Back to Basics 2008 - The Lost Tomb Of Secrets

 

Level by userpaul

 

Walkthrough by Selene and Phil Lambeth

 

(3 Secrets)

 

 

The level begins as Lara drops down from somewhere high up (losing quite a bit of her health in the same go). Pick up the flares and uzi ammo behind the low walls and proceed E through the room's only doorway. Crawl under the dart traps and proceed carefully towards the ramp near the end of the passage. Look up at the ceiling above the ramp and you should spot a boulder just waiting to drop. Ok, now that you know what you're up against, let's find a way to get past it alive. It's quite easy, just sprint down the ramp and out into the open area, veering to either side to avoid it.

 

You're now standing in an open courtyard. In the S/W hut you can shoot an urn in the S/E corner to get some uzi clips. In the N/W hut you'll encounter two compies (these are poisonous, so avoid being bitten. If this happens either use a medipack or reload the game). There's nothing else of interest in there so this room could possibly be avoided altogether. The N hut (left-hand doorway, next to the Compy Hut) is empty, but there's a doorway leading into a new room to the left. Proceed carefully to activate the spear trap in the doorway, time a run past it as the spears open up. Shoot one of the urns on the floor to get a box of normal shotgun ammo and proceed to pull the switch in the alcove. This causes a block in a different area to rise (the first of four), we'll get there later on.

 

Leave the hut the same way you came in and jump into the central pool.  Locate the Skull Key, then pull out and head up the stone steps at the middle of the E wall. On both sides you'll find a closed gate and an associated keyhole. Go to the W side of the room and do an angled running jump through the arch to land on the connecting roof of the huts to the right. On the roof you'll find small depressions, through the bars you can see the interior of the small huts you've already visited. In one of these depressions, near the N/W corner, you'll find Secret # 1: a large medipack.

 

Drop down to the ground and return up the stone steps (or simply go back along the roof line and jump through the same arch). Your Skull Key will fit the N keyhole, so use it to open the spear gate to your left.  There's nothing to do right now in the next room, so continue through the central doorway E and watch the fly-by of the next area (this is where you raised the block earlier). Apparently the skeleton cage and the grey tile you see at the end are of particular interest. Go left first and through the W doorway here, break some urns to get flares and uzi clips. Right next to this doorway there's a ladder leading down into the deep pit, climb it down to the block below. Face N and at the dark part of the wall you'll find a small niche with a switch (you will need a flare or the binoculars to see it). Runjump over there and pull the switch, raising a block underneath a jump switch somewhere else.

 

In the S/E corner room there's a pedestal near some skull stakes. If you turn around you'll see a block with a ladder nearby, this is your way out. Save your game, run to the pedestal and grab the Old Key. The moment you do this you're shown a camera shot of an orange room with some skull stakes. Two wraiths start pursuing Lara, turn and dash over to the block below the ladder. Climb up to the top and veer left through the entrance. Enter the N room that you opened earlier with the Skull Key, and the wraiths will follow you inside and explode against the structure you saw in the cut scene. Climb up onto the block you raised earlier and activate the jumpswitch.  You see another block being raised in a previous room (the second of four).

 

Exit this room, head over to the E gate and use the Old Key there to open it. A blade starts slashing across the doorway as you approach, luckily it is possible to crawl under it. The wooden floor tile to the right will crumble as Lara walks across it, drop down into a pit in the room below. Climb out of the pit and pull the nearby switch. Watch as another block (the third of four) rises elsewhere. Turn around and carefully standjump over the spike pit to grab the edge above. Pull up and turn around, then standjump/grab to the window sill above the opening.  Pull up to find yourself overlooking a familiar area. 

 

Take an angled standing jump S/E and grab the crack in the south wall.  Shimmy to your left until you can pull up into a niche.  Turn to your left and pull up onto the block, and take a tricky angled running jump from there to a ledge in the E wall.  You'll activate a dart trap upon landing, so hug the wall and walk N until you reach the alcove to your right.  Go inside and pull down the wall switch to raise the fourth and final block, completing a bridge that allows you to pull the skeleton cage out of the wall down below.  Continue N and jump across to the gap in the N wall.  Locate the small medipack, then jump S/W to the small ledge and safety drop from the W side to the ledge below.

 

Run over to the skeleton cage and pull/push it (note the closed door behind it) to the grey tile in the W alcove.  The door you saw behind the skeleton cage opens, releasing a couple of raptors.  One of them is already nibbling on your arm as camera control is restored, so make short work of it and go toward the new room E and take care of the other one. Go on down the stairs and take the Uzis and the Crowbar from the pedestal.  Continue E and you'll trigger a flyby that takes you through the next area, starting with the closed door ahead and pausing meaningfully at the different symbols over the four doorways. Note the receptacles on the four central columns, then choose any of the four rooms in this area.

 

Water Room (S/W):

 

Enter the anteroom, then turn left to walk out onto a ledge overlooking a large room partially filled with water.  Turn right and hop up onto the block.  Draw your pistols and jump up to shoot the gong in the alcove across the way to open a door slightly below and to the left.  Hop back down and take a running jump to the rope hanging down from the ceiling.  Swing S/W and jump off onto the ledge.  Throw the switch in the west wall to open another nearby door near the N/W corner.  Use the rope to swing back across to the N ledge.  If you miss and fall into the water, simply climb up onto the blocks, jump to the ladder and climb back up.  Jump to the E ledge, and from there to the S/E ledge.  Pull up into the opening, enter the small room and shoot one of the jars for a Cog.  Return the way you came to the N ledge.  Go to the other end and take an angled standing jump into the opening in the W wall.  Hop down and enter another pool area with three blocks across the way.  Atop each one is a structure with a different color.

 

Jump into the water and locate the shotgun ammo on a tile near the middle of the pool. Pull out into the S niche and pick up some more shotgun ammo.  Turn to face NE and you'll see three more blocks topped with structures that have three different colors.  Swim over there, pull up and locate the opening in the S/E corner.  Enter a small but deep room.  Stand facing E, with your toes against the base of the slope, back flip and jump off the slope behind you.  Grab the higher slope, shimmy to the left, pull up and back flip to a still higher slope.  Jump off, grab the higher slope, shimmy to the right, pull up and back flip to a yet higher slope.  Jump off and grab a ledge overlooking the second pool area.  Hop down W to a lower block and take a running jump to the nearest ledge spanning the pool.  Hop across to the W ledge, from there to the top of the pillar against the W wall, and from there to the central ledge. 

 

Throw the switch in the W wall to open the doors behind you.  Reverse roll, draw your pistols and deal with the raptor that comes charging out toward you.  You can see the cog mechanism in the far E wall.  However, it's missing two wheels, and you have only one at the moment, so you need to keep looking.  Take a running jump and grab to the next ledge N, pull up and take a running jump and grab to the last ledge N.  Pull up and turn left to run to the dark N/W corner.  Pull down the wall switch there for a static screen shot of an Inca door.  Go back the other way and shoot the first jar for that second Cog you've been looking for.  Make your way back to the room with the cogwheel mechanism, noting the closed door to your left on the way in, and place the two cogs.  When you place the first one you get a screen shot of a swinging medallion.  When you place the second one the mechanism jerks into life, and the door behind you opens.  Go there, hop down and pick up the small medi-pack and uzi ammo at your feet.  Turn to face N, look down and you'll see that the first pool is now completely filled with water. 

 

Dive into the water and locate the face door in the N wall.  Open it and swim inside, being careful of the spear trap just inside the passage.  Grab the Water Idol in the next room while heroic music plays.  Swim past the spear trap again and surface for some air.  Pull up, exit this area via the N opening and prepare yourself for your next task.

 

Fire Room (S/E):

 

This is a rather tough one.  However, you get a freebie if you'll hurry up and slide down the first slope without dawdling.  If you hang around, though, the flame blowers will activate and you'll have to time the first one along with the others.  When you slide down to the first landing, you'll have to time two flame blowers for the second slope.  As soon as you hit bottom, side flip to the left into the alcove.  Pick up the small medi-pack, then pull down the wall switch for the same screen shot of the Inca door.    Jump out to your left when the coast is clear, and you'll slide down to the floor.  A flyby looking upward shows a multitude of new flame blowers being activated.  Use one of the ladders to make your way painstakingly up and past the flame blowers. 

 

Climb just above the highest flame blower, directly over it, and take a rolling back flip to the ladder behind you.  Climb to the top and pull up into the E passage.  A set of swinging spikes will activate as you step forward, so time a run around it (the passage to the left leads only to a closed door, so ignore it for now) and continue E into a new room with a large opening in the middle of the floor.  There's also a closed door in the E wall and snout flame blowers that are dormant at the moment.  Drop down through the hole in the floor and take the uzi ammo from the pedestal N.  There's also a torch on the pedestal, but map out your next move before picking it up.  Notice the switches on the E and W walls.  Pulling them down raises blocks for a short time in the middle of this room so you can get the torch back up to the upper room.  Pull down the W switch, then reverse roll and watch the short block rise.  Go around and pull down the E switch to make a taller block rise, and for a longer period of time.  Here's how I did it:  Go get the torch, hop up onto the blocks and drop the torch onto the S/E block (where the taller one rises).  Pull down the E switch first, run around and pull down the W one, take a rolling back flip and hop to the shorter block, then side flip to the taller block, pick up the torch and jump to safety.

 

Take the torch with you to the swinging spikes, enter that N passage you bypassed earlier, and light the torch with the flaming snout blower.  Go back to the previous room, light the four snout blowers on the N and S walls, and you hear the sound of the E door opening.  Go there, stand on your tiptoes and take the Fire Idol from the tall pedestal. Leave the torch here, go back to the swinging spike trap and turn right into the room where you lit the torch.  The door there is now open, so go down the passage.  The door at the other end opens upon your approach and releases a horde of compsagnathi, so deal with them as best you can in these cramped quarters.  Continue W into the elements hub room.

 

Pause for the next secret before undertaking your next task.  Locate the ladder behind the pillar near the N/W corner and climb up to the top.  Take a running jump and grab to the top of the central structure and pull up.  Take a running jump and grab to the ledge where you see the pedestal.  However, don't pull up right away, as there are blade traps between you and the pedestal.  Instead, shimmy left and around the corner, and pull up in front of the pedestal. Take the Shotgun for Secret #2.  Safety drop to the floor and enter the N/W opening.

 

Air Room (N/W):

 

Enter the dark corridor, go up the stairs and climb the block.  Take a running jump across the spear trap and continue up the stairs.  Look for the crawl space overhead to your left and jump up to grab it.  Shimmy to the right until you can pull up into an opening.  Enter the small mirror room and see the reflection of a key near the S/W corner next to the funny face mural.  Go there and pick up the Elemental Key.  Continue through the W opening into the next room.  Locate the shotgun ammo behind the column on the N side of the room, then continue W into the next room.  There's a closed door at the SW corner and a ladder at the dark NW corner.  Climb up the ladder and back flip into the upper room.  Locate the uzi ammo in the S/E corner, then ready your uzis (you can try the pistols if you wish to save precious ammo) and go back to face the ladder.  Jump to it over the hole, climb up near the ceiling, then take a rolling back flip while drawing your weapon(s) and shoot the medallion hanging from the ceiling.  The door below opens, so climb back down and stand at the opening to trigger a horizontal blade trap. 

 

Duck down and crawl underneath the blades.  Don't stand up when you reach the other side, but turn Lara around and lower her over the edge.  Climb down the ladder to a block and hop down to the floor.  Use the Elemental Key to open the spear gate, then step out into some refreshing outdoor air.  Draw your weapon of choice, for as you step forward you'll awaken five sleeping wolves.  After clearing the area, go N into a push piece puzzle room.  The three pieces must be moved onto the proper grey tile on the N side of the columns.  You get a brief remote fixed camera shot when you place each piece correctly.  Move the left piece onto the middle tile. Move the middle piece onto the tile to your right (E).  Move the piece on your right all the way over to the W tile.  When the last piece is placed, a block rises in front of the W column.  Use it to climb up to the first pedestal and take two stashes of uzi ammo.  Jump to the next pedestal for shotgun ammo, and to the third pedestal for the Air Star as ethereal music plays.

 

Go back to the first pedestal, take a standing jump from the S/W corner into the opening in the W wall, and pull down the wall switch for another cut scene of that Inca door.  Safety drop to the floor and return to the outdoor area.  You're greeted by four raptors, so put that extra ammo to good use.  When order has been restored, exit S, climb the blocks and the ladder, and run through the passage before the blade trap has a chance to activate.  Continue through the mirror room, hop down into the dark passage, and don't forget to jump over that spear trap on your way out. Three down, one to go.

 

Earth Room (N/E):

 

From the elements hub room, enter the N/E opening and run down the passage until you reach an inaccessible opening to your right.  Turn around to find that you've awakened a skeleton that's now trying to sneak up on you.  It would be nice if you could lure it outside, but unfortunately it won't follow you into the hub room where perhaps you could deal with it more efficiently.  Instead, run N along the passage, past that first intersection to your right, until you reach an opening with steps going up to your right.  Allow the skeleton to follow, then run around it and blast it into the slight depression with your shotgun.  Although it doesn't die or disappear, it's trapped there.  Now you can explore this large, maze-like area in a little more leisurely fashion.

 

In fact, if you wish, you may as well awaken three more skeletons while you're here.  You can do so without risk of harm, and I found that when I returned to this area after performing all necessary tasks, these three skeletons had mysteriously vanished.  If that's what you decide to do, run E past the first skeleton and pull up into the next room.  There's a closed door in here, so you couldn't do anything right now anyway.  When the three skeletons rise out of the floor, simply hop down and run past the first skeleton to the safety of the passage. 

 

Turn right and run N to the end of the passage.  There's a shallow hole in your path, but it's not trapped and seems to serve no function. Turn left and locate the shotgun ammo, then reverse roll and run E down the side passage.  You can either use the crawl space in the wall to your left, or continue until you reach the doorway, to access the next pair of rooms.  One room is empty;  the other has a couple of jars you can shoot for shotgun ammo and uzi ammo.  There's also a hole in the floor at the S/W corner.  Use the ladder there to climb down to the room below.  Activate the jump switch to open a door elsewhere.  A wraith is also released (it may not appear right away, however), so quickly climb back up the ladder, back flip into the upper room and exit S to the passage.  Turn right, then left to run S down the long passage where you first entered.  Jump over the hole on the way (maybe that's why it's here, to slow you down if you're not observant), continue past the intersection where you left the skeleton, and turn left into the next passage.  Follow it until it dead ends, then take a right, and another right into a room where the wraith will explode against the skull stick.

 

Exit this room and go N to the other end of this passage.  You'll see a closed door and a keyhole for later, so return W to the main N-S passage and turn right.  Turn right at the passage just before the hole, and enter the room to your left.  Shoot a jar for shotgun ammo, then exit this room and turn left.  Ignore the first side passage to your left, which only takes you back to area you've already explored.  Continue E down the passage and turn left into the next room.  Don't approach the pedestal directly, as there's a hidden blade trap in the floor in front of it.  Approach the pedestal from either side and take the Skull Key.

 

You're about through here, so exit this room, return to the long N-S passage and turn left.  Go past the skeleton passage and turn left into the next passage.  Turn left at the dead end and use the Skull Key to open the door.  Go inside and shoot the jar nearest the jump switch for a small medi-pack.  Then activate the jump switch to see a door opening elsewhere.  Exit this room and make four right turns to get back to the skeleton passage.  Run past the skeleton and pull up into the next room.  If you're lucky, the other three skeletons will either be gone or they'll be engaged in trying to run into a nearby wall.  Otherwise, do your best to blast them either into the trench from which you entered this room, or into the other trench S. 

 

There are now two open doors in this room.  Both take you to the same large area with tall columns, but the first doorway to the left leads to the lower level where there's nothing to do.  So head S, jump over the trench and go through the second doorway to your left.  Go up the stairs and find yourself overlooking the room with the columns.  Take a standing jump and grab to the nearest one and pull up.  You see a block on the central column with an imbedded Earth Beetle, so it's a good bet there may be more on the other sides.  In fact, there are two other beetles you can't see from here.  So jump over and pry them off with your crowbar.  Watch out for the dart trap that's triggered when you get the first (N) one, which probably means that this one is unnecessary.  Even when you grab all three, your inventory shows only one Earth Beetle and one Broken Beetle.  Then jump to the ledge behind the N/E column.  Pull down the wall switch for a cut scene of that Inca door opening to reveal a pickup.  Now all you have to do is find it.  Jump back to the central block with the receptacles and climb down the ladder to the ledge below.  Safety drop to the floor and return to the elements hub room.

 

Place all four elements artifacts in their appropriate receptacle, and the E doors will open.  Go inside and time a jump past the spear trap.  Go up the stairs into the next room.  You can see a waiting native behind the bars ahead.  Take the shotgun ammo from the pedestal on the right, and the uzi ammo from the pedestal on the left.  Be wary of the Native, as the rascal can reach you even through the bars if you stand too close.  Go to the NE corner and pull up into the alcove.  Pick up the Lasersight and the Revolver for Secret #3.  Hop down and cross the room to climb up onto a crate against the S wall.  Hop up onto the higher ledge and pull down the switche on the S wall to open the spear gate down below.  Safety drop and enter the E opening between the pedestals.    Pull up into the S/E passage and follow to a ladder.  Climb up both ladders and slide down into a room of breaktiles.  Run foward quickly and hop into the E alcove.  Pull down the wall switch for a static cut scene of the room below the breaktimes.

 

Turn around, and you can see another alcove across the room in the W wall.  Jump down, run across the breaktiles and hop up into the W alcove.  Pull down the wall switch for a similar cut scene, then turn around to see another opening nearby in the S wall.  You can reach it with a S/E running jump and grab, but if you miss simply jump up to grab the edge before the breaktile beneath you crumbles.  Throw the third wall switch for a third cut scene.  There are two alcoves in the N wall.  Depending on how many breaktiles are still left, you may or may not have difficulty reaching them.  Take a running jump (and grab, just to be on the safe side) to reach the N/W alcove, leaving the breaktile just below intact.  Pull down the wall switch for a fourth cut scene similar to the others, hop down and run over to the N/E alcove.  Pull up inside and throw the wall switch for a cut scene showing a T-Rex and his native trainer being released. 

 

Hop back with a grab before camera control is restored, so that you release to drop down onto a block that lowers to the floor as soon as you land.  Otherwise, the fall will kill you.  Use your revolver to dispatch the T-Rex with a single shot to the belly, then dispatch the native as well.  The doors at the end of the S/E corridor open as you approach.  Continue forward into the outdoor jungle as the level ends.