How to find the APC and unlock it afterward in Hell Is Us

By Ambar Jimenez | 2025-09-02 10:12:08
Hell is Us is an action-adventure game that challenges players with its minimalistic UI and lack of traditional quest markers. The very first major objective you'll face after speaking with Ernest Cadell is a perfect example of this: finding a key to an armored vehicle, or APC, that is essential for your journey. The game will give you clues, but the rest is up to you.This extensive guide will walk you through every step of this initial quest, from locating the APC to solving the puzzles and finally getting the key.

Hell Is Us: find the APC and unlock it afterward

Part 1: Tracking the APC in Senedra Forest

After your initial conversation with Ernest Cadell, you'll learn that a group of soldiers has an APC located in the northern part of the woods. The key to finding it is to listen for wind chimes.
  • Get Your Bearings: The first step is to get the correct directional information. You can do this by equipping your compass. Go into your inventory, select the "Loadout" tab, and add the compass to your "Usable Item" slot. This will help you keep a northern heading.
  • Follow the Path and Listen: Ernest will give you a key to a gate. Unlock the gate and follow the path ahead. Soon, you will find a muddy trail on your left that leads into the woods. This is your cue to enter.
  • Use Audio Cues: The wind chimes are your main guide. Make sure your in-game volume is high enough to hear their faint jingles. They are often placed in trees just ahead of you, marking the correct path. If the chimes stop, you're likely heading in the wrong direction. Follow the chimes, while periodically checking your compass to ensure you are consistently moving north.
  • Find the APC: After following the subtle sounds and muddy path for a while, you will come across the APC, a large armored vehicle. However, you will immediately discover that the door is locked and requires a special key.

Part 2: Finding the Med Kit for the Soldier

The quest to find the APC key begins by helping an injured soldier.

  • Speak to the Injured Soldier: Go to the back of the APC and you will find a wounded soldier sittingon the ground. Exhaust his dialogue options to learn that a sergeant has the key, but the soldier needs a med kit first.
  • Follow the Marked Trees: The soldier will tell you to follow marked trees to find a military camp. To find the first one, take the uphill road to the west of your current location. You will eventually see a tree with a white cross painted on it.
  • Navigate to the Camp: From the first tree, go right to find a second marked tree. Move southwest to find another one between two roads. Take the right-side path towards the west and you'll soon find a blue barrel with a cross on it.
  • Collect the Med Kit: The path will lead you to a small military camp. Look for a yellow orb near a tent to find and collect the med kit. Return to the injured soldier using the same path.
  • Trade and Receive the Ancient Mechanism: Interact with the soldier again and choose the "Trade" option to give him the med kit. In return, he will give you the Ancient Mechanism, which is needed for the next puzzle.

Part 3: Solving the Ruins Puzzles

With the Ancient Mechanism in hand, you can now enter the ruins and get closer to your goal.

  • The Stone Structure Puzzle: Climb the ladder beside the soldier and another one after that to reach the ruins. You will find a stone structure where you can place theAncient Mechanism. Once placed, three more structures will appear. Youmust rotate them to the correct symbols to unlock the door. The solution is:

    • Left: Crown-like symbol
    • Middle: Eye
    • Right: Pickaxe
  • The Main Gate Puzzle: After solving the first puzzle, a new path will open up. Navigate thispath and you will find a large gate with a puzzle on it. The clues forthis puzzle can be found on cryptic notes in the nearby rooms. Thecorrect formation is:

    • Top: Tower
    • Middle: Twin-headed snake
    • Bottom: Fire
  • Part 4: Getting the APC Key

    You are now in the final stretch to the key.

    • Navigate the Ruins: The path from the main gate is largely linear. You will need to defeat a few Hollow Walkers, climb ladders, and proceed through a series ofrooms and corridors.
    • Find the Dead Sergeant: The pathwill eventually lead you to a tunnel. As you enter this tunnel, you will find the body of a dead sergeant. Look for a glowing, yellow orb on his corpse.
    • Collect the Key: Interact with the body to collect the APC key.

    Part 5: Returning to the APC

    With the key in hand, all that's left is to return to the APC. Go back upthe stairs, take the exit out of the tunnel, and follow the path to the southwest. You'll soon arrive back at the armored vehicle. Use the key on the door to enter the APC and continue your journey.

    Platform(s): Microsoft Windows PC, PlayStation 5 PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
    Genre(s): Action-adventure
    Developer(s): Rogue Factor
    Publisher(s): Nacon
    Engine: Unreal Engine 5
    Release date: September 4, 2025
    Mode: Single-player
    Video preview



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