Welcome to my walkthrough for Submachine 4: The Lab
Check out my other game walkthoughs, including all of the Submachine series, Samorost and the Crimson Room series at http://flanerie.org/games
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This walkthrough is presented sequentially and in a fairly wordy way so that you should be able to find the solution to the bit you are stuck on without accidentally seeing solutions for bits you haven't reached yet.
The Roof
You start on a roof and on-screen tips will guide you to find a hammer and work your way into the attic. Now you are on your own.
Examing the white coat to find some naphthalene, the go right to see a gramaphone. Up in the rafters above the gramaphone you will find a rubber tube. Right again finds a chair, a radio and a strange doo-hickey that you might recognise from Submachine 2: The Lighthouse. Down on the floor you find a chimney brush. Also on the chair is a tiny ball. This is the first of 21 secrets. They are of no significance to the main game, but add an extra challenge. Way down at the end of this walkthrough is a list of the 21 secrets, should you be missing a few.
Go left twice to reach the entry ladder, and left again to see a small drawer unit. Above it is a key on a hook. Left again reveals a locked door and a table with papers on it. Your shiny new key doesn't help here. Check under the table to find a gas handle.
Head back to the ladder and go up onto the roof. Use the chimney brush on the chimney and then head back to the fireplace that is where the gramophone is. A bunch of soot has come out and you can now get a door key.
This is the key you need to get out of the attic, so head on down.
The Lab
Go down two flights of stairs to reach the computer room. Go left to find the computer and interact with it be pressing the green button. Keep pressing it to create a conversation with Murtagh. Eventually you will get a sheet of notes on the printer, which contains vital information for the game.
Go right back past the stairs and on to an odd looking metal thing. Nothing can be done with this now, so go on right to the end of the room where you will find a lighter.
Back to the stairs and head down to find a beaker and then down again to the lower floor. There is a table with a couple of chairs. Pick up note 4 and note 5 from the table and have a read of them.
Go left and through the door to enter the bathroom. Pick up some soap and then commit a random act of vandalism by hitting the shower head with your hammer. No leave the bathroom and go right twice to find a table and a ladder. On the table is a CD. Go right again to reveal a locked door - this is where your shiny gold key can be used. Go through the door to find a bell, a control panel and some bars. This is the portal room that Murtagh referred to. You need to override the control panel somehow.
Head back left twice and go up the ladder. Pick up iron trioxide from the table, then go right to find an old fashioned bunsen burner. Here you can use a bunch of stuff - the gas handle and the rubber tube on the pipe, and the lighter to light the gas once to have turned the burner on. In theory you should be able to use the beaker here, but you need to fill it first.
So grab the screwdriver and head back up to the attic then on to the roof. If you go to the left end of the roof you will see a wheel attached to the wall. Use the screwdriver to undo it, grab the valve then head all the way back down and into the bathroom.
Place the beaker on the floor grill, attach the valve to the pipe, then turn it to get some water to come out of the vandalised shower head and into your beaker. Get the beaker back and return to the bunsen burner.
Now you can place the beaker on the burner, and you can add soap, iron trioxide and naphthalene to it (in that order). This will create acidioxide which you should pick up along with the empty test tube (tester)
Go back to the control panel in the portal room and attack it with the acidioxide. This will override it and lift the bar, and can now get to the portal and collect note 2
The Portal
Note 1 gave you seven portal locations. To jump to one, dial the number and press the button. The six other than the Lab are: Ancient Section (104), Looping Traps (690), Basement Section (529), Lighthouse Digouts (462), Tomb Traps (770) and The Ship (800).
All of these should be explored and you will always be able to get back to the Lab.
The initial explorations of each go as follows:
Ancient Section
Go right from the portal to find wooden steps down (and a symbol stuck to the wall). Go down the ladder to find a stone panel with four sliding buttons. You need to replicate the symbol using the sliders. For the symbol one room above, you need to move sliders 1, 3 & 4 (to reveal tile D). Go up and right from the panel to find another symbol (sliders 1, 2, 4) to get tile B. Back to the panel and left reveals another symbol (2, 3) to get a stone key, while right reveals yet another symbol (1, 4) to get a blocade. Also here is a knife and a bell like the one in the Lab portal room.
Down from the slider panel is a statue of a dog and a pattern on the wall. The tiles go into it, but you only have two of the four needed.
Head up twice (you are now to the right of the portal) and it looks like there should be a way up. In the wall above you is a square hole and a round hole. Use the stone key and brocade to fill these and a ladder will be lowered down.
Go up the ladder to find a statue of a horse. There is some loose stone beneath it which you can break with the hammer to get a secret.
Up again to find yet another symbol (1, 2, 3, 4) to get tile C and up again to get tile A - you will need to use the knife http://www.arcadetown.com/submachine4/gameonline.asp
Play Submachine 4 Game Online - Arcade Town .comto cut the string.
You can now complete the pattern on the wall above the dog statue. This reveals a button and when pressed a climbable column appears at the portal (which is up, up, left from where you are).
Up from the portal is a telescope and a coil plugged into an electrical thingumy. Looking through the telescope reveals nothing useful, so get the coil and go left to find another telescope, a huge lamp and note 3. The note refers to the coil needing recharging which smacks of a clue. Looking through the telescope again reveals nothing. Better get that coil charged.
You are now done with the ancient section for the moment so head off to the Looping Traps (690).
Looping Traps
This is a puzzle like those in Submachine 3. Wandering around will get you note 12, and all you can do now is solve the puzzle.
The solution is to use the machine to the left of the portal to select the coordinates of the rooms containing the flower-like thing. After selecting the coordinates press the button and the flower will have opened when you go to it (e.g. for the room directly about the portal, dial 0,1). The opened flower reveals a red button, press it to make it green. Rinse and repeat for the four flowers and the thing in the room above the dialling machine will now be active.
Move the circular glass screen to get yourself an orb.
Job done, off to the basement section (529)
Basement Section
Reminiscent of the very first submachine, this is where the coil is needed. In the portal room is a broken coil and a bit of exploring will reveal note 7, which mentions the orb you just found and also gives you coordinates to another location (551).
Right twice from the portal finds the coil charger. Plug it in, turn the handle then wait for it to glow, now take the fully charged coil back.
Go right and down to find a big scary looking machine. To the left and right of it are other machines with slots that look ripe for a charged coil. Use the coil to activate both machines (you will need to recharge it again) then activate the big machine to fire a laser. While doing all of that, make sure you pick up note 6.
With the laser working, follow its path up. It goes through the ceiling in the room with the metal arm. Use the CD to deflect the beam then go right to see where it ends up - straight over the plinth that has an image of the orb on it. Place the orb on the plinth and it will eventually break to give you a chest key.
Your job is done here but, as mother used to say, charge your coil before leaving.
Before going on to the Lighthouse, return to the Ancient Section with the charged coil. You can now activate the big lamp and see through the left-hand telescope. You will see a number scratched on the wall. Coordinates for a secret location perhaps.
Lighthouse Digouts
Head right to find a big pipe and right again to see a padlocked pump unit. You managed to hammer a padlock earlier, but not this time. Maybe it doesn't help that the pump is still going round.
Go back left beyond the portal to find note 8 and a table with four cubes on it. This matches up with the bells. Activate the four bells and this table will give you a secret. It is therefore not of consequence to the main story.
Left again reveals some ancient-style stones, but it appears to be a dead end. Oh well, try another location.
Tomb Trap
This one is all the way a dead end but it gives you note 13 and if you look very carefully at the walls it will reveal the coordinates of another location. Moving on...
The Ship
It's dark in here. Use the lighter to get the gas lamp working. Go left to find note 10 and a detonator that doesn't do anything. Right from the portal will get you another bell and a wall panel that can be opened with your screwdriver to get a secret.
Also behind that panel are a couple of wires. Cut them with the knife. Head back left and a ladder has dropped down. Head up to explore, but there is nothing else you can do here for now.
It is all a bit mysterious, but at least you picked up three sets of secret coordinates along the way.
551 Red Basement
Going left will find you note 11 and also the other end of the pipe you saw in the Lighthouse Digouts. Press the button to stop the flow.
Now go back to the Lighthouse Digouts to hammer the padlock and get yourself a turbine.
That turbine housing should look familiar. Didn't you see something like that on the ship? Head over there (800) and go up the ladders to place the turbine into the housing. You can now open the bars on the middle floor of the ship.
Through the bars you find note 14 and a chest. Note 14 gives you another set of coordinates - 728. Open the chest with the chest key to find an arm.
452 Gold But Armless
A small extension of the Ancient area and you will find a gold statue of a man with one arm. Now that's handy (sorry). Place your brand new arm onto the statue. Nothing happens, so instead go to...
043 Another Tomb
Going left twice finds you note 9 which talks about needing water. Hmm. Also, the fourth bell. Back right is a very large glowing something.
Better get some water. The bathroom in the Lab is the place to go, using the tester to collect it. Return to the glowing thing a drop some water on it to reveal a sceptre which looks like it would suit the gold statue with its new arm
Head on over to 452 and place the sceptre on the statue. It completes a circuit and you have finished the submachine challenge.
Except that you really should make sure you have all 21 secrets to get the bonus material. If you do decide to do that, make a note of the number on the wall before you head back into the game (596). When you have them all the secrets, use the only coordinates you didn't use, the ones in note 14.
Secrets
Lab
1. Attic, on chair far right
2. Stairs, one down from the attic, on floor
3. Computer room, under table
4. Computer room, inside big metal thing
5. Lower floor, room with stairs, under table
6. Lower floor, shower room, on floor
7. Bunsen burner room, under table
Ancient Section
8. Left from slider panel, on floor
9. Down from slider panel, dog's eye
10. Right and up from portal, under statue of horse
Looping Traps
11. Room beneath the portal, on floor
Basement Section
12. Coil recharger room, on electrical socket
13. Laser machine room, on floor
Lighthouse Digouts
14. Right of portal, on floor
15. Left of portal, activated by bells
The Ship
16. Portal room, on floor
17. Right of portal, behind wall panel
18. At the top of the second ladder
551 Red Basement
19. Near portal on floor
043 Another Tomb
20. Far left, on floor
End of Game
21. In the portal room
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Comments (43)
I can't get off of the roof : (
Posted by Morgana | May 6, 2007 1:57 PM
Posted on May 6, 2007 13:57
I'm at the ship and put the turbine in, yet when I press the button of that thing next to the bar, nothing happens...what's going on?
Posted by Gigio | May 6, 2007 10:04 PM
Posted on May 6, 2007 22:04
Never mind. I didn't close the lid...it works now.
Posted by Gigio | May 6, 2007 10:08 PM
Posted on May 6, 2007 22:08
hey i cant find the rubber tube inorder to connect the burner to the pipe..where is it?
Posted by chog | May 7, 2007 10:20 AM
Posted on May 7, 2007 10:20
The rubber tube is in the attic, one room to the right of the bottom of the ladder
Posted by Gerald | May 7, 2007 5:54 PM
Posted on May 7, 2007 17:54
Fantastic adventure, I enjoyed it a lot.
Many thanks and Congratulations
Posted by Zebek | May 8, 2007 9:57 PM
Posted on May 8, 2007 21:57
i finished the game then collected all the secrets. now im in the portal room in the lab looking at the exit but blocked off by bars. what do i do or where exactly do i go to use the secrets.
PLEASE HELP!!!!
Posted by cleric | May 10, 2007 5:47 AM
Posted on May 10, 2007 05:47
put the secrets in the wierd thing in 728
Posted by lauren | May 10, 2007 8:09 PM
Posted on May 10, 2007 20:09
There is no ladder in room 800
Posted by Peterasp | May 14, 2007 7:29 AM
Posted on May 14, 2007 07:29
There are really 22 secrets! in the lucky room in the top left corner on the light there is one more!
Posted by Darke | May 22, 2007 2:42 AM
Posted on May 22, 2007 02:42
Couldn't find the last secret. I'm searching all the locations.
Posted by Squeegy | May 24, 2007 2:56 AM
Posted on May 24, 2007 02:56
What do you do with the weird machine in the computer room in the lab?
Posted by zack | June 3, 2007 12:41 AM
Posted on June 3, 2007 00:41
i cant find my last secret
what big metal thing in the comp rooom???
omg i'm dying here!
Posted by Brandon | June 3, 2007 5:33 PM
Posted on June 3, 2007 17:33
Answers that werent given: click on the bottom of the screen to get off the roof,to get the ladder on the ship open the panel on the wall with the screwdriver and cut the 2 wires with the knife, there isnt 22 secrets count them again, put the charged coil in the machine(big metal thing :P) in the lab and turn the bottom screw by hand 2 get a secret, good luck!
Posted by Froggy | June 6, 2007 4:31 AM
Posted on June 6, 2007 04:31
There is 22 secrets. I used the one in the 'big metal thingy' and when I put it in the machine in 728 it said '0/-1.'
Posted by KayKay | June 9, 2007 12:15 AM
Posted on June 9, 2007 00:15
i got 20 secrets but i can't figure out how to activate those damn bells in the lighthouse digouts (room 469) to get the last one out! HELP!!! how do i activate'em????
Posted by sarah | June 11, 2007 11:23 AM
Posted on June 11, 2007 11:23
ok, i'm in the last room (room 728). read all the notes, gotten all the secrets, put them in that big secret collecting machine or whateva the hell it is... saw the typewriter... now what??! i figured, maybe i should brake the lock on the fan, but turns out i couldn't! the hammer won't work! so realy, NOW WHAT????!!!
Posted by sarah | June 11, 2007 11:34 AM
Posted on June 11, 2007 11:34
Hah... the 'big metal thing' it says isn't in the computer room. To get to the 'Big metal thing' go to the computer room. Go right 2 rooms. The 'Big metal thing' needs electricity from a charged coil. Pt the coil into the slot with a bolt beside it and manually release the bottom bolt (no need for the screw driver) to release the hammer concealing a secret. If you caught the one in the endzone, there are actually 22. I missed the 22nd one :(
Posted by sam | June 12, 2007 3:58 AM
Posted on June 12, 2007 03:58
Cool game! I collected all secrets (thanks to this walkthrough) and i think typewhriter is the end of all game! So good luck to all new challengers!
Posted by JackUs | June 12, 2007 12:44 PM
Posted on June 12, 2007 12:44
I can't find the last secret!!!
Posted by Emma511 | June 12, 2007 6:31 PM
Posted on June 12, 2007 18:31
i liked the game but its kinda stupid with the secrets only letting u look at pictures and read stuff about someones life.
Posted by spida man! | June 19, 2007 3:42 AM
Posted on June 19, 2007 03:42
ok, i'm in the last room (room 728). read all the notes, gotten all the secrets, put them in that big secret collecting machine or whateva the hell it is... saw the typewriter... now what??! i figured, maybe i should brake the lock on the fan, but turns out i couldn't! the hammer won't work! so realy, NOW WHAT????!!!
Posted by tim | July 6, 2007 3:08 AM
Posted on July 6, 2007 03:08
The last secret is in 728 in the orange window/light thing. then you put all 21 in the thing on the right to open the gate to see some pictures.
Posted by Bill | July 12, 2007 9:23 PM
Posted on July 12, 2007 21:23
urm im really stuck i have 20 secrets but i cant find the last one. Ive found the one in the light int he last room but i cant get back to the lab. Please tell me how i can get back to the lab.
Sam xXx
Posted by Samantha | July 20, 2007 9:25 PM
Posted on July 20, 2007 21:25
Im in the ship (800) where the heck are the ladders?
Posted by Erin | July 31, 2007 3:24 PM
Posted on July 31, 2007 15:24
what orange light window thing in 728? can't find the last one
Posted by yoon | August 12, 2007 8:03 PM
Posted on August 12, 2007 20:03
cant seem to get the secret which is uner the statue of horse in ancient location-104. how do i get that secret??????
Posted by STUCK | October 10, 2007 2:30 AM
Posted on October 10, 2007 02:30
Many Thanks.
Posted by Minchi | November 29, 2007 12:40 AM
Posted on November 29, 2007 00:40
how do you get the gas thing underneath the table in the attic the hand doesn't change to a clickable area and I have tried clicking everywhere up, under, around etc. and I can't get a gas thing.
Posted by Tiffany | December 12, 2007 9:49 AM
Posted on December 12, 2007 09:49
Tiffany: What is a "gas thing"?
STUCK: Use the hammer, silly.
yoon: You aren't looking carefully. It's in the top left corner of the room you appear in... HOWEVER..
Bill: ..it is NOT the 21st secret, but the 22ND.
Tim: What? You wanted your head to explode or something?
Posted by Nel | February 1, 2008 9:48 PM
Posted on February 1, 2008 21:48
hoe do you overide the control pannle
Posted by bob | February 4, 2008 7:42 PM
Posted on February 4, 2008 19:42
i cant find the wheel on the wall
Posted by ara | February 5, 2008 3:51 AM
Posted on February 5, 2008 03:51
i find the 21 secrets but i don't find the last one i'm in the 728 room i put the 21 secrets in that thing now what can i do????
tefa
Posted by tefa | February 22, 2008 3:57 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 15:57
hehe, i've found 22 secrets
Posted by onemore | February 22, 2008 4:15 PM
Posted on February 22, 2008 16:15
Found all the secrets, in the secret end room but I cannot get through the bars. I thought I had to put my charged coil in there, but that didn't work.
Posted by Shea | February 24, 2008 12:02 AM
Posted on February 24, 2008 00:02
Now I got through to the section where the author is showing off his photos, but I can't get anywhere from here!
Posted by shea | February 24, 2008 12:05 AM
Posted on February 24, 2008 00:05
Hey,if its not to much trouble could you like...
um tell me where the FRIGGING plastic tube is for
goodness sake!?!Jesus!
-sincerely,
Sydnie
Posted by Sydnie | February 24, 2008 3:55 PM
Posted on February 24, 2008 15:55
How do you go right to get the screwdriver?
Posted by Person | March 12, 2008 4:29 AM
Posted on March 12, 2008 04:29
can you open the propeller holder in the bonus section near the third photo or not
Posted by Jacob Queen | April 19, 2008 3:19 AM
Posted on April 19, 2008 03:19
Yay! I finished! There are 22 Secrets.
Posted by Penelope | April 25, 2008 12:49 AM
Posted on April 25, 2008 00:49
This is a very hard game i couldnt of done it with out the walthrough hehe but i still dont understand where the secret location after i have all the little blue secrets. please can some one write back. the secret white room that you end up in at the end of the game the cordinats is 5-9-6.
i have help all you to the last room of game please can some one help me thanx :) <3
Posted by bella | May 24, 2008 4:15 PM
Posted on May 24, 2008 16:15
Help! The soap won't go into the Bunsen Burner! I don't know what I'm doing wrong! :S
Posted by Sheridan Le Fanu | June 1, 2008 3:59 PM
Posted on June 1, 2008 15:59
that is so stupid it has 22 secrets and all it shows you is pictures of the creaters life there is no point in this game i thought you said it was a special thing (it is SO GAY!!!)
Posted by person that beat the game | July 4, 2008 2:56 AM
Posted on July 4, 2008 02:56