The actual "prologue" for Deathloop is pretty lengthy, and although it doesn't directly say it, the actual game doesn't really start until Colt gains the ability to infuse items and freely manipulate the loop as he sees fit. That said, it's still possible to come across some pretty complex puzzles during the intro hours, some of which players won't actually be able to solve without the ability to hop from area to area and choose particular times of the day.
A great example of this is the Pact of Smoke Door Code Puzzle, which many players will accidentally stumble upon while rooting through Colt's apartment in Updaam. The door itself is located up a small set of stairs on top of the roof adjacent to Colt's Flat. The easiest way to reach it is to enter Colt's apartment from the Dorsey Square window and then exit out the other side by using the only other open window. Players can either enter the room where the Pack of Smoke Door is by using the door at the top of the small staircase or using a window located on the right side.
How To Get The Pact Of Smoke Door Codes
When players first enter the room they'll immediately see a doorway in front of them that is rigged with three separate combination locks. Colt needs three separate codes to gain entry to this particular door. Tracking them down isn't as simple as walking around Updaam. In fact, players will need to reset the loop two additional times if they want to get their hands on all three passwords.
As soon as players enter the door at the top of the stairs, they should look immediately left. There in the corner is a rigged machine with colored hoses and three colored buttons. This machine is vital to unraveling the Pact of Smoke and which button is "pressed" directly correlates to what will happen during Colt's next loop.
How To Get Cass' Password In The Pact Of Smoke
Understanding what the Pact of Smoke is will help players understand where and what they need to do to get their hands on the door codes. It seems that an Eternalist, Cass, has set up a rather devious "prank" on two of her newest companions, Vanya and Anatoly. The smoking machine they've set up has been tampered with and will dispense a deadly gas to two of the attached hoses, while leaving the third completely safe. Don't worry about the implications here, everyone is just going to "wake up fine tomorrow," they're stuck in the loop too, after all.
Players will gain the door code from whichever Eternalist manages to survive the contest, meaning they'll need to alter the results and cycle the contest through three separate loops to collect them all.
To get Cass' code, players will need to arrive at the room during the Morning. The first time, they shouldn't tamper with the machine at all, and instead, simply exit the level and return in the afternoon.
There, in the corner of the room near a box (left of the smoking machine itself against the wall) they can find an audio log and a note containing Cass' code sequence.
How To Get Vanya's Password In The Pact Of Smoke
Once they have Cass' code, players should reset the loop to Morning and return to the Pact of Smoke room. This time, the machine should be set so that the green button is illuminated at the top, next to the Red Pipe. Doing so will cause Cass and Anatoly to perish in the following contest, leaving Vanya as the last one standing through the ordeal. After the contest has been set up, Colt can leave the area. This time, players will want to progress the time to Afternoon and then head to Karl's Bay.
Upon entering the level, players should head left through the tunnels and proceed forward until they spot the large "Forever Young" sign in the distance. Up past this sign is a large neon blue sign labeled "Garden of Perception."
Players will want to pass through the Garden of Perception and then bear right once they're on the other side of it. From there, they'll spot a staircase that heads down into a small alcove.
At the bottom of the staircase, and to the right, is a doorway. Inside, and to the left, there is a workbench on the back wall with boxes arranged along the top of it. Vanya's note is sitting on this counter and will give players their portion of the code.
How To Get Anatoly's Password In The Pact Of Smoke
With Vanya's code firmly in his head, Colt should progress to Morning by starting a new loop. This time, the machine in the Pact of Smoke Room should be set so the green button aligns with the Blue Pipe. If everything is set correctly, both Cass and Vanya won't survive the contest, leaving Anatoly as the only one alive in the current loop. Players should then head back to Karl's Bay in the Afternoon.
Finding Anatoly's note is a little trickier than Vanya's but can be located quickly if players pay attention to certain "landmarks." As soon as Colt enters the level, guide him through the left exit of the tunnels once more and this time step up to the large "hole" in the wall that's directly in front of the exit.
If players look past the van in the alleyway, they will see a roof in the distance. They should then move through the alleyway, onto the roof itself, and then turn and look left.
On the other side of the roof, and to the left, there is a pathway that leads under an arch and near a red building. If players spot the "Treasure Of The Ice" sign, they'll know they're in the right place.
If Colt turns left at the Treasure of the Ice sign, and walks down the pathway, he'll come to a doorway that leads into a room full of monitors.
Anatoly's note, with the appropriate code, is located on a box to the right of the doorway, right next to the fireplace.
What's Behind The Pact Of Smoke Door?
Those looking for any kind of meaningful reward in terms of gameplay will be sorely disappointed by why lies beyond the Pact of Smoke door. Only players who wish to truly immerse themselves in the lore of Deathloop should consider taking on the task of breaking into the locked room. Those that are interested in learning as much as possible about the game will discover some information about one of the prominent characters found in the game, gaining better insight into what makes them tick. It's definitely a bit of a "let down" in terms of rewards for such a lengthy quest, but just solving the puzzle itself is pretty rewarding.