The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Hell Is Us expects you to solve its world rather than follow a waypoint. The reliable approach is to exhaust every conversation, inspect the environment for repeated visual or textual patterns, scan new rooms with the drone, navigate by landmarks and compass, and record clues that the game may not save for you. If a puzzle still resists, postpone it: PowerPyx reports that all 43 Mysteries remain completable after the story, although optional Good Deeds should be handled more cautiously.
Why Hell Is Us puzzles are easy to miss
Hell Is Us deliberately removes the familiar safety net of a minimap filled with icons and quest markers. Rogue Factor describes its design as a “unique exploration system without traditional maps or markers,” set in a semi-open world full of mysteries. That changes what counts as progress: an unusual symbol on a wall, a sentence from an NPC, or an object that looks out of place may be more important than a visible objective.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Hell is Us – PlayStation 5 | $45.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Returnal - PlayStation 5 | $35.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Diofield Chronicle - PlayStation 5 | $22.77 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Sonic X Shadow Generations - PlayStation 5 | $19.93 | Buy on Amazon |
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The lack of explicit direction is useful once you understand the language of the world, but it can feel like a dead end when several clues are separated by distance or when a small piece of text is easy to misread. GamesRadar+ called the absence of waypoints and explicit objectives “a double-edged magical sword.” Treat that description literally: the game is not withholding a conventional marker; it is asking you to build a route and a hypothesis from evidence.
The six-step clue-recognition loop
1. Exhaust the conversation before leaving
Talk to every NPC until the conversation no longer produces new information. The official tips explain that characters describe destinations with relative directions and landmarks instead of handing you coordinates. A phrase such as a direction from a church, river, rock formation, or watchtower can be the first half of a route, while a later conversation supplies the missing detail.
#1 Best Overall
- A HOSTILE WORLD: In addition to the civil war dividing the country, the region is suffering from a mysterious calamity, which has given rise to supernatural creatures that no modern weapon can defeat. Your drone and sword from a different age are your faithful allies as you cut a path through lands infested with terrifying chimeras and try to unravel the mystery of their appearance.
- A UNIQUE EXPLORATION SYSTEM: No map, no compass, no quest markers. Following your instincts is part of the adventure. Enjoy a unique experience that uses innovative writing and level design to let you make your own decisions and follow your instincts as you explore. Your discoveries are yours alone.
- COMBAT AGAINST ORIGINAL CREATURES: Swords, spears and axes. A wide range of weapons forged specially for fighting these supernatural creatures is available. You must learn how to fight these monsters and use your drone wisely to stay alive.
- 'The central theme of Hell is Us is that human violence is a perpetual cycle fueled by human emotions and passions.'' – Jonathan Jacques-Belletête, Creative Director
Return to important NPCs after a story trigger. The official tips specifically advise revisiting people because new information can appear as the story advances. If you remember a vague instruction but cannot identify its destination, do not assume you misunderstood it; the second half of the explanation may not be available yet.
2. Read the room before touching anything
When you enter a new space, pause and survey it instead of immediately testing every object. Look for visual repetition: the same emblem on several surfaces, shapes that appear to match, a written placard that names or describes something nearby, paintings that form a set, flowers arranged in a deliberate pattern, statues facing one another, torches that appear related, or floor plates that invite a sequence.
The official puzzle index confirms that these are recurring puzzle families rather than random decoration. A single unusual object may be scenery; three related objects placed along a wall, path, or chamber are much more likely to be instructions.
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3. Scan with the drone whenever you enter an area
The drone is not only a combat or reconnaissance convenience. The official tips say it can reveal interactable objects, enemies, hidden passages, and information required for some environmental puzzles. Make a scan part of your arrival routine, especially in a room that seems empty or in a courtyard where the intended interaction is not at eye level.
Scan again after changing the state of a puzzle or receiving a new story instruction. A passage or object that was not useful before may become relevant after the world changes. If a puzzle has no obvious interaction prompt, the drone is the first diagnostic tool to use.
4. Build a route from landmarks and the compass
Use the map for regional layout, not turn-by-turn guidance. The official tips recommend navigating with a compass and recognizable landmarks. Churches, prominent rock formations, watchtowers, rivers, and changes in elevation can form a mental route even when the final destination has no icon.
Rank #2
- The procedural world of returnal invites you to dust yourself Off in the face of defeat and take on new, evolving challenges with every Rebirth.
- After crash-landing on a shape-shifting world, selene must search through the barren landscape of an ancient civilization for her Escape.
- Isolated and alone, she finds herself fighting tooth and nail for survival. Again and again, she's defeated - forced to restart her journey every time she dies.
When an NPC gives a relative direction, translate it into a short chain: identify the landmark named first, confirm your heading with the compass, then search the nearby terrain for the next distinctive feature. This avoids wandering in a broad area while repeatedly reopening the map.
5. Record information the interface may not retain
GamesRadar+ notes that passwords and environmental clues are not always recorded in menus, that clues can be scattered across an area, and that small text can produce misreads. Take a screenshot or write down symbols, digits, order, wording, and the location where each clue appeared. Include orientation when it matters: for example, note whether a symbol was on the left or right side of a doorway rather than copying only its shape.
Keep separate notes for different areas. A symbol sequence from one room should not be mixed with an apparently similar sequence from a nearby building. Recording the surrounding landmark gives you a way to return without relying on memory.
6. Re-check the last clue before escalating
When your hypothesis fails, retrace the most recent conversation and the room where you found the clue. Confirm that you copied every symbol correctly, that you used the intended object rather than a decorative duplicate, and that a story trigger has not changed the available interaction. Only after those checks should you seek an external hint.
Recognizing the major puzzle families
Rogue Factor’s official puzzle index names the principal story challenges. The locations and visible motifs below tell you what kind of evidence to collect without giving away codes or exact combinations.
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| Area or sequence | Recognizable clue family | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Senedra Forest | Symbol doors | Every repeated symbol, its position, and the nearby visual context. |
| Acasa Marshes | Picture puzzle | Images, their order or arrangement, and any text associated with them. |
| Watcher’s Nest | Flower puzzle | Flower locations, visual differences, and the sequence implied by the surroundings. |
| Lake Cynon | Pillars | Markings on each pillar and the relationship between the pillars’ positions. |
| Lymbic Forge | Torches | Which torches belong to the same set and any order suggested by nearby clues. |
| Marastan | Eagle and door puzzles | Eagle imagery, door symbols, and whether the two visual systems appear connected. |
| Jeljin | Crypt puzzles | Inscriptions, repeated symbols, and the physical relationship between chambers. |
| Lethe | Safe | Digits, wording, and the locations of every clue that may form the combination. |
| Auriga | Museum puzzle | Placards, paintings, object labels, and any matching arrangement in the exhibits. |
| Plains of Mist | Entrance puzzle | Landmarks around the entrance and any symbols or objects that define the correct approach. |
| Temple of the Fallen | Pressure plates | Plate positions, nearby markings, and the sequence suggested by the room. |
| Lake Cynon and Lymbic Forge | Golden Eye and Lymbic Sphere sequence | How the two named objects relate across locations and which story information links them. |
Do not assume that a puzzle’s clue is confined to the room containing its mechanism. The index includes sequences whose names span locations, and the game’s design frequently uses landmarks, conversations, and scattered environmental details as part of one solution.
Rank #3
- New Strategy RPG by Square Enix - An all-new Strategy RPG that chronicles an epic tale of war and honor; Featuring a unique and beautiful world that blends fantasy, medieval and modern-day influences, and a deep yet innovative real-time battle system
- Deep, strategic, real-time tactical battles – Make real-time assessment of battlefield conditions and decisive orders that take advantage of your troops strengths and weaknesses; Make use of skills, classes and equipment to complete your mission
- Realistic diorama style battle scenes - Richly detailed depictions of the environments of the island of DioField combined with unique "diorama" style visuals as you command your forces like a general
Where to look when a puzzle makes no sense
If nothing is interactable
- Scan the entire room and its approaches with the drone; an interaction may be hidden behind an object or beyond the obvious path.
- Walk the perimeter, check elevated and recessed surfaces, and inspect doors, placards, statues, and objects that match a nearby motif.
- Ask whether a story trigger is missing. Return to the most recently relevant NPC and continue the story far enough to unlock new information.
If you found a clue but cannot connect it to a mechanism
- Search for the same visual language nearby: matching shapes, repeated emblems, related paintings, flowers, torches, or statues.
- Use the compass and the nearest landmark to map a short search route instead of roaming the entire region.
- Check your notes for a clue that was described rather than displayed. NPC directions can identify the area even when no object is marked.
If you know the apparent answer but it does not work
- Verify the order. A correct set of symbols or digits in the wrong sequence is still incorrect.
- Recheck small text and take a fresh screenshot. GamesRadar+ specifically warns that tiny writing can cause misreads.
- Confirm that you are using the clue for the correct room or area; scattered clues can look interchangeable when they are not.
- Scan after returning to the mechanism. A hidden passage or interactable object may only become apparent after another step.
If navigation is the real obstacle
Start at the landmark named by the NPC, set the compass heading, and move one landmark at a time. Record where the route forks, where elevation changes, and which structure confirms that you are close. This method is more reliable than trying to infer a precise location from the regional map alone.
Can you safely leave a puzzle for later?
The 43 Mysteries
PowerPyx reports 43 Mysteries in Hell Is Us and says they are required for the Amateur Detective and Super-Sleuth trophies. Its 2025 coverage also states that none of the Mysteries are missable and that they can be completed after the story. That makes postponement a valid strategy when a clue trail is incomplete: note the NPC, area, visible motif, and any partial solution, then continue with the main story.
“Not missable” does not mean “never return.” Mark the location in your own notes and revisit it when a later conversation, story trigger, or newly understood symbol changes the context. Completing a Mystery after the story is safe according to that report, but forgetting where the clue was found can still cost time.
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Optional Good Deeds
Good Deeds are separate from the 43-Mystery count. The available evidence does not establish one universal deadline for every optional NPC task, so do not assume that all of them remain available forever. If a Good Deed matters to your playthrough, finish it before major story progression when practical and record the NPC and area in your notes. This is a precaution, not a claim that every Good Deed disappears at a particular point.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use hints without spoiling the whole game
Choose help based on the kind of information you are missing, not simply on how long you have been stuck. Push Square’s guide is organized chronologically by act and warns that it contains spoilers and solutions. That makes it useful as a controlled escalation tool, provided you open only the relevant act or puzzle.
| Help level | What it should reveal | Best use | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recognition hint | The relevant motif, room, NPC, or landmark | You have not identified what the puzzle is asking you to observe. | Low; it preserves the deduction. |
| Progress hint | The next interaction or the relationship between two clues | You recognize the puzzle family but cannot determine the next step. | Moderate; it may remove one inference. |
| Complete solution | The full sequence, combination, or route | You have checked your notes and want to finish without further searching. | High; it can reveal surrounding story context. |
Use this escalation order: return to the last NPC, re-check the relevant room and nearby landmarks, consult a spoiler-light clue, and only then open a complete solution. Stop reading as soon as you have the missing connection. A chronological guide is easier to use safely than a page that mixes late-game answers into an unlabelled list.
Rank #4
- Past meets present in SONIC GENERATIONS! Modern and Classic Sonic team up to defeat Dr. Eggman and the Time Eater to restore their timeline to normal!
- Spin dash through a greatest-hits collection of 3D and 2D versions of iconic stages from past Sonic games, now with updated visuals and reworked cinematics
- In this new standalone campaign, Black Doom has reemerged and threatens to take over the world. Shadow must journey into his past, confront his memories, and unlock new dark powers to save the world.
- Harness Shadow's new Doom Powers to battle hordes of enemies and tackle platforming challenges like never before. Surf on water, fly over obstacles, and stop time with the return of Chaos Control!
- Rescue Chao hiding in every level, rack up the highest pinball score in the Casino Nights zone, and check out the museum for behind-the-scenes art, music, and more!
If you do not yet own the game, Hell Is Us is available for PS5; retail editions and regional availability can vary, so verify the current listing for your region before buying.
Common habits that create false dead ends
Looking for a marker that the game intentionally removed
Opening the map repeatedly will not produce the missing objective icon. Use it to understand the region, then switch to the compass and physical landmarks for the final approach.
Treating every object as an isolated puzzle
The game’s clue families are often relational. A painting may matter because it matches another painting; a symbol may matter because it repeats on a door; a torch may matter because its position forms a set. Compare objects before experimenting with them.
Relying on memory for passwords and sequences
Small text, scattered clues, and symbols that look alike make memory unreliable. Write down the exact order and the place where you found it. A screenshot is faster than a second search through a large area.
Assuming a failed attempt proves the clue is wrong
A failed interaction can indicate an incorrect order, a misread digit, a nearby but separate puzzle, or a missing story trigger. Diagnose those possibilities in that order before abandoning the area.
Using a full walkthrough too early
A complete answer can solve the mechanism while also exposing later context. Start with recognition or progress help and reserve a full solution for after you have checked your own notes.
A practical routine for every new area
- Talk first: speak with every available NPC and continue until dialogue stops changing.
- Scan: use the drone across the entrance, main room, side paths, and upper or recessed areas.
- Catalog: note repeated symbols, text, paintings, flowers, statues, torches, plates, and unusual objects.
- Orient: identify one major landmark and establish your heading with the compass.
- Test relationships: compare matching objects before trying random combinations.
- Record: save screenshots or written notes with the area, order, digits, and orientation.
- Trigger-check: if the mechanism remains inactive, revisit the last relevant NPC and advance the story if necessary.
- Postpone deliberately: leave a Mystery with a clear note rather than repeatedly searching without new information.
- Escalate carefully: use a recognition hint, then a progress hint, and finally a complete solution only if needed.
Bottom line: observe before you search
Hell Is Us becomes more readable when you stop waiting for an objective marker and start treating dialogue, landmarks, drone scans, and repeated environmental motifs as one connected clue system. Record fragile information, return after story triggers, and use the 43-Mystery post-story safety net when you need to move on. For Good Deeds, finish important tasks before major progression. This approach preserves the satisfaction of solving the world while giving you a controlled way out of genuine dead ends.
Quick Recap
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