You’re hovering over a neon-soaked platform in the Machine Learning level of Astro Bot, heart racing because that one final puzzle piece icon is still greyed out. It’s frustrating. Team Asobi loves hiding these things behind breakable glass or tucked under a literal cliffside you’d never think to jump off. Honestly, the Machine Learning stage—which serves as a massive, nostalgic love letter to Horizon Zero Dawn—is one of the most dense areas in the game.
It isn't just about the platforming. You're dodging robotic watchers and firing arrows at elemental canisters while trying to keep your eyes peeled for that distinct golden glow.
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Most players breeze through the combat, feeling like Aloy, but then realize they finished the stage with two out of three pieces. That sucks. You have to restart the whole damn level just to scour the tall grass again. Let’s get into exactly where these machine learning astro bot puzzle pieces are hidden so you can 100% this PlayStation masterpiece.
The First Piece: Don’t Outrun Your Eyes
The level kicks off with a heavy Horizon vibe. You get the bow. It feels great. You start picking off Watchers. Most people are so focused on the new mechanic that they sprint right past the first collectible.
About midway through the initial forest area, you’ll encounter a group of enemies near some breakable crates and tall, synthetic grass. Look toward the left-hand side of the main path. There’s a slightly elevated rock platform that looks like decorative scenery. It’s not.
If you jump up there and use your bow to clear out some of the foliage, you’ll see the first of the machine learning astro bot puzzle pieces floating right in the open. It’s "hidden" in plain sight, relying on your urge to move fast to keep it safe. Grab it.
I’ve seen people complain on Reddit that the hitboxes for the arrows can be finicky when trying to hit environmental triggers, but for this piece, you just need a standard double jump. No fancy trick shots required yet.
Navigating the Tall Grass and Scrappers
The second piece is the one that actually trips people up because it involves a bit of environmental destruction.
As you progress deeper into the Machine Learning level, you’ll reach an area with much thicker "tall grass" (the blue-tinted digital kind). There are Scrappers here. They hurt. Once you’ve cleared the mobs, don't follow the objective marker immediately.
Instead, look for a suspicious-looking pile of rubble or a crate tucked behind a large metal pillar. Usually, there’s a small wire or a "pull" mechanic involved. In Astro Bot, the haptic feedback on the DualSense is your best friend. If you walk over a certain patch of ground and the controller starts vibrating with a specific, rhythmic "thrum," stop.
Why You’re Missing the Hidden Pull-Tabs
Team Asobi uses haptics to signal secrets.
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- If the floor feels "gritty," there’s something underneath.
- If you hear a faint shimmering sound, look up.
- Use the laser feet. Always.
The second piece is specifically tucked inside a destructible container that requires you to use the bow to hit a target, which then lowers a platform. It’s a classic "A to B" puzzle. You hit the target, the platform drops, and you jump back away from the goal to find the piece tucked in a small alcove.
The Third Piece: The Shell-Walker Stash
The final stretch of the Machine Learning stage involves more verticality. You’re climbing, you’re shooting, and the music is swelling. It’s epic.
Near the end of the stage, before you hit the final boss encounter or the concluding platform, there’s a section featuring crates that look suspiciously like Shell-Walker cargo containers. One of these isn't like the others.
Look for the container that is slightly vibrating or has a golden spark emitting from the seams. You’ll need to use your bow to knock it down or break the latch. This is the third of the machine learning astro bot puzzle pieces.
Honestly, the hardest part about this one is the distraction. The game throws a few flying enemies at you right as you're supposed to be looking for the piece. It’s a classic bait-and-switch. Kill the flyers first. Take a breath. Look at the containers.
Why These Puzzle Pieces Actually Matter
You might think, "It’s just a puzzle piece, who cares?"
In Astro Bot, these pieces aren't just for trophies. They literally build the Crash Site. If you want the Safari Park, the Gold Statue, or the specialized DualSense skins at the home hub, you need these pieces. Missing one in Machine Learning means you're potentially 10 pieces away from unlocking a new building in the main plaza.
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Specifically, the pieces from this level contribute to the hardware-themed unlocks. It’s a meta-joke. Machine Learning = Building the machine.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring the Bow: You can use the bow to trigger things far off in the distance. If you see something shimmering a mile away, try to shoot it.
- Forgetting to Look Down: Astro can hover. Use that camera. Tilt it down while you're on high platforms.
- Skipping the "Tall Grass": Just like in Horizon, secrets are buried in the brush. Spin attack everything.
Getting That 100% Completion
Once you’ve grabbed all three, the icon in your pause menu will fill in. You don’t need to do anything special to "save" them; once they’re collected, they stay collected even if you fall off a cliff five seconds later.
The Machine Learning level is a masterpiece of level design because it forces you to use the bow for both navigation and secret hunting. It’s not just a weapon; it’s a key.
If you’re still struggling, check your haptic settings. If you’ve turned off vibration to save battery, you’re playing on hard mode. The controller literally tells you where the pieces are by vibrating harder when you're standing on a secret.
Next Steps for Completionists
- Check the Hub: Go back to the Crash Site and see if the pieces you just collected finished a blueprint.
- Spend Your Coins: While hunting pieces, you probably picked up 200+ coins. Hit the Gacha Lab.
- Replay for Bots: If you got the pieces but missed the Horizon themed bots (like the Aloy bot), use the bird-helper (the map drone) on a second run. It costs 200 coins but will point out the exact location of bots you missed.
Stop sprinting. Start looking at the walls. The developers spent thousands of hours hiding these things; the least you can do is spend five minutes finding them.
Actionable Insight: To ensure you never miss a piece in future levels, always perform a 360-degree camera spin every time you enter a new "sub-arena." Team Asobi almost always hides one collectible behind the entrance you just walked through.