Solving problems is tough enough when time moves normally.
Do you like mythology? How about Chinese mythology and puzzles? If your answer is yes, then The Rewinder might be the game for you. Even if your answer is no, it could still be one of the games worth trying if you enjoy side-scrolling puzzle games.
The game starts with a backstory that tells the tale of the end of the War of Apotheosis and the absence of peace. Consequently, restless souls and monsters roam freely. The main character, Qi Yun, possesses the power to rewind time and change the past as a Rewinder. A few hints wouldn't hurt in the task of bringing peace to these souls, right?
Your Cursor Is A Highly Effective Tool
The easiest way to find objects you can interact with is to move your cursor over all objects in your current location. This way, you can discover both puzzle objects and some hints. This ensures that you won't miss anything important in the area.
Furthermore, by moving your cursor over accessible areas, you won't miss any possible paths.
As you progress through the game, you'll also acquire some objects like the Pickaxe. Make it a habit to use these objects (located in the bottom right corner of your screen). This way, you can use tools like the pickaxe to overcome obstacles or collect clues you couldn't interact with using the cursor alone.
Every Piece Of The Puzzle Can Be Useful
You'll encounter various small puzzles in The Rewinder. To solve them, you'll either be given a limited number of objects or extra pieces to solve the puzzle. Most importantly, sometimes you can create new things from limited resources, and other times, the extra pieces given to you can lead you to the solution.
For example, in the early parts of the game, you'll need to solve a level-scale puzzle in the Tea Shop house. When you look at the padlock, you'll see four different symbols on it. However, you won't reach any solution if you only use weights with these symbols in the level scale puzzle.
You need to use weights that don't have the symbols on the padlock somehow to determine the weight values of the symbol-bearing weights.
Similarly, in the house where the Crazy Pipa Ghost resides, you'll encounter another puzzle. There, you'll need to solve an opera mask puzzle. To solve it, you'll need to produce the colors found on half of the mask. However, you'll be given a limited number of colors.
In this case, you'll need to use the limited resources to create your own useful resources. You should try different color combinations to produce the correct colors.
In some puzzles, you may ask Light for hints. This way, you can learn about the workings and mechanics of the puzzle you're trying to solve.
Don't Rely Solely On Your Journal For Everything
The journal is a powerful tool that guides you through the game's story and reminds you of symbols or events you've encountered. It saves you from having to revisit places you've already been to.
However, for some puzzles, even if you consult your journal, you may not find the information you need. In such cases, the best thing you can do is rely on your memory or revisit the places you've been to. This way, you can review the writings or information on objects you missed.
Additionally, pay attention to what other characters say or do. Not everything they say is recorded in the journal, so remember to keep keywords or phrases, especially those in different colors in the dialogue boxes, in your memory. You may need to recall this information again in certain parts of the game.
Always remember that the vital information is stored in the Clue section of your journal , except for some rare cases. Since what's recorded there is crucial, you can be sure that you'll need to use it in certain parts of the puzzles.
Be Quick And Think Differently In Shrine Puzzles
As you solve puzzles, you'll come across Memory Shards belonging to ghosts who have experienced unfortunate events. To place them, you'll need to go to the Shrine in the cave on the mountain. Through these Shrines, you'll be able to travel to the past and change events that have occurred.
However, you need to solve puzzles first to place the Memory Shards.
Each time you place a new Memory Shard in the Shrine, the puzzle there changes.
Since the puzzles here have time limits, be sure to Sprint. Otherwise, you might not solve the puzzles in time.
Additionally, in some Shrine puzzles, your actions will be recorded and played back in reverse. In this case, don't get discouraged, even if you make mistakes while solving them. Your priority should be to figure out the sequence of the puzzle first. You can understand this through trial and error.
For example, in the first Shrine puzzle, if you figure out which stone is active first. Then, determine the sequence you've followed and make your moves accordingly.
After solving the Shrine puzzle, you'll be asked whose memory it is. There's no penalty for getting this wrong. Simply continue trying the options until you find the correct name.
Make Pausing Time A Habit
After solving Shrine puzzles, you'll enter the memories of certain characters in the village. Each memory will have a flow of time, meaning your time is limited. You can track this from the time bar below. If the time bar reaches its end and you haven't managed to change time and fate, you'll fail.
Of course, in memories, since you can't talk to anyone or use objects, the only thing you can use is Senses. The best way to collect Senses is to pause time immediately at the beginning. This way, you can navigate around without the time limit and collect the Senses in your surroundings.
Once you've collected all the Senses you can initially gather, you should allow time to flow a bit and observe events. Remember that some characters may open doors to houses. This way, you can enter inside and collect new senses.
Make pausing time a habit. After each action the villagers take, you may have the chance to gain new information and obtain new Senses.
Read The Symbols On The Time Bar Carefully
Even if you fail on the time bar, there might be a tipping point that leads you to failure. That's why there will be some checkpoints as events unfold. If you believe you've done the right things and collected enough required senses before a checkpoint, choosing that checkpoint will be advantageous. If you're still confused, starting over from the beginning can sometimes be a good option.
Additionally, some Memory Levels have multiple checkpoints. If you think you've made a mistake or events have spiraled out of your control, you can go to a specific point in time by selecting the checkpoint you want. In other words, you don't necessarily have to wait for the time bar to reach its end to rewind events.
Villagers in Memory Levels can enter two different states: the state of Hesitation and the state of Musing. If you check the symbols above the time bar, you'll see indicators for these states. Therefore, pausing time to check on the characters individually is best. This way, you can determine which characters are in which state.
Don't Hesitate To Make Mistakes In The State Of Musing
Villagers in the state of Musing have a certain number of Thought Bubbles. The goal here is to obtain Senses from them. However, not every Thought Bubble may yield Senses that can be extracted. Regardless of whether you succeed in extracting Senses, your Energy will decrease.
Analyzing the villagers carefully to obtain Thought Bubbles related to the topic and capable of changing the course of events is more logical when using energy. Nevertheless, unexpected thoughts can sometimes contain Senses.
Even if you have a certain amount of Energy, don't hesitate to make mistakes. The important thing is to find thoughts that contain Senses. Even if your energy runs out, remember that you can rewind events with the checkpoints on the time bar.
When you rewind time, the Thought Bubbles containing Senses won't change, so you'll save energy on your next attempt by selecting the correct ones.
Try All Combinations In The State Of Hesitation
In the state of Hesitation, you change the villagers' thoughts by placing the Senses you've collected into their slots. This way, the flow of time and fate is altered. Be bold when placing Senses and try all combinations.
If the person's decision doesn't change with the given senses, it means some senses are missing. This indicates that you might have overlooked some things:
- You may have failed to obtain some Senses from characters in the state of Musing.
- You may have forgotten to obtain Senses from certain objects.
- You may have missed the chance to obtain Senses due to the flow of time.
In this case, it would be logical to pause time and interact with other objects, try your luck with Thought Bubbles again, or start anew by rewinding time.
Sometimes, there can be alternatives to change a character's mind instead of just one Sense.
