Forever Ago Sam Detour Guide: Fix the Van & Photo

The Forever Ago Sam detour is one of the game's quieter chapters, but it trips up plenty of players because the objectives are never spelled out. You wake up in a strange house, your van is dead in the yard, and a stranger named Sam is the only person who can help you get back on the road.

This guide walks through every step of the chapter in order, from the note on the door to the final selfie you add to Alfred's journal. If you're following the main story, this section sits between the "On The Road Back Home" chapter and the Captain Marley resort, so you'll know you're in the right place when your van gives out and you wake up indoors.

Check out beginner guide for more details.

Whether you're replaying for photos or just want to stop wandering around the yard, here's the full breakdown.

Where the Sam Detour Fits in the Story

Before you reach Sam, Alfred's van breaks down while he's traveling back home. You inspect the leak at the rear, check under the hood, and then look inside the van from the passenger side. After grabbing your journal from near the dog, you walk to a phone booth, trigger a cutscene, and wake up inside another dream sequence.

That dream is linear — keep walking forward, interact with the phone at the end, and keep going until it ends. When you wake up for real, you're in the house where the Sam detour begins.

If you skipped the van inspection steps earlier, the game usually won't let you progress past the phone booth, so double-check that you interacted with all three parts of the vehicle before moving on.

Starting the Sam Detour: The House

The chapter opens with Alfred waking up in a house that isn't his. The first thing you should do is read the note on the door — it's easy to miss because the prompt is small, but it sets up why Sam is helping you in the first place.

Picking a Shirt

After reading the note, you'll be asked to pick a shirt to wear. This is a cosmetic choice with no gameplay consequences, so pick whichever one matches your mood. Community reports suggest the choice doesn't affect any later scenes or achievements, so don't stress about it.

Interacting With the House

Before heading outside, walk around the interior and interact with anything that highlights. These are small environmental details — photos, objects on shelves, kitchen items — that flesh out who Sam is. They're optional, but they're part of what makes this chapter memorable, and a few of them feed into the game's photography system if you've been diligent about using your camera.

Once you've seen everything you want to see, exit the house through the front door. You'll find your broken-down van in the yard, and Sam will be there waiting.

Fixing the Van With Sam's Help

This is the core of the Forever Ago Sam detour, and it's where most players get stuck. The game wants you to try fixing the van yourself first — and fail — before Sam steps in.

Step 1: Analyze the Van

Walk up to the van and start examining its various parts. You'll get prompts to inspect different components: the engine area, the wheels, and the body. Alfred will conclude he can't fix it alone, which triggers Sam's involvement.

Step 2: Follow Sam and Water the Plants

Sam leads you around the property, and along the way you'll need to water plants. Here's the flow:

1. Follow Sam until she stops near plants that need water.
2. If your watering can runs dry, use the faucet to refill it.
3. Water every plant she indicates before moving on.

Missing a plant usually just means Sam waits for you, so there's no fail state — but it does slow the chapter down.

Step 3: Collect the Gaskets

After the watering is done, follow Sam again to pick up the gaskets needed for the repair. This triggers a cutscene where the van gets fixed. Your only remaining job is to tighten the last few bolts yourself, which is a simple interaction prompt.

Once the bolts are tight, the van is running again and the chapter's main objective is complete.

The Field Detour and the Selfie

The Sam detour doesn't end when the van is fixed. Sam and the dog lead you on a short walk across the fields, and this section is where the chapter's best photo opportunity lives.

Playing With the Dog

Partway through the walk, you'll get the chance to throw a stick for the dog. Do it — it's a small moment, but it's one of the few interactive beats in this stretch, and it fits the game's theme of capturing everyday memories.

Taking the Selfie

At the end of the walk, sit with Sam. You'll be prompted to take a selfie, which gets added to Alfred's journal. This is a required step to close out the chapter, so don't walk away from the bench before the prompt appears.

If you've been photographing everything throughout the game, this is also a good moment to check your album and slot in any pictures you've been carrying. The journal system rewards players who shoot consistently, and the Sam detour adds at least one permanent entry.

Photography Tips for This Chapter

Forever Ago is built around Alfred's camera, and the Sam detour has a handful of shots worth grabbing. Based on player experience, here's what's worth capturing:

• The house interior — small details that reflect Sam's life and give context to the chapter.
• The van before and after repair — a nice before/after pair for the album.
• The fields during the walk — the lighting here is some of the warmest in the game.
• The selfie with Sam — required, and it lands in your journal automatically.

None of these are missable in a way that blocks progress, but if you're chasing a complete album, sweep the house before you leave and keep your camera out during the field walk.

Common Stuck Points and Fixes

A few issues come up repeatedly in community discussions about this chapter. Here's a quick troubleshooting table.

Most of these come down to a single missed interaction prompt. Forever Ago rarely locks you out permanently — it just waits for you to find the right trigger.

How the Sam Detour Connects to the Rest of the Game

After the selfie, the story moves on to the Captain Marley & The Buccaneers' Retreat chapter, where Alfred explores an abandoned resort, finds a bolt cutter, and eventually takes a boat to an island with a flashback to Audrey. The Sam detour is a breather before that longer, more puzzle-heavy section.

It's also one of the few chapters where Alfred isn't alone. Most of Forever Ago is a solitary road trip punctuated by memories of Audrey, so the time spent with Sam and the dog stands out. If you're writing about or streaming the game, this is the chapter people tend to remember.

For official details on the game, platforms, and release information, check the Forever Ago page on Steam, where the developer lists the full feature set and supported systems.

Final Thoughts

The Sam detour is short, but it's dense with small interactions that are easy to overlook. Read the note, pick a shirt, examine the van thoroughly, water every plant, grab the gaskets, tighten the bolts, walk the fields, and take the selfie. Do those in order and you'll clear the chapter in about fifteen to twenty minutes.

If you're working through the whole game, keep your camera out at all times — Forever Ago's journal system rewards players who treat every quiet moment as a photo opportunity, and the Sam detour has more of them than almost any other chapter.