You're lost. It’s New Year's Eve, 1899, and London is screaming. Or maybe that's just the pipes. Most people coming for a machine for pigs walkthrough are looking for a way out of the cellar, but honestly, the cellar is the easy part. The game, developed by The Chinese Room rather than Frictional Games, ditches the inventory management of the first Amnesia to focus on pure, industrial dread. It's linear, sure, but it's claustrophobic as hell.
Oswald Mandus is a mess. He wakes up with a fever, hearing his children, Enoch and Mikhael, calling out from the depths of the house. You’ll spend the first twenty minutes just trying to find a way out of his bedroom suite. Don't overthink the physics. Unlike The Dark Descent, you aren't hoarding tinderboxes here. Your lantern has infinite fuel. Use it.
Getting through the Mandus House and the first real gate
The game starts slow. You need to pull the secret trophies in the trophy room to open the path behind the bed. It’s a classic Victorian trope, but it works. Once you're in the attic, pay attention to the attic notes. They explain Mandus’s trip to Mexico, which is basically the catalyst for the entire tragedy.
You'll eventually hit a wall in the cellar. People get stuck on the "engine" puzzles quite a bit because they expect Amnesia to be complex. It isn't. If something looks like a lever, pull it. If a pipe is leaking steam, there’s a valve nearby. To get the lift working, you have to replace the fuses and clear the debris from the gears.
The first encounter with a Manpig is scripted to scare you, but you can’t actually die there. It's a fake-out. The game loves doing that. It builds tension by making you think you're being hunted long before the AI is even active in the room.
Navigating the factory and the murky waters
Once you leave the house and hit the streets, the scale changes. You’re heading toward the "Machine." In the lily-livered light of the London docks, you’ll see the first real threats. The Wretches. These guys aren't as smart as the Gatherers from the first game, but they’re fast.
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The Church and the canister puzzle
When you reach the church, you're looking for a way to the secret passage under the altar. There’s a canister puzzle here that trips people up. You need to fill the canisters with the chemical mixture found in the side rooms. Basically, just follow the pipes. The game is incredibly "pipe-centric." If you get lost, look at the ceiling. The direction of the steam or the layout of the industrial tubing usually points toward the next objective.
Surviving the sewers
The sewers are where a machine for pigs walkthrough becomes a survival guide. There’s an invisible enemy in the water. Sound familiar? It’s a callback to the Kaernk from the first game, but here, it feels more frantic. Jump on the crates. Don't stay in the water for more than two seconds. If you hear a splash that isn't yours, you’re already in trouble.
The Heart of the Machine: Sabotage and Fuses
Deep in the belly of the beast, the game stops being a "spooky house" simulator and becomes a full-blown industrial nightmare. You’ll reach the Engine Room. This is the most complex part of the game’s navigation.
You have to sabotage the machine. To do this, you’re looking for the cooling pumps. The Manpigs are patrolling heavily here, and they have a wider detection radius than you’d expect. Turn your lantern off. Seriously. Even though you have infinite oil, the light is a "kill me" sign in these narrow metal corridors.
- The Fuses: You’ll find them in the Tesla coil rooms.
- The Valves: Usually located on the upper gantries.
- The Distraction: Throw a glass bottle to lead the pigs away from the door you need to reach.
The "Tesla" sections are visually stunning but mechanically simple. You just have to timing your movements between the electrical discharges. If the air smells like ozone and your screen starts flickering, stop moving. Wait for the cycle to reset.
Understanding the "Telepigs" and the Final Descent
Toward the end, you’ll encounter the Tesla-infused Manpigs. They flicker in and out of existence. Honestly, they’re more of a nuisance than a threat if you keep moving. The game shifts its focus here from "stealth" to "sprinting." The Chinese Room wanted to tell a story about the 20th century being a slaughterhouse, and the gameplay reflects that—it pushes you forward through the gore.
When you reach the "Temple" area, you’re essentially at the finish line. There are no more puzzles. It’s a long, narrative-heavy walk where the Machine—now a sentient, vibrating god—talks to you. It’s an incredibly bleak monologue about the coming horrors of World War I. Mandus has to make a choice, though the game only has one ending.
You’ll need to climb the central pillar. The stairs are broken in places, so watch your step. Once you reach the very top, the final interaction is just a series of levers and a seat. It’s a grim conclusion to a grim journey.
Essential survival tips for the Machine
A lot of players struggle because they try to play this like Resident Evil or even the original Amnesia. You can't fight. You can barely even hide.
Lighting is your enemy. The lantern is great for seeing where you're going, but it’s a beacon for the AI. Learn to navigate by the glow of the red emergency lights or the blue sparks of the machinery. Your eyes adjust to the dark fairly well in this engine.
Listen to the audio cues. The sound design in A Machine for Pigs is world-class. You can hear a Manpig’s heavy breathing through walls. If the music shifts to a low, rhythmic thumping, it means an enemy has spawned in your "zone."
Don't hoard items. There is no inventory. If you find a note, read it and move on. If you find a cog, you probably need to use it within the next thirty feet. It’s a very streamlined experience.
Strategic Action Steps
To successfully complete your run through the Machine, follow these specific tactical steps:
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- Toggle the Lantern: Map your lantern key to something accessible. You should be flicking it on for a split second to orient yourself, then turning it off immediately to move.
- Physical Distractions: In the factory levels, physically move crates or chairs into the path of the Manpigs. It doesn't stop them, but it creates a noise trigger that lets you know exactly where they are behind you.
- The "Crouch-Walk" Method: If you are within twenty feet of a Manpig, stay crouched. The AI in this game is heavily programmed to respond to footstep volume.
- Check Every Valve: If a door is locked, 90% of the time there is a steam valve nearby that needs to be turned to depressurize the lock mechanism.
- Use the Environment: Look for the glowing "Tesla" coils. They provide a brief window of light and safety, as the pigs generally avoid the electrical arcs.
Once you’ve navigated the cooling chambers and reached the final elevator, the game becomes a linear path to the finish. The real challenge is the mid-game factory floor. Focus on the sounds, stay out of the water, and don't let the flickering lights trick you into running when you should be crawling.