After completing Act 1 of Hell Is Us, players are faced with the challenge of locating the keystones needed to unlock the door to the Lymbic Forge. However, the game does not dictate a specific order in which to collect the remaining three keystones. This can lead players to ponder whether there’s an optimal path to securing these keystones in order to minimize backtracking or to ensure that gameplay remains aligned with their progression and time invested. Based on my experience, here’s the most efficient order to acquire the keystones in Hell Is Us.
Optimal Keystone Acquisition Order in Hell Is Us
The Keystones of Terror, Rage, and Ecstasy can technically be gathered in any sequence, but I suggest starting with the Keystone of Terror located in Talju, followed by the Keystone of Rage in Jeljin and the Ministry of Cultural Primacy.
Once both are collected, the path opens up to the Acasa Marshes, where you can continue your quest to acquire the Keystone of Ecstasy.
The rationale behind this order, as highlighted by a reader in the comments, is that Talju contains unique quest items that can only be accessed there. Collecting the first Keystone initiates a time progression, causing certain Good Deeds and Mysteries in the game to become unavailable. To ensure comprehensive completion, it is wise to explore Talju for all quest items before pursuing the Keystone of Terror in the subsequent locations.
During my playthrough, I opted to visit Jeljin and the Ministry of Cultural Primacy first. This worked fairly well, but some Good Deeds and Mysteries were marked as failed due to the change in game state. I also noticed that the enemy levels increased in Talju, adding a challenge compared to my battles in Jeljin. This suggests that the game’s difficulty scales alongside your progression, but I will confirm this and provide an update as necessary.
In summary, I recommend visiting the locations in the following order to avoid unnecessary backtracking:
- Talju
- Marastan
- Senedra Forest
- Lethe – Ministry of Cultural Primacy
- Jeljin
- Auriga Museum
- Acasa Marshes
- National Library of Lethe
- Vyssa Hills
- Plains of Mist
- Lymbic Forge
It is advisable to save the major boss encounter of Act 2 at the Plains of Mist for last, allowing ample time to enhance your weapons and optimize your character’s loadout.
Upon collecting the second of the four necessary Keystones (the first of the three from the world), you will notice a significant alteration in the game’s state. Certain Good Deeds, like Performance of a Lifetime and Land of Milk and Honey, will fail if not completed before these changes occur. I won’t spoil what happens, but be aware that the consequences will impact your ability to gain rewards associated with these tasks.
