[Noob Help] Stuck in Crystal Peak cave?

[chem24]

(forewarning: first time playing a Metroidvania, never really played "high-difficulty" games before & am terrible at navigating in-game maps. I think it's pretty fun so far tho! even if mother grub was vaguely traumatizing)

So here's the sequence of events as to how I got there:
- notice I can't really explore Greenpath further bc there's a lot of ledges & platforms that I can't reach with a normal jump
- figure I need to unlock some sort of dash/double jump/maneuver ability
- after searching across the (currently-available) map, find some sort of dark 'room' which seems to require some sort of light
- grind out 1800 geo to pay up for Sly's lamp, which is a total rip-off imo
- discover & explore Crystal Peak for a bit
- upon trying to go back, notice my old way out is blocked by another unreachable ledge
- "ah well, might as well go further in. I'm sure the ability is here somewhere right?"
Not sure how to elaborate bc I don't have Cornifer's map yet, but my only way forward is in some kind of cave area with: a ceiling, platforms only, and falling gets you auto-killed by what I can only assume is impalement by giant crystal spike. There's also a lot of flying bug enemies which I've learned are called "crystal hunters", which are kinda a pain to deal with.
Other than the ol' "gitting gud", one method I've thought of in hindsight is to try stocking up some soul beforehand to blast those hunters away instead of fighting them directly. So before I dive headfirst into that hell again with the intent of getting out (kinda an oxymoron huh), I wonder if there's actually a more efficient way of doing things? Any alternative routes I missed? Something I'm doing wrong?

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

You need to go up 🔼, near the left side of Crystal Peak 🙂 Near the conveyor belts. When you will find Cornifer, you should be alright. Look for papers laying on the ground and listen for his humming. These are signs you are getting close to him.

https://youtu.be/xvAmHTD3Sho?t=1382
23:02 - 23:12 this is your way to go (don't read the description if you don't want spoilers)

Nevermind! I didn't notice you still didn't even explore Greenpath.🙂
Just go back left where you came (I just did that, it's possible), go back to Greenpath, explore Greenpath more, you will find your way eventually.
Return to Crystal Peak a bit later on, when you will unlock at least two movement abilities. It is a more advanced area.

[Noborus]

The game never requires you to grind geo to progress, you're in an area that you aren't supposed to be at yet (more of a midgame area). Here's the link to a interactive map you can use to find your way out[scripterswar.com], it's pretty cheesy so if you feel it might ruin the blind playthrough experience only use it when you get lost.

[chem24]

oh. guess I really do have a bad habit of assuming things and then giving up too early.
anyways, thx for the friendly responses

[GekkooNTH]

I suggest you go back to the Greenpath. Yes there will be some place in there you can't reach (yet) but it doesn't mean you can't move forward sometime it just mean that you have to take a detour to get there.

[Arti_Sel]

Originally posted by chem24:

oh. guess I really do have a bad habit of assuming things and then giving up too early.
anyways, thx for the friendly responses

You chose a harder path but it's doable, the high cost of the lantern is probably so that people won't chose to go there by accident. Stocking up soul is a good idea, you already paid the price so might as well unlock the secrets of crystal peak.

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

Originally posted by chem24:

oh. guess I really do have a bad habit of assuming things and then giving up too early.
anyways, thx for the friendly responses

No problem! I feel like we all have these habits sometimes 🙂
Have a nice playthrough and good luck in finding your way in Greenpath 🍀 Cornifer is very near the entrance. Once you find him, it will be easy to fill in the missing pieces of the map.

Originally posted by Arti_Sel:

You chose a harder path but it's doable (...) you already paid the price so might as well unlock the secrets of crystal peak.

First they need to unlock at least 2 movement abilities (Mothwing Cloak and Mantis Claw)

[MADE IN IRON]

Worry not my friend!

Your description about you could apply to me as well and we might be so alike that we did the same (stupid) thing: grinding geo to buy the lantern to get into Crystal Peak.

I did it because I couldn't even find the entrance to Greenpath, so I was even in an earlier stage of the game than you, but I managed to get out!

I cannot tell you the exact path because I had no idea what I was doing, but I can tell you, there is no way back or up, only forward and down.

Keep going on, and on, and at some point you'll find a passage to another area. There you'll find a stag station to rush back crying to Dirthmouth. Well, at least I was crying, hope you don't suffer as much as I did.
But I can tell you for sure, there is a way out.

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

Originally posted by MADE IN IRON:

but I can tell you, there is no way back or up, only forward and down.

I managed to trace my steps back to Forgotten Crossroads yesterday with no extra abilities (just jump). I wonder why you couldn't go back?

[MADE IN IRON]

Originally posted by 🉑 reznoR.technology:

Originally posted by MADE IN IRON:

but I can tell you, there is no way back or up, only forward and down.

I managed to trace my steps back to Forgotten Crossroads yesterday with no extra abilities (just jump). I wonder why you couldn't go back?

At some point I felt somewhere and without manthis claws I couldn't turn back.
I should start a new game and try to do it again. Maybe I missed something, I don't know, I was in fear the whole time I spent there.

[🉑 rezno[R].technology]

Originally posted by MADE IN IRON:

At some point I felt somewhere and without manthis claws I couldn't turn back.
I should start a new game and try to do it again. Maybe I missed something, I don't know, I was in fear the whole time I spent there.

Thanks for the reply! I can totally understand, I felt similar things at some moments on my first playthrough. And I didn't know things I know today.
This is what I did there:
https://youtu.be/bTkoIcocdRo
(that one jump at 0:27 can be tricky, probably)