Online: 404 Characters: Ethan, Derek, Olivia and Madison Compared
Updated 17 Oct 2026 · Game version: June 2026 demo (Steam Next Fest)
You pick one of four characters at the start of Online: 404 (left and right arrows to change, Enter to start). Each has a different perk, a different daily calorie need and a different carry limit. The perk matters less than the other two numbers: calories decide how much food you have to find, and carry weight decides how much loot you can bring home.
Demo note: stats are from the June 2026 demo and may change in Early Access.
Comparison
| Character | Perk | Calories per day | Carry weight | Start button |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethan | Carries some supplies and knows basic medicine | 2,200 kcal | 40 kg / 90 lbs | Go off-grid |
| Derek | Experienced in silent takedowns | 2,500 kcal | 30 kg / 65 lbs | Go dark |
| Olivia | Knows herbal brewing and mushroom foraging | 1,500 kcal | 20 kg / 45 lbs | Go digging |
| Madison | Starts with two fully charged batteries | 1,700 kcal | 25 kg / 55 lbs | Go home |
Which one should you pick?
Ethan: the safe first pick. He carries the most (40 kg), and the starting medicine helps while you learn how bleeding works (the Health app warns that “bleeding alone can lead to death”). The cost is a fairly high 2,200 kcal a day.
Madison: the best fit for the phone. Your phone is your main tool, and every article you read costs 10–20% battery. Two full batteries at the start let you read the key guides (lockpicking, the hammer, a workbench) before you find a power bank. She also needs little food.
Olivia: the lowest upkeep. At 1,500 kcal a day she is the easiest to feed, and she can identify mushrooms, which other characters have to look up online first. Unknown mushrooms can kill you, so this perk is real. The catch is the smallest backpack (20 kg).
Derek: for fighting. Silent takedowns help against the Locals, who are drawn by noise. He is the hungriest (2,500 kcal) and only carries 30 kg.
In co-op, mixing characters works well: one Ethan to haul loot and one Olivia to forage covers both weaknesses.
Why carry weight matters
When you’re over your limit you can’t sprint or jump, and the weight bar in your inventory turns red. Most junk and drinks don’t stack, so a backpack fills up fast on a motel run: one player hit “Not enough space in inventory” with only 33 of 40 slots used, because the limit is weight, not slots. Use a car trunk (“Storage”, 8 slots) or a container at your base as a stash.
For scale, a cookie is 0.24 kg and 450 kcal; a tin of sprats is 0.75 kg and 330 kcal; a double-barreled shotgun is 3.4 kg; junk is 1–3 kg a piece.
Sources
Spotted a step that’s wrong? Tell us and we’ll fix it and update the date.
indiewalkthrough isn’t affiliated with Cornfield Games or Cornfield Games.