Hell is Us Exploration Checklist

Hell is Us rewards wandering, but it never shows a completion percentage. You might remember clearing Senedra Forest while forgetting Talju safes, half the Lethe Ministry codes, or the Lake Cynon vault sequence. This checklist collects high-value optional milestones — Timeloops, Vaults of Forbidden Knowledge, Good Deeds, drone modules, and major puzzle beats — in the order most players encounter them across Acts. Tick items as you finish; progress persists in local browser storage until you reset for a new run.

The list is intentionally spoiler-light: it names regions and landmark types you already see on loading screens and Datapads. For numeric locks tied to each area, keep the Code Finder or Codes Hub open. For routing and fight tips, jump to the Guides Hub and its walkthrough articles.

What the checklist tracks

Act 1 landmarks include Senedra Forest ruins, Vitalis basement, Watcher’s Nest, and Lake Cynon pillar work. These align with early Lymbic upgrades and the first Vault of Forbidden Knowledge many players miss. Vitalis basement specifically uses door code 321713 from the door and gate codes page — mark it here after looting, not when you merely find the house.

Timeloops and vaults entries remind you to close loops before hard Hollow fights and to finish both Acasa Marshes and Lake Cynon vault emotion sequences. Sequences are on vault codes; this checklist only tracks completion.

Keystone Investigations for Terror, Rage, and Ecstasy underpin vault knowledge. If a vault dial rejects input, return to Investigations before assuming the sequence is wrong.

Mid-game clusters cover Marastan eagle puzzles, Jeljin crypt sequences, Lethe library and Ministry codes, and Auriga Museum labs plus drone workshop content. Lethe alone spans three door PINs, multiple safes, computers, and Rolst’s radio — batching prevents duplicate Ministry treks.

Completion goals include Good Deeds that keep NPCs alive, elite KAPI drone modules, and Act 3: Into the Unknown. Good Deeds affect who survives Hadea; some Investigations silently depend on them.

Pairing the checklist with guides

Checkboxes record whether you finished a landmark; guides explain how. When an item stalls, switch to focused walkthroughs rather than guessing routes across markerless terrain.

• Early Acts: Start with Getting Started for Datapad Investigations, melee plus drone combat, and Healing Pulse basics before optional detours pile up.
• Puzzles: Marastan eagles, Watcher’s Nest wiring, Lake Cynon forge pillars, and Jeljin crypt layouts live in the puzzle solutions guide — the checklist marks them done but does not diagram solutions.
• Codes: After clearing an area, cross-reference safe and computer codes for terminals you may have walked past locked.

Walkthrough guides assume single-player pacing — there is no multiplayer to split map coverage — so the checklist reflects one continuous Ren run. If you die repeatedly at an optional elite, close nearby Timeloops first; open loops often respawn patrols along the return path.

Suggested session rhythm

1. Play a main-story block until a new region unlocks.
2. Sweep optional landmarks in that region before fast-traveling mentally through older districts.
3. Tick checklist items and note missing codes in the Code Finder.
4. Read guide sections only for puzzles still unchecked after a thorough sweep.

This rhythm prevents the common mid-game fog where players chase Auriga upgrades while Act 1 vaults stay dormant.

Reset and multi-device use

Reset the checklist when beginning New Game Plus or a challenge run. Progress does not sync across devices — phone ticks stay on your phone. Export mentally by screenshot if you split play between PC and console; the underlying storage key is local to each browser profile.

Why optional content matters

Vault Relics, Lymbic glyphs, and drone modules stack into measurable combat power. Skipping Good Deeds can remove dialogue clues for vault emotions. Hell is Us stays completable without every box checked, but Act 3 difficulty assumes reasonable optional investment — the checklist helps you invest deliberately instead of accidentally.