Nordic Recovery first shift: a step-by-step walkthrough

Your first job in Nordic Recovery is always "Bump at the rest area, E4": a small car crash by the motorway. This page walks you through it from the very first screen to your first pay. It takes about ten minutes, and the game helps you all the way with a short tutorial.

Step 1: pick a save slot

When the game opens, you see the Contenta logo and the game's title. Then comes Save slots: three cards called Save 1, Save 2 and Save 3. Each card is its own career, so brothers and sisters can each have one. Pick an empty card and choose New game. A card you have played shows Continue and the day you last played, and Delete clears it (the game asks you first).

While the game loads, the screen says "Ploughing the road…". That is the game building the road and fetching the cars.

Step 2: drive out on the E4

You start with the Light tow truck, a quick yellow truck that can do most car jobs. Your first shift is a Day shift from 06:00, and the weather is Clear. It is still dark in the morning up here, so your headlights matter.

The job line at the top says "Drive the E4 — base will call you". A Quick tutorial box shows one thing at a time: Drive forward, Steer left and right, Brake to slow down and Honk the horn. Do each one, and the next appears. Don't want it? Choose Skip. You can bring it back later with Show the tutorial again in the pause menu.

The keys are W or ↑ to speed up, S or ↓ to brake, A and D or ← → to steer. On a controller it is RT, LT and the left stick. On a touch screen the buttons appear as soon as you touch it. All the buttons are on the controls page.

Step 3: take the radio call

A few seconds after you set off, the radio crackles: Radio call, from Base. It says two cars have bumped at a rest area on the E4 going north, and it shows the Payment. Choose Take the job (E, Y or Enter, or A on a controller). If you choose Skip, Base calls someone else and a new call comes about 20 seconds later.

Step 4: drive to the accident site

Now the job line shows Drive to the accident site and how far it is. The minimap in the corner points the way, and road signs help too. Don't rush: hitting other cars costs money. Driving the tow truck in winter has tips for the snowy road.

When you get close, Base says: "Good, you're there. Make the spot safe first: lights, then the triangle."

Step 5: make the spot safe

Do these three things, in this order. The tutorial shows the first two.

1. Turn on the hazard lights with B (Y on a controller, ⚠ on touch). Tip: you can switch them on while you are still driving.
2. Put out the warning triangle. Stop near the car and press E (A, or ✋ on touch).
3. Talk to the driver. Stop close to them and press E. Read what they say, then pick an answer.

You need all three before you can finish the job, and the lights and triangle also earn you the safety bonus.

Step 6: park the truck and winch the car up

Drive past the car, then reverse up to it, nice and straight. A frame on the ground and a Parking gauge show Distance, Sideways and Angle. The tutorial says: Back up until the gauge says Good. When it says Good, press E to park there.

Now the camera switches to the work view. Follow the panel:

1. Tilt and slide out the bed: hold Z.
2. Unroll the winch cable to the car: hold S.
3. Hook onto the tow loop: press E when the swinging hook is in the zone.
4. Winch the car up onto the bed: hold W. Ease off if the Cable pull gauge turns red.
5. Tilt the bed back up: hold Q.
6. Strap down the wheels: tap Space fast.

The full story, with controller and touch buttons, is on Tow truck recovery: your first rescue.

Step 7: deliver the car to the workshop

The job line now says Drop the vehicle off at the workshop. Follow the minimap and the Workshop signs. Roll into the yard of Norrvägens Bärgning slowly, below about 9 km/h, and stop in the marker. The mechanics take the car.

Step 8: collect your pay

The Job done screen shows your money: Base pay, Time bonus, Safety bonus, any Damage, the Clean recovery bonus and the Total. Base says how many SEK are on the way to you. How each line is worked out is on The workshop, pay and repairs.

What comes next?

Keep driving: Base calls again a few seconds after each delivery. If the next job is far away, Base offers a Quick dash from the workshop so you skip the long drive. When the clock passes the end of the shift, you finish your last job and see the shift summary. Read Shifts, clock and weather to learn what happens then.

See also

• Call-outs and jobs: the other 14 jobs you can get.
• Tips for new drivers: habits that earn more on every job.
• Tow trucks and the shop: what to save your money for.
• Ready? Play Nordic Recovery.

• About Nordic Recovery
• All game guides