NEON GOD

by Nadine (Horus)

 

Authorized walkthrough by Selene

 

Story:

Lara has heard about a secret Inca artefact that a rich drug cartel leader and artefact collector who is known under the alias 'Neon God' is looking for in a subterranean Inca Temple in Peru. As she is interested in that artefact herself and does not want the devious 'Neon God' to have it, she travels to Bolivia to his well guarded estate to find out where he is looking for it. After finding this out, she goes to Peru herself to find the entrance to the Inca Temple to reach the artefact before Neon God does. History says that this artefact was the most precious the Incas had ever owned: Immortality.

 

Note:

Please use the .exe file provided in the level folder. Its also important that you enable Bump Mapping and Vol. FX. For further information on use of controls, hints and installation notes please consult the readme.

 

There are seven playable levels and one cutscene. Each of the playable levels contain 5 Secrets (in other words 35 altogether). Also note that there is no compass in this game and for that reason no directions will be given in terms of cardinal points.

 

Level 1- Arco Iris, The Manor

Level 2- Tauromaquia

Level 3- The Rainbow Lounge

Level 4- Heart Of Peru

Level 5- Crystalline Passage

Level 6- Nevado Huascarán Plateau

Level 7- Puya Raimondii

Cutscene

 

Also note that most of the levels are non-linear and there are probably different ways of doing it as well. The path outlined below was how I got through it.

 

 

 

LEVEL 1- ARCO IRIS, THE MANOR:

 

Pickups: Uzi clips, large medipack, small medipacks, M16 ammo, flares, Blue Key, Yellow Key, Red Key, M16 rifle + 5 Secrets (uzi clips + M16 ammo + small medipack + small medipack and uzis + large medipack and M16 ammo)

 

Enemies: Dogs, guards

 

NOTE: In this level there are two alternatives. Since you will be returning to the Manor later on you can actually skip the timed run with the block and the doors up on the balcony (the first timed run mentioned below) and the following parts included the skateboard park area. As soon as you have lowered the glass cases surrounding the mask and the empty pedestal in the laser hall you can do the timed run to get to Tauromaquia right away.  This means that you naturally have to go through the skateboard park and the other timed run upon your return to the Manor. What I have written below is just my preferred way of doing it.  

 

After a lovely fly-by we find Lara standing in the garden surrounding the Manor of the notorious Neon God in Bolivia. I'd recommend you to have a quick bounce around first to check out some of Lara's brand new moves, such as the forward somersault, the sideways somersault and the backflip. The roll is even replaced by a neat hand-stand. Once you've played around for a bit go right and behind the truck you'll find some uzi clips on the ground. Return towards where you started and approach the fence.  Lara will start looking up on a jump switch high up on the pillar. The only problem is that this switch is on the other side of the fence and theres currently no way past that closed gate right of the pillar with the switch.

 

Continue past the fence and through the archway ahead. Be careful though, if Lara steps over the blue bars covering the ground at the end she will trigger a gun turret up in the corner left of the entrance. Stand about three steps or so away from the blue bars, hop back once and do a running jump to clear them. Go straight ahead, passing the wooden stairs on the right and in the corner by the cypress tree youll find some more uzi clips. Continue following around the perimeter of the pool. At the end opposite of the wooden stairs where you entered youll find another set of stairs, these leading up to an open room. The door straight ahead is closed, in order to open the right set of doors youll need a key (one which you have yet to obtain) and there are laser traps covering the entire floor of the room to your left so going in there is not even a question.

 

By now you should have gotten back to the blue lasers on the ground. Up to the right you will see the panel where the gun turret is hidden, ready to start firing if someone gets too close to the blue lasers. Do a running jump over the blue bars and into the second archway (in other words: the one to the right of where you entered in the first place). Youre now in the section of the garden that you saw through the fence at the beginning of the level. The dog over by the fence to the left is sleeping soundly (meaning it wont budge for now) and there is another set of blue lasers on the ground right of where you came up. Youll also find a large medipack in the shallow pool here. Now youre one step closer to that jump switch up on the pillar, but there is still a bit of a problem though: its too high up for Lara to reach. Just take a mental note of that and well be back to take care of it later.

 

Draw guns and shatter the windows behind the blue lasers. The noise causes the dog to wake up so put it out of your misery to begin with. You now have free access to the lounge, well almost at least. Climb over to the part of the ground jutting out into the pool, stand about one step away from the blue lasers and do a standing jump ahead to land on the window sill. Go forwards and locate the purple button behind the chair on the opposite wall. Pushing this opens the double doors to your right. In addition two guards rush out. Theyve got some nasty firepower that will drain Laras health quickly, but them more you move back and forth the harder will it be for them to hit her. When theyre dead you can pick up the small medipack and uzi clips that they left behind.

 

Youll now notice that this hallway connects the lounge where you entered with the laser hall. Enter the latter and go left to find another purple button. Push it and the laser trap is shut off. Now that the floor is safe you can retrieve the M16 ammo type A laying on the carpet near the doorway opposite. On the wall right of the doorway near where you found the ammo there is a jump switch. As you pull it youll hear some doors opening nearby, go out through the arches left of the switch and youll find said doors on your left-hand side.

 

Begin by picking up the flares on the pedestal to the right. Go left and up the stairs, then climb the box ahead. On top of the stairs there is a door, currently closed. Above the smaller box you'll find a ceiling trapdoor that Lara can pull down. Now stand on the large box, angled left towards the trapdoor, and jump to grab the floor above. Pull up and turn around. Do a standing jump towards the crate opposite and press Action to grab the edge. Pull up onto the crate (you'll need to press the Duck key while doing so) and crawl right. Drop off the crate (noticing the nice vault that Lara performs instead of tediously crawling backwards and hanging from the edge). Here you can pick up the Blue Key from the floor.  

 

Hopefully there shouldn't be any doubt whatsoever of where that goes. Make your way down to the stairs below, down to the ground floor and out right towards the garden. The keyhole you're looking for is on your left-hand side. As you enter the next room you'll see another guard heading in Lara's direction. Kill him (again, try moving as much as possible to avoid being hit) and pick up the small medipack he carried. What you'll find here is a flight of stairs covered in laser traps up to the left, a closed gate to the right with a crate next to it and a closed door at the end. Obviously the Neon God has a thing for high security: the entire room on top of the stairs is one huge laser trap (naturally, considering all the valuable artefacts he keeps here).

 

Climb onto the crate and jump straight up to grab the monkeyswing. Swing forwards and over the stairs and laser traps. In the laser room on top you'll need to swing left and turn right as you reach the vertical lasers. Continue going on until you reach the wall, go left and proceed until Lara drops down on top of a glass case. Now if you look down you'll notice two more laser traps spanning across and a safe floor section between them (where the two urns are). Drop down there and do a standing jump over the laser trap closest to the doorway.    

Start down the hallway and the camera angle changes. Almost immediately on the left side there is a door. Stand in front of it and press Action to push it open, then go on through to find another door. Open this one too and you'll come to a room with a button and a switch. Press the button to open a door elsewhere, but leave the switch for now (it's a timed switch and we're not going that way until the end of the level anyways).

 

Go back to the hallway with the fixed camera angle and continue down away from you entered. Halfway down you'll see an opening by a brown and green crate to the left, we're going that way later. Continue down the hallway, go past the stairs and turn right at the end. Here you'll reach a balcony and you'll also be ambushed by a dog. Kill it and go to the railing on the far right side. Do a running jump over it and press Action in the last moment to grab the wall ahead. Pull up and on the left you'll see the jump switch that Lara was so preoccupied with at the beginning of the level. Stand with her back to the switch, hop backwards and press Action. She'll pull the switch down, causing a block to shoot out of the wall on the opposite side. This is simply an easy way of returning to the first floor without having to go through the laser hall again.

 

Use the block to return to the balcony and the hallway with the fixed camera angle. Now go around to the left side of the stairs and in the nook there you'll find a jump switch (on the back wall). Pull it down to open a door somewhere nearby and now go ahead towards the laser hall. This time go over to the brown and green crate in the opening that is now on Lara's right. Pick up some uzi clips from the left crate and opposite of this crate you'll find the door you just opened. Enter there and pick up Secret 1: four batches of uzi clips.

 

[Nadine suggested an easier way of doing the part below with the Yellow Key. In the first garden where you jump over the first blue lasers from the starting point. Go straight ahead, jumping over the blue lasers and passing the double gates on the right side. When you reach the wall turn left and go along the pool, on the wall ahead (right of the stairs) you'll find a jump switch. This opens one of the gates on the other side of the pool and gives you easy access to the garden with the two guards. The only backside is that you'll have to kill them up close and this will cause you more of a health loss than if you go the slightly longer route that I've listed below]

 

Go back outside, climb onto the brown and green crate and look ahead to spot a chain stretching across the courtyard. Stand at the edge, then do a standing jump while pressing Action and Lara will grab onto the chain and start swinging around it. Let go of Action and she'll jump forwards into the air and land on the opposite floor. Ignore the left side as it only leads to a closed door where youll need a swipe card which youll find way later. Instead go right and as soon as the camera angle changes again go right once more. Lara is now standing on a grated walkway and there are two guards down in the garden below that are more than willing to try killing her. The bottom line is: run quickly across the walkway to the stone ledge at the end before you get shot. At the end youll find another ledge surrounded by a black fence and rocky slopes on each side. Jump onto either of these, slide and grab, then drop down to the garden below. From here you can kill the guards on the other side of the laser trap, using the ledges and walls left and right for cover.

 

Once they're both dead go to the ledge right of the laser trap (when facing the lasers) and you'll find a grate in the wall. Shoot it out and crawl through to retrieve Secret 2: M16 ammo type A. Crawl back to the garden and standing at the edge facing the laser trap you can do a standing jump forwards to grab the stone ledge above the lasers. Pull up and cross the grated walkway again, then jump over the fence of the walkway to land in the garden below, this time on the opposite side of the laser trap. Have a look around to find the Yellow Key that one of the guards dropped and besides that there are also some uzi clips to be found here. At the far side of the garden you'll also find a purple button right of the gates, pushing it opens said gate so that you'll be able to get back out where you came from.

 

Jump over the blue lasers into the garden where you met the first dog and climb the block in the corner to the left again and from there onto the gateway. Now you can do a running jump over to the balcony again and this way you'll be back in the hallway from before in no time at all. Return to the brown and green crate by the chain that Lara can swing from and use it once more to get back to the other side. Go right again back to the metal walkway above the garden and drop down where you found the first secret earlier. This time go past the pool to the end and climb the ladder on the right-hand side. On top vault into the opening behind the foliage (you might have to drop so that Lara's legs are hanging down, then pull up immediately while pressing the Duck key). In here you'll find a keyhole and the yellow key you acquired earlier is just perfect for it.

 

A door opens in the garden below. Climb down there and go through it. In the next garden section you'll find a sleeping dog and as you approach the other side a guard will appear behind you. Kill him and go past the laser trap, then start up the grey stairs in the left corner. As you do this the dog in the garden awakens so turn around and waste no time killing it. Go past the laser traps again and drop into the pool in the right corner. Here you'll find some uzi clips. Climb out of the pool and shoot out the window on the right side. Enter and on the right you'll find some blue lasers in the doorway. Jump over them taking care not to touch any of them (Lara will be toast if you do). The two urns are empty, but pick up the M16 ammo and the small medipack and behind the pedestal with the medipack there is a jump switch that opens the gate on top of the grey stairs out in the garden. Return there, jumping over the blue lasers, and kill the guard that has appeared. He leaves a small medipack so pick it up and also retrieve the M16 ammo in the corner opposite of where you shot out the windows. Now you can enter the small room that the guard came from on top of the grey stairs in the corner past the laser trap.

 

Here you'll find two small pools. Drop into the second one and pick up a small medipack on the ledge near the wall. In the other pool you'll find an underwater lever. Jump in the water and save in front of the lever: you're up for a timed run that is not at all of the easy kind.

Pulling the lever you'll see a shot of a block coming out of the wall in the garden with the ladder and the yellow keyhole. Standing on the block Lara can jump onto the balcony to the right. There are two problems though:

1) The block is timed so you only have a certain amount of time to reach it and jump to the balcony before it withdraws into the wall again.

2) The timed lever does not only trigger the appearance of the block, but it also opens a door up on the left side of the aforementioned balcony. The problem is that said door closes at the exact same time as the block withdraws, meaning that you'll have to reach the balcony BEFORE this happens. It's not an easy task, but it can be done. Here's how I did it:

Pull the lever and as the camera shot shows you the block press the Look key so you can see where you're going. Go forwards and climb out of the pool, then start sprinting ahead. Stop right before the corner and veer around it to the right, then start sprinting again past the red lasers. As Lara runs onto the ramp ahead stop sprinting and veer left at the corner of the pool. At this point start sprinting again, but let go of the sprint key before she reaches the corner. Veer left and run into the garden, then almost immediately run left and jump with a right angle to land on the block. Lara will need to land in a position enabling her to immediately standjump forwards and land on the balcony. Turn around to the left (I found this to be quicker than rolling) and dash through the doors before they close. 

 

Youre now on another balcony with a fixed camera angle. Walk backwards to the door you came through so that you can see whats going on, then turn towards the right and locate a white urn on the middle of the wall opposite. Draw guns and shoot the urn to raise a block right below it. Now stand at about the middle of the balcony facing the railing and do a running jump over it. This way Lara should land in the pool and take no damage. Climb out of the water and onto the raised block, then pull up into the alcove where the urn was to pick up Secret 3: a small medipack. Drop down to the ground and go past the lasers and back to the garden with the timed block. The block is gone, but no worries: instead climb the ladder up to the alcove with the yellow keyhole, position Lara directly above the opening of the arch on the balcony and drop backwards while quickly tapping Action. She will sail in a nice arch down to the balcony and to the left youll see that the timed door is still open.

 

Cross the balcony and enter the next room. In here you'll find what looks like a desert eagle on a pedestal, well guarded by red lasers meaning you can't get it this time around. Go around the lasers and here you'll find another type of lasers: yellow ones. Touching them isn't going to trigger anything like the blue ones and they don't kill Lara instantly like the red ones. However, if Lara stays in their path they can and will eat a lot of her health so be careful and stay as much away from them as you can. First of all do a standing jump over the red lasers on the floor. The easiest way of getting past the first set of yellow lasers is to stand about a step or two away facing the left. As the lasers start moving downwards sideflip right and she should clear them without taking damage. For the next set stand as close as possible and as it goes up run past it.

 

Walk around the corner, being careful with the red lasers, and you'll find more yellow ones. The first you can crawl under without taking damage. The second one is a lot harder, because it goes all the way to the floor and there's no room for Lara to roll or sideflip over it. I did find a way of getting through it without losing health though, but here you'll need to be very accurate. Go as close to the lasers as you can without Lara losing health. Take three steps backwards and as the lasers hit the bottom sprint forwards and she should get through them without any damage.

 

In the next room start with going left and pick up the uzi clips in the dark recess between the crates. Go back towards the entrance and climb the crate opposite. Climb the next crate as well and drop down into the room below. Pick up the M16 ammo (type A) and then climb right over the stack of crates. On the other side of the room you can pull up into another opening. You're blocked from going any further due to the red lasers, but crouch and shoot the white urn to open the door you saw when climbing over the crates to reach this room. It also lets out a guard and when it comes to killing him you have two options: 

 

The safe way- return to where you first came in, pull up onto the crate and wait for the guard to make his appearance. Before he gets to shoot drop backwards, grabbing the edge, and drop into the room below. Quickly climb the crate on your right, draw guns and jump up and down in front of the opening. If you're lucky Lara should still get a few shots at him before he leaves the room. Repeat this procedure until he's down. This will most likely take a bit of time so if you're in a hurry and don't care about how much health you waste you can follow:

 

The fast way- simply climb out of the room and kill him, trying to dodge his firing as much as possible. This will be faster, but Lara will lose more health. When he's dead you can climb over the crates again and enter the room on the left. Here you're met with the sigh of blue lasers spanning across the middle section of the floor and two sets of yellow lasers moving up and down along the same floor section. On the far side there's a door which we'll deal with in a moment, but first we're going for a secret. Walk up to the first set of yellow lasers (ignore the blue lasers for now, they won't trigger anything yet), turn Lara so that she stands with the yellow lasers on her right side and stand two steps away from the lasers. As they start moving down do a sideflip right to clear them. High up on the wall straight ahead you'll see a grate covering a crawlspace. Jump and shoot it out, then climb up (you might have to stand about one step away from the wall and standjump/grab in order to do this) and crawl through. Drop down into the next room and pick up Secret 4: a small medipack and the uzis. Climb back out to the laser room and go back towards the entrance the way you came.

 

Right of the entrance you'll find a gate with a padlock. Shoot the padlock to break it and gain access to the switch on the other side of the gate. When you pull this switch the door I mentioned earlier on the far side of the room opens. You'll now have to make your way past the blue and yellow lasers to get there, but there is a slight problem. If Lara touches the blue triggers the door will close so that she'll need to go back, pull the switch and try again.

 

I found a relatively easy way of getting past the first set of yellow lasers without touching the blue ones. Stand about three steps away from the blue lasers at the beginning and do a standing jump to land right in front of the yellow ones. Now stand as close to the yellow lasers as you can, crouch and as the lasers move upwards crawl two steps forwards and immediately stand. If you've done it correctly the door at the far end should still be open and Lara has not lost any health, but now comes the difficult part. 

As the lasers move down do a forward jump to clear them (remember to check that the door is still open). The blue lasers at the end cover a larger section of the floor than the first ones so the only way I found out of this without the door closing was to stand as close to the previous set of blue lasers as possible without touching them, then do an angled running jump through the yellow lasers (causing Lara some health loss). Hopefully this should work and she'll land on the floor in front of the door while it's still open.

 

In the next room there are lasers blocking the exit, but also a crawlspace up on the wall behind the empty pedestal on the left side. Climb in there and go around the corner, shoot the grate and then crawl out BACKWARDS (I found this the best way of doing it because Lara will be under fire from the other side and crawling out backwards will let her leave the crawlspace faster than if she has to turn around before vaulting down).  Roll and kill the guard and dog waiting on the other side. If you're lucky only the dog will show up in the hallway where you drop down, in that case you have to go down the hallway and around the right corner to find and kill the guard.

 

Shoot out the windows in the lounge and you're now overlooking the skateboard park. There's a guard patrolling on the balcony across the park and there's also another guard walking around down on the ground. If you're lucky you can kill the latter from up here (just be careful, Lara isn't the only one with a good aim here). Now stand by the first set of windows that you shot out facing the skateboard park and do a running jump forwards to grab the bottom of the metal walkway, which is in reality a monkeyswing. Swing forwards and drop down onto the first stone pillar. From here you can kill the guard on the balcony opposite. When he's dead traverse over to the balcony and pick up the Red Key that he dropped. Go to the right side and do a running jump over the balcony fence to land on the ledge on top of the skateboard ramp ahead (the one with the ladder on top). Climb up the ladder, pick up a small medipack and drop down on the other side.

 

Now go to the end where there's no railing and slide down to the ground. Pick up the large medipack straight ahead and go around the park to find the uzi clips dropped by the guard you killed earlier. Go behind the skateboard ramp where you slid down and a dog rushes out from the alcove ahead. Kill it and enter the alcove to find a lever. As soon as you pull it you'll see a set of double doors opening. Immediately press the Look key to break the camerashot as a guard comes rushing in from behind. Kill him, pick up the uzi clips he drops and return out to the skateboard park. Turn left at the first tall pillar and youll see some crates over by the wall. Climb over them and youll find a closed gate with a red keyhole next to it. Insert the red key here and enter the room to find the M16 rifle and some belonging ammo (type A). When you return to the skateboard park youll need to hurry crawling down from the crate as there are two guards and a dog out there waiting for you. When theyre dead you can pick up two batches of uzi clips that the guards dropped.

 

Locate the two glass cases with the pickups inside in the skateboard park. Climb onto the block with the flowers closest to where you entered the park and do a standing jump forwards to grab the grated floor above. Climb the ladder on the right side about halfway up, then backflip/roll/grab the pillar behind. Pull up and standjump to the next pillar. If you look down on the right side of the pillar youll find a jump switch. Hang from the edge, drop and press Action again to grab the switch and pull it down. This causes the glass cases around the pickups to lower and you can go and get Secret 5: a large medipack and M16 ammo (type B this time). Use the flower bed and grated ledge to get back up where you came from.

 

This time you can enter the hallway ahead and youll find the doors you opened earlier to the right. Youre now back by the stairs leading up to the laser hall. Make your way up to the laser hall via the monkeyswing, but this time youll see an open door in the wall ahead so instead of swinging left and onto the glass case swing right and drop down in front of the door. The urn is empty, but kick in the door at the end and youll reach a new room with more laser traps. Jump up to grab the monkeyswing and traverse across the lasers ahead and around to the right. Drop down at the end and push the button, then make your way back to the laser hall.

 

Youll now find that the glass case around the mask on the pedestal ahead and the glass case that you dropped down on earlier have both lowered as a result of the button you pushed. Do a standing jump to the pedestal with the mask (standing about two steps away from the red lasers to avoid being fried) and from here do a running jump to grab the monkeyswing above the stairs. Swing back to the laser hall and around to the empty pedestal on the left side this time. Drop down between the two laser traps like before and do a standing jump over the second one to end up in the hallway from earlier.

 

Now you can enter the doorway on the left again and go back into the room with the button and switch. This time were going to deal with the switch and it is indeed timed. What it does is to open a door at the bottom of the laser-trapped stairs. The only way of getting there is through the laser hall so you have a tough challenge ahead. Here goes:

Pull the switch and immediately press the Look button to cut the camerashot showing you the gate opening. Roll and sprint out of the room and back to the hallway with the fixed camera. Sprint towards the laser hall, but be sure to let go of the sprint key so that Lara doesnt dash straight into the first laser trap. Jump over it and onto the block with the empty pedestal. If youve made good time at this point its a good idea to save the game (but do save it in a different slot in case you fail). Do a running jump over the lasers and burner, turn right and standjump over the lasers to the mask pedestal. Do a running jump from there to land on the stairs. Now you can do a long running jump over the lasers on the stairs and dash through the gate before it closes.

 

[NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: In fact, there is an alternative way - it takes a bit more time but it is still possible: run out of the room with the switches, turn left (instead of right) and then left again. Jump from the balcony into the water pool and get out quickly, jump across the blue lasers and through the shattered windows into the room, now run though the room that was once guarded by lasers and turn left at the end, around the box and into the door.
I didn't intend the players to take this way, that's why the double doors next to the blue keyhole close during the timed run, but Regina (Gandalf) found out that this way is possible too :D Maybe you could call it an "Expert's Challenge", since it takes slightly more time than the normal route
.]

 

 

Go left and down the stairs here and as you hit the first step you'll see a shot of a part of the garden. Continue down the stairs and you're taken to the next level.

 

 

LEVEL 2- TAUROMAQUIA

 

Pickups: Uzi clips, M16 ammo, torch, small medipacks, 4x Emerald Gemstones, large medipacks, flares, Key to La Plaza de Fiestas, Key to the Arena, Toril Key, lasersight + 5 Secrets (uzi clips + small medipack and uzi clips + uzi clips + uzi clips + large medipack)

 

Enemies: Birds, picadores, bull, matador

 

Begin by going down the ramp on your right and follow the fence around until you reach a keyhole. You don't have any keys yet so turn left and draw pistols, then shoot away the barrier blocking your path. Continue down the ramp and you'll reach a pool and some crates. Dive into the pool and swim down and straight ahead. You'll see a closed metal door in the left corner and an opening above Lara. Swim up there and right and at the end you'll find a ceiling switch. Pull it and swim back down to the metal door I mentioned. It is now open so swim through and continue up until Lara surfaces in the pool of a beautiful garden. As you vault up onto one of the submerged ledges surrounding the pool a swarm of yellow birds appear. These will follow Lara around and nibble at her, causing quite a bit of damage. I found the best way of getting rid of them with minimal damage was to dive back in the pool and swim down to one of the corners. Stay there and they'll eventually disappear.

 

Climb out of the pool again and have a look at the impressive painting with the bull and matador. This is a taste of things to come, but more on that later. Go over to the area with the trees and out through the archway to the right. Begin by going right all the way to the end and there you'll find some uzi clips. Turn around and head down to the far opposite end: through the archway left you'll find a balcony. First let's head for a secret. Go right onto the balcony and spot the white crevice running along the brick wall. Stand by the fence and do a standing jump while pressing Action to grab the crevice. Shimmy right and pull up onto the balcony to pick up Secret 6: three batches of uzi clips. From here you can do a standing jump onto the slope below the bull painting (making sure Lara faces upwards so she can grab the edge and drop down). Below the opening right of the slope below the painting there is a ladder above another slope and this you can use to get back up where you came from.

 

We're going to explore a bit further before going back though. To the left you'll find two sets of gates and another keyhole. Go through the opening in the right wall and in here you'll meet a very acrobatic picador with a spear. Kill him and pick up the uzi clips he drops (you'll have to hit him in the chest in order to take him down). In the same part of the garden you'll find a grate in the wall hidden behind the grass. Shoot it out and crawl through to find some M16 ammo. Crawl back out and continue through the opening in the top right corner. In the alley with the colourful flags you'll meet two more picadores, kill them and go around the right corner. Here you'll find a crate to climb and in the brick wall there's a glass window you can shoot out. Enter the house and go around to the right. At the far end you'll find another breakable glass window. Shoot it out and get ready for jumping across to the building opposite. This is a difficult long jump so keep pressing the Up arrow and do not press Action until the very last moment.

 

Pull up and enter the building. Go left and you'll reach a room with a shallow pool, a matador tapestry on the right wall and four receptacles on the left wall next to bars blocking a doorway (going right after jumping across from the other building will lead Lara to the same room). Go past the pool and start up the ramp ahead. On top a blade will start sliding across the floor. Stand close to the left wall, angled towards the hallway beyond the blade. Wait for the blade to start sliding towards Lara, standjump over it and dash/jump forwards to the end to avoid being hit. Continue up the stairs at the end. You'll come to a beautiful garden with tulips and a pool with fountains throwing water up into the air. The double doors at the end are closed so we'll need to come back there later. Follow along the archway to the right of the garden and you'll reach a ladder at the end.

 

Climb up there and near the ceiling backflip to land on the floor behind. Take note of the empty oil burner next to the ladder and proceed towards the first set of stairs. Immediately run into a corner and crouch, then wait for the hungry yellow birds to fly away. Climb up onto the stairs and on the green ledge in the middle you can pick up a torch. Go back down and continue around to the set of stairs at the end. On top there is a pedestal with a fire burning on it. Approach the fire cautiously and light the torch. Now you can go down to the bottom again and light the oil burner nearest to where you stand. The gate opposite opens. Leave the torch behind and enter the next room.

 

Be careful as you walk into the room, a blade quickly starts gliding across the floor. Stand about one step away from where the blade stops, angled towards the doorway in the left wall. When the blade starts gliding away from Lara run a few steps after it and jump into the doorway. In the next garden you'll find a pool and some higher ledges. First of all drop into the pool and pick up the small medipack from the right corner. Climb back out of the pool and locate the switch right of the doorway where you entered. Pulling said switch causes two things to happen: the block in the pool by the left wall rises and so does a higher platform next to it. You'll have to get from the raised block to the platform and from there again to a monkeyswing high up above the garden. This is how it's done:

Pull the switch, turn right and run to the end, veering right towards the pool and jump onto the raised block. Run about one step forwards so that you stand on the edge of the block, turn around to face the platform and standjump onto it. Immediately turn left and jump forwards to grab the monkeyswing before the platform drops.  

 

Swing across to the other side and drop down into the alcove. This next move is a bit tricky: you'll need to make Lara jump onto the green awning facing upwards so that she can slide down and grab the edge. Shimmy left to the end and prepare for another difficult move (I'd recommend you to save your game while Lara is hanging from the awning). Pull up, backflip and roll, then press the right arrow key to angle Lara towards the balcony behind her and press Action in the last moment to make her grab on. Pull up and here you'll find another switch (this one is of course timed too). It raises another block and a platform, the block is located in the diagonally opposite corner of the balcony and the platform directly opposite of that again. Here's the drill:

Pull the switch, roll and run past the red pillar, angling a bit left. Standjump onto the raised block, turn left and jump onto the raised platform. Continue running to the end and jump, then press Action to grab the wall with the greeneries and blue flowers (it is climbable).

 

Climb left until Lara can drop down onto a small balcony. At the end you'll find the 1st Emerald Gemstone (out of a total of four). Dive down into the pool and go back to the hallway with the blade. To get past it stand close to the right wall, facing towards the exit and as the blade moves right (towards the exit that is) standjump ahead to clear it and dash forwards to the wall next to the exit to avoid taking damage. Exit the room and pick up the torch again. This time go over to the ladder where you climbed up earlier and light the oil burner here as well. This opens another gate opposite of the ladder.

 

If you want all the secrets you'll have to bring the torch with you this time. Slide down the slope and as you start sliding down the second one a crate will start rolling down behind Lara. Down at the bottom simply stand still and let the crate roll over her head. Once it has done this it's a good idea to move away so that it won't hit her as it settles down. Go right and first of all head left around the fence. Pick up the M16 ammo and go back to the other side. Here you'll find a closed gate and a hanging flower pot. Use the torch to set the flower pot on fire and the gate opens. Enter the room and here you can retrieve Secret 7: a small medipack and uzi clips (there are some on top of the crate as well).

 

Leave the secret room and you can also leave the torch behind for now. Go back to the room with the slope and climb the stack of crates in the corner. On the top crate turn around and do a running jump and grab to the grated walkway. Pull up and walk left onto the walkway and from there do a standing jump towards the back of the slope ahead, then grab the edge. Shimmy right, pull up and as Lara starts sliding jump onto the roof of the secret room. Turn around to locate a swinging pole, stand on the highest point and do a running jump while pressing Action to grab the pole. Let go of Action and Lara will drop the pole and fly through the air onto the top bridge.

 

There's a door to the right, but it's closed. Do a running jump over the railing instead to grab the slanted block by the opposite wall. Pull up and turn right, then do a running jump into the opening in the wall. Pick up the large medipack and go through the crawlspace. At the end there's a grate to shoot out and as you do that you'll hear a door opening and a voice saying "Quién anda ahí?" (translates to something like "who's there?"). A picador runs into the room, but you can shoot him from the safety of the crawlspace. The opening is not high enough above the ground for Lara to vault out though so she'll need to go back out through the crawlspace. Unfortunately it's impossible to jump all the way back to the slanted block so you'll need to do a running jump while pressing Action to let Lara land on the lowest crate below. Doing so she'll lose quite a bit of health so you'll need to have at least 2/3 of it intact before jumping. If she has less health than that left you'll have to use a medipack.

 

Climb back onto the high stack of crates and make your way back to the walkway, across the slope and via the swingpole to the bridge. Now you'll find that the door to your right is open. Go through it and you'll find Lara in the room where you shot the gardener before. Climb the ladder up to a pool. You'll find some uzi clips next to the pool and in the water there is a lever. Pull it to open a door nearby, then surface and climb out of the water in front of the open doorway. Go through, pick up the small medipack to the left of the doorway and continue ahead. Climb over the crates, drop down and climb over the next crates again. Climb up through the opening on the left hand side (this is the only side that is safe).

 

A blade starts gliding back and forth, but it won't go all the way to where Lara stands. In this room there is a set of double doors to the left, an alcove ahead and another one to the right. Save your game and do a standing jump over the blade into the alcove right. Now you can do another standing jump to the left towards the alcove at the end (jump as the blade starts gliding back towards the opening where you climbed up). In this alcove you'll find a switch. Pull it to open the double doors back out in the room with the blade. Return there, stand close to the doors and standjump over the blade track as the blade slides away from Lara. Go through the next room with the little trees and around to the left.

 

Here you'll find an archway on the left leading into a small courtyard with a fountain in the middle and some hanging foliage on the right side. Look up above the archway to spot some black grates (there are black grates up on the ledge opposite as well). These are breakable and in order to find all the secrets you'll need to find a way to remove them. This is quite difficult to do and you must remove the ones on the right side first since it's the only place you can climb up. I found the easiest way to be using the M16 rifle, using manual targeting and then use the Look key to aim for the fences up on the right ledge. The best position for Lara is standing between the two small trees in the room before the archway and ledges. There is a section of the ground slanting slightly upwards so stand on the highest peak facing the right ledge and jump up to grab it. Pull up and you can now use the pistols to shoot out the grates on the ledge opposite. Jump over there and pick up Secret 8: five batches of uzi ammo.  

 

Drop down and go through to the small courtyard with the fountain and a fixed camera angle. Climb onto the fountain, turn around and do a standing jump to grab the balcony above the courtyard. Pull up and turn around, then do a running jump to the balcony on the right. Pick up the flares and go back to where you climbed up. This time do a running jump to the left balcony where you'll find the 2nd Emerald Gemstone. Jump back to the balcony where you started and drop down to the courtyard. As you approach the double doors opposite they open and another picador rushes out. Take care of him and he'll drop the Key to La Plaza de Fiestas. Pick it up and you'll find that the double doors lead back out to the garden with the fountains where you were earlier.

 

Right of the double doors (when facing the garden with the fountains) there is another room beyond the archways. Here you'll find a walkway leading up to a closed door to the right and a pool. Dive into the pool and you'll find an underwater lever on one of the pillars. It opens the door you saw up on the other side of the walkway. Climb onto the walkway, run across jumping over the picador on your way and head through the door....it will close behind her (this I learnt from Nadine is to prevent Lara from leaving before she's found all that she needs in this room). I found that Lara can shoot and kill the picador through the closed door.

 

You're now in what we'll call the Lily Pond Garden. Opposite of the timed door you came in through you'll find a closed wooden door. Take some time to admire the area around the pond and the beautiful tapestry with the matador and bull on the wall. Next to the entrance inside the green alcove you'll meet another picador. Kill him and locate the jump switch on the back of the first pillar. Pulling it down opens the wooden door in the Lily Pond Garden. It also lets out a picador. Once he's dead you can finally head through the wooden door. First of all go left and around the shelves into the dark room. Pick up the flares and return back where you came from. There's an opening above you right after you pass through the doorway (where you headed right to get the flares). Climb up there and you'll find a pool and a lever at the far end. Pull the lever and return down to the ground. Now you can dive into the lily pond and retrieve the 3rd Emerald Gemstone. Doing so the timed door from earlier opens as well, so go out there and through the fountain courtyard back to the garden with the fountains in the pool.

 

This time head through the garden and down the stairs towards the sliding blade again. Do not jump over it yet though, instead look up on the foliage-covered wall to the right to discover a crawlspace right above where the blade stops. Stand about two steps away from the crawlspace (being careful not to get hit by the blade) and do a standing jump forwards, then press Action to grab the edge. Pull up and pick up Secret 9: no less than 8 batches of uzi clips. Vault back to the floor, taking care to stick as far to the right as possible. As the blade glides away from Lara run after it, jumping as it comes back and run down the ramp again.

 

Go right and you should now be back in the alley with the colourful flags. Drop down to the ground and go under the coloured flags and through the opening back to where you came from in the first place. Head through the next opening and when you're back in the tulip garden you can use the key to La Plaza de Fiestas on the wall ahead to open the gates in the same area. Go through either one of the gates and up the stairs left. Continue following the path around left and up the stairs to the right.

 

As the stage with the instruments, the seats for the audience and the lovely music indicates you're now at the Plaza de Fiestas. Go right between the chairs and tables and in the archway left you'll find a large medipack. If you turn around and go over to the dark corner right of the stage (right when facing it) you'll find a closed gate. Remember its location, because you're going back there in a bit. Head down to the side of the plaza opposite the stage and go right. In the alcove facing the street below you'll find a switch. It is timed and it opens the gate I mentioned earlier in the corner near the stage. The chairs and tables blocking your way can make it a bit hard to get there on time, but it's fully possible. Here's how I did it:

Pull the switch, turn left and run past the corner. Start sprinting, but veer left right before you reach the palm tree ahead. Dash down the middle of the plaza and right before reaching the stage make it a sharp right turn. Stop sprinting for a moment, run left around the stage and gun it through the gate before it closes. 

 

Lara is now in a room split in half with a fence running along the middle. On Lara's side there's a ladder in the corner and on the opposite side of the fence there's a blade sliding back and forth and a crawlspace high up on the wall. You'll need to make your way over the fence to where the blade is, but before doing this you'll need to shoot out the grate covering the crawlspace so that you can access it once you get there. This isn't easy, but keep trying. First we'll start with getting rid of the grate. Climb the ladder until Lara's hands are resting on the third rung from the top and go as far right as possible. Now comes the hard part: you're going to do a backflip/roll manoeuvre, but at the same time you'll need to draw guns and shoot before Lara lands on the ground. The sequence is backflip-roll-draw-shoot in other words. If you're luck she should shoot out the grate in the crawlspace opposite. It's a bit difficult, but can easily be done with some practise.

 

That done you can climb the ladder again, almost to the top once more and all the way to the right. Do a regular backflip and if you've done it correctly she will backflip over the fence. Here you'll have to run forwards to the fence as to not get whacked by the sliding blade as it comes back (if you're extremely lucky the blade will be starting towards the crawlspace just as she lands). Turn to face the blade and as it starts going towards the crawlspace run after it a few steps and jump. Dash towards the wall where Lara will be safe.

 

[NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Well, that's one way to do it, another way (far easier if you ask me) is to get over the fence (jumping at the right moment will save you from the blade) and then crawl towards the ladder. Jump up and let Lara put her feet on the ladder, now press space (draw weapons) and "end" (roll) and hold them. Try to figure out the timing of the blade and as soon as it is just a split second from appearing on the screen press jump (but hold ctrl to make Lara shoot the pistols she'll draw as soon as possible). It sounds complicated but it is much easier in fact, because the only thing one needs to get right is the timing of the blade, if you jump at the perfect moment the blade will once sweep over Lara while she is on her knees getting up after the jump and the next time the blades comes you can simply crouch. It isn't even needed to worry about Lara shooting at the right moment to hit the grate, if you draw the pistols as fast as possible and shoot immediately you'll hit the grate :) Jumping at the wrong moment from the ladder will cause Lara to be hit by the blade, which can be quite painful, even deadly.]

 

Jump up to grab the edge of the crawlspace and pull up. Shoot out the next grate and drop down on the other side (on the rightmost side to avoid another blade). If you turn towards the right wall where the blade is you'll see some glass windows. One of these is breakable and on the sill behind it there's a switch. That's your next goal and a well-placed run as the blade slides away combined with an arched jump should land her straight onto the sill. Pull the switch to open a wooden door in the same room (on the other side of the blade, of course) and make your way back to it by doing a running jump over the blade to the safe part of the floor.

 

Go through the hallway with the aquariums and in the next garden you'll have to crouch in a corner to get rid of the yellow birds. Jump into the lily pad pond and pull the lever to raise the bars covering the opening opposite of the pond. Whip out the guns and shoot away the wooden barriers. Barbed wire is blocking your path, so climb the crates on the left and do a running jump to grab an overhead monkeyswing. Traverse forwards and left and at the end drop down on the other side of the barbed wire.

 

You'll reach a garden with some strange-looking reactor in the middle. Take the danger-high voltage signs seriously and stay away from the flat yellow and black parts surrounding it. Climb the wooden crate ahead and look towards the reactor to find a swing pole. Do a running jump towards it while pressing Action and as Lara swings around the pole you can let go and watch as she elegantly flips over the reactor. The camera angle changes, but go around to the right and behind the foliage with the purple flowers at the end you'll find an opening. Go through there and right to locate a ladder leading up. Climb that one as well as the one following it up to a red button. Pushing it sets off a stream of electrical currents going through one of the glass tubes attached to the reactor.

 

Climb back down and to the left of the opening behind the purple flowers you'll find a climbable wall covered in blue flowers. Climb up to the top and follow the walkway around to the left until you reach a closed door and a ladder going up. Inside the glass case in the middle you'll find the final emerald gemstone taunting you. Do not climb the ladder yet though, instead do a standing jump across to the glass case, where you'll spot another red button. Push it to set off the electrical currents in another one of the glass tubes and once you've done this you can drop down to the ground near where you entered this area.

 

Right of the wooden crate there is an opening in the wall. Go through there and climb the ladder to the right. On top go right to find a third button. Push it and go back to the ladder. This time you can head through the open doorway next to the shelf. Jump to grab the ladder and climb down into the hole. Go around to the other side to find a lever you can push. A cut-scene kicks in, showing you the activation of the reactor (it also lowers a trapdoor above the glass case with the gemstone).

 

Return to the garden and make your way over to the blue flower ladder via the swing pole and up to the walkway with the ladder and the closed door. This time climb the ladder to the top and dismount on the left side. Jump onto the top of the reactor, slide backwards and drop down into the glass case. You can now finally pick up the 4th Emerald Gemstone. Doing so causes the door up by the ladder on the walkway to open so you'll need to make your way back there. Note that you can also do a running jump + grab to the swing pole in order to reach the ground.

 

Make your way back up to the walkway like before and head through the finally open door. Enter the blue passage to the left and go in through the first opening right. Climb the single crate in the corner and then do a running jump to the stack in the diagonally opposite corner. Here you can pick up some flares. Drop down to the ground and return to the blue passage. Enter the second room on the right and climb onto the crate left. In the passage behind it you can pick up a small medipack. Back to the blue passage we go and this time go on until the end. You're now back on the terrace from earlier.

 

Head back to the ladder by the oil burner and climb down to the garden below. Go down the stairs back to where the blade is and repeat the jump over it to get to the ramp leading down to the room with the matador tapestry and receptacles. Now you can finally place the four Emerald Gemstones in their rightful places. The bars closing off your access to the room next to the receptacles lower and you can go through and around the corner to pick up theKey to the Arena.

 

Leave this area and drop down into the alley with the coloured flags, go through to the garden where you'll find the gate leading up to the Plaza de Fiestas and climb onto the crate below the bull painting. Turn right to spot a ladder below the opening where you jumped from earlier and do a running jump to grab said ladder. Climb up to the top and go right down the hallway.   

 

What you'll need to do now is to go all the way back to the beginning of the level in order to find the Arena. Dive into the pool in the garden where you first surfaced and swim down and back up again into the storeroom. Climb out of the water here and jump over to the floor by the shelves, then go up the ramp to the right. Here there's a keyhole and this is where you'll need to use your key to access the arena. Save your game here, what's coming up is not of the easy kind. It's time to engage in a common Spanish custom: the bullfight, thus giving the level its name (Tauromaquia being the Spanish word for "the art of bullfighting").

 

Boost up your health if you're low and drop down to the ground. The hoof prints on the ground does not bode well, but the bull is currently locked up and so you're safe....for now. Unfortunately you'll have no choice but to let the creature out, but first there are other things to do. Follow the path with the hoof prints out to the arena. As you enter it you're attacked not by the bull itself, but by a bunch of picadores. Kill them all and retrieve the goodies they left behind: one small and two large medipacks and the Toril Key (toril means for those who don't speak Spanish something along the lines of "bull pen"). In other words the bull is not loose yet, but we're about to change that.

 

First of all notice that in each of the four corners there is an ornate tile. You'll also find four alcoves that have bars blocking them (two on each side of the arena). There is also a wooden door at the end. The point is to use Lara as a bait in order to make the bull shatter each of the four ornate tiles I mentioned (those who have played Tomb Raider before know how this works). For each tile shattered the bars in front of one of the alcoves will raise. In each alcove there is a lever and pulling all four opens the wooden door at the end of the arena. That's part 1.....we'll get back to part 2 later. Right,  now that you know what to do it's time to let the bull out to do his thing.

 

The keyhole for the Toril Key is located on the rightmost one of the red pillars flanking the entrance to the Arena. Use the key there and you'll see a camera shot of the bull being released into the Arena. I had the bull crushing all four ornate tiles before climbing into each alcove to pull the levers. For each of the three first levers you pull you'll see a horse awaiting in another room. It's a good idea to save your game when Lara is in either one of the lever alcoves as the bull can't reach her there. As you pull the fourth lever two things happen.

 

A matador comes running into the room with the horse and mounts it and the wooden door in the arena opens (thus letting out the matador on his trusty steed). If you stay in the last alcove with the lever you can wait until the bull enters the room that the matador came from and push the lever back to its original position. If you're fast enough the creature  will be locked up in the room and you can turn your focus towards dealing with the matador(you really didn't think you'd get away without killing him, did you???) Just make sure you don't lock him up together with the bull.

 

[At the end of the level there is a door which will not open unless you release the bull. According to Nadine this is because she in fact never intended for people to lock the bull up in the first place (and also to prevent the players from leaving without the lasersight). Do try to play without locking the bull up, it's twice the fun and a lot more challenging to try killing the matador while dodging the bull. If you just can't do this and choose to lock the bull up do NOT forget to release it before leaving (like I've written two paragraphs further down). If you forget this you'll get stuck here and won't be able to proceed.]  

 

Killing this guy isn't easy. He's tough so it will take quite some time to get him down and he's got a sharp blade that will harm Lara a lot if she gets too close. Him being on the horse makes it even harder and on top of that you'll have to shoot him in the chest for the bullets to have any effect. It might take long and this all depends on how well you hit, but once he's off the horse the rest is relatively easy. I found that a good and very effective way of killing him is to run back out where the bull came from and climb onto the wooden ledge facing the arena entrance. From there you can drop down onto the ground from time to other and backflip up on the ledge again when he gets too close. All this while firing non-stop of course. I was lucky enough for him to get stuck right by the ledge so shooting him didn't take all that long then. When he's finally dead you can pick up the lasersight he drops as a reward for the struggle. After you've killed him you can also enter the bull pen (where the creature came from to begin with) and pick up a small medipack in the right corner.

 

[The authors recommendation on how to kill this guy: Well - it is possible to kill him in less than 30 seconds. The trick is to stand right in front of him and shoot him from the side where he keeps his sword (the horse's head will be at Lara's right side). Keep close to the matador (hopping back constantly) and shoot (Uzis will be very useful once you figure out how to hit him). Once he's off the horse he'll act like a normal guy in the horseman slot. Keeping close to him (2-3 meters) and shooting so that you can see cyan sparks. Oh, and look out for the bull now and then ;-) ]

 

Unfortunately fate has it so that you can not leave without letting the bull out (the exit door will remain closed if you don't). So let it out by resetting the lever you used for trapping it only. We're not going to leave yet though as there's still another secret to find in this area. Wait until the bull runs out of its prison and head in there yourself. Inside you'll find a grey box to the left. This is breakable, but you'll need some help shattering it. Yes, this means you'll have to make the bull do the job. When he has removed the box you can pick up Secret 10: a large medipack. What wouldn't you do for one of those secrets huh??

 

Now it's finally time to leave. Dash through the arena and out towards the open bull pen. Right before you reach the pen climb onto the left ledge and use the grating there to climb up to the walkway. Follow it around the fence and approach the ladder at the end to go back to the Manor.

 

 

 

ARCO IRIS, THE MANOR PART II:     

 

Pickups: High Level Access Card, Opal Fabergé Egg

 

Enemies: Dog, guard

 

So here we are, back to familiar grounds again. Provided that you followed my directions for level 1 and found all the secrets you can continue reading below. If you have not done this yet I'd recommend you to go back to the walkthrough for level 1 and do the parts you've missed now. Of course it is fully optional to get all the secrets, but you will have to go to the skate park anyways to retrieve the M16 rifle if you haven't done so yet. This is why I found it easier to do all that earlier.

 

You start up in the storeroom beyond the timed gate where you came down to enter level 2. Notice that your secret statistics now show one secret more than before you left the previous level (so if you had all 10 secrets when returning here the stats will show 11 instead). This is most likely a glitch and it does not mean you've actually found any secrets. Just thought that was worth mentioning so it doesn't confuse you too much.

 

Start forwards and go through the timed gate out into the hallway with the laser-trapped stairs (notice the camerashot showing you out to a pool with a dog). Go left at the stairs, through the door right and left again. You're now back at the garden from very early in the first level. Head right and jump over the blue lasers through the rightmost arched opening. Remember this place?? Go left and climb the block, then make your way up onto the portal on the right. From here you can once more do a running jump over to the balcony above the green truck.

 

Go left at the stairs where the fixed camera kicks in and proceed until you can climb the green and brown crate to the right. Do a running jump to grab the chain spanning across the garden, let go of Action and quickly tap it again to land Lara on the balcony opposite. Go right and when the camera angle changes again head left onto the metal walkway where you killed the two guards in the first level. Follow the walkway around to the left, hop onto the black slope on either side, slide and grab the edge, then drop down into the garden on the other side of the laser trap.

 

Head towards the pool and ladder on the wall, then go left and through the open door back to another familiar part of the garden. Go around the left side of the pool and as you reach the red laser trap turn right. Across the pool you can see a closed area behind bars where you haven't been yet. This is the place that you were shown in the camera shot as you returned to the Manor. Look down in the pool and you'll spot a crawlspace covered by a grate in the opposite wall. The M16 and lasersight will do the job just fine and once you've removed the grate you can swim through to the other room.

 

Pull up on the opposite side and kill the dog standing guard here. You might also get a glimpse of a guard that is now patrolling the area outside. Swim over to where the dog was and pull out the white urn to the right. Standing on the black elevated ledge in the middle of the room you'll be able to do a running jump over the urn and here you can pick up the High Level Access Card. Jump back over the urn, dive in the pool and swim out to the other side, then climb out of the water and deal with the guard.

 

He doesn't drop anything of interest so return to the garden with the ladder and pool. Standing on either one of the elevated ledges next to the laser trap will enable Lara to do a standing jump to grab the ledge above the lasers. This way you won't have to backtrack too much. Go across the metal walkway and back to where you swung across the chain, but this time continue all the way around to the end. Here you'll find that you can use the access card you found to open the door ahead.

 

All you'll find in this room is a desk and a white urn. Shoot the latter and pick up the Opal Fabergé Egg from the pedestal hidden inside the urn. Return to the balcony where you swung across from the chain and do a dive into the pool in the garden below. Jump over the blue lasers to the right, go left and make your way via the box and portal to the balcony. Go left around to the stairs again, but this time you can finally proceed downstairs. Place the Fabergé Egg on the pedestal and the doors ahead open, now head through them to enter the Rainbow Lounge.

 

 

LEVEL 3- THE RAINBOW LOUNGE:  

 

Pickups: Small medipacks, Marble Key, Library Key, uzi clips, M16 ammo, Rainbow Key, Cinema Key, uzis, Scratched Disc, Relay, CD Player Plugin-Card + 5 Secrets(uzi clips + M16 ammo + M16 ammo + uzi clips + small medipack)

 

Enemies: Guards, bats

 

Ok, so now you've entered the Rainbow Lounge. Go forwards to the yellow couch and follow the hallway around the right corner. There's a closed door ahead and you can't go through there so continue further on. Pass the bar stools and tables on your left and go through the arch ahead towards the double doors. Never mind said doors, instead turn left and look up to spot a jump switch. Now go back towards where you came from and down to the double doors right. Run up the few steps on your right-hand side and there you'll find a pedestal holding Secret 11: a set of uzi clips. If you hadn't pulled the jump switch a little while ago the secret would have been protected by a glass case, preventing you from picking it up.

 

Don't leave yet, there's a switch in the corner by the white couch. As you pull it you'll hear the creaking of a door opening somewhere in the room you came from. Leave the room you're in and on the right you'll find the open door. A red carpet goes down to a closed set of double doors with a ladder above them and there's a small pool on each side of the red carpet ramp. You'll also find an archway passage on each side of the room, but you won't find anything of interest in either of them. There's nothing in the pool either so that can be ignored as well.

 

On each side of the red carpet ramp there is a white pillar holding up a black/grated block with a plant on it. Climb onto either of these blocks and do a running jump to grab the ladder above the closed double doors. Go all the way to the top and pull up on the floor there. Head right and look towards the entrance of this room. If you look down by the left wall you should easily spot a floor section behind the wall, you'll need to do an angled running jump to reach it (if you miss and land in the pool below you can either reload a savegame or climb back up the way you came). You'll find another set of double doors here and obviously a key of some sort is required to enter there. We're still missing said key though so we'll come back here later on.

 

Opposite of the double doors there's a small ramp leading up to a door inside an alcove in the wall. Finally a door Lara can open by herself, but it only leads into a closed room with a plant and a switch. Needless to say pulling the switch is all you can do in here and this opens the double doors below the ladder back in the room with the red carpet ramp. Return there and dive into the pool, then climb out onto the red carpet and head through the now open doors.

 

Head on towards the wooden platform on the floor, but be careful. As you can see if you look up at the ceiling there is debris hanging up there and it will drop as Lara walks under it. Run quickly ahead and through the doorway to avoid being hit by the falling woodwork. Turn around, draw guns and kill the guard sneaking up on you. Now climb the crate right of the doorway and make your way up to the floor above. Walk onto the floor section jutting out and look up to spot more debris ready to drop and crush Lara if she should think of crossing its path. There is a white wall ahead with a broad crack in it, do a running jump towards it while pressing Action and remain standing there for a few seconds while waiting for the remaining debris to fall.

 

Look right to spot a large glass window blocking your way. The topmost, second pane from the left holds a slight wave pattern, indicating that it's more fragile than the rest. Here you'll need the M16/lasersight to shatter it (alternatively press the pistol shortcut key 1 to swap to pistols while maintaining the aim if you want to conserve ammo). Obviously you now need to get through the broken window, but this is not at all possible with a regular running or standing jump. What you have to do is to perform a running jump and swan dive (Up arrow + Jump + Walk) through the opening. As far as I know this is the only thing that works.

 

Once you've gotten through the window use the crates to climb onto the floor above. Once there you might as well head for the nearest corner and crouch to minimize the damage caused by an unexpected swarm of bats. Upon looking around and down through the gaps in the floor you'll find that you're now above the storage room where you shot the guard earlier. Continue to the end and use the white grate in the wall as a ladder to reach the room below. When you can't go any further down turn around and jump to the other side, then continue down another ladder to the bottom.

 

In the water filled trench here you can pick up the Marble Key located near the wall opposite of the ladder you came down. It's now time to climb up to the top floor again. Once there go towards where you came up in the first place, but look up to notice a thick wooden rafter above. You can actually reach it from here: when you dismount the ladder leading up to the top head right and go all the way to the brick wall. Look up to the right again and if you're in the right place you should see a part of the rafter sloping downwards. Stand directly below it, jump and grab and then pull up. Crawl right and up here you can pick up Secret 12: M16 ammo.

 

Return to the floor below and drop down through the gap nearest to the wall right of the ladder you climbed up (in other words you have to make sure that Lara lands on one of the upper levels, if she drops all the way to the ground floor she'll break more than just a couple of bones in her body). Upon returning down there you'll hear grunts and gunshots, indicating that there's a guard on patrol down there. By some clever use of the lasersight + M16(pistols) you can dispose of him from up here without him even noticing Lara. When he's dead leave the room and return to red carpet ramp and pool.

 

Jump over to the ladder above the door again and once more climb to the top. Hopefully you should still remember the keyhole I mentioned earlier on the floor by the left wall. Runjump over to it and use the Marble Key here to open the doors. Going through them you'll find another set of doors with a belonging keyhole ahead. Go right instead, cross the short grated bridge to find another closed set of doors and a keyhole and turn right again. Continue to the end where there's a door, one you can open without hassle this time. Inside this small room you'll find a closed door and a lever right of where you enter. Pull the lever and voila: the aforementioned door is no longer closed and Lara can enter the Theatre.

 

There's nothing to do up on top so go down past the lower rows of seats and notice that there are two closed doors here: one on each side of the seat rows. Make your way up on the stage and head through to the small room left. In the top left corner there is a crate you can break and a grate behind it that can also be blown away. Inside the crawlspace there is a small medipack for you to bring along. Pull the lever in here and you'll hear a strange sound coming from the stage. Return there to find that the carpet is pulled up, leaving you with access to the room behind it.

 

Both the left and the right opening lead into the same room, where you'll see broken crates that have sand pouring out of them. A good thing that is, because the heap of sand on the floor will make it easier for Lara to reach the ledge with the bottom crates. Climb over said crates and do a running jump to the lower part of the metal walkway opposite. Climb onto the metal girder ahead and go right. You'll see a little nook ahead in the far right corner. Doing a running jump while pressing Action should be good enough to get you there. Walk ahead and you'll find Lara to be overlooking the stage again.

 

From here you can stand on the left side and do a standing jump forwards while pressing Action to grab onto the raised carpet. Shimmy left all the way to the end and pull up. Looking across at the balcony you'll spot an opening in the fence, through which you can easily do a running jump. Pull the switch here to open the doors down by the lower row of seats and do a standing jump over the fence facing upwards in the room. Enter the newly accessible room (which is no other than the room you saw through the glass floor between the two rows of seats). There are two guards in here so kill them both, but none of them drop anything.

 

There is not much of interest in this room, apart from the Library Key laying among the pile of books in the top right corner. Go back out and leave the Theatre the way you came in. Back in the hall with the double doors and two keyholes you'll soon find out that the Library is the room closest to the Theatre. Use your key here and enter, the doors close behind you. There is a switch here and it opens the following doors to said Library. Before entering take a very close look at the painting of Anubis (the jackal-headed guardian of the dead according to Egyptian mythology) on the wall, this is something that will help you solve a puzzle later on.

 

Obviously the one and only Neon God must have some really prized possessions among his literature, judging by the red laser traps crossing the floor. You can't jump all the way over to the medipack by the door opposite so you'll have to go diagonally left using the climbable bookshelves. Do a running jump to the closest one and climb around to the right. Go down as far as you can without touching the lasers and backflip into the safe alcove. Use the bookshelf on your left here in order to climb around to the front of the door where you can pick up the small medipack. Notice the picture of the lion on the wall. This is Sekhmet, the Egyptian Goddess representing strength and courage (this is, just like Anubis, also a part of a puzzle you'll encounter later on).

 

Use the bookshelves to climb back where you came from, then jump from the safe alcove to grab the bookshelf ahead. Climb up until you can barely see the floor behind Lara, then backflip. There are red lasers up here too, so be careful. On the left (when Lara is facing the library) you can climb another bookshelf. Go all the way around as far as you can until Lara can drop down into a safe alcove with a jump switch on the wall. Jump up and grab it, causing a door to open on the top floor. Make your way back out via the bookshelves and jump across to the shelf in the main room. Climb around to the left, backflip to the floor behind and go around right. Here you can use the elevated part of the floor to reach the level above. Pull up and you'll find the door that opened when you pulled the jump switch before.

 

In the next room you'll find some alcoves, but what's of interest to you is the second opening in the right wall. Go through there and at the end you're met with a bird's eye view of a very impressive room. Go around to the right and the camera angle changes again, go on until Lara has reached the floor opposite of where she entered. If you look down onto the ground you'll see a flower-like pattern. There are some coloured hotspots scattered around the flower too, in four different colours (red, blue, yellow and green). This is a part of a puzzle that we'll be solving in this room. Look up on the wall to the right. Aha, four symbols and each of them has a colour corresponding to the colours on the ground. The leftmost tile has a name on it (Sekhmet, remember from the library??) and it's bathed in a red light. The second tile from the left shows some odd symbol and the colour green. On the third tile you'll see a picture of a falcon represented by the blue colour and on the fourth a set of scales with yellow as its key colour.

 

This hall consists of three floors: the ground floor which is where you'll find the flower and stars pattern with the colours and the second floor is where you entered. On the first floor you'll find four doors, two on each side. On the ground floor there are also four doors (again, two on each side and with a glass window between them). There are also four switches in the area: two on the first floor (one on each side), one jump switch high up above the blue curtain and another switch that you might have noticed while you were up on the second floor. To reach the four switches you have platforms, swing poles, a tightrope and even the possibility of a rope swing at your disposal. 

 

Continue to the end and there you'll find a bookshelf. Do a running jump over the fence to grab the bookshelf. Go all the way down to the floor and first of all go towards the blue curtain. Stand with Lara's back against it, then press Action to open the gilded trapdoor. It leads down to a pool, but don't bother diving down there. What purpose the pool serves you'll see later on. Return to the bookshelf and climb almost all the way to the top, then go right until Lara is positioned on the right side of the shelf. Backflip, roll and press Action and if you're positioned correctly she'll grab a metal platform behind her. Pull up and look ahead to spot a swing pole (the one with the ropes hanging from it). You'll have to position Lara at the rightmost side of the platform if this is to work. Notice that beyond the pole there is a wooden slope. You must do a running jump to grab the swing pole and as she lets go you have to steer her right in mid-air. If done correctly she'll land on said wooden slope facing upwards and she can grab the edge as she slides down. Pull up, backflip/roll and press Action and she'll grab another swing pole. Let go of it and Lara goes flying through the air to land on a slope opposite of the other one. Pull up and simply backflip and she lands safely on a platform.

 

Climb onto the central block and turn left to face the floor below the symbols on the wall. Do a running jump over there and you can now pick up Secret 13: M16 ammo from the floor right. Go back towards the platform you came from and stand right of it, then do a running jump towards the lowest part of the slanting platform. Climb onto the central block and this time focus on the blue curtain opposite of the ledge where you found the secret. Above said curtain you'll find the previously mentioned jump switch and to reach it you'll need to do a running jump to grab the rope hanging down from the ceiling. Slide down to the bottom of the rope, line Lara up with the switch and start swinging towards it. Leap off the rope, press Action to grab hold of the switch and Lara will plummet down towards the floor as she pulls the switch. This is where the pool below comes into the picture. If you hadn't opened the trapdoor before she would have landed on it, meaning instant death (no matter how much health you may have left). Instead the pool will become her saviour, but as mentioned before there's nothing of interest in it so climb out of the water immediately. 

 

Go past the trapdoor and climb the metal walkway to the left up to the first floor. Here you'll find two of the doors and a switch. The switch is timed, but it does not open any of the two doors up here. What it does open is one of the doors on the opposite side (yes, on the first floor across the hall). Since it's the first one it's relatively mellow and not all that difficult to do. To get there you have to do as follows:

Pull the switch, press the Look key to break the camera shot of the door opening and dash down the floor to the end. Veer left at the end, jump over the fence and press Action. Lara grabs the flag pole so let go and press Action again to grab the next flag pole. Drop and she'll land on the opposite floor. Turn left, dash forwards and in through the second door to the right before it closes.

 

Shatter the crate in the corner and pick up the uzi clips, then pull the switch in here to open one of the doors down on the ground floor. Leave this room and go right to find another switch. This one is also timed, but slightly more difficult than the other as the timer is a bit shorter. There are two different ways to do this. The first one is the way I did it and the other suggestion is the author's intended way. Here goes:

Pull the switch, press the Look key while rolling and dash down towards the end. Veer right, jump over the fence and grab the flag pole. Drop, grab the next flag pole and drop again to land on the opposite floor. Veer right and gun it through the first door on the left.

 

Alternative solution as provided by the builder: Jump over the marble balustrade and run across the room, jump onto the metal bridge and get on the wooden balcony and straight through the door

 

Pick up the M16 ammo and pull the switch, you'll hear another door opening (this one is also down on the ground floor). Leave the room and head down to the ground. This time head up the second metal walkway and right where you can climb the bookshelf. Climb into the alcove and get ready for walking the tightrope. Those familiar with Tomb Raider should know well how to perform this trick (keep pressing Action while on the rope, press the Up arrow key to move forwards and if she leans towards one of the sides press the direction key opposite). You'll have to dodge the oil burners, but has that ever stopped her before??? Stand about one or two steps away from it, let go of Action and simultaneously press the Up arrow key and Jump. As she leaps forwards over the fire press Action quickly and she'll grab a swing pole. Let go of Action and quickly tap it ONCE (do not continue pressing Action). If you keep Action pressed she'll grab the next swing pole as well and swing off straight into the wall, thus resulting in a high fall and pretty much instant death. If on the other hand you tap the Action key once before reaching the second pole she will somersault over the pole and land in the alcove with a closed door.

 

Said door does not open, but turn to face the swing poles again and do a running jump + grab towards it. Let go, press Action again and Lara will swing off a second pole. Once more press Action to land on a small ledge where you'll find a third switch in an alcove. This one is not timed and it opens a third door down on the ground floor. To get down I'd recommend to drop on the topmost left side (left when facing the alcove with the switch). This way the fall won't be as high and although she'll still lose health it won't cost her as much as dropping from any other position would.

 

Now all four doors down on the ground are open. Have a little look around to see what you'll find in these rooms. Go left first (when facing the blue curtain). In the rightmost room you'll first of all find a glass case containing the jackal head of Anubis. You can climb over the arches into the remaining two rooms left, in the middle you'll find a glass case containing a key (this will be your prize once you've solved the puzzle) and inside the leftmost room you'll see the head of Sekhmet inside another glass case + the second open door leading back to the main room. There is a similar structure to the three rooms on the opposite side of the main hall, here you'll find two cases containing an Elvish ring (from Tolkien's masterpiece Lord Of The Rings) and a representation of the Eye Of Horus.

 

It's now time to get ready for solving the puzzle. Remember the flower/star pattern on the ground floor and the four coloured spots surrounding it? The colours correspond to those of the tiles with the symbols and words that you've seen before (up where you found the secret). The solution to the puzzle is to move each of the glass cases onto the coloured tile corresponding with the symbol on the wall high up in the main hall. Each time you place a glass case in the right spot you'll see a camera shot of the case containing the key. The tiles up there showed the following:

Sekhmet=red

Strange symbol=green

Horus=blue

Scales=yellow

 

I'll let you try to solve the puzzle from those clues alone. If you still can't do it I have put the complete solution down below, but it's written in white colour so that you won't see the solution unless you use the mouse cursor to highlight it (this out of respect for the people who would prefer to try to get through it without a detailed solution).

 

The colour red represents the Goddess Sekhmet. In the room left you found a glass case containing a replica of Sekhmet's lionhead. Pull this glass case out of the room and position it onto the red hotspot on the ground floor.

The yellow colour depicts a pair of scales. If you noticed the painting of Anubis before entering the library you would have seen him sitting before the scales of Justice. So the glass case containing the jackal head goes onto the yellow hotspot.

On the green tile you'll find a strange symbol. According to the author of the level this symbol is one used by J.R.R. Tolkien (author of Lord Of The Rings) and if you look closely you might see that it is comprised by his own initials (J and T + 2x R- one mirrored and one turned the right way).The glass case with the ring (a ring inscribed with words written in Elvish as used in LOTR)  belongs on the green hotspot.

Finally the blue tile showed a picture of a falcon in flight. This represents the Egyptian God Horus. So does the eye of Horus, which you'll find inside a glass case in the final room. Push/pull it onto the blue hotspot and the puzzle is solved.

 

If you still need help the solution is shown in THIS SCREENSHOT. Once they're all lined up correctly the glass case surrounding the key lowers and you can go in there and retrieve the Rainbow Key. Return to the bookshelf, climb up to the top and backflip/roll to grab the metal platform, then jump from there down to the third floor. Now you can leave the Puzzle Hall and go back to the Library the way you came in to begin with. Climb down to the floor below and from there simply drop to the ground floor in front of the doors where you entered. They open as you approach them and so do the second set of doors. You can now head right across the metal bridge and use the Rainbow Key in the final keyhole to gain access to the Rainbow Disco.

 

Enjoy the impressive sight that greets you and head down the stairs. Ignore the right side completely and continue down the stairs to the left. Do not go all the way down to the dance floor, instead turn left and before the next flight of stairs go right up the ramp. Here you'll find a small passage with an opening at the end, drop down there and shoot away the crates to clear a further passage. At the end you can pick up the Cinema Key. Leave this place the same way you came in and climb the ladder back up to the floor above. Go down the ramp back to the stairway and this time head down left to the dance floor. Continue straight ahead and down to the right you'll find a blue carpet and rows of seats, this is the Cinema. Go down the stairs in the middle, left and left again to find a door that you can open by using the Cinema Key in the keyhole next to the door. Enter there and pull the switch to raise a block out in the Disco.

 

Return there and go almost all the way up to the top. Here you'll find the block that you raised and it is this block which will help you to reach the higher levels in this place. To get onto it stand on top and do a running jump, then press Action to grab the edge. Pull up and turn left, across the room you'll see some windows to shoot. Do a running jump from here to grab a swing pole halfway across. Let go and Lara will fly through the air and go straight through the shattered window. There are two things you can do in here, first of all pull away the loudspeaker in front of the window to the right. Go around it and shoot the window here, then turn left to spot a metal walkway. It is possible to do a running jump (slightly angled left) to reach the walkway and that's what you have to do here. Once there you'll find a door to the left, but it doesn't open yet.

 

Instead look up in the ceiling to spot a grey track, this is a monkeyswing. Jump straight up to grab it and swing across to the walkway opposite. Head left and enter a room where you'll find a stereo surrounded by a glass case (i.e. inaccessible for now). Go past it and locate the switch at the end, pulling it opens the door by the walkway where you came from. Return out there and monkeyswing across again, then enter the room beyond the open door. At the entrance look right to spot a circuit on the floor. Left there is a loudspeaker. There are three moveable loudspeakers in the room and also three circuits on the floor, meaning that you'll have to move each loudspeaker onto the closest circuit. The loudspeakers are located by the entrance and on both the left and the right side of the stairs going down in the same room (the door at the bottom of the stairs doesn't open) and the circuits are within two or three tiles distance of each loudspeaker. Once you have positioned all three loudspeakers correctly a gate will open right of the stairs. Go through the passage there and pull the switch to open a door down on the dance floor.   

 

Getting down is quite simple: leave the storeroom with the crates and return to the walkway outside. Monkeyswing across to the opposite walkway again and once you're there head right to the end. Do a running jump towards the moving lights and Lara should land in the pool below. You're now back on the ground floor so climb out of the pool and head left up the ramp. Go right and down the next ramp, ahead you'll see the door that you opened. Inside the small room there are some pickups to retrieve: the uzis and a Scratched Disc. Go back outside and up the ramps to the top where Lara can climb the tall block again. Turn left and once more make your way over to the room opposite via the swing pole.

 

This time climb the small loudspeaker to the left. Turn left again and do a standing jump to grab the metal walkway, pull up and go left where you can shatter another window. Walk out on the ledge and jump straight up to grab a monkeyswing. The camera angle changes as you go across so be careful not to go too far to either side, instead keep a steady course all the way to the other side. Once there go right and at the very end turn left so that Lara is facing the wooden rafter below. Drop and press Action again to grab the flat part, then pull up, turn around and vault up onto the top of the monkeyswing. Head forwards and drop down onto the balcony. Enter the next room and locate the switch hidden behind the plant in the top left corner. Pulling it you'll see a camera shot of a glass case lowering, giving you free access to the pedestal it surrounded. If you can get there, that is.

 

Return to the balcony and do a standing jump over the fence to land on the wooden rafter. Go towards the left end and about halfway there stop and look right to spot the pillar holding the pedestal and the lowered glass case. There is a swing pole between Lara and said pillar so do a running jump to grab it and swing your way onto the pillar. Pick up the Relay from the pedestal and starting from the back of the pillar right of the pedestal you can do a right-angled run to the end and jump to land back on the wooden rafter. Go right and at the end do a standing jump while pressing Action to go through the arch and land on the floor ahead. Go left and behind the plant you'll find a switch. It is timed and it raises a block in the diagonally opposite corner so that you can use it to access the floor above. This is how I did it:

Pull the switch, roll and jump over the potted plant. Start running/jumping towards the block, sticking to the left wall, and jump onto it. Run forwards to the wall, veer left and do one running step forwards (so that Lara ends up standing on the edge below the opening). Jump straight up and press Action to grab the edge before the block lowers.

 

Pull up and here you're met with the sight of two sliding blades to the right. Crawl under them and out to the left, then go to the end and here you'll find a tightrope. Before going over there shoot out the window in the wall opposite. Walk across the tightrope and as you approach the alcove behind the shattered window leap forwards and press Action to grab the edge. Pull up and there's a switch here for you to pull, it raises a glass case below a ladder up on a ledge somewhere else. Conveniently enough the pool is located right below you so doing a swan dive will land you right there.

 

Climb out of the pool and return to the tall block, then climb it and swing from the pole across to the left through the window. Climb the loudspeaker, jump to the walkway above and return to the monkeyswing. Swing across and right, then drop down to grab the wooden rafter. Pull up, go left towards the middle and this time vault onto the top of the monkeyswing. Go to the end, jump over to the left part and jump carefully past the swinging hooks. Go left and here you'll find the glass case you raised earlier. Climb onto it and first drop down by the door on the other side, up on the wall to the left there is a jump switch. Pull it down to open a gate somewhere else and now climb the glass case again. Drop down through the opening in the floor and down here you'll find the gate you just opened by pulling the jump switch. Enter there to pick up Secret 14: a pair of uzi clips. Climb the ladder again, backflip onto the glass case and this time jump up to grab the floor above and pull up.

 

Jump over towards the window on the other side and go right. Do a running jump again to cross the red lasers on the floor. Continue following the right ledge and on the left ledge ahead you'll find a swinging hook. You can do a running jump from here across the lasers to land on the ledge with the hook, but you have to be careful to run left as soon as you land to prevent the hook from hitting Lara. Pull the lever to stop the swinging hook and you can now use the Relay in the panel here to lower a rope above the Disco area. Do a running jump to the long metal rafter and go down it to the end, climb the platform ahead and jump to the floor on the other side where you can pick up some uzi clips. Jump to grab the platform again and pull up, this time go left and you'll find the rope you lowered before. Do a running jump to grab said rope and swing over to the alcove by the closed door ahead. Pick up the CD Player Plugin-Card. From here there are two ways to go. One harder and longer route and the easy, short one.

 

For the hard way you have to do a running jump to grab the rope again. This can be extremely difficult as it's hard to get Lara to grab the rope this time, but it can be done so just be patient and keep trying. Swing left and jump to land on the rafter once more. Drop down onto the top of the monkeyswing and go right, then drop down onto the wooden rafter.

 

The easy way is to stand facing the rope and turn left. On the slanted part of the wall there is a grey "track", this is a ladder. By doing an angled left running jump from the alcove you can reach that ladder, then climb down and drop to the top of the monkeyswing and from there down to the wooden rafter. Thanks to Nadine for pointing out this possibility.

 

Go right and look down to the left to spot two small loudspeakers on the floor below. If you run off the edge right above one of these she'll land on top of it without losing any health. Return to the ramp with the tall block and jump onto it once more. Turn left and go via the swing pole to the opposite room. Go right and do a running jump to land on the metal walkway again. Jump to grab the monkeyswing and traverse across to the opposite walkway. Enter the room with the circuit boards again and go past the glass case with the stereo. Insert the CD Player Plugin-Card in the circuit board to the right to lower the glass case around the CD player. Go back there and put the Scratched Disc into the CD player. Obviously the impact was rather rough on the windows behind the loudspeakers as they seem to have cracked up. Return to the walkway and dive into the pool again like you did before.

 

Climb out of the water and return up the ramps to the top by the tall block. Around to the left you'll find the damaged windows and you can now use the pistols to shatter them. Go through the broken windows, head right and the double doors close behind Lara. Three guards come running ahead so kill them for a start. There are several white doors in the alcoves on each side of the room, but only the ones in the first alcove to the left can be opened. Enter there and start up the ramp, then pick up the M16 ammo in the first alcove to the right.

 

On top you'll find a switch in the alcove to the left. This is the start of an extremely difficult timed run. But before starting it enter the next room. You'll find a pool with lasers running along the bottom and a ladder. Jump over the pool and grab the ladder, climb up to the top and you'll see more lasers ahead. Go around to the right and you'll find yet another laser trap. Time your run under the laser trap and pick up Secret 15: a small medipack. Now return under the trap back to the ladder, climb down towards the bottom and backflip to land on the other side of the pool. It's time to go back to the switch in the alcove and get ready for one heck of a timed run.

 

Pulling the lever opens a door two floors higher up. On the way up there you'll find lasers, a gun turret (one of the flamethrowing ones) and a sliding blade. I couldn't do this without losing quite a bit of health and I'd recommend you to ignore the lasers sliding up and down as they will only cost Lara a bit of health (the ones on the floor will kill her instantly). There might be different ways of doing it, this is just how I did it:

Pull the switch, roll and sprint up to the pool. Veer left and jump over the pool to grab the ladder. Climb up to the top and run one step forwards. Stop and stand-jump over the red lasers on the floor (taking a bit of damage when going through the sliding lasers). Dash up the ramp while under fire from the gun turret on top, then jump over the floor lasers. Run/jump past the second set of sliding lasers (the gun turret is up in the ceiling to the left, so be careful not to let it set Lara on fire). Veer left, jump over both the blade and the red lasers and finally dash through the door before it closes.

 

Climb onto the brown and green crate and vault up into the room above.

Lara: Ah, this is Neon God's office... I should take a look at his maps...

 

On the blackboard it says something about Huascarán which we'll learn more about later. Walk over to the map that she mentioned and vault up onto the table below it. Here the level ends and Lara is off to explore the heart of Peru.

 

 

LEVEL 4- HEART OF PERU:

 

Pickups: 2x Topaz, flares, Shell, Amethyst, Fire Key, Sharp Stone, uzi clips, Diamond, Water Key + 5 Secrets (uzi clips + small medipack + uzi clips + small medipack + uzi clips)

 

Enemies: Leopards, ants, barracudas, vultures

 

Lara has now left Neon God's home behind and made her way to the Peruvian jungle. After sliding down the slope start forwards and go around to the right. When you reach the tall grass to the right a leopard attacks from the passage left. Kill it and go through the grass right and at the end you'll find that Lara can climb the foliage with the red and orange flowers to the left. On top do a standing jump angled to the left to land on a slope. Grab the edge and shimmy as far to the left as you can. Pull up, backflip and roll to land on another sloped block. Immediately press Action to grab the edge, then shimmy around to the right and pull up. Continue ahead and climb the stone ledge to the left. From here you can drop down onto the block with the wheel switch and turn it around. You'll see a door open in an area with a monkey.

 

Be careful as there is a spike trap straight ahead. Time your run past the spikes and continue along the passage. There's a leopard in the next area, so don't drop down yet. Kill it from the safety above and drop down. There's a keyhole here, but you don't have any keys yet. There are also two flame alcoves by the wall where you entered and the tile below the one closest to the entrance is breakable. Run onto it and backflip onto the ground. Drop down into the opening and follow the passage around until you reach an area where you're overlooking an area with a tree in the middle. Standjump over to the slope right and slide down, then jump forwards and press Action to grab the edge of the pillar ahead.

 

There are two leopards lurking around in the area below so kill them from up here. When they're dead drop down from the pillar and go through to a shallow pool with a beautiful waterfall and a bridge up to the right. Left of said waterfall there is an opening where you can go through. Go to the top and head towards the right opening. In here you'll find a skeleton laying on the ground to the right, inconveniently on top of an anthill. You'll have to head over to it because the 1st Topaz is hidden inside the anthill. Of course the anthill is inhabited and the ants don't appreciate such an intrusion. They come pouring out so run over to the second anthill right in front of the entrance, quickly grab some flares and dash back to the former areas with the ants nibbling at Lara's boots.

 

Run past the pool and towards the right where you entered. Jump up to grab the slope left of the entrance, pull up and backflip/roll, then grab the pillar behind and pull up. Do a running jump back to the entrance and press Action to grab the edge. Now you can pull up, head through the passage and climb up the ladder, then continue through the passage and time your run past the spikes again to get back to the area where you started. 

 

Slide down to the ground and go back to where you met the leopard before. Go through the passage it came from and you'll reach the area with the monkey you saw earlier. Don't shoot at it as it's of the friendly kind (although it will turn against you if you attack). There are two snake receptacles flanking the doorway you came through, here you'll need to insert two gemstones once you find the second one. Opposite of the entrance you can climb past the shrubs to find a small pool. Dive in and swim down and right. There are some blue crystals at the bottom, swim past them and up to the left. There are two barracudas in the area so do what you can to avoid them until you can climb up into the alcove with the skull door. Shoot the barracudas and open said door by standing in front of it and pressing Action.

 

Go through and climb into the crawlspace to the left. On the other side you'll find a stargate. Stand as close to it as you can and as it opens up roll through it. Pull the switch here to open a door out in the previous area. Return through the stargate and past the crawlspace, then dive into the water. Swim to the opposite side and pull up into the doorway here. The right way is blocked and to the left you'll find two consecutive spike traps. Stand in front of the first one and as it shoots out dash past both of them. Climb the ladder, then backflip to the floor behind and vault onto the wooden ledge to the left.

 

Walk out and onto the bridge. It is broken into two segments and there's a switch on the opposite side. Go on towards the end and turn right to face the large waterfall. Do a running jump towards it and grab the edge. Pull up and over by the skeleton you can retrieve Secret 16: uzi clips. Do a running jump to the second fragment of the broken bridge and pull the switch here. You'll see some spikes shooting out down in the pool below. Dive down there and locate the alcove where you disabled the spikes, then pick up the 2nd Topaz from the bottom.

 

Swim back out and leave the pool the way you came. Drop down through the shrubs now you can return to the snake receptacles and place the two Topaz gemstones there. The entrance door drops down and so you'll have to find a different way out. Arm Lara with the M16 (careful with the monkey) and aim for the silver plate that was uncovered as the entrance door closed. Right of the snake receptacles there is a trapdoor on the ground, this is now open. Drop down there and climb the ladder with the flowers. Go forwards and ignore the medipack in the alcove to the right, it's a death trap. Head left instead and at the junction you'll find two things: an open passage to the right and a water filled opening to the left. Lara will be impaled on a spear trap if you go through the right passage so dive in the water instead and swim along the passage. The spear trap I mentioned is activated as you swim through. Climb out of the water on the other side and climb the ladder here (the wall with the orange flowers).

 

On top you'll see a floor with holes in it. This is a certain indication of a spike trap so be careful. Jump over that tile instead and proceed to turn the wheel on the wall to the right (the wheel on the left is inaccessible due to the floor below it containing another spike trap). The door ahead opens and as you go through a leopard attacks. Kill it and head right past the waterfall. You'll find a bridge to the right and some stairs left. There is another leopard lurking on the other side of the stairs so kill it now. Go up to the top of the stairs and climb the block to the right of the stairs (you have to stand on the very top for Lara to reach it).

 

Go right and do a running jump to the ledge running along the left wall. About halfway down said ledge stop and turn right. Do a running jump and press Action to grab the tree branch. Follow it to the end and jump over to the branch to the right. Go right again and at the end of this branch you can do a standing jump to land in the small niche with the wooden fence. Turn around from the entrance to jump forwards and press Action to grab a branch above. Walk onto the branch and go left onto another branch. At the end do a running jump to grab the rope ahead. Turn left and above the block where you climbed up you'll see an alcove. Swing over to it and inside you'll find a skeleton. Do NOT approach it yet though, as you can see there are spike traps riddled across the floor (be cautious of the tiles with holes in them). Jump over to the wall by the lever and pull it to disable the spike trap where the skeleton lies. Go over to it and pick up the Ignition Key. Do a running jump back to the rope and swing to the former branch, from which you can dive down into the pool below.

 

Swim under the large tree and below its roots you can pick up a Shell. Swim away from the tree and directly under the large bridge above. You'll see a narrow space beneath the overhang ahead. Swim under said overhang and go right. Inside the small bottom niche you can retrieve Secret 17: a small medipack. Return back to the pool and opposite of the tree you'll find a ledge between two pillars that you can climb onto. Turn around and on the other side of the tree to the right you'll see a ladder. You'll have to reach said ladder and doing so can be either tricky or easy, depending on which method you use. The tricky one first: Stand at the middle of the ledge facing towards the ladder. Hop backwards and do a running jump, angling Lara right so that she'll land on the sloping side of the tree trunk. As she lands jump forwards and press Action to grab onto the ladder. The easy method: Swim over to the tree opposite of the ladder. Dive and Lara will climb onto the trunk. Immediately backflip/roll and grab the ladder behind.

Climb up to the level above.

 

Here you'll find a tightrope. Go about 3/4 across it and look towards the left. Here there's a wooden bridge that you'll need to reach between two pillars, meaning you'll need to jump directly from the tightrope. It's not as hard as it seems, simply leap forwards and steer Lara left in mid-air to land on it. Go forwards and in the next room with the high grass you can climb the sloped block and look up to spot a jump switch. It opens a trapdoor down to the right. Now head over to the switch. It is timed and opens a door down in the dark niche at the bottom of the trapdoor. It's an extremely tight run and quite difficult so if you need any help or a savegame please don't hesitate to ask me. Here's how I did it:

Pull the switch, turn right and run towards the wall, veering right and jump over the elevated part of the ground to drop straight through the open trapdoor. Sideflip left three times or so and she should make it through the timed door.

 

There's a jeep to the right so make sure you have the Ignition Key already. Some ants in here also threaten Lara's existence so run over to the car and get in quickly. These ants can also kill Lara while she's in the car so get out of there quickly: drive around to the left and through the opening right. Go up the long ramp, forwards into the next room and up onto the ledge right. Drive along said ledge to the end and veer up onto the ledge to the left (this is quite tricky). Drive cautiously through the opening on top. Immediately veer right to avoid the pit awaiting as you enter the next room. At the end turn left and gun it ahead to get across the pit and the slope through the next opening.

 

Drive carefully up the rocky ramp right and wait for a moment as a boulder crashes down ahead. Go through the canyon and await again for another boulder to drop. Whatever you do avoid the boulders as they'll harm Lara, even if she only drives into them once they have stopped moving. Wait for the second boulder to stop, then drive past it and up along the rocky path left. On top get out of the jeep, we're going to backtrack for a secret. Return to where the second boulder fell and go left from there. Turn left again at the wall and you'll find a narrow crack underneath the rocks. Crawl in there and pick up Secret 18: four pairs of uzi clips.

 

Return to the jeep, but before getting it climb into the red opening in the wall ahead. Pick up the Amethyst and return to the room where the first boulder dropped. Here you can climb into an alcove and shoot away the cactus to gain access to the snake receptacle. Place your gemstone there to open a set of double doors in a different area of the canyon. Now return to the jeep and get back in. Drive ahead and through the left opening, then follow around the crater left and you can finally go through the open doors. Drive left and at the end you'll run into a ladder with orange flowers to the left and a ramp up to the right. Drive the jeep up the right ramp and get out. Locate the green alcove with the tree and pull the switch here to raise a block down in the previous room. Return to the jeep and go back down the ramp. Leave the car behind and climb onto the raised block to pull the lever, opening a door on top of the ladder.

 

Climb said ladder up to the red room on top. Go around the red passage and you'll end up high up on the bridge above the area with the waterfall near where you found the first Topaz. Cross the bridge and make your way over the rocks by the waterfall. Ahead you'll see a branch jutting out. Using the little part of the rock you have at your disposal when avoiding the sloped parts do a running jump to grab the branch nearest the wall right. Lara will let go and land on a higher slope, slide and grab the edge, then shimmy right until you can pull up onto a flat part. Pick up Secret 19: a small medipack. Turn around and jump to the lower ledge running along the right wall. Go to the end, do a running jump to grab the sloped wall ahead and shimmy left. Pull up and go to pick up the Fire Key from the platform ahead.

 

Hang from the edge and shimmy right, then pull up at the end and backflip. Two leopards have appeared in the area below so shoot them from safe grounds. Go to the wall and drop down from here. Go across the area past the pool and the trees, then climb onto the right slope and backflip/roll/grab to reach the pillar near the entrance to this room. Do a running jump and press Action to grab said entrance, then continue along the passage and climb up the ladder at the end to get back to the area with the flame alcoves. Kill the two leopards that are now running loose here and use your newly acquired key in the keyhole to open a secret door behind the rightmost flame emitter.

 

As you go down the stairs you'll see several things. To the right you'll find a boulder on top of a ramp and at the bottom of said ramp a switch which is currently too high up for Lara to reach. To the left you have at least three reasons to be cautious: the holes in the floor indicating spike traps, two hammers ready to crush anyone approaching the tile between them and last, but not least: Lara can catch fire if she gets too close to the left wall (as the golden glow on the wall reveals this is where the flame emitter alcove in the previous area is located).

 

First of all turn to face the hammers and the alcove where the rightmost one is hanging. There is a spike tile on the floor right in front of said alcove and you'll also spot a jump switch on the wall inside. This is our first task at hand. It is quite difficult to reach the alcove due to the fact that the spikes have a nasty habit of popping up if Lara gets as much as anywhere near them. Jump from the safe tile right of the alcove and avoid touching the spike tile at all costs. Pull the lever down, raising a block in the large area with the pool and tree from before in addition to raising a block below the switch by the boulder ramp in this very same room. Jump back out of the alcove (being careful as the spikes are still active) and climb the aforementioned block by the switch.

 

When you pull the switch it is a given fact that the boulder will start rolling down the ramp. You need to avoid it, but what will happen is that the boulder rolls past the block and lands in the water filled opening to the left of the block. If Lara simply backflips from the block after pulling the switch the currents will drag her under the block and into the boulder, causing instant death. This can be easily avoided by rolling in mid-air as well as backflipping. Climb out of the pool and return to the floor with the two hammers. You will now find that when you pulled the last switch the hammers were deactivated so that you can safely walk onto the tile between them to pick up a Sharp Stone among the rubble (which in its turn can be combined with the shell to find a pearl inside).

 

Turn left and behind the hammer you'll spot an opening. Dive into the water there and swim through the winding passage until she can stand up. Wade forwards and you'll now find yourself overlooking the large area with the pool and tree where you found the shell and the jeep keys earlier. Do a diagonal standing jump to the ledge left (if you miss and fall into the water there is a newly raised block below a ladder left of where you came in this time around). Continue forwards and do a running jump over the slope ahead to find yourself on a wooden bridge. Cross it and pull the switch on the other side to open the doors behind you.

 

On the other side of said doors you'll find a ladder covered in orange flowers. Climb about halfway up and backflip/roll, then grab the ledge behind. Do not pull up though, as you can see the tiles on top of the ledge contain spike traps. Shimmy left to the safe tile and pull up there instead. You'll see two openings here: one straight ahead through some foliage and one on top of the slope to the left. The foliage-covered opening is your ultimate goal, but you'll need some help to get through there. The left opening is the one you're going through at this point. Do a running jump from the spike ledge onto the top of the slope and head left to get back to the canyon with the boulders.

 

Go straight up to the right past the boulder and go all the way to the top. From there head through the opening in the left corner and go around the crater until you reach the doors where you drove through with the jeep earlier. Go through them and find the jeep waiting for you on the left side by the ladder. Get in the car and drive around the crater, down to the canyon and once more through the door where you came in recently. Go down the slope and drive up the rightmost side of the ramp through the foliage-covered opening.

 

Drive the jeep over a wooden bridge going across a shallow pool. As you reach the wall head right through the opening in the rocks and up a winding wooden ramp all the way to the top. Turn right at the end and drive towards the small building. Park the car in there and climb the ledge by the lever. When you push it a stunning fly-by shows you back to the ground level where a door opens. You'll need to leave the jeep behind for now and go back down there to explore.

 

The door you're looking for is opposite of where you come down the wooden ramp. Inside you'll find a small pool with lily pads and you'll also find a block over to the left. First of all climb the block and turn left (when facing the lily pad pool). Do a standing jump to grab the ledge with the skeleton, pull up and retrieve a pair of uzi clips, then drop down to the ground again. Now go behind the block to find two things: a switch and a ramp going up. First of all pull the switch and immediately sideflip right to avoid the boulder coming crashing down from the top of the ramp. You aren't done with uncomfortable surprises yet though: stand at the bottom of the ramp, hop backwards twice and immediately start running while veering right again to avoid a second boulder.

 

When it has rolled by go up the ramp until you reach the hole in the ceiling where the boulders dropped down. Turn to face the room you came from and look up to spot a ladder on the wall. Jump up to grab it and climb up until you can spot an alcove behind Lara. Backflip, pick up the Diamond and jump back to the ladder. Climb down to the ramp below and this time return through the open door to the area with the shallow pool. Go back up the wooden ramp all the way to the jeep.

 

Get in the car again and this time drive straight forwards and onto the small bridge. It is broken in half so you'll need to drive fast enough for Lara to clear the gap and as soon as she lands veer right to avoid driving off the second part of the bridge. Drive through the open door ahead and up the steep slope (this is what you need the car for). Park it in the next room and continue on foot until you reach a ladder. Climb it about halfway up and backflip to the floor behind.

 

Be cautious in here, as you can see the floor is pretty much spike trapped. Some of the spikes are already out, but the tiles with the holes in are equally as dangerous so avoid touching these. Do a standing jump over the first spike tile to land on a safe tile beyond. From here you can climb onto the ledge to the left. Walk forwards and do another standing jump over the next two spike tiles below to land over by the wall opposite of where you entered. To the left there is a skeleton and by it you'll find Secret 20: six pairs of uzi clips.

 

[Note by Nadine: You can also use the monkeyswing in the ceiling rather than jumping over the spiked parts of the floor]

 

Do an angled running jump to land back on the safe floor tile, then climb the ledge again. This time go to the far left side (closest to where you found the skeleton) and do a running jump to the other safe section of the floor opposite and left. From there you can standjump up to the ledge with the opening. Run through the foliage to land on a slope and slide down to an area with a tree. Go around the three to the left and below the overhang you'll find a small temple-like building. Use the Diamond you found in the snake receptacle opposite of the golden door to open the latter. Inside you can retrieve the Water Key and then immediately turn and draw guns to kill the leopard sneaking up on Lara.

 

Leave the temple and go back to the tree. A hatch has opened up below the greeneries, enabling you to get back to the pool with the tree. Remember when you first entered that area (before finding the jeep keys and picking up the shell in the water)? There is a receptacle on the same level as that entrance you first came through and this is where you need to go now. There are probably several ways of getting there, but I chose the easy one and it does cost Lara some health. Stand facing the trunk of the tree (towards the temple where you found the key and with the jutting branch on Lara's right side). Do a standing jump while pressing Action towards the point where the tree trunk meets the wall to the left, if you've done it correctly Lara should land on a sloping part of the trunk below (losing some health like I said) and slide down to the nearest branch.

 

Go to the end of the branch and run off towards the wall to land on the ledge from before. Go left and drop down to the ground. Now cross the large bridge and head right, on the ledge jutting out over the water you'll find the receptacle for the Shell and Pearl (in case you still haven’t opened the shell to find the pearl this is done by combining the Shell with the Sharp Stone). Place it there and you'll see a fly-by showing you a door down in the pool open. Dive in the pool and locate the open door. When swimming past the tree trunk at some points you'll spot a submerged ledge between two columns (look up to spot the large bridge above on Lara's left-hand side). Swim through the gap between said columns and down to the left you'll find the open door. But before going through the door swim further up to the left of it and you'll find a dry floor with a skeleton. Climb out there and notice that the skellie is drenched in blood. This is normally a bad sign, but I couldn't see that anything in particular happened as a result of Lara picking up the large medipack so you might as well bring it with you.

 

Dive in the water again and swim through to another area of the jungle. In here you'll be greeted by two vultures that you should kill to begin with. In one corner you'll find a ladder (foliage with blue flowers) and to reach it you'll need to jump onto the slope across from it and do a running jump. Climb onto the right side of the ladder and shimmy right until Lara can pull up into a small alcove. Now comes a real challenge: see that green ledge ahead by the left wall? You'll need to do a running jump towards it and press Action to make Lara grab the edge. The only trouble is that this alcove does not have enough room for a direct running jump. Position Lara with her back against the right wall inside the alcove (right when facing the green ledge) and as far up as she can. What you need to do is to run forwards, but right before reaching the opposite wall veer right, run to the edge and jump. Press Action in the last moment and if you've done it correctly Lara will grab the green ledge.

 

Pull up and kill one more vulture, then follow the ledge to the end and do a long running jump to grab the crevice in the opposite wall. Shimmy right until Lara can pull up and go along the passage until you reach a dead end with some blue crystals. There are crystals sticking out of one wall, making it look a bit like a spiked wall, but it is in reality a ladder. Climb it and dismount into the alcove on the right side, then turn left and standjump into the alcove opposite.

 

Follow the passage around and across the slopes right until you come out on the bridge you saw earlier. As the noise indicates there is a vulture in the area so let it know exactly how tired you are of unwanted company after coming all this way. The road on the other side of the bridge is blocked so turn around and locate a green block left of the entrance. Do a running jump towards it, angling Lara a bit right in mid-air so that she can grab hold of the block. Climb to the top and inside a niche to the left you'll find a door that you can open by using the key you found way back. Do a running jump over the spikes to land on a slope and wade forwards into the crystal passage to put an end to your current adventure in the jungle.

 

 

 

 

LEVEL 5- CRYSTALLINE PASSAGE:

 

Pickups: Large medipacks, Altar Stone, small medipacks, 2x Emerald, Topaz, Sapphire, Ruby, Crystal Mask, Amethyst + 5 Secrets (small medipack + large medipack + large medipack + small medipack + large medipack)

 

Enemies: Bats

 

Let the current carry Lara forwards until she can surface on top of a waterfall. Pick up a large medipack in the niche right of the entrance and walk forwards onto the edge of the waterfall. Dive into the water below and swim to the opposite side towards the temple building. Swim down to the blue-greenish bottom and pick up the Altar Stone from the left side, then surface and go over to the temple where you can climb out of the water and retrieve a small medipack. 

 

Dive back in the water and swim ahead towards the waterfall again, halfway there turn right to spot a slanted block and a crystal ladder above it. Swim behind the ladder and you'll find a ledge where Lara can climb out of the water near a burning torch. Walk around to the left and turn to face the pool where you came from, then look up to spot another crystal ladder leading up into an opening. Standjump to grab the ladder and climb carefully up towards the top. Up there you’ll find that three of the sides surrounding the hole are blocked: two by railings and the one where you climbed up by a flame emitter. The only free side is inaccessible from the ladder so you’ll have to find another way around it. Climb all the way to the top until Lara is standing in position to pull up, then backflip and roll to make it across the railing behind.

 

Walk right around the railing to face the alcove with the gemstone receptacle. Do a standing jump forwards while pressing Action to land in the alcove and insert the Altar Stone in the receptacle to lower a block somewhere in the same room. Jump back across the railing and carefully make your way past the flame emitter, to the left of this you’ll find a block that Lara can climb. Turn left to find the block you lowered and the tightrope spanning across the starting room.

 

Walk out onto the rope and across to the other side. Stop about three steps or so away from the opposite side, leap out into the air and grab the edge ahead. Save your game here and pull up. Slide and at the end jump forwards while pressing Action to grab the platform ahead. Do not pull up just yet. These platforms are old and rotten and will crumble beneath Lara’s feet. There are quite a few of those in the room and a high fall so I’ll take it step by step.

 

Shimmy around the first corner left and one step further, save your game and pull up. Immediately turn left and run about one step forwards, then standjump to the next platform (aiming near the left wall). Once on it you don’t have much time so run ahead while veering right, jumping at the end and pressing Action to grab the edge of the next platform.  Shimmy as far left as possible, then pull up and run right, jumping and grabbing hold of the next platform. Shimmy far left again, then repeat the same pull up-run right-jump again, this time you’ll land on a slope so immediately jump forwards to reach a flat ledge.

 

Go to the end and do a standing jump, pressing Action to grab the crevice ahead. Shimmy around to the right and all the way to the end, then pull up into the crawlspace. Go through, vault down, shimmy right and drop, then immediately press Action again to grab the crawlspace below. Pull up and crawl through, then drop down to the stone ledge at the bottom. Go to the end and down the short ramp, you’ll hear a slashing blade and see some spikes to the right. Go around the block with the spikes to find the blade and crawl under it to the very end. 

 

Here you’ll find a lever and pushing it raises a golden block to your left. Climb onto it, using the elevated part of the ground for help and vault up into the narrow space left. If you turn around you’ll find another crystal ladder so climb it to the top and backflip. You now find Lara standing in a small cave.  Walk through the cave and out to the left to arrive in a huge subterranean cavern. Head right and there you'll find a rock where you can climb up. Turn left and go to the end, from which you can do a running jump to the next ledge (sticking to the right wall). Jump diagonally to the next block left and walk onto the slanted block further on. Lara should now be standing on a triangular ledge. Ahead you'll spot a tall block by the right wall and a slope left of it. You'll need to reach the block and to do that a very left-angled running jump is required. Grab the tall block and pull up. Continue around to the left, dropping down on the next ledge, walking to the end and doing a running jump and grab to the block that is slanting down towards the wall.

 

There is a very hard to spot crevice in the wall ahead so do a running jump and grab it. Shimmy left around the corner, drop onto the slope and almost immediately backflip to land on a higher ledge. Turn around and as you can see from the view ahead the next move can be a bit tricky. You'll have to do a running jump along the edge to reach the next block, something which is slightly prevented by the low stonebridge above. Pressing Action both to lower the arch and grab the next block. Make your way via the swing pole ahead to the next ledge and continue going around the perimeter to the longer ledge in the middle. Stand facing the swing pole with the cobweb hanging from it and position Lara next to the right wall, then do a running jump to grab the swing pole. Continue swinging to and from the second and third pole as well and you'll land on a safe ledge.

 

Go right around the rocks and standjump to the first part of the stonebridge. Jump over to the second part and go to the end. First head right and crawl into the dark crawlspace to retrieve Secret 21: a small medipack. Crawl back out and follow the path in the opposite direction. Make a first right turn and climb the ladder at the end. You're now in a room with four flame emitters spewing fire out from four circular red tiles on the ground. There is a red circle just like those in the middle as well, this is for later. Also take a mental note of the two switches left and right of the doorway ahead (we'll be raising some blocks underneath those switches later).

 

You're now entering a seemingly complex area consisting of several levels. To make things a bit easier I've chosen to call them the following:

Top level (the entrance to the air room with the spikes and boulders)

Fire level (here we have the ramp with the ruby snake receptacle)

Upper level (this is where you'll find the second green circle and also the topaz snake receptacle)

Central level (the entrance with the five red circles are located here. On this level you'll also find the first green circle)

Earth level (the grassy level with purple flowers. The wheel switch and emerald snake receptacle is located here)

Water level (the pool at the bottom. Here you'll find the rotating blades, the underwater lever and the sapphire snake receptacle. This is also the place to retrieve the two moveable pieces)

 

You enter at the Central Level. The floor above you is the Upper Level, leading up to the Fire Level and the Top Level above that. Below you is the Earth Level and the pool at the bottom is the Water Level. In the middle of the central structure (located on the Central Level) you'll notice a green circle (just like the red ones we saw before). You'll see its purpose later.

 

Left of where you entered you'll find a ladder. Climbing it will take you up to the next level and there are some blocks up there you'll need to raise, but leave that for now. Go to the middle of the central structure instead and left at the end to find a ladder. You can climb up here and go right to find a large medipack between the two statues and a small medipack further down. Climb down the ladder again and go towards the middle. When you reach the golden circle on the ground look ahead past the green pillar and you'll see a wooden ladder leading down to the Earth Level. On the wall left of said ladder there is a wheel switch. From the central structure there are two ladders going up: one on the wall left of the fire room where you entered and one on the opposite wall at the far end of the room.

 

If you want to you can try to solve the puzzles in this room on your own, it shouldn't be too difficult. Those who feel it's too daunting can highlight the text below for a detailed description.

 

Climb the first one mentioned of the two and on that upper ledge you'll find a small medipack on the left side. Now that you've found these we're ready for a puzzle.

To begin with make your way down to the Earth Level. Locate the wooden ladder leading down to the bottom. Climb it, drop down on the slope and backflip to the floor behind. Move the green piece here onto the nearby tile with the golden circle. Do a running jump to grab the ladder again, climb up and backflip. Now head right and turn the wheel switch to raise the green piece up onto the Earth Level. Find the piece again and pull it onto the next golden circle tile. Turn the wheel switch again to raise the block with the green piece on it. Go right to the ladder, climb up to the third level and make your way over to the central structure, now you can pull the green piece onto the matching green circle. A gemstone appears up on the green circle on the floor directly above Lara (the Upper Level). Climb the ladder left of the entrance, picking up the small medipack on top if you haven't already, then turn around and standjump while pressing Action to grab the floor of the Fire Level. Walk forwards and look down to see that the Upper Level is directly below Lara, drop down there and pick up the Emerald from the green circle.

 

Drop down to the central structure and from there down to the Earth Level. Locate the emerald snake receptacle and place the emerald in its mouth to open the golden door at the opposite end of the room. Enter there to find a green blade slashing back and forth. Stand with Lara facing the left wall as close as you can to the blade and as the blade moves towards the right wall sideflip right over it. If done correctly Lara should not lose any health. There's another problem ahead though (or two if you like). The worst part is the spiked wall that starts sliding back and forth as you enter the room. Beyond this you'll see a lava pool with one single collapsible tile held up above it. And on the far end: a tempting gemstone. What to do? First begin by standing on the right side of the room and as close to the spiked wall as possible. Angle Lara slightly left towards the tile in the middle of the pool and as the spiked wall moves away run to the edge and jump. As soon as Lara lands on the collapsible tile jump straight up and press Action to grab the monkeybars in the ceiling. Traverse ahead and drop down on the opposite floor where you can retrieve the Topaz.

 

As you pick it up you'll hear a door open. Go around to the left and climb out through the opening to find yourself back in the subterranean cavern from before. Go right once more and up the ladder to return to the multi-level room. Back at the central structure do a running jump and grab the ladder on the left side of the room. Climb up and here you'll find the topaz snake receptacle. After placing the topaz where it belongs turn around and do a standing jump from the edge while pressing Action to grab the floor above and pull up onto the Fire Level. This time stand on one of the higher mounds and pull up onto the Top Level. Here you'll find a yellow circle tile, one tile with a golden circle and beyond that an open doorway leading down to your next destination.

 

Save your game before going through said doorway. As you can see there is a large slope going down here, but not only that. Spike traps line up the bottom and further up the slope we'll find three boulders stretching across the entire width of the slope. Obviously our goal is to avoid both the boulders and the spikes and we're going to do this in two turns: first finding a secret and then going all the way to the bottom. Stand on the rightmost side of the opening facing the slope below. Halfway down the slope there is a pillar in the middle, this will block the middle boulder after its drop. The base of the pillar is lined with spikes, but the tile before the spikes is a trigger tile (use the binoculars if you need help spotting the trigger tile). Touching the trigger tile deactivates a set of spikes by the right wall and you'll get free access to the secret. Slide down the ramp and the moment the boulder drops and Lara hits the aforementioned trigger jump up and angle her towards the right wall. If done correctly she'll slide onto a flat part completely free for spikes and she can pick up Secret 22: a large medipack.

 

Now for the next part: beyond the spiked part of the slope you'll find a room. Your goal is to reach this room with your help still somewhat intact. This can be a bit difficult as the spikes are hard to avoid and to make it worse the boulder which is currently located above Lara's head will drop as soon as she lands in the lower room. So preferably she should stay away from its track. The overhang above the spiked row makes it even harder. Stand with Lara's back to the right wall facing the middle pillar. From here start running towards the pillar, veering right and jump at the end, then press Action to avoid the overhang. With an ultimate dose of luck Lara will land on a tile with a golden circle above the trench where the boulder will land, but the boulder also rolls up onto the golden circle so remember to run off onto the floor right to avoid it.

If you need further help THIS is where Lara should stand for the running jump and THIS is where she'll end up.

 

At the wall ahead you'll find a jump switch. Standing on either the left or right side of the switch and doing a simple standing jump while pressing Action should be enough to reach it. The switch opens a wooden trapdoor below and Lara drops into a pool. There are still some hardships to come so save your game here. When swimming through to the next room you'll find to your horror that spikes are lining up the bottom of the pool. There are two ways to get through this. A slightly more complex route can get you through it entirely without losing health, but it does take a bit of precision and a rather accomplished self-control. To do this swim left and ahead, right towards the centre of the room while avoiding the spikes. Go all the way to the far wall and left again around the last set of spikes.

Another and slightly easier way of getting through it (though one that will cause Lara to lose quite some health) is to swim right, straight through the spikes and to the very end.

 

Pull out of the water and locate a switch on the right wall. The block below the opening has now risen, enabling you to get back there if so should be required. Dive into the pool and climb out of the water onto the central platform. You'll now see that the block by the blue moveable piece has been raised as well, enabling you to drag it over to the centre and onto the golden circle tile left, across from the snake receptacle. Dive into the water and locate an underwater lever on the pillar above the opening at the bottom (the one leading down to the deactivated blades). Pull the lever to raise the golden circle block where you placed the blue piece and now swim over to the wall by the low block that you can climb onto. Do a running jump onto the slope left of it and backflip/jump forward (all depending on which way Lara is facing) to the floor above.

 

Go to the end, jump up and grab the monkeyswing, then traverse to the end and drop down by the blue piece. Push it forwards onto the blue circle. Jump over the piece and ahead you'll find a higher block with another blue circle on top, jump over to it and pick up the Sapphire. Drop down into the water, climb out by the sapphire snake receptacle and place the gemstone where it belongs. As you can see from the camerashot the blades down at the bottom start rotating. Unfortunately, as you now have no choice but to go down there seeing as how placing the sapphire also opened a trapdoor down there by the blades. There are two things you have to keep in mind: one is that the only threat to Lara are the yellow spinning blades attached to the large ones. The wooden blades will do nothing but push her while the yellow blades will chop off large chunks of her health. The second thing to remember is that you'll have to monitor the airmeter closely to make sure Lara doesn't run out of air.

 

Try sticking to the outer rim of the room with the blades, this way Lara should avoid taking damage. At the bottom swim down through the open trapdoor and pull the lever here to raise a block in the room with the five red circles where you entered in the first place. If you have enough air left you can save your game down here in case you hit every single blade on the way back up and would rather prefer to conserve some health. Once you're back out make your way over to the low block and up to the Earth Level from there (I presume that by now you know how to get there) and from that level climb the ladder back up to the central structure. The entrance is as you might remember on the same level so go over there and in the room with the five red circles and the flame emitters you'll find the block that has risen below one of the switches.

 

Pulling the switch raises the block on the other side of the doorway (behind Lara in other words) and it gives you access to the second switch. It is timed though so you'll have to hurry: Pull the switch, roll and run off the block. Run a few steps forwards, jump onto the timed block and immediately pull the switch before the block lowers. 

A firework sets off and a Ruby appears on the red circle in the middle so go and pick it up. Now you have to reach the Fire Level, which is the level above the Upper Level where you picked up the emerald. Runjump/grab the ladder from the central structure, climb up, turn and jump/grab the next floor.

 

Now that you're on the right level locate an opening in one of the walls. Jump over to it and here you'll find the ruby snake receptacle. As soon as you've placed the ruby hop backwards twice into the alcove to avoid the boulder that comes rolling down the ramp above. You shouldn't feel too safe yet though, stand with Lara's back to the ramp, hop back twice again and run forwards, veering into the left alcove to avoid a second boulder. The third go is by far the hardest. Stand at the beginning of the ramp. Once more repeat the two hops backward, but this time walk one step backward at the end. Now dash down the ramp and angle Lara hard into the left alcove, the third and last boulder will roll past by less than a milimeter.

 

The coast is finally clear so go up to the top, dive into the water and let the current carry her along as you get to see an impressive fly-by of a huge area with skeletons on the ground, a bridge and traps of various kinds.

 

When the camera returns to Lara wade out of the water and head right. Turn right before the opening ahead and pick up a large medipack before continuing. Follow the path around as far as you can, jumping over the slopes wherever necessary. You'll run into a dead end. Up to the left and right you'll find ladders, but they're all out of your reach. Make your way up below the ladders in the left corner. jumping over slopes where you have to. On top turn around and opposite of one of the ladders you'll spot a small triangular ledge up in the corner (this ledge will be on Lara's right when she's facing towards it). Backflip to land on a slope behind and jump forwards, landing on the triangular ledge (see THIS SCREENSHOT if you're uncertain of where to stand). Turn around and do a standing jump to grab the ladder.

 

Climb up to the top and around to the right. Climb up and left, nearly to the top, then backflip/roll and grab the ladder on the opposite side. Climb nearly up to the top and as far right as possible, then drop down while pressing the right arrow key. Lara lands on a slope and since you press the arrow key she should also land facing upwards. Shimmy right until she stops and pull up. The entrance to the Dead Canyon (named after the skeletons strewn about and the amount of deadly traps you'll encounter here) is within close proximity. You'll be ambushed by a flock of bats as soon as you enter and these are known for being deadly (or at least close) if you don't get rid of them immediately. The moment you enter run right and crouch in the corner, then wait for the little plagues to come swooping down. This way you'll keep the health loss to a minimum (and you'll be needing that for later). 

 

The skeleton closest to you left of the entrance lies by a large medipack, but otherwise there aren't any pickups around here. Go past the remaining skeletons to the other side and in the right corner you'll find a ladder. Climb it and start out on the bridge right, another flock of bats attack. Turn around and dash over to the wall, then crouch and wait for them to disappear. Cross the bridge towards the other side, crouch and crawl under the swinging axe. Go left and do a running jump over the spiked drill, then press Action in mid-air to grab the crevice on the other side. Shimmy left, pull up and grab a small medipack. Do a running jump to the next ledge, grabbing the edge and pull up, then run right and crouch in the corner and wait for a flock of bats to attack (again, this is to minimize the damage).

 

Ignore the left path for now, we're going there later. Continue right until you reach another spiked drill. Stand next to it as close as possible and as it withdraws sideflip past it, then go through the open doorway left. You're now facing a small pool lined with spikes. In the opposite wall there is an alcove, with a green blade that starts chopping as soon as you enter the room. The problem is that you have no choice but to make your way past the blade to reach the ladder on the other side of the blade alcove. If you aim for the leftmost side of the blade alcove, take three walking steps and then one hop backwards and do a running jump, you should land in the alcove just out of the blade's reach. 

 

Now you have to do a running jump past the blade to grab the ladder opposite and this is as far as I know impossible to do without health loss (considering that there is a spike pool below the ladder as well). If you start the run as the blade slashes across the alcove you can get past it with a minimal loss. Climb up and left and turn around. Walk out onto the ramp and in the next room you'll find a flame emitter to the left, two swinging axes and spike tiles on the ground. The next move isn't too difficult: stand on the edge of the ramp and hop backwards. As the axes swing right start running and jump at the end, landing on the safe platform behind the axes. Pick up the Crystal Mask from the pedestal, but do not leave yet. Instead go over to the other side of the platform. Look over at the wall opposite. See that dark alcove in the right corner?? That's where we're going and to do so a simple running jump (without pressing Action) as the axes swing left works fine. Enter the alcove and drop down on the other side where you'll find Secret 23: a large medipack. Climb back up and repeat the running jump back to the platform, while avoiding the axes.  

 

We're going to leave now and I've tried doing it the easiest way possible (the least health-consuming way). Walk onto the "safe" floor in front of the flame emitter. The middle tile is a trapdoor so stand in front of it (again opposite of the flame) and press Action to make Lara open it. Stand on the middle of the safe floor facing the mask pedestal and hop backwards once, tapping Action and immediately letting go before Lara grabs the edge. This way she should drop through and sail down to land safely on the floor where you entered to begin with. If Lara catches fire reload the game and try again.

 

Go back to the spiked drill and sideflip over it again. Go around to the left and head all the way to the end. You'll find a spiked drill shooting out of the wall and an opening beyond it. Stand on the leftmost side and jump into the doorway as the spiked drill withdraws (you might still lose health, I couldn't find a way past it without doing so). In this room place the Crystal Mask in the receptacle ahead to start up two flame emitters and raise a block in the middle of the room. Go around the block to the left (carefully avoiding the flames) and pull up onto it. Pull up into the next room and from there up into the opening overlooking the Dead Canyon. Go up to the left side of the opening and crouch by the wall, waiting for the bats to arrive. When they're gone walk out and around left to the wooden bridge. Do not cross it yet though, instead drop down on the right side of it (right when facing the other side of the bridge). Down here you can retrieve Secret 24: a small medipack.

 

Climb up onto the bridge again and this time cross it. Head right, across the next wooden bridge and right again. Make your way over the rocks to the end and through the opening left at the end. Slide down the slope and you'll get to see an impressive fly-by of the next area. This is the Waterworks, named after the water wheel up on top of the room, and it consists of wooden ramps, ladders, bridges and spikes. Go out onto the central platform, but avoid the pedestal with the gemstones as it is spike trapped. You'll find two ladders here, but you can't go down since the ladders don't go all the way to the ground and it's too high of a fall. But notice that on a rocky ledge across from the rightmost ladder there is a snake receptacle which we will use later on.

 

Go around to the left and at the end you'll find a switch. Pulling it shows you a switch on the ledge directly above Lara's head, meaning that the spikes below that second switch are now disabled. Go back to the central platform and towards the entrance, then up the wooden ramp by the wall and across the wooden bridge. Ahead you'll see a row of three spike traps. The switch you saw before is located on the right side past these spikes. To get past the spikes stand about one step away and as they shoot up sprint up and past them all the way to the wall. Turn right and go to pull the switch, this time you're shown a camera shot of a hanging platform with a disabled spike trap. Said platform is right behind you, so turn and go to the end. Hop backwards and do a running jump, pressing Action to grab the platform. Pull up and turn left, then do a running jump to the bridge above the spikes.

 

Head right to the end, turn left and do a running jump to grab the ladder opposite. Climb around to the left, backflip/roll and grab the next ladder, then repeat the climb around this one as well. Climb down to the bottom of the ladder, backflip/roll to land on a slide and jump forwards while pressing Action to grab a third ladder. Climb around again and to the far left corner, then backflip/roll, slide and jump. You should now be standing on a wooden arch on top of the room and straight ahead there is a ladder you can climb down to the level below. Turn the wheel switch and a set of spikes surrounding a pedestal on the level above is disabled. Climb the ladder back up and this time go right, turn and do a running jump to grab the ledge above the wheel switch. Pick up the Emerald from the pedestal, turn around from the pedestal and drop down to the water trench with the wheel.

 

Drop backwards from the edge of the trench, grab and drop down to a slope below. Grab the edge, shimmy all the way left around the corner and then pull up and backflip to land on a flat ledge. Behind you there is a niche in the ground and here you can pick up Secret 25: a large medipack. Climb out of the niche on the other side of where you came from and drop down to the level below, from which you can go around to the right and down the ramp at the end. Return to the central platform and stand in the corner between the two ladders. Do a running jump to the slope in the corner of the level below and you'll find the emerald snake receptacle to the right. Place the emerald here to disable the spiketrap surrounding the second gemstone pedestal. Turn right and do a running jump to grab the ladder and climb up to the central platform where you can pick up the Amethyst.         

 

Now you'll have to go all the way back up to the top by the water wheel, via the wooden ramp, the spike trap and all the backflips/rolls/grabs to the three ladders. Once on the wooden arch on top do a running jump and grab to the ledge with the empty pedestal and jump over to the water wheel. Go left across the dry trench and on the wooden ledge here you can insert your gemstone into the mouth of the amethyst snake. Behind the water wheel there is a ladder and the spikes below it are disabled as a result of you putting the amethyst in its rightful place. Climb this ladder to the top and go all the way right. Backflip/roll to land on a ledge and drop down into the opening behind the ledge. Drop down into the next room as well and locate a crawlspace in the corner. Crawl through and drop down on the other side, then run onto the wooden floor (which in reality is an elevator) to leave the Peruvian ruins.

 

 

 

LEVEL 6- NEVADO HUASCÁRAN PLATEAU

 

Pickups: Large medipacks, small medipacks, uzi clips, waterskin, Sapphire, 4x Mysterious Flowers, flares, Ruby, torch, Jerrycan, Nitrous Oxide Feeder + 5 Secrets(uzi clips+ uzi clips + M16 ammo + M16 ammo + large medipack)

 

Enemies: Snow leopards, mercenaries, bird monster, female mercenary

      

Lara continues her adventure where the last level ended: on the wooden elevator going upwards into the mountains. It stops in front of an opening leading out into the snow so head out there and go around to the right, then through the opening here. Follow the passage around to a closed door at the end, go left before the door and stand in front of the doors here, then press Action to open them. Lara is now overlooking a pool with icy blocks in it. There is also an opening up on the wall to the right and a ladder leading up there. Dive into the water first and swim down to the bottom left of the opening you came from (left when facing said opening) to find a large medipack. Climb onto the lower side of the icy block nearest to the entrance and turn around. Do a running jump to the icy slope near the corner right and as Lara starts sliding jump forwards to land on the next block. From there do a running jump from the highest point to land directly inside the nearest opening. Go through and push the lever in the next room to open the door you saw at the end of the passage earlier before entering the pool room.

 

Dive into the water again and once more climb the lowest block. Do a running jump to grab the ladder below the entrance and climb back up. Head around the corner left and you'll find the door you just opened. Go through and take some time to savour the lovely sight of the temple and the snow falling as well as the beautiful music here. Head right to the end to reach a narrow passage with a stargate. Stand as close to it as you can without getting hit by the blades and approximately on the middle, as the blades open up do a roll/handstand through it. This way Lara should not lose any health at all.

 

Continue ahead to the bridge, but before starting down it go right past the fallen icicles. Standjump to grab the ladder and climb down to the bottom. There is a trapdoor right by where you climb down, but it won't open yet. Go left instead and at the other side of this area you can pick up a large medipack inside a niche. On your left there is a skeleton and it will no longer need the small medipack lying in the snow by its side. Return to the ladder and climb back up, then backflip and return to the bridge. The first and the middle section of the bridge collapse as you walk onto them so hurry forwards to avoid plummeting down to the ground with them. Go through the opening ahead where two snow leopards attack.

 

Kill them and go out where they came from, head left and climb the ladder on the wall to the right. Dismount on the right side and continue right until you reach another wooden bridge. But before crossing it turn around and jump up while pressing Action to grab the roof above the bridge. Shimmy right and pull up onto the flat section where you can pick up Secret 26: six pairs of uzi clips. Drop backwards and grab the edge, then shimmy left and drop down onto the bridge again. Cross the bridge and follow the passage around, killing a snow leopard on your way. As you proceed further through the Inca columns flanking the doorway you'll find another snow leopard on the other side so kill that one as well. At the very end of the passage you'll find a ladder, climb it and on top draw guns and notice that Lara is aiming for something beyond the stack of crates left. There is a mercenary running around behind the crates so kill him and blast away the crates in the same go, then pick up the three pairs of uzi clips left behind.

 

Climb the leftmost block with the column in the right corner and standjump into the opening on the wall between the two columns. Go through and on the platform in the next area you'll find another mercenary, crates containing altogether four pairs of uzi clips and a snazzy motorbike. Stand on the right side of the bike and press Action to get onto it and drive out to the right, pass the left side of the building and go down the hill. As you round the right corner get off the bike and enter the tunnel to the right. Stop in front of the icicles sticking up from the ground, draw guns and kill the snow leopard on the other side. The icicles are covered with a thin icy plate so run across it and it will collapse under Lara's feet. On the other side pick up the waterskin next to the skeleton, but be careful to avoid the icicles sticking up to the right (these function like spikes and will harm Lara if she gets too close). Once you've retrieved the skin go back and jump over the first set of icicles, then return to the bike for another ride.

 

Gun it ahead and over the waterfilled gap, then make it a sharp left turn to avoid falling into the water on the other side. Get off the bike again and follow the icy ledge around to the right. Jump over the water to the other side and dive into the trench there, swim into the narrow crack left to find Secret 27: three pairs of uzi clips. Swim back out and climb out of the water, return to the bike and drive it carefully along the ledge, jumping over to the other side at the end. Follow the path down the ramps all the way until you run into a room with a dead end. Leave the bike behind here and return back up the ramp you just came down. Stop as you approach the next doorway and look right. You'll see a wooden pole through the window here. Stand at the lowest part of the slope in front of the window and standjump over the slope and through the window. Immediately hop backwards to avoid the snowball rolling down from the opening up to the left.

 

Go down to the right and carefully jump into the opening above where the snowball landed. There is a spiked bag swinging back and forth so carefully time your run past it and when you do so a ball drops from the ceiling, this one will have spikes shooting out of it in a few seconds so dash past the ball and up to the switch. This is timed and it's a quite tricky one too. The switch opens a door high up above the room you're in now. You'll have to use the slope where the snowball rolled down and the pole you saw back out there to help you get to this room. Of course, all that before the timed door closes. Here is how I got through it:

Pull the switch, press the Look key to kill the camerashot of the door opening and either sideflip right/roll or simply run right (this to avoid the spiked ball). Run towards the spiked bag and jump into the opening and down past the snowball on the ground. Dash up to the start of the final ramp and jump forwards/roll to land on the slope where the snowball came from. Jump forwards, press Action to grab the pole and let go. Lara will land on a wooden platform below the timed door and here I found it necessary to walk two steps backwards to enable Lara to jump up in front of the timed door and dash through it (alternatively you can probably run ahead, vault up onto the ledge and run through the door before it closes).     

 

Pull the chain in this room to lower the ornate block in the wall down by the bike. Drop down to the ground (losing a little bit of health), jump through the window again and now return to the bike. Drive the bike down the ramp and into a large ravine. There are quite a lot of tasks to be done in this area and most of them are done without the bike so you can leave it here for now. Start with going left from where you came down. Go down the stairs and at the bottom turn left again and look for a ladder on the back of one of the pillars flanking the entrance. Climb up there to find Secret 28: four batches of M16 ammo. Return to the ground and go around the right corner. Climb over the snowy mound and continue all the way to the temple at the end (also taking a mental note of the lowered block outside the temple on the right-hand side).

 

Enter the temple and look at the ground. As the tiles here clearly indicate the floor is covered in burner traps. Jump straight up while pressing Action to grab a monkeyswing, swing forwards and around to the left until you reach the end. Drop and press Action again to grab the ladder, then climb right, up and finally left again where you can dismount. Crawl under the first spiked bag and save your game. Ahead a nasty sight greets you: a swinging axe, a spiked bag AND a flame emitter that you need to get past. The spiked bag and the flame emitter are your biggest threats, but the axe can shove Lara into either the bag or the fire. Your goal is to reach the platform behind the axe, preferably alive. Stand by the right railing facing towards the platform and at the distance of about one and a half hop from the spiked bag. The ultimate moment for starting the run is when the flame emitter is about to die out and the bag and axe both swing towards the centre. This way you should be able to do a running jump and clear all three traps, landing on the floor beyond. The next set of traps (a flame emitter and another axe) isn't as much of a threat, but you should still be cautious. Standjump when the flame is about to go down and the axe swings away to reach the other side.

 

At the end climb the ladder up to the level above and turn left on top. Down the centre ledge there are some more burner tiles. Jump past the leftmost one and climb the ladder on the wall there. On the ledge to the right you'll find a large medipack and on the opposite ledge from there a door that Lara can open. In the next room you'll find a water scale and two pedestals. In one of the water-filled trenches you can fill up the waterskin if you haven't done so already and pour the contents onto the scale. An explosion sets in and you can now pick up a Sapphire and a Mysterious Flower from each of the pedestals flanking the scale. Turn around from the flower pedestal and go to the end. Jump into the dark niche at the far end and pick up Secret 29: three sets of M16 ammo.

 

Go back and find an opening in the middle of the closest trench. Swim down there and locate a ceiling lever between the two columns by the left wall. It opens the underwater door down here so go through there and save your game. A spiked wall starts sliding back and forth (yes, under water) so swim as close as you can without getting killed and as it goes right gun it past. Be careful and stick to the right wall and the bottom to avoid the blade ahead and around the corner you'll find another spiked wall. At the end you can surface and climb out of the water, then head through the opening in the wall. Jump up and press Action to grab the monkeyswing and traverse ahead and past the icicles sticking out of the pit below. Drop down at the end, stand about one step away from the edge of the next pit and standjump forwards to land between two icicle pits. Turn slightly right and standjump forwards while pressing Action, Lara should grab a new monkeyswing. Go to the end and drop down here.

 

In the alcove to the left there is a medipack. It is located directly below a trap, but if you're extremely fast you can get it without taking damage. Stand approximately at the middle and run forwards. Stop right before the pickup, crouch and quickly snatch the small medipack as a ball drops from the ceiling. Immediately stand up and backflip twice to get away before the blades unfold. Pull up through the crawlspace and draw guns to kill the snow leopard running around here. Pick up the uzis over by the skeleton on the left and then crawl through the small opening in the wall ahead. Drop down to the ground and turn around, you'll now find that the block here has risen, enabling you to reach the ledge above the doorway. Climb up there and place the sapphire in the snake receptacle. You'll hear the sound of a trapdoor opening somewhere.

 

Drop back down onto the block and from there to the ground. Left of the block you'll find an opening in the wall and a ladder, now that the trapdoor here is open you can climb the ladder down to the bottom. Well, almost to the bottom considering that there are icicles down here too. Go as far down as you can, backflip to land on a slope and slide down into the next room. Pull the chain here to lower a block and go through there to a room with tall pillars, skeletons and a few things to do in regards to pickups and switches.

 

First of all jump to the first block left and climb down the ladder here. Search the skeletons for some flares and a small medipack, then climb back up. Sideflip to the block left and push the lever here, then turn around and jump over to the block by the jump switch. This one raises a block below the opening left and you can now pick up the flares by the skeleton and standjump to grab the raised block. Pull up into the opening and walk cautiously into the next room. There is a flame emitter here and also a gemstone on a pedestal. Stand with Lara's back to the right wall and walk sideways behind the pedestal until she can pick up the Ruby. This way Lara should not catch fire, if she does reload the game and try again. Sidestep carefully back where you came from and now you can crawl under the flame and into the next room.

 

Pick up the large medipack from the floor to the left, go over to the switch and save: a timed run/jump is coming up. Notice the dark tile right of the switch and by the middle of the right wall as well. The timed switch raises two blocks: a tall on to your right and the other one is slightly smaller. You'll need to make your way past these two blocks and onto a platform higher up. Here's how to do it:

Pull the switch, roll and run a few steps forwards past the tall block, angling left. Standjump onto the smaller block, veer left and jump at the end to land on the tall block. Run left again and jump at the end, then press Action to grab the corner platform and pull up.

 

Turn left and do a running jump to the next ledge. Shimmy left past the fire and climb the ladder to the left almost all the way to the top. Backflip/roll and grab the short ladder behind, climb down until Lara's feet are resting at the last rung and go around the corner to the right. Backflip/roll/grab again to reach the next ladder behind and this time climb around the right corner and into the opening in the wall. Pick up the 2nd Mysterious Flower and the block at the end of the passage lowers, letting you back out into the ravine with the bike.

 

This time go left and climb over the snowy mound again. In the right wall there is an opening, go through there this time. You'll reach a deep pit where you can drop down and pick up a torch, using the lit wall torch to light your own. There is a block in the corner opposite the skeleton, you can jump onto this one while holding the torch and from there jump up to the other side. Leave the torch here for now, you'll be back to pick it up later. Start down into the dark cave and you'll soon notice that the ground starts shaking as a bird monster shows up. You can either run back to the pit and drop down onto the low block and shoot it from there or run past it into the next cave and over to the small piece of land in the corner (I found that the beast wouldn't go that far in).

 

When it's dead you can bring the torch with you in to the cave with the small pool and around to the left until you find a snake receptacle where you can place the ruby. You now have free passage in the opposite wall so go in there (still bringing the torch with you as you'll need it). Run into the alcove opposite and push the button to raise the block in front of the entrance again. A mercenary drops down from the opening in the ceiling so kill him too (alternatively, if he doesn't drop down you'll have to climb up there yourself and kill him). Either ways climb the block and go up into the room where the mercenary was. Shoot away the crates and pick up the Jerrycan and the Nitrous Oxide Feeder, then return to the ramp below.

 

The ramp leading upwards is a snowball ramp, housing not just one, but two snowballs. To set off the first one simply hop backwards up the ramp once and run forwards, veering left into the button alcove. The other one is set off by hopping backwards twice and then dashing ahead and into the alcove left. Bring the torch with you and go up to the room on top of the ramp. There is a scale here with a flame on it so climb onto it and pour whatever is in the jerrycan onto the scale. Now pick up the torch and use it to light the contents on the scale. A 3rd Mysterious Flower appears on the pedestal to the left and you'll now also find an opening in the wall behind it.

 

You are now back in the room below the first bridge from way back near the very beginning of the level. Go over towards the ladders in the corner again and now you'll find that the trapdoor here is open. Climb the ladder and go right and down. Lara is now back in the pit where she found the torch. Climb onto the low block and up on the other side, then turn and do a running jump while pressing Action to grab the edge opposite. Pull up and you're back in the ravine by the bike.

 

Go to the bike and open the inventory screen. Select the Nitrous Oxide bottle and press either Ctrl or Enter. Lara will attach it to the bike and get on. Drive up past the stairs and left and in the next room turn right. Now that you have the nitrous oxide you can get the bike to run faster by pressing the Sprint key while driving. This will come in handy now, as it will help Lara get across the huge gap ahead. In the room on the other side you can pick up a large medipack and the 4th Mysterious Flower. Drive back out and you'll now find that ice is covering the pit, but the wall ahead is too tall for Lara to take the bike over so she'll need to continue on foot.

 

Climb over the wall and return to the ravine, from there go around the right corner and head through the first opening in the left wall. You'll enter a temple of sorts and a female mercenary is standing on the other side of the pool. She seems to be talking to the boss himself.

 

Female mercenary: Yes Mr. Neon God Sir. I just found the entry to what must be the place the inscriptions were about. (Pause) No way Sir, the gate seems to be sealed somehow, but there are four altars. Maybe we should look for something to place on them. (Pause) No Sir, no sign of Miss Croft so far luckily. Over and out.

 

Well luckily indeed, but she's about to get quite a good look at our heroine now and it will be the last thing she'll ever see. When that's done climb onto the left ledge. From here you can do a running jump to grab the rope hanging over the pool. Turn left and aim for the icy pillar left of the ledge you climbed onto. Swing towards it, jump and grab the edge, then pull up and turn left. Standjump from the edge to grab the niche in the wall ahead, pull up and turn around, then do another standjump while pressing Action to grab the narrow crack at the bottom of the arch ahead. Pull up and crawl through, you can now pick up Secret 30: a large medipack.

 

Go right and drop down onto the arch spanning across the room. From here you can do a running jump to the top ledge and drop down in front of the entrance. Return to the left ledge and once more do a running jump to grab the rope. This time swing across to the opposite side. Place each of the Mysterious Flowers on the altars to open the double doors and go through. Drop down into the darkness beyond to reach the next and final level.....

 

    

LEVEL 7- PUYA RAIMONDII

 

Pickups: Uzi clips, 4x Gold Sculptures, flares, small medipack, torch, Mystic Gemstone, Chest of Puya Raimondii Seeds + 5 Secrets(flares + small medipack + large medipack + large medipack, uzi clips and M16 ammo + small medipack)

 

Enemies: Inca Guardian Salamander   

    

 

Lara continues the fall she started at the end of the previous level, landing in a pool. And this time it's serious business we're talking about, Lara is now one step closer to her encounter with the infamous Neon God. Climb out of the pool and start towards the opening left. Below the hanging foliage turn towards the left wall, here you'll find a narrow space where Lara can pull up and retrieve Secret 31: some flares.

 

 

Drop down to the ground and continue following the path around, pass the Inca statue to the left and go on to the far wall. Turn right and go underneath the hanging lianas, then follow the passage all the way to the end. Lara is now overlooking a gorgeous valley with several waterfalls cascading down to the inviting pool covering the valley floor. Dive into the pool and turn around, you'll notice a snake receptacle mounted on the wall below the ledge that Lara dove from. This is for later though, so take a mental note of its location. Turn around and swim to the opposite side of the pool, past the lilypads. Climb up onto dry land and turn right to find an opening in the rocks partially hidden by foliage. Jump over towards the opening and go through.

 

There is an alcove leading up to some foliage to the left as you enter, but I found that Lara can't get through the greeneries here so just continue along the path. Slide down the two slopes and go on until Lara can climb up onto a block by a ladder. Climb all the way to the top and pull up into a secluded area with some trees. First of all start turning right until you can see some uzi clips laying on a wooden block next to where you climbed up. Standjump over there and retrieve them, then head past the trees and into a hallway with a flame emitter.

 

The flame in itself isn't so bad, but the fact that there's a collapsible tile directly below it doesn't help (there are spikes below said tile, so falling in there only signifies certain death). The flame doesn't show any signs of holding up so what you have to do is to crawl below it, sticking to the left wall, and just continue crawling past the collapsing tile (as long as you don't spend too much time staying on the breaking tile she will make it across without any problems). Do NOT stand up just yet though, there is another flame emitter right around the corner. Just continue crawling until you have cleared it.

 

 

Lara now finds herself in a room with a pool, subdivided by three stone ledges. There is a rope hanging from the ceiling, but no evident means of reaching it. You'll also find an ornate block at the far end of the room, currently covering the doorway ahead, and so that leaves us with no other exits than the one we came through. Notice the darker floortile just past the first part of the pool. This is a block that can be raised and that is indeed our ticket out of here. The problem is only to figure out a way of raising it. Go past the second section of the pool and drop into the water at the third section. Turn around to find an underwater lever on the wall here. Your first, second and last thought is probably that it will raise the aforementioned dark tile, enabling Lara to reach the hanging liana (aka the swinging rope). I can assure you that you're absolutely correct so far, but one thing you have to count in is that the block raising is on a timer and even a short one at that. And then there's the middle pool of water separating the pool with the underwater lever from the block. In other words it won't be all that easy to reach the rope after all. This is the best method I could come up with:

Pull the lever, surface and immediately climb out of the water. Now run forwards and as soon as you reach the black markings/spots on the ground jump forwards across the pool. The idea is to land directly on the edge right in front of the block. From here you can jump forwards onto the block, roll and run forwards, jumping at the end while pressing Action to grab the rope. I found that a bit hard though and the reason is this: Lara has to land on the utmost edge of the block before rolling. If she doesn't a roll will cause her to drop off on the other side of the block and thus spoiling any possibility of reaching the rope on time. What I found to be easier was to standjump onto the block while rolling in mid-air, then hop backwards once and run forwards as the block starts lowering, jumping at the end and grabbing the rope.

 

Looking straight ahead above the ornate door you'll spot a jump switch. Use the rope to swing over towards it, jump at the peak of the swing and press Action. If you're lucky Lara will grab the jump switch and pull it down, causing the block to lower and leaving Lara free passage to the next area. In here you'll find a tree, its roots stretching down through a shallow pool. Wade through the water and climb the wooden block in the middle, picking up the Gold Sculpture. Before leaving turn around and locate the fallen tree trunk right of the entrance. Swim underneath it and in the small niche in the corner you'll find Secret 32: a small medipack.  

 

Return to the room with the timed block and rope and now you'll have to make your way back out through the flame emitter corridor. Crawl under the flame like before and this time hang from the edge of the pit and shimmy around to the left (noticing that the spikes are now gone), pull up while still crouching and crawl past the second flame emitter. Go back to the ladder and climb it back down, then return to the valley with the pool and waterfalls.

 

 

Go across to the other side again and this time get out of the water by the snake receptacle. This time it does not require a traditional gemstone, the gold sculpture seems to be doing the trick. You'll hear the sound of a trapdoor opening somewhere, this somewhere is at the bottom of the pool. Swim down there and through the narrow crack to the left. Be careful though, you're now facing the cause of that clanking sound you've been hearing: a series of slashing blades. The first blade is a low one and to avoid it you can easily swim over it. Be cautious not to go too close to the second, high blade though, instead swim under it. The next two blades come together in a set and getting past those can be difficult. Sticking to the ground is probably the best way, even though Lara will lose some health, but it also helps her to easily avoid the last blade.  

 

Surface and climb out into the next room. To the right you'll find a diamond tile and a low block and to the left a very useful urn. Pull the urn onto the diamond tile and the block raises a bit further. Climb onto it and pull up on the ledge ahead. Turn around, do a running jump towards the ledge opposite and press Action in the last moment to grab the edge. Pull up to find a ladder that you can climb, go to the top and walk left onto the tree branches. Ahead you'll see a collapsible tile of the same kind as before. There is another one like it further up to the right. Stand at the edge of the branch and do a standing jump forwards while pressing Action. Lara will grab the edge of the tile and it becomes a bit easier to set up the next jump. Shimmy around to the left and go all the way to the end. Pull up, run forwards and jump, then immediately press Action to grab the edge of the next tile. Shimmy a bit right, pull up and run right onto the safe tree branch.

 

 

Walk onto the jutting branch right and standjump over to the opening ahead. As you'll see by looking down and ahead another nasty trap is waiting for you: three flame emitters spread evenly out across a wide slope. At the bottom there is a pool and a waterfall, a good thing if Lara catches fire on the way down. It is possible to do it entirely without losing health though and to do that we'll take advantage of the fact that the leftmost fire emitter is positioned at the very bottom of the slope and with a quite huge gap between the middle and leftmost one. Position Lara facing the leftmost part of the slope and standjump towards it. As she lands slide for a bit and as soon as she slides past the middle flame emitter jump right back to the middle of the slope to avoid the left flame. If done correctly Lara will land in the pool without a scratch.

 

Climb onto the crate in the middle and turn left, then do a running jump onto the left waterfall. Pull up into the opening behind the waterfall, where you'll find another Gold Sculpture. Leave the alcove and continue past the pool and towards the opening opposite. Lara will come across a green, spiky plant that bears a bit of a resemblance to a giant hedgehog.

 

Lara: What an unusual plant. A very rare one for sure, but I can't remember its name. Hmm...

 

 

Continue past the unusual plant and behind the Inca statue you'll find another snake receptacle where you can place the second gold sculpture. The wheel-shaped door to the left rolls aside so go through there. Head left and jump onto the small triangular ledge in the corner, from there you can climb up into a narrow space. Crawl through and on the other side climb up to the left. Above there is a monkeyswing so jump up to grab it and traverse across past the grated trapdoor to the other side. Drop down and turn right. Slide down the rightmost side of the rock (if you start sliding from the left side she will drop off the rock) and standjump ahead towards the greeneries with the beautiful yellow flowers. Climb up here all the way to the top(until she can't go any further up) and stick to the middle. Backflip/roll and press Action and she should grab the rope behind. Turn right and swing over to the grated trapdoor, noticing the boulder up to the left. The boulder starts rolling down towards Lara as soon as she lands so immediately

hop backwards and grab the edge. Shimmy left and wait for the boulder to stop rolling, then pull up out of its reach. It is also possible to backflip instead of grabbing the edge, but then you'd have to backtrack all the way back up to the ladder and rope and then swing over to the boulder ramp.

Use the switch and the trapdoor below the boulder opens, causing the boulder to fall into the pool below (you might have to actually approach the boulder to cause it to drop). You will see the result in a moment, but for now dive into the pool and swim through to the next and currently unexplored area.

 

You will now meet Neon God face to face for the first time. He looks rather harmless, but the generally rule about bosses is that things are seldom what they seem and that judging someone by appearance usually is a bad idea.

 

Neon God: Oh Lara, hi. Nice to see you. I suppose you saw that interesting plant back in the temple? Well, I found some more up here, so I presume I'm about to find the Inca's way for immortality quite soon.

 

If you say so. Swim left and under the rocks to the left you'll find a narrow space. Swim in there for Secret 33: a large medipack. Go back out and climb onto the rocks above the secret niche. To the right you'll find a wooden bridge, run across it while the woodwork crumbles under Lara's feet. Head left and do a running jump while pressing Action to grab the ornate block. If you look down into the water you'll find the boulder that was released earlier, this is positioned on top of a pressure pad. If you hadn't released the boulder the ornate block that Lara is currently standing on would be lowered and she wouldn't get any further. Turn around and runjump to grab the ledge ahead.

 

Drop backwards and shimmy left through the crevice. Go all the way to the end, where you can jump over to the central platform. Obviously Neon God is not intending on letting Lara follow him so the ornate block ahead is blocking your exit. Drag the urn onto the diamond tile and there you have solved that problem. Go through to the next room: a temple-like building covered in fog and some spectacular plants.

 

Lara: Oh, look - how beautiful! But - of course - immortality: that's it! Those plants are called 'Puya Raimondii', they live up to 100 years - that's what the Incas called 'immortality'! There is no such artefact or potion for immortality, it's a plant that seemed to be immortal. Now that we got this little riddle solved, let's see where Mr. Neon God is.

Yes, let's indeed. First thing to do is to go right and climb down the ladder to the level below. Follow either of the stairs down to the ground by the odd plants and go over to the opposite side. Head up either of the stairs here and on top you'll find an open doorway. Go down to the left or right (doesn't matter which one) and you'll find two collapsible tiles. Run over them to cause them to crumble and drop down into the room below. Here you'll find a skeleton in a pool of blood and behind the closed gate there is a shining blue light that seems to be trapped somehow.

 

Go right and over to the walls that have blood pouring down on the sides (a bad sign, that's for sure). Pull up and walk forwards, you'll hear a blood-curdling scream and a huge black and red lizard-like creature darts across the floor opposite. The floor below has holes in it and it's riddled with fire traps so avoid dropping down there at all costs. Instead do a running jump over to the other side.

Lara: Oh, I don't like this at all.

Neither do we: one of Neon God's mercenaries is laying dead on the ground to the left, we also see more blood-stained walls and a ramp leading upwards to the right. Follow the latter path, but do NOT go up the ramp yet. Instead turn right and do a running jump across the burner floor to retrieve some flares. Do a running jump back to the other side and save your game. As you start up the ramp two boulders will drop. Avoiding them can be quite tricky. but make sure you stick to the middle of the ramp. About halfway up veer left and jump as the boulders drop. This way you should make it past them without being flattened, but now you have another problem: the boulders dropping on top of the slope up to the right. Steer Lara hard left and run to the edge of the pit, then jump across it. The boulders will roll into the pit and be of no further trouble to Lara.

Jump across the pit again and stand at the base of the slope ahead. Standjump up to the top and immediately backflip to avoid a third set of boulders coming from the right. Continue up to the top and drop down into the next room. Cross the room, noticing that there's another blue sparkling light shut in behind the white bars to the right. Climb the ladder left and head right towards the opening. The white tile in the opening is a block and it will raise as Lara steps onto the ramp on the other side. This can pose quite a problem, as a boulder will drop from the ceiling up to the right. Stand on the white tile and look down to the left, there is a niche in the wall ahead. Angle Lara slightly left and run across and into the niche, letting the boulder roll down behind Lara's back.

You're not done yet though. There are more boulders waiting on top of the ramp and to make matters worse you'll find some further down the ramp as well. There is also another niche far down the ramp on the opposite side, as you'll see upon closer inspection. Start sprinting down the ramp and veer hard left into the niche to avoid more boulders that come rolling down, threatening to crush Lara. Continue running down the ramp and a last boulder will bounce over Lara's head. In the next room there is a depression in the floor with a closed trapdoor. Run up to the white ornate button on top of the ledge above the trapdoor and push the button to open it.

 

Go back down to the floor and climb the ladder opposite of the white button down to the ground. In the right corner you'll find a round, green bud (reminding a bit of a green lollipop). Draw guns and shoot it, opening a gate high up on the wall behind you. Turn around and climb up the leftmost ladder. Continue climbing up above the open gate and up past the greeneries with the yellow flowers. On the very top you can pull into a narrow space hidden behind the foliage. Crawl through and at the end drop and hang from the edge. Drop and press Action again, then pull up into the passage where you can pick up Secret 34: a large medipack, uzi clips and M16 ammo. 

Hang from the edge again, shimmy left and continue pressing Action. At the end Lara will drop and as long as you keep Action pressed she will grab the ladder below when she drops. Pull up onto the floor and turn around, just for taking a mental note of the glowing light beam spanning across the area from one diamond tile to another. Turn back and head towards the open gate. The spikes on the floor won't shoot up until Lara has passed them, but a spiked wall will come gliding in from the right. Not only will it harm Lara, but it will also push her down into a certain death in the spike trench to the left. To get past this you have to dash through the entire room, but do stick to the right side otherwise Lara will be stopped by the skeleton laying on the ground to the left. Do not let go of the sprint key until she drops into the opening opposite, but when she does immediately press Action to grab the ladder.

Climb down as far as possible and save your game....the next part is a bit difficult. Climb left until Lara is positioned at the middle of the ladder and drop. Immediately jump forwards while pressing Action to clear the spikes and land on the next slope. Jump again, without pressing Action this time, and ideally Lara should land on a collapsible tile without being damaged from the spikes in the second pit. The tile starts crumbling so run left and jump, then press Action to grab the ladder before Lara drops down into the spike trap below.

 

Go up to the top and climb right. Drop onto the slope and jump forwards, run ahead and jump up to grab the ladder before the tile collapses. The floor below is fire-trapped and if you look down after having climbed up you'll spot a gold sculpture down there. Right of the ladder there is an alcove with a switch and on the opposite wall a snake receptacle. First do a standing jump while pressing Action to land in the alcove with the switch. Pull it and turn around to find that water has started pouring down into the opening by the ladder. Now the burners in the floor are disabled and you can climb down there to pick up the Gold Sculpture. Climb back up and use the gold sculpture in the snake receptacle. The floor left lowers, letting Lara back out into the foggy temple area.

Head left and in the wall ahead you'll find a niche behind bars. The gate leading in behind the bars is now open. This is one out of four such niches spread out around the foggy temple area (one in each corner). We'll be starting with the left niche since it's the first and only one to be open at this point.

At the end you'll find a switch, pull it to open the gate opposite. Now you have one light beam stretching across one side of the foggy courtyard and you have one more way to go. Yes, that means that the only natural way to go right now is through the gate you just opened. Once there go through the opening to the left. The camera angle will change, we hear a scream and see a mercenary running by on the other side of the bars. Right afterwards the previously seen red and black salamander comes running after him. Go to the end and right of the bars you can climb up onto the stone pillar. On the left side drop down into the room where you just saw the lizard and mercenary. Not that pursuing it is the most tempting thing in the world to do, but we've come too far to back out now.

 

At least a third gate leading out to the foggy courtyard is open, but where's the blue beam of light? Climb into the opening in the right wall and go through to the next area. Neon God has reached this spot too it seems and he raises a block preventing you to go on.

Neon God: You have to be quicker, Lara.

Obviously this guy just doesn't know you very well. Climb the block in the right corner and standjump to grab the wall above the exit. Follow the passage around and you'll see Neon God running across a bridge to the right. There is a dark crawlspace in the wall ahead, crawl in and left to find this game's final secret- Secret 35: a small medipack. Crawl back out and go towards the bridge where Neon God ran off. He cuts down the bridge in another feeble attempt of stopping you.

Neon God: You are truly no challenge Lara.

Oh, just you wait.....we have just about started warming up. Dive into the water below and swim through the gap in the wall ahead and left. Swim left- right- left- left- right and up. Climb out of the water onto the low part of the ground and two spiked walls start sliding back and forth. Ignore the small medipack for now, we're getting to that in a moment. For now time your way past the two spiked walls, running as they start going left and stopping at the middle. When you climb the ledge ahead the spiked walls stop and you can safely go back to pick up the small medipack.

 

Climb out of the room and here you'll find an urn like the ones before. However, the difference here is that the diamond tile is elevated so that it's impossible to push or pull anything at all onto it. Look up in the ceiling to the right and you'll find a tile looking somewhat different, pull the urn under this tile instead and a Gold Sculpture appears on the elevated diamond tile. Pick it up and enter the next room, here you'll see the sparkling blue light you saw through the bars earlier. Climb onto the ledge right and insert the gold sculpture into the mouth of the snake receptacle to lower the ornate block left.

 

This uncovers a slope leading down and you'll see a blue sparkling light at the bottom. Remember the location of the lit wall torch to the right and go forwards. A terrible scream of death cuts through the dense air and another dead soldier is tossed out from the right side of the junction. This just can't be good. At the left side of the junction there is a blue light waiting for you, hovering above a heap of torches and an unlit wall torch. Pick up a torch and return to the lit one, use the flame to light your own torch. Now you can go back to where you found the torch and light the one on the wall.

Turn around and go through the corridor past the dead mercenary and the blood stain on the ground. Somewhere along the corridor you'll run over a darker tile, this is a block you lowered by lighting the wall torch. Follow the only obvious path, drop down to the lower level and at the end hop up into a room with another blue light. There are two wall torches here that you'll need to light and doing so opens the rightmost one of the two gates in the same room. Remember this place because you'll be coming back here later.

Run through the passage to the next room, go right and jump over the gap with the burner floor towards the blue hovering light. Do not run too far though, there's a spike trap here right below the blue ball of light.

Lara: Oh no, it's that monster.

 

Veer left and continue along the path, jumping forwards to the next floor. Sideflip right to land on the next part of the floor, then roll and runjump. Lara lands on the floor right by a switch and you're now officially in trouble: the red and black salamander Lara referred to is now on your tail. There is no point in shooting it....it's completely and utterly immortal and besides that it's also as lethal as can be. Flip the switch to lower a block back in some room you haven't been to yet and now you have to get there without getting killed.

Easier said than done, but avoid the salamander as well as you can (if you fail you'll be dead in the blink of an eye). Sideflip left, roll and standjump to the next safe floor. Run and jump towards the white bars, veering left and jumping into the doorway. In the next room go right and avoid the spike tile in the middle, then head through the passage past the lowered block. Around the corner you'll find a burner trench too long for you to get across, but pull the switch on the wall to your left to lower a block on the other side of the trench. Turn left again and run back to the previous room, avoiding both the spike tile and the monster. Run straight ahead through the next room and go right past the block you just lowered.

 

Now you have the earlier seen burner trenches on both your left and right side. To make matters worse there is a jump switch above the opening where you came through, so you must pull it down before the creature reaches Lara. Pulling that switch opens the gate you saw earlier in the room that I told you to remember. Quickly press the Look key to focus the camera back on Lara, run through the opening ahead and through the left opening in the wall (dodging the lizard if necessary), then go right through the now open gate. Climb the block in the middle and pick up the Mystic Gemstone. Now to figure out what to do with it.

In the wall opposite of where you entered there is a ramp going upwards. Rush up there and on top go right where you can climb up onto the block, then up to the top of the small ramp. Get on the block with the blue beam of light and look up to spot an opening in the ceiling. As you can see through the bars in the floor the nasty lizard is not happy about losing sight of its ultimate prize. Pull up through the opening in the ceiling and on the wall you'll find a wheel-like receptacle, this is where you have to place the Mystic Gemstone. Watch in amazement as beautiful blue sparks fill the air out in the foggy courtyard.

Lara: Wow, this is fantastic!!!

Sure is, but we're still not done with our tasks. Drop down to the block below and enter the foggy courtyard again. Jump over to the ledge with the ladder and climb up, you'll now find that the room ahead and left is accessible. Enter there and pick up the Chest of Puya Raimondii Seeds.

Lara: These are Puya Raimondii seeds, a true treasure!

Bring the "true treasure" with you and climb the wooden ladder left of the doorway. Climb all the way to the top, then backflip/roll and press Action to grab the block behind. Climb the next ladder here all the way to the top and backflip/roll again, then press Action to grab another ladder. Climb up to the top and backflip immediately off the slope to land on the ground opposite. Go left and wait for the final cutscene to start.

Lara: Wow, that was quite an adventure! But I wonder what happened to Mr. Neon God...

Mr. Neon God himself has reached the catacombs and is now cornered by the killer salamander.

Neon God: Oh, no! Please don't! Ahhhhrrrggg!!!!

Lara: Oh, whatever...

 

.....THE END......