The RewinderThe Rewinder

Game Details:  Fantasy, 2021

Links:  Moby Games, Steam, Adventure Gamers

Walkthrough Updated:  4/8/2022

Suggested Listening:  Wild Hearts Meet (Ash 25)

The Rewinder is a side-scrolling third-person adventure based on Chinese mythology. You play as Yun, a "rewinder" with the ability to enter people's memories and alter their intentions. You are called to a small village to investigate a series of failed reincarnations and bring order to the chaos. This walkthrough includes the Root of Evil DLC. There are 29 Steam Achievements, between the main game and DLC, all documented in the walkthrough below.

The First Chapter

Home

Light will inform you that Mr Black and Mr White have come to visit A Stolen Moment of Reprieve. Head right through the gate, and pick up the Beyond Flower (1/12). Speak to Mr White, and your journey will begin.

The Underworld

Speak to Ox-Head Jr and Horse-Head Jr, but the ghost market is not open yet. Continue right and talk to the Tree Sage (you will automatically give him the first flower). Go right into the light.

Arrival at Reed River

Read all of the messages on the message board, then head right to meet Ying, who will keep muttering series of 3 animals to herself. Pet the dog that is sleeping just to the right You Can Pet the Dog in 'The Rewinder'. Continue right to find that the Tu Di Temple has been sealed with a magical lock. Go slightly back to the left and head down the stairs.

Head left until you find a red puzzle embedded within the rock. You need to click on the nodes highlighted in blue below to rotate the stones and create a complete serpent outline:

Enter the cave.

Into the Cave

Look at the talisman on the wall to reveal a mark. Go back out of the cave and up the stairs, then examine the sealed temple. You need to draw the same pattern you just saw on the wall of the cave:

1
2
5
4
3
6
7

Unseal the Spell

Enter the temple and pick up the villagers' name list from the left. Read the labels beneath each of the 2 offering plates. Open the small cabinet on the left wall to get some paper gold ingots, and look in the prayer box on the right, reading both messages inside. Go back outside, then enter the tea shop to the left.

Look at the combination lock, and note the 4 symbols shown on it. Now examine the lever scale, which you can use to compare weights of different symbols. Using the 2 known weights (2 and 15), you can work out that the others weigh 4, 5, 6 and 8. Go back to the combination lock and open it with the code 4568. Take the half jar of liquor from the opened cabinet. Go back outside and use this on the water tank to the left to end up with diluted liquor.

Return to the temple and place the paper gold ingots on the left offering plate, and the diluted liquor on the right offering plate The Prankster. Tu Di will appear and give you a rabbit-shaped key.

After Meeting Tu Di

Leave the temple and go down the stairs again. Just to the left, use your rabbit-shaped key on the rabbit-shaped lock, then enter the herbalist's house. Try to take the memory shard. After your body is trapped, take the memory shard to see a vision, then head outside. Enter the cave to the left, and run all the way to the left - your movements past the line will be recorded and played back in reverse. You need to touch each of the 4 steles in the correct order based on how they light up:

4
2
1
3

Start by going to number 1, then straight to 2 without pausing. Immediately go right to 3 and finish by going left to 4. If timed correctly, all 4 will activate in the correct order during reverse playback. Now you can insert the memory shard into the shrine, giving the name Amber. Go to the far left and pick up the Cavernshine (2/12). Now access the memory.

Amber's Memory

Fast forward the memory using the assigned keyboard shortcut All of Chang'an's Flowers. Take the Delicious Food sense from the open window just to the left, then walk over towards Ash. Watch the memory tutorial, then examine Ash once he reaches his hesitation state. Use the Delicious Food sense on him and press the Stimulate button.

Once successful, Ash will enter the house, and Ying will put a message on the side of it. Go and read this message, clicking on the highlighted characters to get the Monsters in the Village sense. Watch the scene until Amber reaches a state of musing, then select "I can't believe what happened to Woody" to get the Woody's Death sense. Stimulate Ash (Woody's Death, Monsters in the Village) to complete the memory level Yesterday Once More.

The Second Chapter

Regain the Body

After talking to Light, examine the chest to find a clue about eighty-five coins. Now head outside. Go right and talk to the frog spirit. Notice that you cannot climb the stairs due to the ice. Continue further to the right and enter the tavern. Take the straw hat from the table on the left. Return outside and give this to the frog spirit in exchange for his broken bowl. Go right past the tavern onto a frozen lake. Talk to the beggar ghost here, then give him the broken bowl in exchange for his pickaxe. After the conversation, go to the far right and take the Camillia (3/12). Return to the blocked stairs and use your pickaxe to break the ice, then go up.

Up the Stairs

Enter the temple again and ask Tu Di everything. Return outside and go left past the first building to enter the next one, which is the carpenter's house. Talk to the box ghost on the right, then examine the abacus to the left. Flip through to the last page of the book, and look at the example picture at the top left. The sum of all of the values from the book is 40+23+80+85 (228). Set the abacus to this value:

Take the fish-shaped key. Go back outside and look at the door just to the right, then use your fish-shaped key on the fish-shaped lock. Go inside and examine the small dresser on the left. Drag the blocks around to reveal the central compartment:

Take the memory shard that is revealed. Return down to the cave again. You need to touch each of the 4 steles in a different order this time:

3
4
1
2

If you visit them in this order, they will activate correctly during reverse playback. Insert the memory shard into the shrine, giving the name June. Now access the memory.

The Carpenter's Memory

Look at the left message on the tree and get the Show Tomorrow sense. Wait for Ming to reach a state of musing at the chess board, then select "The tree seems a bit unsteady" to get the Tree is About to Fall sense. Go left to find Amber just left of the Tu Di Temple and wait for her to reach a state of musing, then select "Ash is going to sell those herbs" to get the Valuable Herbs sense. Look at the bun on the table to the left to get the Bun's Getting Cold sense. Go left to the carpenter's house and wait for June to arrive here and reach a state of hesitation. Stimulate him with Valuable Herbs and Tree is About to Fall.

Follow June inside. Examine the abacus to get the Secret in Abacus sense, then stimulate June with Secret in Abacus. Follow June back outside. Go right and stimulate Ying with Bun's Getting Cold. Go right to see Ming leaving the bun on the table, then click on the bun to get the Unwanted Bun sense.

There are now two different ways to proceed with this memory, with each one yielding a different flower:

Option 1

Just let the rest of the timeline play out.

Option 2

When Willow (on the edge of the bridge) enters a state of hesitation, stimulate him with Show Tomorrow. Wait for Uncle Huang to go towards Willow, then stimulate Faith with Unwanted Bun.

Either way the memory level will be complete The Storm is Coming.

The Third Chapter

Fixed the Bridge

Go right and pick up either the Multiflora Rose (4/12) or the Orchid (5/12) depending on whether you chose option 1 or 2 in June's memory level. Go left to see the spiderlings blocking the stairs. Enter the herbalist's house just to the left and get Ying's note from the table; you will also end up with a lighter. Back outside, enter the temple again and ask Tu Di everything. Go back out and head over the bridge to the right, talking to the beggar ghost along the way.

Continue right and talk to the crazy pipa ghost, then enter the theater through the doorway just to the left. Examine the cabinet on the left - here you just need to mix colors together and paint the right side of the mask to match the left. Once the cabinet opens, take out the memory shard. Also pick up the charcoal from the ground. Return outside.

Go down the stairs here. Enter the weaver's house just to the right and pick up the sulfur from inside. Go back out and up the stairs again. Return outside and upstairs, then go right past the theater and the butcher's house. Look at some crystals in the rock wall to the right, then use your pickaxe here and pick up the nitrate. Return to the butcher's house to the left and use the crafting table outside. Combine the charcoal, sulfur and nitrate here to craft some gunpowder. Return left over the bridge. Use the gunpowder on the spiderlings, then use the lighter on them. Go down the stairs.

Gained the Memory Shard

Head left to talk to Mr Black. Continue left into the cave. Press the stone to hear a melody, then pluck the strings in the correct order to reproduce the melody:

5
1
2
4
3

Once you get the order correct, the shrine will appear Perfect Pitch. Insert the memory shard into the shrine, giving the name Willow. Now access the memory.

Pipa Ghost's Memory

Inside the theater, wait for the troupe owner to enter a state of musing, then select "That damn beggar" to get the Tripping Hazard sense, and "My pipa has better strings" to get the Troupe Owner's Pipa sense. Now wait for Willow to enter a state of hesitation, then stimulate him with Troupe Owner's Pippa.

Pause time and go outside, where a member of the crowd on the right wearing blue is in a state of musing. Select "So many people here" to get the Many Guests sense. Go left to where Rusty is in a state of hesitation, and stimulate him with the Tripping Hazard sense.

Return right to the front of the theater and wait until the troupe owner and Ying both enter states of hesitation. Stimulate Ying with Many Guests. Now watch the rest of the scene, and Faith should make it in time for the performance - this will ensure that you see her in Bamboo Brook Village in the next chapter. This memory level will be complete Pearls Fall on the Jade Plate.

The Fourth Chapter

After the Memory Level

Go outside and talk to the pipa ghost. Go to the right and take the cobweb from the broken ladder. Go left past the stairs to get another cobweb, then go down the stairs. Grab a third cobweb from the right, then enter the weaver's house just to the left. Use all 3 cobwebs on the spinning wheel. Now examine the spinning wheel and follow the instructions to create a string. Go back outside and up the stairs, then give the string to the pipa ghost. You will now have the ability to play the pipa to dispel will-o-wisps that block your path.

Willow Joined the Party

Go downstairs and left, then use the pipa. Use your lighter to clear the ivy, then enter the cave. Use your pickaxe here, but the miasma will be too strong and you will go back outside. Go back up the stairs and left to the bridge. Use your pipa, then cross the bridge.

Enter the temple and talk to Tu Di again. Go back outside and down the stairs. Go left and collect the Tuberose (6/12) from outside the herbalist's house. Go right and use your pipa again outside the tavern. Continue right to the dock and you will automatically travel to your next destination.

Arrival at Bamboo Brook

Head right, talking to Amber and her son, Ash and June. Talk to Cliff and Clay, who won't let you pass. Continue right to see Faith The One that Understands my Sound. Go right to the end and pick up the Balsamine (7/12).

Return left and talk to Cliff again. After automatically talking to Auntie Huang, talk to Cliff once more and shout out the family motto "Respect, Restraint". Head inside to talk to Rusty's mom. Go back outside, then head right and you will be able continue along the path into the distance.

The Guard Grant Passage

Go to the far right until you can pick up the lantern next to the gate. Use the lantern straight away, and it will identify 3 red objects that together form a straight line with the lantern. You need to do this at 3 other points along the path here. Return to the gate and step through the portal that appears.

Into the Mountain Gate

Go up the stairs to reach the first plateau. Notice the orange fruit on the trees here, and go in their direction (right, left and left), and you will reach the second plateau. Now notice the blue flowers, and go in their direction (left, right and left).

When you reach the fog, start by going against the direction of the fog three times (right, right and right). Look inside the small house that appears to the right To Stories and Beyond.

Now go in the direction of the fog (left, right and left) The Road not Taken., then you will automatically collect a feather. Now keep going until you reach the temple. Before heading inside, grab the Involucrata (8/12) from the far right. Now enter the temple.

Enter the Taoist Temple

Inside the temple, read the note on the floor, and pay attention to the pattern in the background. Look at the body on the left, then examine the seal on the right. You need to draw the same pattern you just saw on the note:

2
3
1
4
7
5
6

Go through the doorway into the cave. Go left and take the memory shard. After seeing the memory, leave the cave and the temple. Head left and you will eventually reach Reed River Village.

Return to Reed River

Head left into the cave. At the shrine this time, you need to stack the correct number of stones at each pillar so that t he total at the bottom and top will be 5 stones (3, 2, 1 and 4). You also need to do it in the correct order:

1
3
4
2

Once you get the order correct, the shrine will appear Perfect Pitch. Insert the memory shard into the shrine, giving the name Ying. Now access the memory.

Ying's Memory

Watch the opening scene and the timeline will automatically pause. With Uncle Huang (on the left) in a state of musing, select "No wonder she's always" to get the Jade Pendant is Cursed sense, and "She attacked the Taoist" to get the Ying Injured the Taoist sense. Go right to Grandma and stimulate here with Ying Injured the Taoist.

Follow Faith over the bridge to the left. When she enters a state of hesitation, stimulate her with Jade Pendant is Cursed. Immediately go left to Rusty and stimulate him with Jade Pendant is Cursed. This memory level will be complete.

The Fifth Chapter

Pendant Destroyed

Go outside, where you will be chased by a giant spider, and will need to avoid spikes coming out of the ground. Once you get far enough to the left, you will be captured anyway. Playing as Light, leave the cave to realize that Yun has been captured. Watch the next cutscene Because I could not stop for Death.

Walk to the far right.

Light in the Underworld

Go left and talk to Ox-Head Jr, then enter the ghost market. You will automatically talk to Ox-Head and Horse-Face to learn more about the ghost market. Talk to the herb merchant to the right, who is lounging beneath a purple sign - he wants some spider venom. Leave the market by going down near Ox-Head, then go to the far right.

Use your pipa to destroy the spiders, and get the spider venom from the outside of the wood shed, and the tree near the tea shop. Return to the left and use the well to return to the underworld.

Give the spider venom to the herb merchant and you will receive a hibiscus flower. Now go right to the winemaker - he wants some of Lady Meng's soup. Go along the path up near Ox-Head. Head right and talk to Lady Meng to get the soup. Go back to the market and give the soup to the winemaker, in exchange for some soul wine.

Go left and talk to the advertiser, who is floating and wearing a gray robe - you will receive a paper gold ingot. Go left and talk to the sugar artist, then the crying girl, then the sugar artist again - he wants you to get rid of the nearby gambler. Talk to the gambler and agree to play his game. Bet on big and small at least once each, and watch what happens with the fortune teller; back out of the game. Further to the right, use your lighter on censer on the ground. Go back and finish your game, and you will now win. Talk to the sugar artist and you will get a sugar figurine. Give this to the crying girl to get hair of pure "yin".

Talk to the storyteller to the right of Horse-Face, and listen to the first half of his story. Now go to the far right of the market and talk to the scholar, trying each of the options to answer his question. Now you can leave the market again. Go to the far left to head home.

Click on Yun's body and place the objects on the correct places:

  • Yin: Hair of pure "yin"
  • Yang: Bi Fang's feather
  • Body: Hibiscus flower
  • Soul: Soul wine

The memory level from the previous chapter will begin again, but there will be changes.

Yun's Memory

Watch the opening scene and the timeline will automatically pause. With Uncle Huang (on the left) in a state of musing, select "Where did my wife go?" to get the Auntie Huang is Missing sense. Also examine June on the right, and select "The Taoist was defeated" to get the Taoist is Weak sense. Stimulate Yun with Taoist is Weak.

Follow Yun over the bridge to the left. When he enters a state of hesitation, stimulate him with Auntie Huang is Missing. This memory level will be complete Shifting Perspectives.

The Sixth Chapter

Reed River on Fire

Leave the burning building, then quickly use the pipa to save the nearby villager from a spider The Savior. Go to the left past the burning buildings to collect the ZhuYu (9/12). Go right and enter the temple to talk to Tu Di. Now head down the stairs and go right to meet up with Rusty.

Bamboo Brook Revisited

You will end up seeing Ying's final memory The things which I have seen. Go left and along the path towards Zhuxi Mountain. Go right here to find the Tiao (10/12). Return left to the village

Farewell to the Friend

Continue far left to travel again.

Gathering at Reed River

Go left, up the stairs and left again. Examine the hollow tree and remove the stones to find the jade pendant. After a short scene you will receive cinnabar, licorice and nitrate. Return outside.

Eve of the Final Fight

Head up the stairs and over the bridge to the right. Use your pipa to get rid of 3 spiders. Examine the broken ladder, and June will fix it for you. Climb the ladder and enter the alchemist's hut. Examine the bench on the right. You need to trace a diagram with a single pass (follow the lines on the page, and the numbers below in the order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 6, 11, 9, 5, 12, 13, 2, 14, 1):

1
14
3
2
13
4
5
12
6
11
9
7
8

You will get the Freeze charm. Now trace another diagram with a single pass (follow the lines on the page, and the numbers below in the order 1, 2, 3, 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 5, 1, 8, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 13, 11, 9):

10
6
7
9
11
12
5
18
13
14
1
8
4
3
2
16
15
17

You will get the Explosion charm. Now put the nitrate, cinnabar and licorice into the forge in the middle of the room. Examine the forge, then solve the magic square puzzle:

6
1
8
7
5
3
2
9
4

Press the button, then take the violet snow The Scholar. Go back outside.

Gongs and Drums

Wait until the spider is trapped, then go downstairs and left into the cave.

Into the Spider Cave

Now you need to enter the tunnels based on the animals left behind by Ying - start by going through the tunnels marked by a cow and a chicken. Talk to the ghost here, who is missing his head. Go through the tunnel marked by a fish, then continue through tunnels marked by a pig and a rabbit. Go to the far left and pick up the skull. Now return back through the passage down to return to the start of the cave again. Retrace your steps through the cow and chicken tunnels, then give the skull to the headless ghost. Now you can pick up the Monotropa (11/12). Head through the fish, pig and rabbit tunnels.

Now go to the far right to receive the Aegis scroll from Light.

Complete the Alignment

You now need to arrange the follow items from left to right in the positions indicated:

  • Freeze charm
  • Explosion charm
  • Freeze charm
  • Explosion charm
  • Aegis scroll
  • Jade pendant
  • Freeze charm

Use your pipa, then run right to avoid the giant spider and the spike traps as you did previously. You will eventually make it to the right of the cave From Prey to Predator.

The Final Chapter

Leave the Spider Cave

After the cutscene, leave the cave An Unfamiliar Familiar Land. Cross the bridge to the left, then go to the far left and head down the well.

Back to the Underworld

Enter the ghost market and talk to the storyteller to hear the rest of his story. Now talk to the scholar at the far right and give the correct answer of "The New Moon". You will receive the Morning glory flower. Leave the ghost market and give the Morning Glory (12/12) to the Tree Sage (although this is the last flower, you will still be missing one of the two from the beginning of Chapter 3 at this stage).

The End

Enter the ghost market again, and continue ahead. Go right over the nether bridge to reach Mr Black and Mr White Here We Meet Again.

Karma Stone

Upon selecting this new option from the menu, you can use the large Karma Stone at the nether bridge to travel to any chapter and checkpoint throughout the game. Use this now to return to The Carpenter's Memory in Chapter 2. Play through this section again, but choose which option you didn't choose last time. This should now complete the collection Summoning Spring.

Talk to the Tree Sage to get his memory shard. After automatically heading to the cave, insert the memory shard into the shrine, giving the name Sage. Now access the memory.

Sage's Memory

Go right to where Sage is talking to a crow. Wait until Sage climbs down from the bridge, then examine the backpack to get the Scented Sachet sense. Now wait until an old man arrives on the bridge and enters a state of hesitation. Stimulate him with Scented Sachet. This memory level will be complete Many Regrets Unspoken.

Root of Evil

Finding Angela

Talk to the merchants on the right, then to Yun. Head right until you meet Mr Black. Continue right with Yun until you can ask the porter for directions. Once you enter the village, talk to the first villager, then go right and talk to another one. Head up along the path, then go right to find a group of villagers sitting together. They will allow you to stay overnight in the temple.

Liu Village at Night

After talking to Light, leave the temple - the travelling monk will give you a jade pendant. Go left and use your Banish Break spell, following the instructions provided - you need to drag the appropriate color on to the vine to attack it, then move away to defend from its attacks. You will eventually defeat the vine and capture the elder's soul.

Continue left and down the path, then examine the hungry ghost to get a memory shard. Go further down the path, then into the first hut on the right. Examine the locked box on the floor. Look carefully at the patterns in the butterfly:

  • Look for green outlines around left segments, and press the matching right segments
  • Look for gold outlines around right segments, and press the matching left segments

Read the note inside the box after it opens. Go back outside and up the path, then head right to see the large tree. Continue right and fight another vine. Insert the memory shard on the shrine, giving the names Edwin, Liu the Elder and Bart. There is an achievement for getting this correct the first time Family Man.

Edwin's Memory

There are multiple different endings to the memory, leading to different outcomes. There are 4 ways you can proceed. After each of the first 3 options you will need to restart the memory level. The 4th option leads to the more extended endings.

Option 1

Don't do anything at all; just fast forward to the end of the timeline Treading Water.

Option 2

Go down the path and to the left. Wait for Edwin to enter his house, then follow him inside. Examine the jar on the left to get the Golden Lock Heirloom sense. Now stimulate Edwin with Golden Lock Heirloom. Fast forward to the end of the timeline Short Sighted.

Option 3

Start by going right, where Miles is in a state of musing, and select "Bart said he'd come help" to get the Plans with Miles sense. Go to the far left house and examine the sickle to get the Bart's Sickle sense. Head up the path. Enter the shed next to the house on the left and examine the large rice container to get the Broken Rice Jar sense. Go back outside.

Stimulate Roy with Broken Rice Jar. Follow Roy to the right where he will talk to Bart. After the conversation, Bessie will be in a state of hesitation, so stimulate her with Bart's Sickle. Follow Bart down past Edwin's house and wait until he reaches a state of hestation, then stimulate him with Plans with Miles. Fast forward to the end of the timeline Burning Bridges.

Enter the tree and go down the tunnel to the left. Attack the vines until you see the larger cavern, then attack the final vine again. You will automatically awaken Yun and travel onwards.

Option 4

Start by going right, where Miles is in a state of musing, and select "Bart said he'd come help" to get the Plans with Miles sense, and "Bart's wife is so sassy" to get the Bessie's Bad Temper sense. Go to the far left house and examine the sickle to get the Bart's Sickle sense. Head down the path and enter Liu the Elder's house. Examine the barrel on the left to get the Grandpa Liu has Food sense. Return outside and go up the path twice. Enter the shed next to the house on the left and examine the large rice container to get the Broken Rice Jar sense. Go back outside.

Stimulate Roy with Broken Rice Jar. Follow Roy to the right where he will talk to Bart. After the conversation, Bessie will be in a state of hesitation, but timing here is crucial. Go down the path and wait until Edwin stands up and starts to walk left, then pause the timeline. Go back up the path and stimulate Bessie with Bart's Sickle - if you time it correctly, Bart and Edwin will cross paths, so that Bart gets the sickle.

Pause the timeline again and go down the path, then enter the house on the right. Wait until Ryder is in a state of musing, then select "Alex is the only one" to get The Boys are Friends sense. Now stimulate May with The Boys are Friends, so that May helps Eva.

Go outside to the left and wait for Edwin to enter his house, then follow him inside. Examine the jar on the left to get the Golden Lock Heirloom sense. Now stimulate Edwin with Golden Lock Heirloom, so that Edwin trades for food.

Head back outside and wait for Edwin to come outside, then pause the timeline. Go up the path, then to the far right, where Eva is in a state of musing. Stimulate her with Bessie's Bad Temper and Grandpa Liu has Food, so that Eva asks for food.

Watch to the end of the timeline and you will awaken in a restored village.

Restored Liu Village

From this point, you can find an abbreviated ending by heading left and going up the path. Enter the temple at the far right and choose to wake Yun and leave Unfinished Business.

Restart the level to get a more complete ending. Head left and go down the path. Talk to Liu the Elder on the right, then enter his home. Look in the small box and take the golden lock heirloom Gold Digger. Go back outside and up the path twice, then go left into the shed. Use the heirloom to kill the vines, then climb down into the tunnel below.

Go to the right. After the cutscene, run right to avoid the spiked roots. Examine the golden banner floating to the right - you need to swap the positions of the symbols to match the fainter ones in the background. You can only trade positions with the yin-yang symbol, and only over a distance of up to 2 symbols. From the starting position, if the symbol slots are numbered 1-6 from top to bottom, make these swaps:

  • 3-5, 4-5, 2-4, 1-2, 1-3
  • 3-5, 4-5, 2-4, 2-3
  • 3-5, 5-6, 4-6, 3-4, 3-5
  • 4-5, 4-6

Continue right into the next cavern, then after meeting Alex, run left to the previous cavern. Now you need to avoid groups of 3 sets of spikes, then take the opportunity to attack the vines. Once you have destroyed all 3 vines, Alex will fall down. When talking to Alex, there are two options you can select:

Option 1

Tell him that the people are not heartless, and give the names May and Edwin Love and War.

Option 2

Tell him that he leaves you no choice, or get either name wrong. Now you will need to defeat him once more. This time, you need to quickly attack 2 vines and then attack Alex directly. Successfully do this 3 times Double or Nothing.