MINOS throws players into a brutal maze full of traps, pressure plates, soldiers, puzzles, and strange mechanics that the game barely explains. A lot of the difficulty early on does not actually come from enemies or combat. Instead, it comes from simply understanding how the systems work.
Many new players end up confused about things like artifacts, keys, automatic doors, trap linking, or puzzle mechanics because the game explains very little upfront. This guide covers the most important beginner information, along with several useful tips that make the early and mid-game much easier to understand.
If you have ever wondered why your automatic door refuses to place, whether keys disappear after death, or how artifacts actually work, this guide should clear things up.
MINOS Beginner Guide – Artifacts, Doors, Keys, Puzzle
Artifacts are one of the most important progression systems in the game. They provide different bonuses and effects, but the confusing part is that not all artifacts work the same way.
Some are permanent, some last until defeat, and others are limited-use consumables.
Permanent Artifacts
There are a few special permanent artifacts hidden throughout the game.
Early on, you may find one that appears to do absolutely nothing. This is normal. Some permanent artifacts are tied to larger progression systems that only become useful later.
At the moment, players have discovered at least three permanent artifacts in total.
These remain with you permanently and are not lost after defeat.
Semi-Permanent Artifacts
This is the category most artifacts fall into.
Once purchased or found, these artifacts remain active until your run ends in defeat. This includes many artifacts bought using gems from shops.
A lot of players avoid spending gems at first because they assume these are tiny temporary buffs, but they actually stay with you for your entire run, making them far more valuable than they initially appear.
The mysterious boat merchants usually appear between levels once you collect enough Obols, typically around 100.
Limited-Use Artifacts
Some harder missions reward Gold Obols instead of normal ones.
After completing these missions, you may reach special in-between areas where the boat merchants sell stronger limited-use items using Gold Obols.
These items only last temporarily and require active item slots to equip.
If you cannot equip them yet, you probably need to unlock additional active-use slots through upgrades first.
Do Keys Carry Over After Death?
Yes.
Keys are one of the few things players permanently keep even after defeat.
This is extremely important because many secrets and locked paths require keys to access. Most secret areas only need one key, although at least one known secret requires two.
Because keys persist between runs, collecting them is always worthwhile even if your current run ends badly afterward.
How Automatic Doors Work
Automatic doors confuse almost everyone the first time they try placing one.
The biggest issue is that doors require proper wall support on both sides before placement becomes valid.
Important Door Rules
- Doors need walls on both sides
- Chasms and drop-offs do NOT count as walls
- Existing walls cannot simply be replaced
- You must first create an empty gap, then place the door inside it
This becomes especially frustrating in narrow maze sections where terrain spacing looks valid but technically is not.
If your door refuses to place, check whether both sides are considered actual solid walls.
Enemy Behavior Around Doors
Enemies usually ignore doors unless they are completely blocked from progressing.
Once enemies spot Asterion or become trapped, they may begin attacking doors and barricades to break through.
Some enemy types also behave differently around doors.
For example:
- Dodger enemies can sometimes pass through doors normally
- Trap-resetting enemies may also bypass them
This means doors are useful for controlling paths, but they are not always perfect protection.
Trap Linking and Rearming
Trap systems are one of the more advanced mechanics in MINOS.
Many players initially believe linked traps can always be manually rearmed afterward, but this does not consistently seem to work. Some interactions appear limited depending on how traps are connected.
The game currently leaves a lot of these systems fairly unexplained, so experimentation is still important.
General Beginner Tips
Save Your Resources Early
Early-game resources are more valuable than they first appear.
Avoid wasting gems or Gold Obols randomly until you understand which artifacts and upgrades fit your playstyle best.
Experiment With Trap Layouts
A lot of the fun in MINOS comes from creative problem solving.
Sometimes the intended solution is not the only solution. Experimenting with trap timing, pressure plates, and enemy pathing often leads to easier or smarter clears.
Learn Enemy Pathing
Understanding how enemies move through mazes becomes far more important later in the game than pure combat skill.
Many puzzles and challenge rooms rely almost entirely on manipulating movement patterns.
Puzzle Maze Basics and Solutions
Several Brainstorming Puzzles introduce mechanics that can feel extremely confusing at first. Here are the core ideas behind each major puzzle area.
Rolling Trenches
This puzzle is fairly straightforward once you understand the gimmick.
The main objective is simply letting the rolling stone continue naturally through the trench path.
Sometimes the simplest solution really is the correct one.
Twisting Chambers
The key here is timing.
You need to fire the ballista while soldiers are aligned properly in a straight line. Poor timing usually causes the entire setup to fail.
Mortal Hallways
This is one of the first major puzzles where survival pathing becomes extremely important.
Your goal is not necessarily to save every soldier. You only need at least one to survive.
The puzzle revolves around:
- Avoiding traps like rolling stones and ballistas
- Manipulating doors during the hunt
- Guiding soldiers onto correct pressure plates near the end
Pausing frequently to plan movements helps enormously here.
Coiling Passageway
This puzzle focuses heavily on directional switching.
Pressure plates control:
- Ballista direction
- Signposts
- Switching walls
The intended solution involves repeatedly forcing soldiers to reverse direction while the environment changes around them.
There are multiple valid solutions, though, which makes this one especially satisfying to experiment with.
False Horizon
This puzzle introduces tank enemy mechanics.
Important things to know:
- Tanks have 10 HP
- Tanks resist most rolling stone damage
- Fire traps only deal 8 damage
Because of this, you must carefully combine multiple damage sources to kill the tank correctly.
One important step is closing the door immediately after the tank enters to separate it from the enemies following behind.
Sacrificial Tomb
This puzzle revolves around sacrificing soldiers strategically.
The main objective is guiding soldiers toward trap triggers that alter spike paths, allowing the tank enemy to survive and continue progressing.
It sounds cruel, but sacrifice mechanics are part of the intended puzzle design here.
The Final Maze Explained
After completing Level 40, players unlock the Final Maze.
This is essentially the game’s ultimate puzzle challenge.
To solve it, you need:
- Two hooks
- Proper soldier pathing
- Careful pressure plate activation
- Correct switching wall positions
The puzzle is extremely strict compared to earlier ones. Nearly every hook and wall placement matters.
Unlike previous puzzles, there is very little room for improvisation here.
MINOS Endings Explained
After clearing the Final Maze, players receive two final choices.
You can either:
- Destroy the Achilles Pillar
- Sit on the Stone Throne
Destroying the Pillar
This choice sacrifices yourself to stop the Labyrinthos permanently.
Sitting on the Throne
This option implies cooperation with the Labyrinthos instead of destroying it.
The game intentionally leaves the morality of both endings somewhat ambiguous.
MINOS is one of those games where the difficulty often comes from understanding mechanics rather than reacting quickly. Once systems like doors, pressure plates, artifacts, and enemy pathing finally click, the entire game becomes much more enjoyable.
The biggest advice for beginners is honestly just to experiment.
A lot of puzzle solutions have multiple approaches, and many mechanics are far less rigid than they first appear. Do not be afraid to fail, reposition traps, or test weird ideas.
And most importantly, if an automatic door refuses to place for the fifth time in a row, it is probably because one side technically is not a wall.