The rural house in That Which Remains serves as the foundational excursion map designed to introduce players to the core extraction loop. Developed by Remaining Games and published by Interdimensional Games Inc, the game places Relics into haunted contamination zones across time and space. Official Steam documentation confirms that among the initial contamination zones—which range up to a sprawling arctic prison—the rural house stands as the game's primary partially contextualized blueprint map.
During early testing builds, this residential property showcases how ambient storytelling, environmental drops in temperature, and physical item extraction operate before players venture into larger industrial and commercial zones.
Overview of the Rural House Map
In That Which Remains, your primary objective as a conscripted Relic is to locate parasitic entities, log investigative evidence, and extract trauma-laced supplies to fulfill Entitech’s rising daily quota. The rural house is an isolated, multi-story homestead surrounded by open grounds, offering a compact environment for solo players or co-op squads of up to four.
| Feature | Details Confirmed by Official Sources and Playtesting |
|---|---|
| Developer / Publisher | Remaining Games / Interdimensional Games Inc |
| Map Classification | Partially contextualized blueprint excursion zone |
| Player Capacity | 1–4 players (Solo or Online Co-op) |
| Core Objectives | Investigate anomalous entities, collect salvage, meet daily quota |
| Key Structures | Main house (two floors + basement), exterior generator, greenhouse |
| Key Environmental Indicators | Creaking floorboards, temperature plunges, visual auras |
Exterior Grounds and Entry Points
Approaching the property reveals a surrounding yard under a dynamic day/night and weather cycle. In beta play sessions, the exterior features several distinct navigation points:
- Exterior Generator: Positioned outside the structure, providing a landmark before entering the interior darkness.
- Entry Doors: Standard entry doors lead inside, though navigating them requires a free hand or proper interaction alignment when managing carried gear.
- The Backyard and Greenhouse: Behind the house sits a yard populated by crows and a separate greenhouse structure. In early tests, players can explore the exterior perimeter freely during daylight or night phases.
Because the house interior lacks reliable internal lighting, carrying a flashlight or a camera with night-vision capabilities is essential prior to stepping through the entrance.
Interior Layout and Hazard Zones
The interior of the rural house contains three primary vertical levels, each exhibiting distinctive atmospheric and anomalous properties.
Ground Floor Living Areas
The main floor features tight corridors, a kitchen, and domestic living spaces. In early access stream footage, players noted walls heavily decorated with religious framed pictures and posters. Doors throughout this floor have been observed closing independently, and ambient creaking serves as a baseline audio cue.
The Upper Floor and Bathroom
Stairs lead up to a secondary floor containing bedrooms and a bathroom. In playtests, this upper floor revealed evidence of past violence, including blood markings and pest infestations such as cockroaches across surfaces. Ambient temperatures on this floor hovered around 14°C to 15°C during stable conditions, serving as a baseline for spotting ghost-induced anomalies.
The Basement Level
Accessible from inside the house, the basement represents one of the coldest and most hazardous pockets of the property. Early playtesting demonstrated dramatic thermal shifts in the cellar, dropping to as low as 3°C compared to warmer rooms upstairs. A tent-like structure and discarded household containers can be found resting in the lower darkness.
Investigation and Salvage Extraction
Surviving a shift in the rural house requires balancing entity identification with salvage retrieval. Players must gather physical materials and store them to meet their quota before the daily clock expires.
- Monitor Ambient Temperatures: Using a handheld thermometer tool, sweep each room. Normal rooms register mild temperatures, whereas basement corridors and entity-affected zones show immediate, steep declines.
- Scan with Audio and Visual Gear: Deploy the Spirit Box using V.O.I.C.E. technology to check for hostile parasite responses or vocalizations from past victims. Keep visual recording equipment active to spot anomalous particles and movement.
- Locate Salvage Containers: Throughout the rural residence, players can find transportable supply boxes emitting a noticeable green aura.
- Transport Items to Base Racks: Carried boxes occupy utility hands. Players must carry these containers through the excursion exit back to the central base habitat and set them on designated storage racks to convert materials into quota credit.
- Manage Daylight and Power Cycles: Failing to log adequate Enticine or materials threatens base power reserves.
Rural House Map FAQ
How does the rural house compare to other maps in That Which Remains?
Official Early Access documentation notes that while other initial excursion zones (such as the arcade, gas station, street houses, and arctic prison) were released in non-contextualized states, the rural house map was designed with partial environmental context to act as a design blueprint for the rest of the game.
What causes severe temperature drops in the basement?
A sudden plunge in localized temperature—such as drops toward near-freezing levels observed during beta excursions—indicates the presence of an active Neurospatial Parasitic Entity in that immediate sector.
Where should green-glowing boxes from the rural house be deposited?
Salvage boxes retrieved from the rural house must be carried back through the base airlock or portal and placed onto the staging racks in the base environment. Returning boxes successfully registers progress toward the daily quota and base operations.
