LARA CROFT: I AM LEGEND

Level by Clara & Masha

Walkthrough by Araelfi

LEVEL 1: Manhattan - Sunset (Secrets: 4)

PICKUPS: Platform Code, DVD, Bunch of Keys, Dilution, Car Key, Garage Key, Fuse, Kiosk Key, Cork, Pocket Watch, Station Key; Shotgun, small medipack (2), large medipack (4), shotgun shells (3), flares (5).

You start in front of a red brick house (well, orange), facing E. This is 11 Washington Square. Notice the padlock on the door and remember this house - you'll be back later. On the other side of the park, all the way across the square, is the elevator, but you can't use it without the code, so let's go get that first.

Run down the steps onto the road, turn left (S) and run to the end of the street, then turn left again (W). You'll see a sign on the building saying "PLATFORMS & SCAFFOLDING LTD". Kick open the door (Ctrl) and enter. Open the door to the left of the ramp and pick up a small medipack. High up somewhere in the NE corner you can see a Jumpswitch and a platform just to the right of it. There are several ways of reaching this platform - you can take a running jump from the ramp, from the top of the bathroom, or you can use several platforms to the right of the ramp. Once you're there, face the Jumpswitch, back to the wall and take another running jump to grab and pull down the switch. This will open the metal door at the top of the ramp, so go there and pick up a piece of paper - Platform Code - from the computer desk (hard to see). Now go to that cabinet in the next room and take one step back from it, then press Action (Ctrl) and Lara will open it and take some shotgun shells.

Now that we have the code we can use the elevator, but on the way there we'll stop by for some more pick-ups. Exit the office, follow the street E past the park, and turn right (N). When you reach a red car, turn left. There are two blocks with plants in this street; climb the second one, turn S, draw the pistols and jump up to shoot the wooden fence. Jump and grab to climb onto the balcony. Inside the house you'll find a small medipack in one corner and a DVD (guess which movie) on a pedestal in the opposite corner. Unfortunately you can't use the TV & DVD player, so you'll just have to take it back to the shop. :(

Get back to the park street (W) and run left (N) until you get to the elevator. Go around it to find the keypad and enter the code (2012). You might want to save before typing the code, just in case you mess up, since the elevator works only once. Once you get to the top (may take a while, so be patient), you have a choice whether you want to go for the secret first or get stuff from the balcony. Either way you must collect both items before dropping down, because there's no way to get back up.

Let's finish the balcony business first: turn E, shoot the fence, jump to the balcony and take the keys [Bunch of Keys] from the table. Now we can go for our first secret: jump to the platform N of the elevator (either take a diagonal jump NW or first get back to the elevator and then climb N) and follow it to the end, take a running jump and grab another platform N, then turn right (W) and take another running jump to grab the roof of the building (Washington Square Station). Run across the roof a bit to the SW and you'll find a Golden Rose - SECRET #1. (Be warned that this is your only chance to get this secret - if you miss it now you'll never be able to return, since the elevator works only once.)

When you pick it up, return to the balcony where you found those keys (running jumps across those platforms), face the wall (N) and backflip across the fence into the water. Right under the balcony - well, a bit to the left - is an underwater door. It's a bit tricky to open (you'll have to place Lara at the center of it and press Action) and you need plenty of air for the following swim, so make sure you have enough left before you enter the tunnel. There are no dead ends so you won't get lost, but it's quite long and winding. When you finally reach a T-intersection, first go right to pick up another Golden Rose - SECRET #2, then roll and get out. The current will take you back to the area with the boat, so pull up onto that dock and push the button to open the door and get back to the street.

Go left (N) past the elevator and follow the building on your left to the end, then turn left (E) into a yard with a large tree. There's a keyhole next to the green door on the left - use your Bunch of Keys to unlock it and enter. Upstairs is another lock which can be opened with these keys. Once inside, open the door on the left and follow the L-shaped room to the right to find a pedestal with Dilution. Pick it up and leave the building. Go right (W) to get back to the street and run straight across the square past the Station to the other side, then run right (S) towards the orange house. Go into the street just left of that house and follow it to the fence. You'll see a button - press it to open the gate and go through to the other part of the city (West).

Go all the way around the building to your left to find the entrance to the DVD shop. (Apparently Lara is NOT the only survivor in this city.) There's a pedestal in the corner just beside the door. Position Lara on the south side of it and place your DVD to open the shop door. Inside, in the far right corner (SE) you can pick up Car Key from the desk. There's nothing else useful, so you might as well head out.

Outside the shop go right and back around the building until you see Christmas decorations hanging in front of Union Square Station. Run in that direction and a cutscene will follow. Your dog Sam will rush off after a deer into a dark passage. After the scene run straight ahead past the station (notice the chains on your left) and behind it you'll find some wooden boxes. Shoot them and collect your first batch of flares - you'll need them in a moment. Now turn around and run to that chain - you'll find the entrance to the dark passage right behind it.

Enter and go right first, to the room at the end of the hallway. Here you'll find Garage Key in the loo to the left. Go back to the hallway and go to the other end, where you'll see the remains of the deer and a bunch of pushable blocks. You need to move them in order to free up a passage to the right, so let's start with the closest one - right next to the deer head. Go to the right side of it (S) and push it N twice. Now go to that same square and pull out the rightmost block (in the SW corner). Go to the left side of it and pull it once more. Now go around it and although the passage is free, you may want to push that block one more time just to get it completely out of the way - extra space may come in handy soon.

Enter this new dark passage and follow it to it's even darker end (ignore the room to the left for now). Turn to face the left wall (W) and grab the nearly invisible ladder (or light a flare) and climb high, almost to the top (about one block lower). Backflip into an alcove containing a Golden Rose - SECRET #3. Jump and grab the ladder and get down, and go into that room on the right. Don't be alarmed by the mutants (yet), calmly collect those flares and jump into a hole in the SW corner to get SECRET #4 (yes, another Golden Rose). Now go to that desk Sam is hiding under and save before you pick up the little yellow thing on the ground. As soon as you pick up the Fuse, mutants will attack, so be prepared to run out as fast as you can (same way you came - left around the pillar and into the hallway, right to the movable blocks, a U-turn to the left and straight for the exit - be careful not to miss it). Once you reach the exit they will disappear, so you won't have to worry about them later. You may attempt to fight them by jumping back into that secret hole and jumping up and down to shoot at them, but they're very hard to kill and there's no room to manoeuver.

Now go to that chain you saw before (best to face E) and jump up and grab it. Climb up until you're high enough to backflip over the fence onto a platform. Go to the block with the plant and carefully walk around it (stick to the edge of the block) to prepare Lara for a running jump. There's a Jumpswitch right in front of you, high up on the middle pillar of the station - that's what we're after. Hop back and take a running jump, curving slightly to the left or right (because you had to avoid the plant and couldn't jump from the center) and grab to pull down the switch. This opened a gate to the garage yard, so that's where we're heading next. Turn right and head N past the fire hydrant until you see a couple of benches under a tree to your right. Turn there and run straight through the gate into the yard. There's a keyhole for your garage key on the right, so use it and enter. First go left and open the cabinet in the same manner as before (one step away + Action) to retrieve a large medipack, then place the fuse in its rightful place on the S wall and finally go and pull the switch on the E wall. (Avoid saving your game after pulling the switch until Lara gets into the car - it may become unusable otherwise.)

Now that you have a lovely new car, let's take it for a ride... and crash it into a subway. Drive out into the street and turn left, follow the road past the station and then take a U-turn to get to the staircase leading down into the subway. Crash the car into the metal fence at the bottom of the staircase and get out (backing out first may help - press Sprint to get into reverse, drive the car back up, and press Jump + Left to get out, then run down the stairs). Jump and grab the crack in the wall and crawl through, then slide down and jump over the gates.

In the next room you'll find a large medipack by the kiosk (a bit to the left), and on the other side are some sacks hiding flares (shoot them). There are four tunnels leading out of here, and there's a button right by the SE one. Go there and press it to open a gate nearby. You need to jump across the tracks into that steamy alcove, but it's quite tricky so better save first. [Hop back once from the button, turn slightly to the right to face the alcove (SE), then hop back once more and take a running jump with grab. - Alignment found by Aribeth.] Try to time the jump as to avoid the steam - if you get it right and duck immediately you can get away with no damage at all. Again, it may be useful to save while you're safe and crouching since the next bit is almost just as dangerous. You need to stand and jump up to grab the monkeyswing and traverse across the deadly tracks into a passage SW. (To move away quickly from the steam remember that you can also shimmy [Step Left/Right] - that is, move left or right - while on the monkeyswing; again, it's possible to escape without a scratch.) Follow the passage to a wooden door and press Action to push it open. Shoot the panel to reveal a switch and pull it (this turns off the power on the tracks), then turn left and shoot the wooden fence protecting the goodies. Crawl in there to pick up flares and a large medipack, back out and return to the station (it's safe to run across the tracks now). You can investigate the NE tunnel if you wish, but there is nothing in there, and NW is still blocked by a train. The only way left is SW - so go there (shoot the fence or jump over it) and push the lever to move the train and reveal a key. Go and pick up the Kiosk Key and head straight into now free NW tunnel.

A rat will attack you when you approach the bend, so be prepared. Run until you notice a grate in the left wall (opposite a yellow light), but don't be hasty - make sure you get as close to it as you can before shooting because you'll have to crawl into the opening as fast as possible to avoid getting killed by a train. Crawl through the passage, pick up flares and shoot another grate / fence in the end, then jump out into the water (Jump + Forward). Swim left, get out of the water and grab a hanging platform to climb on it. Turn E, shoot the boxes and take a running jump there. Pick up the large medipack and push the button to drop a cable. Run and jump to grab the cable (rope) and swing across. Get through the door, push a button and shoot a rat before you pick up the Crowbar.

Now jump into the waterhole and find a Cork in the submerged room (it's on the blocks N, right under a shelf with the bottle and a radio). Swim out, go left around the fence and use the cork to plug a hole in the pipes. Metal door behind you will open, so go and use the wheel there to drain the lower room. Drop down there, pick up some shotgun shells on the blocks E (you'll have to crawl in and out), and then approach the cabinet a bit to the right. Open it as before - one step back - and get a Shotgun! Climb out and return to the big room, where the water level has risen. Swim to a platform in the left corner (NW) to get some more shotgun shells, then get back into water and swim to that platform you climbed earlier. You can do a running jump from there to the top of the floating crate, and then jump to grab the small opening you came from. You might want to save before attempting to get through those swinging chains, although they appear harmless enough. Once you're back in the big tunnel, continue E (left) until you reach another station.

Here you'll find that kiosk you have the key for (the keyhole is near those red benches). Shoot the sacks if they're in your way and unlock the door. Retrieve the Station Key from the kiosk and head up the stairs E, jump over the obstacles and pick up a Pocket Watch from the floor (in that pile of rubbish). Use your new-found key in that keyhole by the stairs and get back out to the Washington Square. Now we finally have a means of opening that padlocked door, so head SW towards the orange house. Break the padlock with the crowbar (Lara will pick it up) and enter.

LEVEL 2: 11, Washington Square - Sunset

PICKUPS: Bowl, Yellow Key; small medipack (4).

Well, we're finally in. Now let's first get Sam from under our feet so that we can do our business in peace: follow the hallway past the stairs and you'll find a wooden door to your right. (It leads down to the basement, but there's no need to go there yet.) Push the button to open it and enter, wait till the dog is in (usually gets stuck on the steps) and then get out and push the button again.

Next to the basement door is a shelf - press Action to retrieve a small medipack. Now turn around and go through the open door into the kitchen. There is a yellow Bowl on the floor to the right, in front of the cooker. Pick it up and head into the living room. Open the double door on the right (Action) to go into the bathroom. Locate the shower on the right and stand exactly where those black footsteps are (facing S). Press Action and Lara will place the bowl in the sink, and the cover will raise allowing you access to the button. Press it and the bowl will fill with water. Pick it up and get back to the hallway (you can go through the living room). Go upstairs, turn left and follow the hallway to the bedroom. Pull the moveable thing away from the corner to reveal a small medipack, then go to the chest of drawers beside the bed, take one step back from it and open it to get another small medipack. Return to the hallway and this time go right from the stairway to find another bedroom. Go to the closet (with some clothes hanging) in SW corner, duck and crawl in to retrieve fourth small medipack (don't go too far though, you might catch fire!). Back out, return to the hallway and open the remaining door. As soon as you enter Lara will focus her attention on something behind a glass panel, but there's no way of opening it.

Instead, look for a button in NW corner and push it to open a secret door. Jump /climb inside and locate a pushable block on your right. Push it once, then turn left and push another block four times. You'll reach a room with burning flames, three doors and four switches. You'll have to push the block(s) under the switches in order to reach them. Yes, that means pushing/pulling through the flames. Once a block is on a flame tile the fire will go out permanently, but you'll need good timing and a bit of luck to manage this without catching fire. Pulling the switches opens doors with more blocks - you can push/pull them onto the flames or you can use only one block for the whole puzzle. Either way you need to pull all four switches to open the wooden door. Enter the passage and get your well-earned prize from the pedestal - a Yellow Key.

Now we're ready for the basement. Go downstairs, push the button to open the basement door and head downstairs to enter the next level.

LEVEL 3: 11, Washington Square, Laboratory

PICKUPS: Blood Test, Powder, Distilled Water, Serum 391, Inactive Vaccine, Tape, Red Key; large medipack, small medipack (2).

There are several things to do in the lab and it doesn't really matter in which order, but I recommend you visit the rat room first as you'll get some useful hints afterwards. Just don't forget the goodies - a large medipack to the right of the entrance (NE) and a small medipack from the counter in the NW corner.

#1 Go to the next room (W) and open the door. You'll find a room full of cages with rats. If you look closely you may notice something in the cage #391. Pull the crate on the "391" tile and a trapdoor will raise under the corresponding switch. Jump on it and pull the switch, then jump inside the cage and retrieve the precious object - Blood Test. (The rat is harmless but makes it rather hard to pick up the object - crouching usually helps.) When you return to the lab a cutscene shows a blackboard in the lab with some instructions:

So that's what we need to do next.

#2 Use the machine on the W counter (right by that blackboard from the cutscene) to turn your Dilution into Powder.

#3 Unlock the S door with your yellow key, enter, find a small medipack to the right behind a pillar and locate the bellows in the SE corner of this room. Put the Water Bowl on the burner and use the bellows to start the fire and make Distilled Water. Pick it up from the pedestal and return to the lab.

When you're done with everything, combine Powder and Distilled Water into Serum 391 and insert it into a machine on the N counter. Now you have an Inactive Vaccine and the metal door behind you is open. Enter to retrieve a Tape and a Red Key, listen to the scene and return upstairs.

LEVEL 2: 11, Washington Square - Sunset (part II)

Push the button to open the door and head for the bathroom. Locate the tape recorder on the windowsill and insert the tape.

LEVEL 4: 11, Washington Square - Night

PICKUPS: Shotgun, small medipack (3).

You have less than 2 minutes to shut all the blinds in the house before something bad happens. It's not an awfully tight run, but it's easy to get stuck and waste precious time. Here's how I did it (in less than 1:30):

Save your game as soon as the level starts and rush left to push the first button [#1]. Turn a bit to the left and backflip with a twist over the bath (and the dog) and run into the living room. Run right around the sofa (or jump over it) and to the button in SE corner [#2]. Push it, then roll or backflip with a twist again and hurry into the kitchen. Jump onto the counter in far right (SW) corner to find another button [#3]. Sideflip to the right after using it, run out into the hallway and run up the steps. Once upstairs turn right and follow the hallway to the children's bedroom. Run straight past the bed and turn right to press the button in the SE corner [#4.] Rush back into the hallway and follow it around to the gym. The button [#5] is on your left (on the E wall, as in most of the rooms). Do another backflip & twist and sprint into the bedroom, turn immediately to the left and find a button [#6] in the corner. Press it and go around or jump over the bed to reach the final button [#7] and close the last of the blinds. After a few seconds a flyby will start and show the metal door at the end of the downstairs hallway being opened.

Well, now that the rush is over, we can relax and collect some extra goodies before heading outside. Go to that chest of drawers on the left side of the bed and open it - you'll find a small medipack just like before. Return to the gym and move the glass case to reveal another small medipack. Follow the hallway to the children's bedroom and crawl into that closet to find a third small medipack. Now go downstairs and stop by the shelf next to the basement door (which cannot be opened anymore); reach in for a Shotgun. Finally, you can go through the newly opened metal door and use your red key to open the backdoor. Exit to finish this level.

LEVEL 5: Manhattan - Night (Secrets: 2)

PICKUPS: Old Key, Golden Key, Dynamite, Glass Door Key, Torch; Revolver, Lasersight, revolver ammo (2), shotgun shells (2), large medipack (4), small medipack (2), flares.

Go around the car and collect a large medipack lying in the grass to the left and flares hidden in the bush to the right. Follow the road to the left (E) - away from the fence - to get back to the square, then run diagonally NE across it to reach the house where you found the Dilution. If you look up at the scaffolding at the corner of the building you'll notice something new - a shiny metal ladder. Position Lara under it as if it were a Jumpswitch (facing W), jump up and grab. The ladder will extend and you'll be able to climb it as usual. On the top platform stand in the NE corner and turn to face a crack in the building across (N); use binoculars if you're having trouble finding it. Take a running jump and grab the crack, shimmy left and climb onto a ledge. Pick up the large medipack and crouch to shoot the fence on the balcony opposite (the only one you need to break is the E one). Once that's taken care of stand on the edge about one square away from the fence, turn SE and take a running jump to slide down the roof facing up and grab the edge. Shimmy to the left end, pull up and backflip onto a balcony. Take the Revolver from the table and either drop down if you don't mind losing health or do the following to get away without a scratch: position Lara in the SE corner, facing the roof E, and take a running jump with a hard curve to the left to fly over the roof into the water beyond. As before, the current will bring you to the dock, so climb out and return to the park street.

Next stop - the park. The gate is already open and if you've forgotten where it is, it's on the S side of the park. Inside are two immortal dogs and a very mortal mutant. Try to run and jump quickly across the first two hills (mounds) and reach the mutant before the dogs catch up with you. Shoot him down as fast as possible and don't miss the Old Key he drops. Leave the park and head into the street SE. There's a keyhole (left side of the gate) that fits your new key perfectly. Behind the fence is the bike (finally!), but don't forget to pick up the goodies before going for a ride. Pick up the small medipack left of the steps and then go up towards the bench and sideflip to the right over the low fence. Turn around and you'll see some shotgun shells by the lamppost. Get them, return to the bike and head out into the streets.

Turn right (W), past the park and then left (N) towards the orange house. Continue past it to the very end of the street - you'll break some barricades and fall through the floor down into the sewers (I never managed to do this without damage). Park the bike somewhere safe and get off. There are three pairs of red metal supports in here so we'll use them for orientation. In the bush next to the left one of the first pair of supports lies a large medipack. Retrieve it and run forward (W), ignore the ladder on the right wall and continue to the last red support on the right. A bit further is a switch - pull it to open a trapdoor on top of that ladder and return there. Climb up into the room (don't backflip, you'll hit a wall) and start collecting stuff: revolver ammo in front of the fridge (W), shotgun shells in the sacks N (shoot them), a large medipack in the corner and a Golden Key on the shelf (NW). Return to the bike and ride through the tunnel to break out into the street on the other side. Have fun with the mutant horde and when you're ready head behind the Union Square Station to find a fenced off yard to the right (SE).

Here's a gate that can be opened with the golden key, so park your bike and use the key. On the other side of the fence notice a rather badly painted wall on the right. Drive your bike SLOWLY through it and stop as soon as the wall is down. The first row of squares is safe, but behind lies a virtual mine field. Jump over the mine to the left corner and collect SECRET #5 (a Golden Rose) from the shelf. Sideflip to the right and jump from the safe tile back to the entrance. Climb on that movable crate (no need to move it) and jump left onto the platform on top of the forklift. Spot a chain holding a crate N and take a standing jump to grab it. Climb up, move to the right and backflip. Notice a button in the NE corner - that's where we're going now. Follow the ledge to the S and turn right to jump onto the hanging crate (watch out for that hook). Stand in the corner and time the jump when the steam is off to grab the grate and climb up, then shimmy right all the way and around the corner to finally drop into the alcove with the button. Press it and the glass door at the end of the ledge opposite will open. Hop back, grab the edge and shimmy left as far as necessary to be in line with the forklift (under the first steam emitter). Backflip to land on the platform and climb up via the chain, then head through the door you just opened. Outside on the balcony is Dynamite on top of some boxes; pick it up and take a look down to see a wooden door E. Return to the storage, drop down on the moveable crate (if you haven't moved it) and head to that door to find a rope in front of it. Place the Dynamite in the middle of the circle and the grate between the steam emitters will open.

Find your way back to the hanging crate (forklift, chain, ledge), stand in the NE corner and take a diagonal standing jump with grab to land inside the alcove with a bunch of Torches. Take one and jump back to the crate, take a running jump to the ledge (again, watch out for the hook), jump down on the forklift platform and finally to the ground. Exit, turn left and run out of the yard, straight past the Station to find a burning barrel (near that dark passage from previous levels). Use it to light the torch, return to the rope with the dynamite and save. Light the dynamite and rush into the storage to avoid the explosion; when it's over, go back and enter the building, taking your lit torch with you.

Run down the hallway to the end and retrieve a small medipack from the SW corner. Grab the torch again and head into the next room. Locate a wooden trapdoor behind two yellow pillars (left) and use the torch to set it on fire. Drop into the hole and get the last Golden Rose - SECRET #6. Climb out and run towards the pool, dive in and retrieve a Glass Door Key from the SW corner. Get out of the water and head to the SE corner of the room to find a ladder next to the statue. Use it to get on top of the structure where you're faced with another moveable blocks puzzle. You might want to hop over to the ledge left to get that revolver ammo first and save your game.

There are four blocks (N, W, S, and E) and each has a corresponding tile in one of the corners (NW, SW, NE, SE). However they all look quite similar and it's difficult to figure out which is which; you'll know you got it right when you get a view of a glass door. Here's a detailed explanation:

N block goes into the SW corner - push it W twice, then move it S.

W block goes NE - push it N once, then E three times.

S block goes SE - push it E twice.

E block goes NW - push it N once, then pull & push to the NW corner.

Once all four blocks are in place, the glass door opens. Take a running jump there (W) and use your Glass Door Key to open another door. Jump back to the structure and jump up from one of the blocks to grab the monkeyswing. Traverse to the NW corner and drop on the ledge. Shoot to break the window before trying to jump across and retrieve the Lasersight. Return to the previous ledge and dive into the pool, then climb out and head outside.

Run W towards that burning barrel you used to light the torch to find another rope circle. Place the Blood Test in the middle and step back. After the cutscene combine Revolver with the Lasersight and shoot the Jeep to trap the girl.

LEVEL 3: 11, Washington Square, Laboratory (part II)

PICKUPS: Detonator Key, Ice Maker empty.

We're back in the basement. Push the button to open the metal door and pick up the Detonator Key. After the flyby climb over the counter S and get an empty Ice Maker. This opens the big door so you can go through the lab into the house.

LEVEL 4: 11, Washington Square - Night (part II)

PICKUPS: Ice Maker Water, Ice Cubes, Active Vaccine.

Go to the bathroom and use the shower to fill the Ice Maker just like you did with the Bowl. Pick up Ice Maker Water and go to the fridge (NW corner of the kitchen) to place it. It will instantly freeze and you can take the Ice Cubes; combine them with Inactive Vaccine to get Active Vaccine.

Turn around (or roll) and go to the living room window. Press the button to open the blinds and climb the windowsill to use the Detonator. When you get out into the hallway several mutants will attack, but you can evade them and just run downstairs into the basement.

LEVEL 3: 11, Washington Square, Laboratory (part III)

PICKUPS: Grenade Gun.

Go to the room with the girl and the door will close behind you - just as well, since a bunch of angry mutants is after you. Place the Active Vaccine in the receptacle and another metal door will open. Pick up the Grenade Gun and use it to blast open the hatch. Quickly put the grenades away and duck into the opening. Follow the tunnel towards Sam and enjoy the final flyby of these magnificent levels.

19/08/2009