Riley is the Cassiopeia's Chief Engineer and Brianna's most frequent partner on set-pieces. Her two highest risk chapters are Episode 5 (stealth + loadlifter) and Episode 2 (antenna ridge). Below is the per-episode checklist that keeps her alive.
Episode checklist
| Episode | Action |
|---|---|
| EP 1 | No direct Riley check. Defend Akin in the bridge cold-open to keep morale high. |
| EP 2 | Send Riley up the antenna ridge — she's the better climber. +1 trust. |
| EP 3 | Use scan order Akin → Naomi → Riley → Thomas. |
| EP 4 | Triage order Naomi → Riley → Akin keeps Riley's trust positive. |
| EP 5 | Crouch the stealth section; never vault. Throw the wrench, never the breaker. If Riley is the rescue target, land all five loadlifter inputs. |
| EP 6 | Listen during Akin's monologue. No direct Riley check. |
| EP 7 | +1 trust passes the defence wave automatically. Riley also unlocks the sabotage room side-exit if alive. |
Death gates to watch
- Episode 2 — antenna ridge. Failing the climb hold kills her instantly.
- Episode 5 — stealth vault. Vaulting alerts the variant; lethal chase follows.
- Episode 5 — loadlifter. Five-input QTE chain. Single fail kills the rescue character.
- Episode 7 — defence wave. Below +1 trust she fails her door automatically.
FAQ
Can Riley die in Directive 8020?
Yes. Riley can die in Episodes 2 (antenna ridge), 5 (loadlifter rescue and stealth alert) and 7 (defence wave below +1 trust).
How do you save Riley?
Send Riley up the antenna ridge in Episode 2, follow the Naomi → Riley → Akin triage order, complete the loadlifter QTE chain and maintain at least +1 trust by Episode 7.
Does Riley's survival matter for the boss fight?
Yes. A surviving Riley shares input load on the Episode 8 boss QTE chain, meaningfully lowering its difficulty.