Memory Fragments

Overview

Memory Fragments are collectible lore discoveries in Crimson Desert that allow Kliff to witness events from the past. They are scattered across the continent of Pywel and can be found in towns, ruins, wilderness areas, and dungeons. Viewing Memory Fragments requires the Visione helmet obtained during Chapter 2.

Some Memory Fragments reveal narrative lore and historical events that flesh out the world of Crimson Desert, while others provide practical gameplay information such as crafting tips, hidden locations, or details about characters and factions.

Memory Fragment is the second main quest in Chapter 2: Golden Greed. This short quest takes place entirely on the top floor of Lioncrest Watchtower, right where the previous mission ended. Kliff discovers a mysterious golden helmet called the Visione and learns how to read memories stored inside objects. The Visione helmet becomes a recurring tool throughout the rest of the game.

How to Find Memory Fragments

Memory Fragments are discovered using the Lantern. While exploring, hold up the Lantern (L1/LB on controller, Ctrl on keyboard). When Kliff is near a Memory Fragment location, the Lantern will begin glowing blue and emitting a visible pulse. This is the signal that a memory is available to be learned.

Walk toward the blue glow until the reaction is strongest, then hold the Lantern steady. A "Learning in Progress" bar will appear on screen. Keep the Lantern raised until the bar fills completely. Once the bar is full, the Memory Fragment has been recorded and can be viewed at any time.

An alternative detection method is Blinding Flash, a concentrated beam activated by pressing and holding Ctrl + Left Mouse Button on PC, or LB + RB simultaneously on controller. Unlike the standard lantern glow that only works at close range, Blinding Flash can reveal fragment locations from a greater distance and works while mounted on horseback. When a fragment is within range, the beam highlights its position with a distinct blue light. This makes Blinding Flash especially useful for sweeping through open fields and large areas without dismounting.

To focus the beam at a specific point, release the secondary button (Left Mouse Button on PC, or RB on controller) after the initial activation, then press and hold it again. Aim at the suspected fragment location and hold for a few seconds until the blue marker appears. Blinding Flash also is a combat stun, a tool for lighting torches and burning obstacles, and a scanner for other points of interest like Abyss Nexus fast travel locations.

How to View Memory Fragments

After learning a Memory Fragment, equip the Visione helmet to replay it. There are three access methods:

After learning a fragment, the fastest method to view it is through the contextual quick-menu. The menu button (Escape, Options, or Menu) is temporarily replaced with a "View Fragment" prompt that auto-equips the Visione and plays the memory immediately. If you are near the location of any previously discovered fragment, the Visione UI also shows a "Nearby Memory Fragment" shortcut for quick replay without scrolling the full list.

During playback, pressing Escape (PC), Circle (PlayStation), or B (Xbox) will skip the rest of the memory. However, this only works on subsequent viewings. The first time a Memory Fragment is watched, it must play to completion and cannot be canceled early.

What Memory Fragments Show

When a Memory Fragment is viewed, it manifests as blue ghost apparitions re-enacting a scene from the past. Kliff can look around the area to observe different ghosts and pieces of the memory. The memories fall into two general categories:

• Lore and Story Memories: These reveal historical events, character backstories, and details about factions, wars, and the world of Pywel. They do not provide direct gameplay advantages but enrich the narrative experience.

• Practical Information Memories: These convey useful gameplay knowledge such as the locations of hidden items, crafting techniques, or details about enemies and environments.

Connection to the Main Quest

Memory Fragments are introduced through the main quest "Memory Fragment" in Chapter 2. This quest follows the Unexpected Gift sub-chapter, during which Rulupee's lost pendant begins to shine after Kliff returns from the Abyss. The pendant's reaction leads Kliff to discover the Visione and his first Memory Fragment.

The quest "Trial After Trial" later tasks Kliff with locating additional Memory Fragments, integrating the mechanic into the main story progression.

Other quests in the Hernand in Chaos sub-chapter also require Memory Fragments, including Missing Companion (investigating a stolen sheep near Springtide Mill) and Secrets Hidden in the Dark (locating the Lair of the Animal Thieves). As the story progresses, Memory Fragments continue to appear in later chapters, including a critical sequence during the Blood Coronation quest in Chapter 8.

Tips

Since Patch 1.00.03, the Visione is automatically equipped and played right after you finish learning a Memory Fragment with the Lantern. You no longer need to manually open the gear menu or inventory to view a newly discovered fragment.

• Keep the Lantern out while exploring new areas to catch the blue pulse that signals a nearby Memory Fragment.

• Memory Fragments are often found in camps, ruins, and locations with historical significance. If an area feels like it has a story to tell, hold up the Lantern and check.

• New memories in your list are marked, so you can quickly tell which ones you have not yet watched.

• Viewing all Memory Fragments contributes to the Knowledge System and overall world completion.

Related Topics

• Visione - The headgear required to view Memory Fragments.

• Lantern - The tool used to discover Memory Fragment locations.

• The Abyss - The supernatural realm connected to the Visione's origins.

• Knowledge System - The collectibles and discovery tracking system.

Patch Update: Visione List Filter

A recent patch quietly fixed one of the most frustrating quality of life gaps for Memory Fragments. The list inside your Visione menu now displays only the fragments you have actually collected, rather than the full pre-populated catalog of every fragment in the game.

This makes progress tracking dramatically easier. Before the change, scrolling the Visione list told you almost nothing because every entry showed up regardless of pickup state. Now the list reads as a pure inventory of what you have found, so you can re-read collected memories without hunting through placeholder rows. For the full hunt order and locations of each fragment, see the Visione Memory Fragments Guide.

Quest Details

Check the Suspicious Helm

The quest begins automatically after reaching the top floor of Lioncrest Watchtower during Where the Light Leads. Look for a golden helmet sitting on the floor among white and gold vases. Focus on it using L1 + Square (PlayStation) or LB + X (Xbox) to pick it up. The helmet, called the Visione, equips to Kliff automatically.

Read the Memory

A phantom figure materializes and explains what the Visione is. After the phantom disappears, you need to access the memory stored in the helm. There are two ways to do this:

1. Quick method: Hold the Options/Menu button and select the bottom icon on the right side of the screen. This jumps straight to the memory viewer.

2. Manual method: Press D-Pad Left, then R1 to open the armor menu. Highlight the Visione helm and press X/A. Select "Play" to access the stored memories. Navigate to the Delysia character entry and scroll to the "Visione" memory, then view it with X/A.

Watching the memory sequence completes the quest. A mysterious figure appears in the vision, speaking about the Visione's origins before fading away.

Notes

• This quest has no combat. It is a tutorial for the memory reading system, which you will use repeatedly throughout Chapters 2 through 4.

• The Visione helmet does not need to stay equipped at all times. You only need to put it on when reading memory fragments at specific locations marked by blue ghost silhouettes.

• Later quests (Trial After Trial, The Man Trapped in the Mire, Secrets Hidden in the Dark) all require the Visione and a lantern to track down and read memory fragments in the field.

Visione Interaction Details

The golden helmet sits on the floor among white and gold vases on the top floor of Lioncrest Watchtower. A brief animation plays as Kliff examines the helmet before it automatically equips to his headgear slot. Unlike other equipment, the Visione does not affect your combat stats and exists purely as a tool for reading memory fragments.

Navigating the Memory Viewer

After the phantom figure vanishes, you need to access the stored memory. The game offers two routes, and learning both saves time in later quests:

The quick method is recommended for subsequent memory reads because the manual route requires multiple menu navigations. As you collect more memory fragments throughout Chapters 2 through 4, the quick method saves significant time.

The Vision Sequence

The quest description reads: "Upon donning a strange helmet, the form of a man materialized. He referred to the helmet a 'visione.' After a cryptic and rambling explanation, he vanished like a phantom. Just what is this object?" The figure that appears is connected to the Abyss and speaks in vague terms about the Visione's purpose. Listen through the entire sequence without skipping to complete the quest objective. The identity and motivations of the phantom become clearer as you collect additional memory fragments later in the story.

Memory Reading in Later Quests

The memory reading mechanic introduced here returns in four quests from the Hernand in Chaos sub-chapter: Trial After Trial, The Man Trapped in the Mire, Missing Companion, and Secrets Hidden in the Dark. Each of those quests requires you to equip the Visione helmet along with a lantern and aim at blue ghost silhouettes in the field. The process is the same: locate the blue apparitions with your lantern, read the memory fragment, and view it through the memory viewer.