During Answers Come at a Price, use the code 2605 to open the Factory basement stairwell. The later basement door uses 2603—it is a separate door, not the entrance code. To reach the stairwell, find the prisoner on the second floor, exit through the nearby opening, and descend the collapsed concrete slab to the first floor.
Reach the Factory without using the guarded entrance
This route takes place after Star gives Skif the Factory objective in Answers at a Price. A third-party walkthrough recommends avoiding the obvious fence entrance watched by a guard carrying binoculars. Instead, follow the fence with it on your left, circle the building, and look for a hole and a pipe. Use the opening beneath the pipe to enter the first floor; the pipe also provides a way up to the second floor. The walkthrough’s Factory route is not an official guide, so treat its enemy placements as landmarks rather than guarantees.
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Find the prisoner and the basement stairwell
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Reach the second floor and find the locked room with a prisoner. Speak with him; he explains that the other captives are in a basement laboratory and asks Skif to retrieve secret documents.
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Leave the prisoner’s room and return to the second-floor landing. With the room behind you on your left, use the opening on your right to go outside.
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Descend the collapsed concrete slab to the first floor. Turn around: the stairwell is straight ahead and slightly to the left. You do not need to re-enter the Factory’s main building.
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Enter 2605 at the coded door to open the basement stairwell.
Use the correct code for each basement door
| Door | Code | When you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Basement stairwell entrance | 2605 | After descending the collapsed slab from the second-floor prisoner area |
| Later coded door underground | 2603 | After exploring the basement route, returning toward the broken stairs, and climbing a beam |
The codes are easy to confuse because both appear during the same mission. Use 2605 for the first basement entrance; keep 2603 for the later door deeper underground.
What to expect in the basement
After entering, pass the old elevator and descend the broken stairs. The walkthrough reports a Bloodsucker, an electrical anomaly, and a fire anomaly along the route. The secret documents are in a red folder near the fire anomaly. Once you have them, return toward the broken stairs and climb a beam to reach the later coded door, which takes 2603.
The prisoner is a discovery on the way to the underground laboratory, not a prerequisite for finding the stairwell. The walkthrough says to return to Star after the underground section to report what happened to his people and hand over the documents.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Track the objective if the encounter differs
Enemy positions and quest behavior can vary by game build. GSC Game World’s official March 10, 2025 Patch 1.2 notes include a change to Ward guard positions near the X18 lab entrance during Answers at a Price, as well as quest fixes. If the guards are not where a walkthrough suggests, use the current PDA objective as your guide rather than waiting for a particular patrol to appear.
The PDA shows the Zone map, current location, quest markers, and mission log, according to GSC’s PDA guide. On keyboard, press P to open the PDA, M for the map, or J for the journal; on controller, press the View button to open the PDA.
Survive the underground route
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Use cover and keep health supplies available; retreat if a fight becomes too dangerous.
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Watch for mutants and anomalies as you move through the basement. GSC’s beginner guidance describes bolts and a detector as tools for navigating anomalies and finding artifacts; neither is stated as a requirement for this route.
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