Nexon’s upcoming action-adventure title Crimson Desert introduces complex environmental puzzles within its opening chapters. A detailed walkthrough provided by Polygon outlines the challenging Abyss Without Balance quest found in Chapter one. Players must navigate dangerous floating islands and solve intricate mechanisms to restore balance to the Abyss.
The quest initiates immediately after passing through a shining gate located inside Hernand Castle during the main story. Players encounter a locked Axiom Archive tower situated on a floating island near the start of The First Encounter mission. Progress requires solving the Polar Opposites puzzle to gain access to the locked building structure safely.
Utilizing the Axiom Force ability allows interaction with round tiles to unlock the archive door effectively on the ground. Users must aim with the left stick or Tab key to grab tiles and rotate them with the right stick or mouse precisely. Connecting the pipe system requires turning specific wheels exactly 90 degrees counterclockwise to align the pipes correctly. The visual feedback shows blue lines indicating a successful connection for the player to verify. Controller inputs align with keyboard shortcuts for accessibility across different hardware platforms.
Upon entering the archive, an NPC named Alustin assigns the next objective to restore the Abyss as part of the main mission. This involves interacting with an alignment device to open a skybridge behind the tower structure for passage. A sizzling sound and white lightning indicate the correct activation state for the stone structure clearly.
Navigating the skybridge requires precise jumping across tiny floating platforms scattered throughout the high-altitude area. Holding the left bumper or Ctrl key improves aim during difficult jumps to reach higher islands safely without falling. Players may encounter dead ends where waiting for an arriving floating platform is necessary for continued progress. This platforming section tests the player’s reflexes and understanding of the movement mechanics. Missing a jump can result in failure, requiring players to restart the sequence from the last checkpoint.
The final challenge involves the Ethereal Pathway Abyss puzzle located at the very end of the path ahead. Users must remove a wall blocking the floor by dragging a blue cube to a deactivated lantern with Axiom Force. This specific action creates an Abyss Cell that requires further manipulation to proceed through the level.
Observing a shadowy figure teaches the Force Palm ability needed to combine the Abyss Cell components successfully. Players place a floating tile into a blue slot on the wall to complete the combination required for the quest. Activating the large circular doorway completes the primary quest objective for this specific section of the game.
Completing the quest rewards players with a faded abyss artifact and a palmar pill item for their inventory. The artifact upgrades skills, while the pill allows instant character revival upon defeat in combat situations. The journey also unlocks flight capabilities, facilitating safe returns to Hernand Castle quickly for players.
This sequence demonstrates the game’s integration of combat abilities with environmental puzzle solving mechanics throughout the world. Polygon highlights that players can return to the Ethereal Pathway via fast travel to solve additional puzzles later. Unlocking new skybridges expands the accessible area within the vast game world significantly for exploration. These mechanics suggest a design philosophy that rewards careful observation and timing. This design encourages exploration and mastery of the game’s control schemes over time.
New players should utilize the interactive map to navigate the vast world of Pywel effectively without getting lost. Learning life skills like fishing and mining helps generate currency throughout the journey to support progression. Further walkthroughs cover main story quests and other Abyss puzzles like the Root’s End for guidance.
