Look, I’ll be straight with you – the first time I met Kelvin in Sons of the Forest, I thought he was gonna be totally useless. Boy, was I wrong! This AI companion has saved my butt more times than I can count, and honestly, learning how to work with him transformed my entire survival experience on that creepy island.
Kelvin isn’t just some random NPC you can ignore. He’s basically your lifeline in the early game, especially if you’re new to the survival horror genre like I was when I first jumped in.
Who Exactly Is Kelvin?
Kelvin is your co-pilot who survives the helicopter crash at the beginning of Sons of the Forest. But here’s the kicker – dude can’t hear or speak because of the trauma from the crash. At first, I was like, “Great, a companion who can’t even communicate properly,” but then I realized the game’s notepad system is actually pretty genius.
You communicate with Kelvin through written notes, which sounds clunky but works surprisingly well once you get the hang of it. He’s got specific tasks he can do, and understanding his limitations early on will save you a ton of frustration down the road.
Getting Kelvin to Actually Help You (Without Losing Your Mind)
Okay, so here’s where I messed up big time initially. I kept giving Kelvin contradictory orders and wondering why he seemed confused or just stood there like a statue. The man needs clear, simple instructions!
The notepad menu lets you assign Kelvin various tasks like gathering sticks, collecting stones, or even building basic structures. My pro tip? Start with simple resource gathering first. I had Kelvin collecting sticks for like two in-game days straight, and it was honestly a game-changer for building my first shelter.
Best Tasks for Kelvin
- Gathering sticks and logs – this is his bread and butter, seriously
- Collecting stones for your crafting needs
- Fishing (once you set up a spot near water)
- Building basic fires and shelters when you’re busy exploring
- Following you for companionship and moral support
One thing that really annoyed me at first was that Kelvin won’t fight enemies. Like, at all. I learned this the hard way when cannibals attacked our camp and Kelvin just ran around in circles while I desperately tried to defend us both. According to PC Gamer’s guide, this is intentional – Kelvin’s a support character, not a combat companion.
Keeping Kelvin Alive (Because He’s Mortal, Unfortunately)
Here’s something that genuinely stressed me out – Kelvin can die permanently. There’s no respawn, no reload magic (well, unless you reload a save). I actually lost my first Kelvin to a pack of cannibals because I left him alone while I went cave exploring.
The guilt was real, folks!
To keep your buddy alive, build him a proper shelter away from enemy patrol routes. I learned to set up base camps in strategic locations where cannibals rarely wander. Also, don’t send him too far away when you’re exploring dangerous areas – the poor guy has no defense mechanisms whatsoever.
Common Kelvin Glitches and How to Deal With Them
Not gonna lie, Kelvin can be pretty glitchy sometimes. I’ve had him get stuck in trees, walk into rivers and just stand there, and once he somehow ended up on top of my shelter doing absolutely nothing.
If Kelvin gets stuck, try these fixes that worked for me: Save your game and reload it (classic move), build a small shelter near him which sometimes resets his position, or just give him a new task through the notepad. Usually one of these solutions gets him unstuck and back to being helpful.
For visual learners, this YouTube tutorial on managing Kelvin shows some great techniques for troubleshooting common issues and maximizing his efficiency in your base camp.
Advanced Kelvin Strategies That Actually Work
Once you’ve got the basics down, Kelvin becomes an absolute powerhouse for base building. I started using him to gather massive amounts of logs while I focused on hunting and exploring caves – this division of labor literally changed everything about my playstyle.
Create designated “drop zones” where Kelvin can pile resources. This keeps your base organized and makes crafting sessions way more efficient. Trust me on this one – nothing’s worse than searching through scattered piles of sticks when you’re trying to build something quickly before nightfall.
Your Island Survival Buddy Awaits
Kelvin isn’t perfect, but he’s definitely worth protecting and utilizing properly in Sons of the Forest. Yeah, he’ll frustrate you sometimes with his AI quirks, but the resource gathering alone makes him invaluable for any survivor trying to make it on that nightmare island.
Treat him right, give him clear tasks, and keep him safe from the cannibals. He might not be able to chat with you, but Kelvin’s actions speak louder than words when your base is stocked with resources you didn’t have to gather yourself.
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