Recursive Ruin (Hints
Recursive Ruin
Super Secret Puzzle Hints
NOTE:
This document will only address actual puzzles and their Hints and is not intended to be an outright game guide. Also, only certain levels contain puzzles, so not all levels will be covered here.
II. Citadel
Watchtower 1
Puzzle: There seems to be no way out of the room, though there’s a blue screen in the ground.
Hint: Throw a cube at the eye!
Watchtower 2
Puzzle: You are trapped in a room with Elrich. There’s an exit in the ground, but when you fall through the exit you just land in the same room again.
Hint: Speak to Elrich and you’ll get a new ability!
Citadel Exterior
Puzzle: You need to gain access to the citadel interior by powering the floor hatch on the ground. However the eye which powers the floor hatch is out of reach at the top of the tower.
Hint: Get a cube, then SHIFT the world so that the tower is below you. Then you can throw the cube into the eye.
Citadel Interior Floor 1, Puzzle 1
Puzzle: You need a cube to power the eye and allow entry through the powered wall. However, the cube spawner seemingly is blocked off by glass.
Hint: Use the SHIFT ability. You’ll then be able to access another iteration of the cube spawner.
Citadel Interior Floor 1, Puzzle 2
Puzzle: You need to power the floor hatch, however a “cube eating wall” is preventing you from taking the cube directly to the powering eye.
Hint: Use the SHIFT ability. Throw the cube through the window with a gold rectangle.
Elrich 2
Puzzle: Next to Elrich, there’s one exit but it’s way too small.
Hint: Speak to Elrich and unlock the SHRINK ability.
Citadel Interior Floor 2 and 3
Puzzle: You need to get a cube past a “cube eating wall”, so you can throw it into the eye.
Hint: Use the SHIFT ability. Throw the cube into another iteration of the room. Go down the floor hatch by yourself. The cube should be on the ground in front of you.
Pick up the cube. Go to the tiny exit, and use the SHRINK ability. Carry the cube through, then use the SHIFT ability. Follow the golden path. Still small, go through the golden gate into the black device. Throw the cube in the eye.
IV. Echoes
Watchtower
Puzzle: You need to unlock the floor hatch on the ground and jump to the ground below, but your exit is blocked.
Hint: Click the button on the red panel. Use the SHIFT ability.
Objective Switch 1: Scanner + Wall
Puzzle: You need to follow the power cable past the wall and press the switch, but the wall blocks your way.
Hint: Use the SHIFT ability, and to your right you’ll see another bridge just like the one you’re standing on. Note that you can clearly see an area beyond the wall. Jump down to the area beyond the wall.
This can be tricky and you might fall to your death if you don’t time it right. I promise it’s the only jumping puzzle in the game. Once past the wall you can follow the power cable to the objective switch and hit it. You can now progress further.
Objective Switch 2: Follow the Cable Down the rabbit hole
Puzzle: You need to follow the power cables, first the powered one, then the unpowered one. However it seemingly goes over the edge.
Hint: While looking in the direction the power cable goes over the wall, SHIFT the world. Where the cable went over the edge you should notice that there’s a kind of walled off area with a golden arrow pointing down. Jump down into the area and turn around. Notice a golden gate on the ground. SHRINK and go through the gate.
Objective Switch 2: Hallway 1
Puzzle: You need to follow the power cable, but the way is blocked.
Hint: The blocking wall is powered by a scanner eye. Use the SHIFT ability. Now the scanner cannot see you, and the wall goes away, allowing you to progress further.
Objective Switch 2: Hallway 2
Puzzle: The powered cable leads either off the edge, to a seeming dead end.
Hint: Use the SHIFT ability. Go into the path you’ve revealed, and turn around. Use the SHIFT ability again. Go down into the area revealed by the powered floor.
Objective Switch 2: Golden Gate off the ground
Puzzle: You are at a seeming dead end.
Hint: You should see a golden gate leading to a tunnel in the wall, but the gate is off the ground which prevents you from entering it while shrunken. Use the SHIFT ability. Walk onto the bridge. Standing before you should be that same golden gate. SHRINK and go through the gate. Keep following the tunnel.
Objective Switch 3: Hallway 1
Puzzle: You can’t get past a powered wall.
Hint: Use the SHRINK ability. Go to the shadowy area and the scanner will not be able to see you. Now you can walk past the powered wall.
Objective Switch 3: Hallway 2
Puzzle: You are in an infinite hallway and need to get through the second golden gate, but a powered wall is active due to the infinite scanners that see you.
Hint: Note the scanners have a big giant red button on their back. Press the giant red button. It will explode, and the wall will go away. SHRINK and go through the second golden gate.
Objective Switch 3: Disappearing bridge.
Puzzle: You need to get onto the bridge to progress further, but the bridge disappears when the scanner cannot see you.
Hint: You’ll need something else to activate the scanner eye. A cube will do this.
Use the SHIFT ability. Turn around and walk onto the black platform behind you. Look right. The cube spawner should be right before you. Get a cube and drop it in front of the scanner eye.
Objective Switch 3: Past the bridge, Switch in sight.
Puzzle: You need to hit the red switch but you can’t access it, behind a powered wall.
Hint: Use the SHIFT ability. Go through the doorway in the back left of the room. Follow the path and ramp, to the cube spawner.
Throw the cube onto the bridge to your right, marked with a gold square. The scanner eye will see the cube and deactivate the powered wall.
Objective Switch 4: Two bridges
Puzzle: You need to cross two powered bridges. They are powered by a scanner, but only one is active at a time. How to get across?
Hint: Get a cube, and drop the cube where the scanner can see it.
Go across the first bridge. Then SHIFT the world again. The first bridge will be deactivated, and the second bridge will now be safe.
Objective Switch 4: Long Winding Hallway 1
Puzzle: You need to hit the objective switch, but when you go to press it the scanner can no longer see you, and a wall appears.There’s a cube you can see, but it’s behind glass. This puzzle is tricky! We’ll use some screenshots to make things more clear.
Hint: You need to get the cube and bring it all the way back to this starting area, but you’ll have to solve a few puzzles to get it all the way back. It’s not as easy as it first appears to be. Follow the long winding hallway to the end.
At the end of the hallway should be a cube spawner.
Get a cube and bring it back to right before the first “cube eating wall”.
There’s a lit up side hallway that you can’t get into. Throw the cube into that hallway. Now go past the “cube eating wall” into the next room with the scanner. Notice the powered floor on the ground.
While standing in that room, SHIFT the world. The scanner will move far away from you and stop powering the floor. The floor will deactivate and you’ll fall into the room below.
While down below you should see the cube that you threw into the hallway.
Grab the cube. Then go back to the area you fell down into and look up. SHIFT the world such that the scanner is right up above you. It can’t see you because you’re too far away.
Throw the cube up. The scanner will see the cube and power the floor again. The cube will fall back down onto the powered floor safely.
Now go to the entrance of the lit up side hallway and drop back down into the main long winding hallway.
Go through the “cube eating wall” and you’ll be back in the room with the scanner, but now the cube is there. Grab the cube and enter the next hallway. You can now progress further.
Objective Switch 4: Long Winding Hallway 2
Puzzle: You need to take the cube back to the beginning of the long winding hallway, but a “cube eating wall” prevents you from taking the cube further.
Hint: While looking at the cube eating wall, SHIFT the world. Notice that the floor moves away, and the “cube eating wall” along with it! However you can’t get past. Thankfully, the cube can. Throw the cube over the chasm into the hall beyond it. It should safely land on the floor. SHIFT the world again and you should be able to walk on the floor over to the cube and pick it up. You can now progress further.
Objective Switch 4: Long Winding Hallway 3 (with Golden Gate)
Puzzle: You need to take the cube back to the beginning of the long winding hallway, but a “cube eating wall” prevents you from taking the cube further. There’s a golden gate you could go through, but it’s raised off the floor.
Hint: Use the SHRINK ability. Throw the cube through the golden gate. Now unSHRINK and go past the “cube eating wall”. You should see the cube on the other side.
You can now, finally, take the cube to the starting area. Place it in front of the scanner. Walk up to the switch and hit it to progress further.
VI. Spires
Spire 1
Puzzle: You need to exit the spire, but there’s a closed floor hatch which is blocking your way.
Hint: The eyes can provide power to the floor hatches and open them up. To activate the eyes you need to point a laser at them, however you can’t reach the laser. To reach the laser you first need to use the “launch cannon”. Go up to and click on the launch cannon. While in the launch cannon view aim to the general vicinity of the laser. Click the launch button and the player will be shot through the air up to where the laser is. Now click on the laser and aim it towards the eye. The eye should be activated, powering the floor hatch, and allowing you to progress further.
Spire 2
Puzzle: You need to point the laser at the eye to power the exit doorway, however the laser is out of reach.
Hint: You need to use the launcher to access the laser. However the laser is behind some kind of wall which prevents you from launching it. First go to the launcher. While launcher SHIFT the world such that you can see a repetition of the spire behind you. Note that you can see the laser from this angle. Use the launcher, and aim it towards the area with the laser. Launch yourself to that area. You can now aim the laser at the eye, which will allow you to progress further.
Path 1
Puzzle: You need to go further up the path to reach the next spire, but some kind of room has boxed you in, preventing you from going further.
Hint: You need to use the launcher to get around the wall in front of you. The trick is to aim the launcher at the blue diamond thing and launch yourself into that. The blue diamond thing is a “repeater” and will redirect the launched player towards where it’s pointing to. Now you can progress further.
Spire 3
Puzzle: You need to power the eye with the laser, but the laser can’t be accessed, not even by using the launcher and repeater.
Hint: You need to use an alternative route. Go to the entrance you used to get into the spire. While standing inside the spire looking outside the entrance doorway, SHIFT the world such that you can see a repetition of the spire. Notice that the laser is accessible from this direction. Use the repeater next to you and aim it towards the area with the accessible laser in the repeated spire. Exit the repeater, then use the launcher to launch yourself into the repeater. You should now have access to the laser and be able to progress further.
Spire 4
Puzzle: You need to power the eye with the laser, but the launcher doesn’t have line of sight to either the laser OR the repeater.
Hint: You need to use an alternative route. Go to the launcher and look out the big diamond shaped hole in the back of the spire. SHIFT the world such that you can see the repeated spire down below you. Notice that you can see the repeater from here. First go to the repeater and aim it up above the wall towards the back area with the laser. Next go to the launcher and launch yourself to the repeater in the repeated spire. You should end up in the area with the laser. However you can’t aim the laser directly towards the eye because the wall is blocking you. You need to aim the laser back towards the eye in the repeated spire below you. The eye should now be powered and you can progress further.
Path 2
Puzzle: You need to go further up the path towards the next spire, but a powered wall in a room blocks your way. There’s a laser, but it doesn’t have line of sight to the powering eye.
Hint: You need to use the repeater to redirect the stream of the laser. First aim the laser towards the repeater. Notice that it now has some kind of red beam coming out of it instead of the normal blue one. Now use the repeater and aim it toward the powering eye. The eye should be powered and you should now be able to progress further.
Spire 5
Puzzle: You need to power the eye with the laser, but the launcher doesn’t have line of sight to the laser. There’s a repeater, but it’s pointing towards an unuseful spot.
Hint: You need to gain access to the repeater to aim it towards a more useful position. In the room with the eye ,look above the eye and notice that there is a platform with a glow coming out of it. Launch yourself to the platform area. There’s a hole in the wall which allows access to the repeater if you get close enough. Use the repeater and aim it up towards the area of a SECOND repeater in the upper spire area. Go back to the launcher and launch yourself into the first repeater. You should be in the upper spire area. Notice that in the spire behind you there’s another upper area containing the laser. Now aim the second repeater towards that area containing the laser. When the repeater is aimed, drop down the hole to the room with the eye. You’re not quite done yet, because the first repeater needs to be re-aimed. Launch yourself back to the platform area above the eye. Re-aim the first repeater to launch directly into the second repeater. Now go back to the launcher and launch yourself into the first repeater. You should be redirected twice into the area containing the laser. Now aim the laser at the powering eye. You should be able to progress further.
Spire 6
Puzzle: You need to power the eye with the laser to get through the wall blocking the golden gate. However doing so activates a second powered wall above the eye, preventing you from getting through.
Hint: The trick is that you need to use the “world SHIFTing” ability to break/toggle the laser “circuit” after it’s been set up. This will allow you to toggle which of the two powered walls are on. First launch yourself into the repeated spire area which contains the repeater in the upper area. Aim the repeater towards the eye. Next go to the laser and aim it towards the repeater that’s at the entrance of the spire. Next go to the repeater at the entrance of the spire and aim it towards the upper repeater *IN THE REPEATED SPIRE IN FRONT OF THIS SPIRE* (not in the same spire). That last part is important. If set up correctly SHIFTing the world should toggle the eye being on/off. Now use the launcher to launch yourself the repeater at the entrance of the spire *IN THE REPEATED SPIRE BEHIND THIS SPIRE*. You should be redirected until you’re standing on the purple powered wall. Now SHIFT the world to break the circuit. You should fall down into the area with the eye and the blue wall. SHIFT the world again and the circuit should be toggled on again and the blue wall should be gone. You can now progress further.
Spire 7
Puzzle: You need to power both eyes, however the second laser is up on a platform behind two powered walls tied to one of each powered eye.
Hint: Like the previous puzzle, the Hint here requires the player to set up a circuit which can be toggled by SHIFTing the world. Aim the first laser out the entrance towards the repeater at the bottom of the spire outside. Notice that the yellow beam is bounced back into this spire into one of the eyes. Also note that a purple wall above the second laser’s platform is now on. Use the launcher and launch yourself towards the same repeater that is outside past the entrance. After being redirected a few times you should land on the platform with the second laser. SHIFT the world again to break the circuit and the wall blocking the second laser should disappear. Go into the room with the second laser. SHIFT the world again such that you can see the first repeater outside the entrance to the spire. Aim the second laser to that same outside repeater. You’re blocked in, but SHIFTing the world will toggle the beam circuit and the wall will disappear. Now you can leave the room and aim the first laser towards the blue eye. SHIFT the world again and now there should be a beam powering each eye. You can now progress further.
VIII. Tombs
Entrance / Sarcophagus 0
Puzzle: Your way is blocked by a shadowy purple cube which cannot be moved.
Hint: These are “shadow stones” and are only corporeal while in the shadows. Pick up the fractal cube in front of the light and the shadow will move away from the shadow stone. Then the shadow stone will turn into its incorporeal state and you can walk through it.
Tomb 1
Puzzle: You need to make your way into the first tomb, however your way is blocked by an iron fence.
Hint: While looking at the tomb, SHIFT the world. Note that the ground around the sides of the tomb rises up creating walls. You can use this as a means of entry. SHIFT the world again and drop off the sides of the ground near the fence. When you land, SHIFT the world again, now the entrance to the tomb should be below you. Walk off the ledge into the entrance area below you. You can now progress further in the game.
Sarcophagus 1
Puzzle: You need to activate the sarcophagus located inside the room with glass windows, but the entrance is blocked by shadow stone.
Hint: There’s a fractal cube casting shadow which causes the shadow stone to be corporeal. You need to move it to get the light to the shadow stone, however the fractal cube is too high up. To reach it you’ll need to back outside, around to the back of the tomb on the outside looking in. You should be larger now and can reach through the window to pick up the (now tiny) fractal cube. Move the cube somewhere else and the shadow will go away. Now you can go back inside and the shadow stone should be incorporeal.
Lower Chambers 1
Puzzle: You need to activate the glowing head thing but it’s trapped inside a room. The entrance to that room isn’t accessible, as a panel of the flow only has incorporeal shadow stone, and you fall through it.
Hint: You need to create a shadow over just the one shadow stone at the floor of the entrance tunnel. First grab the cube in the back of the lower chambers. You’ll have to go the long way with the cube out the back and then back through the front door of the lower chamber. With the cube in hand drop it in front of the light on the ground, such that only a single shadow covers the one shadow stone at the floor of the tunnel. Once placed correctly you can use the now corporeal shadow stone as a floor and progress further.
Sarcophagus 2
Puzzle: You need to use the tunnel entrance to access the sarcophagus, however the shadow stone which acts as a floor for one part of the tunnel is incorporeal.
Hint: There’s a fractal cube in the room which could cast a shadow, however the light is too high up for the cube to stay in place and cast the shadow in the right area. The trick is to get the cube up into the same room as the light. To do that you need to take the cube outside, however it’s not so straight forward. The entrance is covered by a “cube eating wall”, and just throwing the cube outside makes it grow too large to fit through the window. You need to place the fractal cube on the window seal with the golden square marking out. Now go outside to the small tomb in front of the entrance. The cube should be sitting on the window seal, but this version of it is smaller. Pick up the smaller cube and walk it around to the side window with the light. Drop the small cube in front of the light. When placed correctly it should cast a shadow over the shadowstone inside the tomb. Go back through the entrance to the previous tomb. You can now SHRINK and walk over the corporeal shadow stone through the tunnel into the room with the sarcophagus.
Lower Chambers 2
Puzzle: You need to turn the shadow stones corporeal to be able to use the tunnel entrance to the sarcophagus, however all you have is a glass cube, which isn’t much use on its own.
Hint: This one is a bit of a trick question type puzzle. To solve it you’ll need to actually backtrack and retrieve the fractal cube from the previous puzzle. Go back out front and use the tiny elevator up to the top area. Once there, go back to the second tomb. Spawn the cube then throw it outside the back window. Go back outside and you should see the cube on the ground in front of the small entrance to the lower chamber. Pick up the cube and SHRINK then enter the lower chamber by going up the small ramp. However, the cube is too low to the ground to cast a shadow over the two shadow stones. To get the shadow in the right place you need to place the glass cube on the floor in front of the lamp, then place the fractal cube on top of the glass cube. Now the shadow should cover the two shadow stones, and you can walk over them to get to the sarcophagus inside.
Tomb 3
Puzzle: You need to make your way into the third tomb, however your way is blocked by shadow stone and a platform.
Hint: While looking at the entrance, SHIFT the world. Note that this toggle the state of the shadow stone. You can use this to get in. First SHIFT the world such that the entrance is in shadows and the shadow stone is corporeal. You should be able to jump onto the small shadow stone, and then up onto the platform. While there, SHIFT the world again. The big shadow stone should become incorporeal. You can now walk through it and into the tomb.