Marathon Cryo Archive Exploration

Cryo Archive exploration is a section of the Codex's World tab that tracks how thoroughly you've worked through the map's regions. It has 7 individual challenges (open 25 containers in each named region) plus a meta challenge that unlocks when all 7 are done. Finishing all seven gives the CRYONAUT Deluxe Profile Background. This is separate from the general Cryo Archive runs service, which focuses on loot extraction and contracts.

Seven regions: Control, Cargo, Index, Biostock, Preservation, Steerage, and Revival. Each has its own Discover Region challenge requiring 25 container opens inside that specific area. The regions span the full ship layout – Control is the central hub, while areas like Revival and Steerage are further out and require Security Clearance to access the better-stocked rooms.

Cryo Archive collectibles are the nine specific valuable items tracked in the Collectibles section of the Cryo Archive Codex. Unlike the intel collectibles on planetside maps (Survey Drone Cartridges, Bonsai Trees, etc.), every Cryo Archive collectible is a valuable that auto-sells for credits on exfil. The top tier is Compiler Trace at 40,000 credits per extraction, followed by Unknown Reverie at 12,000 credits.

Compiler Trace is a Contraband Valuable found in Cryo Archive. It's worth 40,000 credits and auto-sells on a successful exfil. It drops from Compiler-related areas inside the ship, most reliably from the Security Clearance 5 room behind the Compiler's loot space in Vault 7. The Codex challenge requires five successful Compiler Trace extractions.

Unknown Reverie is a Prestige Valuable worth 12,000 credits per extraction. It's one of the rarer drops in Cryo Archive, appearing in Prestige locked rooms and on high-tier UESC Commanders. The Codex challenge requires five successful extractions. Each run where one shows up in your backpack at exfil is a 12,000-credit bank plus everything else you're carrying.

UESC Tactical Record is a Superior Valuable worth 4,000 credits per extraction. It contains military assessment data from UESC forces aboard the Marathon. The Codex challenge requires five extractions. It's in the same credit tier as Encrypted Communiques, Expedition Manifests, and Personal Logs – all Superior Valuables at 4,000 credits that appear consistently in higher-security areas of the map.

Bernard Strauss's Journals are Deluxe Valuables (1,100 credits each) referencing Bernard Strauss, the first science director of the UESC Marathon colony ship and a central figure in Marathon's lore. The Codex challenge requires five journal extractions. The item is called Strauss's Journal in the TauCeti item database and shows in-game as part of the lore collectibles from the cryosleep period aboard the ship.

CRYONAUT is a Deluxe Profile Background unlocked by completing the EXPLORE CRYO ARCHIVE meta challenge – which requires finishing all seven Discover Region challenges (25 containers per region). The flavor text reads: "Walk these halls of frozen death." It's the main cosmetic reward from the exploration section.

Exploration and most collectibles do not require Vault 7. The exception is Compiler Trace, which drops most reliably from the Security Clearance 5 room in Vault 7's loot area. Running 5 Compiler Trace extractions without Vault 7 access is possible but significantly harder – they can also appear in other Prestige areas with lower frequency.

CRYO SURVIVOR is a Deluxe Profile Emblem unlocked by exfiling from Cryo Archive 25 times successfully. The flavor text reads: "Once is never enough." It's part of the Orientation section, separate from Exploration. Adding Orientation as an option to this service completes the 25-exfil challenge. Alternatively, each Basic Run from our Cryo Archive service counts toward the exfil total if you're purchasing runs for other purposes.

Depends on which sections remain and current run luck with collectible spawns. Each region's 25-container challenge takes 1–3 Cryo Archive runs depending on route efficiency and Security Clearance reached. Compiler Trace extractions take longer because they require deep-run access to Security Clearance 5 areas. All sessions are limited to Thursday–Sunday windows. Share your current Codex progress in order chat or Discord for a realistic estimate before the next window.

Cryo Archive boost service covers runs, extractions, contracts, and vaults as general Cryo Archive content. This service focuses specifically on Codex completion: the 7 Discover Region challenges, the 9 collectible extraction challenges, and optionally the 25-exfil Orientation challenge. If you want contracts completed or Vault 7 with Compiler kill, those have their own dedicated services.