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Behind Seven Seals is an early main-story mission that takes you from Zalissya into the Sphere. The key decisions are whether to work with Richter or Captain Zotov, whether to complete Squint’s optional artifact task, and how to deal with Solder. This walkthrough covers both sensor routes, the choices whose longer-term effects are not established, and the escape from the Sphere.
Mission route at a glance
The mission begins after you reach Zalissya and seek information about Solder. Richter and Captain Zotov can each send you to find Squint and recover the Ward Sensors. Your choice of contact changes the immediate route into the Sphere, but the available guide accounts do not establish that this decision alone determines every later faction or campaign outcome.
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- Speak with Richter or Captain Zotov in Zalissya to pursue information about Solder.
- Find Squint near the farm and windmill, then obtain the Ward Sensors.
- Decide whether to hand the sensors to Richter or Zotov and follow the resulting route objectives.
- Enter the Sphere, confront Solder, and fight your way out.
Gamer Guides lays out the mission as a sequence that includes waking, gathering information about Solder, reaching the abandoned communications hub, searching IPSF soldiers’ bodies, infiltrating the Sphere, and taking a key toward the Northern Checkpoint. The exact objectives you receive on the way to the Sphere depend on your earlier contact and sensor handoff. Gamer Guides’ Behind Seven Seals walkthrough
Richter or Zotov: which route should you choose?
Both contacts direct you toward Squint and the Ward Sensors. Prima Games associates Richter’s route with the Sparks and Zotov’s with the Ward, and describes different immediate approaches to the Sphere. Treat those as route and faction associations, not a complete forecast of the campaign’s later consequences. Prima Games’ walkthrough
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| Contact and handoff | Immediate route described by the guide | What to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Richter | After receiving the Ward Sensors, Richter sends you toward the Sphere’s abandoned communications hub to gather infiltration information; the route involves additional antenna or communications objectives. | Choose this if you want the route associated with the Sparks and do not mind extra objectives before entering. |
| Captain Zotov | After receiving the Ward Sensors, Zotov’s route uses a contact near the Sphere to arrange a discreet entry. | Choose this if you prefer the shorter objective path described by Prima Games and the route associated with the Ward. |
Prima Games characterizes Zotov’s objectives as shorter and Richter’s as involving extra communications steps. Game8’s search-result extract also describes additional objectives on Richter’s route and the Sparks/Ward associations, but does not provide a basis for treating these route choices as a complete map of later outcomes. Game8’s route overview
How to find Squint and get the Ward Sensors
Prima Games places Squint near a farm at a windmill. You can kill him or complete the optional Piece of Cake task, which sends you into an underground area to retrieve the Mold artifact. If you return the artifact, Squint hands over the Ward Sensors willingly according to the guide. The artifact detour is optional; the sensor handoff is the objective you need for the Richter or Zotov route.
If you want to complete Piece of Cake
- Look for Squint by the farm and windmill.
- Accept the optional artifact task and enter the underground area.
- Retrieve the Mold artifact and bring it back to Squint.
- Receive the Ward Sensors, then decide whether to give them to Richter or Zotov.
If you are considering killing Squint
Prima Games explicitly said the consequence of killing Squint was unclear when its guide was published on 26 November 2024. Do not assume that killing him has a particular long-term effect; the documented alternative is to return the Mold artifact for the sensors.
Entering the Sphere and confronting Solder
Follow the route objectives from Richter or Zotov to reach the Sphere. Gamer Guides’ mission outline includes reaching the abandoned communications hub, searching IPSF soldiers’ bodies, and infiltrating the site. Once inside, you encounter Solder and must choose whether to shoot him or knock him out.
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The available walkthrough describes both actions as options but does not document their exact long-term consequences. Make the choice based on how you want to handle the immediate encounter rather than relying on an unverified claim about a later mission.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to escape the Sphere
After the Solder encounter, soldiers become alerted and you must fight your way out. Gamer Guides says you cannot return by the route you used to enter, so be ready to push through the close-quarters escape rather than retracing your steps.
- Before the confrontation: Gamer Guides reports a High-Capacity PTM Magazine in Solder’s room. Search there while you are able to access it.
- For the escape: Gamer Guides suggests carrying a shotgun for the close-range fighting. This is a guide tip, not a claim that a particular weapon is required.
- After fighting out: Continue with the mission’s key objective toward the Northern Checkpoint.
Patch 1.2 and mission issues
GSC Game World’s official Major Patch 1.2 notes document a reduced Bloodsucker spawn rate before Behind Seven Seals is completed, fixes involving NPCs spawning at the Sphere, and a general fix for mission logic breaking when an item is given through dialogue. Those notes record specific changes in Patch 1.2; they do not establish that every mission issue is fixed in every later build.
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