Constance opens with a gentle pace, but the game quickly reveals a mix of exploration, platforming, light combat, and puzzle solving. This Constance Beginner Guide focuses on helping new players understand the core systems so they can comfortably progress without feeling overwhelmed. Every section is written to give you practical insight into how the world works and what the game wants you to pay attention to.
Progression
Constance is built around interconnected regions that gradually unlock as you gain new abilities. Each zone introduces new mechanics, platform layouts, and enemies, but the philosophy remains consistent: your movement options determine how much of the world you can explore. You’ll often notice unreachable paths early on; that’s intentional, and the game invites you to return once you’ve learned new traversal abilities.
Shrines work as both rest points and fast-travel anchors. Use them often, because they reset enemies and help you create shorter farming loops when needed later in the game.
Movement and Combat Basics
Movement is the heart of Constance. Jumping, dashing, and the early Brush Techniques combine to give you freer control over how you navigate platform challenges. Don’t rush through areas; the level design hides shortcuts and reward paths behind subtle platform cues, so pausing to observe the structure often pays off.
Combat is intentionally lightweight. Enemies aren’t meant to be complex threats but environmental elements that test your awareness. Early encounters teach timing, spacing, and how to weave attacks into your movement. As you unlock new abilities, combat becomes much more expressive, and you’ll start using mobility tools offensively.
Tears and Story Progression
You’ll encounter four Tears throughout the story: Resurgence, Relation, Remembrance, and Reflection. Each Tear represents a major milestone in both narrative and gameplay. These Tears unlock naturally as you advance, so beginners don’t need to worry about missing anything. The game uses them to guide pacing and emotional beats, helping players settle into the world before revealing more complex layers.
Exploring for Heart Pieces and Paint Flasks
Heart Pieces increase survivability, and Paint Flasks strengthen your creative tools. While beginners aren’t required to collect everything immediately, picking them up as you naturally explore gives you a noticeable advantage. Both collectibles are spread across platforming challenges, hidden paths, and vendor exchanges, rewarding curious players who stray from the main route.
If a path looks dangerous or unusually placed, there’s a good chance it leads to one of these upgrades. The game rewards persistent observation far more than pure platforming skill.
The Artist’s Journal and Inspirations
The Artist’s Journal is one of the most unique systems in Constance. Inspirations you collect function as both artistic pieces and gameplay modifiers. Beginners should treat Inspirations as foundational upgrades that tailor how you interact with the environment.
Upgrading Inspirations using Lightstones adds new layers to your build, but it’s best to upgrade gradually rather than all at once. Early Lightstones are limited, so prioritize Inspirations that improve mobility or general combat efficiency. Over time, the Journal transforms from a simple record into a powerful enhancement system that supports your preferred playstyle.
Meeting NPCs and Discovering Favors
NPCs play a surprisingly meaningful role in Constance. They give Favors, which serve as side quests that flesh out the world and grant useful rewards. Even though beginners don’t need to rush through side tasks, completing early ones helps you learn how different regions connect and introduces mechanics you’ll rely on later.
Many Favors also encourage revisiting earlier zones with new abilities. This reinforces the idea that Constance is designed to be explored multiple times as you grow stronger. Beginners should approach NPCs as guides who teach the rhythm of the world rather than optional distractions.
Shops, Resources, and When to Spend Them
The early shop inventory is small, but items expand as you progress and discover new characters. Lightstones and Glimmer are your primary currencies. Glimmer is easy to farm and supports general progression, while Lightstones are far more valuable and directly tied to your build.
Early on, it’s wise to save Lightstones for Inspiration upgrades rather than cosmetic items or optional purchases. Once you become comfortable with your build, you can start spending on broader unlocks that open additional content.
When to Revisit Older Areas
A major beginner challenge in Constance is knowing when to return to previous regions. If you find an area filled with hazards or structures that feel impossible, it usually means you’re missing a mobility tool. The game does not expect you to brute-force these sections. Instead, progress the story until you gain a new technique, then return to earlier zones to uncover paths that previously looked out of reach.
This loop of progression, return, and rediscovery forms the core of the Constance experience. Beginners who learn to pay attention to subtle environmental clues will find the world far more rewarding.
Preparing for Boss Encounters
Bosses in Constance focus more on pattern recognition than mechanical difficulty. The early fights teach you to watch their movement patterns, understand their attack rhythm, and respond with deliberate moves instead of button-mashing.
Before entering major fights, make sure you:
• Have at least one or two Heart upgrades
• Understand your current Brush Techniques
• Take time to observe before committing to full aggression
Most bosses provide generous openings once their patterns become familiar, making them less intimidating than they first appear.
Building Toward 100% Completion
While beginners don’t need to chase full completion immediately, understanding the structure helps set expectations. The game has no permanently missable content, so you can take your time. Once you finish the main story, you are free to revisit every location, clean up missed collectibles, complete NPC quests, and upgrade your Journal fully.
The only achievements that truly require planning are the three speedrun challenges, which are meant for players who already understand the world extremely well. Beginners should focus on enjoying the story and becoming comfortable with the progression loop first.