FEZ beginner guide: PC controls, rotation and reading the map
Distinguish movement from rotation, learn carrying controls, map icons, warps and return trips. Default PC inputs and examples explain what to revisit after a failed attempt.
Edition: FEZ PC Steam base game, app 224760. Uses default keyboard controls; interpret console buttons by their action names.
Verification scope: Official PC 1.12 and follow-up fixes checked. Public sources compared as of 2026-10-04; current distributed build and actual gameplay behavior were not measured.
Sources checked: 2026-10-04
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Check default PC controls
Use the settings display if you changed keys. Xbox guides use A for jumping, but the PC A key rotates left. Do not replace labels mechanically.
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Action | Default PC input | Use | If it does not respond |
|---|---|---|---|
| Movement and ladders | Arrow keys | Ground, ladders and vines | Distinct from camera movement with I/J/K/L |
| Jump | Space | Ledges and platforms | Adjust height by tapping or holding |
| Rotate left/right | A／D | Change perspective 90 degrees | Some opening sequences or rooms disable rotation |
| Carry, open or interact | Left Ctrl | Boxes, chests and mechanisms | Approach the object and check which side faces you |
| Put down / throw | Down + Left Ctrl / Left Ctrl while carrying | A lifted box | Distinguish placement from throwing so it stays in the intended position |
| Talk / back | Left Shift | Characters and guidance | Different from Right Shift |
| Inventory | Tab | Collection totals, maps and related information | Use A/D to change faces and read on-screen prompts |
| World map / pause | Esc／Enter | Destinations / settings | Key roles differ from many PC games |
| Look around / reset view | I/J/K/L / Right Shift | Platforms above and nearby surroundings | Does not move Gomez himself |
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Inputs available only after unlocks are in the walkthrough's closed answers.
Rotate before and after jumping as separate steps
- Choose a destination platform from stable ground. Inspect landing height and edge first
- Press A or D once. Look for newly revealed platforms or visually overlapping ladders
- Jump after the arrangement becomes reachable, then rotate again after landing to inspect the next platform
- If vines end while climbing, rotate to see whether they continue around the side
Wide tables scroll horizontally.
| Symptom | Inspect | Next attempt |
|---|---|---|
| Unable to continue right | Target platform height | Rotate once from a platform and find ground at the same height |
| Rotation hides the target | Another face of the building | Check your current footing before rotating farther |
| Unable to reach while carrying a box | Jumping difference compared with normal movement | Consider throwing the box upward or using a lower intermediate platform |
| Too slow on collapsing ground | Next landing point | Return to stable ground before stopping to think |
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With bombs or moving platforms, the rotation moment itself can be part of the solution. Specific examples are in closed walkthrough sections.
Check the map room by room
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| Display or state | Meaning | Next check | Exception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small-fragment icon | Fragments remain | All four faces and upper/lower platforms in the room | Separate from other rooms' remaining items |
| Large-Cube icon | That collectible type remains | High ledges, branches and chests | Visible pickups alone do not prove complete collection |
| Chest icon | An unopened chest remains | Routes beyond doors and across platforms | May also contain keys, maps or other types of items |
| ？ | A secret remains | Symbols, mechanisms and time of day | Rotating on the spot may not be enough to solve it |
| Gold room | The room's collectibles, secrets and passages have been checked | Look for the next unfinished branch | One gold room does not mean the entire region is complete |
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Open the map immediately after collecting something and check which icon disappeared to avoid confusing one objective with another.
Use doors and transport devices for different purposes
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| Appearance/type | What to check | How to approach the return trip |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary door | The map connection between entrance and exit | Check whether the scenery matches as you retrace the route |
| Door with a keyhole | Whether you have a small key | Keys are consumed when used. Look for treasure chests |
| Door displaying a cube requirement | Whether you meet the displayed requirement | If short, collect more along unfinished branches |
| Small gate | The return destination available after collecting items at the end of a branch | Generally a one-way return to the regional hub |
| Large warp gate | Hubs you have reached | Use it to travel between activated hubs |
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Rooms that look adjacent on the world map are not necessarily directly connected on foot. Match the connecting lines to the actual doors.
After a fall, use the floor where you respawn as your reference
You can retry from nearby after falling. However, returning to a place that looks the same does not mean every object is in exactly the same state as before the failure.
- Check the ground underfoot and camera orientation where you respawn
- Check the starting positions of crates, bombs and moving platforms again
- Before moving, identify one cause of the failure: distance, input or timing
This is not a guide to farming extra lives. You do not need to erase your save to investigate missed items.
Answer 6 (spoilers)
Answer — reveal (spoilers)Close
Answer 01 | Collectibles and door requirements
These numbers distinguish normal progression from collecting everything.
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| Item/objective | Number/requirement | Role in progression |
|---|---|---|
| Golden cubes | 32 cube equivalents in total. 8 bits make 1 cube | 24 whole cubes and 64 bits make 32 cube equivalents in total |
| Anti-cubes | 32 in total | Combined with golden cubes for cube doors |
| Entrance to the normal ending | 32 cube equivalents in total | You do not need to collect 32 golden cubes alone |
| Additional large door | 64 cube equivalents in total | Requires 32 golden cubes + 32 anti-cubes |
| Red collectibles | 3 | Do not count toward door requirements |
| Artifacts/treasure maps | 4/9 | Separate from the 32-cube requirement for the normal ending |
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The precise counting criteria for the "Sum total" achievement are not treated as identical to all the item types in this table. Guaranteeing every achievement is outside this guide's scope.
Frequently asked questions
Pressing A does not make me jump
The default PC binding for A is rotate left; jump is Space. Check that you are not confusing it with the Xbox A button prompt.
I want to put down a crate, but it flies away
Throwing a carried object and putting it down in place are different actions. The PC default for putting it down is Down + Left Ctrl. Check your settings if you have changed the bindings.
The question mark on the map will not disappear
A secret remains in that room. You may lack the ability or knowledge to interpret it yet, so record the location and open only the relevant section of the decoding and collectibles guide.
Do I have to start over if I miss a big jump?
You can normally retry from a nearby respawn point. Check the camera and platforms again after respawning.