Hell is Us Act 2 Walkthrough
Keystones of Terror, Rage, and Ecstasy — and the road to the Lymbic Forge.
Act 2 expands Hell is Us across Hadea with three parallel investigations, each yielding a Keystone for the Lymbic Forge. You may start Terror, Rage, or Ecstasy in any order, but this guide recommends Terror → Rage → Ecstasy for gear checks and travel unlocks. Pair it with Puzzle Solutions for door codes and Good Deeds & Timeloops for optional domes blocking side loot.
Act 2 overview
After Act 1, the APC network reaches Marastan, Jeljin, Lethe, and the Plains of Mist. Each Keystone investigation mixes overworld navigation, dungeon gauntlets, timeloop closures, and a boss tied to an emotional motif (Terror, Rage, Ecstasy). Return to the APC between legs to upgrade weapons, slot new Glyphs, and talk to Tania about symbols that unlock regions.
Investigation: Keystone of Terror
Marastan and the Blood Queen trail
Begin by learning the Screaming Face symbol. In Marastan, gather clues about the Blood Queen — scan tablets, follow NPC directions, and note eagle statues in the cemetery. Spoiler: rotate all six eagle statues to face east to open the Blood Queen tomb path. Details and alternate landmark notes sit in Puzzle Solutions.
Inside the tomb, progress until objectives point toward Senedra Forest’s tower — the Arcas Spire region you glimpsed in Act 1.
Arcas Spire timeloop and boss
Enter the tower, fight through Hollow escalations, and identify the timeloop anchor. Defeat Timeloop Guardians in the zone, apply an Amine Prism at the core, and collapse the loop so enemies stop respawning. At the summit interaction, engage the Terror Haze boss: approach glitching pillars to force spawns, then strike the manifested body until the health bar empties.
Collect the Keystone of Terror, return to the APC, and ask Tania about the Charioteer symbol to unlock Jeljin travel for the Rage investigation.
Investigation: Keystone of Rage
Jeljin graveyard crypts
Travel to Jeljin and solve four crypt statue puzzles (Dove, Flower, Dagger, Horse rotations) before entering deeper catacombs. Spoiler summary: Dove uses Right-Right-Left-Left facings; Flower shows Sun on all statues; Dagger faces left; Horse uses Left-Right-Right. Full approach notes are in Puzzle Solutions.
Retrieve the Fading Iron Seal and continue toward Lethe and the Ministry of Cultural Primacy.
Auriga Museum gauntlet
Enter the Auriga Museum, solve the entrance statue alignment puzzle, and complete the training sequence for clearance. Obtain the Beta Clearance key card and descend to the B4 gauntlet — a compressed combat floor mixing elite Hollows and environmental hazards.
Survive B4, defeat the Rage boss encounter, and claim the Keystone of Rage. Side rooms contain Relics and Lymbic texts worth scanning for Ecstasy foreshadowing.
Investigation: Keystone of Ecstasy
Plains of Mist approach
Travel to the mist-covered region and solve the outer door puzzle (Twin-Headed Serpent motifs — align symbols to plate shapes; inner ring order includes Sword, Diamond, Sun, and Eye on later doors). See Puzzle Solutions for plate-matching strategy without copying every symbol here.
Temple of the Fallen
Inside the temple, two pressure-plate sequences gate the inner sanctum. Step plates in orders hinted by nearby murals and drone scans — first sequence teaches the logic, second sequence punishes rushing. Clear enemy waves between plate rooms; Healing Pulse sustain matters more here than in Act 1. Review Combat & Healing Pulse if you deplete medkits early.
Ecstasy boss
Touch the Keystone pedestal to start the fight. Destroy small altar structures and spawned adds until the true body manifests, then focus damage on the boss core. Exit the domain, pick up the Keystone of Ecstasy, and return to the APC.
Lymbic Forge interlude
With all three Keystones, return to the Lymbic Forge and insert them in the forge interface. Act 2 closes with upgraded travel and Act 3 prep — finish leftover Good Deeds in Jeljin and Marastan before moving on, as some NPCs relocate.
Recommended loadout tips
Bring a polearm or greatsword for B4 gauntlet spacing, and twin axes or sword for Ecstasy add phases. Equip drone modules that crowd-control swarms before boss rooms. Slot at least one defensive Glyph on each weapon; timeloop guardians punish greedy combos.
Related guides
- Previous: Act 1 Walkthrough
- Next: Act 3 Walkthrough
- Navigation: No-Map Exploration
- Rankings: Tier List
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about Hell is Us progression, combat, and exploration.
Can I do Keystones in any order?
Yes. Terror → Rage → Ecstasy is recommended because Terror unlocks Jeljin and gear checks scale smoothly.
Where do I get Amine Prisms?
Craft or loot them before timeloop anchors. You need one prism per loop closure after defeating guardians.
Is Auriga Museum missable?
No for story — Rage requires B4. Optional rooms inside the museum can be missed if you rush the key card.
What level should I be entering Act 2?
Upgrade both equipped weapons at the APC after Act 1. If Hollows take more than two combos to kill, grind timeloops for materials first.