Hell is Us is a game that thrives on mystery and atmosphere, often leaving players to piece together its secrets with minimal guidance. Of all the perplexing riddles encountered in the desolate world, the "Enlightenment" mystery is one of the most enigmatic, requiring you to visit five hidden locations and pay close attention to subtle clues. This long-form guide will take you step-by-step through the process of solving this complex puzzle, from its cryptic beginnings in the Jova Village sewers to the moment the final reward is yours.The "Enlightenment" mystery is not something you will complete in a single sitting. It is a slow burn, encountered early in the game but only solvable much later, as it requires access to different areas of the map that are unlocked through story progression. The main puzzle is a strange, symbolic door found deep in the sewers of Jova Village. Marked with five distinct symbols, it will remain locked until you find a series of lamps scattered across the Acasa Marshes, each corresponding to one of the symbols on the door.
Hell is Us: Open the Symbol Door Beneath Jova
How to Begin the Enlightenment Mystery
Your journey begins beneath the ruined homes of Jova Village, a haunting and dilapidated settlement in the Acasa Marshes. From the location of Captain Vaas, head west up the gentle slope of the hill. Turn left and continue south into the cluster of destroyed homes. In the center of what was once a courtyard, you will find a decrepit well. The air here is thick with a chilling silence, broken only by the sound of your own footsteps. A rickety ladder leads down into the sewers below—a dark and disorienting labyrinth that holds the key to the mystery.Once you have descended into the subterranean passages, make your way north until you reach another ladder leading down to a lower level. Immediately to the left of this ladder, you will see a large, ceremonial door etched with the five symbols. While you cannot interact with it yet, this is the central hub of the "Enlightenment" mystery. Take a moment to note the intricate carvings, for they hold the secret to the puzzle's final solution.However, the mystery itself does not begin until you go deeper. Take the ladder down to the lower level of the sewers and navigate the winding, damp passages. You will eventually reach a large, sunken chamber with a shallow pool of murky water. Be cautious, as several basic enemies will emerge from the depths. Once you have cleared the area, look for two strange-looking lamps on the wall. They are marked with an eye-shaped symbol, with seven enclosed dots below them. Interacting with one of these lamps will trigger a notification, signaling that the "Enlightenment" mystery has officially begun. This is the first of five locations you must visit.
Unlocking All Puzzle Locations
As the in-game hints suggest, you will not be able to complete the"Enlightenment" puzzle until approximately halfway through your journey. The mystery is tied directly to your progress in the main story.Specifically, you will gain access to the final required location afteryou have recovered the second Keystone—a series of vitalcollectibles that drive the narrative forward. After acquiring thisKeystone and returning to your APC, a cutscene will provide you with the necessary code to unlock the gate to a small military encampmentlocated east of Jova Village. Once that gate is open, you will know that all five locations for the "Enlightenment" mystery are now accessible.
To find the crucial "Notebook - Symbol Research" item that provides hintsfor the puzzle, head east out of Jova Village. Follow the path thatleads toward the locked camp. As you cross the wooden walkway, look for a yellow item orb sitting near some corpses. Approaching this area willcause several low-level enemies to emerge from the shallow water, so beprepared for a fight. The notebook, while containing cryptic clues,essentially reveals that each of the five locations has two lamps, andyou must set them to a specific orientation to solve the puzzle.
Solving the Enlightenment Mystery
You can visit the five key locations in any order you prefer. The goal ateach location is to set the lamps to their correct orientation, or“light them” as the game describes it. Most locations require you tointeract with one of two lamps, while the final location requires you to interact with both.
Location 1 - Jova Sewers
This is the location where the mystery begins. You'll already be familiarwith it, as it's the room with the shallow pool of water on the secondbasement level of the Jova Village sewers. Head back to this chamber and approach the two lamps on the wall. Stand directly in front of them,and your goal is simple:
- Interact with the lamp on the left.
Location 2 - Western Monument
The Western Monument is a large, imposing cuboid structure situated in thefar western corner of the Acasa Marshes. Its weathered stone andmonolithic presence are hard to miss. To find the lamps, you must headaround to the backside of the hill upon which the monument sits, whereyou'll find the entrance to a small bunker. The air inside is cold andstill. The two lamps are located in a corner corridor within thisbunker. Approach them and set the correct orientation:
- Interact with the lamp on the left.
Location 3 - Pathem Abbey
Pathem Abbey is a location mentioned early in the game, but it remainsinaccessible until later when Captain Vaas moves there as part of themain story. Once you are finally able to enter the abbey, you will do so through its dimly lit basement. The halls of the abbey are filled with a foreboding atmosphere, and the lamps for the puzzle are located deepinside. Make your way to the end of the corridor that leads to theabbey's Timeloop—a phenomenon that can be both disorienting anddangerous. At the end of this hallway, you will find the two lamps.
- Interact with the lamp on the right.
Location 4 - Vigil Training Grounds
Accessing the Vigil Training Grounds requires you to first solve the "MartialLineage" mystery. Once that is complete, you can find the traininggrounds at the base of Monument Hill, the large hill with three cuboidstructures that you can see from Jova Village. The area is filled withabandoned training equipment and a sense of past violence. The lamps are tucked away in a corner of this vast, open area.
- Interact with the lamp on the left.
Location 5 - Beneath the Military Camp
This is the final location and the one that requires story progression. Youcan only access this area after acquiring the second Keystone andreceiving the gate code (the code is 151991, though it may onlywork after the story triggers the event). From the military camp, makeyour way around to the back of the hill. You will find a large tunnelleading underground. This tunnel will first lead you to the Vault of Forbidden Knowledge. From there, turn right, and you will enter another tunnel teeming withlow-level enemies. Fight your way through this treacherous passage tofind the final two lamps.
- Interact with both lamps.
Once you've set all five lamps to their proper orientation, you will feel alow rumble in the game world, confirming that the puzzle has beensolved. Return to the symbol door beneath Jova Village, which will nowbe open. Inside the chamber, you'll find the following valuable rewards:
- Polearm of Ecstasy: A high-level weapon (Grade 3, Level 10) that is a significant upgrade.
- Crucible of Fire Passive Relic: A unique passive item that grips you with a reckless rage, increasingthe damage you deal but also the damage you take. This is a high-risk,high-reward relic that can drastically change your combat style.
Platform(s): Microsoft Windows PC, PlayStation 5 PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Genre(s): Action-adventure
Developer(s): Rogue Factor
Release date: September 4, 2025
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