How to open the village gate in Hellblade 2

Hellblade 2 mostly focuses on two forms of gameplay, traversal and combat. It always flips between the two, with the traversal interwoven with narrative beats.

However, that doesn’t mean the game isn’t afraid to shake things up with some light puzzle-solving. One such puzzle can scratch some heads, as it’s the first major puzzle you’ll encounter. Here’s how to open the village gate in Hellblade 2.

How to find the symbols for the village gate in Hellblade 2

This puzzle appears during Chapter 2 of Hellblade 2, when exploring the Draugar-ravaged village of Freyslaug. As you approach a bridge leading to the remainder of the village, a gate appears showing a complex rune. This is split into three separate symbols, all of which you need to find in the village to progress.

The first symbol is located in the house immediately to the left of the bridge. Head inside and take the ladder up. On the overlook, you can find the left side of the rune by focusing at the right angle.

The second symbol is the easiest of the bunch, found as a pyre in the town center with a red hue. Simply get the right angle, and you’ll have the middle of the rune.

The final symbol can be found on the far outskirts of town and is the best hidden of the bunch. To reach it, you need to enter a house on the right side of the village gate and enter its backyard, then climb up on the nearby hill. Head down the resulting path and you’ll find the right side of the rune ready to be claimed.

Once you have all the parts, return to the village gate to play a small scene where you unlock Senua’s mirror. This heavily assists combat and will prove invaluable in later fights against certain enemies.