The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Walkthrough: What Most People Get Wrong

Red Creek Valley is a beautiful, rotting lie. You step off the train tracks, the sun hits the autumn leaves just right, and for a second, you think you’re in a postcard. Then you find the first severed limb. Most players go into this game expecting a standard "walking simulator" with some light puzzles, but they end up wandering aimlessly because the game refuses to hold your hand. Honestly, it’s one of the few games that actually treats you like an adult, but that also makes a The Vanishing of Ethan Carter walkthrough almost essential if you don't want to spend three hours staring at a pile of rocks.

The developers, The Astronauts, tell you right at the start: "This game is a narrative experience that does not hold your hand." They aren't kidding. If you miss a single tiny interaction in the first ten minutes, you might find yourself at the end of the map unable to finish the story.

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The Weird Mechanics Nobody Explains

Before we get into the "where" and "how," you have to understand the "what." Paul Prospero is an occult detective. He doesn't just find clues; he senses them.

When you see words floating on the screen—like "CRANK?" or "ROCK?"—don't just ignore them. That’s your intuition. You need to stand still and rotate your camera until those words converge into a single, solid word. Once they overlap, a vision will trigger showing you exactly where that item is hidden. I’ve seen so many people quit because they thought the floating text was just "flavor" or a glitch. It's the core mechanic. Use it.

The Traps in the Woods

Immediately after the tunnel at the start, don't just sprint down the tracks. There are five traps hidden in the forest to your left and right.

1. The Spiked Log: Right near the entrance.
2. The Snare: Further in, look for the bent sapling.
3. The Tripwire: Near the rock slide.
4. The Pit: A literal hole in the ground with spikes.
5. The Beehive: Attached to a tree further up.

If you don't find all five, you won't trigger the "Sap" story. Once you find them, "sense" any of them to see a vision of a glade. Follow the light to a pile of skeletons and a note. This is the first of several "stories" Ethan wrote that have manifested in reality.

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Solving the First Murder: Travis

You'll find Travis near the bridge. This is where the The Vanishing of Ethan Carter walkthrough usually gets a bit technical because the "chronology" puzzles are the meat of the game.

First, gather the evidence. You need the bloody rock (found further up the tracks near a sign) and the train crank (down on the rocky beach below the bridge). You also need to move the railcar. This is the part that trips people up: move the railcar to the bloodstain on the tracks. If it's not in the exact right spot, the "sense" prompt won't appear.

Once you have everything, touch the body. You’ll see several "ghost" scenes. You have to number them in the order they happened. If you get it wrong, the ghosts just vanish and you have to try again.

• 1: Travis and Ethan on the tracks (Travis is tying him up).
• 2: Ed (the older man) appears with a rock.
• 3: Ed hits Travis near the railcar.
• 4: Travis gets hit by the train.
• 5: Travis crawls toward the grass.
• 6: Ed finishes the job down by the water.

The Most Frustrating Part: The Portal House

After the bridge, you'll find a house that looks like it's been through a blender. Inside, there’s a note about "Fake Interiors." This is basically a spatial puzzle. You walk through a door, and it leads to a room that shouldn't be there.

The trick? Match the rooms to the layout of the actual house next door.

• Downstairs Left: The kitchen with the long table.
• Downstairs Right: The room with the short stairs.
• Upstairs Left: The study with the rug and desk.
• Upstairs Right: The hallway leading to the bedroom with the horse painting.

If you mess up, the screen flashes red. Do it twice, and you’re kicked back to the front door. It's tedious, but the payoff—a story about a wizard and a secret room—is worth it.

The Graveyard and the Mines

The church area is spooky, but the puzzle is straightforward once you find the dagger. It’s tucked away in the back of the graveyard in a small crypt. You’ll need to solve the murder of Missy and Dale here.
The sequence:

1. The couple arguing near the crypt entrance.
2. Chad (the brother) bricking up the door.
3. The struggle inside the tomb.
4. The final moments by the lower lever.

Then there’s the mine. Warning: There is a "monster" here. It’s the only part of the game where you can "die" (you just respawn at the entrance). You have to navigate the dark tunnels to find five bodies of miners. Don't run. Just crouch and move when the "miner" isn't looking. Once you find the bodies, you’ll unlock a gate to a massive underwater cavern.

The puzzle here involves a series of symbols on a circular door. It looks like Lovecraftian gibberish, but basically, you’re looking for:

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• The "Bird" symbol.
• The "Interlocking Birds."
• The "Z" looking shape.
• The "Upside-down W" (or pretzel shape).

What Really Happened with Ethan Carter?

The final house is where everything comes together. You’ll find the family members in various states of... well, not being alive. The murder sequence here involves the "Inner Chamber."

1. The entrance to the hidden room.
2. The struggle by the windows.
3. The fire starting at the doors.
4. Ed’s body in the center.

Basically, the "Sleeper" is the dark force Ethan’s family was obsessed with. But as you reach the end, you realize Paul Prospero might not be who you think he is. If you missed any puzzles, there’s a map in the final room with drawings. If a drawing is missing, you haven't finished that "story." You can't see the true ending until every single drawing is on that wall.

Actionable Tips for a Smooth Run

• Check the Map: The "Redux" version of the game has a better save system, but it still doesn't have a traditional quest log. If you’re lost, go back to the last place you saw a "vision."
• Don't Sprint: You’ll miss the "swirling words" prompts. Walk. Take it in.
• The Grenade: There’s a random grenade in the forest. You can throw it into the water from the bridge for a secret achievement/trophy. It serves no other purpose, but it’s a fun "Easter egg."
• Look for the Sketches: Every time you solve a "story" (the Sap Man, the Wizard, the Miner), you get a sketch. These sketches are your checklist. No sketch, no progress.

Red Creek Valley is a circle. Everything leads back to that final room in the burnt-out house. When you finally sit down at the end, remember the "Sleeper" isn't just a monster in a story. It’s the weight of a family’s trauma manifested through the imagination of a lonely boy. Keep that in mind, and the ending will hit you like a freight train.

To wrap this up and get you moving: Make sure you've found the "Space" story (the house in the woods with the astronaut) and the "Miner" story before entering the final house. These are the two most common "missed" pieces that prevent players from seeing the actual credits roll. If your map in the basement is missing a drawing, head back toward the dam; usually, the missing piece is the "Sleeper" puzzle in the underwater cavern.**