How to Unlock All Aphelion Achievements and Trophies (Complete Guide)

Aphelion has 30 achievements worth 1,000 Gamerscore on Xbox, and you can unlock every single one in a single playthrough if you know what to watch for. Most unlock automatically as you finish each chapter, but a handful demand specific actions: finding hidden collectibles, pulling off perfect climbing sequences, and surviving or intentionally dying in key sections.

This guide covers all 30 Aphelion achievements with step-by-step instructions for every non-obvious unlock.

Estimated time to complete all achievements: 8 to 10 hours.

Tip: Once you finish Chapter 11, the game unlocks chapter select from the main menu. Use it to go back and collect anything you missed. The mission select screen also shows how many Audiofiles, Datapads, and Glyphs remain in each chapter, making cleanup fast.

All Aphelion Achievements and Trophies

Story Achievements

The following 11 achievements unlock automatically as you play through the main story. Finish each chapter and you earn them with zero extra effort.

• The Wreck – Complete Chapter 1
• The Pulse – Complete Chapter 2
• The Escape Pod – Complete Chapter 3
• The Onyx Forest – Complete Chapter 4
• The Outpost – Complete Chapter 5
• The Base – Complete Chapter 6
• The Storm – Complete Chapter 7
• The Nexus – Complete Chapter 8
• Reunion – Complete Chapter 9
• The Styx – Complete Chapter 10
• The Source – Complete Chapter 11 (the final chapter)

First Contact and The Right Frequency also unlock through normal story progression. You find your first Echo and interact with your first Anomaly as part of the scripted tutorial sections, so neither requires a detour.

Collectible Achievements

Bookworm (Gold): Find All 18 Audiofiles and Datapads

You need to collect every Audiofile and Datapad hidden across the game’s chapters. None appear in Chapter 1 or the final chapter. The mission select screen tracks how many you have left in each chapter, which makes finding stragglers straightforward. Use chapter select after finishing the story to clean up any you missed.

Expert Glaciologist (Silver): Find All 8 Glyphs

Glyphs hide inside Ice Formations throughout the game. To collect a Glyph, approach the Ice Formation with your EM Scanner active and adjust the frequency the same way you did for your first Anomaly. After the scan, interact with the Ice Formation to register the Glyph.

The first available Glyph sits right next to the starting point in Chapter 2, making it a good one to grab early and unlock Novice Glaciologist (Bronze) at the same time.

Webb (Gold): Find All 27 Secondary Markers with the Pathfinder

Pull out your Pathfinder regularly as you explore each chapter. Secondary Markers show up when you scan the environment, and many sit slightly off the main path. Keep the Pathfinder active whenever you enter a new area to avoid missing any.

Crew Expendable (Silver): Find All 5 Crewmember Bodies

You must find and fully interact with all five Project Aphelion crew members. Fully interact means listening to every line of dialogue tied to each body. Cutting the interaction short disqualifies that body and locks the achievement.

Here is where to find each crew member:

Skill-Based Achievements

Cliffhanger (Gold): Perform 15 Perfect Grabs in a Row While Climbing

A Perfect Grab happens when you time the jump and grab input correctly while climbing. On Xbox, press A then X. On PlayStation, press X then Square.

The 15 grabs must be consecutive, but they do not all need to happen on the same climb. Completing several shorter, perfect climbs back to back still counts toward the total. Chapter 2 is a good place to start working on this since the game introduces climbing mechanics there.

High-wire Act (Silver): Perform 3 Perfect Balances

Walk across three narrow bridges without falling or over-correcting. A Perfect Balance means you cross the entire bridge cleanly. Chapter 2 is the earliest chapter where balancing mechanics appear.

Orpheus (Silver): Cross the River Without Dying in The Styx Chapter

This achievement tracks only the section after Ariane jumps into the Styx River in Chapter 10. Steer through the entire river sequence without dying and the achievement unlocks at the end. If you die during the crossing, restart the chapter from the menu and try again.

Stealth and Enemy Achievements

Whisperstep (Gold): Escape the Nemesis Arena Without Being Detected

The Nemesis Arena refers to the large cavern in Chapter 7: The Storm where Ariane must sneak past the Nemesis. To avoid detection, you need to do two things throughout the entire section: stay crouched at all times, and use the Decoy Anomalies scattered around the arena to pull the Nemesis away from your path.

The Nemesis cannot see, but it detects sound and vibrations. Walking upright or rushing gives it a chance to hear you. Take your time, use every Decoy Anomaly you spot, and stay low.

Distraction Master (Silver): Lure the Nemesis Away with Decoy Anomalies 10 Times

Use your EM Scanner to find and activate Decoy Anomalies near the Nemesis a total of 10 times across the entire game. You can build up progress naturally through Chapters 4, 5, and 7 where the Nemesis encounters are concentrated.

If you finish the story short of 10, revisit Chapter 5: The Outpost. On the right side of the area with the alien encounter, a Decoy Anomaly sits ready to use. Activate it and the Nemesis will investigate. Repeat until the achievement pops.

Killed by the Nemesis (Bronze): Get Killed by the Nemesis 10 Times

Let the Nemesis catch and kill Ariane 10 times across any chapters. Deaths from different missions all count toward the same total, so this one accumulates naturally if you explore aggressively during Nemesis encounters. If you finish the story short of 10, revisit Chapter 4: The Onyx Forest and let the Nemesis find you repeatedly.

Missable and Chapter-Specific Achievements

Echo Seeker (Gold): Find the Hidden Echo in The Onyx Forest Chapter

This Echo hides in Chapter 4 after you escape from the Nemesis and exit the cave. Once outside, use your Pathfinder. A Cave Secondary Marker appears pointing to a nearby cave entrance. Head inside and listen to the Echo all the way through to unlock the achievement.

Do not follow the main story path immediately after exiting the cave. Take the detour to the cave first, as the game moves you forward after the next scripted sequence.

Novice Glaciologist (Bronze): Interact with a Strange Ice Sculpture

Use your EM Scanner on any Ice Formation and scan it to extract a Glyph, then interact with the formation. The earliest chance is in Chapter 2: The Pulse, where an Ice Formation sits right next to the chapter’s starting area. This is the fastest route to unlocking the achievement early.

Nice Try (Bronze): Fail the Commander’s Door Code 3 Times in a Row

In Chapter 6: The Base, you encounter Commander Leary’s locked door. The correct code is 020845, but for this achievement you want to enter the wrong code three times. Type any incorrect number three times in a row and the achievement unlocks. Then enter 020845 to proceed normally.

If you already finished Chapter 6 without doing this, use chapter select to revisit it.

Absolute Zero (Bronze): Freeze to Death 3 Times in The Storm Chapter

In Chapter 7: The Storm, Ariane freezes to death if she stays out in the equatorial storm too long. Find the first open storm area and stand in the middle of the blizzard until Ariane dies. Repeat this three times and the achievement unlocks. Each death takes about 20 to 30 seconds.

Call of the Void (Bronze): Die 20 Times from a Fall

Die from falling a total of 20 times across the entire game. This includes jumping off ledges and dropping into holes. You naturally accumulate deaths during normal play, but if you reach the end of the game short of 20, revisit any chapter with cliffs and jump off repeatedly until the achievement pops.

Augmented Reality (Bronze): Use the Navigator for 2 Consecutive Minutes

Activate the Pathfinder (Navigator) and keep it open without interruption for exactly 2 minutes. Do not close it during this window. Find a safe spot during any chapter, open the Pathfinder, and wait the full 2 minutes. The achievement unlocks automatically when the timer completes.

Pioneer (Platinum): All Aphelion Achievements Unlocked

Pioneer unlocks automatically after you earn the other 29 achievements. It requires no separate steps. Finishing every achievement in this guide triggers it immediately. Play Now!

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