How to explore the cosmos - Space Age walkthrough and puzzle guide (Chapters 1 - 10)

Space Age features a weird mixed up soup of genres. It has point and click adventure style puzzles, it controls like a real-time strategy game, and it has both stealth and combat sections.

It's also quite tricky, so you're probably going to need a helping hand when navigating this weird alien landscape.

That's why we've put together a guide that will help you finish every level and unlock all the bonus objectives.

Need help with the four final missions? Get our second guide right here.

Mission 1 - A Strange Place



Mission 1

Simply follow Sergeant Goldman to finish this chapter.

Bonus objectives

Bonus 1

An Explorer Explores - Wander off from Goldman and find this apple tree to the east of the map to finish this objective.

Mission 2 - Greenhorn



Mission 2

Go north, then follow the voice back to the southwest corner. Lead Private and Archer up to the far north. To control multiple characters at once, you want to draw a box around them with two fingers.

Bonus objectives

Bonus 2

Keep Your Ears Open, Too - Go straight to Mrs Archer by immediately heading for the bottom left corner of this map, before going too far north, to get a bonus.

Mission 3 - Intelligence



Mission 3

Our job is to locate Cadet Periwinkle and Engineer Kowalski. Periwinkle is in the dead center of the map, to the northeast of your starting point.

Mission 3 b

Kowalski is in the southeast corner, and has gotten himself trapped in this building. Tap on him to change character, then walk north and press the keypad. Change to Rookie and then walk into the building. Keep pressing the button as Kowalski until Periwinkle is in.

Mission 3 c

Select both Kowalski and Rookie and then head to the beacon above.

Bonus objectives

Bonus 3

Xenoarchaeology - There's a weird object just to the right of your starting point. Go around the trees to find it, then examine the object to cash in the bonus.

Mission 4 - Find Some, Lose Some



Mission 4

Our job is to find the missing Maggie. Move the camera to the top left corner of the map and tap on the green truck. Drive over the metal ore on the left to pick it up and then drive south to the impound.

Mission 4 b

Take Rookie and crew north and follow Goldman to the spaceship.

Bonus objectives

Bonus 4

Getting it Right the First Time - Pick up all the metal scraps in this top area, before driving south, to get the bonus.

Mission 5 - Winfield



Mission 5

This mission is a flashback to Kansas. Start off by walking north to the area behind the house - just remember to wait until your mom is facing the opposite direction.

Mission 5 b

Investigate this hole in the fence to break it open. Your dog will then wander off into the secret military site.

Mission 5 c

Change control to your dog and then distract the technicians. Start by going below the stone L-shaped wall and then run up and go diagonally up behind the two computer terminals.

The men will chase you so loop back down and draw them across the perimeter line in the south.

Bonus objectives

Smooth Sneaking, Whippersnapper - Sneak past your mom without being seen. Restart the chapter if you get spotted.

Mission 6 - Them



Mission 6

Doc has been put in an impromptu prison. Our first job is to sneak by this alien dude. Go south and loop around to hide behind the trees here. When the alien walks up you can dash through the open door.

Or you can just shoot him (but you won't get the bonus objectives).

Mission 6 b

When you're inside, shoot this alien in the back to free Doc. Lasso the two characters and up through a door at the top. Go left and down (watching out for the alien on the left) to the southwest beacon.

Bonus objectives

Avoided Mack - Don't get spotted and don't kill the alien to the left of the prison

Escaped Buddy - Avoid getting spotted or shot by the alien patrolling the south of the prison.

Mission 7 - What's Past is Prologue



Mission 7

Start by going to the right, and pick up this pickaxe. Now follow the trail to the left as instructed.

Mission 7 b

Tap on the axe in your inventory and then on the large pile of rocks to clear them. Now follow the tracks and footprints up and around.

Bonus objectives

Show and Tell - Show the pickaxe (tap on the icon and then on a person) to all four crew members before using it on the rocks to get this bonus.

Mission 8 - The Walls Speak



Mission 8

After a brief cutscene, walk to the far north of the map to find this scene. Grab a jar from the pile, then use it on the slime covered rock to the bottom left of the area to get a sample.

When you walk back to the jars the fireflies will come near you. Use the jar on them to catch them and create a makeshift lantern.

Mission 8 b

Now you can see where you're going in the temple. Sort of. Use your lantern with the top wall to illuminate the drawings.

Mission 8 c

You now play as characters in this wall painting. Start by selecting the lower villagers then pick up the glowing ore. Give them both to the visitor.

Mission 8 d

On this screen, give all four piles of ore to the visitor.

Mission 8 e

Build the temple by picking up rocks and placing them in the blueprint - one at a time.

Bonus objectives

There are no bonus objectives in this chapter.

Mission 9 - Godspeed



Mission 9

Follow this weird red path down to get to the crossroads. Explore all four paths (you'll want to go up first to get the bonus) and then return to the centre.

Mission 9 b

You're now being chased big booming footsteps so get a move on. Follow the dog up, wait until there's a clear path, and then walk to the next area.

Mission 9 c

Select both the boy and Rookie and run down until they are both stood on the X markers. Then move each character separately down to the lower X markers when there's a clear path.

Mission 9 d

Turn on the gramophone to start the music. This will make the path on the left move. When it is below the boy, turn of the gramophone to stop the music and stop the path moving. Now move the boy down.

Turn the music on, and then off again when the path moves once. Make the boy walk left. Continue this process until the boy reaches the end.

Mission 9 f

In this area, four bits of red path are switching position every half second, but they can be paused by flipping one of these switches. Flip the top switch when the leftmost path is joined up, like above. The second switch is stuck.

Mission 9 e

Flip the third switch when the third piece of path is in its lowest position like above. You will need to listen for the beat to know when to flip the switch because you can't see the path and switch at the same time.

Mission 9 g

Flip the fourth (bottom) switch when the leftmost piece of path is in its lowest position and is joining the path up to the X - like above. Again, you're going to need to use your ears and timing to get this right.

Mission 9 h

Now walk across the path, being careful to move as the middle both of path changes position. Run forward and allow yourself to be consumed by the darkness to wake up and finish this crazy chapter.

Bonus objectives

Fall in love - Go north at the crossroads before you see your mother to fall in love with Archer.

Mission 10 - A Key Moment



Mission 10

Don't go straight for the button. Instead wander down below the trees to find a building on the left.

Mission 10 a

Go in and wander in front of the security camera to set off the alarm. This will cause the alien to come investigate. Quickly dart through the gap on the left and then go down, run right, hit the button, and jump through the door before the alien comes back to his post.

Mission 10 c

When this patrolling alien moves to the right, walk up and through this doorway on the left. (Or you could go through the one on the right - up to you).

Mission 10 d

Use the keypad to go into this room in the top right of the compound and open the cabinet on the right to find the key. Now we have to get out alive…

Mission 10 f

Go here and press the button on the right. Go in the room and use the computer to disable the life machines and lure the alien in through the left door. Quickly go out and lock both doors to keep the alien in.

Mission 10 g

Press this switch to open the door and finish the chapter.

Bonus objectives

Bonus 10

Absolute Empathy - You need to finish this section without hurting the alien children. So, press the button on the right and then hit the button on the left. Let the alien chase you into the top room.

Bonus 10 b

Loop around, run out of the door on the left and flip the switch to lock the door. Go and lock the right door too to keep the alien in and the children unharmed.

Bonus 10'c

Poking the bear - Look through the window on the left to tease the locked up alien.