Once you’ve defeated dear, adorable Hedgie you’re rewarded with a new task: solving puzzles! If you’re struggling with the Mirror Exhibition Puzzle (A Glass, Darkly) in Atomic Heart, here’s your guide.
How to Solve the Mirror Exhibition Puzzle (A Glass, Darkly) in Atomic Heart
On either side of the doors we want to open is an elemental symbol. These are the keys to opening the door. We’ll need to move them in order to lift the sunflower mirrors, which will then power up the doors.
But this is easier said than done. Sergey/P-3 stubbornly refuses to use his hands for anything other than swinging axes and shooting guns, so you’ll need to use your telekinesis. Position yourself behind the Uranium symbol (U), then hold down the interact button. The elemental symbol sign will move backward towards you, with its progress being marked both by its wires and a satisfying sound.
Once it’s locked in, a solar panel sunflower will lift up.
Try to do the same to the Plutonium symbol, and you’ll get close, but it will refuse to lock. Something’s jamming its mechanism. Turn left, and you’ll see that where the sunflower solar panel should lift, there’s instead a hole. Scurry into it, as it will slowly close as the Plutonium symbol returns to its original place.
We’re going to have to find the blockage and remove it.
Fortunately, the path is straightforward. Head into the underground facility and into the main room. Look up, and you’ll see magnets on the ceiling. If you’ve completed the Polygon Training Facility 6, these should look familiar. You’ll need to Shok them in order to trigger a change in the room.
Do so, and platforms will raise up that will allow you access to the door.
In the next room, you’ll find that there are even more platforms to play with. Look down, and you’ll see red magnets on the floor in the shape of an “H.” Step onto the horizontal line of the H, then shock the ceiling. You’ll lift up, and a platform will be in front of you. Jump onto the platform.
Once you’re on the grey platform, shock the ceiling again, and the blue platform will rise. Jump to it, then scuttle and leap your way to the right, until you’re close to the door. One platform will block your way but shock the ceiling, and it will descend, allowing you to jump to the door’s platform.
There will be a save point nearby and a VOV-A6 on the floor. Shock him or shoot him; he’s just playing dead. Follow the linear path to a locked door, which has a rhythm-based lock. Unfortunately, I can’t help you with this one, but I wish you the best.
Once the lock drops, you’ll find a few loot boxes… and another puzzle. It’s always puzzles, isn’t it? This puzzle is on the floor, and you’ll need to spin them around until you get the right configuration. Here’s it complete if you want to save yourself some pain.
Completing this puzzle will allow us access to the next room. Which is… even more puzzle-y.
Let’s take stock. To the left, there’s another spin puzzle, which we’ll need to gain access to. There’s a large loot chest to the right, and a VOV-A6 playing dead in the far-left corner beside a corpse who can talk. Talk to him if you’re going for The Necromancer achievement.
If you don’t want to take fall damage, leap to the blue platform, then shock the ceiling to lower it.
Once you’re on the ground, stand on the red platform beside the loot chest, then shock the ceiling again. You’ll now be able to jump to the next red platform. Do so, then shock the ceiling. Next, we’ll jump to this blue platform. From this blue platform, jump to the next blue platform.
We’ll now have access to the spin puzzle. Move the green light to the bottom, and it will unlock the door. I’ve added my completed puzzle below, for your reference. But there’s less symbols on this one. If you find it’s not helpful, just move the arrows at the end from top to bottom.
Return to the ground, then head back to the red platform that was just outside of the big loot box. Shok the ceiling to lift up your platform, then edge around until you’re close to the door. You’re going to need to make a big leap. Succeed, and you’ll find yourself in the Machine Department. Ever so briefly, at least.
Now, we’re back in another puzzle room. I’m getting kind of tired of these puzzle rooms. I want to fight things. Anyway.
Jump onto the blue platform immediately to your left.
This room differs from the last one. The magnets don’t apply to the entire room but to two sections. If you look at the ceiling closely, you’ll see there’s a thick cord separating the two sides. From your blue platform, leap to the nearest red platform.
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Shock the ceiling, then descend to the blue platform. From the blue platform, you’ll see a row of blue magnets you can jump to. Do so, then shock the ceiling again. From this narrow platform, you’ll be able to access the grey square platform with a VOV-A6 (dead) and a soldier (dead, not talking).
Once you’re on the grey platform, shock the ceiling, and you’ll gain access to a new blue platform. Jump to it, then across to the grey platform against the wall. Walk to the end of the grey platform and jump to the blue platform against the wall.
Shok the ceiling. Climb onto the grey platform, then shock the ceiling near the door. You’ll now be able to access the second blue platform against the wall. Walk to the end of it, and you’ll see you have a red platform bridge that will lead to the next door.
We’ll reach a hall, a save point… and another spinny puzzle. This one is a little more complicated.
Complete it, and the door will open. And yes. There’s another puzzle.
Head to the ground floor and stand on the blue platform. Shock the ceiling, and you’ll lift up. Stand on the grey platform you have access to. Shok the ceiling again, and leap to the new blue platform you can reach.
Follow the blue platform around, and you’ll see a grey platform. Leap to it, then shock the ceiling. The metal wall will lift and you’ll see a ramp against the wall. Jump to it, but to the right side. Like, the side nearest the stairs. Climb to the top of the stairs, then shock the ceiling.
You’ll now have access to a narrow blue platform. Walk to the end of the blue platform and stand on the narrow metal ledge. Be careful not to fall off, like I did, because you’ll feel really dumb. Shock the ceiling, then follow the ledge to the door and jump your way across.
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And now there’s another spinny puzzle. But this one, blessedly, is very easy. You need to only spin one disc. If the weird VOV-A6 is on top of the puzzle, spin the second to the left bottom one. Oh, and don’t forget the chest; it will give you a blueprint for a pretty good weapon.
AND FINALLY, WE’RE DONE. Ten thousand puzzles later, we’re done. Good job, comrade. Here’s a palate cleanser: do you remember the man trapped in the facility at the very start of the game? Do you want to know if you can save him?
