Gone Home: Edition

10 Achievements

1,000

1-2h

Xbox One

Letters to Katie

Completed the game having found all 23 of Sam's journal entries.

200

6.0%

How to unlock the Letters to Katie achievement in Gone Home: Edition - Definitive Guide

Maka91

TrueAchievements

13 Jan 2016 13:43

It is recommended that you complete this during your Speedreader achievement:

The Speedreader achievement in Gone Home: Console Edition worth 322 pointsComplete the game having found all 24 journal entries, without Modifiers, in less than 10 minutes.

There are a total of 23 "Sam's Journal"s littered around the house for you to find. They can be found in almost every room and some are very well hidden and not necessary for story completion. The optimized path is found below:

104

13 Jan 2016 13:43

5 Comments

If I hit pause, does the timer still run?

By Goots 88 on 01 Nov 2017 11:12

Thank you for the guide, I would not have known where they would have been

By DeadRose420 on 18 Jul 2018 09:32

@Goots 88
Yes, it still runs. I timed my gameplay to around 8:00 while unpaused and the achievement didn't pop as I started and stopped watching a guide.

By Melody McFox on 30 Jul 2018 14:48

@Limit Fox - it's been a while since I won this achievement, but I am almost positive I paused after every couple of letters and it still unlocked.

By Goots 88 on 31 Jul 2018 13:34

Thank you. I had to save and exit. Still got The achievement.

By Ganesh78 on 27 Jan 2021 00:22

View all 5 comments Show less comments

Runner eGirl

TrueAchievements

14 Sep 2016 00:34

If you're not speed-running, just playing through and have found most of the journal entries and want to get the ones you're missing and get this achievement ahead of Speedrunner (which might take some practice anyway), here's a list of all 24 locations (last one not needed for this achievement, but you might as well get it out of the way now, along with its corresponding achievement). The list is not mine, I took it from http://www.usgamer.net/articles/gone-home-console-edition-al...

Journal #1 - At the New House: Grab the front door key out of the cabinet on the front porch, and enter the house. Turn left to find this journal on the front hall table beside the bathroom.
Journal #2 - First Day of School: On the first floor, enter the door on the left leading into a hallway. Turn on the hall lights, then enter the closet door on the left. Read the note sticking out of the backpack to collect the journal.
Journal #3 - Big Gold Star: Continue down the hallway from journal #2. Enter the door on the left at the end of the hall. Examine the book to the left of the TV on top of the cabinet to collect this journal entry.
Journal #4 - Default Friends: Exit the entertainment room where you found #3, and continue down the hallway. Enter the next door on the left. Open the closet door on the left and pull the string to turn on the light. Search the pocket of a hanging jean jacket on the right to read the letter, unlocking this journal.
Journal #5 - Best Laid Plans: Continue through the first floor hallway. Locate a dresser near the corner of the hall, just past the room where you found #4. Open the bottom drawer of the dresser, and read the note.
Journal #6 - Hanging out with Girls: Go up the large staircase to the second floor. Turn right down the hall, and turn on the lightswitch if needed. Locate a large cabinet on the left. Open the bottom cubby of the cabinet and grab the cassette tape to collect this journal.
Journal #7 - Dealing with Roots: Continue through the hall on the second floor. Enter the bathroom across the hall from Sam’s bedroom door on the far side. Look beside the bathtub, and pick up the bottle of hair dye to receive this journal.
Journal #8 - Lie to Mom and Dad Situation: Continue through the second floor hallway, and turn left toward the attic. Enter the last door on the right, just before the attic. Walk past the eisel, and open the drawer on the left dresser. Examine the note to receive the journal.
Journal #9 - Adjusting to the Dark: On the second floor, enter Mom and Dad’s bedroom across the hall from Sam’s room. Turn on the lightswitch if necessary, and proceed to the closet on the far left side of the room. Approach the white wall at the back of the closet to access a secret passage. Continue through the passage and open the panel to the library. On the far left corner of the library, search along the lower wall to discover a loose board covering a hidden panel. Examine the flyer to receive the journal entry.
Journal #10 - There Was Nothing Wrong: Go upstairs to the second floor and enter Sam’s bedroom. Unlock Sam’s locker using the combination “0501”. Examine the photo inside the locker door to unlock the journal entry, and make sure to snag the keys hanging on the door as well.
Journal #11 - It’s Different Now: Enter the first floor hallway. Continue to the end of the hall, just past the dresser where you found Journal #5. Since you grabbed the key from Sam’s bedroom in #10, you can now unlock the door at the end of the hallway. Continue down into the basement. When you reach the pile of boxes on top of the couch, examine a pink drawing sitting on the corner of the box flap to receive this journal.
Journal #12 - Ship Date: Continue through the basement. Turn left to walk past the furnace and water heater. On the left, you’ll find a letter sitting on top of a box. Read the letter for this journal entry.
Journal #13 - I Can Sing: Keep moving through the basement. Locate and enter the Servant’s Quarters through a door on the right. Just as you enter the quarters, examine the yellow scrap hanging on the wall just ahead of the door.
Journal #14 - Stick with the Group: Continue through the basement into the next room past the Servant’s Quarters. Grab the postcard off of the desk straight ahead as you enter the door.
Journal #15 - The Nunnery: From the desk where you found the postcard in #14, continue to the left to find a passage behind the bookshelf. Walk up the stairs and keep to the right to enter a small room. Pass through the room to and locate a panel in a dark corner on the far side. Enter the panel, and you will now be back on the first floor. Locate an open folder on the table beside the couch. Close the folder, and examine the scrap of paper sitting beneath it.
Journal #16 - Getting Lonnie: Walk through the corridor past the desk where you found the postcard in #14. Enter the passage behind the shelf, turning on the lights if necessary. As you reach the top of the stairs, enter the small room on the right. Read the letter on the table to the right to receive this journal.
Journal #17 - A Very Long Phase: From the couch where you found the scrap in #15, be sure to open the door on the right of the couch. This will allow you to access this hallway later on without going through the basement. Now, continue through the hallway and enter the door straight ahead, leading to the dining room. Open the colorful folder on the corner of the dining table, and examine both notes inside the folder to receive this journal entry.
Journal #18 - Just Gone: Walk through the kitchen and enter the door to the garage. As you enter the garage there is a bicycle with a hat hanging off the handlebar on the left. Interact with the hat to receive this journal entry.
Journal #19 - Daniel: Pass through the dining room and enter the kitchen across the hall. Read the story sitting on the corner of the kitchen table.
Journal #20 - Dedication: Exit the dining room and continue down the hallway. Approach the window at the end of the hall, and search for another loose panel on the lower left corner of the wall. Read the crumpled note to receive this journal entry.
Journal #21 - Life Moves On: Turn left at the end of the hallway, just before the window where you found #20. Enter the door on the left, and pass through the laundry room into the greenhouse. Locate a small table beside the far door, and examine the map to add this journal to your backpack.
Journal #22 - In the Attic: Face the main staircase on the first floor. Search the wall to the right of the staircase to discover a secret passage. Take the attic key off of the box at the end of the passage to receive the journal entry.
Journal #23 - I Said Yes: After retrieving the attic key in #22, head upstairs to the attic. Open the attic and climb up the ladder. Turn right and examine the drawing on the sleeping bag to earn this journal.
Journal #24 - Meow Meow Meow: This journal entry is the only entry that doesn’t belong to Sam, and also corresponds to another achievement. Start by entering the garage, and locating a blue recycle bin on the far wall. Pick up a can out of the bin, and stand near the doorway. Look up to find a purple ball sitting on top of a rafter along the ceiling. Throw the can toward the ball to knock the ball down, then pick up the ball where it falls. Take the ball upstairs to Sam’s room, and dunk it in the basket hanging on the back of her bedroom door.

Also, this video might be useful, although it uses some shortcuts like entering the code for the locker without showing how to find it. Credit for the video goes to YouTube user/uploader VidGamiacUnlocked

14 Sep 2016 00:34

3 Comments

Great solution ! This worked perfectly.

By mak 90 on 15 Oct 2017 23:16

Does the timer still tick when paused?

By GamePadZebby on 15 Feb 2018 14:13

I don't remember, but the timer is not relevant for this achievement, you can take as long as you want to find these

By Runner eGirl on 15 Feb 2018 14:42

View all 3 comments Show less comments

Runner eGirl

TrueAchievements

14 Sep 2016 00:34

3 Comments

Great solution ! This worked perfectly.

By mak 90 on 15 Oct 2017 23:16

Does the timer still tick when paused?

By GamePadZebby on 15 Feb 2018 14:13

I don't remember, but the timer is not relevant for this achievement, you can take as long as you want to find these

By Runner eGirl on 15 Feb 2018 14:42

View all 3 comments Show less comments

The Norda

TrueAchievements

05 Oct 2017 20:05

If you wanna see a guide with brightness up to make it as easy and simple as it could be!

05 Oct 2017 20:05

LifeExpectancy

TrueAchievements

07 Feb 2016 20:55

I know it's kinda reinventing the wheel, but I made a 100%-in-a-single video for those that prefer that sort of thing. Maka's solution is perfectly fine, but for those that wanna follow along with a single video and 1k the game, here's my version below. You'll get this achievement while going for Speedreader, which requires you to get all 23 journals as well as the secret one and finish the game in under 10 minutes.

Timestamps:
00:07 - This old house, Nesting Instinct, Intuitive, Wet Blanket
04:32 - Homerunner
06:05- Speedreader and Meow meow meow
14:23 - Behind the Scenes

07 Feb 2016 20:55

LifeExpectancy

TrueAchievements

07 Feb 2016 20:55

Gunflame

TrueAchievements

11 Oct 2017 19:09

Hey all, quick video for unlocking both Speedreader and Letter's to Katie. Biggest thing is to keep moving, hope the video(or any of them above) help!

11 Oct 2017 19:09

Icarneiro

TrueAchievements

05 Oct 2017 00:28

Achievements Guide - Gone home

Walkthrough 100% - Detonado - Passo a passo.

Speedreader - 200G

Letters to Katie - 200G

Guia de Conquista em Português do Brasil.

Inscription in English.

05 Oct 2017 00:28

Icarneiro

TrueAchievements

05 Oct 2017 00:28

Achievements Guide - Gone home

Walkthrough 100% - Detonado - Passo a passo.

Speedreader - 200G

Letters to Katie - 200G

Guia de Conquista em Português do Brasil.

Inscription in English.

05 Oct 2017 00:28

Maka

XboxAchievements

View "Speedreader".