How to sleep in Tunic — and why you should

Once you’ve acquired the sword in Tunic and can do some landscaping on the bushes, the world starts to open up. One of the first landmarks you’ll likely encounter is the abandoned house. It’s an unassuming little abode, but one that contains a unique piece of furniture: a bed.

There is no persistent night/day cycle in Tunic, so the existence of a bed might be a bit confusing. More confusing is the fact that you can sleep in it. All of your health and resources are replenished at the fox statues, so it seems like there would be little benefit in taking a nap in the midst of your adventure. The actual reason for this mechanic doesn’t become apparent until later in the game when we’re in spoiler territory. So, if you’re trying to miss those, this is your jumping-off point.

After retrieving the three keys, you’re able to go into battle against “The Heir.” Although it’s possible to beat them and receive the bad ending, the most likely outcome of your first altercation is your death. Unlike your usual death, this one sends you back to the beach where you started, stripped of your upgrades, and now the world is darker and more foreboding.

In addition to the pervasive spookiness, the nighttime in Tunic alters the world. Areas are sealed off by a purple mist and enemies no longer roam around in certain areas. You will also find that the Old Burying Ground is open to you. Your goal is to regain your lost power, but even if you do so and defeat The Heir in a rematch, you’re given the bad ending.

You need to find the remaining instruction booklet pieces to get a happy ending and to do so, you must escape the twilight. That’s where the bed comes in. A quick snooze here and you’ll be returned to daylight. This enables you to backtrack to previous areas and search them as you did when you still had your corporeal form.

Returning to the bed and taking another nap will return the world to the night, and cycling between the two is necessary to plunder the world of all its secrets.