Visual Symbolism Breakdown

Uncover the hidden meanings behind Gris's world in the Prologue. Learn about the Five Stages of Grief, Constellation Bridges, and Mementos with this walkthrough.

Alright, let's dive into the Prologue of Gris! This is where we first get a feel for the game's atmosphere and start to understand the symbolism at play. Don't worry, it's pretty straightforward, and I'll guide you through it.

After the opening cutscene, you'll find Gris collapsed. Just use your left joystick to point right and she'll stand up. Keep moving forward, and you'll see the world start to come alive around her. As you progress, Gris will collapse again after passing through some fog. When she gets up this time, you'll notice she can move a bit faster and, importantly, she gains the ability to jump! It's like she's finding her wings.

The Five Stages of Grief: Denial

Now, here's a cool little challenge. See that small pillar near where Gris first landed? You can actually backtrack just a tiny bit to the left to find it. Beyond it, there's a collapsed statue. Approach it, and let Gris fall and get up on her own. Super important: don't touch your controller at all during this. If you do it right, you'll get a notification saying you've completed the 'First Stage of Grief: Denial'. This is the first of five stages you can find throughout the game, so keep an eye out for these subtle opportunities!

Constellation Bridges

Keep moving forward, and the world will get rockier. You'll eventually climb a giant rock. Once you leap over the edge, there's no going back the way you came. You'll see a small, pulsing light – a Star. Approach it, and Gris will absorb it, gaining a little companion. You'll need these!

Continue past where you found the first Star. Look for some crumbling platforms, the first one marked by a tree with upside-down triangular leaves. Hop on them and keep moving left until you see a black mountain going upwards to your right. Shortly after you start climbing, you'll find a second Star. Grab it!

A little further on, you'll see a large gap between structures. The game will hint that your little Star companions can help you cross. You'll need more than the two you have right now, though. Head up the stairs to your left to find a large leaning tower. Climb the zigzagging stairs to the top. Once there, your two Stars will automatically create a bridge, letting you reach a third Star on a smaller tower nearby.

Memento #1

Before you cross back, there's a collectible here! Go up the first staircase on the leaning tower, then jump to the left. You'll see a symbol – this is one of the game's Mementos. Touch it to activate it.

Now, head back to that gap. Your three little companions will form a bridge. Cross it and keep going right until you reach a crumbling stone hand. A short cutscene will play, accompanied by a burst of red. You'll also get a notification: 'Red - A Color Has Been Brought Back'. You can check these kinds of challenges in your Pause Menu; the 'color' ones are usually tied to completing chapters.

The Temple and the Constellations

Continue on until you reach a huge staircase leading up to a temple. At the top, look at the back wall. There's a pictogram showing a leaning tower and two circles with a dot. If you found that Memento earlier, one of those symbols should be lit up. You'll find the other one later.

Keep going until you reach a blood-red tree. Your little Star companions will leave you here to form a constellation in the sky. You'll have to go on without them for now.

On the other side of the red tree, at the edge of the stairs going down, you'll see more symbols on black walls. These represent the game's chapters and their Mementos. You'll find them as you progress.

Head down the stairs and keep moving right until you start sliding down a steep red mountainside. Once you're on flat ground, continue right. You'll arrive at a black tower. As you near the top, Gris will automatically finish the climb, and a cutscene will play. And that's the end of the Prologue!