What is the Holy Cross for in Tunic?

Central to Tunic is the instruction manual that you piece together page by page. As you complete it, you learn secrets that are otherwise obscured by the game’s incomprehensible script. A number of the pages refer to something known as the Holy Cross. While this may sound like a useful item used to advance in the game, it’s referring to something in the physical world that you may overlook.

To put it simply, the Holy Cross is either the D-pad on a gamepad or the arrow keys if you’re using a keyboard. It is the absolute most important tool in your kit when it comes to solving Tunic’s late-game puzzles.

The most common puzzles you come across are ones that require you to follow paths using your Holy Cross. You’ll see these on doors and plinths throughout the world. They can be fairly easy to identify, as they consist of mazes with only right-angles. You’ll see them as you play through normally, but their purpose is unknown without the knowledge of the Holy Cross.

There are also a couple of Holy Cross codes to keep in your back pocket.  Pressing up, left, up, right, down, right will send some magical sparkles shooting off in the direction of hidden fairy chests. You can also trade some mana for health when you’re in a fix by keying in up, right, down, left, up, right, up.