Afterimage is a hand-drawn Metroidvania that invites players into the hauntingly beautiful world of Engardin. With its sprawling map, layered combat system, and cryptic lore, the game offers a rich experience—but also a steep learning curve. Many players find themselves lost, underpowered, or missing key mechanics that aren’t clearly explained. This guide breaks down the journey into ten progressive sections, offering essential tips and strategies to help you thrive in Afterimage and uncover its many secrets.
- Understanding the World Map and Marking System Engardin is massive and non-linear. You’ll encounter locked paths, skill gates, and hidden zones that require backtracking. The game’s map system allows up to 200 custom markers across 16 icon types—use this to your advantage.
Mark every inaccessible area, NPC, and treasure chest. You’ll revisit zones often after unlocking traversal abilities, and having a visual reference will save hours of wandering. Don’t rely on memory—be meticulous.
Tips:
- Use different icons for bosses, quests, and locked paths
- Revisit marked areas after gaining new abilities
- Traversal Abilities and Skill Gates Progression is tied to movement upgrades like Crimson Dash, Super Jump, and Wall Climb. These are unlocked through story events or defeating specific bosses. Many areas are inaccessible until you gain these skills.
Skill gates are subtle—some are obvious, like unreachable ledges, while others are hidden behind destructible walls or illusionary terrain. Keep track of these and return once equipped.
Essential Abilities:
- Crimson Dash: unlocked in Goliathfall
- Super Jump: gained in Solar Birthplace
- Wall Climb: found in Whispering Forest
- Combat Mechanics and Weapon Types Combat in Afterimage is fast and punishing. You’ll need to master dodging, parrying, and combo timing. Weapons include swords, greatswords, whips, and ranged tools, each with unique stats and attack patterns.
Experiment with different weapon types. Some enemies are weak to specific damage types, and switching gear mid-run can be strategic. Upgrade weapons at Resting Trees using collected materials.
Combat Tips:
- Light weapons offer speed; heavy weapons stagger
- Ranged tools help against flying enemies
- Upgrade gear regularly to match enemy scaling
- Afterimages and Passive Skills Afterimages are passive abilities that enhance movement, combat, or survivability. You can equip multiple Afterimages and swap them at Resting Trees. Some grant elemental resistances, others boost healing or critical damage.
Unlock new Afterimages by defeating bosses or completing side quests. Synergy matters—pair Afterimages with weapons and glyphs for optimal performance.
Recommended Afterimages:
- Flower of Confluence: enables fast travel
- Eye of Gongor: boosts detection radius
- Glyph of Light: enhances healing
- Boss Strategies and Preparation Bosses are beautifully animated and brutally difficult. Each has unique attack patterns, elemental affinities, and phase changes. Learn their tells and adjust gear accordingly.
Use Resting Potions to save progress before fights. Some bosses drop key items required for progression or unlocking endings. If stuck, revisit earlier zones to grind or find hidden Afterimages.
Boss Prep Checklist:
- Stock up on healing items
- Equip elemental resistances
- Use ranged attacks for mobility
- Side Quests and NPCs NPCs offer side quests that reveal lore, unlock gear, and provide Afterimages. These quests are often cryptic and require exploration or item collection. Some NPCs move between zones—revisit towns often.
Dialogue choices can affect outcomes. Mark quest-related locations and track items in your inventory. Completing side quests is essential for unlocking certain endings and rare gear.
Quest Tips:
- Talk to NPCs multiple times
- Use map icons for quest zones
- Track quest items carefully
- Resource Management and Crafting Resources like healing items, upgrade materials, and Resting Potions are limited. Use them wisely, especially in boss zones. Craft or purchase items from vendors using currency earned from combat and exploration.
Upgrade gear at Resting Trees and manage inventory to avoid clutter. Some items are quest-specific—don’t sell them. Monitor glyph count, which affects health and ability usage.
Resource Tips:
- Prioritize healing and Resting Potions
- Upgrade weapons before armor
- Save rare materials for endgame gear
- Unlocking Multiple Endings Afterimage features 10 endings, each tied to specific choices, items, and boss outcomes. You can unlock all endings on a single save file if you manage Memory Shards and glyphs carefully.
Endings are split between Renee and Ifree paths, with NG+ variants. To unlock “The Essential” ending, insert 3 Memory Shards and defeat two bosses without restocking healing items.
Ending Paths:
- Homecoming: basic ending via Sunken Sanctum
- Journey: Ifree survives with 8 glyphs
- The Hope: defeat Ifree after soul invasion
- New Game+ and Replayability New Game+ unlocks after completing the main story. You retain gear, Afterimages, and map progress, but enemies are tougher and bosses gain new moves. NG+ also unlocks 3 exclusive endings.
Use NG+ to explore missed areas, complete side quests, and experiment with builds. Increased difficulty rewards mastery and offers new lore insights.
NG+ Tips:
- Focus on elemental resistances
- Revisit marked zones
- Try alternate dialogue choices
- Completionist Goals and Secrets To reach 100% completion, uncover every map tile, defeat all bosses, complete side quests, and collect every Afterimage. Use guides and community maps to find hidden paths and secrets.
Track progress via the in-game menu and Steam achievements. Completion unlocks the Easter Egg ending and rare gear. Be patient—some areas require multiple revisits with new abilities.
Completion Checklist:
- All 8 glyphs collected
- All endings unlocked
- All map zones explored
Conclusion Afterimage is a rich, challenging Metroidvania that rewards exploration, experimentation, and persistence. By mastering traversal, combat, and quest systems, you’ll uncover the full depth of Engardin and its haunting beauty. Whether chasing endings or building the perfect loadout, this guide equips you to make the most of your journey.
