What this route covers
This is the opening progression gate near the red stairs. IGN's launch walkthrough reports that the nearby key is released only after four red figures are recovered from separate co-op puzzles, then reshaped at a sequence of small pedestals.
The guide is deliberately separated from the broader puzzle index because it is a common early-game search. Treat the puzzle actions as a credited route report until they are reproduced on each supported platform and player-count setting.
Find the four red figures
Start from the beach-side key and use the viewing platform, nearby structures and the path by the blue house as landmarks. The same solution can require a different number of people because the game adjusts some targets to the session's selected player count.
| Figure lead | What the group does | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Viewing platform | One player keeps the platform control held while another reaches the illuminated box across the valley and retrieves the figure. | The platform also helps the group orient itself; call out the box before splitting. |
| Yellow scaffold | Build a player tower high enough for the top player to reach the elevated button and release the clamped figure. | Catch the figure when it falls so it is not lost in grass or below the structure. |
| Blue symbol house | A player inside the closed room describes the displayed symbol positions while players outside place the matching blocks on the board. | The sequence is reported as randomized, so communicate positions rather than memorizing a fixed answer. |
| Green button structure | Assign players to the pillar buttons and press them together to free the central figure. | An unsynchronized attempt can put a button on a short reset timer; wait, agree on a count and try again. |
Release, cut and place the key
After returning all four figures, keep the figure covers open while another player places each piece in its matching recess. IGN reports that the mechanism then ejects the key, but the key cannot be used at the red stairs yet.
Carry the key to the nearest cutting pedestal first, then follow the arrows revealed by each cut. The reported sequence uses three pedestals up the nearby hill and two more back on the beach by the water. When all five cuts are complete, place the shaped key at the red stairs to lower the bridge into the next area.
Low-spoiler preparation
The opening bench area is useful before tackling the gate: it gives the group an item scanner lead for dropped objects and a signal-flare landmark for regrouping. The first-key route rewards clear roles more than speed: one player calls locations, one handles fragile figures and the rest stay ready for simultaneous buttons or a player tower.
Sources & attribution
Opening route, four figures, synchronized buttons and five-pedestal key-cutting sequence; credited pending in-game reproduction.
IGNBeginner's Tips and TricksKerry Palmer and Nicole Carpenter - 2026-08-05Opening-area scanner, flare, player-tower and player-count observations.
House House / PanicBig Walk official FAQOfficial save, hosting, player-count and crossplay context.