Zodiac Strategy Guide

Getting Started

Read this before you power up. It covers who you are, why you're here, and how everything works.

The Setting

A War Without End

Earth vs. the Colonies

Humanity has spread to the stars, and the stars have turned on home. The Allied colony worlds are locked in an endless war with Earth. Even light-speed travel takes years, and time dilation means no one can ever finish the fight. Every front lags decades behind the last.

The Zodiac

An asteroid called the Zodiac is drifting toward Sol on its own, home to strange creatures found nowhere else. The Allied military has moved in and built a battle station inside it. Hidden in a natural rock, it can slip past Earth's early-warning systems and strike the homeworld directly.

The Guardians

Earth spotted it at the last moment. The only force close enough to intercept is the Guardians, a squadron of solar-defence robotic marines that transform between fighter craft and humanoid form. They can fly through space, then land and fight anywhere humans live.

More of the story is revealed as you play. We'll leave that to the game.

Your Character

Meet the Guardian

You play as the Guardian, an Earth robot and the communications expert of her squadron. She was built to work alongside much more powerful warrior machines. While they handle the heavy fighting, she breaks into enemy networks, decrypts their data, and keeps the team talking.

Her specialty is information. She can plug into an enemy terminal, crack it open, and read everything inside. On a station full of Allied computers, that's a dangerous skill to have.

What she doesn't have is a warrior's arsenal. You'll start weak and build her up as you go.

12Zones to explore

22+Flying stages

1Lonely robot

Controls

Default Keys

These are the keyboard defaults. Every action except Esc can be remapped under Options, and gamepads work out of the box.

←→↑↓Move and aim

ZJump (hold for a higher jump)

SUse the item in your B slot

AUse the item in your A slot

CDash (once you have the gear for it)

EnterOpen the subscreen

MOpen the map

Q EFlip between subscreen pages

EscSave, Options and Quit

Reading the Screen

The HUD

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

1Portrait. The Guardian reacts when she gets hurt. When someone talks to you over the network, their face appears here instead.
2A and B slots. The two items you can use right now. Change them on the subscreen.
3Energy Capsules. Your money. Spend it on devices that ask for payment.
4Missiles. Ammo for your missile launcher, once you find one.
5Health. Hit zero and it's game over.
6Energy. The output of your reactor core. See "Energy" below.
7Your coordinates. The room you're standing in.
8Goal coordinates. When the story gives you a destination, it blinks here.

Why Are the Coordinates Backwards?

Each zone is a grid of rooms, 16 across and 8 down. Ever since Earth's Mathematical Axiom Revolutions, the standard has been to write coordinates (Y, X): vertical first, horizontal second. So the HUD shows the row first, then the column.

Rows run 0–7 from top to bottom. Columns run 0–9 and then A–F from left to right, because 16 columns don't fit in decimal digits. A readout of 49 means row 4, column 9. Every map in this guide uses the same system.

The Subscreen

Pause and Plan

Press Enter to pause and open the subscreen. It has three pages; flip between them with Q and E.

Equipment. Choose what goes in your A and B slots and check what you've collected.

Map. Every room you've visited in the current zone, with your position and your current goal marked. Zoom and scroll to look around. Rooms you haven't explored stay dark.

Options. Save, change settings, or quit.

Press M from anywhere to jump straight to the map.

Rechargers do NOT save your game!

Saving ≠ Continuing

Rechargers

Glowing pads found in special rooms around the Zodiac. Stand on one to refill your health and energy.
Some ask for Energy Capsules before they'll open up.
Using one sets your Continue point. If you die, Continue puts you back at the last recharger you used, or the last zone you entered, whichever was more recent.
A recharger does not save your game.

Saving

Save anywhere: open the subscreen, go to Options, choose Save.
Saving records all your progress: items, upgrades, beaten bosses, opened secrets, and your map.
When you load a save, you start back at the Aquarius landing site with all that progress intact.
Quit without saving and everything since your last save is lost.

Save often. A recharger keeps you alive; only saving keeps your progress.

Power Systems

Your Reactor Core

The blue energy meter shows your reactor core's output. Almost everything the Guardian does with her gear draws from it: every sidearm shot, every special weapon, and plenty of the tools you'll find. Run it dry and you're stuck until it refills.

On Foot

In robot form the reactor recharges by itself, slowly but steadily. Stop firing for a moment and the meter creeps back up.

Short, aimed bursts go much further than holding the trigger down.

In Flight Mode

When the Guardian transforms into a fighter, her reactors are busy running the jet engines and the main cannon. Nothing recharges in flight. (At least at first!) Whatever energy you have at take-off is all you get.

Enemy drops are your only refill up there, so collect every star you see.

Armory

Your Only Gun

The Guardian starts with exactly one weapon: a sidearm. It's built for self-defence, not frontline combat. It fires a small, weak pellet, and every shot draws on your reactor.

On its own it won't get you far. Luckily it can be upgraded, and the Zodiac is full of parts.

Upgrades come from upgrade shops and from a few spots out in the open. Each shop lets you take only one of the three it offers, and the other two vanish, so choose carefully.

Power UpPOW+

Every shot hits harder. Tough enemies go down in fewer hits.

Trade-off: each shot costs a bit more energy.

Speed UpSPD+

Shots fly faster, which makes quick enemies and distant targets much easier to hit.

Energy UpENG+

Each shot costs less energy, so you can keep firing longer before the meter runs dry.

Keep Stacking Them

Each upgrade is a small step on its own. Collect enough, though, and you may just see additional changes to the way your sidearm functions. Grab every one you see.

Power-Ups

Getting Stronger

Besides sidearm parts, these are the upgrades you'll be hunting from the very start.

Life Up

Permanently raises your maximum health.

Energy Up

Permanently raises your reactor's maximum energy. Not to be confused with the sidearm's ENG+ part.

Missile Pack

Lets you carry five more missiles.

Life Tanks

The Guardian can refill her health entirely by consuming a Life Tank. These are found hidden or for purchase throughout the Zodiac, but quantities are limited. Use with care!

…and Much, Much More

That's only the start. The Zodiac hides dozens of tools, weapons and upgrades, and many of them do more than they first appear to. Some change how you interact with the world around you. Some work even better together. Experiment!

Loot Report

What Enemies Drop

Defeated enemies sometimes leave something behind. Here's what to look for.

Hearts

Restore health. The striped pack restores a lot more.

Stars

Refill your energy meter. The large star is the big refill.

Missiles

Missile ammo, one or five at a time. These only start dropping once you own a missile launcher.

Energy Capsules

The Zodiac's currency. Some devices ask you to pay capsules before they'll switch on.

Not Every Time

Roughly half of all enemies drop nothing at all. Don't count on refills; manage what you have.

Bigger Foes, Better Loot

Tough, named enemies drop better: more capsules, bigger missile packs, and very rarely a Life Tank.

Rare Finds

A handful of rare creatures can drop a permanent upgrade. The odds are tiny, but it does happen.

In flight, enemies drop hearts, stars and missiles, but never capsules.

Field Basics

How the Zodiac Works

Jacking In: Terminals

Allied terminals are scattered across the station. Walk up to one and the Guardian plugs in, decrypts it, and reads what's on file: work logs, memos, field notes. Many hint at secrets or hazards nearby.

Plugging in has a side effect. While she's on the network, anyone who knows how to find her can open a channel. That's how mission control reaches you, and maybe others too.

A terminal with its monitor screen glowing yellow — Unread: the screen blinks yellow

A terminal with a dark monitor screen — Read to the end: the screen goes dark

Breakable Walls

Some rock can be smashed, but not by your sidearm. You'll need the right tool. Breakable blocks often look cracked, but not always. If a dead end looks suspicious, hit it with everything you've got.

Broken blocks grow back when you leave the room.

Three cracked teal rock blocks — Cracked rock in Aquarius. The Pulse Hammer breaks these.

Switches

Some walls open from a distance. Shoot a ? switch and something changes, often in a completely different room. You can aim straight up to hit switches overhead.

A switch: a lever on top of a question-mark block — Hit the lever on top

The Vents

Every zone has hidden entrances to the vents, natural passages that run through the asteroid itself. Inside, the Guardian switches to fighter mode for a vertical shooter stage with its own boss at the end. Clearing them pays off. Remember: no energy recharge in flight.

A riveted metal vent hatch — Look for this hatch

Flying in Ship Form

When the Guardian transforms into a fighter, your A button is locked to her main cannon. That's a good thing: the cannon is very powerful and built for exactly this kind of combat.

Your B slot is still free for any other item or weapon. Try different gear in ship form; some of it works in surprising ways in the air.

Laser Overload

In ship form the Jump button sets off the fighter's built-in bomb: a laser overload that tears through nearby enemies and clears the screen fast.

It burns energy very quickly while it runs, and it needs a small reserve before it will fire at all. Remember there's no recharge in flight, so once you've drained the meter you'll have to collect energy drops before you can fire it again.

Save it for big groups, which leave more energy drops behind to refuel you.

A Story in Pieces

The Guardian's mission unfolds a piece at a time, through terminal files, intercepted transmissions, and people you meet along the way. Not everyone is who they seem.

Zodiac has multiple endings, and some of them unlock bonus content. Reaching the better endings means finding alternative solutions to problems the game never spells out. Fair warning: those solutions are brutally obscure. This guide won't reveal them. That's a mystery for you to crack.

CLASSIFIED: NOT IN THIS GUIDE

Aquarius

From launch to landing to your first big upgrade.

NOTE

This chapter doesn't reveal all of the game's secrets, and it isn't meant to. It's here to get you off the ground: the opening flight, your first steps on the Zodiac, and the way to your first major tools. Plenty is left for you to find on your own.

Prologue

Deploy the Guardians!

The game opens on the bridge of an Earth carrier as it closes on the asteroid. Enemy base in range: the Commander gives the order, and the Earth Guardian Squadrons wake up, transform, and launch.

Two officers on a carrier bridge look out at the asteroid — **"Enemy base within range."** The carrier's bridge crew finds their target.

The Guardian powering up in a launch bay — **Activate!** The Guardian comes online in the launch bay.

The Guardian mid-transformation into a red jet fighter — **Transform!** She folds into a fighter and blasts off.

The Outer Perimeter

You start in flight mode with four wingmates flying point ahead of you. Your A button fires the main cannon. Dodge the enemy fire and blast everything in your way. Watch the edges of the screen, though. Something out there is picking off your squadron one ship at a time, and there's nothing you can do to save them.

Your squadron. Enjoy them while they last.

Deep Space

Once the last wingmate falls, the Commander radios through: you've broken the perimeter, so push on alone. The stars change, the enemy waves get thicker, and then a warning sounds.

Touchdown

Beat the boss and you transform back to robot form for the drop onto the asteroid. You land in Aquarius at room 08.

No energy recharges while you fly. Grab every star the enemies drop, and save your Laser Overload (the Jump button) for big swarms.

StarTank

BOSS

Threat: ★★☆☆☆
Habitat: The asteroid's front door

It slides down from the top of the screen and patrols, firing angled sprays and then fast straight bursts.
When the hull starts to flicker, it's charging its side cannons for a barrage of large aimed shots, the same weapon that wiped out your squadron.

During the first two phases, move carefully left and right to stay in the gaps between the bullets. When it charges up for the larger shots, get in close to the boss near the centre of the screen. Then move down only very slightly to dodge each pair of shots at the last moment. That gives you enough room to avoid all of them cleanly. Keep firing, and the boss will soon fall!

Reward: Safe landing on the Zodiac

Mission Briefing

Alone on the Zodiac

The Guardian was never meant to fight alone. You just watched her squadron fall during the fly-in, and now the Zodiac is still headed for Earth with only the comms specialist on the ground.

So you'll fight the way she knows how. Every enemy terminal you break into reveals more of the Allies' plan, and mission control needs a weakness only you can dig out of their files.

Aquarius is where you land. It's wet, mossy and full of wildlife, most of which is easy to handle. Dig Team Alpha's notes warn about one species that grows "from the size of a horse to the size of a house," though. Keep that in mind.

The Spy's portrait: a face in deep shadow behind round goggles

Who Is the Spy?

Not long after you land, a second voice cuts into your terminal session. It talks fast, worried the Allies will trace the call. I am a friend. I also want to stop the Allies from attacking Earth.

The Spy says they've infiltrated the enemy base and will guide you to the weapons and data you need. Then they upload coordinates straight to your HUD. So far, every tip has checked out.

How does the Spy know where the Allies keep their equipment?
Why would someone inside the base help an Earth robot?
The Commander has never mentioned having a contact on the Zodiac.

Our advice: follow the coordinates. Just keep reading those Allied files too.

Walkthrough

The Intended Path

Yellow circles are the stops on the main route. The blue square is an optional side trip, and pink diamonds mark secrets you can collect on that leg. Hover or tap any marker for details.

Leg 1: Before the Hammer

East half of the zone

Rooms 07 to 7E

Map of the eastern half of Aquarius, from the landing pipe at room 08 down to Pheagon's lair at 7A and Mega Pheagon's hall at 49.

Route stopSecretT Terminal · + Recharger · $ Upgrade shop

Touchdown and First Contact

08Top of the zone

You drop in through the pipe at the top of the zone. Find a terminal and plug in. The Commander checks in first: no one else made it, and the mission is now yours.

Then plug in again. This time the Spy breaks into the channel. Right now you need tools to get around the asteroid and more firepower to survive it. The Spy's first tip is in this zone.

The landing room at 08, a blue pipe drops in from the ceiling — Room 08: the landing pipe.

Pheagon's Lair

7ABottom of the east side

Head down to the bottom of the zone. In the flooded cave at 7A, an adolescent alien creature called a Pheagon, the larger form of those flying enemies you've been blasting, is here to settle the score. It's the first real fight on the asteroid. Win, and you get the Concussive Missile Launcher.

The Guardian fights Pheagon underwater in its cave, the boss health bar across the top — Room 7A: Pheagon, mid-fight.

Boss: Pheagon

Threat: ★★☆☆☆
Habitat: Flooded cave, bottom of the east side

Its head lunges out to bite, so watch the head, not the body.
Before it fires it gives a clear wind-up, then spits one aimed fireball. Step off the line.
It crouches before a stomp-leap. On landing it sends a shockwave along the floor in both directions. Jump it.
Back it into a corner and it vaults right over you.

Reward: Concussive Missile Launcher

NEW!

New Gear: Concussive Missile Launcher

Your first real weapon upgrade. Equip it to A or B and it fires a fast missile that hits far harder than your starting sidearm. Missiles run on ammo, not energy, so firing them won't drain your reactor. Your ammo count sits at the bottom right of the HUD.

The launcher starts with room for just five missiles. Once you own it, enemies start dropping missile refills, and Missile Packs hidden around the Zodiac each raise your maximum by five. Concussive missiles won't blow open walls, but they aren't the only kind out there. Keep an eye out for upgraded launchers later in the game.

Save your missiles for tougher foes and bosses. Use the sidearm on small fry, then switch to missiles when something big shows up.

Room 6C: those crossed girders overhead.

Listen to the Terminals!

Zodiac doesn't hold your hand. Secrets are unmarked, some blocks only break to one specific weapon, and paths hide in plain sight. Your best hope is to read every terminal carefully. The hints are buried in the logs and memos the Allies left behind.

Here's your first test. The terminal in the side room off 7C, right next to Pheagon's lair, holds Dig Team Alpha's notes. They warn that the white-and-blue crossed girders installed in some ceilings are dangerously weak, and that an impact of any kind would break them apart.

Now look up in room 6C. See those crossed girders? Aim straight up and shoot them. They shatter and open the way up toward Mega Pheagon's hall.

The House-Sized One

49Brick hall, middle of the map

Missiles stocked, climb up through the broken girders and make your way to the brick hall at 49. Turns out, Pheagons get even larger than the last one you fought! Welcome to the Mega Pheagon, the alien feared by the Dig Crews. And it's hungry! Take it down and claim the Pulse Hammer.

The Guardian faces Mega Pheagon, a huge green armoured beast, in the brick hall — Room 49: Mega Pheagon makes its entrance.

Boss: Mega Pheagon

Threat: ★★★☆☆
Habitat: Brick hall, map centre

The house-sized one. Touching its body knocks you back hard, so keep your distance.
It spawns flying nymph Pheagons during the fight.

When the boss rears up, watch its mouth. If you see fire, a series of fireballs is coming, so get ready to dodge between them. If there's no fire, it's about to lunge forward and bite, which does a lot of damage! Wait until the last moment, then rush out of the way so you don't get crunched. Running low on health or energy? The nymph Pheagons it spawns can hopefully refill you.

Still struggling? Don't bang your head against it. Spend some more time exploring the rooms around the boss. There are a few key upgrades nearby, including sidearm parts from the upgrade shops, and they make a real difference here.

Reward: Pulse Hammer

Leg 2: Hammer Time

West to Scorpio

Rooms 30 to 79

Map of the lower-west part of Aquarius, from Mega Pheagon's hall at 49 to Crabbor's pool at 54 and the Scorpio door at 70.

Route stopSide tripSecretZone door

Side Trip: Crabbor's Pool

54Optional

Now that you have the Pulse Hammer, you can open the way to the flooded chamber at 54. An armoured crab called Crabbor lives there, sitting on a Shield Module. The Shield Module halves the damage you take, and few upgrades do more to keep you alive.

Crabbor hits hard for this stage of the game. If it's flattening you, that's fine: leave, gather more upgrades, and come back later. The pool will still be there. Just don't wait too long. Crabbor guards an invaluable armour upgrade, and every fight after this gets easier once you have it.

The Guardian at the water's surface as Crabbor, a huge spiny crab, fires a stream of bubbles across its flooded chamber — Room 54: Crabbor and its bubbles.

Boss: Crabbor

Crabbor, a spiny green crab shell with purple eyes

Threat: ★★★★☆
Habitat: Flooded chamber, lower west

An armoured crab with a crushing body slam. Don't stand where it's about to land.
Fires bubbles between slams. Each one is weak, but they add up.
Optional. Too tough right now? Come back with more Life Ups.

Reward: Shield Module

South to Scorpio

70Bottom-left corner

Plug into a terminal and the Spy has your next job: there's a cache of explosives in Scorpio Zone. A new target lights up on your HUD: 70, the blue door in the far bottom-left corner. Hammer your way west and head on through.

Grab the Leg 2 secrets on the way. Most of them sit right along your path to the door.

Room 70, the blue door to Scorpio Zone — Room 70: the door to Scorpio.

Equipment Cutouts

Gear You'll Find Here

Concussive Missile Launcher

A hard-hitting missile that uses ammo. Great against big targets. It won't blast through walls, though.

Pheagon, 7A

Pulse Hammer

A melee strike that clears cracked rock your sidearm can't touch. You'll swing it in every zone.

Mega Pheagon, 49

Shield Module

Armour that cuts every hit you take in half. It works in the vents too.

Crabbor, 54 (optional)

Missile Packs

Two along the route.

Secrets F, G

Life Tanks

Three to collect before Scorpio.

Secrets B, E, H

Sidearm Upgrades

Four upgrade shops, plus two free parts lying around.

$ rooms · Secrets A, J

Secrets List

Part 1 Secrets

Every secret on this chapter's route. Letters match the pink diamonds on the route maps. Aquarius has more hidden away, but those wait for gear you don't have yet.

#	Room	Item	Notes