The Unofficial Pilot’s Handbook: Mastering GALAK-Z, The Void, and Broken Achievements

Last Updated on 11 December, 2025

You want to feel like a legendary mecha pilot from the 80s? You want to dodge missile barrages, transform mid-flight, and slice through alien armadas with a laser sword? GALAK-Z promises you that fantasy, but it hides a brutal truth beneath its colorful cel-shaded surface. This game hates you. It combines the punishing physics of Asteroids with the merciless permadeath of a rogue-lite, and it refuses to explain how to survive. Most pilots burn out in Season 1, crushed by unfair odds and undocumented mechanics.

That ends today. We have compiled the flight manual the developers forgot to print. This guide strips away the mystery and hands you the raw data you need to turn the tables. From mastering the secret deflection parry to fixing the game’s broken achievement code, we will help you transform from space dust into the ace pilot you were born to be. Suit up!

The Mechanics the Game Hides From You

The game creates an illusion of simplicity. However, deep systems operate beneath the surface. You must master these hidden mechanics to see the end of Season 4.

The Art of Deflection and Parrying

Your mech form is not just for show. It possesses a defensive capability that outshines nearly every other tool in your arsenal. A well-timed shield raise or sword slash effectively deflects almost every projectile the enemy throws at you. You can turn the tide of battle by neutralizing incoming fire.

You can deflect standard bullets with ease, and also swat away Bazooka Balls and Hyena shotgun blasts, though we strictly recommend using the sword for these heavier projectiles. Even Hyena fusion shots bow to your defenses, but you must use the shield only. Slashing a fusion shot will trigger an area-of-effect blast that will likely damage you.

This defensive ability extends to melee combat. You can block bug attacks and Sword Sentinel strikes using your shield. While missiles often spell doom for new pilots, a skilled player knows that the shield blocks them and the sword destroys them entirely. Even Spore Bug spit is deflectable. Remember that deflection and parrying repel most attacks in the game. However, if you see a projectile you cannot risk deflecting, you should dodge it instead.

Controller vs. Keyboard

We need to be blunt about the control scheme. The keyboard controls for GALAK-Z are suboptimal. If you want the best results, you must play with a controller. An Xbox or PlayStation gamepad will change your experience entirely. So, do yourself a favor and plug in a gamepad before you launch the mission.

Essential Survival Tactics

GALAK-Z is tough. The game punishes mistakes with immediate failure. Fortunately, you can tip the odds in your favor by employing smarter tactics.

Master the Art of Infighting

You are not the only faction in space. You can and should bait different enemy factions into fighting each other. While they tear each other apart, you reap the rewards. This strategy is vital when navigating the Void. Note that enemies who die solely from infighting will not contribute to your score unless you damage them at least once. Wait for the perfect moment, let them weaken each other, and then jump in to finish everyone off.

Weaponize the Environment

Hazards are lethal, but they are also your best friends. You can deal massive damage by throwing environmental hazards into enemy groups. This strategy shaves off the cannon fodder and allows you to focus on the tougher enemies without interruption.

You will find different types of spores and debris in the levels:

1. Spike Spores: These are catastrophically overpowered. You will only find them in caves, but they devastate anything they touch.
2. Pink Spores: Use these to slow your enemies down. They provide crowd control when you feel overwhelmed.
3. Antimatter Spores and Spark Plugs: These act as an instant, guaranteed knockout for shields. They are the perfect counter to Imperial enemies.
4. Barrels: These are common in Space Hulks and the Void. They deal decent damage but are not remarkably strong.
5. General Debris: Containers, space junk, and red asteroids serve as solid cover. Gray asteroids provide concealment, but they will crumble quickly under fire.

Things You Must Avoid

Even in the easier seasons, a single mistake turns you into debris. You must avoid specific pitfalls to keep your run alive.

First, never use the Parting Gift upgrade. It is extremely detrimental to Mech usage. Do not buy it. To ensure you do not accidentally pick it up, destroy green chests from a distance to inspect the loot. If you see a hand icon, leave it alone.

Second, never fight more than one group of enemies at once. This rule applies even if they are opposing factions. If you aggregate them, they will prioritize targeting you over each other.

Third, ignore Propane Tanks. These are the gray tanks that fly around when hit. They are the least useful hazard in the game. You are better off using missile racks or spark plugs.

Finally, always keep an eye on your radar while retreating. The triangles indicate enemy presence. You do not want to back into a second group while fleeing the first.

Optimizing Your Ship: Upgrades and Loadouts

You love upgrades because you need them. The right items will make or break your run. Certain upgrades possess unique synergies that transform your offensive capabilities.

Powerful Synergies

Combining specific items creates weapon effects that the game does not explicitly list.

1. The Shotgun Effect: Combine a Wide Muzzle with Triple Shot. This gives you a high-knockback blast similar to the weapon Hyenas use. This setup works exceptionally well with elemental bullets.
2. The Self-Damaging Charge: Combine Huge Blast with Charge Shot. This creates a unique chargeable blast. Be careful, as these blasts can damage your own ship.
3. The Death Laser: Combine Beam Weapon, Charge Shot, and Precision Muzzle. This results in a massive laser that deals 5 damage per tick.

General Recommendations

While the best loadout relies on personal preference, we have some strong recommendations for a general fighter configuration.

1. Movement: The two boost upgrades, affecting speed and duration, are very strong. Mobility is life.
2. Defense: Shield and health upgrades are vital. Prioritize the persistent ones that stay with you across missions.
3. Offense: Pellet Particles, Auto Fire, and Assault Muzzle create a strong general fighter configuration. Elemental add-ons are useful but not strictly required.
4. Mech Mode: Prioritize the +1 damage upgrade for your mech. It makes a significant difference in close quarters.
5. Utilities: Adrenal Injectors and Heat Sinks are top-tier utilities. They greatly improve survivability. The Nuts & Bolts upgrade is merely acceptable, as it rarely pays for itself in the long run.

Navigating The Void

The Void is the endless mode in GALAK-Z. The rules change here, and you must adapt your mindset.

The Rules of the Void

There is no hard time limit in the Void. However, the mission area shrinks if you take too long. Speed is still a factor. Unlike the campaign, killing enemies is not required to progress. Your primary objective here is score.

Healing is scarce. You cannot heal during a level unless you find a specific chest upgrade. Furthermore, after level 6 or 7, Crash will only stock Repair Kits and Missile Packs.

What is Missing from the Void

The Void consists only of Space Hulk-type levels. You will notice several elements from the main game are absent:

1. Imperial gunships
2. Faction Turrets
3. Spores, lava, and asteroid hazards
4. Bosses (except for the Baron)
5. Untouched or salvageable shipwrecks
6. Salvage or supply chests

Enemy Intel: How to Kill Wraiths

Wraiths include Neon Imperials and Molten Raiders. These enemies have specific weaknesses. Exploiting these weaknesses increases your victory chances and skyrockets your Void score. The strategy involves turning their attacks against them and stripping away their advantages. Note that Wraiths do drop salvage, but the rates are unreliable and highly variable.

Imperials

The Imperials utilize all-round shields. Fortunately, these shields are weak to Spark Plugs.

Stingrays, Piranhas, and Hammerheads:
The strategy here is Plug and Rush. Hit them with a spark plug to drop their shields, then rush in. Be careful around Piranhas. Their bullets deal 2 hitpoints of damage, and they can fire at you while retreating. Remember the golden rule: ABS (Always Be Slashing).

Sword Sentinels:
Your goal is to shave off the cannon fodder first. Once the Sentinel is alone, parry him to death. Sneak in light slashes between your parries. Do not use fighter mode against them.

Bazooka Sentinels:
Use missiles and spark plugs against these heavy hitters. Sticking close to them is the best strategy. Their pistol whips only deal 2 hitpoints of damage, whereas the blast or railgun attacks do 3. Keep in mind that the Elite-tier railgun cannot be sword-parried. You must use a shield parry. Watch out for Wraith Bazookas, as they fire without warning at close range.

Baron Annoying XVI:
The Plug and Rush tactic works here too. However, you must identify his four loadouts: Wave-shots, Double-Triple-Burst, Laser, and Tri-fire. The Wave attack is the hardest to manage, while the Laser is the easiest. The Baron can juke and dodge your attacks. You should bait his dodge before firing your missiles.

Void Raiders

Raiders use forward shields. These shields are prone to specific counters. Mech grapples instantly break Raider shields on contact. However, holding a grapple for too long lets the enemy break free and disables your attacks briefly. Interestingly, if they lower their shield voluntarily, the game counts it as a break. This can trigger a retreat. Spark plugs only work if their shield is currently active.

Vultures:
Use the Plug and Rush or Grab and Go tactics. Stay in mech mode. You need the mech’s defensive capabilities to deflect the tsunami of bullets they unleash.

Hyenas:
These are the toughest enemies to handle. Hyenas utilize two different loadouts that require different counters.

1. Shotgun Loadout: Stay in mech form and sword-parry the shotgun blasts. If you are not in mech form, shoot him from afar in fighter mode.
2. Fusion Loadout: Stay at a distance in fighter mode and shoot. Do not fight them in close quarters unless you have missiles or debris cover. If you have not alerted him yet, use a large piece of space junk to bait him into shooting himself with his AOE blasts.

Rhinos:
These are likely the easiest Wraiths to handle. As long as you dodge the bullets, you will be fine. Their missiles are trivial threats; simply swat them away with your mech.

Bulldogs and Juans:
Parry them to death, just like the Sword Sentinel. If there are multiple Bulldogs, try to bait them into charging into each other. Do not enter fighter mode. He will jet toward you at incredible speeds and ruin your day. Beware of his charge attack, as it is almost instant at close range.

The Complete Achievement Guide

The developers abandoned the game years ago, so no patches are coming. GALAK-Z is fully playable, but many achievements are glitched or broken. So, this guide breaks down how to get the working ones and how to fix the broken ones. Note that all achievements pop up only after you quit the game.

Working Achievements (Easy)

Don’t Mind Me:
Complete a Mission without being noticed by the enemies at the warp point. Simply sneak to the warp point. Use asteroids to hide your approach.

Golden Wings & Variable Fighter:
Complete the Intro Tutorial and the Mech Tutorial. These are straightforward; just follow the instructions in Season 1 and Season 2.

Darkest Before Dawn:
Slay White Tusk. This is the last boss in Season 1. Use a weapon with a spread bullet shape. We recommend the triple shape with slower but powerful bullets. You can beat White Tusk in 30 seconds this way.

Metamorphosis:
Rescue Admiral Akamoto. You must beat the last boss in Season 2 and rescue Akamoto’s Escape Pod. You do not have to destroy the rocket guns. The rockets are slow, so avoid them or use your grapple hook to redirect them into the boss.

Thieving From Thieves:
Steal the Void Raiders’ Star Map. This is story-related. Escape from the space hulk. You cannot kill the boss, Uzzerach Nam. Just avoid him and fly to the warp as soon as possible.

Swashbuckled!:
Defeat the Raider King. This is the last boss in Season 4. He looks tough, but his moves are predictable. Avoid the bullets and rockets (or deflect them) and concentrate fire on the armor plates on the front of the ship. After destroying the plates, focus on the red core. You can also throw brown asteroids at him if you are skilled with the grappling hook.

Fall of Empire:
Defeat 500 Imperials. You will eventually unlock this by trying to unlock more demanding achievements or by playing in Void mode.

Sea of Stars:
Defeat 500 Void Raiders. This works the same as the achievement above.

Understand the Bug:
Defeat 500 Space Bugs. This is similar to the two achievements above. It is a little grindy, but nothing serious.

Treasure Hunter:
Collect every crate in every Mission in a single Season. This is easy enough; just be thorough.

Combat Achievements:

1. My Shields Are Blown!: Kill 3 enemies with a single explosion. Find a group of 3 weak enemies and throw an explosive at them.
2. Eye of the Storm: Kill at least 3 enemies with a single spike spore without taking damage. Similar to above, but use a spike spore.
3. Shields Are For Wimps!: Deflect 20 shots with the Mech sword within 10 seconds. Just swing your sword during an intense fight.
4. El Bugador: Shield parry 25 bug attacks. You can farm this by fighting a single bug.
5. Cool As Ice: Shatter 25 frozen enemies. You must unlock the special weapon upgrade by collecting blueprints first.

Working Achievements (Moderate)

Gone Rogue:
Complete the game on Rogue difficulty. You have to complete all Seasons in Rogue mode. We recommend finishing Arcade mode first to unlock upgrades and learn enemy patterns.

Escape THIS!:
Kill a Sentinel by throwing it into Akamoto’s Escape Pod. In the last mission of Season 2, grapple a Sentinel and throw him into the pod repeatedly.

Is That All You Got?:
Shield parry 3 attacks in a row from Uzzerach Nam without taking damage. He is the Season 3 boss. You cannot kill him, but you can parry him.

Missiles, Who Needs ‘Em?:
Complete Season 4 without using any missiles. This is easy if you primarily use the Mech.

Vim and Vigor:
Fully upgrade both health and shields in a single Season. You need the Health +2 and Shield +1 permanent upgrades. This depends on luck in the shop.

Sentinel Shmentinel:
Kill a Sentinel within one second of alerting it. Find a stage with spike spores and a Sentinel. Grab the spore, sneak behind the Sentinel, and throw it into him.

Opportunist:
Destroy the Overpowered Sentinel using only grappled missiles. Grab the rockets he fires and throw them back at him. Repeat until he is destroyed.

Mech Maestro:
In Season 2, only defeat enemies while in Mech form. The Mech is powerful even without upgrades, so this is manageable.

Working Achievements (Hard)

Pierced Hearts:
Kill 3 enemies with a single pierce shot. You must find the blueprint, buy the upgrade, and then get lucky. Season 1 is the best place for this, as you can lure weak enemies together.

Speed Demon:
Rescue Admiral Akamoto within 3 minutes. This depends on stage layout and upgrades. It helps to have energy/boost upgrades and to sneak unnoticed into the warp point.

You Should See the Other Guy:
Complete Season 4 without acquiring any upgrades. This is tough. You have to rely on stealth. In most cases, you can finish stages without being noticed. Do not install ANY upgrades, including health and shield. The risk is yours.

Glitched Achievements

Master of the Elements:
Kill an enemy with each of the Elemental upgrades in a single Season. This appears glitched in a good way; some players receive it after using only 2 of the 3 elements.

That Would Be Stealing:
In Season 2 or higher, complete a Mission without collecting any Salvage. This is very easy because the trigger is broken. Just finish a random stage in Season 2 and it will pop up for free.

Feeding Time:
Feed a grappled enemy to a cave spider. This is extremely glitched or has strict rules. You might need to release the enemy at the last moment when the spider jumps, or even keep the enemy grappled and fly into the spider claws with them.

White Tusk Whittler:
Destroy every segment on White Tusk’s body. This requires precision. Do this in Arcade mode in Mech form. Start from the tail and move to the head. Leave some missiles for the final segment before the head.

Can’t Touch This:
Complete a mission without getting hit. This seems to only work in Void mode.

Fixing Broken Achievements

After the last patch released in 2016, some achievements became impossible to get. Specifically, Total Annihilation and Hoarder are broken. However, a Steam user named Freak of Chaos discovered a fix involving a code replacement.

The Solution

You need to replace a specific file in the game folder. You can download the patch file from comps.kylos.pl

Unpack the file and navigate to this folder:
...Steam\steamapps\common\Galak-Z\Galak-Z_Data\Managed\

Overwrite the original file named Assembly-CSharp.dll with the one you downloaded. We strongly suggest making a copy of the original file before overwriting it, just in case you need to restore it later.

How to Trigger the Fixed Achievements

Total Annihilation:
The description says Kill every enemy in a single Mission in Season 4. Once the patch is applied, choose a mission and ensure you kill every enemy. Make a few circles around the map to be certain.

Hoarder:
You need to get 5000 scrap in a single mission. This is easier in Season 3 and Season 4. Ensure you get the +50% salvage upgrade for better results. The game code originally failed to record salvage amounts correctly. The patch remodels the class for the Hoarder achievement to compare salvage acquired in one mission to 5000 on the mission complete screen. This works for one mission only, not a whole season.

Conclusion

GALAK-Z is a demanding game that refuses to hold your hand. By utilizing the deflection mechanics, understanding the enemy AI, and applying the community fixes for broken achievements, you can finally conquer the Seasons and the Void. Good luck, pilot. You will need it.