A parallel world, an alien technology, a sinister foe... Crank up the computer and break out the aspirin. There’s some puzzles in this one that’ll make you wish it was just another Myst. But don’t worry, these tips should get you past the toughest parts...
Lighthouse

Getting into the lighthouse is a cakewalk. Make sure you’ve got the lighter, keys, umbrella, and satchel from your house before you go. The lighthouse key is hidden exactly where you’d expect it, and there’s a nice hefty crowbar in the shed.

Study

Make sure you get the toy bird, shells, gems, letter opener, and notes from the desk. Open the safe (combination 5-18-28) to get the journal. The puzzle box in the desk won’t be so easy to open. It has four faces (two more than the average political candidate!), each of which needs to be solved before you can get the crystal bottle hidden inside. The toughest of these is the sliding-piece puzzle... remember the frustration that one caused when you were a kid? Fortunately, this time there’s a little Easter egg you can use to bypass it. Just exit back and forth from the desk view to the puzzle view several times, and a small "Solve It?" dialog will pop up. (It’s built into the game, so it’s not cheating. Right?) You won’t be able to open the last face yet.

Kitchen/Bedroom

Get the compass, notes, and baby bottle from the kitchen. If Amanda is in the crib, give her the bottle. Get the toy soldier, notes, and alarm clock from the bedroom. If you trigger the kidnapping sequence, do not dive through portal like a complete idiot.

Lab

The door combination is 8-24-96 (this looks like a date to me... any bets on whether it Means Something to one of the programmers?) Crowbar fans, you’re about to have some fun. That hefty piece of iron will get you into the silver trunk and through the ceiling trapdoor, so bash away. As always, pick up everything that isn’t nailed down. You’re going to have to repair some damaged equipment here, and remember to solder your wires.

The Other Side

Make sure to grab some rocks, the weirdly shaped piece of metal from the end of the pier, and the message-in-a-bottle. Head for the tower. To get past the mechanical hawk, wind up the toy bird, and use it to start the clock.

The Roost

Yuck, "mort deco." That dead guy might not be scenic, but he has an amulet you’ll need. There’s also a lot of stuff in the desk that you’ll want to get, but beware! (I’ve always wanted to say that!) You’ll have real problems if you don’t open the nearly hidden drawer (under the right side of the tabletop) first. There’s a key in there which will lock the windows and keep the birdman out. Also in the desk, you’ll find a key, whistle, throttle, and Ion part (behind the vases). In the cluttered drawer, move everything and grab the spring.

The Workshop

Bouncing a couple of rocks off the birdman and the door lever should get you in. Close and lock the window. Get the radio, the weird wrench thing, and the assorted bolts. The swing arm contraption (highly technical terms here) on the lab table will open the radio. Once you’ve replaced the broken spring, take the radio upstairs and use it to lower the ladder.

Bat Hanger

The allen wrench from the table will help you get the bat down from the ceiling. The gears and crank can be added to the crank base to wind up the bat, 14 turns clockwise. Don’t take off yet, go downstairs.

Submarine

Use the crane to stack the two weights on the platform, then pull the hook. Extend and latch the bridge. (Woohoo! Free sub!) The throttle from the Roost goes on the control console. Flip switches 4,1, and 6. Go to the engine room to activate the engine. Return to the console room and flip 1 and 3. Go to ballast controls. Flip both switches. Turn the left wheel. As the water reaches the second red line, turn the right wheel. Flip switch 2 and go to the navigation console. Check the map for coordinates, then program the console with those coordinates. Go back to the control room and punch that throttle!

The Wreck

Close hatch and disengage pod. Throw the ballast switch (to the right of the main controls). Go right three times, then forward. Throw ballast switch again. Right twice. Place the arm just below the pulley, then use the arm. Throw the ballast switch. Left twice, forward, left twice, forward, ballast, left. Move the wood away from the safe. Left once, place arm just below hole to move wood. Position arm near bottom center of safe (slightly right), to open safe. Get Ion part. Go back to the sub and set course for the other highlighted location on the nav display.

Island Fortress

Take in a little fishing. Remember to raise the fans before you release the fan brake. Saw two long pieces of wood and eight short pieces of wood. Hang the fish on the hook above the statue room. Wait until the monster goes into the right-hand tower before you build your bridge.

Foundry

Pyromaniacs rejoice. Wood and coal make a scorching hot forge! Leave cauldron of metal bars in furnace for at least 30 seconds before removing. Finished mold will produce an ornithopter part. On the roof, position and load the cannon. The monster must be reaching for the fish when you fire.

Ornithopter Loft

Get key and go back to statue for Ion part. Repair ornithopter wing, turn it to face outside, and wind it. Climb in and launch!

Temple

When talking to Liryl, show her the note from the bottle and give her trinkets. To open the egg, click right chimes, left, right, left. Flip both levers, lower bar, raise coil, click left chimes, right, left, right. Take the CD to history room and watch it. When the birdman attacks, move the electromagnet over him, and drop it when Liryl backs him up. Once he’s trapped, talk to Liryl again.

Room of Ancient Machines

Get the circuit board, blueprint, and Ion part. The two "ram’s horns" on the main console will give you the coordinates for the Dark Domain.

Dome

The portal console is a three-tiered nightmare. Turn on power, then use tuner to view Lighthouse’s study. Press button to lock location. In the targeting screen, use right adjustment knobs first, then left ones to center crosshairs on circle. Don’t use power booster lever. Wait until the needle on the dial reaches red line before flipping main switch.

Lighthouse

Use amulet and gems on puzzle box. Solve last face to get Ion part. Restart portal machine and enter portal. Find your sub and pilot it to 22.01N 119.11W.

Dark Domain

The bolt cutters from train toolbox will open the gate. At the roundabout, pull lever next to switch box to raise train to upper level.

Machine Room

Ignore Amanda, you can’t help her right now (child labor laws haven’t been invented here). Use right wheel and lever on control box to raise train gate.

Thermal Power Chamber

Use umbrella on walkway, flip latch to lock. Flip lever at end of walkway. Enter and lower bathysphere. Solve valve puzzle and get Ion part. Turn valves back to original settings before returning to surface.

Machine Room

Now it’s time to rescue Amanda. Use umbrella on metal panel to lock it open. Right steam valve turns on magnet crane. Use crane to pick up light-colored ore rock and drop it on cage lever.

Boulder Puzzle

Don’t bother with this one, it leads to an unsatisfactory game ending.

Switch Puzzle

Use the hexagonal bar and the toolbox’s wrench to fix the switch, then back train up and switch tracks. At the end of the line, bore a hole in the wall.

Unfinished Chamber

Last Ion part is on workbench. Scrutinize blueprint before assembling Ion Cannon. Pieces can be rotated, and some have movable parts that allow them to lock together. Get rock hammer from train toolbox. Combine dynamite from toolbox with circuit board and alarm clock to make time bomb.

Being’s Room

Fire at Dark Being just after he inserts power modulator but before he can toggle any of the portal controls. Spin left wheel a couple of times. Pull lever next to wheel. Pull small lever. Spin crank three times. Pull floor lever to start portal. Put brain cap on Krick. Set dial to second dot from top and shock him three times. Use hammer on trunk to get blueprints. Give blueprints and Amanda to Krick, and escape through the portal before the bomb goes off!