Crossing

**Crossing** is the second subchapter of Chapter 1: Forsaken City in Celeste. The subchapter introduces some new mechanics such as falling platforms and dash crystals. The Crystal Heart of Chapter 1 can be obtained in this subchapter. There are no story moments found in this subchapter, but Theo can be encountered for the first time here.

## **Gameplay**

The platforming here is less rudimentary than in Start with the addition of new mechanics to test the player's reaction time. Touching a dash crystal gives Madeline back her dash if she doesn't have it and many rooms are nearly impossible without utilizing them. Traffic light blocks working against the player is also explored here.

The Crystal Heart of this chapter is accessed in the same room as one of the berries- the one in front of a flashing screen. The player is tasked with dashing in the direction each colored bird dictates when they do their telegraph in the order of the colors flashing on the screen. The order is: white, purple, blue, red, purple again, and yellow. This means your dash order must go: up, left, down-right, up-right, left, and up-left.

### Winged Golden Strawberry

Many more rooms here become substantially more difficult when trying to beat the chapter without dashing than in Start. The first room is similar to the second room in the previous subchapter, and to beat it dashless you must get a running start off the platform and spike jump to barely graze past the spikes, then you do a similar sequence to the previously mentioned room. In the second room of the subchapter, the jump is out of reach without the use of another piece of tech in which you hit the jump button just after passing by the spikes above the corner to get more distance. Mapping more than 1 jump button on your controls is recommended to make this easier. In the sixth room of the subchapter, you must cling onto walls barely elevated above spikes and continue jumping across them before doing another spike jump at the end to just barely grab the disappearing platform and make your way safely across. This all must be done quickly as your stamina will be running out by the end if you wait too much.

### **Strawberries**

There are 9 Strawberries found in this subchapter.

Berry 1

By going left from the first screen of this subchapter, then another screen and taking the top transition, you arrive at the room with the first Strawberry. Don't get fooled by the spring on the floor here! Walking left innocently will get you launched into spikes above you so watch out for that. From then, you just go upward and it's 2 simple diagonal upward dashes to reach the Strawberry. Underneath this room you can encounter Theo and then exit that room on the right to return back where you came.

Berry 2

Found in the first room of the subchapter, you can get this Strawberry by dashing into a smashable wall concealed on the right behind some dirt on level with the lower bridge.

Berry 3

This berry will be a trek to reach, as you first need to find its hidden area. In the third room of the subchapter, you can dash directly upward to the left of the background sign with the arrow on it to reach a hidden tunnel. Go to the left and you'll be met with a large room. Climb up the right wall and attempt to climb the long traffic light block before jumping back, then dash into the area it opened. Then, grab the other traffic light block and jump on top of it as it returns using the hole in the ceiling to then dash left and ascend the wall. Then is a room with no floors and you just need to do some dashes to reach the Strawberry. This is the room with the Crystal Heart puzzle.

Berry 4

By breaking a smashable wall in the top-left of the fourth room of the subchapter, a room with the Strawberry is uncovered. Dash directly into both dash crystals, then cling onto the wall until they both refresh to return back.

Berry 5

In the same room as the previous berry is a smashable wall on the ceiling. In this room you must dash to both disappearing platforms and then the traffic light block to allow yourself to get to the top. In the following room you have to walk off of the platform into the Strawberry and then dash into the dash crystal inbetween a narrow spike tunnel and dash again diagonally upwards.

Berry 6

In the sixth room of the subchapter, a small gap in the floor can be spotted. To reach this you must simply fall down near the spikes and dash right to fall into it. To get to the berry you will need to jump across traffic light blocks which move into spikes, hold the wall after grabbing the berry, and return back once they've gone back down.

Berry 7

By exiting through the top transition of the sixth room of the subchapter, a room with a Strawberry can be found. Grab a hold of the bottom traffic light block and DO NOT jump until a bit after it stops, otherwise you will be thrust into the spikes on the ceiling. Instead allow yourself to be able to grab the upper traffic light block and then jump off of it after riding it to get to the Strawberry after a dash.

Berry 8

Found in the seventh room of the subchapter, you must position yourself to dash straight up after a slight push from the traffic light block. Wait a little bit after landing then jump to the right and wait if you need to in order to not dash into spikes.

Berry 9

Found in the eighth room of the subchapter, there are several ways you can approach this final Strawberry. From the left, you can walk off the platform and dash straight up to grab the traffic light block from the right which allows you to wall jump and grab the berry and make it to safety. You could also play it normally, then from the upper bridge fall and dash left to repeat the same process. You could also jump to the other side of the traffic light block as it returns, but this is riskier than the other methods.