Mouse PI For Hire: The Vanishing Act walkthrough
Overview & Key Takeaways
Want a thorough walkthrough of The Vanishing Act level in Mouse: PI For Hire? The first proper Main Job you're faced with in Mouse sees you bouncing between apartment buildings and subway tunnels at breakneck speed.
You might be surprised at just how many secrets and collectibles are hidden away in this very early mission, so our walkthrough is here to ensure you don't miss a thing as you track down all your leads.
Below, you'll find a full start-to-finish walkthrough of The Vanishing Act, including every single secret area, Baseball Card, Comic Book, pile of coins, and more.
Want a thorough walkthrough of The Vanishing Act level in Mouse: PI For Hire? The first proper Main Job you're faced with in Mouse sees you bouncing between apartment buildings and subway tunnels at breakneck speed.
You might be surprised at just how many secrets and collectibles are hidden away in this very early mission, so our walkthrough is here to ensure you don't miss a thing as you track down all your leads.
Below, you'll find a full start-to-finish walkthrough of The Vanishing Act, including every single secret area, Baseball Card, Comic Book, pile of coins, and more.
Want the walkthrough for a different area or level of the game? Check out our full Mouse: PI For Hire walkthrough hub!
The Vanishing Act walkthrough
Winding back the clock to before the prologue mission, Jack has been given a tip by his journalist friend Wanda, about a magician who's gone mysteriously missing in the middle of his show. Expect a great many secrets to uncover over the course of The Vanishing Act!
Collectibles and Secrets:
- 13x Secrets
- 2x Newspapers
- 3x Baseball Cards
- 2x Comic Books
- 1x Figurine
The Vanishing Act walkthrough steps:
- Talk to Wanda.
- Find Bandel's Greenroom Key (Secrets 1-2).
- Collect clues from Bandel's Greenroom.
- Leave the Theater (Secret 3).
- Pick the Safe in the garage (Secret 4).
- Break the window to reach the balcony (Secret 5).
- Find and use the Loft Key (Secret 6).
- Shoot the explosive barrel.
- Fight your way to the subway entrance (Secret 7).
- Head through the subway (Secret 8).
- Blow up the wall to reach the door switch.
- Continue through the subway (Secrets 9-10).
- Speak with Mike Maple.
- Exit the Subway.
- Talk to Betty Deux-Fiddle (Secret 11).
- Get to your car.
- Speak with John and Wanda.
- Pick up your first figurine (Secret 12).
- Pin your clues on your Crime Wall (Secret 13).
1. Talk to Wanda.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
After the cutscene, speak with Wanda in front of you for some more details about the upcoming job.
Once that's done, head through the open doorway to your left and speak with the burly mouse at the end of the corridor to gain access backstage and begin your investigation.
2. Find Bandel's Greenroom Key (Secrets 1-2).
As you head through the door beside the guard, inspect the lockers to your right for The Vanishing Act's first Secret: a Newspaper collectible.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Follow the pathway in front of you, and you'll pass by a locked door requiring Bandel's Greenroom Key - your goal for this step is to open that door.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Head into the opposite room, collecting the Cash on the floor, and then crawl through the vent in the corner.
When you emerge, flick the two working switches on the panel in front of you to raise the stage curtain and turn on the lights.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Before you do anything else, jump down into the audience area, and look at the far-right chairs. On one of them you'll find your second Secret - a Comic Book.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Head back on-stage, and climb the ladder to dive into the glass tank of water. At the bottom (for some reason) is Bandel's Greenroom Key.
Behind the stage is the room where you found the newspaper. Turn left and head back to Bandel's Greenroom, and unlock the door with the key.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
3. Collect clues from Bandel's Greenroom.
All you need to do in the Greenroom is collect two pieces of evidence. They are:
- Inside the desk drawer to the left.
- The poster on the right-hand wall.
Interact with both to gather the clues you need, and then exit the room.
4. Leave the Theater (Secret 3).
Turn right as you exit and you'll see the guard by the far door has disappeared, and you can duck beneath the police tape. There's a Typewriter behind it which you can use to save your game.
In the next room, open the half-taped-over door and duck under the tape again. Read the sign in this room for a tip about Armor, which you can find in the form of helmets and chestplates dotted about the world. Collect the armor on top of the sign.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
At this point the far door will open and the first two enemies of the level will spawn. Kill them with your Micer and head through that door.
Head up the stairs, and at the top, inspect the small table for another Secret and your first Baseball Card (more on the Baseball card game later on, but it's basically Mouse: PI For Hire's version of Gwent from The Witcher).
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Follow the path along the upper levels of the theater, and head down the stairs beyond the far door. At the bottom is another Typewriter you can use to save.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Beyond this point, you'll exit out into the street once more, but Wanda is long gone. As you walk to the west, a van will streak across the road in front of you, and you'll be assailed by four more enemies. By Mitts or Micer, slaughter them all.
5. Pick the Safe in the garage (Secret 4).
Spend a few seconds inspecting both the garages that opened up to let the enemies through - one directly in front of you, and the other to your left.
Inside the left-hand garage you'll find a rather conspicuous Safe, which is generously labelled as another Secret. Pick the lock to open it and scoop up the 30x Cash inside.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
6. Break the window to reach the balcony (Secret 5).
Between the two garages is a now-open doorway. Head through, save your game at the Typewriter there, and then follow this path up the first set of stairs.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
On the first floor you'll find a single-pane glass window. Punch or Kick it, and jump through onto the balcony. Then do the same with the neighbouring window and climb into the adjacent room for the fifth Secret area of the level.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
There's nothing in the bedroom you climbed into, but head out into the living room and you'll see a subtle little Baseball Card propped up atop a small table by the door. There's also some Cash in the fridge. Naturally.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Now punch the box in front of the door and head through to rejoin the main path.
7. Find and use the Loft Key (Secret 6).
Continue up the stairwell, destroy the boxes at the top, and then jump across to the other side. To your right is a locked door which requires the Loft Key.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Punch the box opposite and head into the adjacent room. Read the sign on explosive barrels if you wish, but before you do that, head to the right of that partially open door, and look through the crack in the wall. Inside, you'll see a box keeping the door shut. Shoot it with your Micer to clear the way, then head through that door.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Aside from a rather unfortunate mouse skeleton on the toilet, you'll also find the Loft Key in this room, as well as an explosive barrel. Shoot the barrel (from a distance) to blast the wall open, giving you a shortcut back to the locked door across the gap.
Use the Loft Key to open the door. Inside, you may have guessed, is another Secret area containing a Schematic for upgrading your weapons later on.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
You can also smash the far window and jump onto the balcony for some more Cash. Then open the far door and head back through the exploded wall opposite, into the bathroom.
8. Shoot the explosive barrel.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Head back into the room with the sign about explosive barrels. On the right, through the wooden slats, you'll see one such barrel. Shoot it to explode the wall and open the main path forward.
9. Fight your way to the subway entrance (Secret 7).
Save your game at the next Typewriter, then fight your way past the five enemies in the next room (shoot the ceiling rope to drop an anvil on one or more of them).
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Head down the stairs and out into the street once more. You can optionally use the ladder to your left to reach a secluded area which, although not a secret, contains an extra 20x Cash.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Then head out onto the main street, where you'll find a variety of enemy mice, including two gunners. Kill them all, but before heading down into the subway, head to the far wall on the south side and you'll find another Secret - a Comic Book for your collection.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
10. Head through the subway (Secret 8).
Head down into the subway from the street, and make your way through the crowds along the obvious main path.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Beyond the door at the far end of the subway, there's a corridor guarded by damaging steam vents. Duck beneath them, but head around the right of the pipes for another tiny Secret area, containing 10x Cash.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Then head through the far door, save your game at the Typewriter, and collect the Schematic on the table.
11. Blow up the wall to reach the door switch.
Head into the next room, and you'll see another explosive barrel to your left, beside a "Totally Normal Wall". Shoot the barrel to blast the wall open, and then flick the switch in the room beyond. This will open the gate below you.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
As you do this, you'll be accosted by more enemies from below, but they shouldn't pose much of a threat at this stage. Head down and through that gate you opened.
12. Continue through the subway (Secrets 9-10).
In the corridor beyond you'll encounter more enemies. Once they're dead, continue along the path through the next gate.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
There are some boxes you can climb up to the upper platform in front of you, but before you do that, check behind the boxes for another Secret containing some more Cash.
In the next room, prepare for a large number of enemies to appear at the far end. Take it slow and aim for the head!
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Before you head up the stairs, enter the train via either of its entrances. You can walk the full length of it for a small amount of Cash, but at the very front you'll also find an exit to the other side of the train.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
This hidden area hides the level's 10th Secret - a black Safe which you'll need to crack in 26 moves - and within the time limit. Here's the solution:
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Inside the open Safe you'll find a Schematic, bringing your total up to 4.
13. Speak with Mike Maple.
Head back to the other side of the train. There's one more thing to do before heading up the stairs. Walk alongside the train to the very front, and you'll find a door leading under the stairs. Inside, past the boxes, is a bathroom containing an NPC - Mike Maple.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Interact with Mike for a very short chat about the baddies. There's also some Cash on the shelves in the corner, but otherwise you can head back out and finally ascend those stairs.
14. Exit the Subway.
Fight your way through the next roomful of enemies (using those explosive barrels to your advantage), and head out of the subway into a new part of town.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
In the far northeast corner of this outdoor area is a hidden pile of Cash, but otherwise there's nothing to do but head through the main door into the apartment building.
15. Talk to Betty Deux-Fiddle (Secret 11).
Head up the stairwell until you find another single-pane window to smash, and collect the Cash on the balcony beyond. Then head back along the stairwell and through the far door. This is Betty Deux-Fiddle's apartment.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Before you meet her, peek inside the half-open wardrobe and read the Torn Diary Page inside for some added context about Bandel and his previous assistant. Then speak with Betty further into the room.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Exhaust her dialogue, and she'll give you a tip that will lead to your next mission in the Opera. After the conversation, use the Typewriter to save and then inspect the kitchen counter by the east wall for another Secret, comprising a Newspaper collectible.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
16. Get to your car.
Head back out of Betty's apartment and down the stairs. A new door will have opened at the bottom of the stairs. Head through it; your car is parked directly opposite.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Before you can get in your car, you'll need to clear the street of the final wave of enemies spawning from the north - two ranged and one melee mouse. Once they're dealt with, collect the Cash to the right of the door you entered the street through, and then hop into your car to fast travel back to your office.
17. Speak with John and Wanda.
This area acts as a hub which you'll return to often between missions. First, head into the bar to your right, and speak with John behind the bar, and Wanda just around the corner.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Now is also your first chance to sit down for a game of Baseball - a card game which is explained well enough by the in-game tutorial that I won't go over it here.
18. Pick up your first figurine (Secret 12).
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Before exiting the bar, hop over the bar and enter the kitchen via the door behind John.
At the far end of the kitchen, there's a locked door. Pick the lock (it's a very simple one), and head through.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Head down the steps into a small basement room, which acts as yet another Secret area. Inside you can collect your first of 10 Figurines - particularly well-hidden collectibles dotted throughout the world of Mouseburg.
19. Pin your clues on your Crime Wall (Secret 13).
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Aside from the bar, there's also the Soup To Nuts ammo shop, where you can restock on ammo and also purchase various Newspapers, Comic Books, and Baseball Cards. Out back behind the shop, there's nothing yet, but later on this will become Tammy Tumbler's shop for upgrading your weapons.
Your final stop is your own office, so follow the main path into the building and up the stairs. There's a Typewriter in your office which you can use to save.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
Also inside the office is your Crime Wall. Interact with it to place the clues and bits of evidence you've gathered so far.
Finally, before you leave the office for your next mission, head into your bedroom and inspect the chest of drawers for one final Secret - a hidden Baseball Card to add to your collection.
Image credit: Rock Paper Shotgun/PlaySide
That brings The Vanishing Act level to a close, but it's only the beginning of Jack Pepper's - and your - journey through the story of Mouse: PI For Hire. To continue your 100% streak and ensure you never miss a thing, head over to Part 3 of our walkthrough covering the next Main Job: Gumshoe In The Opera.
