Dave the Diver In the Jungle How to Start DLC
A practical Dave the Diver In the Jungle start guide for players who need to trigger Dr. Bacon from an Epilogue Friends save, use Skip to Jungle, call Dr. Bacon from the phone, prepare before leaving, understand the Blue Hole return warning, and fix common DLC start blockers.
Updated:
Quick Answer
To start Dave the Diver: In the Jungle from an existing save, install the DLC and load a completed Epilogue save, preferably the final Epilogue save titled Friends. Dr. Bacon’s start trigger should contact Dave or begin the setup from that completed-save state. After the Bancho Sushi setup, open the phone and choose Call Dr. Bacon when you are ready. You can also start from New Game → Skip to Jungle if that option appears.
Quick Start Route
Use this table if you only need the corrected start order.
| Route | Step | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Existing save | 1 | Install the DLC |
| Existing save | 2 | Load a completed Epilogue save, ideally Friends |
| Existing save | 3 | Let Dr. Bacon’s start contact / setup trigger play |
| Existing save | 4 | Finish the Bancho Sushi setup |
| Existing save | 5 | Open the phone and choose Call Dr. Bacon |
| Existing save | 6 | Save, check oxygen, then choose Ready |
| Skip route | 1 | Title screen → New Game → Skip to Jungle |
| Skip route | 2 | Use this if you want to enter the DLC without a completed save |
Step 1: Confirm the DLC Is Installed
When the DLC is installed correctly, the game can show an In the Jungle DLC installed message.
This confirms the content is recognized. From there, use either the completed-save route or the Skip to Jungle route.
| Check | Good result |
|---|---|
| DLC installed screen appears | In the Jungle is installed and recognized |
| Existing save route | Load a completed Epilogue save, preferably Friends |
| No completed save | Use New Game → Skip to Jungle if available |
| No DLC prompt | Restart the game and check platform DLC installation |
| Wrong search name | Use the official name In the Jungle, not Into the Jungle |
Step 2: Load the Epilogue Friends Save
For the natural story route, load a completed Epilogue save.
If you have multiple saves, use the final Epilogue save titled Friends when available. From that state, Dr. Bacon should contact Dave or start the DLC setup. The important correction is that you should not stand around on the boat as the first step if the correct Epilogue trigger has not loaded yet.
| Existing-save detail | What to do |
|---|---|
| Best save | Completed Epilogue save |
| Specific chapter / save label | Friends |
| Expected trigger | Dr. Bacon contacts Dave or the DLC setup starts |
| Next story beat | Bancho Sushi setup |
| Final start action | Phone → Call Dr. Bacon |
| If nothing happens | Use the fallback checks below |
If Dr. Bacon Does Not Trigger
If the Dr. Bacon contact or start scene does not appear after loading the completed save, use fallback checks.
Some players trigger the setup after returning to the Blue Hole boat with Cobra. Others may need a simple state change such as diving once, resurfacing, passing time, or starting the next day.
| If the DLC does not start | Try this |
|---|---|
| No Dr. Bacon contact appears | Confirm you loaded a completed Epilogue save |
| You have several saves | Load the Epilogue Friends save if available |
| Still no trigger | Return to the Blue Hole boat with Cobra |
| Boat still does nothing | Dive once and resurface |
| Still stuck | Pass time or start the next day |
| DLC still missing | Restart the game and verify DLC installation |
| No completed save exists | Use New Game → Skip to Jungle |
Step 3: Finish the Bancho Sushi Setup
After Dr. Bacon’s start trigger, the route moves through Bancho Sushi.
Bancho is needed because the jungle village has a food problem, and the lake uses freshwater fish instead of the usual Blue Hole seafood rhythm. Finish the conversation until Bancho agrees to join the trip.
| Bancho step | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dr. Bacon asks for help | Dave and the team are invited to investigate the jungle lake |
| Bancho is needed | The village needs a cook who can solve the food problem |
| Bancho hesitates | Leaving the shop is treated as a story decision |
| Bancho agrees | The route moves to phone confirmation |
| You are not leaving yet | You still need to call Dr. Bacon |
Step 4: Call Dr. Bacon When Ready
After Bancho agrees, open the phone and choose Call Dr. Bacon.
This is the final confirmation before the trip. Do not press Ready automatically if you still want to save, upgrade oxygen, or finish a Blue Hole task.
| Before choosing Ready | Why |
|---|---|
| Make a manual save | Lets you return if you change your mind or test the route |
| Upgrade oxygen tank | Oxygen works like health, and Utara Lake punishes mistakes |
| Check key gear | The jungle route introduces stronger enemies and new hazards |
| Finish urgent Blue Hole errands | Return access has conflicting reports |
| Expect a travel cutscene | Choosing Ready starts the trip toward Utara Village |
Can You Return to the Blue Hole After Leaving?
This is the start-page question players care about most before pressing Ready.
Current public guidance is inconsistent. Some guides and reviews say the Blue Hole remains connected after the DLC starts. Other guides warn that once you leave for the jungle, you may not return freely until the DLC story is complete.
Because of that conflict, the safest advice is simple: save manually, finish urgent Blue Hole tasks, and upgrade oxygen before choosing Ready. After you reach Utara Village, check the game map, travel option, or boat route in your own save before assuming you can freely go back and forth.
| Question | Safe answer |
|---|---|
| Can I return immediately after starting? | Reports conflict |
| Should I trust one source completely? | Not yet; version, route, or story progress may matter |
| What should I do before leaving? | Save manually, upgrade oxygen, and finish urgent Blue Hole tasks |
| What should I check after arrival? | Map, boat, travel option, or any return prompt |
| Should the article promise free return? | No. Treat it as uncertain until your save confirms it |
Step 5: Arrive at Utara Village
After the phone call and travel scene, the group reaches Utara Village.
This is where the DLC starts its first real route: the village food problem, Muna, the Jungle Gun, Tilapia, Calamansi, Lemongrass, Bancho Grill, and the Purification Filter.
| After arrival | What comes next |
|---|---|
| Utara Village | The new jungle hub |
| Muna | Jungle Gun, lake research, filter progress, and later upgrades |
| Village chief | The first local food conflict |
| Bancho’s first dish | Tilapia, Calamansi, and Lemongrass route |
| Bancho Grill | The DLC restaurant path |
| Purification Filter | Hydrogen sulfide depth protection and Chapter 2 handoff |
Skip to Jungle Route
Use New Game → Skip to Jungle if you want to play the DLC without finishing the base game first.
This route is useful if you lost a save, changed platform, or just want to test the DLC. It is not the best route for a brand-new player because In the Jungle expects you to understand oxygen, weapons, catching fish, inventory weight, and restaurant service.
| Skip to Jungle question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can it start without beating the game? | Yes, if your version shows Skip to Jungle |
| Where is it? | Title screen → New Game → Skip to Jungle |
| Is it the cleanest story route? | No. A completed Epilogue save is better for story continuity |
| Who should use it? | Players who know the game but do not have a completed save available |
| What should I expect? | The DLC assumes you know base-game systems |
| Should I protect old saves? | Make a manual backup if you care about existing progress |
Start Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No install message | DLC is not installed or not recognized | Check platform DLC status and restart the game |
| No Dr. Bacon contact appears | Wrong save state or trigger not refreshed | Load the Epilogue Friends save, then pass time or change state if needed |
| Boat fallback does nothing | Save may not be past the ending | Confirm the base game Epilogue is complete |
| Talked to Bacon once but cannot leave | Bancho has not agreed yet | Finish the Bancho Sushi setup |
| Bancho agreed but nothing starts | You have not called Bacon again | Open the phone and choose Call Dr. Bacon |
| You want to play without beating the game | Natural route is not available | Use the Skip to Jungle route |
| Worried about returning to Blue Hole | Public guidance conflicts | Save manually and finish urgent Blue Hole tasks before Ready |
| Search result says Into the Jungle | Common name mistake | Use the official name In the Jungle |
What to Read Next
| If your next blocker is… | Read this |
|---|---|
| First Utara Village route | Beginner First Day Guide |
| Jungle Gun forms and upgrades | Jungle Gun Upgrades |
| Bancho Grill, Modest Grill, skewers, Doni, and Rating | Bancho Grill Guide |
| Basu, Walking Catfish, Piraiba Catfish, and Fishing Rod | Fishing Rod & Piraiba Catfish Guide |
| Full DLC route selection | Dave the Diver In the Jungle Guide Hub |
Final Note
This page only covers starting the DLC. After you reach Utara Village, the most useful next page is the Beginner First Day Guide, because it covers Muna, Jungle Gun, Tilapia, Calamansi, Lemongrass, Bancho Grill, and Purification Filter in the correct opening order.
FAQ
How do I start Dave the Diver In the Jungle from an existing save? +
Install the DLC, load a completed Epilogue save, preferably the final Epilogue save titled Friends, then let the Dr. Bacon start trigger play. After the Bancho Sushi setup, open the phone and choose Call Dr. Bacon when you are ready to leave.
Do I need to go to the Blue Hole boat to start In the Jungle? +
Not as your first assumption. On a completed Epilogue save, the Dr. Bacon contact or start scene should trigger from the correct save state. If nothing happens, return to the Blue Hole boat with Cobra, dive once and resurface, pass time, or load the Epilogue Friends save again.
Which save should I load for In the Jungle? +
Use a completed Epilogue save. If you have several saves, choose the final Epilogue save titled Friends when available.
Can I play In the Jungle without beating Dave the Diver? +
Yes. Use New Game from the title screen and choose Skip to Jungle if that option appears. The completed-save route is still the cleaner story route.
What do I do after Dr. Bacon contacts Dave? +
Follow the setup conversation, go through the Bancho Sushi sequence, then open the phone and choose Call Dr. Bacon when you are ready.
Can I return to the Blue Hole after starting In the Jungle? +
Reports differ by source and route. Some say the Blue Hole remains accessible, while others warn that you may not return freely until the DLC story is complete. Save manually and finish urgent Blue Hole tasks before choosing Ready.
Should I save before starting In the Jungle? +
Yes. Make a manual save before choosing Ready, because the trip moves Dave into the jungle opening route and return access has conflicting reports.
Should I upgrade oxygen before starting the DLC? +
Yes. Upgrade the oxygen tank as much as you reasonably can because oxygen also works like health, and Utara Lake has stronger enemies and new hazards.
Why is In the Jungle not starting? +
Check that the DLC is installed, load the Epilogue Friends save or use Skip to Jungle, wait for Dr. Bacon's start trigger, finish the Bancho Sushi setup, then call Dr. Bacon from the phone.
Is the DLC called Into the Jungle or In the Jungle? +
The official DLC name is In the Jungle. Some players search Into the Jungle by mistake, but page titles and headings should use In the Jungle.