Backwards

Backwards is the second chapter of The Beginner's Guide.

Level
In this level, the player can only walk backwards, look around, and bunny hop with the backward momentum. Walking forwards or strafing is not possible. The map consists of a cement ground and a concrete ceiling connected by brick walls. Those walls contain white-text messages expressing thoughts about time and involving an unidentified female character. The map ends with a white staircase leading to a door with more messages appearing in the also-white walls around it before the level automatically ends.

Narration
Yep, in this game you can only walk backwards.

(If the player doesn't walk backwards) So try walking backwards.

(If the player repeatedly tries other directions) Yep, in this game you can only move backwards.

''So it's a short and relatively minimalist experiment combining motion and narrative. It's less advanced than the previous game, but it actually seems to be more focused, more complete. Coda's trying to give it a unique voice rather than simply basing it on a pre-existing trope.''

''It's a short little thought, it says what it wants to say, and then it ends. Didn't need anything more than that! Which to me is why it works, because it gets out quick. Okay, next one!''

Text
The messages on the walls (in order) are:
 * The past was behind her
 * But the future could not be seen
 * Why does the future ... keep changing?
 * When she stops and looks ... it becomes clearer (alternatively: When she stops ... it becomes ... and looks ... clearer)
 * But if the future was always behind her
 * How will she find the strength ... to confront it?

Noclip
By no clipping, the player will be able to find a room in this chat with text on the wall that says: "The future wasn't over here either." as well as a prop of a book with the entity generic_actor.

First the Developer Console is required, then sv_cheats must be 1 and before inputting noclip.

Technically this is the first sign that the narrator is not being entirely honest, since he must know of this easter egg but chooses not to tell the player about it. However, this might not be considered canon since only a player who uses the console would have any idea it is there. The first signs that a normal player would have access to are in the Stairs game.

The Stanley Parable
In the game Davey Wreden wrote before, The Stanley Parable, the folders contain what seems to be an older demo audio file for this level.