QUEST FOR THE EASTER EGGS

Level by Lumina Artis Coloris

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth, with Gerty's help to get me up onto the branches near the end. Thanks also to the author for reviewing this walkthrough and providing the location of the secrets I missed.

After an impressive flyby, Lara begins in a flower garden patio. Turn around and enter the short alley between the two buildings. Activate the jump switch on the wall to your left to open the gate in the SE corner of the patio. (Although this appears to be a Young Lara, she's carrying weapons and sporting an ample bust line.) Just outside the gate you can jump up to the grassy bank on either side, where you'll find companion clusters of decorated eggs that you can't pick up. However, if you proceed further along the south bank you'll come to a KEY to pick up. Beyond that, just past the pine tree, is what looks like a discarded McDonald's Big Gulp but is actually a small medi-pack. Pick it up and slide back down to the path.

Since there appears to be nothing on the north bank, proceed to the east end of the path and shoot the barriers on this side and across the bridge. There's a small medi-pack down in the water to your left, and a harmless duck is swimming around on the surface of the lake. There's a little underwater alcove in the east bank where you pick up the GOLDEN KEY. You'll find a little ledge opposite the alcove on the west bank where you can pull out of the water and collect some shotgun ammo. Turn right and take a standing jump north to the next ledge, then look up to your left and you'll see a decorated blue egg lying on the steep bank. I found it very difficult to get to that egg, and I'm not sure I can describe the process so that it can be done reliably. First, take a running jump from this ledge NNW to a spot just in front of and to the left of the bridge. (I found it impossible to jump directly to the egg from the ledge, although a screen shot on Page 4 of the stuck thread for this level indicates that this can indeed be done with two jumps. I was unable to do it, however.) Go back to the west end of the path and jump up to the south bank as you did earlier. Go through the trying process of fighting your way to the east end of the bank, as you'll encounter a maddening illegal slope along the way. When you get to a point overlooking the egg (although you can't see it from where you are), save your game and side flip by trial and error until you land on a stable surface and are able to pick up the BASKET EGG.

Jump down to the ledge by the water, then turn and take a running jump to dry land in front of the bridge as you did earlier. The right side of the bridge, with the broken segment, acts like a slope that drops you into the water, but I was able to get across with a series of running jumps. (I left the left side of the bridge intact, in case I needed to use it for a return trip. However, it turns out you don't come back this way again.) Once across, vault up onto the higher bank, step forward and slide down into a dark forest area and locate the tunnel to your left. Follow it in an easterly direction until you reach a clearing. Just to your right, before you enter the clearing, is another COMPASS to add to your inventory.

Jump into the sheep pen to your left (and these guys aren't friendly, either) and pick up the pistol ammo in the dirty little pond. There's a small medi-pack at the north end of the sheep pen. After you pick it up, turn to face north and take a standing jump into the nearby alcove. Pick up the cleverly hidden BRONZE KEY (you may have to crouch to activate Lara's pickup animation). As you explore this area you'll find a closed gate near the NE corner that looks as if it needs to be opened from the other side.

You'll find another small medi-pack near the workbenches containing more eggs in various stages of the decorating process, and there are a couple of larger brown eggs that you can shoot for fun if you want to (they're empty). There's another closed gate at the SE corner. Go along the south wall until you reach an opening that leads to a larger stretch of the woods. Turn left and keep left along the east wall until you reach a shallow depression where you'll find the SILVER KEY. Return to the tables in the east yard next to the house, stand in front of the basket on the only table that's oriented east-west, facing north, and place the Basket Egg in the green-lined basket. The door to the house (actually, a one-room hut) opens, so go inside and use all of your keys in the four receptacles. After placing each one you'll get a cut scene showing the same SE gate outside, and the fourth one actually opens the left side of the gate.

Go outside and through the opening into a wooded area where Bambi and his family are roaming about. The nearby bunny rudely ignores you, so go to the south end near the SW corner. Stand on the tree root and take a standing jump through the foliage into the next area. The pretty butterfly that flutters toward you is actually quite dangerous, so draw your pistols and shoot it. Shatter the large brown egg near the east wall and pick up the small medi-pack. You can get a tantalizing glimpse of water beyond the foliage, but you can't get to it from here. Turn right and head south toward another inert bunny and shoot the fox that comes up and tries to nibble on you. Go to the SW corner of this area and pick up the small orange EASTER EGG (1 of 5).

There's an escape route at the SE corner, but first go back to the previous area where you shot the large brown egg and head for the SW corner. Pull up and allow Lara to slide down the far side until she comes to rest in a dark alcove. Step forward, turn to the right and climb up the tree (the left side is climbable, too, but leads nowhere). Pull up at the top and turn to your right. Crawl forward a short distance until you can stand, and follow the tree limb until you turn the corner and hear the chimes of SECRET #1. Angle Lara to the right and take a standing jump to the next limb. Step forward and pick up two bundles of flares and some shotgun ammo. Step forward cautiously and take a standing jump and grab east and pull up. Make a hairpin turn to the right, crawling as necessary, and locate the CROSSBOW. Return and safety drop to the forest floor. Go south into the next area with the stoic bunny and head for the SE corner.

Take a standing jump south to the top of the large root and run forward. Slide down to your right and continue south. Pull up onto the wooden block to your left and jump down into a new area. The author says that first you should look for a little hole nearby to your left, where you can hop down for SECRET #2. Avoid going to your left on the other side of the block, or you'll fall into a swamp containing deadly water. Instead, turn to your right and run into an idyllic clearing with a large wooden cabin to your right. Go left beyond the tree into a little garden. When you get close to the tile where you see the shotgun ammo, a fox materializes nearby. Pick up the ammo and kill the fox. There's a keyhole in the north wall of the cabin, and although your inventory still contains a key (wonder why?), it doesn't fit this lock. The author explains that using this key should have removed it from your inventory.

South of the cabin are several large blocks. Pull or push the irregular shaped one to one side to reveal some more shotgun ammo. Explore the woods south of the cabin and you'll disturb two more butterflies. After shooting them, return to the swampy area to the north (past the cabin) that you avoided earlier. Work your way diagonally to the right and you'll come to an alcove next to a tree where you can pick up something that looks like a hot dog but is actually a large medi-pack. Go around to the opposite (north) side of the tree next to the water's edge and pick up some crossbow arrows.

Now face north and sidestep to your left up a slight slope. The tree in the water ahead (and the water on this side, as opposed to the clearer water to your left, is not deadly, although it acts like quicksand and won't allow you to surface and pull out if you should fall in) is climbable, so take a standing jump and grab the bark. Shimmy to your right and around two corners as the camera angle becomes fixed (you may have to climb up a bit to round the second corner). Release and turn to face east. Jump up to grab the foliage and monkey swing along the marked path until you reach the end. There's a tricky spot near the beginning where you have to angle right in front of a branch and dogleg back to the left. (If the fixed camera angle gets too annoying, use your right pinkie to hit the look key.) There's another tricky spot near the end of that straight stretch where you'll fall into the water if you turn to your right too soon. You're headed straight for a tree during that stretch, so go all the way to the tree before making that right turn. Once you're past that point, it's a fairly easy hairpin bend to your left until you reach the end and can safely drop down.

Side flip to your right to a slope and you'll slide a short distance to firm ground. There's nothing in the area above the slope, so turn around and walk carefully to the right or left of the tree to the water's edge. Take a running jump across the water to the small gap between the two trees in front of you. Take one step forward into the "quicksand" and pick up three stashes of hidden grenade gun ammo resting on a tree root just below the surface, then step back onto dry land. The author says that picking up the ammo was intended as SECRET #3, although the chimes don't sound and your secret count isn't increased here. Turn around and jump back across the water, to the left side of the tree. Turn around again and angle Lara slightly to the right, standing to the far right, and take a running jump to the area just to the right of the foliage that extends into the water. Pull up onto the slanted block ahead and look ahead and to your left to see the climbable tree that you used to get over here. Hop down to the forest floor on the other side and continue east past a closed gate on your right. Locate the GOLDEN KEY in an alcove to the left of the tree just ahead.

The key doesn't fit the lock in the nearby gate (you didn't really think it would, did you?), so return to the block you just hopped down from and position Lara facing SW at the SW corner. Take a running jump to the alcove where you began the monkey swing earlier, then turn to your left to face the tree. Side step to your left, then jump up to grab the trunk of the tree. Shift to your left around two corners until you reach the opposite side, then back flip to dry land. Turn around and return to the wooden shed. The Golden Key fits the lock in the door, so open it and go inside. Looks like Michelangelo has been using this place as a summer getaway for his sculpture projects. Pull up to the second level and locate the flares and the large medi-pack in the NE corner (crawl over the blocks against the east wall to get there). There are two blocks on the west side that can be moved to reveal another large medi-pack under one of them, and the red EASTER EGG (2 of 5), a large medi-pack and some revolver ammo under the other one. Finally, note the hole in the ceiling at the south end.

Go back down to the ground level to find a number of moveable blocks. Pull the square block against the west wall to the south. Go to the irregular block near the entrance and pull it two times to the east. Go to the square block against the west wall that it was blocking, and pull it once to the east to reveal a floor lever. Throw it to raise a block giving you access to the hole in the ceiling. Climb up onto the raised block and face south. Pull up onto the roof in a crouched position, and Lara will stand up upon arrival. Turn to your right and go fetch the SILVER KEY in the alcove.

Now go over to the other side of the roof and crawl through the opening to the north. Stand up, turn to your left and pick up the UZIS in the alcove for SECRET #4. Return to the south side of the roof and hang from the edge. Down below you can see a little critter scurrying around, just waiting for you to drop. Do so, and meet the backpackin' Easter Bunny. He wants to be your buddy, but he can be a pain as well. Try to ignore him as you return to the swampy area to the north. (You can run faster than he can, anyway.)

Jump across the "quicksand" to the climbable tree as you did earlier. Repeat the moves described a few paragraphs earlier to bring you back to that closed gate. Use the Silver Key to open it and go inside. A sweeping flyby takes you all around the lake area ahead, including the picturesque waterfall at the north end. Take time to do some exploring. There are flares on ahead near the west wall, and if you continue from there in a northerly direction you can jump up a slope into an alcove to find the green EASTER EGG (3 of 5). A large medi-pack lies on the bank near the NW corner. The water in this lake is quite safe, so feel free to dive in and look around. There's some shotgun ammo not far from the waterfall in the NE corner. Swim over to the west side and look for a small opening in the north wall near the NW corner. Swim inside and follow the tunnel until you can swim up and pull up through an air hole. Pick up the nearby LASER SIGHT and jump back into the water. (Don't attempt to explore too much in this air pocket, however, or you'll get stuck in an illegal slope and will be forced to reload.) There's a nearby side tunnel to the south. Follow it to the end and you'll find a SILVER KEY. Accordinging to the author, there's a GRENADE GUN and some ammo to the left of the key for SECRET #5. Return the way you came, stop for air along the way, and use the west tunnel to get back to the lake.

Explore the rest of the lake. You'll find a large medi-pack on the lake bottom near the middle. Swim over to the east bank and pull put onto the rocks. Step forward between two trees and turn to your right. Activate the jump switch for a cut scene showing that two ropes have been lowered outside. You can't reach them from this bank, however, so jump back into the water and swim a little bit further south (but not too far, or you'll prematurely caught in a strong current). Pull up onto the east bank and jump forward into an area lined with red tulips. Locate a square stump and climb up onto it. Jump down into the corner hole and crawl into a new area where you can pick up some shotgun ammo, a small medi-pack and a blue-speckled EASTER EGG (4 of 5) partially hidden by a bush.

Now make your way north along the east bank until you reach the last tree not far from the waterfall. The north face is climbable, so climb up the trunk through some foliage and pull up. Walk out to the right as far as you can and face the nearer rope squarely. Hop back once and take a standing jump and grab to the rope. Slide to the bottom. Rotate to the left until you find the small opening between two trees, then swing forward and jump off at the top of your swing to land on the foliage. Step forward and pick up the crossbow arrows. From where you're standing, turn to face west and walk forward right into that big branch. Hop back and take a running jump through the branch to a foliage-covered ramp. Note: As far as I could tell, there was no essential use for the second rope. The author has confirmed that it was put here as a red herring to throw the gamer off the trail.

You need to be careful from this point, as you never know when you might make the wrong step and fall down into the lake or onto one of the banks. Walk forward along the ramp until you reach the edge, then take a running jump forward. Continue walking west until you reach the leafy wall, and turn right. Walk a short distance to another leafy wall, then angle to the right and take a standing jump into an open-ended alcove with the tree to your right. Walk forward between two trees and turn to your right just past them for some shotgun ammo. Walk north from there over the arched hump and along a path with a short hedge to your left (there's some uzi ammo on the other side of the hedge if you wish to detour for it), and you'll soon reach a clearing with a view of the waterfall. Scoot around to your left to a section of the woods where the ground is stable throughout. As you explore this area you'll be attacked by a couple of butterflies (and a fox, although it doesn't seem to appear every time), so be on the lookout for them.

If you go to the waterfall you find that you can actually walk on the water, but you shouldn't let that give you a Messiah Complex. Run north along the west bank until you reach the NE corner. Take a running jump NE to the little island and pick up the small medi-pack on the north side of the tree. Go around the tree and head toward the SE corner of the island (there's a weird but stable translucent triangle extending into the water here). Face SE and take a running jump to the bush on the east bank. Climb up onto the block and jump south past the tree to the next section of the east bank. Turn to your left and walk into the bush. Shoot the approaching fox, then pick up the blue and yellow-banded EASTER EGG (5 of 5).

Now for a short cut out of here. Turn around and go back the way you came, using the block to take a running jump NW back to the island. Run north to the other end of the island, and take a running jump to the west bank from the tree root. Another butterfly attacks, so deal with it and then head NW toward the rocks. Run up to the crest of the rocks and you'll get a magnificent sun-splashed fixed camera angle. Make your way down the path until you find yourself standing in front of the closed gate near the sheep pen. Use your Silver Key to open it and return to the picnic tables in front of the hut. Note that a couple of the containers are aready occupied by eggs. However, there are five empty containers. You have five Easter Eggs in your inventory, so you know what to do with them. Lara has to be facing them at just the right angle, but it doesn't take long to place all five.

When the fifth one is placed, you can sit back and enjoy the delightful ending flyby where four of Santa's reindeer come pouring out from the woods, along with that backpackin' Easter Bunny.