If you were to ask me to describe Scorn, I’d have to settle for saying that it’s a terrifyingly realistic horror game influenced by the work of H. R. Giger and Zdzislaw Beksinski’s art. Just from that, you can tell you’re in for something unusual and beautiful, but Scorn also has a natural ability to terrify you.
However, if you don’t know the ins and outs of alien technology, navigating the alien world of Scorn and solving its many perplexing mysteries can take a while. This guide will help you get through Act 1 of Scorn if you’re having trouble getting started. This serves as a spoiler warning, as it would in any similar walkthrough.
How can I finish Act 1 of Scorn?
Act 1 consists of a prologue and two acts, therefore we’ll explain them to you separately.
Scorn Act 1 Prologue Walkthrough
Assuming you’ve done your homework, you should be ready for whatever Scorn throws at you. If you’re easily nauseated, you might want to stock up on snacks before starting this game. Scorn is certain to be one thing: gross, from the constant guttural noises to the odd creatures you’ll come across.
After the initial cutscene ends, you’ll immediately be standing in front of a locked door. If you turn back and continue along the tunnel, you’ll soon reach a chamber where a massive alien building is ready to be explored. After passing back through the tunnel, you’ll reach a new area with a door to your left, a structure in the center with a spiraling route leading up to it, and a path to your right.
Take the route off to your right and use the door there. The door will close behind you as you fit through. Ignore the skeleton that was tossed at you in the next chamber. On the other hand, when facing it, you should go to your left and put your hand within the column that looks like a phallus.
In the middle of the chamber is another pillar that necessitates inserting both arms. Get your arms in close to your body and reach out to the sides of the door ahead to activate it. The next step is to run through the opened door before it shuts again.
Go into the passageway and you’ll find yourself at the base of the building, with the walkway winding up and around it. The prologue of Scorn is now complete.
Scorn Act 1 Part 1 Walkthrough
To put it bluntly, here is where the going gets a little tough. There are several pathways out of this area, and a rail system that winds its way around the spiraling architecture and into each of the rooms.
If you turn right after entering, you’ll find a room with a shell-shaped bench, a claw, and a hoist hanging from the ceiling. You can skip interacting with these for now and use the elevator by entering the small alcove to the left of this area and using the pillar there to get up.
Keep on until you reach a portal. Upon emerging, you’ll notice two distinct pillars that can be used to initiate the first Scorn puzzle. You’re free to cruise the tunnels and check out the remainder of the area once you’ve solved the puzzle, but right now there isn’t much to do outside that.
When interacted with, the central pillar reveals a claw that appears to try to grip and crush whatever is in the place it reaches; nevertheless, there will be nothing there at this time.
The action takes place at the pillar on the right. The small, mobile shell-like things will be referred to as eggs throughout this tutorial. I’m not sure if they’re eggs, shells, or what, but for simplicity’s sake, we’ll call them eggs. If you start at the rightmost column, you can slide the eggs in any direction along the beams. Because of nesting requirements and egg attachments, not all available beam segments can accommodate laying eggs. If you want to solve this problem, you must place an egg at the spot where the claw will try to grasp it when it is activated.
The best way to solve this puzzle is through trial and error, so I won’t bother trying to describe it. In the event that you feel you have made a mistake, you may always reload your save and start over from the structure with the spiral route.
Clearing out the space along the top and center beams will allow you to move the “selected” egg to the left and the remaining eggs to the right. It’s not easy, but now that you know your end goal, you’ll be able to figure it out. You may have also seen a single egg that is visually identical to our ‘selected’ egg; if you quickly place this egg in the lit slot, you can crack it open to make room.
You’ll need to return to the central pillar and interact with it one more before the claw can pick up the selected egg. The egg will be placed in a descending mechanism of sorts by the claw.
You should now go down one floor using the same elevator you rode up here.
The selected egg will henceforth be known as a “disheveled creature.” For the record, I have no idea what this is, therefore for the time being that will be its nickname. You may hear the disheveled creature whimpering when you return to the main area with the building that has the spiraling path in it. It’s hanging somewhere above, and you can see it if you just go around and look up.
Behind the rumpled figure is another pillar, and below it is a throne made of bones. Control the claw by interacting with the pillar, then use it to pluck the disheveled creature from the floor and place it on the throne.
I’m not totally positive if what comes next is essential to progressing in Scorn, but it’s what I did before pressing on, so I suggest you do the same.
Move the creature along the tracks until you reach the next small building with what appears to be a head protruding from it. Use the surrounding pillar to really give the beast a hard time while it’s hiding under it.
Now that that’s out of the way, you may leave the creature alone and make your way to the top of the central spiral staircase. Changing the height of the tracks requires interacting with the pillar at the top. You want them to look like the picture below.
Return to the room with the vacant skeleton seat and another pillar the creature can interact with by pushing it along the tracks. Once the creature is in place, you can use the claw to lift him from the pillar and set him in the chair on the right side of the chamber.
The creature’s shell can then be removed by interacting with the smaller pillar directly in front of where you dropped him. Get over there and help him take the shell apart. You’ll be doing a lot of waiting around as this creature, which reminded me of a baby giraffe, learns to walk.
When you get the creature up on its feet, he will sluggishly follow you as you go about your business. There are two doors leading out of this room, but only one is lit; this is the one you should use to transport the beast to safety, as it has another phallic-looking device built into its wall just outside.
Naturally, he will trip and fall on the way there. To use this on him, you’ll need to pick him up and shove his hand into the phallic object. Then he’ll trip, get back up, and keep on trailing you. Walking further out of the room, you’ll reach a door again flanked by two pillars.
In order to complete the puzzle, the creature must reach the left pillar and insert both arms within. When you’re ready to leave your new alien companion behind, simply put your arms into the pillar on the right and dash through the door in front of you. There may be a method to spare his life and keep him around for a little longer, but I didn’t remain around to learn what it was.
Walk further and insert your hands onto another pillar to start climbing in a different lift.
Scorn Act 1 Part 2 Walkthrough
Proceed through the tunnel on the left into the next area. As you come out, look ahead to find a pillar with a round pedestal; you won’t be able to use it just yet but keep it in mind.
To return to the main hall, turn around and leave this area, then continue keeping to the left. A pedestal will be waiting for you close to two pipe-like constructions on your right. After doing so, a pillar will rise, exposing the game’s first weapon.
You can now use the pillar in the first room you visited by going back in time. A capsule will materialize, followed by four or five glowing adversaries that resemble light bulbs. A claw will grab the capsule and take it away.
In order to defeat the bulb foes, you must move in the same direction as the claw and use your new weapon on them. To effectively destroy them with your weapon, you’ll need to go close to them; however, you must avoid getting in their line of sight, as their gas will inflict harm on you if you do.
You’ll need to use both of your arms to reach the next pillar you encounter. This will give you command of a helmet-like device, which you can use to insert the capsule you found earlier into a corresponding slot along the tree-like structure in front of you.
Two capsules will soon be available for you to insert into the tree: one directly in front of you and another one to your left. Whenever you insert a capsule into the tree, a pillar will appear in front of it for you to use. Once you’ve inserted both capsules into the tree and interacted with their associated pillars, a doorway will open up behind the tree; you can ignore this area unless you just want to take a look at the surroundings. Going on, turn right when you reach the main pillar in front of the tree.
Keep an eye out for a pillar with a circular pedestal; it will look exactly like the one you saw previously that released the bulb foes and needed you to use your weapon. If you play about with it, you’ll trigger the release of the third and final capsule. Carefully navigate back to the tree where you inserted the last capsule while avoiding the bulb haters, and insert the final capsule into the tree.
Go to the pillar in front of the last capsule, the one where you have to jam all your fingers in. After this, Act 1 Part 2 of Scorn will end and a cut scene will play.
It’s okay if you have no understanding of what’s happening in Scorn right now other than the fact that everything seems like it was built with extraterrestrial technology. If we’re lucky, Act 2 of Scorn will provide us with some resolution.