Hellblade 2: How to solve the Bárðarvik shipwreck symbol puzzle

In the Bárðarvik chapter of Hellblade 2, Senua takes a detour from her journey with Ástriðr and uncovers a symbol puzzle by some shipwrecked vessels on the beach. 

Like the puzzles before, this one requires you to find three separate symbols to make up an overarching symbol, granting Senua access to the blocked path. This puzzle is trickier than some of the others, however, because it involves reality-altering orbs. Here’s how to do it. 

How to solve the shipwreck symbol puzzle in Hellblade 2

The shipwreck symbol puzzle occurs in the Another Quest subchapter in Hellblade 2. After Senua splits off from Ástriðr, she heads towards a beach with several shipwrecked boats on it and the puzzle blocks her path through the cliffs.

This puzzle solution can be a bit complicated, so you can check out a video of me doing it below if you’d prefer a visual aid.

Shipwreck symbol location one

While facing the main symbol, turn 180 degrees and head towards the water. Above you, you’ll see a floating orb that makes a sort of “womp, womp” sound. You need to get close enough to the orb for it to become large. Focus on the orb using L2 on controller or E on keyboard, and it shifts reality.

Turn around 180 degrees again (to face the main symbol) and on your right you’ll see a wrecked ship. Follow the wrecked ship round to the right, at the end closest to the symbol, until you get to a glimmery blue space. Move forward enough that you can see the orb properly and activate it again.

This creates a ledge on your left to climb up. Climb up the ledge and follow the path until you reach another orb. Activate this orb, then turn around and head back towards the ledge. Just before you reach the ledge, however, there will be a path on your left that wasn’t there before. Follow the path to the end and you’ll start to see little red symbols everywhere (hinting the symbol is near).

Use your Focus to line up the reverse F-like symbol like above.

Shipwreck symbol location two

With the easiest symbol out of the way, it’s time to find the next two. Head back to the main beach area with the large orb. Activate the orb again. As you face the orb, turn to your right and you’ll see a small ledge to climb up. Climb the ledge and go left as far as you can. Activate the orb again from up here and the rocks in front of you should disappear.

Continue along the path and red signs, hinting a symbol is near, will appear again. The symbol is a sort of Y-shape on your left. Line up the yellow outline on the ship at sea with the yellow seaweed on the rock near you.

You can see how I did it above.

Shipwreck symbol location three

Symbol three is fairly easy to get, it’s just a bit fiddly. Continue along the path you found symbol two on until you reach a small ledge. Jump down the ledge and you’ll see another ledge ahead of you. Climb that ledge and the one that follows it, and carry on until you can see a gap where the path ahead of you should be.

You may have heard an odd sound here, indicating there’s an orb nearby. Look to your right, over some shorter rocks, and there will be another orb. Activate the orb and the path will appear, allowing you to continue.

Keep following the path until you can’t proceed anymore and look to your left to see another orb. Activate the orb and the path will clear. Keep going along the path until you reach a house. At this point, you’ll see red symbol hints indicating the symbol is nearby.

Go into the house and look out the square window on the left. You’ll see tree trunk covered in yellow seaweed and a part of the house covered in it, too. Line the two up in Focus to make the F-shaped symbol. You can see how below.

After you’ve located the final symbol, head back to the main symbol the way you came, reversing the moves you made the first time around. Focus on the main symbol to complete it and proceed.