Scott Christian Studio Director, Hilltop Studios October 30, 2026 · 8 min read [https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.xbox.com%2Fen-us%2F2026%2F10%2F30%2Fcurse-of-resthaven-tips-and-tricks-xbox%2F&text=Curse%20of%20Resthaven%3A%20Tips%20and%20Tricks%20to%20Unravel%20the%20Island%26%238217%3Bs%20Secrets] Hi there! I’m Scott Christian, the studio director of Hilltop Studios here in Toronto, and the game director of Curse of Resthaven. We make games with a particular emphasis on strong characters, intricate storytelling, unique mechanics, and the occasional musical interlude.

Before making games, I spent fifteen years working as a composer and conductor here in Toronto, mainly in theatre. That background informs how we approach our games at Hilltop: character, timing, and a good dramatic reveal go a long way. Our debut, Lil’ Guardsman [https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/lil-guardsman/9PC8F9T8GX3Q], was a comedic fantasy gate-guard simulator about a twelve-year-old put in charge of a castle gate, with the fate of the world in her hands.

For our follow-up, Curse of Resthaven [https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/curse-of-resthaven/9MT4ZXD1LJNN/0010], we decided to take a different turn into gothic horror, creeping dread, and a mystery that unfolds over a repeating six-day time loop. You play as Ambrose, the island’s newly appointed governor, tasked with restoring prosperity to the colony but he also has his own agenda: finding his missing niece, Amalia. The problem is that Resthaven is destroyed six days into his tenure… and Ambrose is sent back to the day of his arrival, the only one to remember the island’s fate.

Mashing up mechanics from narrative adventures, trading sims, deckbuilders, and roguelikes, Curse of Resthaven challenges you to investigate a town full of secrets, keep its economy running, and venture into the strange wilderness beyond its borders. You have six days to work with before disaster strikes and the island resets. Fortunately, you get to keep what you learn.

Solving the mystery is just the first step. You’ll soon discover there are three different timelines to explore, and only by reaching all three conclusions will you unlock the fourth, true ending.

Whether you’re stepping onto Resthaven for the first time or looking to make the most of your next loop, here are a few tips to help you get started.

A Few Simple Tips

Curse of Resthaven is a game about connecting the dots. Its systems feed into one another, and the best discoveries often come from combining information gathered in different ways. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you investigate the island.

- Talk to everyone, and then talk to them again. Resthaven’s residents have their own motivations, grudges, and secrets. What someone tells you depends on what Ambrose already knows, what topics you bring up, and what has happened during the current loop. If a character isn’t being helpful,...