Welcome to part 1 of our walkthrough for Desktop Explorer.
As you come across your uncle’s old computer, you find an odd little app inside called Desktop Explorer. You turn it on, and things quickly spiral into the weirdness. As you solve one puzzle after another, you uncover more parts of your Uncle’s Journal and piece together the story of his past.
This article is part of our Desktop Explorer Walkthrough Hub. Check it out for more content.
For more information about the game, check out their Steam page here.
Table of contents
The Beginning
After starting a new game, you’ll arrive at the login screen. There are three usernames that you can choose, but only one is accessible right now. Log in as Halibut.
This will take you to the desktop with the Tasklist document open. Click the Start Menu and open the Chronolog software.
This will open Halibut’s Journal. Read through the Journal Entry. Then switch to Guppy’s Journal tab and click on Write Journal to write your own Entry. You’ll learn that Halibut is Guppy’s Uncle and the computer you’re using was his.
Double-click the OpenMe application on the desktop. You need to enter a password to access the file. The Password is the nickname given to you by your uncle: Guppy.
Open the DE_Installer.exe file afterwards to install the DesktopExplorer application on the computer.
Once the app is installed, you’ll see Pizarro, who teaches you how the puzzles work in the app. Think of it as a basic tutorial for the game. After going through the dialogue, you’ll be led to Puzzle0_Prologue.
Puzzle 0 – Prologue
Open the README.npg file. It’s a text file that tells you how to find the passwords.
Double-click the Puzzle0_Prologue file to get to the next puzzle.
Puzzle 1 – Go In
Open the LostOnTheShore.stp file inside the folder. The password is the final word of the text: fortuna.
There are two image files in the folder that you can check.
Open the Puzzle1_Go_in file and enter the password to go to the next puzzle.
Puzzle 2 – Ancient Ruins
In the folder, open the long_scroll.npg file and scroll to the bottom. You’ll find the password: Inanna.
Enter the password into the Puzzle 2 – Ancient ruins file and enter the password.
Puzzle 3 – Narrow Tunnel
Inspect the lighted_path.stp file. It holds a clue to solving the next puzzle.
Double-click the 04-04-1998.res file to unlock a new Halibut’s Journal entry for the Chronolog. Note the name Walleye in the journal. It’ll come in handy later.
Open the wide_papyrus_strip.npg text file next.
Click on Format and activate Word Wrap. Then drag the bottom-left corner of the notepad to resize the window until you see the shape of an elephant. The password will be revealed at the trunk of the animal: Elephas.
Enter the password into the Puzzle3_Narrow_tunnel file to continue forward.
Puzzle 4 – Crossroads
Open the detective_memories.stp file.
Click on View and check the Source Code.
You’ll find the password in the final paragraph of the textpad: Salve.
Enter the password in the Puzzle4_Crossroads file to get to the next one.
Puzzle 5 – Big Door
There are two subfolders, Left_door and Right_door, here. There’s also a file called key.err that’s corrupted. Open the three_paths.stp file to check the instructions.
Enter the Left_door subfolder and open the Left_room_rune.img file. This opens an image. You can also inspect the behind_left_door.stp file if you want.
Click on the Back button from the toolbar to go back to the previous folder and then head into the Right_door subfolder. Open the right_room_rune.img file.
Arrange the two open images so that they are right next to each other. The rune reads “RENAMEIT“.
Go back to the previous folder and right-click on the key.err file. Choose the Rename option and change the file extension to .img
Open the image file afterward to find the password: Portonus. Enter the password in the Puzzle5_big_door file to proceed to the next puzzle.
Puzzle 6 – Lights Out
Entering the next folder, you’ll find another Halibut’s Journal Entry: 02-26-1998.res. Double-click on it to add it to the Chronolog.
Open the small_rooms.stp and the etched_walls.img files next.
Right-click on the etched_walls.img file and select Properties. Check the name of the Author: MMTT. This is your password.
Enter the password in the Puzzle6_lights_out file to move on to the next puzzle.
Puzzle 7 – Dark Sanctum
There are two .stp and two .img files in the next folder. The overwhelming_dark.stp file talks about revealing what’s hidden. Open the View sub-menu and choose Hidden Files.
This reveals the heightened_sense.stp and engraved_warning.npg files in the folder. Open the engraved_warning.npg file to reveal the password: Kassandra. Enter the password to get to the next folder.
Puzzle 8 – Following the Dark
The next puzzle file in the folder isn’t locked. But before you head inside, check the stalagmite_formation.img to find a password: Rubicon. Also check the stalagmite_sanctum.stp file.
Enter the Puzzle8_following_the_dark folder to find the flat_stone_M.img and the dead_end.stp files. Inspect both files.
Use the back button to keep going back until you reach the Puzzle 6 folder, where you’ll find a new image file: i_kNow_yoU_sAW_ME.img.
Continue going back, and you’ll find the stuck.stp and no_escape.img in the Puzzle 1 folder. Inspect both files. Then open the View sub-menu and access Hidden Files.
You’ll find a new file here called Puzzle9_Altar. Double-click on it and enter the password Rubicon to move on to the next section.
Puzzle 9 – Altar
Open the 08-16-1998.res file to add it to Halibut’s Journal in the Chronolog. Then check the altar.stp file.
Check the mural.img file. Then open the flat_stone_L.img file.
Keep the flat_stone_L.img file open. Then go back to the previous folders to look for and open the flat_stone_M.img (Puzzle 8 folder) and flat_stone_S.img ( Puzzle 6 folder) files. Stack them on top of each other.
This automatically takes you to the next puzzle folder without requiring a password. You’ll also get a notification that a new file is added: ColorLens.exe.
Puzzle 10 – Beyond
Read the instructions in the mysterious_quartz.stp. Then double-click the ColorLens.exe file to install the software.
Once it’s installed, you can drag the ColorLens window across the mural.img window to reveal hidden symbols. Click on the Filter sub-menu of ColorLens to switch between Red, Blue, and Yellow filters.
Double-click the Puzzle10_beyond file. Unlike the previous puzzles, this one requires you to answer some Security Questions. You’ll find the answers by inspecting the mural.img with ColorLens.
- Security Question 1: What animal is bathing in the tears of grief?
The correct answer is Crocodile, found by inspecting the bottom part of the image using the Blue filter.
- Security Question 2: How many eyes are witnessing the bliss of acceptance?
The correct answer is 14 or fourteen. You’ll find it by counting the number of eyes you see while inspecting the image using the Yellow filter.
- Security Question 3: How did wrath manifest around the person on the boat?
The correct answer is Fire. Inspect the person on the boat on the left side of the image using the Red filter.
- Security Question 4: Who is the dead man on the boat?
The correct answer is Walleye, referring to Uncle Halibut‘s dead brother as you read in the Chronolog Journal entry.
Once you answer all questions correctly, the folder window closes and the desktop wallpaper changes.
Eventually the screen fills up with error messages until the computer crashes. Once the previous session is restored, you’ll find yourself back at the login screen.
This concludes part 1 of our walkthrough for Desktop Explorer. For more interesting articles related to indie games, check out the links below:
- Into Indie Games Homepage
- Dead Weight – Walkthrough And Guides Hub
- The Mound: Omen of Cthulu – Beginner Tips & Tricks
- Denshattack! – The Ultimate Guide For Everything
- Moss: The Forgotten Relic – Walkthrough Hub
Muhit Rahman lives off two things: gaming marathons and endless cups of tea. He writes guides, reviews, and occasionally forgets that real life doesn’t come with checkpoints. His favorite genres are Soulslike and Metroidvania, with Dark Souls III, Hollow Knight, and Dota 2 forever holding top spots on his all-time list.
