The Talos Principle 2

The Talos Principle 2

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Hints and solutions for all Stars in Isle of the Blessed
By Mauritsio
Hints for all of the collectable Stars in the "Isle of the Blessed" campaign, to help you on your way in figuring them out.
Also includes full solutions.
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Introduction
The "Isle of the Blessed" campaign has exactly six Stars to collect. If you are not yet familiar with the Stars in this game, or if you want to know how this guide works, check out the "Introduction" section of my guide for the base campaign: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3067666650 The only (tangible) rewards tied to Stars in Isle of the Blessed are achievements:
  • Solving a Prometheus monument will give you the "I Love your Beard" achievement.
  • A solved Pandora monument nets you the "Unboxing" achievement.
  • The "Showing Off" achievement is awarded when you solve both Pandora monuments without using external static Connectors. This guide providers standard solutions for both Pandora monuments that do not make use of static Connectors (if you use a static Connector for either solution, you will need to start a new save to get the achievement).
  • Solving a Sphinx monument will unlock the "Cat Lady" achievement.
  • Solving all monuments unlocks the "Monumental" achievement.
Note that you do not actually have to collect the Star to gain the respective achievement - you only need to get it to spawn.
Red section (The Sphinx)
The Sphinx's Star
Monument location
To your left when entering the Red section from the landing pads, south from the entrance of Red Main puzzle #1.
    Hints
    1. These tilted squares resemble buttons, and you'll have to figure out where to push them. They're hard to find! You should come back to this after completing the Red section, so you're familiar with the lay of the land first.
    2. Have a look at what's depicted on the illustration besides the buttons - those beams are not a natural formation. Whatever you're looking for has been hidden in or near a man-made structure.
    3. This Sphinx puzzle is unique in one way - it challenges a preconcieved notion you may have had solving the Sphinx Stars in the base campaign. So assume nothing as you try to find the buttons. All you can be sure of is that they're hidden somewhere in the Red section.
    4. There's only one structure in the Red section where these pillars are a distinct feature...
    5. It's Main puzzle #5. You'll have to inspect it from every possible angle to find the buttons!
    6. ...and I really do mean every possible angle.
    7. Photomode could be very useful here.
    8. The preconceived notion I was talking about in hint #3 is that Sphinx Stars can always be solved without having to enter a puzzle.
    9. So the buttons are both inside the puzzle and someplace where the walls act as blinds to see through. There's only so many places that can be. Again, use Photomode to your advantage! The next hint will reveal the location outright.
    10. The buttons have been hidden one floor above the red laser emitter. There are two ways to get there. Once you're there, it's just a matter of matching the buttons.
    11. The first method involves a trick jump. The second method involves a Hexahedron.
    Solution
    Enter Red Main puzzle #5 and power the blue receiver to deactivate its adjacent plasma wall. Now, stand in front of the deactivated wall, then run up this anti-gravity surface, facing straight but just ever so slightly to your right - and jump just as you reach the other end of it. If done correctly, you'll land on the ceiling above where the red laser emitter is.
    Alternatively, if you're having trouble getting the jump right, you can place down a Hexahedron at the top of the anti-gravity wall - if you follow the jump prompt on the Hexahedron, you should land on top of it, giving you an easy path to the ceiling.

    Turn around and you'll see two sets of buttons, one arranged in a triangular and the other in a diamond pattern. In the upper triangular pattern, press the topmost button, the one diagonally to the right of that one, and finally the leftmost one. In the lower diamond pattern, press the topmost button and the one diagonally to the left of that one. After this, you'll hear an audio cue - exit the puzzle and return to the monument. The Star is waiting for you there.
    Red section (Pandora & Prometheus)
    Pandora's Star
    Monument location
    Along the Red section's shore facing the Hexahedron puzzle, roughly east from Red Main puzzle #8.
      Hints
      1. Red Main puzzle #8 has a great vantage point from which you can very clearly see the monument - you should check that out first and foremost (and it probably helps to solve that puzzle first, if you haven't already).
      2. The monument needs to be powered with a green laser. But this puzzle doesn't have any green lasers to begin with...
      3. The only puzzle with a green laser in it which you can see directly from the vantage point is Red Main puzzle #4. That puzzle is mostly gated off, but does leave one opening for a laser to go through...
      4. From the RGB Converter's initial position, it can only reach the green and blue laser emitters without any help. But you need it to reach both red and blue, so that you can create green.
      5. You will need to have solved the puzzle to find a solution to this problem.
      6. Since the puzzle has been solved, the plasma wall guarding the red laser emitter is now deactivated - meaning you can use a regular Connector as a relay between the red emitter and the Converter. Nevertheless, it's still targeting the green laser emitter, and you can't unset that connection...
      7. There is a way to interrupt the green connection.
      8. Remember that you the emitter on the monument only needs to be charged up once for the Star to appear - if the connection is lost later, the Star will still be there.

      Solution
      First of all, you need to have properly solved Red Main puzzle #4. Using a Prometheus Token is not enough!

      Head into Red Main puzzle #8. Once you have both the Inverter and the regular Connector, connect the Inverter with the red laser emitter and the central lift's blue receiver, placing it down at the base of the lift. Take the regular Connector and move as far back as you can - then connect it to the Inverter and the blue receiver. Once the lift has fully descended, the Inverter will be powering it directly, allowing you to safely take the regular Connector and step on the lift. Once you're on, block the blue beam with your body to get the lift to ascend again. Connect to both the receiver on the monument and the RGB Converter in Red Main puzzle #4 in the opposite direction, then set the Connector down on the lift.

      Now make your way to Red Main puzzle #4. In its initial configuration, take one Connector and have it relay the red laser to the Converter. Finally, block the green laser emitter by standing in its path - the Converter will turn green, and done correctly, you will shortly thereafter hear the chant of the Star appearing at the monument. Run all the way back to claim it.


      Alternate solution (disqualifies you from the "Showing Off" achievement)
      First, solve Main Red Main puzzle #7 normally, up until you are in a position to suspend the Connector in mid-air with the Hexahedron. With the fan activated, take the Connector and lift yourself up. Connect to the green laser emitter - then look towards the two monuments in the distance, roughly northward. Aim left of the middle of the Pandora monument, and you should be able to make contact with a static Connector (it's practically invisible from here, but it's there!). Now drop down and place down the Connector. Deactivate the fan, place the Hexahedron on it, then pick up the Connector again using the "Keep Connections" option (right mouse button by default). Stack it on the Hexahedron and activate the fan again.

      Now head into Red Main puzzle #8. Once you have both the Inverter and the regular Connector, connect the Inverter with the red laser emitter and the central lift's blue receiver, placing it down at the base of the lift. Take the regular Connector and move as far back as you can - then connect it to the Inverter and the blue receiver. Once the lift has fully descended, the Inverter will be powering it directly, allowing you to safely take the regular Connector and step on the lift. Once you're on, block the blue beam with your body to get the lift to ascend again - now you can finally connect the green laser to the monument. Once you do, the Star will materialise underneath it.


      Prometheus's Star
      Monument location
      On the Red section's southernmost shore, inbetween the Gold puzzle and the Red lighthouse.
        Hints
        1. The beam is pointing directly to where the sprite is, but it won't help you much in this relatively dense section. It might be best to navigate the area normally first, solving puzzles along the way - you have a good chance of finding the sprite if you do.
        2. Was that last hint worthless? Check the middle area again - specifically around Main puzzles #4, #5 and #8.
        3. The sprite is visible from one of the entrances to those puzzles.
        4. The specific puzzle is #8 - check west.
        5. You can't get to it from down here, so you'll have to find an alternate route. Don't overthink it!
        Solution
        Head to the entrance of Red Main puzzle #8. If you look directly west, you'll spot the sprite on a ledge just behind a tree. To get there, follow the path southward, heading up the first stairs to your right, and then walk around Red Main puzzle #5. From here you can drop down to the sprite. You won't have to follow it far after that:
        • On the dirt path heading south from Red Main puzzle #8, next to a ruined wall.
        • In front of the entrance to Red Main puzzle #7.
        • Just in front of the monument. After this, the Star will appear.
        Green section
        Pandora's Star
        Monument location
        Opposite of the entrance to Green Main puzzle #4.
          Hints
          1. This Pandora's Box works on green lasers. There aren't any in the puzzle directly opposite of the monument (#4), though... you'll need to look elsewhere.
          2. You won't have to redirect a green laser from any of the other sections of the map (in fact, the game won't even let you).
          3. In other words, the green laser will have to originate from another puzzle in the Green section. And there's only one that fits the bill...
          4. You should fully solve Green Main puzzle #5 first before you get to work on this Star - it'll make things a mite easier.
          5. The palm trees do considerably obscure your line of sight, but a connection is possible! Stacking items on Hexahedrons is not necessarily required to power the monument.
          Solution
          First, progress through Green Main puzzle #5, at least up until you are able to create a green laser with the RGB Converter. Connect it to the blue laser emitter and the Connector acting as a relay for the red laser emitter - then, facing the puzzle entrance, place it down in front of the far right edge of the purple plasma barrier.

          Now head into Main puzzle #4, take the Connector in front of you, and connect it to the green receiver on the monument. Although it is hard to see through the foilage, if placed correctly, you should be able to connect to the RGB Converter if you aim just right of the middle of where you can see #5's entrance. Some of the palm trees might also block your line of sight - if the Converter icon below the button prompts turns white instead of grey, you'll know you can place it down - and when you do, the Star will appear.


          The Sphinx's Star
          Monument location
          Along a side path heading right just before Green Main puzzle #3, which connects to the Green section's shore facing the Hexahedron puzzle, left of Green Main puzzle #8 (where Athena's family is hanging out).
            Hints
            1. These squares etched onto the plaque aren't going to help you find the Star - but that background illustration might...
            2. It's not the palm trees you should be interested in, you'll find those everywhere - but those two isles do have a rather distinct shape...
            3. There's a way to easily make out where these two isles are, without having to observe them directly. And you've almost certainly already come across it at least once.
            4. Remember those noticeboards with a map of the area on them? See if you can pinpoint the isles with one of those.
            5. There's only one location visible on the map which resembles the two isles and is also close by the Green area...
            6. They're directly north of the Green Gold puzzle. But you'll drown if you try to walk there as the crow flies. There must be a shoal somewhere to cross safely.
            7. Where's the closest point you can get to those two isles from the Green section?
            8. Check the isle where the Green Lost puzzle is.
            9. Now all that's left is to solve the actual puzzle. The buttons can be interacted with - and comparing them to the squares on the illustration, there's only one possible orientation to approach it from.
            Solution
            Make your way to the back of the Green Lost puzzle. A shoal extends from this isle in the direction of the Blue lighthouse. Follow it to reach the two narrow isles at the other end.

            Inbetween, you will find several stone slab buttons laid out in a grid. All of them have already been pressed into the ground. Facing them from the direction you came from, reset these buttons: leftmost of the first row, all but the third from the left of the third row, and finally the rightmost of the last row. If done correctly, you will hear a short chant - you can now head back to the monument to claim the Star.

            Blue section
            Prometheus's Star
            Monument location
            Right next to the shoal connecting the Blue section to the Green section - northeast of Blue Main puzzle #1.
              Hints
              1. Have a look at the beam that is protruding from the monument's head - it's pointing exactly where you need to go. Follow it in as straight a line as possible.
              2. Can't find the sprite? Check all around the isle in this section furthest from the monument - in other words, the one where you can find the Gold puzzle.
              3. The sprite is at the westernmost tip of this section.
              4. Can't figure out how to get to the sprite after it made its way into a puzzle? There aren't any fans here, so you can go anywhere whereever items can go. Try solving the puzzle normally if you haven't already.
              Solution
              From the entrance to the Blue Gold puzzle, head right and walk along the shore parallel to the puzzle's northwestern wall until you reach a narrow sandbar - the sprite is resting above a rock here. Touch the sprite, following it to these destinations until you get the Star:
              • Halfway along the aforementioned shore, just behind a palm tree.
              • On one of the antigrav panels in Blue Main puzzle #8, visible from the entrance. To reach it, first go through the puzzle as normal until you acquire the second Gravshifter. With the Hexahedron in the Swapper, aim one Gravshifter at the antigrav panel mounted to the upper-left ceiling, and the other to the one in the puzzle's upper-right corner. With the blue receiver powering the plasma wall, travel through the funnels and you'll reach the sprite.
              • Right in front of the entrance to this puzzle.
              • Southwest of the entrance of Blue Main puzzle #1, on the stretch connecting the Hexahedron puzzle to the rest of the Blue section.
              • Right in front of the monument.
              Acknowledgments
              This guide was written by Mauritsio for publishing on the Steam Community platform. It is not meant to be posted elsewhere.

              A special thanks goes out to the following people for improving this guide by pointing out issues,
              showing off alternate solutions or providing feedback: cklodar, ElCracko, BoonMike.

              If you also have some constructive feedback to give on this guide - be it a sentence you believe could use better wording, a hint you felt gave away too much, a typo or anything else at all, please let me know in the comments! You will be credited for it.
              23 Comments
              General WVPM 6 Dec, 2024 @ 2:00pm 
              Red sphinx felt impossible without the guide. Thanks a lot.
              Torus 14 Aug, 2024 @ 11:17am 
              Thanks for this guide and the writing style with hints and step by step. I only needed one hint, and still felt I could solve all the rest without being spoiled.
              Vlavv 31 Jul, 2024 @ 4:43pm 
              With regards to Green Pandora, it's easier to use connector from #6 than from #4 (using a slightly different RGB placement in #5). This way you won't be bothered by the foliage.
              Screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/DPYPnmy.jpeg
              taqanori 20 Jul, 2024 @ 12:01am 
              Thanks for the great guide. I couldn't find red Sphinx buttons all by myself, but found completely different solution using an activator . Let me note here.

              1. In red #3, take the box and go onto the fan, aim at the top of the palm tree beside, press A when you see "Jump here", jump onto the wall and bring out the box.
              2. Bring the box to outside behind of green #1, jump onto the rock, then onto the wall, put the box inside green #1. Then enter green #1 and put the activator on the box, again jump onto the wall from outside and bring out the activator.
              3. Bring the activator around red Sphinx, and connect it to the fixed connector beside red Pandora.
              4. Enter red #8, connect the red ligth and the fixed connector with inverter.
              5. Now red Sphinx is "activated" without solving the button puzzle.
              FungusMouse 27 Jun, 2024 @ 1:38pm 
              Thanks for the guide! Love the format. I'm not a fan of just having to find hidden buttons somewhere, so your hint style was very appreciative
              Mauritsio  [author] 23 Jun, 2024 @ 8:01am 
              @cklodar Thank you in particular - your solution for Red Pandora is much easier than the one I came up with. I can't remember if I'd just missed the opening in Red-4 or if they removed that at some point to make the Star easier, since I made this guide pre-release... :steamfacepalm:
              Mauritsio  [author] 23 Jun, 2024 @ 7:27am 
              Thanks for all your feedback everyone! I finally found some time to update the guide with all your pointers.
              BoonMike 23 Jun, 2024 @ 5:31am 
              Yup, started a new save and did Showing Off before the more intuitive solve and the achievement popped.
              BoonMike 22 Jun, 2024 @ 2:47pm 
              I *think* I've done the required steps for "Showing Off" but nothing's acknowledging it. Is it that you need to do the solution without the static connector *first* because the puzzle can't be 'solved' twice? Do I need to start a second save to get this one?
              ElCracko.™ 21 Jun, 2024 @ 8:16pm 
              For the red section Sphinx, a more surefire way is to place the hexahedron on the top-most edge of the magnetic wall, jump on it and walk off in and you'll end up on top of the hexahedron. The jump to the buttons is then much easier.