Hellblade 2: How to solve the Freyslaug settlment symbol puzzle

In Hellblade 2 chapter two, Freyslaug, Senua comes across a raided settlement reminiscent of her own. To progress through the village, you must solve a symbol puzzle that blocks the gate.

You find this puzzle in the Hellblade 2 sub chapter, Settlement Entrance, and to solve the puzzle, you need to find the three parts of the symbol scattered around the village and Focus on them to recreate the overarching symbol (represented by a strung-up dead person and various amputated limbs). Here’s how to find the three symbols and escape the creepy village.

All settlement symbol locations in Hellblade 2

There are three symbols to find around the village to open the gate. Each time you near a symbol, you’ll see its parts floating around you.

To unlock the symbol (and officially find it), you must adjust yourself until the symbol pieces visually align and then hold Focus (press L2 on controller or E on PC) until it unlocks. The game gives you the outline of the symbol to make things a bit easier.

Settlment symbol 1 location

The first symbol you can pick up may seem easy to find but look me an embarrassingly long time to spot.

While facing the gate with the symbol on it, turn around 180 degrees so you’re facing the path you approached the gate from. Follow the path until you come across a bloody red Y-shape, which is actually another dead person strung up. Align yourself so you’re looking at the shape straight on and hold Focus. You can see how I did it in the video above.

Settlement symbol 2 location

From where you’re facing the previous symbol, turn around and follow the path up toward the gate again. As you near the gate, there are some houses on the right you can enter. Enter the one with a wooden wheelbarrow and a pile of logs outside it. You’ll know you have the right house if you find a baby cot inside (creepy).

The house has a backdoor you can go out (directly across from the cot), head outside, and go up the slope leading into another ravaged house. Go through the house and crouch under the fallen beam that blocks a hole in the wall to get outside again.

Next, take a right up the wooden slope and follow the path as it curves around to the right. Drop down the edge and continue following the path until it ends. At this point, you’ll be getting symbol hints. Activate Focus and line up the symbol, it should be to your right (near the skull on a spike) and is represented by a bloody diagonal spear and a vertical pole. You can see how I lined it up in the video above.

Settlment symbol 3 location

The final symbol took me longer than I care to admit to find. Head back to the gate and ensure you’re facing it straight on. Turn left and you’ll see a path running beside a house, follow it around the side of the house and it leads into a small building with a ladder. Go up the ladder and onto the balcony.

Once you reach the balcony, you will get symbol hints. Move towards the right-hand side of the balcony and face the left-hand side. Slightly to your right, you’ll see another bloody symbol made up of tree branches. Use your Focus to line it up as I do in the image above.

Once you have found all the symbols, go back to the gate and Focus on the recreated symbol to carry on your journey.