BloomKeeper Controls: Nudge, Throw, and Roll Explained

BloomKeeper Controls at a Glance

BloomKeeper controls become much easier to understand once you recognize that Pouics need guidance, positioning, and occasional rescue from their own curiosity. Learning when to nudge, throw, or roll helps you restore ground while keeping your colony moving toward useful objectives. This BloomKeeper controls guide explains those actions, the button prompts used in the older PC demo, and the updates that addressed confusing inputs.

You play as the Guardian, helping the Pouics bring life back to Hedera. Your movements influence an autonomous colony: Pouics explore, gather, and restore terrain, while you steer their progress through obstacles and spreading scorched land.

The main actions fit into a compact toolkit:

Action	What it does	Practical use
Nudge	Pushes Pouics to guide their movement	Redirect a group toward unrestored terrain
Grab & Throw	Picks up and throws a Pouic	Reach another bank, ledge, or specific patch
Roll	Turns the Guardian into a fast-moving plant ball	Travel, interact with Pouics, and handle Malpouics
Rotate camera	Changes your view of the environment	Inspect routes and obstacles
Interact	Activates contextual objects	Touch an appeased level-ending rock

Keyboard, Mouse, and Controller Prompts

BloomKeeper supports keyboard and mouse, Xbox controllers, and PlayStation controllers on PC. The developer recommends playing with a controller, while the current Steam page classifies support as partial.

Older PC demos used the following inputs. Open your current controls menu before relying on an older button layout.

Action	Older PC demo input	Controller equivalent used in that demo
Nudge or guide Pouics	Left mouse button	Xbox B; PlayStation Circle
Roll	—	Right trigger
Contextual interaction	Follow the interaction prompt	Xbox A prompt; PlayStation Cross used to touch the rock
Grab & Throw	Space in the relevant tutorial	Follow the action prompt

The keyboard movement settings also deserve a look if walking feels unfamiliar. An older demo’s reset option restored a WASD layout after displaying a different arrangement.

For BloomKeeper controls, learn the action names alongside the buttons. That makes the tutorial easier to follow when a screen displays Xbox letters while you are holding a PlayStation controller.

How to Nudge Pouics Toward Your Next Objective

Nudge is the action you will use repeatedly while expanding your restored territory. It redirects Pouics, but it does not assign a permanent destination or make the whole colony follow every step you take.

Image: resonance-interactive.com

Pouics remain curious creatures. They move independently, form groups, and interact with the surrounding terrain. Your job is to keep useful movement going while correcting the creatures that drift away from your intended route.

Start with a nearby objective, such as an unopened Pouicus. These plants produce more Pouics, giving you additional creatures closer to the area you want to restore.

1. Find the next Pouicus or patch of scorched ground.
2. Approach nearby Pouics and nudge them toward that objective.
3. Watch where they actually move.
4. Reposition and correct their direction as needed.
5. Switch to throwing when the route demands more precise placement.

Keep your attention on the terrain immediately ahead of the group. A route that looks straightforward from one camera angle can hide a cliff edge, water, or an awkward turn.

Work With Groups Without Losing the Route

Use nudging to keep an existing group moving toward the same objective. Avoid pulling every nearby Pouic into a long journey when a closer Pouicus can supply the next stretch.

For example, if you have creatures wandering near a restored plant and another Pouicus just ahead, direct them toward that plant. Once it awakens, shift your attention forward and work with the new local supply.

This gives BloomKeeper controls a strategic rhythm: guide a group, establish another source of Pouics, then reassess the surrounding threats.

Do not assume every unexpected turn means you pressed the wrong button. Wind and butterflies can affect movement. Inspect the surroundings before repeating the same nudge from the same position.

At narrow crossings, slow down and check the group’s direction frequently. Throw individual Pouics across difficult sections when repeated nudging keeps scattering them.

How to Grab and Throw Pouics

Grab & Throw gives you direct control over a Pouic’s placement. Use it to help creatures overcome obstacles, cross gaps, and reach ground that a wandering group struggles to approach.

Image: resonance-interactive.com

In older demos, the grab-and-throw tutorial appeared after the opening restoration section. If you are playing through that version, continue until the game introduces the action.

Once it becomes available, practice near a clear stretch of restored ground. Pick up a nearby Pouic, face a useful landing area, and throw it toward your objective.

Carry From Restored Ground

In the older PC demo, walking into dark ground while carrying a Pouic caused the Guardian to lose hold of it.

That prevents you from simply carrying one creature across a long barren route. Instead, use the edge of restored terrain as your throwing position.

• Carry a Pouic along restored ground.
• Stop before stepping into the scorched area.
• Aim toward the patch or platform you want to reach.
• Throw, then check the landing.
• Bring additional Pouics forward when regrowth starts fading.

A single placement can help extend your reach, but areas under pressure from spreading scorch need continued support. Keep nearby Pouicus active and watch the ground behind your advance.

Choose Landing Areas Carefully

Use throwing to help Pouics reach land across a stretch of water. Check the landing area before sending more creatures toward the same spot.

Aim for land when you need a Pouic to continue toward another objective. Rotate the camera before throwing across a gap, especially when the far bank slopes toward water.

For BloomKeeper controls, the distinction between nudging and throwing matters more than speed. Nudge a group along a workable route; throw when you need to place an individual beyond an obstacle or into a specific patch.

After landing, Pouics continue interacting with their surroundings. Check their direction before immediately turning away to collect another creature.

Rolling Does More Than Move the Guardian

Rolling is your faster travel option, but it also changes the creatures and plants you touch. Plan your route through a busy colony instead of treating every restored path as an empty shortcut.

Image: Steam / Resonance Interactive

Rolling over a friendly Pouic plants it in the ground. That creates vegetation, but it also removes that creature from the walking group you were trying to move.

Rolling into a Pouicus knocks Pouics down from it. Rolling over a Malpouic plants the corrupted creature, giving the Guardian a direct response to those threats.

Rolling interaction	Result	Achievement associated with it
Roll over a Pouic	Plants the Pouic	Tumble roll
Roll into a Pouicus	Knocks Pouics down	Collect Pouics
Roll over a Malpouic	Plants the Malpouic	Road roller

These interactions explain why learning BloomKeeper controls affects more than travel. A roll through your advancing group changes its makeup; a roll toward an approaching Malpouic can help protect restored ground.

Use rolling to move between threatened areas, then return to deliberate positioning when guiding creatures near an edge. Keep the camera focused on the route so you can see wandering Pouics before crossing their path.

Rolling also helps you navigate low passages encountered during the tutorial. When a route passes beneath an obstacle, inspect the opening before searching for a way over it.

Against burning rocks, focus your Pouics on restoring the surrounding terrain. Keep support moving forward until the rock is appeased, then approach the level-ending rock and use its interaction prompt.

Fix Confusing Prompts and Coordinate Co-op Controls

Several updates addressed problems that can make BloomKeeper controls feel misleading. Check your game version before trying to solve an old input issue through repeated button presses.

Hotfix 1.0.1 corrected the order of Nudge and Grab/Throw in the controls menu. Hotfix 1.0.3 fixed PS4, PS5, and Xbox controller detection. Hotfix 1.0.4 included a major correction to Pouic orientation after landing.

Problem	Relevant update or mechanic	What to do
Nudge and Grab/Throw appear mixed up	Hotfix 1.0.1 corrected their menu order	Update, then read the action labels again
A supported controller has detection trouble	Hotfix 1.0.3 addressed controller detection	Install that fix or a later version
Thrown Pouics face the wrong way after landing	Hotfix 1.0.4 corrected landing orientation	Update before practicing repeated throws
A carried Pouic leaves your hands on dark ground	Entering dark ground interrupted carrying in the older PC demo	Throw from restored ground
A group keeps scattering	Terrain and environmental influences affect movement	Inspect the route and use precise placements

Share Objectives in Online Co-op

BloomKeeper supports online co-op for up to four players. Challenges adapt to the number of Guardians, so coordinate your actions around the colony’s needs.

Have one player gather and redirect Pouics while another advances toward an objective. Assign someone to handle nearby Malpouics when those threats interrupt restoration.

Avoid nudging the same group toward different destinations. Call out the next Pouicus, crossing, or burning rock before moving creatures.

The October 9 demo includes the tutorial and two maps. Demo players can cooperate with other demo players; demo and full-game players cannot join each other.

Use the current tutorial to practice BloomKeeper controls together. You can download the BloomKeeper demo on Steam before organizing a group.

FAQ

What are the main BloomKeeper controls?

The Guardian’s main abilities are Nudge, Grab & Throw, and Roll. You also rotate the camera and use contextual interactions, including touching an appeased rock at the end of a level.

Can you play BloomKeeper with a PlayStation controller?

Yes. BloomKeeper supports PlayStation and Xbox controllers on PC. Hotfix 1.0.3 addressed PS4, PS5, and Xbox controller detection. The developer recommends a controller, and Steam currently classifies controller support as partial.

Why does my Pouic disappear from my hands?

In the older PC demo, entering dark ground while carrying a Pouic caused the Guardian to lose hold of it. Keep your carrying route on restored terrain, then throw toward the next patch you want to revive.

Does rolling over Pouics kill them?

Rolling over a Pouic plants it, turning it into vegetation. Use that interaction deliberately, and avoid rolling through a group you still need to guide toward another objective.