Waking up to three empty plates and a static-filled TV is just the beginning of Serafini Productions’ latest psychological nightmare. If you are stuck trying to navigate Anne's shifting memories, this childhood home walkthrough BrokenLore FOLLOW guide provides the exact steps to escape the ground floor and survive the surreal manifestations upstairs.
In this direct prequel to the acclaimed UNFOLLOW, the opening chapter serves as a masterclass in atmospheric, environmental storytelling. You aren't just solving arbitrary video game puzzles; you are actively unraveling Anne’s deep-seated trauma, her mother’s suffocating academic expectations, and the cruel, lingering echoes of childhood bullies. With narrative guidance from clinical psychologist Emanuela Papa, the developers have crafted a looping, oppressive nightmare that demands careful observation and an iron stomach. Let’s break down exactly how to clear Chapter 1, face the horrors within the walls, and survive the first terrifying steps of Anne's journey.
Preparing for the Nightmare: Lore and System Setup
Before diving into the mechanical step-by-step of the house, it is crucial to understand exactly where BrokenLore: FOLLOW sits within the broader franchise timeline. Releasing on June 1, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, this entry strips away the broader social media commentary found in the previous game to focus intimately on protagonist Anne's formative years. The game is built to be a standalone narrative, but returning fans will immediately recognize the seeds of the trauma that bloom later in the series.
The game operates on a loop of psychological tension rather than traditional combat. You have no weapons, no health bars, and no way to fight back. Your only tools are observation, interaction, and a seemingly sentient childhood doll that will eventually guide you through the darkness. The surreal creatures you encounter in the house aren't just random monsters; they are metaphorical manifestations of Anne's feelings of worthlessness and the intense pressure exerted by her mother. Her mother viewed Anne's natural creativity as a complete waste of time, demanding an absolute, uncompromising focus on mathematics and academic perfection. This central conflict is baked into the very architecture of the house, turning a mundane domestic setting into a labyrinth of anxiety.
The audio design plays a massive role in building this tension. You aren't just looking for visual cues; you are listening for the subtle shifts in the ambient hum of the house. The creak of the floorboards, the distant, muffled sound of a mother's scolding, and the oppressive silence of the dining room all contribute to a feeling of deep isolation. Playing with high-quality headphones is practically mandatory to pick up on the directional audio cues that hint at where the next manifestation will appear.
Ground Floor Guide: Childhood Home Walkthrough BrokenLore FOLLOW
The game begins abruptly, dropping you into the thick of the atmosphere. Anne wakes up in the Dining Room of her house, but the environment is immediately oppressive, rendered in stunning 4K detail that makes every shadow feel dangerous.
The Dining Room and the Missing Family Your first objective is to simply take in the environment and establish the baseline of the house. On the long dining table, you will notice three empty plates meticulously set out. This isn't just random set dressing; it establishes the emotional distance, coldness, and profound neglect within Anne's family unit. Walk to the far end of the table to find a thick book titled "Mythology." You must interact with this book to trigger the next sequence of the game's internal logic. Once you have examined the text, head through the nearby wooden door to enter the Living Room.
The Living Room and The Christmas Tree Note In the center of the Living Room stands a massive, imposing Christmas tree, completely out of place and devoid of joy. Approach the tree and look closely to find a note hidden among the dry branches. Reading this note is a mandatory trigger. At this stage, you will notice that the two doors leading out of the room are securely locked. A heavy, immovable sofa physically blocks the main staircase, and a bulky 1990s television sits in the corner, emitting a harsh, glowing green static that bathes the room in an unsettling light.
The Radio Puzzle and the Echoes of Bullying To progress further, you must backtrack into the Dining Room. Locate the old, dust-covered radio sitting on a side table on the left side of the room. Interacting with it plays a deeply disturbing audio track of children ruthlessly bullying a young Anne. You must stand there and listen to the entire audio clip play out. This auditory manifestation of peer abuse is the hidden trigger required to change the state of the Living Room. The game forces you to endure the trauma before it allows you to move forward.
The TV Cutscene and The Red Light Shift Head back into the Living Room. The TV static will have changed—you will now see a distorted, surreal figure dancing erratically on the screen. Interact with the television to trigger a brief, terrifying cutscene. When the cinematic ends, the entire lighting of the room will shift dramatically from cold shadows to a deep, bruised plum red. Look toward the stairs: the heavy sofa that was previously blocking your path has moved completely on its own. The path to the upper level is now clear.
The First Floor: Childhood Home Walkthrough BrokenLore FOLLOW
Ascending the newly cleared staircase brings you to the first floor, where the psychological horror ramps up significantly, moving from environmental unease to direct confrontation with Anne's past.
The Dark Hallway and the Red Text At the top of the stairs, the area is pitch black. Feel your way along the wall to your immediate right to find a light switch and flip it. The sudden illumination reveals an unsettling sight: aggressive red text scrawled wildly across the wall next to an old, creaking rocking chair. Read the text, as it provides crucial insight into Anne's deteriorating mental state and her mother's harsh, unending criticisms regarding her weight and worth.
The Cabinet and the Mini Anne Encounter Proceed down the narrow hallway toward a large, ornate wooden cabinet on the right side. Approaching this piece of furniture triggers a startling cutscene featuring "Mini Anne"—a surreal, smaller manifestation of the protagonist's childhood self. This encounter is a literal, face-to-face confrontation with her past vulnerabilities and innocence. It is one of the most striking visual moments in the opening chapter.
Once the cutscene concludes, the game dynamically alters the geometry of the house. A hidden passage opens up just past the cabinet, leading into an area that physically shouldn't exist within the floorplan of the home.
The Grandfather Clock and The Sentient Doll Move forward into this new, impossible passage. Before you turn the corner to the right, you will see a towering grandfather clock. Make a mental note of the time displayed on it (usually locked at 12:00), as time loops and specific hours play a recurring role in the game's later puzzles. As you turn right, you will spot a heavy wooden door and a small side table. This is where you will first encounter the seemingly sentient childhood doll, a vital item that will become your primary guide and companion through the remaining six chapters of the game.
Analyzing the Trauma: Mother vs. Bullying
To truly master the narrative of BrokenLore: FOLLOW, you must understand the heavy symbolism behind the puzzles. The game doesn't rely on cheap, random jump scares; every locked door, shifting room, and bizarre creature is directly tied to Anne's specific traumas.
| Trauma Source | In-Game Manifestation | Symbolic Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal Pressure | Mathematical puzzles, aggressive red text, the massive face entity. | The mother's uncompromising demand for academic perfection over creativity. The red text represents grading, failure, and harsh criticism. |
| Peer Bullying | The dining room radio audio, distorted dancing figures. | The inescapable nature of childhood cruelty. The radio forces Anne to literally listen to her past trauma before she can physically move forward. |
| Lost Innocence | The sentient childhood doll, the Mini Anne cutscene, the joyless Christmas tree. | A desperate grasp for comfort in a hostile environment. The doll acts as a coping mechanism made manifest, guiding her when adults failed her. |
Serafini Productions worked closely with clinical psychologists to ensure these representations of trauma were grounded in real psychological concepts. The shifting architecture of the childhood home represents the unreliability and fluidity of traumatic memory. When the sofa moves on its own, it isn't the work of a poltergeist; it is Anne's subconscious finally allowing her to access a repressed, painful memory located on the second floor.
The contrast between math and creativity is a recurring motif. You will notice that safe spaces or areas of progression often feature small glimpses of art or imagination—like the "Mythology" book—while areas of high stress and danger are characterized by cold, hard logic, numbers, and the oppressive red grading text. This dichotomy turns the very act of exploring the house into a battleground between Anne's true self and the version of her that her mother demanded.
Escaping the Loop: Final Steps in the Childhood Home Walkthrough BrokenLore FOLLOW
The final sequence of Chapter 1 requires you to consolidate everything you have learned and interacted with so far. After interacting with the sentient doll and noting the grandfather clock, you are tasked with finding a way completely out of the house to transition into Chapter 2.
The door next to the small table is your exit, but it won't open simply by turning the knob. You must ensure you have triggered every single memory anchor in the house: the "Mythology" book, the Christmas tree note, the radio audio, the TV cutscene, and the Mini Anne encounter. If the door remains stubbornly locked, you have missed a step. Backtrack to the rocking chair and ensure you have fully focused the camera on the red text on the wall.
Once all triggers are successfully activated, the environment will subtly shift again. The ambient sound design will drop to a low, vibrating hum, and the heavy door will unlock with a loud, distinct click. Stepping through this door ends the childhood home sequence, plunging Anne deeper into the surreal, metaphorical landscapes of her mind and officially beginning Chapter 2 of her grueling journey.
FAQ: People Also Ask About BrokenLore FOLLOW
How many chapters are in BrokenLore: FOLLOW? The game features seven distinct chapters. While Chapter 1 takes place entirely within the childhood home, subsequent chapters explore other key locations from Anne's past, each guarded by unique surreal manifestations and environmental puzzles.
Do I need to play BrokenLore: UNFOLLOW first? While FOLLOW is a direct prequel to UNFOLLOW, it functions perfectly as a standalone narrative experience. However, playing UNFOLLOW first provides incredibly valuable context regarding the massive face entity and the ultimate trajectory of Anne's fate.
How do I get past the blocked stairs in Chapter 1? You cannot physically move the sofa yourself. You must read the "Mythology" book, read the hidden Christmas tree note, listen to the bullying radio audio in the dining room, and then interact with the dancing figure on the TV. This sequence turns the room red and moves the sofa automatically.
What is the significance of the sentient childhood doll? The doll acts as a psychological anchor for Anne throughout the game. In a world where her mother and peers are openly hostile, the doll serves as a reliable guide and a physical manifestation of her repressed desire for comfort, safety, and guidance.
Is there a secret ending in BrokenLore: FOLLOW? Yes. By completing specific optional interactions and finding hidden lore documents across all seven chapters, players can unlock a secret ending. This hidden conclusion ties directly into the opening moments of UNFOLLOW, bridging the two games seamlessly.
Sources
- Serafini Productions Official Steam Page Announcements (June 2026)
- Into Indie Games: BrokenLore: Follow Walkthrough Hub
- Netto's Game Room: BrokenLore: FOLLOW Review
- Gematsu: BrokenLore: FOLLOW Launch Details