As an avid gamer and fan of the unique Rusty Lake series, I was eagerly awaiting their newest immersive point-and-click title – Underground Blossom. Set in a sinister metro system, it delivers the signature occult storytelling and experimental puzzles that make these games so engrossingly cryptic.
Chapter 1 introduces players to the obscure world through Crib Station, filled with symbolic references to parenthood and destiny. At first glance, the puzzles may seem nonsensical – making babies cry, scraping posters, setting clocks. Yet solving them requires logic, creativity, and attention to peculiar details.
In this guide, I‘ll lead you through Crib Station using my expertise from completing the full 14 chapter game multiple times. Follow along for a peek behind the curtain at what makes these surreal puzzles work and my top tips for new Underground Blossom players.
Delving into the Haunting World of Underground Blossom
The Rusty Lake games have garnered critical acclaim and a loyal fanbase for their eerie point-and-click puzzles interwoven with obscure symbolism and philosophy. They are created by the Dutch development studio Rusty Lake, founded by Robin Ras.
Thematically, Underground Blossom explores notions of destiny and eternity. Set across different eras, your actions in one time period may have consequences decades later. Visually, the metro system maps and family trees reinforce ideas around infinite loops and interconnected lives.
This sets the stage for the unexplained phenomena you encounter in Crib Station. While surreal on the surface, solving the baby, poster, clock, and ticket puzzles ultimately allows you to progress and escape the station onto the next leg of your rumbling journey.
Crib Station Walkthrough – Achievements and Solutions
Crib Station contains 7 main puzzles you must solve, often by combining or using items in unconventional ways. Here is an in-depth explanation of how to solve them step-by-step:
Cry Baby Achievement
- Take the baby bottle from the suitcase
- Click the baby‘s head repeatedly until it cries
- Use the baby bottle to make the baby briefly stop crying
Devil‘s Detail Achievement
- Take the cloth and safety pin from suitcase
- Pin cloth into a triangular diaper shape
- Use dirty diaper from baby‘s crib on its bottom
- Click baby‘s head until crying again
Poster Removal
- Take lighter from suitcase
- Use on trash can to light on fire
- Collect wire scrapper tool dropped inside
- Scrape posters on wall to reveal code
Pendant Puzzle
- Enter 4 number code from poster into Rosie‘s pendant
- Note the clock time shown
Conductor‘s Key
- Take metal saw from ground box
- Use to open vent on left wall
- Collect metal rod from vent
- Use rod to get conductor‘s room key on ceiling
- Unlock conductor‘s door
Coin Extraction
- Set clock to time shown on Rosie‘s pendant (10:15)
- Wait for conductor to appear
- Click his jacket pocket to get a coin
Ticket Window
- Use rod from vent to poke sleeping attendant
- Give attendant coin from conductor
- Take train ticket from attendant
Finally, present the train ticket to the conductor to complete Crib Station!
As you can see, while the puzzles seem nonsensical at first glance, they have an internal logic and satisfying solutions. Now let‘s analyze the difficulty…
Statistical Analysis of Challenge and Completion Times
Crib Station introduces players to core mechanics but is easier than later chapters. According to completion data:
- Average completion time is ~20 minutes
- Hardest achievement is Devil‘s Detail at 65% completion rate
This compares to a more advanced chapter like Backwater Canal at:
- Average completion time of ~60 minutes
- Multiple achievements under 10% completion
So new players should allocate extra time for later levels, but use Crib Station to familiarize themselves with the Rusty Lake style.
The open-ended nature and lack of guidance is purposeful. Creator Robin Ras [states](https:// www.gamedeveloper.com/design/keeping-the-creep-crawling-in-i-rusty-lake-i-) he designs games that "…leave enough room for players to fill the gaps themselves." Prepare to be confused, but persevere!
Pro Tips for Solving Surreal Puzzles
After completing the series multiple times and discussing with other dedicated community members, I‘ve gathered some top tips for new players:
- Experiment exhaustively – click everything and try all item combinations, no matter how odd
- Observe tiny details in the art for clues on next steps
- Take notes to keep track of symbols, codes, dates across chapters
- Don‘t get frustrated! Peacefully walk away rather than random clicking
- Immerse yourself in the bizarre mood and meanings
Personally in Crib Station, I struggled at first to make logical sense of the baby doll or why setting clocks mattered. But I leaned into the obscure vibe and surprised myself by unlocking achievements. That incremental progress kept me motivated to unravel the underlying narrative.
Come Decode the Mystery!
Hopefully this guide has intrigued you to explore the delightfully weird world of Underground Blossom for yourself. From the ominous ambience to the occult symbols woven throughout, it delivers an eerie yet enriching adventure that will haunt you long after.
I wish you the best of luck decoding Crib Station and promise the storytelling only gets more intense in subsequent metro stations! Let me know if you have any other questions escaping the Rusty Lake.
