Metroid Prime Hunters Walkthrough – Alimbic Artifacts

Here you’ll find a detailed list of strategies, information, and tips for acquiring the many Alimbic Artifacts of Metroid Prime Hunters. This game requires three Artifacts be collected on each area visit to activate a portal to the Stronghold Void, an arena in which Octoliths (and bosses!) are kept. There are two Stronghold Voids per planet, meaning you’ll need to collect a total of twenty-four Alimbic Artifacts.

 

 

CELESTIAL ARCHIVES

 

Cartograph Artifact #1A

Location: Data Shrine 01

Requirements: None

 

After scanning the Artifact Shield, several waves of Psycho Bits will swarm out of the center of the room. Shoot them all down and a Shield Key will spawn, allowing you to grab CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #1A.

 

Attameter Artifact #1A

Location: Data Shrine 03

Requirements: None

 

Defeat Kanden. He shouldn’t give you too much trouble, but click here for battle strategies. Grab the Shield Key that Kanden drops and then enter Morph Ball form to go through the tunnel on the small catwalk in the center of the room to grab ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #1A.

 

Binary Subscripture #1A

Location: Synergy Core

Requirements: None

 

Shoot the four projectile-sensitive switches on the walls to spawn a Shield Key, then grab the key to lower the Artifact Shield containing BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #1A.

 

ALINOS

 

Cartograph Artifact #2A

Location: Echo Hall

Requirements: None

 

Navigate the Morph Ball tunnels until you come to a little alcove where you can morph up. You’ll see three Zoomers; destroy them, and the Shield Key will pop up. Snag it and morph down, rolling through the tunnel again past the walls with the blue light reflecting on them. Keep rolling and you’ll be right under a new tunnel, with two blue pillars on each side. Bomb yourself into the tunnel and you’ll roll into a new room, where CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #2A will be waiting for you.

 

Attameter Artifact #2A

Location: Elder Passage

Requirements: None

 

Once you’ve gotten yourself to the lower part of the room, defeat all the enemies and spawners around you. Doing so will draw Spire’s attention; this won’t be a full boss fight per say, but you’ll need to damage him enough to get the Shield Key, so shoot upwards at him and get ready for the Hunter to jump down and start brawling with you. You’ll only need to land a few hits, and Spire will retreat, allowing you to scan a switch in the wall, which will activate the Shield Key. Grab it and walk down the hall to grab the now-unlocked ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #2A!

 

Binary Subscripture #2A

Location: High Ground

Requirements: None

 

Now you’ll need to finish what you started! Put Spire down for the count (and check out our boss strategies of you need any help!) and you’ll receive a Shield Key. Take it and grab BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #2A on the upper ledge of the room.

 

VESPER DEFENSE OUTPOST

 

Attameter Artifact #3A

Location: Weapons Complex

Requirements: None

 

Navigate towards the center of the room and take out the Psycho Bits along with their spawn devices to disable a force field. Shoot the two Lesser Ithraks from above before dropping in, then grab the Shield Key at the bottom. Hop on the center platform to ride back up to the upper level and take ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #3A.

 

Binary Subscripture #3A

Location: Compression Chamber

Requirements: Battlehammer

 

Once you’ve grabbed the Battlehammer, head back to the Cortex CPU, specifically, the Morph Ball section and take the center tunnel. This will take you to the upper level of Compression Chamber. When you come out, blast away the green force field and defeat the enemies. Scan the switch on the back wall, then scan the second switch on the higher level above.

Finally, roll back into the side of the room again which you entered from (you can also grab UA Expansion #1!) and then roll through the new force field-less entrance to the other side of the room! Take out a Lesser Ithrak and the Shield Key will spawn; snag it and the force field towards the back of the room will drop, revealing a Morph Ball tunnel! Roll into it and you’ll get shot up to an upper part of the Compression Chamber, where finally, BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #3A will be yours!

 

Cartograph Artifact #3A

Location: Weapons Complex

Requirements: Battlehammer

 

You’ll grab this Shield Key by defeating Sylux (check out our boss guide for some pro tips there!). Once you’ve finished the battle, there’s a nook in the Weapons Complex down a hallway where CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #3A will be waiting for you.

 

ARCTERRA

 

Attameter Artifact #4A

Location: Sic Transit

Requirements: None

 

After your battle with Noxus, you’ll be required to scan six proxy locks in Sic Transit. The locks are located in the following locations:

  • Lock 1: Above the sealed door on the far side of the room (the yellow tinted portion). The lock is at the top of the second level landing.
  • Lock 2: The top of the pillar on the bridge.
  • Lock 3: The top of the second pillar on the opposite side of the bridge.
  • Lock 4: The third pillar on the bridge, directly beside the second lock.
  • Lock 5: In the small alcove with the orange blast shield, directly opposite the door on the wall.
  • Lock 6: Behind the Alimbic Turret in the yellow alcove.

Scanning all six will cause the Shield Key to appear in an alcove just past the bridge. Grab it and the door directly under the bridge will finally be unsealed, allowing you to collect ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #4A!

 

Cartograph Artifact #4A

Location: Ice Hive

Requirements: Judicator

 

Immediately after grabbing the Judicator, disable the purple force field on the upper floor and you’ll find yourself on an ice bridge near the Stronghold Void entrance. There’s a smaller purple force field to the right of the bridge which you can blast away before jumping through. To the right, you’ll find UA Expansion #2. On the left,  you’ll find an Alimbic Turret guarding a Shield Key. Destroy the turret and then drop directly down to grab CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #4A!

 

Binary Subscripture #4A

Location: Frost Labyrinth

Requirements: Judicator

 

You’ll need the Judicator to open up the purple blast shield blocking this pathway from you. Enter from Sic Transit and you’ll find yourself in a giant Morph Ball maze with a layer of ice above you. Eventually, you’ll come to a tunnel that has a break in the ice above you that you can fit through, and a Shield Key floating above. Double bomb jump up, grab the key, and a door blocking a tunnel will become unsealed. Roll through this new tunnel and you’ll enter a small alcove where BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #1A will be waiting for you!

 

CELESTIAL ARCHIVES, PART II

 

Cartograph Artifact #1B

Location: Docking Bay

Requirements: Volt Driver

 

Use the ship deck portal to warp to the Synergy Core. Jump up a few platforms and use the Volt Driver to destroy the yellow force field guarding a new hallway. Enter the hallway, ride the elevator up and use the jump pad to propel you towards the yellow blast shield. Take the portal to Transfer Lock, then navigate outside onto the control room located in an open environment. Get ready, cause there will be several Guardians, Voldrums, Psycho Bits, and spawn devices all over you as soon as you set foot outside.

Handle business, then shoot the three projectile-sensitive switches located in the lower level towards the back of the room (destroying the Psycho Bits will show you their exact location). Shoot all three, and with each one you shoot, a new switch will be revealed in the same room. Find and shoot these three new switches and the inner control room will be unlocked! Head inside, scan the terminal, and a new portal will be activated.

Take this new portal and you’ll be in one of the coolest “rooms” in the game – outside the station, gazing at the stars in outer space, on the deck! Deal with a Guardian, and a Shield Key will become available. All around you, you’ll see floating platforms. Take the lower center platform and you’ll get a lift right to CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #1B!

 

Attameter Artifact #1B

Location: Incubation Vault 01

Requirements: None

 

Go back to the main structure and ride the furthest left platform to the portal. After going through, you should be located in Incubation Vault 01. You’ll hear a Guardian battle theme, but you and the Guardians are on opposite sides of a blue force field and thus nobody can hurt each other at this time.

Hop into the portal at the other end of the hallway to teleport you to the other side so that you can hurt each other. Taking out the Guardians will disable a force field holding a Shield Key on the upper floor. Unfortunately we can’t reach it… Sike! Check out the Advanced Strategies section below for a really easy sequence break that will let us get to the second floor, grab that key and then the Shock Coil immediately after. However, if you want to play this the intended way, take the portal at the opposite side of the arena to spawn back at the Docking Bay entrance.

Back at the Docking Bay, take the third platform from the left and use the portal on the other side. This should teleport you to Incubation Vault 03. Ignore the enemies, stay on the upper catwalk and grab Missile Expansion #6 on the other side. Then take the portal next to it to Incubation Vault 02. Bust open the crates if you’re running low on health and ammo, then take out the Crash Pillar in the center. Next, destroy the wave of Psycho Bits and their spawning devices. Doing so will bring in a Guardian and activate some more spawning devices warping in Electro Voldrums. Taking out each Voldrum will also spawn in an extra Guardian.

Once you’ve cleaned everything up, take the portal directly next to where you came in from to teleport to the top level of Incubation Vault 01. Collect the Shield Key you unlocked earlier to disable the Artifact Shield and obtain ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #1B.

 

ADVANCED STRATEGIES: The normal route has us going through a maze of portals across the three Incubation Chambers, however we can bypass a substantial chunk of that to get both Attameter Artifact #1B and the Shock Coil early. What’s more, we also won’t lose out on any scan oppurtunities for 100% completion! Back at our initial visit to Incubation Tank 01, go back to the portal you initially warped in from and weave behind it. Then activate the Morph Ball and perform a double bomb jump. As soon as the third bomb propels the Morph Ball upwards, to reach the second level where you can retrieve both the Shield Key and ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #1B. After collecting the Artifact, turn around and take the Portal at the opposite end of the catwalk to Incubation Vault 02. Take the path on the right and drop down where you’ll find the Shock Coil awaiting you.

 

Binary Subscripture #1B

Location: New Arrival Registration

Requirements: Shock Coil

 

From Incubation Vault 03, use the Shock Coil to break the blue force field and use the portal right behind the entrance. You’ll arrive at a new room called the Tetra Vista, which is a long derelict hallway sitting in open space. Carefully, navigate your way across, taking slow and precise steps and jumps – be careful, this is a deceptively difficult room to platform around; I’ve fallen to my death more than once – and go through the door at the end.

At New Arrival Registration, enter the large cylindrical room with moving platforms travelling up and down. Ascend to the top of this first cylindrical room and go through the door and, go figure, you’ll be in a second cylindrical room. This time, use the platforms to go down and when you reach the ground floor, you’ll see a little nook with the Artifact Shield in front of you. Jump over and scan all of the Gorea datashades, and the Shield Key will appear directly beside the Artifact Shield, allowing you to grab both the key as well as BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #1B.

 

ALINOS, PART II

 

Cartograph Artifact #2B

Location: Crash Site

Requirements: Magmaul

 

Get to Alinos Perch after acquiring the Magmaul and shoot the two projectile-sensitive switches to move some platforms around. The first switch is located behind the small rock structure with the jump pad on top, and the second is located along the right wall towards the back from where you entered. Next, take the left slope up, destroying the Alimbic Turret around the corner. Up top you’ll find some spawn devices warping in Magma Voldrums for you to turn into scrap. When you’re done, go right and disable the orange force field. To your left, you’ll find Missile Expansion #7 just chilling. Take out the Psycho Bits to the right, then shoot the projectile-sensitive switch to move a jump pad platform into place. Use the platform to reach the top and scan the security computer to unlock the door at the far side. From where you’re standing, jump to the jump pad platform below to pingpong yourself back to the door that was just unlocked. In the Crash Site, platform across the debris and shoot the Blastcaps in your way to get to the Shield Key sitting on some loose rebar. Grab the key to lower the Artifact Shield containing CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #2B and head back to the Council Chamber.

 

Attameter Artifact #2B

Location: Council Chamber

Requirements: Magmaul

 

Use the jump pad you unlocked back in the Council Chamber and take out the Shriekbats on the ceiling. When you enter the arena, you’ll be locked in with some spawn devices warping in Voldrums, including a new Ice Voldrum variant. When you’re finished, activate the ship deck portal if you want to save your progress (which trust me, you’ll want to). To the left, scan the security computer to disable the bottom force field and spawn a Shield Key. Collect the key to disable the upper force field, then drop back down into the chamber and shoot the projectile-sensitive switch to activate a jump pad. Take the jump pad up to obtain ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #2B.

 

Binary Subscripture #2B

Location: Piston Cave

Requirements: Magmaul

 

Enter Processor Core and access the tower to the right from the top level. A moving platform will take you down to a sub-level with a single Morph Ball tunnel leading to Piston Cave. Once you arrive at the cave, the door will seal behind you, so the only way out now is forward!

This next section is basically a Morph Ball obstacle course that starts off simple enough, but gets progressively more challenging and unforgiving. The first trial involves pistons that will push us off the catwalk if we get hit. If you fall into the magma, you’ll have to use a bomb jump to get back to the catwalk. The second trial removes the magma, but now has pistons slamming up against each other. This is bad for us. If we get crushed by a piston, it’s game over. Even if we saved at the ship, it’s a bit annoying to get all the way back here so I don’t blame you if you think it’s time for a save state. When you get to the set of two, use the Boost Ball to blitz past both, but be careful not to boost too far into the final piston!

The third trial and onwards is where things begin to get tricky. For these last two obstacles, we now have to deal with vertical pistons in all sorts of different configurations running at unique intervals. Hop on top of the first piston, as it won’t ever touch the ceiling, giving you an opportunity to survey the next three in front. These pistons all hang overhead and descend much faster than they ascend. Wait for an opening and then move from one piston to the other as soon it begins to ascend again. The fourth set of pistons come from both the ground AND ceiling. It looks scary, but all you need to do is hug the ground piston and keep holding right after it lifts you up. You’ll roll right through just in time before the pistons crush you. If you roll onto the final piston, don’t worry as it won’t touch the ceiling.

This last trial is a doozy. You’ve got three ceiling pistons all coming down at completely different intervals, making this especially difficult for pattern recognition. Pistons one and two both descend at the same speed, but piston two ascends slightly faster. Piston three descends faster than the others, but ascends at the same speed as piston one. Piston three also has a slight delay between each pump, whereas one and two are instantaneous. There’s two key openings you want to look for. The first is obvious, you want to bomb jump into piston one as soon as it starts to ascend. The second is tricky because it requires a snap judgement. If pistons two and three look like they’re about to descend together, roll back out of the way immediately and try again. You will not survive otherwise. If pistons two and three are going in roughly the opposite directions of each other however, that’s your opportunity to keep rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin’. As soon as you hit the frozen piston, do a bomb jump on top ASAP before piston three crushes you. Don’t worry about the piston above going haywire, it won’t actually come down. You’ll be met with one final piston slamming the ground, but this one is simple. Just hug the piston while it’s down and keep holding right as it ascends back up. The final piston won’t touch the ceiling and is just a glorified lift. Congratulations, you made it! Now all you need to do is bomb jump up the rock steps to collect the Shield Key, granting you BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #2B.

 

This puzzle is very tough! I recommend watching the video below showing off a perfect run from start to finish so that you have a better idea of how to tackle each obstacle.

 

 

ARCTERRA, PART II

 

Binary Subscripture #4B

Location: Sanctorus

Requirements: Imperialist

 

Back in the Frost Labyrinth maze, navigate towards the north end and you’ll come across a red blast shield. Now that you finally have the Imperialist, you can enter it, so do so and press forward. Press ahead and then drop down (you’ll find UA Expansion #10 to your left which you’ll want to grab first though!). There’s a lone Greater Ithrak here, so tell it what’s good and then start looking around the room for switches to scan. There are three ‘Spectral Locks’ you’ll want to hit; the first is pretty obvious, on the wall right in front of the terminal; the second, is towards the back of the room in a small walkway leading to the main room; and the third is in another small walkway on the opposite corner, also facing the room.

Scanning all three will lower a force field on the back wall that was covering an Imperialist switch. Shoot it from afar with the Imperialist, grab the Shield Key, and head to the back of the room to grab BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #4B! Just as a warning – as soon as you grab it, you’ll have Guardians on you, so be ready!

 

Cartograph Artifact #4B

Location: Subterranean

Requirements: Imperialist

 

In the same spot you fought the Arctic Spawn, ride the rising platform upwards to the higher portion of the Fault Line. You’ll see half the room is inaccessible due to a force field, and wouldn’t you know, there’s actually not a way through it! Or at least, not a traditional way. We may not be able to cross the force field, but we can certainly scan things on the other side, so whip out your Scan Visor and you should see a ship deck portal on the other side of the force field. Scan the yellow switch and then make the long trek back towards your ship. You’ll now have a second active portal that will take you to the other side of the force field! Alright! Step inside and warp over.

First things first, shoot the Imperialist switches high on either side of the walls to deactivate the force field. From here, use the jump pad to enter this new room, called the Drip Moat. Once inside, jump over the moving platform and use the jump pad in the pit to obtain UA Expansion #11. Once you’re back up, use the moving platform to traverse the other side. You’ll have to face a series of hostile creatures along the way in a shooting gallery as the platform moves across the moat. These creatures include Petrasyls, Shriekbats and War Wasps. The War Wasps in this room actually behave differently than their counterparts. Instead of telegraphing a wind up sting attack, they’ll charge head on along the platform’s path and cause contact damage.

 

ADVANCED STRATEGIES: The game intends for us to use the platform, but the rails it travels along are both a lot safer and faster. You can choose to slow things down to your own pace or go full speed using the Boost Ball if you want to speedrun it!

 

 

After you cross the moat, you’ll arrive in Subterranean. The entire arena is covered in a maze of force fields with three Imperialist switches near the opening at the roof. We need to navigate the maze and find an opening to shoot all three of the switches to activate the lift in the center. First move up, right, down. You should be able to hit the first switch if you jump up from here. Continue the path you’re on and pause once you’ve passed the third horizontal force field. On the raised portion of the arena, you should be able to jump up and hit the next switch. Lastly, go back to the fork and stand next to the horizontal force field signposting the opposite path. You should be able to hit this switch after jumping. With the lift active, continue following the left path, hugging the wall whenever you can. When you reach the elevated force field, jump on it and follow the path to the lift.

Take the lift down to the lower level of Subterranean (you could say, the subter…. never mind). There’s a passage towards the back left of the room; take it, and destroy the Alimbic Turret V2.7 shooting Imperialist beams at you. Doing so will yield you the Shield Key. Grab it and head back towards the entrance to the lower portion of the room, stopping to grab CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #4B on your right.

 

Attameter Artifact #4B

Location: Fault Line

Requirements: Imperialist

 

Head back to the Fault Line, use the opposite jump pad and take out the Psycho Bits along with their spawn devices to earn a Shield Key. Grab the key and scan the gun turret CPU by the electrical barriers along the way to disable all of the obstacles blocking the final artifact. Fire a missile at the pillar on top of the mountian to topple it over and use it as a platform to leave the room. Finally, go to the bottom and collect ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #4B.

 

VESPER DEFENSE OUTPOST, PART II

 

Cartograph Artifact #3B

Location: Stasis Bunker

Requirements: Imperialist

 

When you arrive at the Stasis Bunker, you’ll be greeted by a couple of spawn devices warping in Magma Voldrums. Switch to the Judicator and blast ‘em. When you’re done, head up to the second story and take out more spawn devices and Voldrums that get in your way along with an Alimbic Turret. Go through the narrow blue door with the glowing blue pillars flanking the sides. In the back of the overhanging device, you’ll find UA Expansion #12.

Now go back to the room that had the turret and scan the terminal to activate another terminal near where you first entered. You’ll have twenty seconds to get there before that terminal deactivates and have to start the process all over again, so it’s time to throw it back to 2004 for some Morph Ball training! Go to the stasis tank room and take the narrow door that led to UA Expansion #12 for the quickest route to the entrance. Scan the terminal, then a Shield Key will spawn on the platform you just fell from with another twenty second timer attached! Race back to the jammed door and perform a double bomb jump on either of the elevated walkways to the sides. This is both much quicker and easier than running back up the slopes to the second story. Collecting the key will lower the first Artifact Shield safeguarding CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #3B.

 

The Stasis Bunker can feel like a bit of a maze on your first visit, so if you need some additional help with this test of speed, check out the video below to watch a perfect run from start to finish.

 

 

Attameter Artifact #3B

Location: Stasis Bunker

Requirements: None

 

Upon obtaining the last artifact, all of the Guardians in stasis will break free and attack you. Bust out the Shock Coil and show them what REAL unlimited power is! After disposing of the Guardians, a Shield Key will spawn behind the orange energy container on the second story. Claiming this key will lower the second Artifact Shield in the room housing ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #3B.

 

Binary Subscripture #3B

Location: Fuel Stack

Requirements: None

 

When you first enter the Fuel Stack, a cutscene will play showing the inside of the facility beginning to self-destruct. Your suit’s AI will indicate that an energy overflow is taking place and that the emergency shutoff terminal needs to be activated in order to prevent the destruction of the facility. The doors are sealed behind us, so there’s no retreating to the gunship!

We have one minute to reach the shutoff, so without wasting time, continue forward with the Morph Ball and use the jump pad to reach some small platforms in the shaft above. One of the neat quirks to Samus’s jump in Metroid Prime Hunters is the ability to perform a single “Space Jump” in mid-air when falling from a ledge or using a jump pad without jumping into it first. This isn’t a glitch either, but an offcial game mechanic which is mentioned in the JUMP BOOTS Equipment entry in your logbook! I recommend using this space jump technique for the smaller platforms, making that section much easier and less disorienting.

To your left is a tunnel surrounded by Zoomers. Ignore them and use your Boost Ball to plow through. At the second jump pad, you’ll hit another series of small platforms, these ones spread out a little further apart. Don’t let the timer get to your nerves and carefully navigate them to the top. This is the last place we want to falter! At the top, go left and follow the ledge to the moving platform. At this point, you’ll probably see the energy spike creeping up the top of the levitator and nearing the ceiling, which is when the timer expires. As soon as the platform reaches its destination, jump to the ledge above and scan the emergency shutoff to safely terminate the energy overflow!

 

Check out the video to see a perfect run of this sequence if you need some additonal help with navigation.

 

 

After taking care of the situation, drop down to the floor and destroy out the Psycho Bits along with their spawn devices, as well as the Alimbic Turret occupying the spiraling path to the side of the levitator. Drop down below to that path where you’ll find Missile Expansion #9. Whatever you do, DO NOT fall to the bottom of the silo levitator! Shutting off the energy overflow also disabled it, meaning falling to the bottom is an instant game over. Seriously!

With that in mind, go up and scan the door lock override terminal to disable the force fields. Go through and take out the Alimbic Turrets from the distance while they can’t lock on to you. Go into the pit, grab the Shield Key to lower the Artifact Shield, then perform a double bomb jump back up and claim BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #3B.