Broken Age Shay Walkthrough: Part 1, Introduction and Runaway Train

This is the first in a series of walkthroughs of the character Shay from the Double Fine adventure game Broken Age. In the beginning of the game, you get to pick between playing as Shay or Vella. Shay is the boy to the right side of the screen. 

If this is not what you’re looking for, check out the Vella Walkthrough or the other Broken Age guides.

Shay’s walkthrough begins with him in bed. His father-figure appears in a screen, telling him to have a good day and that he should wake before his mother arrives. Shay sleeps on. His mother arrives, insisting that if he doesn’t wake up she’ll bring out the “bad noise.” 

A rather mild alarm will begin to sound. 

Simply click to wake up, and the rest of the morning routine will be done without any interaction on your part. Shay’s stripped and cleaned by his motherly computer, moving him on towards breakfast. 

Shay is given a vast array of cereal to choose from. You can certainly go through all of the choices (I do in the video above) but there doesn’t seem to be much difference in your choice. Eventually the Computer will pick for you. 

Once the computer serves cereal, you are given a little space captain spoon. The talking spoon will list out nurtitional facts and get very excited to see you. Click it to pick it up, and it’ll appear in your inventory. To use the spoon, simply click and drag it over the bowl of cereal. The spoon will return to your inventory; you will need it later. 

An alarm sounds and red light flash. Captain Shay is needed on the bridge. 

There are four options for missions; Avalanche, Runaway Train, Friendship Circle, and a Foreign Body on the Ship. In the next walkthrough I’ll cover the other three missions, but the one I went through first was the Runaway Train.

Things are immediately amiss when you travel to the Runaway Train. For one thing, the victims are adorable creatures that look like they’ve been knitted out of yarn. For another, the train resembles one ridden by a child. The passengers squeal about the danger they’re in — the bridge is out ahead and the Bridge Man (a mountain) is asleep. 

Once you get close enough, around the height of the hill, click on the Bridge Man to wake him up. He’ll extend his tongue and allow you safe passage. Otherwise, at the top of the hill, the long limbed yellow yarn creature will hold the train at the top of the hill. You will not be able to continue if the bridge is out. 

This current route will hit all of the missions; if you’d like to avoid that, you can follow the instructions in the following section (as long as you’ve completed the Foreign Body mission first): 

Once you reach the top of the hill, the yellow yarn creature will hold onto the rail. You cannot convince him to let go as there is no further path. Tell the bridge man to extend his tongue. As soon as the yarn creature lets go (as there is a path), tell the Bridge Man to go back to sleep. Doing so will allow you plummet into Spike Canyon, which is made of foam. Here you will meet the Wolf, who will ask you to find him when you are ready. 

If you choose this path, however, all the missions will be canceled as a concern for Shay’s health. 

Not what you’re looking for? Check out the rest of the Broken Age guides.