LARA'S COASTAL HOME

Level by John Lincoln

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth (with a few helpful hints from Harry Laudie)


Begin in Lara's bedroom. The nearby bathroom has a small tub of water and a closed door that may or may not open later, but nothing else of interest. Don't bother trying to jump up into the recesses in the fireplace, as there's nothing there and you'd probably set yourself on fire making the attempt anyway. Exit through the south doorway and run down the east landing. Push open the doors to your left and step down into a junk room. Dance your way past the swinging chains to your left and push the button in the NE alcove. The door to your left opens, so go inside and pick up the goodies: large medi-pack, the LASER SIGHT, the REVOLVER with extra revolver ammo, and some flares. Return to the landing past the chains and turn to your left. Push open the next set of double doors in the south wall and enter the music room. There are a few empty jars you can shoot for target practice, but there seems to be nothing else to do in this room, so go upstairs.

In the cozy reading room are more empty jars. Go to the SE corner, turn to face west and look up. Combine the revolver and laser sight, and shoot the dangling brass ball to open a door downstairs. Go back down through the music room and out to the landing, and run all the way to the NW corner where you'll find an open doorway. Go inside and throw the wall switch for a cut scene giving you an overview of the large room downstairs, where a rope hanging from the ceiling has appeared. Step up to the railing facing the rope, take one step back, then hop back once and take a running step and grab to the rope. Slide down to the bottom, swing forward after Lara's legs get "set," and at the top of your swing jump off to land in the alcove over the front door. A cut scene shows an underwater gate opening elsewhere, giving you access to a gem you'll need later. If you didn't hear the chimes when you landed, run over to your left to trigger SECRET #1, then pick up the RIGHT GREAVE and go back to the railing and jump to the rope again. This time turn all the way around, facing east, and swing forward. Jump off at the top of your swing and grab the jump switch that was too high for you to reach from the floor. A cut scene shows some gates opening outside.

Run downstairs and explore the indoor areas to the east. Enter the left passage and push open the doors to your left leading to the kitchen. There's nothing to do in there right now, but by opening the door you give yourself a convenient short cut to the obstacle course area outside. Continue east into the dining room and you'll see a wall ladder ahead. A closed trapdoor blocks your way for the moment. There are a couple of empty jars near the south wall and a closed door between them. Nothing else of interest here, so exit and make a left hairpin turn past the grandfather clock into the right passage. You're now in Lara's gym, but unless you feel like reviewing all the basic moves and hearing Lara's vocal instructions as you progress, find the pole near the north wall and climb up facing west until your feet clear the wooden panels to your right. Back flip onto the pillar and turn left to face the nearer rope. Take a running jump and grab to it, slide down, swing forward and jump off to the second rope. From there, swing forward and jump off to a ledge in front of a switch in the south wall. Throw the switch to open the door below that leads to the swimming pool.

Safety drop to the floor below and run south into the open doorway. Jump into the pool and locate the ceiling lever at the NW corner. When you pull it down you're given a cut scene of Winston being released to deliver a spot of tea to Lara. (As you'll soon discover, he's gotten that sound of a door opening down to perfection, and he'll constantly demonstrate his powers of mimicry whenever you get near him. For this reason you may wish to wait until later to release him, if at all.) Climb out of the water and run around to the south side of the pool. Locate the first of four contiguous ladders leading upward. Climb to the very top and throw the wall switch to open a door somewhere in the main house. Note the nearby items seemingly suspended in midair. Face the floating medi-pack east and take a running jump and grab toward it. You'll grab the edge of an invisible platform, so pull up, pick up your prize, turn left and walk north as far as you can go. Take another running jump and grab the second invisible platform. Pull up and pick up the shotgun ammo, then walk forward to the edge and take a final running jump and grab to the NE pillar. Pull up, turn around and use the ladder on the other side to climb down until you reach the black part of the pillar. Back flip from there to the ledge behind you. Turn to face west, and you'll see a checkered tile onto which you must raise a block in order to access a secret in this room. That's for later, however, so safety drop to the floor and run across the gym and through the exit passage.

Back in the entrance room at the foot of the staircase, you'll find that a door has opened near the SW corner. As far as I can tell there's no real need for you to spend time conquering the puzzle in the room beyond, as all you do is raise a block near the front door to provide an easier way to the Right Greave that you already possess. However, if you wish to experience everything this level has to offer, step into the room and watch the door close behind you. You'll also notice that flames have broken out on certain tiles in this room. Turn around and hop onto the ledge next to the doorway. Throw the wall switch to open a door behind you. Go to the alcove in the SW corner and pull out the globe. Note that it has a gray ring around it, so pull and pull it onto the gray tile all the way across the room near the east wall. The door in the middle of the south wall opens, allowing you to pull out the green-ringed globe. When you do so, the flame on the green tile near the SW corner goes out. Push and pull the globe over there, and the process is repeated for the next globe. When you've placed the fourth and final globe, another gate in the south wall opens. Go inside and step on the face tile. This lowers a block in the NE alcove, allowing you to make your escape to the second floor landing.

Run down the stairs toward the front door, noting the useless block you've just raised, and activate the jump switch just to the right of the doorway. The front door opens, so run outside to trigger a flyby that takes you through Lara's vast estate. When camera control is restored you can choose any number of directions in which to start your exploration of the great outdoors, much of which will consume valuable time for no good purpose. The path to your right is blocked off by a closed gate at the end, and if you strike off to your left you'll soon come to a closed gate requiring a gem for entry. You can turn left there and run along the east wall of the house, with a tall hedge to your right, until you reach the area of the obstacle course, but let's save that for later.

For now, head straight west from the front door of Lara's mansion and go through an arched opening. To the right is a closed gate, and ahead and a little to your left is a closed door that opens as you approach. Lara is tempted to tarry as she runs inside and exclaims: "Hey, I like the look of this!" However, the Jeep you see parked there needs keys to operate it, and you don't have them yet. So turn around and go through the south gateway you opened earlier with the jump switch. In the courtyard is a pool filled with viscous, dirty water. Jump into the water and swim west into a fairly complicated maze.

Here's the correct route: Turn right at the first crossing and take another right at the bend. Go past two openings to your left, zigzag slightly to your right and take the second right. Ahead you'll see a blue floor tile, marking an air hole directly overhead. Pause for air if you need some, then continue east past the blue tile and follow the bends (ignoring one opening to your right along the way) until you reach another blue floor tile. Turn left there and just follow your nose until you come to a large medi-pack at another bend. Pick it up, then continue along the passage until you reach a door on your right that you can open by swimming right up to it and hitting the action key. Swim inside and follow past a closed door on your left. Go around the bend to your left and pull up through the air hole into a courtyard on the other side of that closed gate you saw earlier near Lara's front door.

Go the SE alcove and throw the wall switch to raise a block near the SW corner. Climb or jump up onto it and activate the wall switch to the south. This opens the underwater gate (as well as the exit gate to your left), so jump back in the water and swim inside the opening for the JEEP KEYS. Now you've either got to return through the maze, or take the much quicker route through the gate you just opened with the jump switch. If you opt for the longer route, swim through the south opening, turn left and follow your nose until you see a piece of that blue floor tile ahead. Swim toward it and turn right when you reach it. Follow past that opening (now to your left) and continue until you reach the next blue floor tile. Turn left at the next intersection and keep swimming west until you reach the bend. Turn left again and then take the next left to return to the outdoor pool.

When you get back to the grass-covered courtyard near the Jeep, exit through the east archway toward the main house and follow the gray path around the house to your right. For much of the way you'll have a tall green hedge on your right. Continue until you reach the obstacle course and hear Lara's verbal challenge. Humor her by playing the course if you wish, or you can simply run north along the green pathway until you reach the bend to your left. At this point you do have to play, so run west just past the water course and climb up the middle part of the tall barrier. As you ascend you'll see two boulders poised above on either side. When you reach the top and pull up, you'll slide down the slope on the other side. Jump with a roll in midair so that you land sliding backwards. One of the boulders will then be released, but you have plenty of time. When you reach the bottom, run a step forward to the base of the slope and hit the crouch key. The boulder will sail harmlessly over you.

Now throw the switch in the north wall, which releases the other boulder. Calmly turn to your right, run to the base of the slope again and hit the crouch key for the same result. The boulders have crashed through a trap door at the west end of the narrow passage to provide access to a water hole, so jump into the water and swim into the east passage for the HORSEMAN'S GEM. Swim back out and pull out into the slope passage. There's a ladder on the south wall, so use it to slide down to the grounds. Straight ahead is an open door giving you a time-saving short cut through the kitchen and the rest of the house. Run all the way through the kitchen, turn right in the hallway and exit the house through the front door. Turn left and follow the gray path to the gem receptacle just ahead and to your right. Insert the Horseman's Gem to open the gate to your right.

Enter another maze area and make your way toward the SE part of the area, where you'll come across a closed gate. There's a jump switch not far away near the middle of the maze at the end of a spiral segment, which when activated opens this gate, allowing you to approach and pick up the LEFT GREAVE for SECRET #2. You also get a cut scene showing a gate opening back in Lara's bedroom where you began this level. Exit the maze and return to the main house via the front door. Run upstairs and return to Lara's bedroom. Go to the back left corner and enter the open NW doorway. Run forward to the west wall and turn left. There's a hole in the corner. Drop down and slide to a lower room. Step up onto the nearby ramp and you'll get a cut scene showing that block rising back in the swimming pool room. Step forward toward the LEFT GAUNTLET and fires will break out all around you. Pick up the gauntlet for SECRET #3, then look around to see how you're going to get out of here.

Notice that the pillar NW has a lighter gray texture. Its surface is climbable, so jump to it and climb to the top. Pull up and jump up to grab the ceiling. Monkey swing around to the SE corner and you'll hear the sound of a door opening as you reach the end. Drop down to a flame-free area, jump into the hole ahead and you'll slide into an indoor passage. Use the ladder in the south wall to access an opening that leads you to the top of a dark stairway. It's a boulder trap, so save your game here. Run down the stairs as the first boulder is triggered, and scoot to safety to your left before the boulder reaches you. Save again, then hop backwards up the next flight of stairs until the second boulder is triggered. Run to refuge in the same area as before. Jump over the second boulder when it comes to a complete stop, and run up the stairs to the next danger point. You're now facing a long stretch of stairs leading downward, so save again. Sprint down the stairs and duck to your right at the end just ahead of the third boulder. The fourth boulder is triggered as soon as you step onto the next flight of stairs, so simply hop back and turn aside to avoid it. Run up the stairs past the inert boulder and stop at the top. This time the boulder will be able to make the turns to follow and crush you, so be agile and use the sprint key on the straight stretches until you reach a section of stairs leading upward. You're safe here, and there are no more boulders ahead, so continue forward until you reach a giant cigar cutter in the hallway.

Since you've got a high ceiling, you can simply side flip over the device without having to worry about the blades at all. Do the same thing with the next three similar devices you encounter, then vault up onto the large steps and continue until you reach a dead end. Turn around and jump up to pull down the trap door, then pull up into a small bare room. There's another ceiling trap door here, so pull it down and climb up into Lara's gym. Turn right and enter the swimming pool area. Both of the black pillars just inside the doorway are climbable, so use either one to back flip to the higher ledge. Go to the ornate block you raised in the hedge maze, and climb up onto it. Step forward and pull up to the next ledge for SECRET #4. Step toward the RIGHT GAUNTLET, and a cut scene shows a door opening in Lara's bathroom upstairs. Pick up the gauntlet and drop back down to the raised block, and from there to the ledge and finally the floor.

Run through the gym to the entrance hall and up the stairs to Lara's bedroom. Enter the bathroom, go around the tub and enter the east doorway. Run down to the opening on your left and you'll see some spikes hanging down in front of you. Slide down into the next room and quickly turn left as more spikes start descending (or so it seems, although it's the floor that's rising). Don't head for what appears to be a ladder in the NW corner, but rather go to the safe SW corner where you'll find a real ladder. Climb up to the top and pull up into a hallway. You can shoot a couple of empty jars at either end if you wish, then push the button in the east wall to open a trap door at the south end of the hall. Face north and hop back to grab the edge of the floor opening. You'll see a boulder poised on either side of you. Release and slide down into the next room as you hear the chimes of SECRET #5. Stay very still as one of the boulders is released and rolls down right beside you.

You're in some kind of trophy room where strange things are displayed in the cases in front of you. Turn around and look up, and you'll see three more boulders that need to be released. Go to the west wall and pick up the AMULET OF HORUS from the higher step, then pull the shelves out once from the SW corner. Go to one side and pull them back once, then side flip to the left as another boulder comes crashing down. Run about the room to trigger the remaining two boulders, then return to the shelves and pull/push them back three more times, then push them onto the blue circle tile against the west wall. You get a cut scene showing a door opening in the dining room. Reverse roll and run over to the east side of the room, where you'll find a spare REVOLVER and LASER SIGHT on the raised blue circle tile. Take out your binoculars and train them high up in the dark NE corner (hit the action key to give yourself some light). You'll see a dangling brass ball that needs to be shot. Use the combined revolver and laser sight to make it dance, which opens the trap door in the floor near the NE corner. (What I did was stand right in front of the trap door and toss a couple of flares to illuminate the area a bit before firing.)

You can grab the curtain above the ladder, so jump to it and climb down into Lara's dining room. Reverse roll and run past the long table to face the open north doorway. The row of slats ahead will break away when you run across them, so stand at the edge of the checkered floor and take a running jump into the room, then another immediate running jump to the far ledge for SECRET #6. Go to your left and pick up the BREAST PLATE as Lara's theme music plays. There's a pole and another short row of breakable tiles against the west wall, seemingly intended to provide a way back across the lava pit, but you don't really need to use it. Go back to the NE corner with your back against the wall and take a standing jump to the segment of tiles that you didn't disturb on your way over. Take a running jump to the other segment, and a standing jump from there to safety.

You've now accumulated all of the armor pieces and the Amulet of Horus, so there's nothing left to do here but take a ride in the Jeep. Exit Lara's house through the front door and continue north through the arched opening. Veer to the left and go through the open doors to the Jeep, where you begin the course facing north. There's no time limit, so enjoy yourself. There are only a few tricky spots. When you go up the first long ramp you come to, you'll soon encounter a boulder trap. Assuming you live through that (with the boulders bouncing over your head), you'll next come to a spike trap. As you drive down the ramp, keep to your left and drive over the ledge that drops you down with a teeth-rattling jolt. Continue, and when you hear a burst of action music, you need to gun it to clear a gap where you get a fixed camera angle. Again, keep to the left here to avoid dropping off the side. Finally, there's a similar gap near the end of the course that requires you to be driving at full speed to make it safely over. If you wish, you can repeat the course as often as desired (in response to Lara's jeering taunt as you near the finish line), for there are no remaining tasks or exit trigger in this level.