Haunted Heist gems are the primary objective that Heisters must collect and return to the safe room before the 10-minute round timer expires. Developed by autotroph games, this round-based asymmetrical PvP party game places human Heisters inside a procedurally generated mansion while player-controlled Tricksters attempt to ambush, deceive, and eliminate them. Securing the required quota of gems is the only way for the Heister team to win each match.
How Gems Work in Haunted Heist
In Haunted Heist, the overarching mission of the Heister crew revolves around locating glowing gems (often referred to interchangeably as diamonds by players) scattered across various wings of the estate.
Lobby hosts can adjust match parameters depending on the lobby size and desired match length. Playtests with the developers reveal that hosts commonly set the victory threshold anywhere from 3 to 9 gems per round. Matches run with a hard 10-minute countdown. If Heisters fail to return all required gems to the starting safe room before the clock hits zero, or if the Tricksters wipe out the entire crew, the match ends in defeat.
| Match Element | Standard Rule / Setting Observed | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Retrieve all target gems and return them to the safe room | Steam Store / Official Overview |
| Round Timer | 10 minutes maximum | Official Game Announcements |
| Gem Quota | Adjustable by host (frequently 3, 5, 6, 7, or 9 gems) | Developer Playtest Sessions |
| Player Count | 3 to 8 players (supports up to 10 in custom playtests) | Steam Data / Press Release |
| Layout Generation | Fully procedural mansion layouts each round | Official Steam Overview |
Finding Gems Using Compasses and Keys
Because the mansion changes layout with every match, memorizing map paths is impossible. Heisters must use dedicated tools and environment cues to track down loot:
- Equip the Gem Compass: Players can pick up a gem compass that indicates the direction and distance in meters to the closest unsecured gem (for example, displaying readouts like 71m or 93m on your current floor).
- Search Vertical Levels: Mansion maps feature multiple elevations, including towers, courtyards, basements, and multi-floor halls. If the compass distance decreases but you hit a dead end, search for ladders, staircases, or dropdown holes.
- Collect Key Shards and Colored Keys: Not all gems sit out in the open. Some rooms, including the passage and high-tier loot vaults, require key fragments or colored keys (such as purple keys) before the doors unlock.
- Communicate via Proximity Chat: Since voice communications fall off over distance, Heisters call out locations when spotting gems in courtyards or behind locked doors. However, keep in mind that Tricksters lurking nearby can hear your callouts.
Transporting and Securing Gems in the Safe Room
Once a Heister interacts with a gem, it must be physically carried back across the mansion to the safe room.
- Navigating Back: Carrying a gem prevents you from wielding your primary defense simultaneously. Teammates holding the safe room compass (marked by a home or heart directional icon) should guide the carrier back through corridors and ladders.
- Crouching to Conceal Direction: Developer playtests confirmed that crouching affects tracking markers, helping sneaking players hide their movement indicators from pursuers.
- Dropping Off the Loot: At the safe room deposit station, the carrier must place the gem into the secure container. The match counter immediately updates to reflect the deposited gem.
- Handling Player Deaths: If a gem carrier is eliminated by a Trickster or friendly fire, the gem drops on the spot. Teammates can retrieve the fallen gem alongside the player's soul, which can later be revived using a defibrillator if enough shared battery energy remains.
Trickster Tactics and Gem Mechanics
Tricksters cannot win by collecting gems, but their entire kit is built around disrupting Heister retrieval lines:
- Sabotage and Ambush: Tricksters use invisibility, ceiling perches, floor traps, and sudden melee strikes to cut off lone gem carriers in narrow corridors.
- Voice Mimicry and Deception: Tricksters can swap voices, mute players, or disguise themselves as fellow Heisters. In voice chats, Tricksters often mimic a downed player calling for help near an uncollected gem to lure extra targets into a choke point.
- Resolved Gem Disguise Exploits: During early playtests, players discovered an issue where Tricksters disguised as Heisters could pick up a gem and clip against a wall to drop it out of bounds, rendering the match unwinnable. Developer patch notes for Demo Update v1.1.0 officially resolved this, ensuring that exiting a disguise or being plucked while holding a gem no longer deletes the objective item.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tricksters steal gems and hide them?
Tricksters are designed to eliminate Heisters and disrupt retrievals rather than store gems. Early bugs that allowed disguised Tricksters to drop gems through walls were patched out in demo update v1.1.0.
What happens if the gem carrier dies?
When a player carrying a gem dies, the gem drops onto the floor where they fell. Another surviving Heister can pick up the gem and continue the run back to the safe room.
How do Heisters locate the safe room while carrying a gem?
Players can use the safe room compass, which points directly back to the starting room. If the safe room compass setting is disabled in lobby options, players must navigate back using memory and team callouts.
