Wretch appearance and behavior
Appearance: A former Wanderer whose sanity loss has left it as a red, skinless humanoid with exposed tissue.
Behaviour: The Level 6 Wretch cannot see in the darkness and is tracked as a red LiDAR dot. Level 9 Wretches can see, carry crowbars, and open doors; the Abandoned Outpost specimen also carries the Admin Card.
Threat scale: 3/5 — the score groups directory entries; the written threat label above remains the player-facing assessment.
Observed in: 2 documented routes in this guide set.
Where Wretches change the route
A Wretch is a former Wanderer, not a generic blind monster
The exposed red tissue fits the game’s description of a Wanderer lost to sanity. That origin also explains why reducing every appearance to one sensory rule is unreliable.
Use the level to identify the behavior. Lights Out removes its sight; the Suburbs and Outpost do not.
The door must be locked in Level 9
House Wretches do not use the breathing cue from Level 6. Listen for footsteps, and if one sees you, retreat into a room.
The last input matters: lock the door. A merely closed door can be opened by the Wretch, which is why “close the door” advice by itself keeps failing in this section.
The Level 9 Suburbs and Lab walkthrough separates the six guarded houses from the Abandoned Outpost route and its Admin Card objective.
What to do when a Wretch is close
Use the rule for the location: LiDAR and crouching in Level 6; locked doors in the Suburbs; locker or vent at the Abandoned Outpost.
Recognition signal
In Level 6, the red LiDAR dot moving toward the screen center and louder breathing mark the approach. In Level 9 houses, footsteps replace the breathing cue.
Best immediate response
Level 6: crouch and move along the side. Level 9: retreat into a room, close the door, and lock it.
Reset the encounter
In the dark maze, quietly return to the last wall reference. In a house, wait behind the locked door. At the Outpost, use the locker or vent.
Wretch tips for co-op
In Level 6, one player scans and leads while the rest leave a full retreat gap. In Level 9 houses, one player checks the room while teammates keep the doorway clear and ready to lock.
What ends runs: Writing or playing as if all Wretches are blind. That is true for the Level 6 encounter, not for the Level 9 houses.
Wretch locations and objectives
These are route-level encounter notes, not a promise that an entity will always stand in one fixed spot.
Lights Out maze
The red LiDAR dot, breathing, and short scans tell the player when to crouch and move along the side of the corridor.
Level 9 interiors
House Wretches can see and open doors; the Outpost Wretch guards the Admin Card and requires a locker or vent reset.
How to escape Level 6 and Level 9 Wretches
In Level 6, watch the red LiDAR dot, crouch when it nears the screen center, and pass along the wall. In Level 9, listen for footsteps, retreat into a room, then close and lock the door. At the Outpost, use the locker or vent.
Wretch route notes for solo and co-op
Use these as a short reset checklist. They describe what we change before, during, and after the encounter—not a script to follow blindly.
Level 6 LiDAR maze
Solo: Use short scans, watch the red dot, crouch as it approaches the center, and pass along the wall without filling the screen with unnecessary pulses.
Co-op: The scanner leads and the next player leaves a full retreat gap. Nobody sprints forward to catch up near the dot.
Level 9 houses
Solo: Listen for footsteps before entering. If a Wretch sees you, fall back into a room and lock the door; closing it without locking is not enough.
Co-op: Send one checker. A second player stays outside to keep the doorway and lock interaction clear.
Abandoned Outpost
Solo: The Wretch holds the Admin Card and crowbar. Use the locker or vent to reset it, then return for the objective.
Co-op: One player draws the route while another is ready at the hide. Do not crowd the card interaction.
LiDAR, sight, sound, and door rules
Do not apply the Level 6 “blind and quiet” rule everywhere. In Level 6, crouch and listen for breathing. In Level 9, close and lock a room door because the Wretch can open an unlocked one. At the Outpost, use a locker or vent.
LiDAR shows the threat as a red dot
In Level 6, the closer the dot moves to the screen center, the more immediate the encounter. Breathing adds a second distance cue.
Level 9 Wretches can see
Do not crouch in front of them expecting blindness. Break sight, enter a room, and lock the door they would otherwise open.
The Outpost Wretch carries progress
The Admin Card and crowbar make this encounter worth returning to after the reset. Use the locker or vent, then collect the items when the lane opens.
Wretch locations in Escape the Backrooms
Escape the Backrooms: Level 6 (Lights Out)
A Wretch inhabits the dark maze. It cannot see there, appears as a red dot on LiDAR, and can be tracked by breathing when close.
Best response: Use short scans, crouch as the dot moves toward the screen center, and pass along the side without sprinting or crowding it.
Open level guide →Encounter 02Escape the Backrooms: Level 9 (The Suburbs) & The Lab
Wretches occupy six houses and the Abandoned Outpost. The house variants can see and open doors; the Outpost Wretch carries the Admin Card and a crowbar.
Best response: Listen for footsteps in houses, close and lock the door after retreating, and use the Outpost locker or vent before collecting the card.
Open level guide →Before entering the next dark room or house
- Which level-specific Wretch rule applies here?
- Is the door actually locked, not merely closed?
- Can the lead player reverse without hitting a teammate?
Wretch questions
Quick answers for the point where a broad rule needs a concrete next action.
Are Wretches blind?+
The Level 6 specimen cannot see in the darkness. The Level 9 house and Outpost Wretches can see.
Can a Wretch open doors?+
The Level 9 variants can open doors. Close and lock the door to make it a real barrier.
What does the red LiDAR dot mean?+
It marks the Level 6 Wretch. When it approaches the center and the breathing grows louder, crouch and give it space.