If you’ve been wandering Pywel and stumbled upon rows of stone soldiers staring you down — congratulations, you’ve found one of Crimson Desert’s most clever Easter eggs. The Drakesfall Gorge Ruins puzzle is a direct nod to Squid Game‘s iconic Red Light, Green Light — and yes, it’s just as nerve-wracking.
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Where to Find the Puzzle
This Ancient Ruins puzzle is located in the Drakesfall Gorge in Hernand, a few thousand meters from the main city. It sits between the Hills of No Return and the Ancient Rift. The Games Wiki Look for it as a Mysterious Energy marker on your map.
How to Solve It — Step by Step
You’ll come across two rows of Hernandian soldier statues with a large elder statue at the end. Step on the stone pressure plate at the start of the row to trigger the puzzle — the soldier statues will raise their swords. Games
| Step | What To Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Step on the stone pressure plate to begin |
| 2 | Walk (don’t run) down the row of statues |
| 3 | Watch the elder statue — stop when its eyes glow blue |
| 4 | Move forward only when the statue turns away |
| 5 | Reach the Abyss Cresset at the end to complete it |
The Red Light, Green Light Mechanic Explained
The king statue occasionally turns around, and its eyes light up when facing your direction. When the eyes glow, stop immediately. If it catches you moving, the eyes turn red and you restart from the beginning. The Games Wiki
Squid Game fans will instantly recognize this — in the show, participants had to freeze when the doll scanned for movement, or face elimination. Gaming ProMax Crimson Desert nails the tension perfectly.
What’s Your Reward?
Completing the puzzle activates the nearby Abyss Cresset, which becomes a fast travel point. It also rewards you with Abyss Artifacts — used to unlock new abilities and boost your character’s attributes.
Want to find more hidden secrets and puzzles across Pywel? Check out our full Crimson Desert guides on TechnoSports covering everything from camp building to boss fights.
FAQs
Q: What happens if the elder statue catches me moving?
The statue’s eyes turn red and the puzzle resets — you’ll need to walk back to the pressure plate and start over from scratch.
Q: Is the Drakesfall Gorge puzzle missable in Crimson Desert?
No, it’s not story-locked, but it’s easy to overlook. Search for the Mysterious Energy marker near the Hernand–Demeniss border to find it anytime.
