'Call of Duty: Black Ops 4' Zombies Voyage of Despair Easter Egg Guide & Walkthrough

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 fans NoahJ456, SmartGuy316 and Beebat were the first to solve the Voyage of Despair Easter egg. With their help, here's a full guide and walkthrough for each of the steps.

This guide requires:

  • A solid understanding of named locations on the Voyage of Despair map
  • Pack-a-Punch
  • Acid Kraken Wonder Weapon which you can spin in the Mystery Box. There's a box in the First Class Lounge.

Get the Sentinel Artifact & Pack-a-Punch

The very first step to unlocking Pack-a-Punch is opening up the whole map and eventually gain access to the Poop Deck. Atop its central steering wheel, you'll see a glowing symbol called the Sentinel Artifact. Grab it, making alterations to the map and spawning a few portals.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair pap 1 artifact
The Sentinel Artifact on the Poop Deck Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

Once you do that, you need to activate four pedestals. These will always be in these exact locations.

1) The Poop Deck: Right below where you should be right now.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair pap 2 symbol 1
The first Pack-a-Punch pedestal Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

2) Cargo Hold: From the Mail Rooms behind spawn, take the door into the Cargo Hold. Take the stairs into the water and you'll see a spinning portal. The pedestal is on the opposite side of the room from that portal.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair pap 3 symbol 2
The second Pack-a-Punch pedestal Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

3) Lower Grand Staircase: In the main area of the ship. Keep going down flights of stairs till you reach the bottom deck.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair pap 4 symbol 3
The third Pack-a-Punch pedestal Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

4) Turbine Room: Go through the portal in Millionaire's Suites and go straight ahead past the tattered fabric and into the door. Jump in the water and swim to the passage shown below.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair pap 5 symbol 4
The fourth Pack-a-Punch pedestal Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

Upgrading Your Kraken

Spin for your Kraken and get the upgrade parts in these locations:

1) First Class Lounge: On one of the small tables. There are two nearby possibilities.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Kraken Part 1
The first Kraken part Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

2) Galley: On this table or in a set of shelves on the opposite end.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Kraken Part 2
The second Kraken part Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

3) Cargo Hold: Towards the back by this light, or further back near where you found the Pack-a-Punch Pedestal.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Kraken Part 3
The third Kraken part Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

To get the fourth part, kill an elemental Zombie that corresponds to the element you want. For this guide, we'll be looking for an Acid Zombie. Once you have the last part, go to the Engine Room. In the back is a bench.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Kraken bench
The Kraken upgrade bench Treyarch/Activision/MrDalekJD @ YouTube

Assuming the above requirements are complete, let's get to the Easter egg.

Finding Symbols and Clocks

For the first proper Easter egg step, you need to find four symbols spread across different parts of the map, as well as the times on the clocks in their respective rooms. Take careful note of the details as you find them. There are six possible spawn locations.

1) Maill Rooms: Under the stairs leading up to the room with the wall buy. The clock should be right behind you.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 1 Symbol spawn 1
The first possible symbol spawn point Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

2) Galley: In the back, directly ahead of the Zombie on the wall. The clock should be on the wall to your left.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 2 Symbol spawn 2
The second possible symbol spawn point Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

3) First Class Lounge: Stand next to the Mystery Box and look left. There's a notch you can look through, and the symbol is on the wall there. The clock is on the hearth of the nearby fireplace.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 3 Symbol spawn 3
The third possible symbol spawn point Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

4) Grand Staircase: At the top of the staircase, next to the Spitfire kiosk, you'll find this doorway. The symbol should be above it. There's a small clock on the central stairs heading down.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 4 Symbol spawn 4
The fourth possible symbol spawn point Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

5) Captain's Bridge: Under the desk by the chair. The clock is just ahead of the steering wheel.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 5 Symbol spawn 5
The fifth possible symbol spawn point Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

6) Third Class: At the far bottom, under the stairs near some luggage. The clock is on the wall headed toward the lit turbine room.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 6 Symbol spawn 6
The sixth possible symbol spawn point Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Times and symbols recorded, go to the Captain's Bridge steering wheel and make note of the four large levers on the left and right. You'll see one of your symbols on each of them. For this part, you'll input the minute-hand time associated with each symbol. To enter it, pull the lever from the right. Each pull stands for an increment of five, so a pull for 10:10 requires two pulls.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 7 captains wheel symbol
Input the minute time tied to each of the symbols on these four levers. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

There are two more dial locations for your hours. The first location is on the Poop Deck, where you got the Sentinel Artifact. Pull each of the dials for the hour-time that corresponds to each of the symbols.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 8 broken wheel symbol
You'll find more wheels on the Poop Deck. Put two corresponding hour times here. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

There are four more dials in the Engine Room, but only two are working. Use input the final two hour times corresponding to the symbols just like you did on the Poop Deck.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 9 odin room wheels
You'll find more wheels in the Engine Room. Put two corresponding hour times here. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Within The Chain of Phases All Is Conceived

When you input the correct times, the above title will show on your screen. For this step you need to look for four speaking electrical outlets that glow the colors corresponding to elemental Zombies.

  • Acid: Green
  • Fire: Red
  • Ice: Blue
  • Lightning: Yellow

There are six possible spawn locations:

1) Third Class Deck

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 10 outlet spawn 1
The first possible outlet location Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

2) Aft Decks: Behind this barricade.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 11 outlet spawn 2
The second possible outlet location Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

3) First Class Lounge: Next to the Zeus statue.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 12 outlet spawn 3
The third possible outlet location Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

4) Grand Staircase: Next to the spot where you found the symbol in the first step.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 13 outlet spawn 4
The fourth possible outlet location Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

5) Galley: Next to the Ra statue in the kitchen. It's hiding in a corner.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 14 outlet spawn 5
The fifth possible outlet location Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

6) Sate Rooms: Go into the location from the spawn point and take a left.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 15 outlet spawn 6
The sixth possible outlet location Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

To activate each outlet, you need to find an elemental Zombie that corresponds to the color of the spark and kill it there. When you do, a symbol will form on the floor below it and the outlet stops sparking. You can only activate one portal per round. Make note of the Zombie elements and the rooms in which they were killed.

Once you have all four portals activated, travel to them and defeat the mini-bosses in this order: Acid > Water > Lightning > Fire.

When you finish all four trials, the Sentinel Artifact will return to your inventory. Go to the Turbine Room and shoot the smoking pipe areas with your upgraded Acid Kraken. Watch for the hitmarker to make sure the shot registers. All pipes are in this room. You'll know you're done when the room starts filling with water.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 16 air puffs
Shoot these air puffs with your upgraded Kraken. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

If it's not there already, the Pack-a-Punch will move to the Turbine Room. Swim under the water to access it, and you'll be able to Pack-a-Punch the Sentinel Artifact.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 17 pap sentinel
You can Pack-a-Punch the Sentinel Artifact now. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

When The Planets Are Revealed The Essence Is Received

The first step to finishing this part of the Easter egg is locating and interacting with nine planet symbols around the map. They're always in these exact spots.

1) Sun: In the Forecastle by the spawn point.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 18 planet symbol 1
The first planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

2) Mercury: Find it in the Mail Rooms.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 19 planet symbol 2
The second planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

3) Venus: Millionaire's Suites under the night stand.

4) Moon: On this wall on the Lower Grand Staircase.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 21 planet symbol 4
The fourth planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

5) Mars: In the Boiler Room. Look for the portal. Under the grated floor you'll see this symbol.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 22 planet symbol 5
The fifth planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

6) Saturn: On the Bridge behind the Captain's desk.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 23 planet symbol 6
The sixth planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

7) Jupiter: In the Engine Room right in front of the Odin Perk machine.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 24 planet symbol 7
The seventh planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

8) Uranus: In the bathroom of the State Rooms hiding behind the plant.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 25 planet symbol 8
The eighth planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

9) Neptune: In the center of the lifesaver raft on the Aft Decks.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 26 planet symbol 9
The ninth planet symbol Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

After you've interacted with each one, go to the bottom of the Cargo Hold to find this astrolabe. You may need to drain water by interacting with the nearby drain pipes. When you interact with the model, the planets will glow in a specific order. Here's a description of each planet in case you need it.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 27 astrolabe
Take note of the order each planet lights up on the astrolabe. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube
  • Venus: Small, orange and second from the sun.
  • Mars: Red planet, fourth from the sun.
  • Saturn: The obvious rings.
  • Mercury: Purple in color, closest to the sun.
  • Jupiter: The largest of the planets.
  • Uranus: Purple planet far from the sun.
  • Moon: Small, white and close to the sun.
  • Neptune: The blue one far from the sun.

The sun will always glow last when the pattern is over.

Go outside to a top deck, and get ready to shoot the planets in the sky in the same order that showed on your astrolabe.

Sun, Mercury Venus and Mars: The sun is the obvious yellow thing, and Mercury is the pink dot closest to it. Venus is the orange dot next to Mercury. Mars is the one further in the distance.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 28 sun merc venus mars
The sun, Mercury and Venus in the night sky. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Moon: The moon is the large glowing moon.

Jupiter: This large circle even bigger than the sun.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 29 jupiter
Jupiter is the biggest planet. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Saturn: You can see its rings.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 30 saturn
Saturn has unique rings. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Uranus: Purple and far in the distance.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 31 uranus
Uranus is far from the sun. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Neptune: Circles in the water around the ship.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 32 neptune
Neptune floats in the ocean around the ship. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Shoot each of these planets in your designated order. When you do, the planet falls from the sky and lands at a specific location inside the ship. Once it falls, a timer begins and you must find it quickly. We advise telling a teammate you're going to shoot each planet, and make sure they're waiting around the spots where you first found their associated symbols. The last one to shoot is the sun. After you shoot it, all players must go to the spawn point at Forecastle.

Frozen Path Challenge

Once you meet at spawn, you'll teleport to the Frozen Path Challenge. You essentially have to quickly make it from one end of the ship to the Poop Deck while shooting out blocks of ice that guard the way. A video guide is above for those who need to see the route, buit here's how we would go:

Forecastle > Bridge > Upper Grand Staircase > First Class Lounge > Promenade Port Deck > Aft Decks > Poop Deck. Shoot the final block in the back to trigger the boss fight portal that spawns on the Poop Deck.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 33 boss portal
Once you retrieve all the planets, the boss portal spawns on the Poop Deck. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube

Boss Fight Tips

Like most Zombies boss fights, this one is basically a massive bullet sponge. Weapons to consider are the KN-54, Kraken and Homunculus. The fight has five different phases.

Black Ops 4 Voyage of Despair Easter Egg 34 boss
Shoot the boss when it launches its beam attack. Treyarch/Activision/NoahJ456 @ YouTube
  • Stage 1: Kill the Zombies.
  • Stage 2: Kill more boss Zombies.
  • Stage 3: Hide in the laundry room and shoot the boss by peeking around the corner when it fires its ice beam. If you get frozen, knife yourself out.
  • Stage 4: Shoot the boss when it does its ice beam. Have one person clear ads while the other four hurt the boss. The eye will break apart as you hurt it.
  • Stage 5: The same with more enemies. The only difference is the boss has a wipe attack that will trigger when it starts shrieking. Kill this boss as quickly as possible.

That's all there is to know about the Voyage of Despair Easter Egg. If you want to try the IX Easter egg, we have a brand-new guide for that as well.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Were you able to beat the Voyage of Despair Easter egg with this guide? What do yiu think of the steps? Tell us in the comments section!

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