Guidance for obtaining 100% achievements! Spoiler Alert!
Introduction
The Talos Principle 2 is a first-person puzzle game and the successor to The Talos Principle.
There is a point of no return at the end of the game. After saving Byron, you will be able to complete all remaining puzzles. If you enter the VTOL, you won’t be able to get back again. However, the game will make an autosave (before entering the VTOL) and let you continue playing from this autosave after completing the game.
There are three mutually exclusive achievements tied to an election taking place at the end of Act IV. The outcome of the election depends on multiple decisions made throughout the game, but all three achievements can be obtained in a single playthrough by following the steps listed in section ‘The Theory of Everything’, and making a backup of your save file. Also, there are several missable achievements in New Jerusalem, a city that can be visited only twice (see section ‘New Jerusalem’). All other achievements are unmissable or can be quickly unlocked in a new game.
Unfortunately, you can’t save the game manually. However, you can backup your save files which are located in ‘AppData\Local\Talos2\Saved\SaveGames’. Make sure to disable the Steam Cloud if you want to load backups (right-click on the game in your library → General → Steam Cloud).
Story
Finish the calibration process.
Embark on the expedition.
Build one bridge.
Activate the tower at the Grasslands Ring.
Activate the tower at the Wooded Plateau.
Experience a datastream overload.
Activate the tower in the Eastern Wetlands.
Enter the Megastructure.
Activate the tower on the Desolate Island.
Activate the tower in the Flooded Valley.
Activate the tower in the Lost Marshes.
Activate the tower on the Southern Coast.
Activate the tower at the Verdant Canyon.Circular Oasis
Activate the tower at the Circular Oasis.
Prometheus Unbound
Free Prometheus from his chains.
Western Delta
Activate the tower in the Western Delta.
Anthropic Hills
Activate the tower in the Anthropic Hills.
High Plain
Activate the tower on the High Plain.
Break the Loop
Make a choice that will define the future.
Endings
Refuse to go along on the expedition.
At the very beginning of the game, during the briefing in the tower, reply with:
- Sorry, not interested.
Ab Aeterno
Defy death.
The Future
Go above and beyond to change the future.
In order to get this ending, first solve all Gold Puzzles. Then, meet Cornelius (3) on the island at the Megastructure. Interact with the device next to him and save Miranda (α). This will unlock the achievement ‘The Edge of Forever’.
Now, return to the VTOL, enter the Megastructure (it doesn’t matter if you enter the utopian or the dystopian tower), and find Athena. Choose: I want to know the truth to unlock the ‘Leap of Faith’ ending and the achievement ‘The Future’.
Completion
The Thief of Fire
Solve one Prometheus monument.
The All-Gifted
Solve one Pandora monument.
Mistress of Riddles
Solve one Sphinx monument.
Puzzle Fiend
Solve all regular puzzles.
Renaissance Robot
Solve all puzzles and monuments.
There are twelve areas in the game, each containing:
- 8 Normal Puzzles
- 2 Lost Puzzles
- 2 Monuments (Stars)
- 1 Gold Puzzle
The normal puzzles and the lost puzzles count as regular puzzles. The monuments are optional and grant stars which can be used on the island at the Megastructure. The Gold Puzzles cannot be accessed until completing all 24 Lost Puzzles and activating all 12 towers.
There is a point of no return at the end of the game. After , you will be able to complete all remaining puzzles in free roam, including the Gold Puzzles. However, if you enter the VTOL after , you won’t be able to get back again. Fortunately, the game will make an autosave before entering the VTOL. It will be available after watching the credits.
Please refer to this guide by Mauritsio for help with the monuments and stars.
Discover a vision of things to come.After completing all monuments and acquiring all stars, approach the device in the tower on the island at the Megastructure. Place all stars and watch the vision to unlock the achievement.
Missable
Please refer to the sections below:
- The Theory of Everything
- New Jerusalem
- Puzzles
⋗︎ The Theory of Everything
Get involved behind the scenes.At the beginning of the game, Doge (666) will approach you in the tower (before the meeting). She will tell you about her friends. Let her know that you are interested in meeting them.
Use a functioning Somnodrome.
Follow the steps described above (achievement ‘Not What It Seems’). When you are in the Flooded Valley area, try to access the Somnodrome in the Lost Lab. However, it will break.
Continue playing until reaching the Lost Lab of the Anthropic Hills area. Enter the Lost Lab to find a Somnodrome guarded by Hermanubis (452). Tell him that you are going to use it, then interact with the device to discover the truth – and to unlock the achievement.
A New Morality
Help Rand get elected mayor.
A New Beginning
Help Byron get elected mayor.
Balance
Maintain the status quo in New Jerusalem… for now.
These achievements are mutually exclusive and unlock at the beginning of Act V, after the election. Neith (33) will tell you who got elected as New Jerusalem’s old/new mayor – Rand (303), Byron (7), or Hermanubis (452). Note: Jeremy (832) can also be elected, or the election can fail resulting in no one getting elected. There are no achievements tied to these outcomes.
While the outcome of the election depends on numerous choices made throughout the game, all three achievements can be obtained in one playthrough by using the strategy described below.
Keep in mind that this is a strategy I discovered while playing the game multiple times. There are likely different approaches. Also, minor deviations from this strategy are possible; but following the steps thoroughly ensures that you will be able to get all three outcomes in one playthrough.
Each of the following steps consists of Social Media Replies and Story Choices. The social media entries appear while progressing through the game and solving puzzles (check your PDA and the number in the lower left corner of the screen). The choices are tied to events and conversations. You can pick any options while talking to Pandora, Prometheus, the Sphinx, or your team.
While following this strategy you will also unlock ‘Not What It Seems’ and ‘Gnothi Seauton’.
I highly recommend you to regularly backup your save files. In case you miss anything or accidentally pick a wrong Social Media Reply, you can load it and avoid a full restart. The save files are located in ‘AppData\Local\Talos2\Saved\SaveGames’. Make sure to disable the Steam Cloud before loading backups (right-click on the game in your library → General → Steam Cloud).
Social Media Replies (answer in this order and wait until the threads get closed)
WTF was that? → I don't think it was a sign. What's 1k like? → I don't know who I want to be. Still deciding. The Progenitor (Portrait Series) → It's important to remember she was a real person. → But they were. That's the point. The Mystery of Miranda → I'd like to hear more about these other attempts to save humanity. → Fascinating, thanks. The Garden (New Poem) → I also feel that it's about death. → Acceptance of death is wisdom, even for us. The Founder Megathread → She was alway a leader. Maybe she just wanted to experience something private. Body Replication → These conversations are necessary, they should not be banned. Proposal: bring back dogs → They're better off being wolves. My Farming Obsession → I agree with Damien. The Devil's Bargain → I think they often conflated political anxieties with technological or intellectual progress...
Story Choices
- Tell Doge (666) that you are interested in meeting her friends (see ‘Not What It Seems’).
- Sign Damien (903) and Moryana’s (801) petition in New Jerusalem (see ‘Signatory’).
- Talk to Rand (303) in the museum, use the terminal and share your experience with him.
- Consent to Doge’s (666) request of gathering and sharing your personal data.
- Answer Doge’s (666) questions truthfully and connect with one of her friends.
- Interact with the Somnodrome in North 2 – Flooded Valley (see ‘Gnothi Seauton’).
- Back in New Jerusalem, tell Damien (903) and Atal (890) that you fully support them.
- During the debriefing in the tower, shortly before leaving New Jerusalem again, pick:
- The island has technology we can’t afford to ignore.
- We should trust ourselves to make good of this opportunity.
- How? Why?
- I would share it with the people.
Social Media Replies
Story Choices
- At the beginning of Act IV, meet Hermanubis (452) at the transport system and tell him:
- I’m certain my visions were real.
- Activate all remaining towers.
- Use the Somnodrome in the Lost Lab in West 2 – Anthropic Hills (see ‘Gnothi Seauton’).
- During the interview with Cryer (656), reply with:
- I’m ready.
- Bugs, mostly.
- I’m transmitting the data to everyone.
- This data has some important truths to teach us.
- Backup your save before talking to Hermanubis (452) at the Megastructure!
Load the backup.
Social Media Replies (answer in this order and wait until the threads get closed)
The Goal Megathread → An apology. A Warning → A class society is forming, but we can stop that without embracing growth or technology. → By electing someone else. Is there even a future? → Maybe it won't be, but so what? Life goes on. The Theory of Everything → I agree with Atal.
Story Choices
- Don’t reassure Hermanubis (452) before entering the VTOL:
- Your myth is strangling our entire species, Herman.
Load the backup.
Social Media Replies
Story Choices
- Don’t reassure Hermanubis (452) before entering the VTOL:
- Your myth is strangling our entire species, Herman.
Load the backup.
Social Media Replies (answer in this order and wait until the threads get closed)
The Theory of Everything → I agree with Malduc. Is there even a future? → You'll find a way to be happy, everyone does eventually. A Warning → I don't think a class society is forming. A society without growth will be equal and balanced. The Goal Megathread → Nothing except what we also owe each other.
Story Choices
- Reassure Hermanubis (452) before entering the VTOL:
- The myth must be preserved to prevent us from repeating the mistakes of our ancestors.
⋗︎ New Jerusalem
Important Note: New Jerusalem can only be explored twice. You can enter the city after the meeting in the tower at the beginning of the game, and after completing half (6/12) of the puzzle areas.
Provide your digital signature to someone.
Or you can give Schuyler (923) an autograph who is in front of the museum.
Tell Schuyler what to do with his life… or not.
Museum Visitor
Visit New Jerusalem’s Museum of the Simulation.
Enter the ‘Museum of the Simulation’:
Museum Explorer
Explore the Museum of the Simulation in its entirety.
Visit all areas in the museum and interact with one of the sigil puzzles.
Excellent
Tell Purple what to do about his voice.
Talk to Purple (998) behind the museum and ask him about his diction.
Text Adventurer
Finish all three text adventures in the exhibition.
Enter the Gehenna Memorial Pavilion and complete all three text adventures:
- Jefferson Goldboom and the Specter of Modernity, by Rat (980)
- Ghosts of Atlantis, by Corazon (815)
- Argument Simulator, by Guta (972)
The text adventures feature multiple endings, including bad endings that don’t count towards the achievement. If you want to make sure to get good endings, please refer to the example walkthroughs listed below.
Example Walkthrough for Jefferson Goldboom and the Specter of Modernity, by Rat (980)
→ Start → Speak to John Malclom → Ask John Malclom what's happening → Shut the klaxon off → Play your guitar → Talk to your team → Ask why the klaxon was blaring → Check John's findings → Take action! → Wait for their response → Take John Malclom with you → Go and confront the Specter of Modernity → Enter the Mechanical Lair! → Request clarification → That actually makes a lot of sense. Sorry. → Go back to the Institute
Walkthrough for Ghosts of Atlantis, by Corazon (815)
→ Start → Begin your pilgrimage. → Journey to the Broken Tower. → Approach the tower. → Speak to the Magician. → Annihilation of the self is sin. → To find another way to witness the Sublime without being annihilated. → Ask the Magician to join you. → Continue your pilgrimage. → Journey to the Lost Shore. → Speak to the Poet. → You must refuse to accept your death and find a way of completing the Great Work. → Ask the Poet to join you. → Continue your pilgrimage. → Journey to the Temple of the Owl. → Speak to the Scientist. → Tell him the truth matters more than anything. → Continue your pilgrimage. → Journey to the Temple of Serpents. → Speak to the Physician. → No, because all lives are worth saving, no matter the future. → Ask the Physician to join you. → Continue your pilgrimage. → Journey to the Ancient Farmlands. → Speak to the Farmer. → Yes. → Ask the Farmer to join you. → Continue your pilgrimage. → Journey to the Palace. → Speak to the King. → You failed because you put yourself above others, and hoarded luxury. → Then the fault lies with kingship itself, not with the king. → Ask the King to join you. → Examine the mosaic. → Retrieve the mosaic. → Ask the ghosts for help. → Return to your ship.
Walkthrough for Argument Simulator, by Guta (972)
→ Start → Library assistant! → It's true! → This is obviously incorrect! → I can contradict you! → Let's find out what we agree on.
If the achievement doesn’t unlock, interact with each computer again and click on ‘Quit’.
Sinner
Have a heated argument with Thecla.
Thecla (862) can be found in the ‘Tablets of the Founder’ area:
She will be mad at you. Tell her:
- Have you every considered that you might be wrong?
- I don’t want to waste my time talking to idiots.
Good Citizen
Explore New Jerusalem in its entirety.
Visit these locations:
- Milton’s Rest
- Tablets of the Founder
- Alexandra Drennan Memorial
- Friends of New Jerusalem Gazebo
- Gehenna Memorial Pavilion
- Museum of the Simulation
- Construction Site / Scaffolding (behind the museum)
⋗︎ Puzzles
Return to a puzzle for a second attempt.
Activate a Prometheus monument without stopping the spark-chasing music.There are eight Prometheus monuments in the game. I recommend you to try this achievement at each new monument until you obtain it. If you have already completed all monuments or failed to activate all remaining monuments without stopping the spark-chasing music, you must start a new game. Fortunately, there is a Prometheus monument in the first puzzle area – Grasslands Ring. However, remember to build the first tetromino bridge before activating the blue spark!
Monuments
Solve one Prometheus monument.
Solve one Pandora monument.
Solve one Sphinx monument.
Solve all puzzles and monuments.
Challenges
Solve “Loop” without doing multiple circles.
Lost Puzzle next to Puzzle 8If you have already solved the puzzle, interact with the Prometheus Terminal to restart it.
Solve “Switcheroo” without using the “keep connections” option.
Puzzle 8If you have already solved the puzzle, interact with the Prometheus Terminal to restart it.
Solve “Seesaw” puzzle by picking up only one connector.
Puzzle 8
Work on solving a puzzle for more than 20 minutes.
Miscellaneous
Read 10 Social Media entries.Read 10 entries on the Social Media tab in your PDA. There’s a number in the lower left corner of the screen indicating new entries. You’ll unlock at least 30 entries throughout the game:
Talk to each member of your team.
While exploring the areas, talk to your team members who are wandering around:
- Byron (7)
- Melville (142)
- Alcatraz (264)
- Yaqut (764)
Find one Prometheus spark.
The Word Endures
Explore content on a lost terminal.
The first lost terminal can be found in Grasslands Ring, to the right of the tetromino bridge:
Lord of the Files
Read 30 texts on terminals.
There are plenty of terminals scattered throughout game, each typically containing at least one text. Therefore, the achievement will most likely unlock while progressing through the game.
Collectibles
Furthermore, there’s one achievement for finding ten of the many human artifacts scattered throughout the game. Their spawn at randomly chosen, yet predefined locations. Hence, you might not be able to find some of the artifacts at the locations described below.
⋗︎ Lost Labs
Explore all of the lost labs.East 1 – Grasslands Ring
Near the Prometheus monument; on the left side of the tower:
East 2 – Wooded Plateu
On the path from Puzzle 6 to Puzzle 7:
East 3 – Eastern Wetlands
Behind Puzzle 7:
North 1 – Desolate Island
Between Puzzle 7 and Puzzle 8:
North 2 – Flooded Valley
In front of Puzzle 6
North 3 – Lost Marshes
North of Puzzle 6
South 1 – Southern Coast
Below the transport system:
South 2 – Verdant Canyon
Behind Puzzle 7:
South 3 – Circular Oasis
Near the transport system, in a crater:
West 1 – Western Delta
Next to Puzzle 4:
West 2 – Anthropic Hills
Next to Puzzle 5:
West 3 – High Plain
South-east of Puzzle 2:
⋗︎ Audio Logs
Ecstatic Truth
Collect all 12 of Lifthrasir’s audio logs.
Trevor’s Biographer
Collect all 12 of Trevor’s audio logs.
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_01
Area: Grasslands Ring
Near the bridge:
Audio Log: Trevor_01
Area: Grasslands Ring
In front of Puzzle 5:
Audio Log: Trevor_02
Area: Wooded Plateu
In front of Puzzle 2:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_02
Area: Wooded Plateu
On the hill:
Area: Eastern WetlandsThere’s a terminal inside the human rock formation that can be seen from the transport system:Audio Log: Lifthrasir_03
Area: Eastern WetlandsFar in the south; near the Pandora statue:Audio Log: Lifthrasir_04
Area: Desolate Island
In the far south-west; follow the path in front of Puzzle 5:
Audio Log: Trevor_04
Area: Desolate Island
In the stone structure at the base of the mountain; follow the path between Puzzle 7 and Puzzle 8:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_05
Area: Flooded Valley
Next to Puzzle 3 and the Prometheus Monument:
Audio Log: Trevor_05
Area: Flooded Valley
Next to Puzzle 8:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_06
Area: Lost Marshes
In the far south west of the island, behind Puzzle 3:
Audio Log: Trevor_06
Area: Lost Marshes
Between the Prometheus monument and Puzzle 6:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_07
Area: Southern Coast
On the hill between Puzzle 2 and Puzzle 3:
Audio Log: Trevor_07
Area: Southern Coast
Between Puzzle 7 and Puzzle 8:
Audio Log: Trevor_08
Area: Verdant Canyon
Near Puzzle 1 and Puzzle 2:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_09
Area: Circular Oasis
In front of Puzzle 8:
Audio Log: Trevor_09
Area: Circular Oasis
Next to Puzzle 5:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_10
Area: Western Delta
Behind Puzzle 1:
Audio Log: Trevor_10
Area: Western Delta
Between Puzzle 4 and Lost Puzzle Jailbreak:
Area: Anthropic HillsOn a small plateau in front of the transport system:Audio Log: Trevor_11
Area: Anthropic HillsOn top of the mountain; near the Gold Puzzle Hollow:
Audio Log: Trevor_12
Area: High Plain
By the south exit of Puzzle 3:
Audio Log: Lifthrasir_12
Area: High Plain
In front of the hands; next to Puzzle 8:
⋗︎ Remnants
Discover a trace of what happened on the island.
Find every manifestation of the past.
Area: East 3 – Eastern WetlandsIn front of Puzzle 2:
Remnant: Miranda’s Studies
Area: East 3 – Eastern Wetlands
In front of Puzzle 7:
Remnant: Our Duty
Area: North 1 – Desolate Island
In front of Puzzle 6:
Remnant: The Ancients
Area: North 1 – Desolate Island
In front of Puzzle 8:
Remnant: Irresponsible
Area: North 2 – Flooded Valley
In front of Puzzle 5:
Remnant: Work of Art
Area: North 2 – Flooded Valley
On the island reachable after building the first tetromino bridge:
Remnant: Terraforming
Area: North 3 – Lost Marshes
Behind Puzzle 5; in front of Puzzle 3:
Remnant: Player of Games
Area: North 3 – Lost Marshes
Next to Puzzle 8:
Remnant: More Timber
Area: South 1 – Southern Coast
Next to Puzzle 4:
Remnant: I’m Dad
Area: South 1 – Southern Coast
Between the Gold Puzzle and Puzzle 8:
Remnant: The Bigger Picture
Area: South 2 – Verdant Canyon
In front of Puzzle 2:
Remnant: Life
Area: South 2 – Verdant Canyon
Behind Puzzle 4:
Remnant: Miranda’s Design
Area: South 3 – Circular Oasis
In front of the transport system:
Remnant: Too Much Beauty
Area: South 3 – Circular Oasis
Between Puzzle 2 and Puzzle 3:
Remnant: Too Human
Area: West 1 – Western Delta
On a hill between Puzzle 3, Puzzle 4, and the Prometheus monument:
Remnant: Just To Be
Area: West 1 – Western Delta
In front of Puzzle 6:
Area: West 2 – Anthropic HillsIn front of the tetromino bridge; next to the transport system:Remnant: Birth
Area: West 2 – Anthropic HillsAt the base of the stone statue leading to Puzzle 7
Remnant: Together
Area: West 3 – High Plain
Near Puzzle 4; east exit:
Remnant: How Did She Do It
Area: West 3 – High Plain
Near Puzzle 7; north-east exit:
⋗︎ Human Artifacts
Find an ancient human artifact.
Find 10 ancient human artifacts.
Area: East 1 – Grasslands Ring
On the right side of the tower:
Human Artifact: Tricycle
Area: East 1 – Grasslands Ring
On the left side of the tower, at the very end of the lake:
Human Artifact: Unknown Machine
Area: East 1 – Grasslands Ring
North-west of Puzzle 6:
Human Artifact: Slide
Area: East 3 – Eastern Wetlands
Between the Sphinx monument and the Pandora monument:
Human Artifact: Satellite Dish
Area: North 2 – Flooded Valley
Near Lost Puzzle Lateral Inhibition:
Human Artifact: Anchor
Area: North 3 – Lost Marshes
Next to Lost Puzzle Elegance, in the south-east of the area:
Human Artifact: Bomber Plane
Area: South 1 – Southern Coast
In front of the tower, under the water:
Human Artifact: Van
Area: South 1 – Southern Coast
Below Puzzle 6:
Human Artifact: Arcade Machine
Area: South 1 – Southern Coast
Between the Gold Puzzle and Puzzle 8:
Area: Verdant Canyon
Area: South 2 – Verdant CanyonBetween Puzzle 5 and Puzzle 7:Human Artifact: Classic Vehicle
Area: Anthropic Hills
In the circular area in front of Puzzle 4:
Related Posts:
- The Talos Principle 2: All Monuments Guide (WIP)
- The Talos Principle 2: Museum Sigil Puzzle Solutions
- The Talos Principle 2: Gold Puzzle Solutions and Teleports
- The Talos Principle 2: All Terminal Hex Translations
- The Talos Principle 2: How to Skip the Intro