COMPLEX SIMPLICITY

Fortress of Fear

 

Level by illyaine

 

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth, using notes provided by Tom.

 

Note:  If you downloaded the files for this level on or shortly after it was released on July 1, 2010, this walkthrough won't work for you, as the TR4 file was modified at some later time.  If you find that your game doesn't begin as described below, and if you wish to use this walkthrough, download the files again and start over.


Begin with a remote view of Lara sliding down a slope.  You'll land on a row of breaktiles over a channel of deadly water, so run forward and jump to a hole where you'll descend to a small room guarded by two baby spiders.  After dealing with them, ignore the water hole for the moment and walk out along the S passage until you trigger a flyby through a rainy outdoor area.  Wait for the vulture to arrive and patiently kill it as it soars lazily about.   Stand at the edge of the passage and take a running jump S to grab the swingpole.   Swing around and jump off to grab the ladder ahead.  Climb up and grab the crack, then shimmy left around two corners and tap the jump key to grab the ledge above.  Pull up to face a tightrope.  If you didn't kill the vulture before, do so now, as it will otherwise become an unwelcome and lethal pest as you attempt to negotiate the tightrope.

Carefully use the tightrope to get across to the N alcove.  When you reach the ledge in front of the closed gate, run off to the right onto the brown rocks below.  Take a running jump NE with a curve to the left to reach the gray ledge in front of an open window.   Use the ladder to climb down, and slide the rest of the way to the floor of a room with blocks and crates.  Go across to the opening in the N wall and pull up into a passage.  Follow past an iron gate to a ladder and climb up to a brightly lit hallway.  Go around the right side (pausing for uzi ammo on the way) to the opening on the far side and hop down for a TORCH.  Take it with you to the next room W and jump only onto the green squares (although the red ones won't harm you).   A flame then appears in the W wall sconce, so light your torch there and carry it back with you past the previous hall to the opening in the E wall.

Throw your lighted torch into the opening and climb down after it.  At the opening to the S room below, run diagonally to your left onto the block and drop your torch there by drawing your pistols.  Go back through the passage and climb the ladder to the well lighted hallway.  Go around to the W opening, face E and jump to the ladder on the hanging block ahead.  Shift right around two corners to the other side.  Climb the longer ladder into an upper room.  Run forward and pull down the wall switch to raise a pillar (and your torch) in the room with the blocks and crates.  Go back there, climb up onto the row of crates against the E wall and stand at the exact center of the wall medallion ornament.  Jump up to grab the crack in the wall.  Tap the jump key to grab a still higher crack, then shimmy to your left around several corners until you're able to drop down onto the raised pillar.  Pick up your torch and light the wall sconce. 

The block to your right lowers.  Throw down your torch, safety drop to the ground and enter the new passage in the N wall.  Go to the end and take the SWORD (first of four) from the plinth.  Reverse roll and go back out, climb onto the crate against the W wall and jump S to grab the crack.  Tap the jump key to grab the upper ledge, pull up and turn a bit left to jump to the ladder.  Shift left and climb up to the opening.  Run through the short passage and jump down into the water.  Locate the nearby NW opening and swim to the end of the passage.  Make a hairpin turn to the right and locate a higher parallel passage.  Swim through and pull up into the room where you began the level.

This time, instead of jumping to the S swingpole, turn around and hop back to slide down the slope.  Grab the edge at the bottom and shimmy left around the corner.  Pull up into the gently sloped passage and run forward.  Turn right into the connecting passage and push a button to cause an explosion above the room you just left.  Jump back into the water, use the NW opening to return to the beginning room, and use the S swingpole a second time.  Jump to the ladder and repeat your previous moves to get on top of the ledge.  Use the tightrope a second time to reach the N ledge.  Grab the crack in the wall to your left and shimmy left around the corner.  Go close to the wall and tap the down arrow key to make Lara turn around and jump to the swingpole.  Jump off and land on a fenced ledge where water is flowing.

Look for the jump switch slightly SE and save your game.  Take a running jump over the fence, curving slightly to the right so you'll grab the jump switch and activate it before sliding down into the water.  An iron gate opens in the far S wall.  Swim again through the NW opening and use the swingpole to get to the top of the ledge as you've done twice already.  Face the shingled slope SW and jump to it.  Slide down and grab the edge.  Shimmy left around the corner.  When you're directly over the opened gateway, pull up (save your game as you're pulling up, just in case you miss) and when Lara starts falling backward, wait for her to clear the edge before pressing and holding down the action key.  You should glide safely into the opening.

Run forward along the passage and open the door at the end.  Step through the threshold to trigger a long flyby through a courtyard area in a driving rain.  Draw weapons as soon as you regain control, as two vultures and a dog are already upon you.  After peace has been restored, look around to get your bearings.  SW is a corridor that leads to a dead end.  Beyond some barrels E is a closed gate requiring a key.  The container in the NW corner is empty.  When you pull the N wall switch you get a cut scene of a timed door W.  Near but yet so far.  Wait for the switch to come back up, then pull it again (the cut scene is not repeated), turn to your left and immediately start sprinting straight toward the timed door.  It may take a few tries, but don't stop to congratulate yourself once you make it through, because spikes are ready to pop up and skewer you.  Keep running until you're past them.

In the next room, side flip over two giant buzz saw blades and locate another switch in the N wall.  When you pull it there's no visual indication of what you've just done, but apparently it isn't timed.  Side flip back over the first blade and look E.  Go around where a block has lowered and take the CROWBAR from the plinth.  As you do so you hear the sound of a door opening nearby.  Go back, side flip over the S blade and return to the courtyard (the spikes are now dormant).  Go down that SW corridor and use your crowbar on the gate in the S wall.  Go inside and continue along the SW passage, as the containers in this room are all empty.  Run up the ramp and step into the opening at the top to release a boulder on the other side.  Then shoot the grate and slide down into a higher outdoor area.

 Turn left and go NW into the next room past a closed gate.  Loop around to the right and pull down the wall switch to lift a trap door above you.  The block at the SW corner is moveable, so pull it out and go around to pull it E away from the corner.  Enter the revealed alcove and pull down the wall switch to open the iron gate you passed.  Go there for a large medipack.  Return to the passage and push it three times E.  Vault up onto the block and turn around to face W.  Jump up to grab the raised trap door and pull up.  Pull the gray block back onto the raised trap door and vault up onto the block.  Step forward, grab the crack in the wall and tap the jump key to grab the sloped ceiling.  Shimmy left and around two corners.   When you can go no further, tap the down arrow to make Lara turn around and jump to the raised platform behind her.

Pull up and shoot the vulture that may or may not appear comatose, then jump into the SW opening and go around to take the BREAST PLATE from the plinth for SECRET #1.  Go to the NW opening and slide down onto the gray block, then safety drop to the ground.  Head E across the courtyard and jump the fence where you see a fancy emblem between the iron bars.  The gray block here is moveable, so push it twice S.  Go up SE and find the crack in the S wall.  Jump up to grab it, tap the jump key to grab a higher crack, and tap the jump key again to grab the roof.  Shimmy right and pull up into the alcove.  Pull down the wall switch and watch the brief flyby.

Safety drop to the pavement and turn to your right.  Enter the W alcove and climb the ladder on your right.  Shift left and drop to a higher ledge.  Turn around and pull into the opening.  Pull down the wall switch to raise the moveable block down below.  Go back down and move the block all the way over to the E wall, then to the NE corner.   Get up on the block and grab the crack in the N wall.  Jump up to grab the roof, then shimmy left around the corner and pull up into a passage.  Follow around the corner and shoot the archer.  Enter the opened gateway he was guarding and pick up the large medipack for SECRET #2.  On the way out pause for some uzi ammo and a small medipack. 

Go back the way you came and drop down onto the moveable block.  Move the block into the N passage and use it to jump over the gate into the next area.  You can even push the block through the gate if you wish.  Jump down into the lower area and open the door at the N end.  Before entering, go to your left and pull up onto the walkway for some flares.  Go back to enter the new doorway and grab the crack in the N wall.  Jump up to grab the edge of a slope, shimmy around the corner to your right and pull up into a passage.  Follow to a ladder and climb up to an outdoor area.  Follow the W walkway as funky music starts playing.  When you reach a dead-end at the N wall, back up a bit and stand with your back to the E wall, just S of the tall fake window.  Take a running jump forward, also holding down the action key.  You'll land on a ledge in the center of the ramparts.  Take another running jump with action to the next such ledge.  Repeat a third time and you'll land just beyond the ramparts.  Loop around to the right and stand in front of two swingpole lamps.

Run off the edge onto the slope below and jump off without sliding to grab the first swingpole.  Jump off to grab the second swingpole, and jump off this one to grab the crack in the E wall.  Shimmy to your left and pull up into the alcove.  Pull down the wall switch to open the gate directly beneath you.  Safety drop to the floor and step forward for SECRET #3.  Pick up the UZIS and a small medipack, then reverse roll and pull down the wall switch to open the nearby gate.  Head out S (first noting the keyhole in the passage to your left) and go to your right.  There's an opening in the S gate, just past a closed gate to your right, where you can enter a courtyard with a boulder off to your left. 

Jump up to grab the crack in the shorter tower to your left.  Jump up to grab the higher crack, shimmy right just around the corner and hit the down arrow key to transfer Lara to the higher tower.  Shimmy right around the corner and release over the jump switch.  When you activate it a large keg rolls out from an alcove to your right.  Go there and pick up the STONE SKULL KEY.  Exit N and climb up onto the crates NW.  Grab the crack in the N wall and jump up to grab the roof.  Shimmy right until you're over the jump switch, then activate it and enter the open N gateway for a large medipack.  Go back E, past the keyhole you noted earlier (the Stone Skull Key doesn't work there) and slide down the roof SE into a familiar courtyard that has changed a bit since you last visited (a block has risen to hide the timed wall switch).  Your key does work here, however, so open the E gate and proceed to an alley that leads to a stony ledge high up in the castle wall.

Look across E to an opening in the castle you can't reach from here.  Look down and see an object on the crate in the SE corner.  Hop down to the block, and from there safety drop and slide to the floor.  Shoot the dog, then climb up onto the crate for a small medipack.  Proceed N into the courtyard and approach the well as two knights come forth to attack.  Unfortunately, neither one drops anything in dying.  Climb up onto the nearby blocks and note the crack in the S wall above you that's too high to reach.  Ignore for the moment the stairway leading to the S room to the left of these blocks.  Instead, go over to the lone crate near the N wall and climb on it to access the stacked crates SW.  From there, take a running jump N and grab the crack in the wall.  Jump up to grab the edge and pull up.  Turn right and pull up to a higher ledge.  Run E to the edge and hang from the edge.  Shimmy right, then tap the down arrow key so Lara turns around and jumps to the first of two swingpoles.  Use them both to access a ledge at the SE corner. 

Jump up to grab the crack in the wall, then shimmy right around two corners until you can pull up onto a ledge.  Run down into the S room and go across to the SW ledge.  Hang from the edge and shimmy right around two corners until you can pull up into an alcove.  Push the button and return to the previous room, where you find that a block has been raised to provide access to the N wall switch.  Pull down that switch, and you'll see a cut scene of blocks rising in the S room downstairs that I told you to ignore earlier.  Push the switch back up to lower the blocks, thereby saving yourself a trip later on.  Pull down the switch in the E wall to raise a block against the S wall outside.  Get back down either of two ways:  by using the cracks in the wall to shimmy left as far as you can go, then releasing to fall harmlessly into the shallow pool of water below;  or by dropping down into the alcove to the left of the wall switch and making a safety drop to the raised block below.  Whichever way you choose, enter the nearby S room. 

Watch out for the campfire, as it will catch you on fire if you get too close.  Locate the moveable block to the left of the campfire and pull it out once, then get around to the right side and push it once.  Climb up and pull the suit of armor onto the moveable block, then push it once S.  Replace the block in its original spot, then pull the suit of armor once W onto the moveable block.  Push the armor once S onto the raising block tile.  Go outside and climb the blocks against the S wall to reach the upper room again.  Pull down the N wall switch to raise the blocks downstairs.  Get back down and climb up onto the crate to the left of the campfire.  Step forward and pull up to a short connecting passage.  Move the suit of armor onto the other raising block tile.  Return to the upper room and pull up the switch in the N wall.  Get down and move the suit of armor onto the green tile against the W wall.  A cut scene shows a row of blocks lowering in the wall of the upper room.

Get back up there, using the blocks, and enter the new area past the wine caskets.  Take the second SWORD from the plinth and get back down to the ground.  Go across the courtyard NW and enter the second arched passage.  Turn around at the closed door to see a ladder.  Jump to it and climb up to a high ledge.  Turn around and jump N across the gap.  There's another ladder here, so climb it until you reach the penthouse.  Step forward, turn left and push the moveable block twice into the next room.  Hop over the fence to your right and pick up the flares, then climb down the ladder N and step forward to claim the GOLDEN ORNAMENT KEY.  A cut scene shows a raised platform in an area you've already explored, the small courtyard with the boulder in it.

Use the ladders to get back down to the outdoor courtyard (and don't be casual about what appears to be a routine hop over the gap to the tall ladder;  it can be tricky).  Locate another moveable block against the N wall.  Pull the block once E and get up onto it to find yet another moveable block in the N wall.  Push this block twice to reveal a canal below and to your left.  Jump into the water, dive to the bottom for a small medipack and swim E to a hub room with some uzi ammo on the floor.  You can surface here to catch your breath, if you wish, while you survey the situation.  Swim into the S passage and pull the underwater lever at the end.  Go back, turn right into the E passage and pick up some flares at the end.  Go back halfway and swim up through the shaft and past an opened trap door. 

You'll soon reach an area where you have to make a decision.  Don't continue through the W passage.  Instead, turn right and swim N into a larger area with a skeleton and a fenced-in medipack.  Swim up and surface.  Pull out to find an archer and a knight waiting for you.  After killing them, locate the flares on a crate and find the moveable block SE.  Move it three times W onto the lighter-colored tile.  Get up onto one of the crates next to the S opening  and take an angled running jump over the slope into the higher passage.  Follow and hop down into a lower room.  Pull down the switch in the W wall and get back up, using the handy ladders.  Return to the previous room to find that the block you moved has been raised.  Push it once S so you can climb up on it, then turn around and take a running jump N to grab the rafter.  Pull up and jump across to the far N rafter to find the difficult-to-see GREY METAL KEY.

Get back down and jump into the water.  Swim out S and turn right.  Fight your way into the tight quarters for that small medipack if you wish, then enter the W passage and allow the current to grab you until you're deposited back into a water hole in the courtyard below.  Thank the builder for the short cut, then get up on the S blocks and jump up to the room with the two wall switches.  Get up onto the SW ledge, jump back and grab the edge, and shimmy right until you reach the alcove where you pushed the button earlier.  Take a long running jump W to the rocks, then follow until you reach the courtyard where you did that timed run eons ago.

Go down the SW corridor and continue through the room with the campfire and up the ramp.  Slide down into the upper courtyard and go around to the right and counterclockwise until you reach the lower courtyard with the boulder.   As you did before, climb the N face of the shorter tower and jump the cracks.  Shimmy to your right around the corner, turn and jump to the taller tower, and shimmy right or left around two corners.  Don't try to turn and jump to the raised platform behind you, but simply pull up and back flip.

Face slightly NW and take a standing jump to grab the sloped roof.  Shimmy right until you can pull up into a passage.  Follow to a roof with a reflecting floor.  Go behind the SW pillar and pull down the wall switch to open a nearby gate.  Use the Golden Ornament Key in the receptacle in the W wall and hear the sound of a trap door opening.  Climb the ladder in the N wall and back flip from the penultimate rung.  Pick up the third SWORD halfway down the passage and continue forward into the opened gateway for SECRET #4 and a large medipack.  Go back the way you came, into the E passage and jump to the sloped roof at the end.  Slide down, grab the edge and shimmy right until you can release onto a crate and suffer no loss of health.  Circle the outside of the courtyard in a clockwise direction and jump up to the higher SW courtyard.  Jump over the slope into the S opening and follow the passage to the courtyard where you did the timed run.

Go out E (using the opening on the left) and return to the opening in the castle wall that overlooks the lake.  Hop down and slide into the lake.  Swim across and use the NW opening to pull out into the room where you began this level.  Use the swingpole to jump to the ladder, climb up to grab the crack and shimmy around until you can pull up to the top of the ledge.  I hate to have to tell you this, but you're going to have to negotiate that tightrope a third time.  When you get across to the other side, open the door with your crowbar and enter to claim the fourth and final SWORD.   Don't bother going back to review this walkthrough.  You could not have opened this door earlier, as you didn't have the crowbar at the time.  

Now you have to do some annoying backtracking.  Jump into the lake, use the NW opening to pull out, use the swingpole to get to the other side, and continue with a shimmy along the sloped roof until you can pull up over the S opening and glide down into it.  Follow back to the timed run courtyard, then continue SW along the corridor until you reach the next outer courtyard.  Exit NE and make your way across the ramparts E until you reach the moveable block.  Use it to jump over the gate, and repeat your steps until you reach the area where you found the third secret and the uzis as described above.  Find the keyhole you noted earlier and use the Grey Metal Key to open the gate.

Follow the inner passage, pausing for uzi ammo along the way, pull up over a barricade and enter a well lighted room.  Insert the four Swords in the shields on the E wall and S wall.  The gate to your right opens when you place the fourth one, so enter and go down the winding staircase.  Shoot the archer in the room below and move the E suit of armor (it does make a difference which one you select) onto the green tile.  Go to the NW pillar and use the crack to pull up to the top.  Another tightrope.  Use it to cross over S, then run past the third suit of armor and jump into the pool.  Flip turn and pull the underwater lever in the archway, then pull out and find that the first suit of armor has been lifted.  There's also a raised block near the third suit of armor.  Look across the pool, and you'll see a fourth and a fifth suit of armor.

Move the third suit onto the NW dark tile so it's facing the water.  Push the first suit S off the raised block, then jump into the water and pull the lever to lower both blocks.  Go back and push the first suit E onto the raising tile, then pull the underwater switch once more.  Go back and pull the first suit onto the NE dark tile so that it's also facing the pool.  The gate in the E wall swings open, so enter and go down the stairs into the next room.  Push the button in the E alcove to open the gate in the W wall of the pool room.  Go there and find yourself in an opening that overlooks a large room far below.

Safety drop into the new room and go down to the NW corner for a large medipack.  There's some uzi ammo near the SW corner.  When you pick up the BLUE CRYSTAL in the center of the glade, a flyby traps you for a moment while four dragons materialize.   It will take you a while to kill them.  Even with a manufactured revolver and unlimited revolver ammo, it took me at least 200 rounds to vanquish them all.  When all is finally quiet again, enter the open S gateway and climb the ladder as Lara's theme music plays.  When you pull up into the upper room, you're facing the princess.  Approach her to end the level with a brief cut scene.