Year Walk is a scary fairy tale. Year Walk - Church Goat and Company Year walk walkthrough
In Swedish folklore there is a ritual called Oshgan ( Swede. –Årsgång), which allows the person who has passed it to look into the future. The traditions of Oshgan could vary greatly from village to village, but in all variations a chain of mandatory actions was preserved, without which nothing would work.
One person could perform the ceremony only once a year on a certain day - the summer or winter solstice, May Day, Christmas Eve, Easter, New Year etc. (hence the English name Year Walk). A person conducting Oshgan should not have contact with other people, eat, drink or look at the fire all day, so people locked themselves in dark rooms and waited until nightfall. Having gone out into the street exactly at midnight, the man joined Oshgan’s annual walks - there was no turning back. The walker had to get to the church and walk around it in a certain pattern. After this, he had visions of the future.
On the way, a person met supernatural beings who could instruct, joke, help or kill, and in the church a guard was waiting - a creepy creature, usually taking the form of an upright dog or goat. The gameplay of Year Walk is based on interaction with these folklore elements.
Year Walk is a two-dimensional walk through a snowy forest, which has already been released on iOS and PC, and more recently appeared on Wii U. And, I must say, not in vain, because the console’s gamepad-tablet is used to the fullest - a map, a vital notepad for notes (which is a pleasure to draw), controlled using a gyroscope. Even some gameplay tasks cannot be solved without a second screen.
Despite the fact that the game was intended for mobile platforms, it fully reveals itself only on the big screen. A tremendous amount of work has been done in the field of visual design - the emotional response from the Year Walk image stylized as an appliqué can be described in the sequence: admiration, discomfort, anxiety. Discomfort is caused by grinding high and buzzing low sounds, sometimes (according to the plot!) adding up to an annoying cacophony, and the feeling of anxiety can accumulate over time due to noise in the frame and flickering details in the foreground - a cheap and even fraudulent move, but it works. 
Returning to the plot, one interesting point should be noted: the most common description of the ritual differs from what is provided in the in-game encyclopedia. Moreover, the part due to which Oshgan can be called a kind of criticism of Christianity was cut out of the game version. In the popular version, the sorceress or any daring person had to get to the church, walk around it three times counterclockwise and blow into the keyhole (having previously drawn a special symbol on the lock). Thus, the person temporarily lost the protection that baptism into Christianity gave him. Only after a temporary, albeit temporary, renunciation of religion could he contact supernatural beings, who are not described as unambiguously malevolent in any source. More often than not, it’s even the other way around. For example, Hulda, the spirit of the forest and the girl with the cow's tail, will give the person who loves her a full set of material values, as long as he lives with her in peace and harmony. The water Fosegriten is generally a great good-natured man and a musician, always ready to help those who ask, but for a fee. It accepts food as currency, you will laugh. The Guardian of the Church or The Church Grim is the main support in the Oshgan criticism of Christianity, which protects people from contact with the creature in whose person nature itself appears. Church horror only harms bad people who broke into the church during Oshgan, while using knowledge from those topics that are usually placed on the shelf with science fiction - instantaneous movements and
Introduction
So, before us is the game "Year Walk", and this is a guide to completing it on PC.
First, a few words about what we will use during the gameplay.
First of all, I pay attention to the “Map” and “Hints” sections. Without a map it will be very difficult for you (at least at first), but the tips are unlikely to be useful since you are reading this guide :)
However, everyone Note to achievement hunters
: There are achievements "No Clues" (complete the game without hints) and "Lost" (do not use the map). So, I don’t recommend forcing your brain on your first playthrough and trying to get the “Lost” achievement.
The "Encyclopedia" section contains interesting and, in principle, important information for completing the game, but if you do not speak English very well (which is most likely the case, since you were looking for a Russian-language guide), then this is okay. You can do without encyclopedias;)
The “magazine” will be useful only after the first passage, so we don’t touch it.
Perhaps it's time to start...
After viewing the interesting introductory text, we find ourselves at our house (Cottage) in the winter forest. The first task is to get to the Windmill. It is located in the northwest; For convenience, use the map. On the way you will probably come across a mysterious box, but for now there is nothing you can do with it. As they say, everything has its time...
At the mill we meet a nice girl. We talk with her (click on her silhouette several times). In the end, she will invite us to return home and get some rest. It’s a sin to disobey such a sweet creature, so we return home.
Note to achievement hunters : Here you can earn the "Logo Type" achievement. To do this, instead of the entire name, you need to “click” only “eAR”.
So the walk begins.
If you have read the encyclopedia, then most likely you have guessed that our ultimate goal is the Church, which can only be reached by going through the Cemetary. Well, let's go to the entrance to the cemetery (use the map, yes). But here’s the problem: the gate is closed, and the key, judging by the vision that overtook us, is in the possession of a certain forest lady, who, as you probably already understood, is that same Huldra. So our next task is to find it and press the key. This is quite simple to do: just wander through the forest, listening to the sounds (as you approach the lady, the mysterious singing will intensify). For those who are lazy: Huldra is located in the southeast - the far right side of the Woods & Kiln location.. Now we just need to follow her.
Note to achievement hunters : along the way we will meet a rune stone, drawing a figure eight on which we will open the achievement "Digital Rune". Start with the central “stick” and draw a contour around it - here you have a figure eight (an electronic watch can help if you don’t have enough imagination).
So, the lady will lead us to the Dead Tree. You can open it in order to follow her with the help of owls that sit on the branches, staring impudently. Follow to the barn (Shed). There's a creepy doll hanging there. Hold her head and move the mouse to the side to “wind” the toy, then watch the order in which she raises her hands. This is the key: in exactly the same order you will need to click on the owls near the Dead Tree.
For the lazy: correct order - left, right, left, right, right, right, left, left.
Note to achievement hunters : There is an achievement "Cheat Walk", one of the conditions for obtaining which is not using the doll. That is, you follow the path of the lazy: you don’t go to the barn, but simply immediately enter the desired combination at the Tree. In addition, the achievement "OWL 6" is associated with owls. To get it, before entering the plot combination, enter another: left, right, right, left, left, left, right, left, right, left
So we are inside the tree. A sound mystery awaits us here. The trick is that each passage has its own singing style. Your task is to choose the correct one, belonging to the lady. Again, for the lazy: The correct path is 2 passages on the right, 3 on the left, 3 on the right, 2 on the right, 2 on the left..
Well, it seems like you can exhale freely, because here it is - the key. However, the key suddenly turns into spring water; so what are you going to do...
Although, we suspected that everything obviously couldn’t be that simple;)
Mylings & Horse
Okay, the walk must continue, so we are still intensively looking for the key that slipped right from under our noses. If he turned into water, it is logical to look for him somewhere near a reservoir, and therefore we follow to the river (the southernmost location is “Brook”).
A horse's head is visible in the water. Cute...
Pull it out (hold LMB and pull it up). Now our task is to return the "Mylings" (spirits of dead children). The first one is right in the encyclopedia, in the “Mylingen” section (You will probably notice the bloody color that appears). Scroll to the very bottom and you will find what we need. LMB on the spirit and drag it to the horse in the river.
The rest can be found by wandering through the forest, paying attention to bloody trails. They will lead to the goal. All found spirits must be taken to the horse (to do this, hold LMB on them and drag them with you).
For the lazy:
2) The spirit is located on the left side of the "Woods & Kiln" location (i.e. literally two steps away from us). Go into the hut, hold down the "U" and "N" keys on the keyboard, remove the bulkheads with the mouse and open the door.
3) The spirit is located in the east, in the "Woods" location between the "Rune Stone" and "Dead Tree" locations. There you will find a cart. Pull it to the right, and after the flashing images, pull it to the right again. The spirit is yours.
4) The last one is at the mill. Screw the mechanism on the left side of the screen (you know, hold down the LMB and pull). Then go outside and take your breath away.
Well, for such hard work we are entitled to a reward.
The horse, apparently, also thinks so, because he drowns himself, leaving us the treasured key. But wait, you didn’t think it would all end there, did you? Out of nowhere, an insidious raven flies in and steals what rightfully belongs to us. We need to look for the key again, ah-ah-ah...
Combine four small lights into one big one by clicking on them with LMB, and go to the next section of this guide;)
The Night Raven
Where to look for a raven?
In the Hill location in the north. You can get to the hill through the cellar in the "Woods & Underground Storage" location, but it's as dark as you can see there. But it doesn’t matter, we have a blue light that will light our way. We take it with us (we drag it, like the spirits) and go to the cellar. There, using the light, we move to the right until we see two planks at the top of the screen (there will still be a blood stain on the wall under them). We remove the one that is lower (pull it to the right), and voila: a staircase to the top. We rise, go right again. A dead raven lies in the snow. We click on it to bring the scoundrel to his senses. And then you need to click on it many times until the nonsense that begins to crawl out of the crow’s beak flies away, leaving... a key. Oh my God, he's finally ours!
The Church Grim
Well, let's go to the cemetery and solemnly open the gates. Now our path is blocked by a tombstone, which can be removed by solving another riddle. Have you noticed four stones that can be pulled out of the ground? That's what it's all about.
Note to achievement hunters : Here you can get the "Watchers' Stone Cryptogram" achievement. To do this, pull the stones out of the ground (in order from left to right) to the following number of points: 4, 0, 1, 1.
So how do you solve the riddle? You've probably already noticed trees with pictures in the forest. There are four of them in total (they are marked on the map small letters"T"), and it is the symbols inscribed on them that identify the characters we met (the forest lady aka "Huldra"; the river horse aka "Brook Horse"; the spirit aka "Myling"; the raven aka "Night Raven"). And it is these characters (in the same order from left to right) that are identified by the images on cemetery stones. Memorize the symbols on the trees (and who exactly they identify), or better yet, sketch them on a piece of paper so as not to make a mistake, and go to the cellar. In the cellar, on various surfaces, you will find the same images (there will be extra ones) with dots drawn next to them. Remember the number of points - this is how many stones will need to be pulled out of the ground into the cemetery.
For the lazy: the combination is 4, 2, 2, 3.
So, here is the church in front of us. Now it is necessary to perform a ritual walk around it.
Note to achievement hunters : The second part of the “Cheat Walk” achievement awaits us here. You don’t need to solve the riddle with the rune stones, but just immediately go around the church in the correct sequence: a full circle to the left, then to the right, left, right, right, left, right. Each complete circuit is marked by a shadow around the Grim sign above the main entrance to the church, so it is difficult to get confused.
Well, with those who don’t want to be lazy, we’ll solve another riddle.
While wandering through the forest, you have probably already noticed rune stones: three small ones (they are marked on the map with “eyes”) and one large one. So, the whole trick is that you need to draw symbols from small stones on the big one. Walk to each stone, draw the symbols and go to the large stone (location in the east "Rune Stone"). Start drawing symbols point by point from small stones. It doesn’t matter which stone symbol you draw first. If you draw the symbol correctly, one of the three eyes on the top of the large stone will light up. If you make a mistake, leave the location, come back and start again. If you did everything correctly, a vision will begin in which the left and right arrows will alternately flash. This is the combination we need: left, right, left, right, right, left, right. We return to the church and go around it in this sequence. That is, first we make a complete detour from the left side, then from the right, etc. The mystery is solved.
We go inside and meet Grim. You need to open his robe; to do this, hold down the LMB on it and move its flaps to the side. There's a heart inside. Quickly click on it several times until it bursts. Then we break the glass and find ourselves in an otherworldly reality.
Now the real God knows what begins.
We see a stone with wings in front of us. There are some white growths on the stone. They need to be removed, for which we quickly click on the white space next to them.
Then we will see the house and the constellations around it. Constellations must be removed by clicking on them with LMB. The sequence is simple: from the smallest number of stars to the largest. That is, first click on one star, then on a constellation with two stars, three, etc.
Now we have a white something in front of us, surrounded by pieces. We hold down the LMB and begin to rotate the circle in any direction until one of the pieces falls into place. Then we change direction and wait until the next piece falls into place. We change direction again, etc., until all the pieces find their places.
Finally, we see Grim's head. Rotate it until it disappears. This should be done with sharp single movements with the LMB held down.
That's all. All you have to do is keep going to the right until you come across the girl’s corpse :(
Captions. Mysterious messages.
Please note that the treasured inscription "The End" never appeared. The thing is that this game has one more ending.
Remember about the mysterious box not far from your house? So, not all the game’s riddles can be solved in one playthrough;)
This box can be opened to reveal a different ending. I note that there are no achievements associated with this, so you can consider the game completed.
Box
How do you open the box? After the first playthrough, at the end of the final credits, as already noted, a mysterious message flashed on the screen. It contains the words “north of the mill” (north of the mill) and “south of the brook” (south of the stream). We are talking about the locations "Windmill" (Mill) and "Brook" (Stream). Get started new game, open the map, move the mouse over the “Mill” location and under the “Stream” location. The login (theoalm68) and password (1894) from the Journal will be highlighted there. Next, you just need to open the Journal (one of the sections on the panel in the upper right corner of the screen), log in using the received data, read the entries, while paying attention to the order in which the symbols from the box will appear there.
As usual, a combination for the lazy:
1) Inverted triangle;
2) Right semicircle;
3) Square;
4) Triangle;
5) Lower semicircle.
Achievements
1) New Year (Year walk on New Year's eve).
It's simple. Wait until December 31st (New Year's Eve, yes) and log into the game. That's it, the achievement is yours. If you don’t want to wait, just change your PC time to December 31st, I think you know how to do it;)
2) No Clues (Do a full year walk without any hints).
Complete the game without using any hints.
3) Lost (Do a full year walk without looking at the map).
Complete the game without using the map. I recommend earning this achievement after one complete passage, otherwise you will get confused a lot.
4) Year Run (Do a full year walk in 20 minutes).
Complete the game in 20 minutes. Quite simple if you remember the correct sequence of actions well.
5) Cheat Walk (Do a full year walk without uncovering the secrets of the rune and the doll. The grim will visit your dreams).
Complete the game without revealing the secrets of the barn doll and the rune stone. It is possible only if you know in advance the correct combinations to solve these riddles. You can find them above in the walkthrough guide (sections "The Huldra" and "The Church Grim").
6) OWL 6 (The owls sing a song that they learned in the lobby of a castle on a remote island).
To get the achievement at the Dead Tree (riddle with owls), before entering the plot combination, enter another: left, right, right, left, left, left, right, left, right, left.
7) Watchers’ Stone Cryptogram (MYL1NGBRO0KHORSEN1GHTRAVENHULDR4).
To get the achievement in the cemetery, pull stones from the ground (in order from left to right) to the following number of points: 4, 0, 1, 1.
8) Clockwise Minute Box (48, 30, 42, 30, 18).
Another mystery with a box. Combination to unlock achievement:
Inverted triangle;
Rhombus;
Circle;
Rhombus;
Upper semicircle.
9) Digital Rune (A mysteriously modern rune).
Find a location with a Rune Stone in the east. Draw a figure eight on the stone (an electronic clock will help you) to unlock the achievement.
10) Logo Type (A three letter word in the dark. Without it, it's silent).
At the very beginning of the game we need to “cry out” its logo - YeAR WALK. To earn the achievement, click only "eAR".
The small village of Veddorp, Sweden. The end of the 19th century, New Year's Eve 1894. A young man named Daniel Swanson in despair: his beloved, Steen Nillson, get married. It is now December 31, 1893. The groom expects an answer in the new year, which is only one day away. Daniel and Stina cannot cope with this problem, and therefore Daniel decides to undergo the ritual Year Walk(literally – “March of the Year”, but this does not give much).
This is an old Swedish tradition in which a person goes alone into the nearby forests on the eve of a major holiday, without food or water. There he must face the personification of Swedish folklore and fairy tales and successfully pass all the tests that befall him. For this, the spirits of the forest will allow Daniel peek into the future out of the corner of your eye. Every person wants to see himself, healthy and happy, but Svenson wants more - to see himself together with Stina. Like, then you don’t have to worry about the present.
And this serene place will soon be stained with blood
Horror about an antlerless moose
The most curious thing: what you just read are quite real historical facts, including the existence of the above-mentioned personalities and tradition Year Walk. We have to experience all of the above in the skin of this very Daniel Swanson. We can question everything that happens in the game, or rather in the forest, but the beginning and one of the endings (there are two in total) are absolutely real. And those mythical creatures that are present in the game were entirely drawn from Swedish ancient legends - in a word, everything on which the atmosphere of the game is built was not invented by the developers Simogo, but by history and people. But in how to arrange all this and compose it into a coherent and beautiful story - this is where the merits of the Swedish game makers should be looked for.So, Daniel goes into the forest to prove himself and defeat the Watchers of the Forest. These are 5 creatures known (assessing the presence of a page in Wikipedia) and not so much: The Huldra, The Brook Horse, The Myling, The Night Raven, The Church Grim.
It was a horse
The Huldra- a typical heroine of scary fairy tales, reflected in the myths of almost any nationality. With her beauty and voice, she lures unlucky travelers into the depths of the forest, where she deals with them. The Brook Horse- a horse that lives in ponds and catches careless swimmers. There is a story about a man who met this very horse after picking up an unusual stone on the river bank. He managed to escape, and in response to his story he received from his friends: “You’re drunk, go home.” He, in general, did just that, and the next morning he was found dead, with that same stone on his chest. Brook Horse has another feature - it looks like a moose in my eyes. Just without the horn. The Myling- this was the name of a child who was abandoned or killed by his own parents, and then he appeared in the forest and closely monitored that the small children were treated well. The Night Raven- bone raven. The eggs he laid brought misfortune to those who found them. And sometimes they brought him himself. The Church Grim- the top of this gang of scoundrels is ordinary makeup that promises death. Made in the shape of a goat, as opposed to the prevailing image of a black dog. Although this has its own charm.We will have to sequentially deal with each character of this five. But don’t be afraid – not one of them will come into physical contact with you. You will defeat them by solving puzzles and riddles, which they have carefully prepared for about 2-3 hours of gameplay time. Almost all the riddles are somehow related to each other, and each item is the key to one of them. So I advise you to have a notebook with a pen and sketch and write down everything that seems strange and interesting.
The game is linear in the sense that you have to follow from point to point, but no one will tell you where these points are. In front of you there is a small panoramic 2D forest in which you move using swipes up and down - back and forth, respectively. The control mechanics are such that you use your finger to move the seat in front towards you. All the turning looks like in children's books with three-dimensional drawings. You also move left and right, exploring new places and new opportunities for the “vertical” transition described above.
The difficulty lies in the fact that there are many objects and they are connected at first by paths that are difficult to remember. Then you will get used to it and will easily navigate the forest. But here’s a dilemma: what to explore first: a dark dugout or a place with altered laws of gravity? You will not find the right answer right away.
Balding Mr. Horse has a nice tie, by the way.
Some riddles are really difficult, but solely because of their illogicality. How to understand that this particular key (which still needs to be identified and remembered) is for this particular place? By selection method or random method (how I won The Huldra). But some puzzles, such as blood dripping on the ceiling, lead to wild admiration when you guess what it was. Or our beloved box, which I opened without the help of the Internet (the universe forced me to, cutting off the electricity for the entire block).
About the box
In order to cope with this, in fact, simple puzzle (and for the British and Americans it’s completely easy), you will need the knowledge that you don’t need to go there before the first playthrough of the game, a free application Year Walk Companion and a basic level of knowledge of the English language.After you finish the game with a bad ending, you are given some instructions on how you can change everything. Here Simogo turned away from history. In fact the end is exactly as you will see it without opening the box. But we are offered to correct the mistakes of Daniel Svenson. You will receive a key that will open the diaries Theodor Almsten inside Year Walk Companion – real person, Swedish folklorist historian, born 1968. It was he who described the procedure Year Walk and all five creatures found in the game. What is said about this in my article is only a small part of his research and excavations, in the figurative sense of the word.
The make-up in Year Walk is a goat... Simogo, apparently, is not familiar with Sirius Black
Everything there is absolutely real, with the exception of his diaries. In them he shares his thoughts and experiences about Guardians and how they relate to the dimensions of time and space (what else could be real), and also tells its history and connection with the ritual Year Walk. All the latter, of course, are blatant inventions, and you and I understand this, but everything that he describes is very interesting. And even when he backs up his words with photographs of a box, a cottage, a forest, a church, which we had previously seen in the game, considering them to be fiction.
The crunch of snow underfoot
Year Walk– the game is very atmospheric, as it should be in the genre. I would even say that it is more atmospheric than the one that made a lot of noise last year. And this is facilitated not only by the combination of history and legends, but also by many reports in Year Walk Companion, but also the soundtrack. The game in this regard is strictly in one direction, very clearly and beautifully. Almost always, the silence is broken only by the crunch of snow underfoot, and at significant moments, disturbing music appears, heating up the situation. All bosses are accompanied by some kind of musical effects, and some levels are completely built on this. For example, this is how we will deal with The Huldra, listening and remembering her intonation.well and musical accompaniment at the very beginning (in the intro video and in the mill) and at the very end (starting from The Church Grim) just wonderful. This is a very ordinary acoustic guitar, but it hits exactly the right notes.
And of course the graphic design, which I often talk about at the end. The game is drawn simply amazingly, it is exactly drawn. In fact, there is only one 3D level in the game, everything else is background images of the forest and objects with which you can interact. But again, this is done in the same style, with clear drawing and excellent animation. The game is simply beautiful to watch. And for a better atmosphere Simogo We also ran the game in widescreen, so there are black bars at the top and bottom, which you could see in all the screenshots.
Several final levels are very reminiscent of Assassin's Creed in style
Did you wait?
Year Walk and accompanying Year Walk Companion is a real reference book not only for Swedish myths and legends, but also for Sweden in the 19th century. And simply - these are great adventures with a pinch of horror, which combine so much interesting information and unique moments that make you wonder. You want to find something about Year Walk on the Internet, but all Google is teeming with information about the game, not about a half-forgotten tradition. Well, creation Simogo deserves it. Like this on yours iPhone And iPad hasn't happened yet.- Plot – 10: The story is great. And note, in the very Year Walk there is very little text
- Gameplay – 8: sometimes solving one puzzle can get very boring
- Graphics – 10: perfect style
- Controls – 10: swipes and taps, everything to a minimum
- Sounds and Music – 10: Possibly the strongest accompaniment to a game in the entire App Store
- Replay value - average: you might want to feel the same emotions someday
- Expectations met: 100% - to be honest, I didn’t expect such a strong game
- Our achievements: subtly make the player mistake a horse for a moose; settings for weaklings; nothing to complain about; best story; best atmosphere; better rendering; The best music
- Final score: 10/10=5.0 – IDEAL
Download Year Walk Companion for iPhone, iPad (Free)
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“Before I knew what would happen next year, I was living among the stars. It seemed to me that I had lived there for many years. What do I care now about what happens in the future? Time has already run out."
Martin Nilsson, mentally ill.
According to Swedish folklore, on New Year's Eve you can see the future if several conditions are met: firstly, you should refuse festive foods, secondly, stop any contact with other people, and thirdly, avoid fire - which can be dangerous on cold winter days. As soon as all the requirements are met, the daredevil has the right to leave his shelter, go out into the street exactly at midnight and try to get to the nearest church to perform a special ritual. However, on the way to the treasured temple, the walker may encounter supernatural creatures who will try to stop the desire to touch the unknown and, in some cases, even take life. However, those who were especially lucky still made it to the religious building and received a vision of the future as a reward. The life of such “lucky ones” was never the same again - from time to time they could be visited by disturbing dreams about people who would die in the next year, or restless ghosts on the roads.
The ancient ritual described above is called Oshgad ( Swede. – Årsgång), and it is precisely this passage that you will have to deal with in the game Year Walk, which became available for Nintendo Wii U as "the most complete edition". This is a first-person adventure puzzle game with a suspenseful atmosphere, an interesting premise and an unusual gameplay based on exploring the world around us and solving riddles. This version of the horror game was distinguished by its rather clever implementation of the capabilities of the GamePad controller, including the use of a touch screen, with which the player will have access to the in-game encyclopedia, will be able to take notes, check the map and find out tips in case of hitches.
Before you set out on a journey through the mysterious Scandinavian forest, be sure to disconnect from the outside world and turn off the lights - in this case, the 2D Year Walk can surprise you. A story rooted in Swedish folklore, challenging riddles and a captivating visual style create a wonderful mixture that can both attract and repel. After a rather modest introduction, the Year Walk events will gain momentum - here you are calmly strolling through soft snow, and now you are meeting a forest nymph who is desperately calling you to follow her. Mostly game process is an exploration of snow-covered locations followed by solving intricate puzzles, and the developers decided to use the Wii U GamePad's gyroscope to move the game cursor (it sounds great, but in reality it's not very convenient). Occasionally you will come across puzzles whose solution requires rotating the tablet controller or pressing several buttons.
Since the title of the game contains the word "walk", don't expect an impressive length from Year Walk - you can get to the ending of this story in a little more than one hour. However, this journey is definitely worth it, because this project will certainly make the player feel out of place, largely thanks to the unpleasant sounds, the situation heating up with each new step and, of course, an unexpected ending... which will not provide answers to all questions. To find out the truth, you have to be extremely attentive and wasteful - then, perhaps, you will be able to satisfy your curiosity. Otherwise, the creatures inhabiting this seemingly peaceful forest will happily take the life of an uninvited guest.
Despite the fact that Year Walk first appeared on iOS, I can say with confidence that similar gaming experience feels much fuller thanks to big screen. In addition, the Wii U GamePad controller came in handy, adding to the immersive effect. The reason for this is not only convenient map, with the help of which the journey from one point of the forest to another does not turn into aimless wandering, and a field for notes, but also unique sound effects that mix with the original sound track and create an alarming cacophony.
PROLOGUE:
After viewing the interesting introductory text, we find ourselves at our house (Cottage) in the winter forest. The first task is to get to the Windmill. It is located in the northwest. For convenience, use the map. On the way you will probably come across a mysterious box, but for now there is nothing you can do with it. As they say, everything has its time.
At the mill we meet a nice girl. We talk with her (click on her silhouette several times). In the end, she will invite us to return home and get some rest. It’s a sin to disobey such a sweet creature, so we return home. Next, an introductory logo awaits us, which must be “clicked out” with your own hand. Move the mouse across the screen and click on the illuminated elements, thus creating YeAR WALK.
Achievement hunters should take note: here you can earn the “Logo Type” achievement. To do this, instead of the entire name, you need to “click” only “eAR”.
THE HULDER:
So the walk begins. If you have read the encyclopedia, then most likely you have guessed that our ultimate goal is the Church, which can only be reached by going through the Cemetery. Well, let's go to the entrance to the cemetery (use the map, yes). But here’s the problem: the gate is closed, and the key, judging by the vision that befell us, is in the possession of a certain forest lady, who, as you probably already understood, is that same Huldra. So our next task is to find it and press the key. This is quite simple to do: just wander through the forest, listening to the sounds (as you approach the lady, the mysterious singing will intensify). For those who are lazy: Huldra is located in the southeast - the far right side of the Woods & Kiln location. Now we just need to follow her.
Achievement hunters should take note: along the way we will come across a rune stone, drawing a figure eight on which we will unlock the “Digital Rune” achievement. Start with the central “stick” and draw a contour around it - here you have a figure eight (an electronic watch can help if you don’t have enough imagination).
So, the lady will lead us to the Dead Tree. You can open it in order to follow her with the help of owls that sit on the branches, staring impudently. Follow to the barn (Shed). There's a creepy doll hanging there. Hold her head and move the mouse to the side to “wind” the toy, then watch the order in which she raises her hands. This is the key: in exactly the same order you will need to click on the owls near the Dead Tree. For the lazy: the correct order is left, right, left, right, right, right, left, left.
Achievement hunters should take note: there is an achievement “Cheat Walk”, one of the conditions for obtaining it is not using the doll. That is, you follow the path of the lazy: you don’t go to the barn, but simply immediately enter the desired combination at the Tree. In addition, the achievement "OWL 6" is associated with owls. To get it, before entering the plot combination, enter another: left, right, right, left, left, left, right, left, right, left.
So we are inside the tree. A sound mystery awaits us here. The trick is that each passage has its own singing style. Your task is to choose the correct one, belonging to the lady. Again, for the lazy: The correct path is 2 passages on the right, 3 on the left, 3 on the right, 2 on the right, 2 on the left.
Well, it seems like you can exhale freely, because here it is - the key. However, the key suddenly turns into spring water. so what are you going to do? Although, we suspected that everything obviously could not be so simple.
MYLINGS & HORSE:
Okay, the walk must continue, so we are still intensively looking for the key that slipped right from under our noses. If he turned into water, it is logical to look for him somewhere near a reservoir, and therefore we follow to the river (the southernmost location is “Brook”).
You can see a horse's head in the water, cute. Pull it out (hold LMB and pull it up). Now our task is to return the "Mylinks" (spirits of dead children). The first one is right in the encyclopedia, in the “Mylingen” section (You will probably notice the bloody color that appears). Scroll to the very bottom and you will find what we need. LMB on the spirit and drag it to the horse in the river.
The rest can be found by wandering through the forest, paying attention to the bloody footprints. They will lead to the goal. All found spirits must be taken to the horse (to do this, hold LMB on them and drag them with you).
For the lazy:
2) The spirit is located on the left side of the "Woods & Kiln" location (i.e. literally two steps away from us). Go into the hut, hold down the "U" and "N" keys on the keyboard, remove the bulkheads with the mouse and open the door.
3) The spirit is located in the east, in the "Woods" location between the "Runestone" and "Dead Tree" locations. There you will find a cart. Pull it to the right, and after the flashing images, pull it to the right again. The spirit is yours.
4) The last one is at the mill. Screw the mechanism on the left side of the screen (you know, hold down the LMB and pull). Then go outside and take the spirit.
Well, for such hard work we are entitled to a reward. The horse, apparently, also thinks so, because he drowns himself, leaving us the treasured key. But wait, you didn’t think it would all end there, did you? Out of nowhere, an insidious raven flies in and steals what rightfully belongs to us. We need to look for the key again, ah-ah-ah. Combine four small lights into one big one by clicking on them with LMB, and go to the next section of this guide.
THE NIGHT RAVEN:
Where to look for a raven? In the Hill location in the north. You can get to the hill through the cellar in the "Woods & Underground Storage" location, but it's as dark as you can see there. But it doesn’t matter, we have a blue light that will light our way. We take it with us (we drag it, like the spirits) and go to the cellar. There, using the light, we move to the right until we see two planks at the top of the screen (there will still be a blood stain on the wall under them). We remove the one that is lower (pull it to the right), and voila: a staircase to the top. We rise, go right again. A dead raven lies in the snow. We click on it to bring the scoundrel to his senses. And then you need to click on it many times until the nonsense that begins to crawl out of the crow’s beak flies away, leaving it behind. key. Oh my God, he's finally ours!
THE CHURCH GRIM:
Well, let's go to the cemetery and solemnly open the gates. Now our path is blocked by a tombstone, which can be removed by solving another riddle. Have you noticed four stones that can be pulled out of the ground? That's what it's all about.
Note to achievement hunters: here you can get the “Watchers’ Stone Cryptogram” achievement. To do this, pull the stones out of the ground (in order from left to right) to the following number of points: 4, 0, 1, 1.
So how do you solve the riddle? You've probably already noticed trees with pictures in the forest. There are four of them in total (on the map they are marked with small letters "T"), and it is the symbols inscribed on them that identify the characters we met (the forest lady aka "Huldra". The river horse aka "Brook Horse". The spirit aka "Myling". The raven aka " Night Raven"). And it is these characters (in the same order from left to right) that are identified by the images on cemetery stones. Memorize the symbols on the trees (and who exactly they identify), or better yet, draw them on a piece of paper so as not to make a mistake, and go to the cellar. In the cellar, on various surfaces, you will find the same images (there will be extra ones) with dots drawn next to them. Remember the number of points - this is how many stones will need to be pulled out of the ground into the cemetery.
For the lazy: the combination is 4, 2, 2, 3.
So, here is the church in front of us. Now it is necessary to perform a ritual walk around it.
Note to achievement hunters: the second part of the “Cheat Walk” achievement awaits us here. You don’t need to solve the riddle with the rune stones, but just immediately go around the church in the correct sequence: a full circle to the left, then to the right, left, right, right, left, right. Each complete circuit is marked by a shadow around the Grim sign above the main entrance to the church, so it is difficult to get confused.
Well, with those who don’t want to be lazy, we’ll solve another riddle.
While wandering through the forest, you have probably already noticed rune stones: three small ones (they are marked on the map with “eyes”) and one large one. So, the whole trick is that you need to draw symbols from small stones on the big one. Walk to each stone, draw the symbols and go to the large stone (location in the east "Runestone"). Start drawing symbols point by point from small stones. It doesn’t matter which stone symbol you draw first. If you draw the symbol correctly, one of the three eyes on the top of the large stone will light up. If you make a mistake, leave the location, come back and start again. If you did everything correctly, a vision will begin in which the left and right arrows will alternately flash. This is the combination we need: left, right, left, right, right, left, right. We return to the church and go around it in this sequence. That is, first we make a complete detour from the left side, then from the right, etc. The mystery is solved.
We go inside and meet Grim. You need to open his robe; to do this, hold down the LMB on it and move its flaps to the side. There's a heart inside. Quickly click on it several times until it bursts. Then we break the glass and find ourselves in an otherworldly reality.
BEYOND:
Now the real God knows what begins. We see a stone with wings in front of us. There are some white growths on the stone. They need to be removed, for which we quickly click on the white space next to them. Next, a certain “globe of the Universe” will appear. Click LMB and rotate it until all its edges are covered with white plates. Then he will disappear. Then we will see the house and the constellations around it. Constellations must be removed by clicking on them with LMB. The sequence is simple: from the smallest number of stars to the largest. That is, first click on one star, then on a constellation with two stars, three, etc.
Now we have a white something in front of us, surrounded by pieces. We hold down the LMB and begin to rotate the circle in any direction until one of the pieces falls into place. Then we change direction and wait until the next piece falls into place. We change direction again, etc., until all the pieces find their places.
Finally, we see Grim's head. Rotate it until it disappears. This should be done with sharp single movements with the LMB held down. That's all. All that remains is to keep going to the right until you come across the corpse of the girl Titra. Mysterious messages.
Please note that the treasured inscription "The End" never appeared. The thing is that this game has one more ending. Remember about the mysterious box not far from your house? So, not all the game’s riddles can be solved in one playthrough
This box can be opened to reveal a different ending. I note that there are no achievements associated with this, so you can consider the game completed.
BOX:
How do you open the box? After the first playthrough, at the end of the final credits, as already noted, a mysterious message flashed on the screen. It contains the words “north of the mill” (north of the mill) and “south of the brook” (south of the stream). We are talking about the locations "Windmill" (Mill) and "Brook" (Stream). Start a new game, open the map, move the mouse over the “Mill” location and under the “Stream” location. The login (theoalm68) and password (1894) from the Journal will be displayed there. Next, you just need to open the Journal (one of the sections on the panel in the upper right corner of the screen), log in using the received data, read the entries, while paying attention to the order in which the symbols from the box will appear there.
As usual, a combination for the lazy:
1) Inverted triangle.
2) Right semicircle.
3) Square.
4) Triangle.
5) Lower semicircle.
ACHIEVEMENTS:
1) New Year (Year walk on New Year's eve).
It's simple. Wait until December 31st (New Year's Eve, yes) and log into the game. That's it, the achievement is yours. If you don’t want to wait, just change your PC time to December 31st, I think you know how to do it
2) No Clues (Do a full year walk without any hints).
Complete the game without using any hints.
3) Lost (Do a full year walk without looking at the map).
Complete the game without using the map. I recommend earning this achievement after one complete playthrough, otherwise you will get confused a lot.
4) Year Run (Do a full year walk in 20 minutes).
Complete the game in 20 minutes. Quite simple if you remember the correct sequence of actions well.
5) Cheat Walk (Do a full year walk without uncovering the secrets of the rune and the doll. The grim will visit your dreams).
Complete the game without revealing the secrets of the barn doll and the rune stone. It is possible only if you know in advance the correct combinations to solve these riddles. You can find them above in the walkthrough guide (sections "The Huldra" and "The Church Grim").
6) OWL 6 (The owls sing a song that they learned in the lobby of a castle on a remote island).
To get the achievement at the Dead Tree (riddle with owls), before entering the plot combination, enter another: left, right, right, left, left, left, right, left, right, left.
7) Watchers’ Stone Cryptogram (MYL1NGBRO0KHORSEN1GHTRAVENHULDR4).
To get the achievement in the cemetery, pull stones from the ground (in order from left to right) to the following number of points: 4, 0, 1, 1.
8) Clockwise Minute Box (48, 30, 42, 30, 18).
Another mystery with a box. Combination to unlock achievement:
Inverted triangle.
Rhombus.
Circle.
Rhombus.
Upper semicircle.
9) Digital Rune (A mysteriously modern rune).
Find a location with a Rune Stone in the east. Draw a figure eight on the stone (an electronic clock will help you) to unlock the achievement.
10) Logo Type (A three letter word in the dark. Without it, it's silent).
At the very beginning of the game we need to “shout out” its logo - YeAR WALK. To earn the achievement, click only "eAR".
