How to Get the Shadow Complex Minimalist Achievement

the Minimalist achievement and the Insurgent achievement may seem like daunting Shadow Complex achievements, but once you know what to do they are very easy.

The first thing you need to do to earn the minimalist and the insurgent achievements is collect all the gold bars in a game to unlock the golden guns. Once they have all been collected a room will open up to the left of the room you find the pistol in with each gun in golden form. This room will be open in all games played on that gamertag from then on. You will also need to be above level 30 to earn the minimalist and insurgent achievements.

After doing that you will need to start a new game on casual (recommended for the easiest time) and proceed as you would for a normal game until you get to the pistol room. Instead of walking to the right, walk to the left and pick up the golden shotgun. Then instead of walking to the right and triggering a cut scene, go back into the vent and keep going toward the right till you reach a shootable vent. Shoot the vent, drop down and continue as you would for a normal game until you reach the grenades (You can pick up the health kit in the middle of a room because you didn't get the pistol). Once you have triggered the boss, shoot it with the shotgun and then go back up as quickly as you can without touching the green door. When you reach the lake, swim across it till you are right before the ledge then swim through the underwater passage way. If you did it fast enough, and didn't touch the green door you will see a hole in the floor, drop down into the hole. If you didn't do it fast enough but didn't touch the green door you can try loading from the last save to try again.

Once you are on the platform in the hole, you will see two doors, one coming from the bottom and the other coming from the top to meet in the middle every five seconds or so. After the doors meet in the middle, jump onto the ledge of the bottom door. Wait till it starts to go down then jump onto the ledge. If you mess up and die you can load from last save and try again.

After reaching safe ground, just climb the ladder and go through the door. You then need to get into the door directly below you, which can be a little tricky so just be careful and take it slow. Once through this door you will see a drop, just fall down and go through the door to the left. Advance through this room until you climb into the vent in the top left corner and see a foam bomba and foam door. Jump onto the foam door and wait till the bomba is about to shoot to jump off so that it will hit the door and let you through. Advance into the missile turret room then keep going like you were getting the foam gun in a normal game.

Once you have the foam gun, use it to get back into the missile room. On your map you will see a room to the right in the ceiling. Use your foam gun to get up here (this will be extremely hard because you cannot jump properly for some reason, just keep shooting foam at your feet and jumping once you are in the shaft). Grab the rockets up here then follow the blue line to the surface. Once at the surface, use the foam gun to get to the very tall platform on your right. Keep moving to the right until you get to the bridge you are supposed to lower. Go down and activate it by going through the missile door on the right and then going down and to the left. Activate the switch, run away and then cross the gap, go through the door and up to the bridge. Go straight across the bridge and follow the blue line into the exploding room sequence. If you don't watch the cutscene you get stuck for about two seconds so watch the cutscene and then run and wall jump your way out of there.

Once you reach the surface, go to the right until you get to the lake and then beat the final boss and you're done. On casual this is very easy and should only take you one or two tries at most. My first time doing this I got under an hour, and including loading last saves and dying it took me about two. Good luck with getting your minimalist achievement and the insurgent award.

Sources:
Personal Experience