Layers of Fear 2023: Actor's Story Layers of Fear 2023 guide, walkthrough
The last act of the game tells the story of an actor tormented by memories. It takes place on board a transatlantic liner. On this page of the guide you will find a full description of the passage of this part of the game.
Last update: 30 June 2023
On this page, you can find a complete walkthrough for the final act of Layers of Fear (2023) titled Actor's Story. We show how to complete puzzles and overcome various obstacles preventing you from progressing to the further chapters of the story.
The walkthrough presented on this page shows only one of the exemplary ways to complete the stages. Depending on your decisions, your experience may differ slightly. Nevertheless, these changes usually mean a few of the minor interactions altered and some room layouts changed from their original state. The general structure of levels and puzzles remains unchanged.
- Return to the Lighthouse
- Cabin
- Chapter 1
- Padlock Puzzle
- Armchair Puzzle
- Flashlight
- Safe Puzzle
- Chapter 2
- Gray Room Puzzle
- Machine Room Puzzle
- Chapter 3
- Snout Puzzle
- Shadows Puzzle
- Chase sequence
- Writer Revisited
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
Return to the Lighthouse
You're back to the Lighthouse, and as Writer, the next step is to choose what part of the story to play next. If you would like to experience the story of the painter's daughter, simply interact with the book lying on the dresser on the right side of the typewriter.
If you want to seamlessly proceed to the next arc of the current story, go to the room with the rat queen painting, and then sit at the typewriter. This will begin The Actor's story.
Cabin
The story begins with you appearing in a luxury cabin on a ship.
Proceed similarly as with the painter's mansion, and spend some time exploring and collecting various finds.
When you are ready, go to the cinema room located on the first floor of the room. To begin the adventure, interact with the projector.
Chapter 1
Follow the path laid out by the game. At a certain point, the game will introduce you to a new mechanic - crouching, activated by pressing CTRL.
When you come across a blue sphere, push it to begin an interactive sequence.
Padlock Puzzle
As you reach the room with a locked door, approach the bird cage and interact with it. After a moment, a buoy will fly into the room through the ceiling - look through the created hole in the ceiling and you'll see the code for the padlock. The code is 9-4-4.
Armchair Puzzle
- As you enter a room dressed like a movie plan, make the floor move by using the lever on the wall.
- By using the long pole on the other side of the wall, you'll slow down or completely stop the rotation of the platform.
- By pressing the red button, you'll lower the hanging armchair.
- Your task is to stop the rotation of the platform in the right moment so the lowered armchair will land exactly in the area marked in white.
This puzzle requires some precision - getting the platform to place right takes some trial and error. To make it easier, place yourself exactly below the armchair, and then assess how much more rotation the platform needs.
Successful completion of the puzzle is marked by a passage opening in the wall on the left.
Flashlight
You'll enter a black-and-white sequence - approach the suitcases, and in one of them, you'll find a flashlight. Using it is similar to the lantern from Act I of the game - you activate the beam by pressing RMB, and focus the beam by pressing LMB.
Same as the lantern, the flashlight can overheat. If overheated, the item will be unusable for a few seconds.
The flashlight is also used to set chosen puppets in motion. Test it out by focusing the light on the mannequin emitting a delicate glow.
In the next corridor, your task is to activate the lights using a large lever, then escape from one of the lights following you. To run, press SHIFT.
Safe Puzzle
After entering the room with the mannequins, focus the light on the mannequin sitting by the desk. This will unlock a card with the code that is inputted into a safe a few corridors ahead. The code is 10-80-40.
To be able to continue in the locked cinema room, set the door slide on the projector which will materialize after approaching the screen.
After you enter the room with the manequinns, you'll have to choose which mannequin to shoot. The ending of the Act will be affected by your choice.
Follow the path. At some point, a formless phantom will appear before you. Similarly to the phantom from the first Act, to eliminate him, you need to focus the beam of your flashlight on him.
After the sequence with the metal doors, the game will take you back to the protagonist's cabin. This is the end of Chapter 1. To start the next chapter, interact with the projector on the first floor.
Similarly to the main hall and the workshop of the residence from Act I, the cabin serves as a hub that stores all your found collectibles. This is also a place where you will return between chapters.
Chapter 2
Follow the path laid out, and then jump into an elevator shaft. You'll find yourself in the engine room.
- Set the power to the field marked with a cross.
- Go to the adjacent room and reconnect the cables.
- Opposite the cables, there is a lever that you need to pull.
The electric gate in the machine room can be deactivated by pressing the red button. You need to get through the gate right away, as it turns off only for a few seconds.
Gray Room Puzzle
In the gray cinema room, your task will be to properly manipulate the slides to create functional doors from them.
- Set the door slide on the projector and approach the screen. The door will materialize.
- Now select a slide with handles so it is materializes.
- Finally, choose the keys slide so the key is created. You can now pass through the pathway you've created.
To enter the next room, enter the nearby room and focus the light on the mannequin. The needed code for the padlock will appear on the other side of the board. The combination is 7-9-0.
Machine Room Puzzle
In the machine room, your task is to create a pattern consisting of 3 rings and an arch. The lever on the left allows switching between rings, while buttons rotate them. The correct alignment should look like this.
In the puzzle featuring a dial and numbers, you need to choose the right numbers which when added together, create the number seen on the right. For instance:
Start with 11, then 10 9 1 = 31
Begin with the largest numbers and go down from there. Smaller ones will be used to finish the equation.
Follow the indicated path. After reaching the machine room of the ship, once again choose the "DEAD SLOW" option (marked with a cross).
In the room with slides, choose the one featuring a ventilation shaft. Go inside.
At a certain point, the mysterious voice will once again command you to choose one of the possible paths. Your choice affect the ending.
After the sequence with the mountain of gold, once again set the engine power to the option marked with a cross. Soon after, you'll need to run quickly through a series of rooms that are filled with white light that hurts you.
The key to success in this sequence is timing and skillful hiding behind covers.
To cross the seemingly deadly chasm, activate the reflector with the nearby lever, and then walk across on the beam of light.
In the room with the bathtub, place the cable ending inside the tub.
The end of the chapter is near, but there is still a chase sequence featuring a demon emerging from a TV set before you. Beware, for this version of the monster cannot be destroyed with light.
Chapter 2 is concluded - go to the upper floor of the cabin to start the next one.
Chapter 3
After collecting all the body parts from the room behind the kitchen, add them to the pot boiling over the fire.
Snout Puzzle
After collecting the picture of a snout from the screen in the bedroom, you can place it on the sculpture, or the mannequin hanging over the bed.
- Start by putting it on the mannequin. Approach the house of cards and take the Ace from it.
- Once again place the snout on the mannequin and put back the necklace on the podium on the right side of the room. Finally, remove the snout and place it on the mirror.
- Remove the snout and place it on the sculpture. Put the Ace on the left mannequin, which will open the case with the necklace. Take the necklace.
- Start by putting it on the mannequin. Approach the house of cards and take the Ace from it.
- Once again place the snout on the mannequin and put back the necklace on the podium on the right side of the room. Finally, remove the snout and place it on the mirror.
In the basement, your task is to find 4 mannequin heads and place them in a wooden chest.
During the acting scene in the nursery, you can shoot at the stuffed animals, or at the sister standing on the board. Your choice will affect the ending.
In the office, you need to find 3 metal elements and connect the cable with the current source near the desk and press a button. During the rocket sequence, use A and D to avoid colliding with incoming objects.
Shadows Puzzle
In the bathroom, your goal is to help a shadowy plant unfold. To accomplish this, you must perform a series of actions in several rooms (you can move between them by looking through the keyholes).
- Turn off the fan.
- Turn on the water, but only in 1 faucet.
- Turn off the radio and turn on the tap.
Interact with the flowerpot after each action.
Chase sequence
In the sequence concluding Chapter 3, your task will be to run through a labyrinth avoiding a deadly white flame. Show patience and run only when the flame passes your hiding place. Here, illuminated tree boughs will be useful, as the deadly ray won't reach them.
Writer Revisited
You're back to the Writer. After a short, linear sequence, you'll be able to return to the actor.
From this point, you can once again initiate the story of the painter's daughter or the musician by picking up the books found in Writer's room.
Chapter 4
Navigate through the corridors. Be careful, because at some point the gravity and perspective will start playing tricks on you.
In the red room, rotate the board a bit. At some point, the inscription "LEMON" will appear on it, and a lemon will fall from the ceiling.
In the dark corridor, you'll need to escape a pursuing phantom. Be careful, as during this sequence, you cannot kill the demon permanently, only slow it down. Sequence ends after reaching a coffin and closing it down.
Upon arriving at a gruesome tunnel full of mannequins, your task is to get out of it without taking your eyes off the red light. You can do that by walking backwards.
In the red cinema room, choose the slide with a glow. After approaching the screen, you'll be taken to a small lighthouse.
After tearing the hearts of all mannequins, you'll receive a key that can open the small door of the lighthouse.
In the flooded corridor, you have a decision to make that will directly affect the ending you'll receive. You can listen to the voice and let yourself be carried away by the current, or you can resist it and continue towards the burning glow.
In the next sequence, your task is to free some rats from cages located in neighboring rooms. Most cages open after performing a simple action. Problem arises with the office cage - to open it, you need to place the head and hand of a mannequin on the scale. Choose the appropriate body parts on the screens in the room.
After releasing the rats, a ladder will appear in the rain-drenched corridor.
Another short sequence will take you back to the cabin, this time flooded with water. This is the end of Chapter 4.
Chapter 5
This chapter mostly leads you through a series of linear corridors and rooms with occasional escape from a shapeless phantom. In one of the initial rooms, your task will be to rotate the board several times, which will open a passage right behind it.
Upon arriving at the room with the projector, move the slide strip a few times.
In the room with the steel door, move the lock in such a way that its glowing elements point toward you. It is important to perform this operation in one go, as interrupting the procedure will cause the mechanism to return to its starting position.
After several linear sequences, you'll reach the conclusion of the story.