Solve Contrast's trickiest puzzles and see the story's conclusion with this guide!

The third and final act of Contrast has some of the game's toughest puzzles. You'll not only need a firm grasp of how the game's shadow physics work, but the ability to guess how they might work in a given situation. Some of these challenges took us a while to figure out... but figure them out we did.

Related: Contrast: Act One Walkthrough

If you're stuck in Vincenzo's workshop or the lighthouse, that's understandable - Act 3 is much harder than the previous two. Follow this guide, and you'll see the credits roll in no time.

Immediately after Act 2 concludes, you'll find yourself standing in front of Didi and an open gate. Approach her and follow her until you reach the entrance to Vincenzo's workshop. Didi will mention the need for Luminaries, so before you proceed look to the right of the entrance for a Luminary within easy reach.

Climb the stairs across from the workshop entrance, then keep going straight until you come to the area behind the circus tent from Act 2 - you'll see a Luminary there. Pick it up, then return to the workshop. Use the 2 Luminaries to power Vincenzo's Amazing Solar Machine, then activate it with the switch nearby.

To proceed, you'll need to use the shadows cast by the Solar Machine to get a cannonball to the second floor - visible in the top right while operating the contraption.

Position the machine so that it creates a shallow ramp near the right side of the screen - the planet with multiple moons but no rings is best for this, as it has a protrusion that ends up near the floor.

Pick up the cannonball and shift into the wall with it, placing it at the top of the ramp you've created - you may need to adjust the machine slightly to allow yourself to get onto the ramp without jumping.

Return to the controls (quickly, as if the ramp's incline is too steep the cannonball will roll off) and rotate the machine clockwise. The cannonball should fall out of the shadows and onto the second floor landing.

Rotate the machine so that the rings with the puppet are underneath the landing. Shift onto the wall and climb to the landing, using Shadow Dash to pass through the rings.

Carry the cannonball into the next room and place it in the machine. After the cutscene, hop down to the ground floor and use the shadow of the bells to climb over the mechanical band.

After clearing the drums, you'll be in a previously-inaccessible room on the opposite side of the building. Proceed down the stairs, where you'll find a movable spotlight. There is also a door nearby that brings you back to the previous room and saves you the trouble of having to platform your way back.

Move the spotlight near the center of the room so that the gear shadows are large on the stairs. Also, pay attention to the shadow platforms in the top left - you'll need to be able to make a long jump to reach the elevator switch.

Climb the stairs to the point where you can enter the gear shadows. Time a jump so that you can fit through the gap in the middle gear and use it to reach the far side. This jump is precise, so it might take a few tries and some slight repositioning of the spotlight.

Jump across to the shadow of the statue and use it to reach the shadow platform to the left. After clearing the last jump to the reset button, press it. A cutscene will play as Didi enters the secret area above the Solar Machine.

After the cutscene, more lights will have turned on, revealing the shadow of a man sweeping. Climb the shadow of the telescope to reach his head, and use him to jump across to the landing above. In the next room, open the two doors on your left to easily return here if needed. Go up the stairs and open the door at the top; you'll find yourself on the upper level of the Solar Machine.

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The wall to your left now has shadows you can use to follow Didi - jump towards the wall so that you can shift in after clearing the columns, as they will sometimes force you out if you hit them wrong. If you fall, go through the door you just opened on the lower level and climb back up the stairs to try again.

Once you're inside the hidden workshop, walk to the far end to see a cutscene between Didi and Vincenzo, after which you'll return to the street outside.

Meet Didi at the spot where she asked for directions earlier - facing away from the workshop, turn left then go down the street until you see the stage on your right. When you approach the stage, a cutscene will trigger.

Once the cutscene ends, walk directly away from the stage toward the lighthouse in the distance. When you reach the lighthouse door, Didi will turn the power on. Shift onto the wall to your right to bypass the door and enter the building.

Interact with the switch on the left side of the room to activate the spotlight. It begins focused on a lens, which sends power to the second floor, causing the spotlight above to slowly move across the room. Interact with the spotlight, and you can change its focus. Move the beam up and over the lens to the left (if you focus the beam on the lens it will automatically lock on and force you to start over moving it).

Focus the beam on the crate directly across from you. Jump over the Void to the island the crate is on, pick it up, and shift into the wall. Leave the crate in the shadows, and return to the spotlight.

Moving the beam will carry the shadow of the crate along with it. Carefully maneuver the crate to the left, making sure not to get it too close to any of the cracks in the wall; these will cause it to shift out of the shadows prematurely.

When the crate is as far to the left as it will go, move the beam down to bring the box back to the physical world. Focus the beam back on the lens to reactivate the moving spotlight above, then go grab the crate.

Place the crate on the plate in the back left corner to lower the stairs to the second floor. Climb the stairs and wait for the spotlight to reach you. When it does, shift onto the wall and follow the spotlight's movement to the next platform. Once there, shift out, pick up the crate, and shift back in to carry the crate across the chasm using the rail shadow projected by the spotlight.

Place the crate on the plate once you're across the gap, then jump back down to the first floor - it's faster to just run back up the stairs than to wait for the spotlight to come back around. Continue counter-clockwise up the stairs you've just lowered to reach the third floor. Follow the scaffolding all the way around and press the button at the end to lower the lighthouse controls and access the fourth floor.

At the top of the stairs, the scene will change to the lighthouse control room. Activate the switch on your right as you enter the room to start shutters opening and closing in order. Climb to the top of the half-staircase on your left and wait for the nearest shutter to open. Shift onto the wall while the light is on, and quickly Shadow Dash across the panels until you reach the other side. If you miss your opportunity, press the button again to reset the sequence.

After reaching the other side, shift out of the shadows and jump up to the next floor. Here, there are two emitters that the light can be focused through, but only one can be active at a time; activating the other will turn the first off, and vice versa. Start by activating the first emitter you encounter; it will project the shadows of moving gears on the wall. Use the shadows to climb up and to the right, reaching the level above. On your left will be some scaffolding outside the lighthouse - climb down until you're standing near a crate just outside the emitter room. Approaching the doors inside will open them, allowing you to enter and leave freely - the crate, however, will not fit through the door.

Use the spotlight to illuminate the wall across from the door, then pick up the crates. Shift with the crate into the wall and leave the crate in the shadows. Use the spotlight to carefully move the crate left, up, and to the right so that it will reappear on the platform above. This may take a few tries to get right. If the crate falls, it will respawn next to the door. Once the crate's shadow is in place, focus the beam down and to the right to have it catch the lens. This will power the spotlight to the right.

Use a ledge climb to reach the level above you and to the right, and position the spotlight over the rotating wall. When the wall is fully lit, there should be a consistent shadow running left to right. Grab the box and use this shadow to cross the gap. You'll need to enter the rotating section of the wall the moment it is in place to have enough time to cross.

Bring the crate inside and drop it on the plate. Return to the spotlight that made your bridge just now and refocus it up and to the left, activating another lens. When the plate is held down and the lenses lit, the top section of the lighthouse will be illuminated. You can climb back up using ledge hang, so don't worry about losing the shadow bridge.

Now it's time to take a leap of faith - stand near the railing casting new shadows on the wall, and leap across the void, shifting when you hit the wall. The jump is easiest to make if you stand on the railing itself, but it's very narrow. Once you've made it, jump up the pipes to the left and wait for the hanging bar to come around. When the low end is closest to you, Shadow Dash through the rope shadow, run to the other side, and Shadow Dash again to reach the stairs opposite. Shift out and walk to the end of the platform to trigger a shadow play on the walls in front of you. After Didi's shadow leaves, jump across the gap and shift into the new shadows to follow her to the left.

On the other side of the wall, another shadow play will trigger - climb Johnny's arm and jump onto Didi's head when she appears. Keep going to the end of the scaffolding and shift into the wall when the lights change.

Shadow Dash through the barriers, then shift out to trigger another light change. Shift back into the wall and jump towards the shadow wall to your left. Shadow Dash through it, even though you can't see what's on the other side - you'll land on another scaffolding. Walk to the left, and climb the shadow stairs.

On the next platform, use the shadows of the characters to jump to each consecutive platform. These shadows stay in place once they're in position, so they don't take as much timing as other shadow play challenges you've seen. If the next shadow doesn't trigger, try shifting out when you're over solid ground to force a light change.

If you fall during this segment, you'll be stuck even if you land safely - the game won't reset the shadows to help you back up. If this happens, jump into the Void and you'll reset at the last shadow you triggered.

Once you reach the top, after the second flight of shadow stairs, jump across to the ledge hang on the left. Pull yourself up, and the wall will fall over, revealing your path forward. Climb the floating toys and objects to the top of the lighthouse. Once there, go to the other side and activate the controls. Focus the lighthouse's beam on Vincenzo's stage (down and to the right). You'll automatically be returned to the street outside the lighthouse.

Go straight ahead to meet Didi back at the stage and watch Vincenzo's show. Afterward, follow Didi backstage. Ride up the elevator with the family, then walk out over the stage to complete the game.

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