Welcome to Upheaval!

In this game, there is no up direction. Gravity still exists, but it isn't constant.

You'll initially be pulled downwards, falling onto the top of platforms. You can simply jump off of them with the up arrow key. You can also use a controller! When using a controller, you can jump off the top of platforms with the top face button (Y for Xbox controllers, X for Ninteno controllers, and △ for Playstation controllers). 

Normally, there wouldn't be an incentive to even jump up at the first place. Unfortunately, it seems you have came to this strange cave at a bad time.

Lava is down below and it's rising up! This lava is chasing you and you must escape as fast as possible. You don't want to die. 

Though, as you climb up higher, you may come across these strange blue orbs floating around.  When you find one, jump up into it.

Once you're touching it, you must tell it which direction you wanna go.  You could continue pressing the up button, but your jump only reaches so high and the next platform is too high to reach. It's time to go down instead. So, press the down button once inside, instead of the up button.

Once you do, gravity itself will flip upside-down and you will fall upwards onto the bottom of platforms.

Since gravity is reversed, the lava's direction also reversed. Now the lava is flowing downwards. You are safe, but, upon activating this strange orb, you have aggrevated a new threat...

Water has started to fall down. You don't want to get swept away, so you best run away. Since the lava is retreating downwards, and the water is chasing you down, you best be heading downwards. 

Since you are going down, now, you have to press the down arrow key to jump downwards. Press the bottom face button on controller (A for Xbox, B for Nintendo, and X for Playstation).

Eventually, you may come across another blue orb when upside-down.In order to switch gravity back, you jump into it and press the up button as if you were jumping while right-side up.

As the game goes on, you'll find yourself going up and down and up and down this massive cave, and all the blue orbs you used previously will turn yellow. Yellow orbs can't switch gravity, but they can give you an extra jump so you can explore new areas that you previously couldn't. This means that you will slowly uncover a massive, procedurally generated world. 

Everything will be in the same spot it was last time you went there. Enemies you didn't defeat, coins you didn't collect, the specific platform layout.

One thing that really makes it challenging is that the lava and water both get faster as the game progresses.

The best way to combat this is to visit the shops. Various shops will spawn randomly. If you've been collecting coins scattered around, you may be able to buy stuff. These items can help you prepare for the long game.

One of the first items that I would reccommend you get is the Ember Blade found at the lava exchange. This will help you defeat enemies. You will be able to press the F key/right face button to swing it. You can also aim up and down with it with the W and S keys.

There is also the dash ability you can purchase. This will give you a pouch containing 3 dash charges. If you have some dash charges stored, you can press space or the right trigger button to dash forward. You can even dash through platforms. This can be handy for skipping tricky areas, or skipping past blue orbs.

Try and experiment with different purchases at the different shops.

You may also find the works shop. This shop will let you edit the map to truly make it your own. You can buy and place various items. Place items with the shift key or right trigger button. 

One thing you can get at the works is the hammer. You can switch to it by pressing the 4 key. You can switch to other weapons with the other number keys. On controller, you can cycle through with the left and right bumper buttons. With the hammer, you will get free reign to move platforms at your will. Keep in mind that you cannot arrange the platforms in away that would make it impossible to get past a certain section.

Before you can use the hammer, though, you must get construction bits which can be attained at the commissions building, directly underneath the works.