Deep Dive Guide

Complete Game Mechanics

Master every system in Brother Hai's Pho Restaurant. From cooking mechanics to investigation systems, this guide covers everything you need to achieve 100% completion and the True Ending.

Day/Night Cycle System

The game operates on a 20-day timeline divided into four distinct phases. Understanding this cycle is crucial for maximizing both your restaurant income and investigation progress.

Morning

6:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Investigation: Low - Focus on preparation

Activities

  • Restock ingredients from the market
  • Clean and prepare the cooking station
  • Check on Cậu Vàng (pet the dog!)
  • Review the day's objectives in your notebook
  • Prepare broth base for the day

Pro Tips

Morning is the best time to explore the village without arousing suspicion. Most NPCs are going about their routines.

Afternoon

12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Investigation: Medium - Customers drop hints in dialogue

Activities

  • Peak lunch service - highest customer volume
  • Serve 15-25 customers during this period
  • Handle complex orders and special requests
  • Manage cash flow and make change correctly
  • Brief conversations with regular customers

Pro Tips

This is your primary income-generating period. Focus on speed and accuracy. Don't neglect Cậu Vàng even when busy.

Evening

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Investigation: High - Key story revelations

Activities

  • Dinner service with fewer but chatty customers
  • Extended NPC conversations unlock story details
  • Regular customers reveal personal stories
  • Phú Bà may appear with complex orders
  • Village Chief often visits during this time

Pro Tips

Evening customers are more willing to share information. Take time with dialogue options - don't rush through conversations.

Night

10:00 PM - 6:00 AM

Investigation: Critical - Supernatural events and key evidence

Activities

  • Close the restaurant
  • Mysterious late-night visitors may appear
  • Explore the village for clues
  • Investigate the abandoned building
  • Decode neon light patterns
  • Watch for dog thieves (protect Cậu Vàng!)

Pro Tips

Night exploration is ESSENTIAL for the True Ending. Many secrets only reveal themselves after dark. Keep Cậu Vàng close.

Cooking Mechanics

Pho preparation follows a strict 5-step sequence. The order is CRITICAL - adding broth before toppings will fail the dish. Memorize this sequence to serve customers efficiently.

CRITICAL RULE: Broth is ALWAYS added LAST!

The most common mistake new players make is adding broth too early. If you add broth before the meat and toppings, the dish fails and you must start over. This costs time and can anger waiting customers.

1

Place Bowl

~2 seconds

Select a clean bowl from the right side of the cooking station and place it on your workspace. This is your foundation.

Common Mistake: Using a dirty bowl reduces quality rating
2

Add Noodles (Bánh Phở)

~3 seconds

Add fresh rice noodles to the bowl. The noodles should be pre-cooked and ready. Amount should fill about 1/3 of the bowl.

Common Mistake: Too many noodles = overflowing bowl when broth is added
3

Add Meat

~4 seconds

Select the correct meat based on the order: Phở Tái (rare beef), Phở Bò Viên (beef meatballs), Phở Chín (well-done beef), or combinations.

Common Mistake: Wrong meat type = order rejection and reputation loss
4

Add Toppings

~3 seconds

Sprinkle green onions (hành lá) unless customer ordered 'Phở không hành'. Add bean sprouts and herbs if requested.

Common Mistake: Adding onions to 'không hành' order = angry customer
5

Pour Broth (LAST!)

~3 seconds

Ladle hot beef broth into the bowl as the FINAL step. The broth must be steaming hot to properly cook rare beef.

Common Mistake: Adding broth before toppings = failed dish, must restart

Perfect Order Sequence

BowlNoodlesMeatToppingsBROTH (Last!)

Pho Menu & Variations

Master all six pho variations to serve any customer request. The price of 15,000 VND is suspiciously low - a hint about Anh Hai's true identity as an undercover agent (real pho costs 35,000-50,000 VND).

Phở Tái

Rare Beef Pho

15,000 VND

Easy

Thinly sliced raw beef that cooks in the hot broth. The classic choice.

Broth must be very hot to properly cook the rare beef

Phở Bò Viên

Beef Meatball Pho

15,000 VND

Easy

Pre-cooked beef meatballs. Popular with children and those who prefer fully cooked meat.

Meatballs are already cooked, so broth temperature is less critical

Phở Chín

Well-Done Beef Pho

15,000 VND

Easy

Slow-cooked brisket, tender and flavorful. Often requested by older customers.

Brisket should be sliced thin for proper presentation

Phở Tái Chín

Rare & Well-Done Combo

18,000 VND

Medium

Combination of rare beef slices and well-done brisket. Best of both worlds.

Add brisket first, rare beef on top so broth can cook it

Phở Tái Bò Viên

Rare Beef & Meatball

18,000 VND

Medium

Rare beef slices with meatballs. A popular combination.

Balance the meat distribution for visual appeal

Phở Đặc Biệt

Special Pho (Everything)

25,000 VND

Hard

Contains all meat types: rare beef, brisket, meatballs, tripe, and tendon.

Only ordered by specific NPCs. Requires precise layering.

Special Modifiers

Phở không hành

No green onions - common request

Thêm rau

Extra vegetables/herbs

Thêm ớt

Extra chili - add carefully

Ít nước

Less broth - drier style

Thêm quẩy

Add fried breadstick

Cơm nguội

Side of cold rice

Investigation System

As an undercover agent, your mission is to gather evidence against the "Thiên Đường" criminal organization. The investigation system has three main components: documents, NPC intelligence, and environmental clues.

Document Collection

Total: 15

  • Counter drawer (Day 1) - Father's old receipt book
  • Wall frame behind counter (Day 3) - Hidden photograph
  • Storage room box (Day 5) - Old newspaper clippings
  • Office cabinet, second drawer (Day 7) - Police report fragments
  • Basement entrance, loose brick (Day 9) - Encoded message
  • Kitchen ceiling tile (Day 11) - Audio recording transcript
  • Bedroom closet (Day 13) - Father's diary entries
  • Under cash register (Day 15) - Financial records
  • Neighbor's fence post (Night only) - Dead drop message
  • Market stall corner (Morning only) - Informant notes
  • Village well (Night, Day 8+) - Sealed container
  • Abandoned building safe (Requires code) - Organization ledger
  • Chief's office window (Night, risky) - Meeting schedule
  • Temple offering box (Day 12) - Historical records
  • Your motorcycle seat (After Day 16) - Final instructions

Finding all 15 documents unlocks the complete story and enables the Revelation ending path

NPC Intelligence

Total: Ongoing

  • Uncle Minh - Reveals village history on Days 1, 5, 8, 12
  • Mrs. Lan - Provides warnings and assistance on Days 2, 6, 10, 14
  • The Student - Shares research and connections on Days 4, 7, 11, 15
  • Village Chief - Key antagonist, observe his behavior patterns
  • Phú Bà - Crime boss, her orders contain coded messages
  • Bố Đời - Enforcer, his threats reveal organization structure
  • Mysterious Night Visitor - Appears after 10 PM with critical intel
  • Market vendors - Gossip contains truth mixed with rumors

Building trust with NPCs unlocks exclusive dialogue options and story paths

Environmental Clues

Total: Variable

  • Neon light flickering patterns - Morse code messages
  • Family photo arrangement - Changes based on your choices
  • Dog barking patterns - 1=examine, 2=danger, 3=collectible
  • Restaurant shadows - Figures appear during supernatural events
  • Sound cues - Footsteps, knocking, whispers indicate events
  • Time-specific events - Some clues only appear at certain hours

Environmental awareness separates casual players from True Ending achievers

Reputation System

Your restaurant's reputation affects NPC trust, ending availability, and story access. Maintain at least 4 stars to access the True Ending.

★★★★★

Legendary

Requirements: Perfect service, no mistakes, all customers satisfied

Benefits: Unlock special customers, maximum tips, true ending eligible

True Ending Eligible
★★★★

Excellent

Requirements: Occasional minor mistakes, mostly satisfied customers

Benefits: Good tips, access to most story content

True Ending Eligible
★★★☆☆

Average

Requirements: Some complaints, inconsistent service

Benefits: Basic income, limited NPC trust

★★☆☆☆

Poor

Requirements: Frequent mistakes, unhappy customers

Benefits: Struggling financially, NPCs avoid sharing info

☆☆☆☆

Failing

Requirements: Major problems, angry customers leaving

Benefits: Risk of game over, locked out of good endings

Hidden Mechanics

These secret systems operate behind the scenes and significantly impact your gameplay. Understanding them is essential for achieving 100% completion.

Pet the Dog System

Interacting with Cậu Vàng builds a hidden 'loyalty' meter. High loyalty means the dog stays close and warns you of danger. Low loyalty means the dog wanders and is vulnerable to thieves.

Trigger: Press E near Cậu Vàng to pet

Effect: Directly affects Ending #1 (Dog Theft) probability

Recommended: Pet at least 3 times per day for maximum effect

NPC Memory System

NPCs remember your previous conversations and choices. Returning to the same NPC multiple times unlocks progressive dialogue trees with deeper story information.

Trigger: Talk to the same NPC on different days

Effect: Unlocks exclusive story content and side quests

Recommended: Visit key NPCs every 2-3 days for best results

Time-Sensitive Events

Certain events, NPCs, and clues only appear during specific time windows. Missing these can lock you out of certain endings or story content.

Trigger: Be in the right place at the right time

Effect: Access to exclusive content and ending paths

Recommended: Check the village during all time periods

Choice Accumulation

The game tracks your cumulative choices across all interactions. There's no single 'ending choice' - your final outcome is determined by the sum of all your decisions.

Trigger: Every dialogue choice and action

Effect: Determines which of the 4 endings you receive

Recommended: Every choice matters, even small ones

Neon Light Decoder

The flickering neon signs outside contain encoded messages. The pattern follows a simplified Morse code system that reveals recipes, story hints, and secret codes.

Trigger: Observe neon lights during evening/night

Effect: Reveals hidden recipes and safe codes

Recommended: New messages appear on Days 3, 7, 11, and 15

Photo Wall Tracker

The family photos on the wall subtly change arrangement based on your major story decisions. Their order indicates which ending path you're currently on.

Trigger: Check the photo wall after major decisions

Effect: Visual indicator of your current ending trajectory

Recommended: Changes after Days 5, 10, and 15

Financial System

Managing money is crucial for survival. Running out of funds blocks story progress and can trigger bad endings.

Financial Overview

Starting Capital500,000 VND
Daily Expenses~50,000 VND
Income per Bowl15,000 - 25,000 VND
Tips Range1,000 - 10,000 VND
Daily Profit Target100,000+ VND daily

Vietnamese Đồng Denominations

Learn these denominations to make correct change. Wrong change angers customers and hurts reputation.

1,0002,0005,00010,00020,00050,000100,000200,000500,000

Tip: The game uses realistic 1-2-5 currency denominations. Practice quick mental math for customer payments.