achievement.

Deadly Decadence Map Guide

Stranger Sewers – Chapter 3

Ducky Boss
Earned an S Rank in Stranger Sewers.
Using future powers (most notably Primal Fear) can make this level a breeze. Just keep using Telepathy to locate the real Dread Duckies and Speed Boost to run away fast.

Requirements:

Time: Less than 28 minutes
Soul Shards: 310
Bonus Shards: 2/2
Secrets: 4/4
Lives Lost: 1 or less (You can only die once)
Shard Streak: 250

The sewers are inhabited by Dread Duckies, both real and fake ones. Using telepathy is necessary (but not always required) to distinguish an evil duck from a lifeless one. Evil ones can stun and chase you down but aren’t too hard to out speed. Although remember that water slows you down, especially when turning around. When a foe Dread Ducky loses you, it’ll hide once more and change its position (typically around where you are in the map). Just always be on alert and don’t let the Speed Boost webs and traps be a major inconvenience to you.

Secret Locations:
At the beginning of the stage, head over to the left, and raise the wall. After climbing the ladder, you’ll be face-to-face with the first secret file.
The next secret is found in Zone 1. The remaining secrets are found through keypads scattered in the sewers. Interact with it to ride the lift down and grab the secret.
The third secret is found after entering the second zone. Simply look for another keypad and ride down to collect the file. You’ll see some dancing Dread Duckies to keep you company (they are harmless).
There is a fourth secret that’s tied into the “They Float” achievement. Look below at that achievement to understand how to get discover it.

Open Door Policy
Open every door in Stranger Sewers.
Opening as many doors as possible is essential to decreasing your chances of getting cornered. Open all of them to nab this achievement. Included below are maps of each zone with the locations of the doors marked.

Lucky Day
Survive a Dread Ducky stun attack.
After a Dread Ducky is awoken, it’ll stun you if you’re within its range. Spam ‘F’ on your keyboard to escape and get away as fast as possible. Surviving the encounter successfully will get you the achievement.

Speed Boost is recommended strongly to increase the odds of getting away safely. It’s also important to note that the stun attack at the beginning of the level does not count towards this achievement (as it’s impossible to die from that one).

They Float
Found something that floats.
Finding this specific keypad in Zone 2 will take you down to the final secret file. Collecting it triggers this achievement to unlock.

Smooth Moves
Defeat the Doom Ducky without dying.
This level is the first one to introduce bosses into the mix. Beating the Doom Ducky without losing a single life will grant you this achievement.

As the fight progresses, more Dread Duckies will join the fight. Make sure to use your abilities to outmaneuver them and the pillars to slow the boss down.

Stranger Sewers Map Guide

Crazy Carnevil – Chapter 3

Clown Prince
Earned an S Rank in Crazy Carnevil.
Not clowning around and having determination will let you come out on top with an S Rank. An imperative thing to know is that it’s important to use all of your powers and not just a select few.

Requirements:

Time: Less than 36 minutes
Soul Shards: 280
Bonus Shards: 2/2
Secrets: 4/4
Lives Lost: 2 or less (You can die twice)
Shard Streak: 250

The Clown Gremlins run the circus, pulling out multiple stops to ensure you don’t get out alive. Their speed (in normal mode) matches your own and they are designed to try to swarm you in large numbers. In Zone 1, they can only spawn via the Clown Car and can be returned upon stunning them (either with the stun orb or Primal Fear power). It’s important that throughout the level, you don’t just stun a single clown, as it’s better to use the power when you’re overwhelmed and surrounded. Furthermore, once the clowns have a clear line of sight with you, regardless of how far away, they will chase you until they lose track of your position. The level is also very infested with traps which are crucial to pay attention to, along with the Clown Cart hazard. Sounds can help you dodge every one of the traps, so use their audio timers to your advantage. Don’t take deadly risks and you’ll beat the level with enough tries.

Secret Locations:
After being invited into the Big Top Tent, take notice of the ladder over to the left. It’s fairly tall, but climb up it all the way and you’ll see the first secret of the circus.
NOTE: Some players have encountered the issue of not being able to collect the secret successfully when they go for it after interacting with the mallet. For this reason, it is suggested that you grab it as the first thing you do inside the tent before triggering the cutscene.
Zone 1 is filled with portals that will transport you to different locations (mostly the upper and lower floors), but one will bring you to a secret room. This particular portal is found to the right of the lower floor (on the exact opposite side of the exit portal).
Secret number three is easy to spot. When you first enter the ring altar tent, wait for it to rotate three times before showing a secret file. It’s recommended that you use Primal Fear to stun the Clown Gremlin before picking up the file.
The final secret of the level is found along the outskirts of Zone 2 on the coaster track. Listen closely so the Clown Cart doesn’t catch you off guard while you raise the wall. Whence inside, grab the secret and make sure the cart isn’t on its way before exiting.

Multiplicity
Allow all Clown Gremlins to exit the clown car.
The Clown Cars act as enemy spawners for the Clown Gremlins. Letting them unleash all of their contained clowns (three on easy mode, five on normal mode) will unlock this achievement. Simply being too close at any time to the car will cause it to do this.

No Surprise’s Here
No deaths from the jack-in-the-box trap.
While collecting the sixty soul shards in the first zone, be wary of the jack-in-the-box traps. Listen to their sound cues (the music box) and make sure you’re aware of where they attack on the red lights.

These particular traps only appear in Zone 1, so you don’t need to worry about them after you complete that part of the circus.

The Last Laugh
Defeat the Goliath Clowns in under 8 minutes.
Malak ups the ante with the Goliath Clowns boss battle at the end of the stage. You are given a mallet and your objective is to attack the bosses when they slam their fist down. Beating them in under eight minutes awards you with this achievement.

It’s recommended to not attack the Gremlins and instead let them chase you constantly around the carousel, although you should kill a clown with the mallet if it gets too close. Primal fear can also be used to destroy all the clowns that touch its radius which is great for clearing out swarms. Make sure you know where the clowns are at all times and keep trying to use the mallet to attack each of the bosses (one hit each on easy mode, two hits each on normal mode).

Sweet Tooth
You eat some demonic cotton candy.
After your first encounter with the Clown Car, head over to the right side of the merry-go-round and interact with the cotton candy on display. While there are other booths with cotton candy, you can only interact with this one and get the achievement.