Hell is Us Act 1 Walkthrough

Act 1 of Hell is Us contains two investigations — Family Reunion and Family Legacy — and introduces every core system: no-map navigation, drone scans, melee combat with Healing Pulse, environmental puzzles, and APC hub travel. This walkthrough follows the intended order while noting optional exploration and timeloops along the way.

Before you start

Review Beginner Tips for Healing Pulse timing and No-Map Exploration for compass habits. Puzzle answers are in Puzzle Solutions if you prefer spoiler boxes after searching an area.

Hell is Us Act 1 walkthrough

Investigation 1: Family Reunion

Downward path and Ernest Caddell

Follow the sloping trail to a destroyed farmhouse. Enter the cellar and speak with Ernest Caddell to receive the gate key. Open the gate and follow wind chimes toward Senedra Forest — chimes replace minimap arrows throughout Act 1.

Wounded soldier and Senedra entrance

Near an APC, an injured OMSIF soldier requests a medkit. Follow trees marked with white X symbols to a camp tent and loot the OMSIF Medkit. Return and trade it for the Ancient Mechanism.

Climb ladders above the soldier, insert the mechanism into the pedestal, and rotate three pillars. From left to right, display Fire, Eye, and Pickaxe (also described as Crown, Eye, Pickaxe in some scans). The exterior dungeon door opens below. Spoiler: the entrance collapses after entry; the soldier cannot be saved.

Senedra Forest dungeon interior

After the combat tutorial, a large circular door blocks progress. Scan archive tablets with your drone in the side room — the inner-to-outer symbol order is Tower, Serpent (Snake), Fire. Inside, fight Hollow packs and conserve medkits by using Healing Pulse between groups.

Descend until you exit the far side, recover the Sergeant’s body, take the APC Key, and climb into the trench network toward Acasa Mars transit.

Acasa Mars basement lock

Family photos gathered earlier show numbered cars. A digital lock in the basement uses code 321713 (green car digit is smudged on photos — inspect the physical car model in the room above to confirm). Loot the area and return to the APC when objectives update.

Investigation 2: Family Legacy

Vyssa Hills and the Watcher’s Nest

Travel to Vyssa Hills with Vigil candles and bookmarks from prior objectives. The Watcher’s Nest is a multi-floor facility tied to Pentos Algea and the Vigil order.

Descend through a wall breach to a hidden tomb and collect four blue ceramic flowers from the sarcophagus. Back upstairs, place flowers in four slots tied to clues around the base: Warden of Grief, the Vigil shield logo, the Algea name plaque behind the whiteboard, and the slot beside the blue banner (founding year 1513). Pull the tomb lever to retrieve the Blue Flower Scroll and Relic rewards. This unlocks Lake Cynon access via Gildas Brom.

Lake Cynon reservoir

Cross blue-flower fields to a square pool surrounded by five strikeable pillars. Orange marker posts around the meadow reveal symbol order. Hit pillars in sequence: Crown, Water, Key, Star, Cup. A hidden compartment opens with gear on the pool’s rear side and leads toward the Lake Cynon dungeon — torch and pillar details are covered in Puzzle Solutions.

Clear the dungeon, close any timeloops you find (see Good Deeds & Timeloops), and finish remaining Family Legacy objectives until Act 1 closes at the APC.

Combat and gear notes for Act 1

Upgrade your primary weapon before Lake Cynon. Equip your first Relics after the Watcher’s Nest tomb. Practice drone scans before every puzzle door to avoid backtracking. If combat feels punitive, read Combat & Healing Pulse and prioritize polearms or swords for safer spacing in trenches.

What unlocks after Act 1

Act 2 begins three Keystone investigations. Tania and APC travel expand to Jeljin, Marastan, and later Auriga regions. Finish optional Good Deeds in Act 1 zones before rushing Act 2 — some deeds lock after story flags.

Related guides

• Next: Act 2 Walkthrough
• Systems: Combat & Healing Pulse, Good Deeds & Timeloops
• Reference: Tier List, Codes