Frictional Games' survival horror Amnesia: The Dark Descent is infamous for its mind-boggling puzzles — all of which require varying levels of brainpower. However, one of the toughest tasks isn't even classified as a puzzle but demands the same meticulous process.
The Entrance Hall is the only access route to the Laboratory, but while the easiest way is to circle around to the back of the castle and find the connecting door, the more challenging and favorable path is through the secret passageway inside the clock tower.
How To Get Into The Laboratory
In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the laboratory can be accessed via the Entrance Hall, but in order to gain access, the player must have obtained the six Orbs found in the six torture rooms — the Weight room, the Saw room, the Cradle room, the Wheel room, the Iron Maiden room, and the Brazen Bull room — that exist in the Choir and the Transept.
All the torture rooms have Orb pieces located inside them and some have ingredients for Agrippa's Potion. After obtaining the Orbs, Daniel will get captured in the Chancel, and only then — upon his subsequent escape from the Cells and encounter with the Shadow — will the quakes cause parts of the castle to collapse, thereby making the Laboratory accessible. It's worth mentioning that as soon as Daniel enters the Laboratory, his sanity will decrease.
Making Weyer's Tonic
Once inside the laboratory, Daniel will be tasked with creating Weyer's Tonic, a life-extending potion that Agrippa acquired in order to escape Brennenburg comprising three main ingredients: Tampter, Vitae, and Fungal Poison. Tampter is the saliva of the Kaernk (the water creature) that is obtained after the Kaernk devours some meat in the Cellar Archives. Vitae is essentially the byproduct of distilling the blood of a tortured human being. And finally, the fungus containing the poison gland can be found in the Choir, right before the entrance to the Brazen Bull torture chamber.
Once these ingredients have been obtained, head to the laboratory and complete the following steps in no particular order:
- Boil the blood on the burner to extract the Vitae.
- Place the jar under the vice.
- Put the poison gland in the vice and crank it until it is squeezed into the jar.
- Finally, put the jar under the contraption on the center table, and place the Tampter-covered bone inside the contraption.
- Weyer's Tonic is now complete.
After crafting Weyer's Tonic, it can be used to free Agrippa.
Dissolving The Organic Matter
There is another instance where the laboratory is needed. Daniel must collect four ingredients to combine to make an acidic solution and dissolve the wall of organic matter generated by the Shadow. After completing the Archives, the Wine Cellar — where the ingredients are stored — becomes accessible.
There are four chemicals to obtain — Orpiment, Aqua Regia, Cuprite, and Calamine — all of which can be found on the lower floor.
- The first chemical is in the room directly in front of the staircase.
- The second chemical is in the perimeter rooms on the right-hand side. It is located at the end of the perimeter room, on a shelf.
- Behind and to the left is a series of rooms used to imprison or kill workers. In the final room is a chemical.
- In the room to the left of the staircase, Daniel will find a chemical under some rocks. Picking up this chemical will cause an earthquake, thus blocking the door.
An apparatus in the Laboratory must be used to combine the four ingredients before the acidic solution is collected in the pot. When the solution is concocted, it can be used to dissolve a wall of organic matter in the Entrance Hall. Afterward, Daniel can progress through the game by heading to the Refinery.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is currently available on PC, macOS, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Linux, and Android.