Steel Wool Studios really knows how to keep people guessing. When that first teaser dropped for Five Nights at Freddy's: Secret of the Mimic, the community basically went into a meltdown trying to figure out if this was a sequel, a prequel, or some weird side-step in the lore. Honestly, it’s a bit of all three. If you’re looking for a Secret of the Mimic walkthrough that actually makes sense of the chaos, you have to start with the setting. We’re moving away from the neon-soaked hallways of the Pizzaplex and heading back in time. Way back.
The year is 1979.
Most FNAF fans are used to the 80s aesthetic or the modern tech of Security Breach, but Secret of the Mimic takes us to the era of wood paneling and early animatronic experimentation. It’s gritty. It feels older. You aren't dealing with high-tech sensors here; you’re dealing with the raw, terrifying origins of a creature that has been pulling the strings of the franchise for years.
Finding the Mimic in the Workshop
Your journey starts in what looks like a neglected maintenance basement or an early version of a Fazbear workshop. Unlike previous games where you might have a flashlight and a prayer, the interactivity here is dialed up. You’ll notice the environment is littered with clues about the "Mimic program." Basically, the Mimic was designed to observe and repeat. It was supposed to be a shortcut for programming animatronics—teach it once, and it copies the rest.
But things went south. Fast.
As you navigate the opening rooms, you need to keep your eyes on the boxes. The Mimic isn't always a giant endoskeleton; it’s a shapeshifter. This is the core mechanic you need to master for any Secret of the Mimic walkthrough to be successful. It hides in plain sight. One minute you’re looking at a pile of discarded plushies, and the next, one of them has a metallic glint in its eye that wasn't there ten seconds ago.
Managing Your Tools
In this early 1979 setting, your tech is limited. You have to rely on audio cues more than ever. The Mimic sounds like things it isn't. It might mimic the sound of a radio, a crying child, or even the heavy mechanical breathing of a standard animatronic to lure you into a corner.
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Movement is slow. It’s heavy. You can’t just sprint through the workshop because the Mimic responds to vibration. If you move too fast, it pins your location instantly. The trick is to watch the shadows. Steel Wool has used dynamic lighting in a way that actually gives you a fighting chance, provided you aren't panicking. If a shadow looks slightly "off" or doesn't match the object it's attached to, back away slowly.
The Core Puzzle Loop
The game isn't just about hiding. You’re trying to shut down the Mimic's original control hub. This involves a series of environmental puzzles that require you to find "Memory Cylinders." These cylinders contain snippets of the Mimic’s early training data.
To get to them, you usually have to bypass a localized security system. This isn't the complex hacking of the Pizzaplex. It’s primitive. Think circuit breakers, manual levers, and literal keys. The difficulty spikes when you realize that the Mimic is learning from your puzzle-solving. If you take the same path through a room three times, the Mimic will predict your movement on the fourth.
You have to be unpredictable.
Why 1979 Changes Everything
For the longest time, lore hunters like MatPat (and now the new guard of theorists) debated when the Mimic was actually created. Seeing the "1979" date in the trailer wasn't just a stylistic choice; it was a lore bomb. This means the Mimic existed before the MCI (Missing Children's Incident). It was there at the very foundation of Fazbear Entertainment.
This changes how you approach the Secret of the Mimic walkthrough because you start seeing the "prototype" versions of characters we know. You might see early designs for Freddy or Bonnie that look… wrong. They’re uncanny. They have too many joints or eyes that look a little too human. This isn't just window dressing. These prototypes often act as "guards" for the Mimic, and you have to learn their specific patrol patterns to survive.
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Dealing with the "Jack-in-the-Box" Mechanic
One of the most terrifying parts of the mid-game is the Jack-in-the-Box. It’s a recurring motif. The Mimic has a strange affinity for it. In several segments, you’ll find yourself in a room where a music box is playing. You cannot let it stop. If the music stops, the Mimic loses its "tether" to its current form and can strike from anywhere.
It feels like a callback to the Puppet from FNAF 2, but it's more visceral. You aren't just clicking a button; you’re physically winding a crank while looking over your shoulder. It’s stressful. It’s claustrophobic. And it’s exactly what the game wants you to feel.
Survival Tactics for the Final Act
When you reach the final levels of the workshop, the Mimic stops playing games. It won't just hide; it will actively hunt. At this stage, your Secret of the Mimic walkthrough becomes a game of cat and mouse.
- Don't trust the voices. The Mimic will use the voices of characters you’ve "met" through the memory cylinders. If a voice is telling you to go through a door, it’s probably a trap.
- Check the vents. Even in 1979, the vents are a death trap. The Mimic can compress its body to fit into spaces that seem physically impossible.
- Use the flash. You eventually find a primitive camera flash. It doesn't kill the Mimic, but it "resets" its mimicry. It forces it back into its base endoskeleton form for a few seconds, giving you time to run.
The ending of the game (without spoiling the specific narrative beats) ties directly into the "Ruination" we saw in the Security Breach DLC. It bridges the gap between the creator, Edwin Murray, and the corporate entity that Fazbear Entertainment became.
The Secret to Perfection
To truly beat the game and see the "True Ending," you have to find all the hidden Faz-Tokens scattered in the 1979 environment. These aren't just collectibles. They unlock a final terminal that reveals the "Original Instruction" given to the Mimic.
A lot of players miss this because they're too busy running for their lives. But if you want the full story, you have to be meticulous. Look under the workbenches. Check the back of the posters. The game rewards curiosity, even if it usually punishes it with a jump scare.
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Actionable Steps for Your First Playthrough
First, go into the settings and turn the "Visual Audio" cues on if you're struggling. The 1979 soundscape is very dense, and it can be hard to distinguish the Mimic’s skittering from ambient building noise. Second, prioritize the "Stamina" upgrades if the game offers any branching paths in the workshop. Being able to sprint for just two seconds longer is often the difference between a game over and a narrow escape.
Finally, pay attention to the colors. The Mimic's eyes often glow a faint orange or red when it’s about to change form. If you see that glow, don't wait to see what it becomes. Just get out of the room.
The secret to mastering this game is realizing that the Mimic isn't just a monster. It’s an observer. It’s watching you play. It’s learning your habits. To beat the Secret of the Mimic walkthrough, you have to stop playing like a gamer and start playing like someone who is actually being hunted by a machine that knows your next move before you do.
Stay quiet. Stay fast. And for heaven's sake, don't open the box.
Immediate Next Steps:
- Map the Workshop: Spend your first 30 minutes just learning the layout of the primary basement. Knowing your exits is more important than finding items.
- Toggle Flashlight Discipline: Don't keep your light on. The Mimic is attracted to light sources in the dark 1979 environment. Use "flicker" bursts to check corners.
- Listen for the Click: Every time the Mimic changes shape, there is a distinct mechanical "click." If you hear it, stop moving immediately and scan the room 360 degrees.