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MADiSON is the name of a first-person survival horror game with puzzle elements and a myriad of atmospheric scares. Fans of P.T. will enjoy MADiSON's suspenseful experience, but not without some difficulty limitations.
For example, MADiSON comes with an optional difficulty choice that varies the gameplay hints and enemy difficulty from easy to hard and even higher. Thankfully, puzzle solutions remain the same no matter what, so the first real puzzle can be solved without much issue.
It is recommended that new players attempting MADiSON on Hard difficulty for their first playthrough make use of the camera at any opportunity. This is because Easy Mode provides visual hints to clue players into what aspects of the game can be photographed, but Hard Mode removes this feature.
Since the Well Puzzle solution could require backtracking, players would benefit from reading the guide in full before attempting the answer themselves.
Finding Clues and Hints for the Well Puzzle
The Well puzzle comes during Luca's exploration of the typically creepy basement, but the solution is obtainable earlier in the game. When Luca enters a room with a TV and scrawled messages on the wall, an adjoining room with a red safe can be found, which contains a cassette tape (and the option to store other items if the player chooses.)
Back in the main room, there is a large symbol with question marks and blank spaces drawn on the wall; photographing this reveals some crucial details that only appear in the photo. Entering the dining room of Grandpa's house will cause the power to suddenly go out, requiring Luca to enter the basement located down the stairs at the end of the corridor on the right.
The limited scope of MADiSON being set in one location means that it is easier to explore the house once the lights are back on. Once the generator has been re-activated, Luca will now be able to interact with the cassette player in the dining room and listen to Tape #1.
Once the audio has finished, an automatic scene will play where Luca appears to suffer a migraine of sorts, followed by an updated image in his journal. This image guides Luca to the basement, which is sealed by a red door.
Going back downstairs and past the generator into the alcove (if the player hasn't examined this place already) will lead to the basement entrance, which is unfortunately locked. However, astute players will remember that Tape #1 audio mentioned insects being a sign of the monster's presence, which the red door is covered in.
Taking a picture of the insect-covered door will cause the screen to shake and unlock the red door, accompanied by another spooky revelation in the photo if the player examines it. Entering the basement yields the well, surrounded by police tape and candles to set the ominous scene.
Getting the 'Grandpa's Tools' Bonus Trophy/Achievement
Players can easily miss a quick trophy opportunity when preparing for the well puzzle. Just in front of the well, there are some implements, one of which is a large shovel. This item can be grabbed and picked up, but it boasts an additional use.
Interacting with the well lid while it is closed will give players the opportunity to flip through their inventory and use the shovel on the spade. While this seems like a simple way of avoiding the well puzzle altogether, it, unfortunately, breaks the shovel in the process. Doing so will cause the trophy/achievement to pop, so it's not all bad.
How To Solve The Well Puzzle
The well, however, is locked by three padlocks with unusual symbols on them, meaning a clue to the code is required just like Silent Hill's infamously difficult puzzles. Thankfully, prepared players will be able to easily unlock the well without needing to backtrack.
The padlock symbols are revealed to players by photographing the sigil on the wall from the red safe room. It should be noted that the symbols are randomly assigned and differ based on the game difficulty, so players cannot "sequence break" the puzzle.
By lining up the position of the symbols with their corresponding position on the well, the player can input the correct padlock code. If done correctly, all that needs to be done is take another instant photo of the well, which will cause the stone lid to disintegrate and open the way ahead.
More creepy puzzles and sinister sights lay in store throughout MADiSON, so players trying to beat the game quickly or on harder difficulties would benefit from learning the puzzle process ahead of time.
MADiSON is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.