Quick Links
There is a strange beauty in the way Scorn approaches its world-building and gameplay. Though it is extremely graphic with its content, the game has a silent, contemplative nature that mixes extremely well with its H.R. Giger inspired biomechanical world. Though it may not be for everyone, Scorn offers much more than a quick scare if players take the time to fully experience it.
After the first act, which essentially served as an introduction to how Scorn will play, the second act begins in a blasted-out desert landscape before returning to the claustrophobic interiors. The game is extremely light on any sort of hand-holding, so do not expect it to change going forward into Act 2. The best possible advice for players of Scorn is to examine every aspect of the world thoroughly and patiently. Even though it can sometimes be hard to look, the answers are there.
Review Act I Here:
2-1: Waking Up in the Desert
Following the gruesome finale of Act 1, the as-yet unnamed protagonist awakens in the desert, attached to some sort of disgusting feeding tube. Whether the protagonist is eating or being eaten is not readily apparent. One thing is clear, however: everything gained in Act 1 is no longer available to this poor soul.
Follow the Path:
While the desert appears rather large, there is really only one path that the player can follow after waking. Continue on past the weird, mechanical arch.
After a second Arch, keep walking until a monolithic building comes into view. This is the first destination. The player must follow the edge of the building for a fair distance until they reach the entrance.
There is a considerable amount of space, but there are no gameplay elements out in the vast desert. Players interested in getting a real sense of the world may find it worth exploring, just don't expect any Easter eggs or secret weapons.
Act 2-2: Enter the Strange Structure
Two Main Entrances:
The building's entrance will lead to a long corridor. Follow it until it opens on a small courtyard. To the left of the exit will be a much smaller corridor the player must enter.
Follow this tight passageway until the player comes to its exit. Interacting with the vent will bring the player into a large chamber, and reveal the first glimpse of the unknown creature!
Head in the direction of the creature and another corridor will become visible. If the player approaches slowly, they will see the creature hanging from the ceiling. Enter here to continue. The creature will escape as the player follows the only available path into a large, open chamber.
ACT 2-2: How to Solve the First Puzzle
Reaching Puzzle One:
As the player enters the large chamber, continue down the path. A room will appear on the left with several objects glowing red. Keep going past this for now.
Keep going until a door can be seen at the end of the walkway. There is an object the player must interact with directly across from the door, though the player cannot see it while approaching.
With their back against the door, the player will see a station and body they can interact with. Approach the body to retrieve what appears to be some kind of key. The station on the wall can now be engaged.
Similar to several of the stations in Act 1, once the player interacts with the wall station, several prompts will appear in the HUD, giving them control over the puzzle apparatus.
Solving the First Puzzle:
Players will notice that when they use the direction controls, pressing right will turn a small dial clockwise along six stations, and pressing left will send it counter-clockwise.
Players will notice that there are six brown rings circling the handle of the puzzle apparatus, and that three of the rings have a clear notch. Look for the notch closest to the outside edge and click 'use' on the corresponding station. Go in order for outer ring to inner ring. If done correctly, the three notches will line up, forming a single latch. It will automatically align with the first station. When it does this, press 'use' one last time. The puzzle will close itself. Time to move on for now.
Return to the Glowing Red Room:
Now that the player has completed the first puzzle, take the key and head to the red room that was previously passed. Simply head back in the same direction, and it will now be on the right.
Act 2-2: How to Solve the Second Puzzle
Reaching Puzzle Two:
In the red room, players will notice a small, circular lock. Placing the key into this lock will open the room up for further exploration.
As the partitions are removed, the player will notice one of the three pods is being lowered. Do not worry about this now, it cannot be dealt with until later. Instead, head down to the left of the pods and interact with the station that lowers the elevator.
Take the elevator up one floor. Head left from the elevator and then take a quick right to see the unknown creature making a quick escape once again! Head in the same direction as the creature, and then make a right at the next turn.
Here the player will see a small, ascending tube they must enter. At the top of the corridor there sits a strange device with segments that glow green. Directly in front of the player will be a switch they can toggle.
The switch will act as an interface that allows the player to choose from three possible hubs across the room. At this point, the player must choose the hub to the far left. Doing this will cause a bridge to form, allowing the player to cross. Once across, notice the same interface switch on this end.
Follow the corridor until the player exits into another large chamber. Keep walking until the option to turn becomes available. For now, turn right to arrive to the second puzzle.
Solving the Second Puzzle:
The puzzle is essentially the same as the first, except this time the three notches in the rings will be moving. Watch each rotation to notice when the notch will line up with one of the stations, then line up the dial accordingly. The rings do not move very fast, and they are not random, so be patient and watch for the right moment.
Once all three notches are lined up into a single latch, make sure they are set to the first station and select 'use.' This will complete the second puzzle.
Return to the Bridge Room
As the player leaves the room with the second puzzle, they will see another station directly across from them. This station requires the grafted left-hand key, which the player lost at the end of Act I. Remember its location in case another key is located. For now, make a left ro return to the bridge room and then on to puzzle three.
Act 2-2: How to Solve the Third Puzzle
Reaching the Puzzle:
Once in the bridge room, connect to the hub on the far left.
When reaching the end of the corridor, there should be an industrial size fan on the left. The creature can be seen in the path on the right, follow it to the next room. There will be another small corridor to the left, follow this down to a room that looks like an older version of the red room from earlier.
Continue until arriving at a set of three cables plugged into a device. Behind the device is the fan. Take the cables out one at a time to stop the fan from spinning.
As the player turns to exit the corridor...yes, of course the creature attacks.
It's not entirely clear what happens here. In the end, the player ends up with the strange piston gun and the 'close encounter' achievement.
Now that the fan can be passed, the player should retrace their steps and move through the fan to the corridor behind it. There is only one path to follow, which leads to puzzle three.
Solving the Third Puzzle:
This puzzle appears to work the same as puzzle three, with the bent notches in the rings moving into position. Simply wait for the dial to be lined up and select the 'use' option. Once all three are lines up, set this in line with the first station and that will complete the third puzzle.
Head to the Elevator:
From the third puzzle, turn right to locate the elevator. It can be seen at the end of the corridor. Take the elevator down to continue on looking for the next puzzle.
Act 2-2: How to Solve the Fourth Puzzle
Reaching Puzzle Four:
Take the elevator down from the third puzzle area. Here the player will find the machine that grafts a key to the hand, which is needed to continue on. It can be found on the wall to the right directly after exiting the elevator.
Just beyond the key machine, the player will see an interface that opens the gate. Opening this will lead players back to the first puzzle station.
Head back to the red room that sits straight down the path and use the elevator once again. Turn left at the top of the elevator, and then make a quick right. The goal here is to make it back to the bridge room. Attach the bridge to the far left hub and cross once again. Head to the room with the second puzzle.
From the second puzzle, turn around and look for the chamber straight ahead. This is the same area that the player noticed previously, but could not interface with. Now that the key has been attached, the protagonist can plug in.
A dead body sits on the station. Remove it and use. This will allow the player to control a green orb in the room below. Look at the three bridge hubs in the room, paying particular attention to the center position. The hub is clearly blocked with dead bodies. Using the direction controls, line the arm of the green orb machine up with the center hub, and press 'use.'
Green acid will wash the bodies away, making it accessible. Return to the bridge room to continue.
Now that the center hub is clear, use the machine to form a bridge. Cross the tunnel and head down the path. From the exit, the fourth puzzle machine is clearly visible.
Solving the Fourth Puzzle:
The fourth puzzle functions the same way as the previous two puzzles. The main challenge here, however, is that half of the normally viewable area is now obscured. The first two notches can be seen lining up with their station, but the final must be listened for. When the notch lines up, a small clicking sound can be heard. Judging by the sound, the final notch lines up one station left of the bottom position. Once all three notches are lined up, place them in the first position and select 'use' to complete the puzzle.
Return to the Red Room:
In the bridge room, connect to the hub that sits directly to the left. Follow the path until the protagonist can take two quick left turns, this will lead to the elevator that descends into the red room.
Act 2-2: How to Solve the Red Room Puzzle
Once the protagonist is back in the red room, insert the fully upgraded key into the appropriate slot. This will cause all four pods to drop simultaneously, which results in two new stations being revealed.
First Station:
The first task is to visit the station that had previously covered by a shell. The key was carried along a track and now rests at the top of the interface. Engaging with the station will reveal the upgraded key's inner workings. From the outset it's clear that there are four red nodes on the left side and four white nodes on the right.
This puzzle requires the white nodes to line up directly with the red nodes. The white nodes must be placed in a very specific setting before the entire key can push in and properly align. Use the following movement patterns from the starting position to solve the puzzle:
- Down: 2 Moves
- Left: 1 Move
- Up: 4 Moves
- Left: 1 Move
- Down: 4 Moves
- Left: 1 Move
- Up: 2 Moves
- Left: 1 Move
- Up: 2 Moves
When done correctly, the machine will automatically react, making the second station available to interact with.
Second Station:
Interacting with the second station will see several things happens:
An object is withdrawn that has the same symbol as many of the doors the player could not previously interact with.
A strange object with many small tentacles is also acquired, this will be used very soon.
A humanoid drops from the pod, though it dies quickly without attacking the player. From here, the protagonist can move on to the final section of the second act.
Act 2-2: Closing Out the Second Act
Return to the locked door that was directly opposite the first key puzzle. It can now be opened thanks to the new acquired symbol-key. The door can be found by turning left at the exit to the red room.
Continue through the door and down the long path until a second locked door is reached. Behind this second door sits an elevator. On the floor below, a cutscene will be initiated in which the monster's arms begin to tear at the protagonist's stomach. This will cause the player to take damage, but this room also contains the solution.
A New Era of Medicine:
On the wall, the player will see a new type of station they can interact with. This will take the small, tentacled life form the player found and turn it into an object that heals. Once the station's process is complete, press the heal button (R1 on Xbox) to see it in action.
Follow the path that can be found to the left of the new station. This will lead to one final locked door. Use the symboled-key to go through, continuing on the only available path until...yes, another locked door the symboled-key will open. This time, an elevator is found on the other side. Using this elevator will end Act 2. Things are just getting started. Good luck in Act 3!
Scorn is available on Xbox Series X/S and PC. It is currently available on Xbox Gamepass.