Skip to content
The Sea of Corpses (ᚷᚱᚨᛗᚱ ᛏᚱᛁᚨᛚ)
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

The Sea of Corpses (ᚷᚱᚨᛗᚱ ᛏᚱᛁᚨᛚ)

Complete the Sea of Corpses trial in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Learn strategies for new enemies like Shadow Swordsmen and Axe Shamans, and master Gramr's abilities.

By ···10 min read·Multi-source verified
1 reading this guide  

Complete the Sea of Corpses trial in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. Learn strategies for new enemies like Shadow Swordsmen and Axe Shamans, and master Gramr's abilities.

After completing all Odin Trials, return to the Barnstokkr Tree to retrieve Gramr. Upon taking the sword, you will be thrust into a large combat challenge. This section contains no Lorestones, Runes, or puzzles, only a continuous series of enemy encounters.

Gramr is a powerful weapon granting new abilities. In response, you will face new enemy types with their own new abilities. You can hold down a button to charge Gramr, causing Senua to adopt a new stance. Pressing the left stick will make Senua evade, and releasing the button unleashes a quick, powerful attack that disrupts enemy shadows. You can now also block and parry attacks, and a perfectly timed parry can stun and damage all nearby enemies while dispelling shadows. Your focus ability also lasts longer with Gramr.

To counter these new abilities, regular Swordsmen will often appear cloaked in shadow, requiring you to dispel the shadow before damaging them. Additionally, normal Swordsmen can now ignore the slowing effect of your focus ability, making group combat more challenging. You will also encounter speedy double-axe wielding Shamans, who are similar to Valravn and are among the most difficult normal enemies.

Walkthrough
  1. 1
    You will initially fight 3 Shadow Swordsmen, appearing one at a time. Each will be cloaked in shadow and must have their shadows dispelled before they can be damaged.
  2. 2
    After this fight, run down the path between the walls of arms. The arms will reach for you but are not dangerous. You will reach a ledge to jump down.
  3. 3
    Continue forward to encounter a larger fight:
    • 3 Swordsmen appear simultaneously. They are not cloaked in shadow but are largely immune to the slowing effect of focus.
  4. 4
    After defeating them, a Maceman and a Defender spawn.
  5. 5
    After killing both, an Axe Brute spawns.
  6. 6
    After defeating the Axe Brute, 2 Shadow Swordsmen appear.
  7. 7
    When one is killed, another spawns.
  8. 8
    When the second is killed, a fourth spawns.
  9. 9
    When the third is killed, a final lone Shield Defender spawns.
  10. 10
    After defeating all enemies, a new path opens between a stone arch. Follow the linear path through hip-deep blood. You will not be attacked while wading through deep liquid. When the blood becomes shallow, another fight is imminent.
  11. 11
    This fight begins with a dual-axe wielding Shaman. This enemy can block, parry, evade, attack multiple times consecutively, and kick you off balance. He can also throw projectiles and quickly close distance with a leaping attack. When his health is low, he throws a smoke bomb, cloaking himself in shadow.
    • You start facing a single Shaman to learn his patterns.
  12. 12
    After defeating the Shaman, 3 Shadow Swordsmen appear.
  13. 13
    When one is defeated, a fourth appears.
  14. 14
    When a second is defeated, a fifth takes its place.
  15. 15
    When the third is killed, another Shaman spawns.
  16. 16
    After defeating the last 2 Swordsmen and the Shaman, an Axe Brute, a Bludgeon, and a Defender spawn together. Focus is useful here.
  17. 17
    After killing these three, two more Swordsmen and a Bludgeon appear.
  18. 18
    When one is killed, another Swordsman spawns.
  19. 19
    After killing all three, a Shaman and a Defender spawn.
  20. 20
    After defeating both, another Shaman attacks.
  21. 21
    After this Shaman, you face another Brute.
  22. 22
    After defeating the Brute, two Shadow Swordsmen appear.
  23. 23
    When the final fight is over, a path leading out of the blood opens. Follow this straightforward, linear path through disturbing imagery, crossing the arms of two giant corpses, to complete the level.

Previous: Plague Trial (ᛟᛞᛁᚾ ᛏᚱᛁᚨᛚᛋ) - ᚢᛋ

Next: Fenrir (ᚷᚨᚱᛗ) - the Guardian of Hel - ᚢᚾᛗᚨᛋᚲ

100% Human-Written. AI Fact-Checked. Community Verified. Learn how AntMag verifies content