PC Gamer has published detailed walkthroughs for three challenging environmental puzzles within the upcoming action title Crimson Desert, providing essential information for players. These guides address the Azure Moon Labyrinth, Duskwood Hill Ruins, and Spire of Insight, which players often struggle to navigate without assistance from community experts. The publications aim to assist the community in unlocking specific rewards tied to these complex mechanisms found in the game world.
The Azure Moon Labyrinth requires players to descend into Phoniel Ranch via a ladder inside a small hut located on the property to begin the sequence. Once underground, adventurers must traverse fire traps and falling rubble before pulling a lever to access the puzzle chamber safely and continue forward. A mural located in the corridor displays symbols on trees in the Florindale area that dictate the correct sequence for the eight slabs involved. Players must memorize these symbols to solve the puzzle correctly and avoid frustration during the attempt. This underground section connects to cave exits after solving the puzzle.
Inside the chamber, players encounter eight slabs with symbols arranged on either side of the room near the locked gate at the end of the passage. Solving the puzzle involves pushing specific slabs to open the gate leading to the Abyss Cresset at the end of the corridor. The order of activation does not matter as long as the correct symbols corresponding to the mural are selected by the user. This leads to the activation of the artifact chamber and the acquisition of the key item for progression. The locked gate remains sealed until the correct input is provided.
Duskwood Hill Ruins presents a different challenge involving five pillars located in the hills of northern Witchwoods region within the game. These structures are initially covered in vines that players must burn away using nearby fires or the Blinding Flash ability effectively to proceed. Once revealed, the goal is to align all five pillars to the same height to make one glow yellow for completion of the trial. The difficulty is described as cumbersome by the author responsible for the guide published online. Players must navigate the hills carefully to locate the correct entrance.
Manipulating the pillars requires a specific input where players use a stab attack to create a handle for the dial mechanism to adjust levels. This interaction utilizes the shift and right click combination on PC or RB and triangle on controllers to adjust the tiers accurately for alignment. Each notch on the dial moves a different selection of pillars, requiring careful calibration to achieve the final alignment state. Failure requires reloading a previous save to retry the sequence and start over again. The author notes that reloading saves is necessary if alignment fails.
The Spire of Insight introduces a riddle-based mechanic where players must find items and drop them into a stone basin below the structure. Access begins by burning thorny roots in front of the spire to unlock the door at the base of the structure safely. A Giant Book on a stand provides the riddles that players must solve by gathering specific objects from the room surrounding them. There are three distinct riddles to solve across the floors to reach the top level.
Technical issues have been noted regarding the placement command for items, with reports suggesting it functions poorly during gameplay situations for users. Players are advised to walk directly up to the basin and drop items instead of relying on the context menu to solve the riddles efficiently. Successfully placing the objects transforms the stand into a lift that transports users to the next floor of the spire quickly. This ensures progress toward the Chaos Forest area of the Abyss.
Completion of these trials grants players an Abyss Cresset which facilitates access to an Abyss Artifact for character progression and customization. The artifacts function as skill points that allow for character upgrades or respecs within the game mechanics significantly for players. Additionally, solving the Azure Moon Labyrinth provides a Memory of Tide item that reveals secret locations across the Pywel region. These rewards incentivize the exploration of hidden areas and highlight the complexity of modern game design. These mechanics serve as a barrier to entry for casual players seeking full progression.
