How to Get the Best Ending in The Quarry: A Complete Guide

Understanding the Stakes in The Quarry

The Quarry is a narrative-driven horror game where every choice matters. Unlike some games where the ending is determined by a single final decision, The Quarry tracks dozens of variables across its nine chapters. Your relationships with the other counselors, the clues you find, and the life-or-death calls you make all feed into which of the many possible conclusions you unlock. For players who want the most satisfying resolution, the phrase best ending the quarry refers to a specific outcome where the maximum number of playable characters survive and the supernatural threat is resolved in a way that feels earned.

I have played through the game several times, testing different approaches. The first time, I lost three counselors by the end. The second time, I saved everyone but missed the full context of the curse. Only on my third run did I finally understand what the best ending the quarry actually requires. It is not just about keeping everyone alive. It also involves finding all the evidence, making the right calls during the final confrontation, and understanding the backstory of the Hackett family curse. This guide walks you through the critical decisions that lead to that ideal conclusion.

What Makes an Ending the "Best"

Before diving into the choices, it helps to define what we mean by best ending the quarry. For most players, the best ending means all nine counselors survive and the Hackett family curse is broken for good. But there is more to it. The game also rewards you with a final scene that shows the counselors driving away together, sharing what they have learned, and hinting at a future free from the curse. That scene only plays if you have met certain conditions throughout the story.

The key factors are: keeping each character alive, collecting all the tarot cards and clues, choosing the right dialogue options at key moments, and making the correct decisions during the final confrontation at the Hackett mansion. Missing even one piece can lock you into a lesser ending. The game is designed so that a perfect run feels like a real achievement, not a foregone conclusion.

Critical Decisions That Lead to the Best Ending

Chapter 1: The Prologue Choice

The game starts with a choice between Emma and Jacob. This early decision determines which counselor you play as during the opening and influences how much you learn about the curse from the start. To set up the best ending, choose Emma here. Her perspective gives you early exposure to the Hackett family lore and the strange behavior of the Hackett boy, which pays off later when you need to understand the curse's origin.

Chapter 3: The Car Scene

When you play as Kaitlyn and she pulls over to check on the car, you face a choice: stay with the car or go into the woods. For the best ending, go into the woods. This path leads you to the Hackett burial ground and the first real clue about the curse. If you stay with the car, you miss that clue and later choices become harder to justify.

Chapter 5: The Confrontation with Constance

When you find Constance in the basement, you must decide whether to trust her or attack her. Trust her. She is telling the truth about the curse and the ritual that can break it. Attacking her shuts down that information and forces you into a combat sequence that can get characters killed. Trusting her opens the dialogue tree that reveals the true nature of the Hackett family bargain.

Chapter 7: The Tarot Card Collection

Throughout the game, you can find tarot cards that explain the curse's mechanics. You need to collect at least 8 of the 10 cards to unlock the best ending. The cards are hidden in locations tied to each character's story. For example, Ryan's card is in the radio hut, and Abigail's is in the boathouse. Missing more than two cards means you will not have enough context to make the right call in the final chapter.

Chapter 9: The Final Confrontation

In the final chapter, you control Kaitlyn and Jacob together. The key decision is how to deal with the Hackett boy. If you have collected enough tarot cards and trusted Constance, you will have the option to perform the ritual to break the curse rather than kill him. Choose the ritual. This is the moment that determines whether you get the best ending the quarry can offer. If you kill him instead, the curse persists and the survivors will face it again in the future.

Character Survival Checklist

Keeping everyone alive is the other pillar of the best ending. Here are the critical saves you cannot miss:

• Save Ryan from the bear trap by choosing to help him when he is caught. This happens in Chapter 4.
• Save Abigail from the collapsing dock by choosing to pull her out rather than grab the boat. This is in Chapter 6.
• Save Emma from the Hackett boy by using the shotgun correctly during the chase scene in Chapter 7.
• Save Jacob from the fire in the barn by choosing to break the window instead of looking for a key. This is in Chapter 8.
• Save Kaitlyn from the final fall by choosing to grab the railing rather than jump. This is in Chapter 9.

If you miss any of these, you lose a counselor and the ending shifts to a less satisfying group shot. The game does not let you retry individual scenes, so you have to commit to the choices.

Common Pitfalls That Ruin the Best Ending

Even experienced players can slip up. One common mistake is not searching thoroughly in the early chapters. The tarot cards are easy to miss if you are rushing through dialogue. Another mistake is choosing to attack Constance because she seems threatening. The game deliberately makes her look dangerous, but the best ending requires you to trust her. A third pitfall is failing to save Ryan in Chapter 4. He is one of the most useful characters for the final confrontation, and losing him removes a key ally.

I also see players who try to speed through the game without exploring side areas. The Quarry rewards curiosity. The best ending the quarry offers only opens up when you have seen enough of the story to understand why the curse exists and how to end it permanently. Skipping exploration means you will face the final choice without the full picture.

Why the Best Ending Matters

The best ending is not just about a trophy or a perfect score. It is about narrative closure. The Quarry is a game that spends its runtime building up the Hackett family tragedy, the counselors' relationships, and the weight of the curse. The best ending pays off all of that setup. It shows the counselors not only surviving but also growing from the experience. They leave the quarry with a new understanding of themselves and each other. The final scene has a warmth that the other endings lack. It feels like the story earns its resolution.

For players who invest the time to find every clue and make every right call, the reward is a satisfying conclusion that respects the player's effort. The game acknowledges that you paid attention. That is a rare thing in choice-driven horror, and it is why the best ending the quarry is worth pursuing.

Final Tips for Your Run

If you are planning a playthrough aimed at the best ending, keep these points in mind:

• Save often and use different save slots so you can backtrack if you mess up a critical choice.
• Listen to every conversation fully. Key information is often hidden in optional dialogue.
• Check every room and every drawer. The tarot cards are never in plain sight.
• Trust Constance. She is the only character who tells you the full truth about the curse.
• Do not panic during the final confrontation. The ritual has a clear sequence that the game shows you if you have done the prep work.

With these strategies, you can unlock the ending that makes The Quarry a truly memorable horror experience. It takes patience and a willingness to explore, but the payoff is worth it.