Summary
- The brain in a vat Lies of P quest in the DLC places players in the midst of a moral dilemma.
- Players will discover the story of Alexander Goodman, the brain in a vat who desperately seeks their help.
- The rewards for the quest do not change based on the player’s decision, making this quest truly focus more on the emotional storytelling.
It’s tedious or annoying, then mysterious, then harrowing. The Crusher Puppet quest in Lies of P: Overture asks players to piece together a story and identity by first visiting three locations. Some players might heave a sigh, but the journey will be easier than expected. It’s just that it’ll progressively grow darker, too.
Here’s the story and all the outcomes for the brain in a vat in the Lies of P DLC.
The Crusher Puppet Mystery
There are already plenty of quests that involve decisions like these in the base game, and Lies of P: Overture adds yet another heartbreaking story to be remembered by players. Here, they encounter Alexander Goodman, a brilliant alchemist whose consciousness exists trapped within a mechanical life support system.
Your journey begins when you meet the first Crusher Puppet in Chapter 3’s Ancient Ruins Excavation Site. The puppet speaks with Alexander’s voice, explaining that you’re not talking to his real body. He desperately asks for help, claiming he’s trapped somewhere deeper in the ruins.
To progress through the quest, you must encounter three different Crusher Puppets in the excavation site. Each interaction reveals more about Alexander’s situation. The puppets grow increasingly unstable, with some attempting failed gestures like hugging due to their damaged limbs. These encounters build tension as Alexander’s messages become more fragmented and desperate.
The Haunting Revelation
At Pistris Harbor, players will finally discover Alexander’s true fate. Following the wooden plank path at the harbor’s bottom platform, you’ll find a chamber containing several machines. Then, a large brain suspended in a vat filled with life-sustaining gas.
When you interact with the brain, however, it becomes apparent that Alexander has not realized the truth about his own condition. He believes that his body is trapped in some kind of box which would explain why his limbs are numb.
It is only after you tell him you only see a brain in a vat that he finds out the horrifying truth. He’s become the subject of his own experiment which is a consciousness preservation project called the Mind Keeper machine. The irony is that all his previous test subjects failed. Now, he is trapped as a brain without a body, the first success in his experiment.
Alexander explains his backstory during your conversation. He was a respected alchemist who was attacked and imprisoned while on a date with another scientist’s daughter. However, instead of a simple kidnapping, he ended up as a subject for his own invention.
The gas keeping Alexander alive is slowly leaking from his tank. Once it runs out, he’ll have only about a minute to live. This creates urgency around his final request. He wants you to shut down the Mind Keeper machine so he can die on his own terms.
All Possible Outcomes Explained
The brain in a vat Lies of P DLC character, Alexander Goodman, gives players two choices. These will lead to two different outcomes for him, but will not change anything about the main story or DLC.
Helping Alexander (Recommended Choice)
Choosing to help Alexander will shut down the machine. He will thank you for ending his nightmare and reveal his full name—Alexander Goodman—as he asks to be remembered. He will then reflect on the irony of becoming the victim of his own invention before passing away peacefully. This choice is arguably the more humane option, as Alexander won’t have to live longer with the knowledge of what he has become.
- Possible rewards: This choice gives players the Nightmare Record, which helps unlock the “Memory’s Melody” achievement in the Overture DLC.
Refusing Alexander’s Request
Meanwhile, you can choose to refuse to help Alexander and keep him alive. He will accept your decision and say that he understands it was too much to ask from a stranger. Instead, he resigns himself to wait until his suffering ends, consoling himself with the fact that there will at least be no pain when the machine fails naturally. Some players might feel that this choice preserves Alexander’s life. However, there will be no further resolution to this story, and it’s safe to assume that he will still eventually die when the gas runs out.
- Possible rewards: This choice offers no tangible rewards and you won’t be able to obtain the Nightmare Record.
Conclusion
The brain in a vat Lies of P story is definitely one of the most memorable moments in the entire Overture DLC. This dilemma is akin to making decisions for someone on life support, asking the question of what it means to be “alive”. Can Alexander, with only his consciousness intact, still be considered “living”? Or does he truly remain trapped in a nightmare, with his fate even worse than death?
The quest must be completed before finishing the Overture DLC, so don’t wait too long to seek out Alexander’s true body. Whether you choose to help him or let him remain in the machine, this experience will leave a lasting impression on your journey through Lies of P’s dark world.
