Metroid Prime Hunters Walkthrough – Celestial Archives, Part II

WALKTHROUGH

 

The Volt Driver

Scans in This Section
Objects: Medical Hub, Literary Hub
Equipment: Volt Driver

 

We now have half of the Octoliths required to access the final area of the game. From this point forward, the formula is going to change slightly. Now that all of the Hunters have been introduced, there are no more scripted encounters with them. However, now any of the Hunters you’ve faced can randomly spawn in a room you’re exploring, lock the doors and force you into combat. If they defeat you, you lose an Octolith and must find them to battle once more and earn it back. While you’re on the area selection screen, you can actually see which Hunters are currently on which planets and space stations on the left side of the touch screen.

Our next stop is Celestial Archives. With the weapons we’ve found, we can now access new areas of the station that we haven’t explored yet. Before we do anything though, head underneath the ship, disable the green force field and go down the shaft to claim UA EXPANSION #4. Then head through the left ship deck portal connected to the Synergy Core, with your destination being Data Shrine 02. In Data Shrine 03, if there aren’t any Hunters in the area, you will face off against a Guardian. Whichever it is, you’ll have to defeat it in order to unseal the doors. Do your business and continue to Data Shrine 02.

In Data Shrine 02, the doors will lock again and you’ll have to defeat two Guardians with Volt Drivers inside the structure. Use the Battlehammer to disable the green blast shield and blast ‘em. Inside the structure you’ll also find UA EXPANSION #5 sitting on top of the center platform. While you’re here, be sure to scan the MEDICAL HUB and LITERARY HUB. Once you’re finished, follow the platforms leading to the Morph Ball tunnel with the glowing blue pillars on each side. Inside you’ll find the VOLT DRIVER, a weapon that converts a planet’s electromagnetic energy into a multi-terawatt high voltage shot (ignore that we aren’t currently on a planet and just go with it).

 

 

The Shock Coil

Scans in This Section
Bioforms: Psycho Bit v2.0, Electro Voldrum *missable*
Lore: Alimbic Prophecy 05, Alimbic Order 02, Alimbic Order 03, Alimbic Order 04, Final Wish, Alimbic Order 01
Objects: Incubation Tank B, Incubation Tank A
Equipment: Shock Coil

 

Head back to the Synergy Core and use your new Volt Driver to disable the yellow force field. Follow the path until you reach the jump pad, then scan ALIMBIC PROPHECY 05 on the other side. Behind the yellow blast shield is an active portal that will take you to the Transfer Lock. After you teleport over, scan DOCKING BAY L1, DOCKING BAY L2 and DOCKING BAY L3. Then destroy the spawn device with its Voldrums and you’ll find UA EXPANSION #6 hiding off to the right.

On the other side of the Transfer Lock, you’ll immediately be ambushed by a variety of enemies, including Guardians, Voldrums and Psycho Bits, the latter two enemy types warping in through spawn devices. Take out the enemy swarm, but don’t forget to scan the new PSYCHO BIT V2.0S that appear at the very back! Taking out the v2.0s and their spawn devices will disable the force fields blocking a trench with three projectile-sensitive switches. Before you shoot those however, first scan the PHOTON STABILIZER on the upper catwalk. Shooting the switches will disable another layer of force fields blocking more switches at the front of the structure. The last set of switches will disable the final force field blocking access to the hub at the top. Scanning the terminal in the hub will activate the portal on the top level from where you first entered.

 

 

Go through the portal to enter the Docking Bay, where a loan Guardian will immediately attack. Take it down, then scan the ALIMBIC ORDER 02 and ALIMBIC ORDER 03 datashades before grabbing the Shield Key in the center. The key will disable the Artifact Shield housing CARTOGRAPH ARTIFACT #1B, which you can safely ride the platform to collect. Before heading back to the main structure, scan the ALIMBIC ORDER 04 datashade. Back at the other side, go to the top level and scan the FINAL WISH datashade. After that, take the second platform from the left to a small floating structure holding UA EXPANSION #7 as well as the ALIMBIC ORDER 01 datashade. Finally, go back to the main structure and ride the furthest left platform to the portal. After going through the portal, 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 scan INCUBATION TANK B and 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. These are a one time scan, so don’t forget them! Taking out each Voldrum will also spawn in an extra Guardian.

When 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. Scan INCUBATION TANK A and then collect the Shield Key you unlocked earlier to disable the Artifact Shield and obtain ATTAMETER ARTIFACT #1B. Finally, take the portal at the opposite end of the catwalk to teleport to the upper level of Incubation Vault 02. Take the path on the right and drop down to claim the SHOCK COIL as yours. This is my favorite weapon in the game! If you have good aim, this thing absolutely MELTS enemies. You won’t get Sylux’s affinity bonus of healing lost health, but the damage is more than enough of an incentive to abuse it in singleplayer!

 

 

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, un-morph 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.

 

 

The Fifth Stronghold

Scans in This Section
Bioforms: Quadtroid
Lore: Gorea 06, Gorea 07, Gorea 08, Gorea 09, Greater Ithrak *missable*
Objects: Shield Generator, Gravity Stabilizer

 

From where you’re standing, disable the blue force field with the Shock Coil and take the top right portal to Incubation Vault 03. Disable either one of the blue force fields on the other side and take the portal to Tetra Vista. When you reach the destroyed hallway, scan the SHIELD GENERATOR on the right. BE CAREFUL as you navigate this room! If you fall off the ledge, it’s an instant game over! The game will be graceful enough to load you from your last portal, but it’s still a pretty severe consequence for messing up. When an occasional Psycho Bit pops in, just hold still for a moment and focus fire on it before continuing with your platforming. On the second broken platform you jump to, look right and scan the GRAVITY STABILIZER.

At New Arrival Registration, you’ll finally be able to scan a QUADTROID after being teased by the one back at VDO. You’ll be locked in a room with three that must be defeated before the doors unlock. A charged Judicator shot will kill them in one burst if all three projectiles connect. The next room contains three shafts of vertical moving platforms, random enemies that pop in, and instant death pits. Just like the Tetra Vista, stand still when engaging with enemies and focus on platforming when the coast is clear. When you first enter, you can scan a ship deck portal that will take you back to Celestial Gateway where you can save your progress. Keep in mind, any time you teleport back to Celestial Gateway, any enemies you’ve defeated will respawn when you return!

 

 

In the second shaft, enter the alcove containing tan Artifact Shield. As soon as you enter, a force field will deploy, locking you in. Open your Scan Visor and add the GOREA 06, GOREA 07, GOREA 08 and GOREA 09 datashades to your logbook. After scanning all four, a Shield Key will spawn, disabling the shield and granting you BINARY SUBSCRIPTURE #1B. As soon as you collect the artifact, a GREATER ITHRAK will drop from the ceiling and attack. Scan it, then dispatch it by hitting it in the back. Make your way to the third shaft and carefully navigate the bottom platforms to obtain ENERGY TANK #5. Lastly, ride the final set of moving vertical platforms up to the Stronghold Portal where your next challenge awaits.

 

 

Slench 3

Scans in This Section
Lore: Slench 3A *missable*, Slench 3B *missable*

 

As always, whenever we begin one of these fights, scan SLENCH 3A before it begins its attack. This time the Slench will fire Volt Driver shots at you, with the shots it fires in its hovering phase causing visor distortion upon contact. It also has a new ramming attack that it periodically uses during the hovering phase. When it telegraphs this by closing its shutter and shaking, activate Morph Ball and boost out of the way. You’ll need to use the Battlehammer to damage the synapses this time, taking four shots each before they retract. The Battlehammer also does the most damage during the hovering phase, however it can be difficult to hit the weak spot once the Slench begins speeding up. If you’re having difficulty getting hits, switch to a weapon with a faster firing rate. Less damage is certainly better than no damage! Otherwise, don’t forget to scan SLENCH 3B during the hover phase and that’s about all the new info you need to best this monstrosity!

 

 

Security Protocol Initiated, Take Five

Scans in This Section
None

 

Say it with me DJ Khaled, “anotha one”. Yup, as you were probably expecting we’ve got another escape sequence to contend with, including a much larger distance to cover this time. To compensate for that, we’re given an eight and a half minute timer, our most generous one yet.

Exit the Stronghold Void and jump straight off the ledge to the other side when you enter New Arrival Registration. You can activate Morph Ball to compensate for the fall damage, but you’ll risk getting shot off the edge, which is still an instant game over. Personally I don’t mind just tanking the fall damage, but that will all be determined by how much health you have leftover after the Slench fight. Ride the second set of platforms up the next shaft, then jump down again at the third shaft. When you encounter the Psycho Bit at Tetra Vista, look to your right for some scrap that you can walk through to get to the elevated level. BE CAREFUL when navigating this upwards slope, the physics can be a bit wonky here and send you to your doom! Wait to move your jump forward after you’ve gained moderate elevation.

 

 

The portal at the end of the hallway will take you to Incubation Vault 03. Disable the blue force field if you haven’t yet, stick to the bottom floor and take the portal in the center of the room in front of the terminal to teleport back to the Docking Bay entrance. From there, take the portal to your right back to the Transfer Lock, drop to the middle level and take that portal to the Synergy Core. Make your way back until you reach Data Shrine 02 where you’ll have to defeat two Guardians in the center room to unlock the doors. When you finish up, take the door to the left of where you collected the Volt Driver since that’s the closest to the exit.

From there it’s pretty much just a straight shot back to the ship without interruptions as long as you don’t have any random Hunter encounters to worry about. Take some time during these last couple of minutes to give your appreciation to Celestial Archives as this will be the final time we visit it during our adventure.

 

 

Next Chapter: Alinos, Part II