Start (Forsaken City)

**Start** is the first subchapter of Chapter 1: Forsaken City in Celeste. The subchapter introduces basic mechanics, including spikes, springs, disappearing platforms, and smashable walls. Red Strawberries also first appear here in both normal and winged form. Traffic light blocks, Forsaken City's signature mechanic, are introduced in this subchapter too. There are no story moments found in this subchapter.

## **Gameplay**

There are only 6 screens mandatory to get through in this subchapter, all of which are fairly simple. By dashing diagonally upward, the player can easily make it through these screens. Make sure not to launch Madeline into the spikes in the fourth room by simply not moving while on the traffic light block.

### Winged Golden Strawberry

While attempting to do this chapter without dashing to get the Winged Golden Strawberry, the rooms become more challenging. Aside from the second room, the solution is self-explanatory and won't end up very difficult without dashing. In the second room, the jump normally appears impossible as jumping from the height of your climb doesn't make it to the other side of the gap. The trick to doing this room is using the 'spike jump', a tech which allows you to jump from higher than usual. To do this you must reach the top of your climb's height and jump up, then you can jump off the wall as you descend higher than you could from simply jumping while climbing. This barely allows you to bypass the spikes.

### **Strawberries**

There are 6 Strawberries found in this subchapter (not including the Golden Strawberry which spawns in the first room).

Berry 1

Found in the second room of the subchapter, this is likely the simplest Strawberry you'll get. Bounce off the spring in this room and you can move slightly left and dash directly upward to collect it.

Berry 2

Found in the third room of the subchapter, you can find this Strawberry at the end of the room hovering above some spikes. Run off the platform near it and dash directly upward as soon as you touch the berry, then move to the right and climb up the wall for the safest grab.

Berry 3

Found in the fifth room of the subchapter, this is the first Winged Strawberry of the game. Instead of rushing through this room, you can get to the top without needing to dash with simple jumps and climbing the wall from the right, then walking off the platform.

Berry 4

Found in a hidden room to the left of the sixth room of the subchapter, this is a more complicated Strawberry to collect than the last few. You can either wall jump on the metallic wall or dash directly upward after climbing briefly and jumping. From here, walk on the spring and continue left, then keep yourself inbetween the walls and dash to the right before falling in the spikes to collect the berry.

Berry 5

Found in the sixth room of the subchapter, you must use the momentum from being launched up by the traffic light block and move yourself to the left to grab the floating platform. From there, climb a bit and dash in the direction of the Strawberry.

Berry 6

Found in a hidden room to the right of the sixth room of the subchapter accessed by dashing into the block of ice, this Strawberry can be slightly tricky. You have to fall between the 2 spiked walls and then from there either grab the left wall and jump from there into a diagonal upward dash or dash without needing to touch the wall to land on the traffic light block. After landing, it will take you right to the berry where you can collect it and make it back by simply dashing diagonally through the bridge.