One of the main differences between Sons Of The Forest and its predecessor, The Forest, is the inclusion of companions in the game. From the outset of the story, players will notice that they are accompanied by a crew of rescue workers, the majority of whom go missing after the opening crash.
One companion who does remain is Kelvin, at least that is his codename according to his nametag. Kelvin goes deaf in the crash and is thereafter given orders in writing which the player can show Kelvin in order to issue commands. While these commands may at first seem limited, new options will appear depending on Kelvin's environment, and it is likely that as the game moves through Early Access into a more developed stage additional commands will be added too.
5 Make A Fire
One of the most basic and useful commands for Kelvin is to build a fire. In addition to providing warmth during Sons Of The Forest's winter season and a place to cook food year-round, one of the most useful functions of the fire is to simply illuminate the surrounding forest.
Cannibals will not always announce themselves with gargled screams, and will often stalk the player from the surrounding trees in stealth. Though building the fire is not especially difficult, it can be more time-efficient to have Kelvin carry out these kinds of menial tasks in order to focus on something more substantial like resource and item collection.
4 Build A Shelter
In addition to fire, Kelvin can also build a basic shelter. This is particularly useful at the start of the game when deciding on a good location, or for players looking to play with a mobile base type to avoid tracking. While the shelter he builds will only be the most basic kind and lack any substantial defense, it can still provide a useful place to save and sleep, as well as a marker and a point of reference if out exploring the depths of the wilderness.
Much like the other commands, simply approach Kelvin to interact with him, and the notepad will pop up with a variety of options, including 'Build Shelter'. Upon issuing the command, Kelvin will get to work straight away. If he shakes his head in disapproval, it is likely that cannibals are nearby.
3 Gather Materials
For players looking to build a more substantial and enduring habitation, Kelvin can be put to work gathering materials from logs to stick to stones—all the basics required to get started on a decent-sized fortress. He will already have an axe, so materials or tools will need to be provided to him. To issue the command, simply open the notebook when in close proximity to Kelvin and select 'clear area'. From here a radius of 5 meters, 10 meters, or 20 meters can be selected, and Kelvin will dismantle everything in range.
Be careful not to issue this command in or around a player-built base, especially treehouses, since Kelvin will start to hack at the base of a tree even if it base design. Turns out that in addition to deafness, the crash had other effects on Kelvin's cognition.
2 Get Food
Though players will not need to worry about feeding Kelvin directly as he can do this on his own, he can be commanded to bring food for players who want to focus their time on other tasks. The 'Get' command, issued via the notepad, will display a variety of options depending on the player and Kelvin's surroundings. In addition to regular building and crafting materials such as sticks and rocks, Kelvin can also be commanded to pick berries or catch fish if there are bushes or a water source nearby. This can be particularly useful as Kelvin will often be able to catch fish from locations where the player is unable to get them such as waterfalls and shallow streams.
In addition to this, Kelvin can be commanded to fetch unique items within his vicinity such as radios and special equipment. Players can then command him to either 'Drop Here', 'Give to Me', or 'Follow Me' depending on the situation they find themselves in.
1 Spot Enemies
Another way in which Kelvin can be of great value, despite his lack of a voice, is his use of non-verbal gestures. As well as letting the player know how he is feeling, Kelvin will point out approaching enemies. Though he is not able to fight, Kelvin acts as a good scout and a sort of 'alarm' for the base if players are able to read his gestures quickly and correctly. Much like Virginia, he will point and wave in an effort to get players' attention and direct it toward the approaching cannibals or mutants.
Kelvin's weakness in combat can be a liability, but if he is felled he can usually be revived without expending resources. If he takes another seminal blow, however, whilst incapacitated, he will die permanently and will only be able to return by reloading a save or starting a new game entirely. Fortunately, he can equip armor that can reduce the frequency with which he is felled.
Sons of the Forest is currently out in Early Access for PC.