Beginner guide
1666: Amsterdam Beginner Guide — How to Play
Everything a new player needs before Early Access: what kind of game it is, how the day/night loop works, and what to do first once the EA build unlocks.
Updated Aug 24, 2026 · will refresh after EA launch
This page is written from official descriptions and June previews. Controls, UI and difficulty details will be refreshed against the actual EA build after August 25.
What kind of game this is
1666: Amsterdam is a third-person, story-led action-adventure — not a soulslike, not a shooter, not a survival game. You play Noa, a witch trained to hunt immortals who hide as ordinary people, and Aaron, her cat-form companion. The emphasis is on investigation, choice and atmosphere over reflex-heavy combat.
The day/night loop
- By day: explore handcrafted Amsterdam, read gablestones, track suspects, and identify which citizens are Originals in disguise.
- By night: when the Esbat comes, confront the marked Originals in their true forms under the moon — with strategy and timing, not just force.
Noa vs Aaron
You switch between two playstyles. Noa commands witchcraft and spellcasting powered by Nux; Aaron, a cat from 1999, has four paws and flair — alternate routes, agility, and a different perspective on the same scenes. The Prologue asks you to choose a companion, so the choice starts before the full game does.
What to do first at Early Access
- Play the free Prologue — it teaches Nux and the tone with zero cost.
- Confirm your hardware — ray tracing and 8 GB VRAM are non-negotiable.
- Explore before you fight — the investigation phase is where the game's information advantage comes from.
- Expect a moving target — EA's first chapter is ~15 hours and the game will change over the next year.
Controls, UI and difficulty specifics are not yet documented from the EA build; this page will be refreshed after August 25.
Getting-started questions
What kind of game is 1666: Amsterdam?
A third-person, story-led action-adventure with investigation, stealth and witchcraft. It's not a soulslike and not a survival game.
Do I need to play the Prologue first?
It's free and only ~30 minutes, so yes — it's the best tutorial for Nux, Aaron and the tone of the game.
How does the day/night loop work?
By day you investigate: read gablestones, track suspects, identify Originals hiding behind human faces. By night, during the Esbat, you confront them in their true forms.
Should I play as Noa or Aaron?
You switch between them — Noa uses witchcraft, Aaron (a cat) reaches places and sees things she can't. The Prologue also asks you to choose a companion.
Is 1666: Amsterdam open world?
Yes, in the sense of a handcrafted open Amsterdam you explore freely; the store tags list Open World.
Is it hard?
Unknown until EA. Previews describe deliberate, choice-driven encounters rather than twitch combat; multiple approaches to each target are intended.
Sources: Steam store page, TheSixthAxis — preview, Shacknews — hands-on preview, Steam — free Prologue. 1666: Amsterdam content and assets remain the property of Panache Digital Games.