A year after the Prologue's events, Dr. Hill meets the player, who is introduced as "The Analyst." He explains that the events of last year cannot be changed, but that the 'player' can make decisions that will affect the future as the 'game' is being played, and that he will help see the game through. If it is the player’s second playthrough, he will mention that he already told you you can’t change the past, only the future, and to accept it and move on.

The first exercise he starts with involves a card with a picture of a scarecrow in a cornfield outside of a cottage. He asks the player to analyze the picture before asking how the player feels about it.

• If the player chose that it made them feel happy and would stay in the cottage regardless, Chapter 1 will be called Friendship. Otherwise, it will be called Memento Mori.
• Regardless of previous decisions in the session, if the player does not care that the cottage is haunted, Chapter 3 will be called Haunted. However, if the player is frightened by the possibility of ghosts in the cottage, or makes decisions where they are not asked the question to stay in the cottage at all, Chapter 3 will be called Isolation.