ACT 1 — PART 1
By Caleb Irvin / October 6, 2026 / No Comments
100% Checklist for this part: 10 Documents, 3 Computers, 3 Media, 0 Chronon Sources, 0 Quantum Ripples, and 0 Intel. That gives us 16 narrative collectibles total. GameFAQs
And yes—the COD Guide is here.
Unfortunately for him.
🎬 OPENING — THE COD GUIDE’S DAY OFF
Somewhere far away from zombies, Easter eggs, teleporters, Richtofen, and everything else that has ruined this man’s life…
COD Guide: “Finally.”
He drops onto the couch.
COD Guide: “A day off.”
Snacks come out.
COD Guide: “No zombies.”
“…No teleporters.”
“…No interdimensional beings.”
“…Nobody screwing around with reality.”
Us: “Hey, we’re starting another game.”
COD Guide: “Cool. What’s it called?”
Us: “Quantum Break.”
Silence.
COD Guide: “What’s it about?”
Us: “Time travel.”
…
The snacks slowly lower.
COD Guide: “No.”
Us: “We haven’t even started!”
COD Guide: “I KNOW YOU PEOPLE.”
📕 THE TIME RULE
Nothing good happens when you mess with time.
Us: “Different game.”
COD Guide: “TIME DOESN’T CARE WHAT GAME YOU’RE IN!”
COD GUIDE ANGER LEVEL: 🟩 1/10
And so begins Quantum Break.
RIVERPORT UNIVERSITY
After the opening, Jack Joyce gets dropped off outside Riverport University.
Our objective is to meet Paul Serene.
But don’t immediately run toward him.
We’ve got collectibles.
And unlike our original draft, I’m giving you their actual locations in encounter order.
📄 COLLECTIBLE 1/16 — RIVERPORT UNIVERSITY MAP
Type: Document
Location: Riverport University entrance.
Immediately after getting out of the cab and gaining control of Jack, look toward the left side of the entrance area.
You’ll see a student sitting nearby.
Behind/near him is the large Riverport University Map.
Walk over and interact with it.
✅ COLLECTIBLE 1/16 COMPLETE
This is the very first collectible in the game. GameFAQs
📄 COLLECTIBLE 2/16 — PROTEST FLIER
Continue up the stairs and underneath the covered entrance.
Don’t rush into the courtyard.
Look at the table on your left.
The Protest Flier is sitting there.
Grab it before continuing. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 2/16 COMPLETE
📄 COLLECTIBLE 3/16 — STOP MONARCH PROBLEMS POSTER
Continue forward until you emerge into the courtyard.
Look for the illuminated clock.
Underneath/near it is a notice board containing the Stop Monarch Problems Poster. A nearby bench with a couple sitting on it is another good landmark. GameFAQs
Interact with the poster.
✅ COLLECTIBLE 3/16 COMPLETE
And there’s our first mention of Monarch.
Remember that name.
📄 COLLECTIBLE 4/16 — SOFIA AMARAL SEMINAR POSTER
Don’t leave yet!
From the previous notice board, look farther left for another illuminated message board.
Interact with it to collect the Sofia Amaral Seminar Poster. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 4/16 COMPLETE
📻 COLLECTIBLE 5/16 — BOBBY RADFORD RIVERPORT RADIO SHOW
Now head toward the large statue in the courtyard.
Look for a chair facing back toward the covered walkway.
There’s a radio there.
Interact with it to get:
Media — Bobby Radford Riverport Radio Show. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 5/16 COMPLETE
📄 COLLECTIBLE 6/16 — AMY’S MONARCH TIMELINE
Follow the path around the left side of the central statue.
You’ll encounter Amy.
You can speak with her for additional dialogue.
Afterward, look at the board beside her protest area.
Interact with Amy’s Monarch Timeline. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 6/16 COMPLETE
📺 COLLECTIBLE 7/16 — RETURN
Don’t leave Amy’s protest area yet.
There’s a tent beside the timeline.
Go inside.
You’ll find a television.
Interact with it.
This gives you the Media collectible Return, which is also a fun Remedy/Alan Wake Easter egg. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 7/16 COMPLETE
HEAD TOWARD THE PHYSICS BUILDING
Now we can continue toward the large Physics building where Paul is waiting.
But…
DO NOT ENTER YET.
We’ve got two more collectibles immediately outside.
📄 COLLECTIBLES 8 & 9/16 — PAUL SERENE / DR. KIM ARTICLES
Near the entrance to the Physics building are two illuminated displays.
Inspect both.
You’ll collect:
Paul Serene Focus Article
and
Dr. Kim Memorial Article
These account for the next two documents. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLES 8 & 9/16 COMPLETE
Now enter the building.
MEETING PAUL SERENE
And here he is.
Paul Serene.
Jack’s old friend.
The guy who asked us to come here at an extremely normal hour to see an extremely normal experiment.
COD Guide: “What kind of experiment?”
Us: “We don’t know yet.”
COD Guide: “Uh-huh.”
He suspiciously eats another chip.
💻 COLLECTIBLE 10/16 — RE: WILLIAM JOYCE CLEARANCE
After the scene with Paul ends, don’t immediately follow him.
Turn left.
You’ll see a reception desk.
Go behind it and interact with the monitor.
This gives you:
Computer — RE: WILLIAM JOYCE CLEARANCE. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 10/16 COMPLETE
📄 COLLECTIBLE 11/16 — MONARCH SOLUTIONS JOB FAIR POSTER
Follow Paul up the nearby ramp.
He’ll head toward an elevator.
DON’T ENTER THE ELEVATOR YET.
Instead, go past it.
You’ll find a model of the university’s Physics building.
Look at the pin board beside the model.
Interact with the Monarch Solutions Job Fair Poster. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 11/16 COMPLETE
Now take the elevator with Paul.
📺 COLLECTIBLE 12/16 — PROJECT PROMENADE PRESENTATION
When you exit the elevator, you’ll see chairs arranged in front of a presentation.
Don’t follow Paul immediately.
Sit in the chair directly in front of the presentation and watch/interact with it.
You’ll obtain:
Media — Project Promenade Presentation.
You’ll also unlock the Marketing Spiel achievement for watching it. GameFAQs
🏆 ACHIEVEMENT — MARKETING SPIEL
✅ COLLECTIBLE 12/16 COMPLETE
AND HERE COMES THE PROBLEM…
Continue with Paul into the laboratory.
Eventually, we discover exactly what Paul has been working on.
A time machine.
…
Cut to COD Guide.
He’s completely motionless.
COD Guide: “No.”
Us: “It’s pretty cool.”
COD Guide: “NO.”
Paul: explains time machine
COD Guide: “TURN AROUND.”
Us: “We’re supposed to help him.”
COD Guide: “TURN. AROUND.”
COD GUIDE ANGER LEVEL: 🟨 3/10
Us: “That’s a pretty big jump from one.”
COD Guide: “HE BUILT A TIME MACHINE!”
📄 COLLECTIBLE 13/16 — PHOTO OF JACK AND PAUL
Continue down into Paul’s laboratory.
When you reach the workstation area, look toward the shelf on the right.
There’s a framed photograph there.
Examine it to collect:
Photo of Jack and Paul. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 13/16 COMPLETE
💻 COLLECTIBLE 14/16 — RE: PROJECT PROMENADE BETA TEST
Stay in this same workstation area.
Check the laptop on the main desk.
Interact with it for:
Computer — RE: PROJECT PROMENADE BETA TEST. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 14/16 COMPLETE
💻 COLLECTIBLE 15/16 — RE: COMING HOME?
Wait for Paul to open the next door.
Continue down the following ramp.
At the bottom of the ramp, look at the desk on the right.
There’s a tablet.
Interact with it for:
Computer — RE: COMING HOME? GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 15/16 COMPLETE
📄 COLLECTIBLE 16/16 — CORRIDOR SCHEMATICS
We’re almost done!
Near the base of the next ramp is a pin board.
Inspect it.
You’ll obtain:
Corridor Schematics. GameFAQs
✅ COLLECTIBLE 16/16 COMPLETE
🎉 PART 1 COLLECTIBLES: 16/16
From here onward, there are no more collectibles in this part.
So now we can safely concentrate on Paul’s experiment.
ACTIVATE THE EXPERIMENT
Head up into the control area.
Paul needs Jack’s help activating the machine.
Follow the game’s prompts to activate the equipment and continue following Paul between the control stations. GameFAQs
Meanwhile…
COD Guide: “Jack.”
Us: “Yeah?”
COD Guide: “You know you can say no.”
Us: “It’s the objective.”
COD Guide: “I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE OBJECTIVE.”
We activate the machine.
COD Guide: “Strike one.”
We activate more of it.
COD Guide: “Strike TWO.”
Paul continues messing around with time.
COD Guide: “PAUL.”
Us: “You’re talking to the television.”
COD Guide: “PAUL, I SWEAR TO—”
🕒 TIME RULE VIOLATION
Things start getting strange.
Very strange.
And eventually Jack’s brother William Joyce enters the situation.
William understands what’s happening enough to know something is seriously wrong.
And what does William basically want?
STOP THE EXPERIMENT.
COD Guide immediately points at William.
COD Guide: “THAT GUY.”
Us: “William?”
COD Guide: “YES.”
Us: “What about him?”
COD Guide: “I LIKE HIM.”
Us: “You’ve known him for thirty seconds.”
COD Guide: “HE WANTS TO TURN OFF THE TIME MACHINE. HE’S THE SMARTEST PERSON HERE.”
THE FRACTURE
Unfortunately…
We’re a little late.
Something goes catastrophically wrong with the experiment.
Time itself becomes damaged.
This event is the Fracture in Time, and reaching it unlocks the story achievement A Fracture in Time. GameFAQs
🏆 ACHIEVEMENT — A FRACTURE IN TIME
Cut back to COD Guide.
He isn’t eating anymore.
COD Guide: “You broke time.”
Us: “Technically Paul—”
COD Guide: “YOU BROKE.”
“TIME.”
Us: “Maybe it’ll fix itself.”
…
COD Guide: “Why would you say that?”
COD GUIDE ANGER LEVEL: 🟧 5/10
🕒 TIME CHECK
Here’s what you need to understand before continuing:
Paul’s experiment wasn’t simply a cool machine that lets somebody visit yesterday.
Something has gone seriously wrong with the normal functioning of time.
You don’t need to understand all the details yet.
The game will reveal them gradually.
For now, remember:
THE FRACTURE = TIME IS BROKEN.
And that’s going to cause some very strange things.
HELP WILLIAM AND PAUL
After the experiment fails, head up the nearby ramp and interact with William in the workstation area.
Then return toward the time machine as instructed. GameFAQs
Things rapidly deteriorate.
Monarch personnel arrive.
And we need to get out.
🚨 ESCAPE THE LAB
When control returns, move with William.
Head up the ramp to the right.
At the end you’ll find an open hatch in the floor.
Go down through it.
Once you’re on the lower level, continue along the walkway and squeeze through the machinery blocking the route. This ends Act 1, Part 1. GameFAQs
📊 FINAL 100% CHECK
Before we leave this part, your totals should be:
Documents: 10/10 ✅
Computers: 3/3 ✅
Media: 3/3 ✅
Chronon Sources: 0/0 ✅
Quantum Ripples: 0/0 ✅
Intel: 0/0 ✅
Total Narrative Objects: 16/16 ✅ GameFAQs
And you should have encountered the opportunities for:
🏆 Marketing Spiel
🏆 A Fracture in Time
📕 COD GUIDE’S TIME RULE REPORT
Built a time machine: ❌
Activated the time machine: ❌
Ignored the guy saying the time machine was dangerous: ❌
Experiment went horribly wrong: ❌
BROKE TIME ITSELF: ❌❌❌
COD Guide’s peaceful day off: DESTROYED
COD Guide: “We’re one part into the game.”
Us: “Correct.”
COD Guide: “And time is already broken.”
Us: “Correct.”
COD Guide: “How many Acts are there?”
Us: “Five.”
…
COD Guide: “I’m going home.”
Us: “You’re already home.”
…
COD Guide: “DAMMIT.”
😡 COD GUIDE ANGER LEVEL: 🟧 5/10
Don’t worry.
I’m sure nobody will mess with time again.
COD Guide: “DON’T YOU DARE.”
