THE 13TH FLOOR

Level and video walkthrough by Anthony Fauquant (Lara Fox Croft)

Written walkthrough by Phil Lambeth

After sliding down a chute into a dark area, Lara exchanges some banter (using her headset) with her irreverent friend Zip.  The ladder N leads to a crowbar door.  Since you don't yet have the crowbar, begin by going S and pause for the Walther P99 (with suppressor) ammo at the corner.  Check your inventory and note that you already have both the Walther handgun (now with unlimited ammo) and the H&K rifle (with suppressor), together with the LASER SIGHT (which can be combined with the Walther, so do so now).

Shoot the grill and crawl along the dark duct.  You get a camera shot from the adjacent room as you pass a window to your left.  Turn left at the corner and you'll get another camera shot as you pass a window.  Continue to find two grills, one on your left and one on your right.  Shoot the left one first and crawl past a steam blower as a harmless rat scurries by.  You can stand up in the corridor, but first shoot the grill at the end of the N crawl space.

Crawl inside and target the soldier in the room below.  Flip down into the room (using the up arrow key) and get the McDo (large medipack) on the far table.  Stand in front of the cabinet to the left of the Lara mural and search it for some H&K ammo.  Turn around and do the same with the second cabinet.  The fixed camera is an impediment, but try to avoid using one of your valuable flares. 

Exit via the crawl space.  Note that you can roll through the crawl spaces by getting up on one knee (by hitting the space bar) and hitting the sprint key.  This gives you an extra burst of speed in tight spots.  Once in the corridor, roll past the steam blower and shoot the grill on the W side of the duct.  Flip down into the corridor and open the trap door at the far end.

Safety drop into the room below, which is protected by a network of red lasers.  There's nothing in the nearby cabinet or the shootable box in the corrner, so side flip over the nearest laser and pull up onto the duct.  Carefully jump SE into the corner and go around the shelving for some H&K ammo.  You can crawl under the laser back to the other side, but of course the cabinet to your left is inaccessible (it's empty, anyway).  Shoot the S grill and crawl under the laser into the crawl space.

Turn right, roll past the steam blower and shoot the grill.  Stand up in the corrider, shoot the S box and the fuse box on the dark wall behind it.  Pull the wall switch to open the W door and follow the catwalk past a closed door to a button.  Push the button and immediately draw a weapon to shoot the soldier who magically appears near the still-closed doorway. 

Retrace your steps back to the laser room.  The door in the N wall is now open, so enter a room with a translucent floor and a fixed camera.  Step forward to trigger a flyby that, among other things, informs you that the elevator is out of order.  After reading an exchange of banalities between Lara and Zip, search the orange candy machine for a chocolate bar (small medipack).  Push the wall button to the left of the candy machine to activate the elevator.  Step to the opening and jump NE over the rail.  Go down and open the trapdoor. 

You can't, for some reason, grab the N edge to safety drop to the ledge below, but you can grab the S edge.  Anyway, when you get down, face the chain and simply run forward.  Grab the chain and slide nearly to the bottom (a laser beam awaits below).  Back flip away from the twin laser banks.  Face NW and look up.  Shoot the grills high up in the wall, then face W just right or left of the chain.  When the laser banks meet in the middle, hop over the red laser, run to the W wall, jump up and grab the crack.  Shimmy to the right, around the corner, and pull up into the crawl space.

Drop down the other side into a room with a glass-protected card and a closed door.  Climb the ladder in the W wall and back flip into an upper room.  Vault up onto the E ledge and line up with the jump switch.  Take a running jump to activate it, being careful not to miss lest you fall to your death down the ladder hole.  Climb back down to find the N door open.  Push the button near the entrance to an office area.  This turns on a few lights.  A soldier comes out to challenge you, so dispose of him.

Note the closed door in the N wall and enter the small W room.  Search the candy machine for a chocolate bar, then shoot the grill in the S wall.  Crawl into the next room while a rat darts between your legs, go to the dark SE corner for some H&K ammo, then pick up the CROWBAR in the SW corner.  Crawl back out and take a look in the N office area if you wish.  However, there's a closed door in the W wall and laser-protected doorways that prevent any further exploration.

Go back E and open that metal door with the crowbar.  Enter and search the cabinet to your right for some flashlights (flares) and H&K sniper ammo.  The executive office behind you appears to be empty, so enter the E office area and kill the soldier.  Pick up the McDo he drops.  Push the button in the NE corner and note the card receptacle on your way out.

Go all the way back S and find that the glass barrier is now gone.  Vault up onto the block and take the KEY CARD.  You know where it goes, so go back and insert it in the receptacle.  A block is raised in a previous area, so return S to the Key Card room and climb the ladder.  Back flip into the upper room and turn around to find the raised block.  Get up onto it and, facing the E wall while standing at the back edge of the block, jump up to grab the trap door.   Pull up into a still higher room.

Go to the NW corner and jump up to shoot the fuse box in the wall.  Activate the revealed jump switch to cause a short circuit that blows out the fan in the N wall.  Pull up into the opening and look down into a deep elevator shaft.  Shoot the grill across the way, then jump to grab the rope.  Swing forward and jump off to grab the opening.  Pull up into the crawl space and quickly crawl forward and to your left into the side passage before the laser bank reaches you. 

Here, you have an option as to which way you wish to proceed.  You can continue crawling through the duct in a generally upward direction until you reach another grill to shoot, placing you at the edge of the elevator shaft where you lose camera control again.  If you choose this route, you'll bypass the gameplay described in the next few paragraphs.  Or, if you're adventurous, you can work your way past the laser bank and proceed that way.  Let's be adventurous.  Get up on one knee and face NW.  When the laser bank glides by to your right, roll into the passage, turn slightly left and roll once more.  If you run into the far wall you're likely to find yourself stuck in the corner, but it's not difficult to disengage yourself.  When you do so, lower Lara into an office area.  Shoot the soldier and make a note of the floor plans on the E wall (which, as it turns out, serve no useful purpose). 

Push the N button to open the door behind you, then search the cabinet for some H&K ammo.  Turn around and shoot the grill before entering another crawl space.  Stand up, light a flare if necessary and pull down the wall switch to raise the trap door above you.  Pull up into a surveillance area and go out SW.  Kill a soldier who may be lurking in the hall ahead.  Otherwise, search the cabinet perched against the window for a chocolate bar. 

Side step to the left and find that the window has been broken out here.  Face SW and save your game (if you miss this next jump, it's a long way down).  Take a standing jump and grab the ledge jutting out from the outer wall.  Pull up and take a standing jump S to the next ledge.  Jump up and shoot the grill, then pull up into the opening.

Lower Lara down the other side and safety drop (as flipping out will cost you some health).  Note the old-timey phonograph player beside you as you land.  Turn around and climb the ladder in the E wall.  Pull up and shoot the boxes, as one contains a DISC.  Search one of the shelves against the W wall for a rather obvious SECRET #1 and a GOLDEN ROSE.  Climb back down the ladder and place the disc on that phonograph player.  Hmm, the music you hear isn't so old-timey, is it?

Turn around with weapons drawn and shoot three soldiers who are trying to sneak up on you from the adjacent NE hallway.  Continue toward the laser-barred opening and you may encounter another soldier here if you didn't dispose of him earlier.  Take a running jump E past the laser-barred opening, as a motion-detecting machine gun is waiting for you on the other side.  You can open the doors just past the machine bar, but the opening is also barred by lasers.  Continue past another closed door, where you can see a soldier frantically trying to get at you from the other side.  Come to think of it, this may be the one you may or may not have killed earlier.  Find a candy machine and search it for a chocolate bar.

Go back and open those doors.  Kill the soldier if applicable and pick up the McDo he drops.  Note the spinning advertisement in the next room and hop into the water beyond it for another KEY CARD.  Now go NE and you can see a dark open area with a ledge that you can use to jump to a chain.  Instead, walk to the edge of the lower adjacent ledge and turn around to face S.  Hop back, and as soon as you clear the edge hit the action key so that Lara glides into the space below.  Light a flare and enter this dark area.  Loop around to the left and push the button on the right.  I'm not sure what pushing the other button does, but no harm appears to befall Lara when you do so.  You'll hear what sounds like a boulder falling, then you can turn and pick up the GOLDEN ROSE for SECRET #2. 

Go back to the ledge and face the chain.  Take a running jump and grab it, and slide to the bottom (you're safe there from the laser banks).  When a pair of laser banks nears you and stops, take a standing jump over the lower one and quickly run left into a safe area.  Immediately draw weapons to kill a dalmation and a soldier.  Shoot the grill in the SW corner and pull up into the crawl space.  Turn to your left, roll past the steam blowers and stand up at the end of the passage.  Climb down the ladder and be careful of the electrified tile halfway down the lower passage.  Jump over it when the coast is clear and turn left into a room filled with shelves and locate the rather obvious GOLDEN ROSE for SECRET #3.  I also got a screen shot of some gas cans overhead.  Grab some H&K ammo near the NE corner and exit this room.

Turn right in the passage and jump past the electrified tile when it's safe to do so.  Climb the ladder at the end and crawl to the other end of the duct.  Flip down into the room below and time a run past the laser banks.  Insert the key card in the receptacle you'll find at the SE corner of this area.  The doors open.  Enter for an extended flyby through the next area. 

Go S across the room, but don't enter the E opening to your left (a machine gun awaits).  Continue to the S wall and turn left at the closed corrugated metal door to locate a push piece.  Pull it three times, then get behind it and push it N into the room.  If you look through the translucent floor, you can see the brown square over which the push piece is to rest.  When you place it properly you hear an explosion.  It is now safe to enter the E opening, as the machine gun is gone.

Go between the work stations and shoot a dalmatian.  Turn the corner and shoot two soldiers.  Note the rising block square near the NE corner.  Go toward the closed VCI door and look on the wall to your right.  Shoot the grill and pull up into the crawl space.  Don't recklessly flip out into the lower duct passage, but kneel at the edge and look down to see a laser bank.  Wait until it moves away from you, then flip out and jump over it on its return trip.  Turn right to face a connecting passage, and note a pair of laser banks.  You need to turn right here, so wait until both banks have started going to the right, then enter the passage and jump over the lower bank.  Quickly run forward, pull up into the N alcove and pull down the wall switch to open the corrugated metal door in a previous room and release an assortment of villains.

Retrace your steps past the laser banks and flip out into the room where you pulled up into the most recent crawl space.  Draw weapons and await the arrival of a cyborg, a soldier and what I'll call a storm trooper.  After peace has been restored, run W between the work stations and turn left to reach the well-lighted push piece lobby.  Stand at the S opening, kill the approaching cyborg and shoot the gasoline can from afar off.  As you approach the S room two more cyborgs are attracted.

After the area has been cleared of enemies, go down to the S room.  Avoid the grated floor ahead of you lest you be set aflame.   The portions on either side are safe, but the nearby cabinets are empty and you should ignore the wall switch for the moment.  Use the side walkway to get across to the S cabinet and search it for a PLUG.   Return to stand in front of the wall switch and save your game for a timed run.  When you pull the switch the block is raised just past the work stations you ran past earlier.  For me there was no cut scene to kill, just the merest of flickers, so run into the push piece room and veer right into the dark area.  Hit the sprint key and gun it past the work stations.  Jump onto the raised green block, aiming for the middle of the near edge.  Jump up to grab the ceiling trap door.  If you still have time, jump forward to grab the hole in the ceiling and pull up.  Otherwise, go back and do the timed run again.  With the trap door already open it should be a breeze this time.

In the upper crawl space, crawl SW and enter the duct in the W wall.  Follow it around until you come to an area guarded by two laser banks.  Wait for them to retreat before standing up, then jump over the lower one and run to the W wall where you'll be safe.  You can shoot the grill to your right, but you can't enter the opening from this side.  Instead, climb the S wall a long distance to the top.  There's a crawl space to your left, but you can't get to it by attempting to shimmy.  Instead, pull up and face the crawl space at a slight angle.  Save your game, for obvious reasons.  With your back against the W wall, take a standing jump and grab the edge of the crawl space.  Pull inside and stand up when you can. 

Locate the receptacle to your right and insert the plug.  The trap door behind you opens, but the red laser stays put.  Crouch down and carefully back up to the edge.  Lower Lara down and release.  You'll glide gracefully down and slide under a couple of laser beams with no apparent ill effects.  Continue sliding down the duct and grab the edge, then safety drop to a lower duct guarded by a pair of laser banks.  As the lower bank approaches you, take a running jump over it and crawl underneath the upper one (using the sprint roll if you have time to get to one knee) until you reach the safety of the N wall. 

Climb the W ladder and pull up into the upper duct.   Run forward and turn the corner.  Open the crowbar door, get into the crawl space and shoot the second grill to your right.  Flip down into the room below and shoot the green fuse box to your left.  Approach the wall switch (you may encounter an invisible force field, but work your way through it) and pull it down.  An explosion destroys a protective case to your left, so vault up onto the slab and pick up a CD ROM. 

Ignore the other colored fuse boxes (there's a reason, but I'm not sure what it is) and the slowly turning Lara statute (now safely protected), run to the receptacle in the S wall and insert the CD Rom there.  The SE door opens, so go there and enter a corridor filled with poisonous gas.  The depressions here and in the next room are safe havens to restore your health.  Quickly run to a wall switch and pull it to open the next door.  Enter the next room and jump into the NE depression for some instant relief.  Shoot all the boxes from there, then pull out and run W to grab another PLUG.  Insert the plug in the S receptacle and retreat to restore your health before exiting via the E doorway (I needn't remind you to do this any more).

Turn to your left just inside the next room, shoot the box that's in your way and pull the object E away from the corner.   Pick up the CD ROM in the corner and insert it in the receptacle in the N wall.  By this time you've surely seen the ugly critter SE engaged in some sort of struggle, but as long as it leaves you alone you can count your blessings.  Anyway, the NE door is now open, so enter to find a similar critter.  However, it doesn't seem bent on attacking you.  If either should change its mind, you can dispose of them rather easily with the H&K (and not the Walther P99).  Also, the smaller moveable objects here serve no purpose, and the grill in the S wall leads only to another safe-haven depression.

In the next room, climb up onto the shorter crate to your left and jump to the larger crate in the NW corner (you're safe from the poisonous gas here).  Turn to face the jump switch SE and jump to activate it to stop a laser bank in its tracks.  Enter the N crawl space and shoot the nearest box W.  Pick up a KEY CARD, squeeze into the depression without touching the laser bank, and go back S.  Search the facing cabinets, if you wish, for some H&K ammo in each one, then return W through the next room and the poisoned corridor to the colored fuse box room.  Search the NE cabinet here for a pack of flashlights, then pull up into the W crawl space and stand up in the alcove to your right.

Insert the Key Card in the slot (in an earlier version of this release, it's reported that this slot was invisible) to open the door to your right.  Enter and climb the fishbone ladder next to the red door.  On the upper catwalk, shoot the E fuse box to reveal a jump switch.  Activate it to open the lower red door and awaken a pair of laser banks.  Take a standing jump over the laser banks and grab the fishbone ladder.  Climb back up to the catwalk.  According to the builder's video walkthrough, the upper red door should now be open, too.  However, in my game it wasn't.  Not to worry.  Take a step back from the red door, crouch and hit the sprint key.  You'll roll right through the closed door.  Jump over the laser beam in the passage and step forward to pick up the GOLDEN ROSE for SECRET #4. 

To exit, you can pull down the ceiling trap door and climb directly up into the ducts, or you can roll back through the closed door and use an alternate route provided by the builder.   Take a running jump toward the jump switch, as if you were attempting to grab it.  However, since it has already been activated, you will instead grab the crack beneath it.  Shimmy all the way to the right, around two corners, and pull up into the crawl space.  Crawl around to the left, stand up and light a flare.  Shoot two bats and jump over the laser-protected depression.  Shoot the gasoline can in your path and turn the corner to find a passage with a laser bank and laser beams.

Wait until the laser bank retreats, then take a running jump over the beams and wade to the far end.  Jump up left and pull up into the crawl space.  If you take the S opening you'll come to the trap door over the secret area (open or closed, depending on what you did when you were there).  Instead, crawl W and ignore the first left.  Continue to a floor opening and lower Lara down the other side.  A flyby ensures, during which Lara engages in a rather meaningless conversation with Zip.

When camera control is restored, head up either ramp toward the W.  The bobbing artifact is protected by flames, so run past it and pick up the McDo near the W wall.  Go to the N wall and push the button there.  Turn to your left and enter the open doorway.  Arm yourself with the H&K and enter the next room to kill the Lara harpy in there.  Note the dormant hand in the center of the room, flanked by two Lara statues.  Go to the N ledge, where the camera angle becomes fixed, and step out through the broken window (but beware lest you fall to your doom).  Turn right and approach the fuse box.  Shoot it and pull down the wall switch to lower a block at the entrance of the previous room.

Reverse roll and return to the broken window.    Run past the dormant hand and the Lara statues, note the hole in the floor where the block lowered and continue past it into the next room.  If another McDo lies ahead in the same spot where you picked one up earlier, don't look gift horses in the mouth.  Go back down either ramp toward the E and turn around to find that the formerly protected fuse box has been blown away.  Pull down the wall switch there to cause a small explosion nearby.   The ledge beyond the bobbing artifact is now unprotected.   Enter the S opening (when the flame blower is dormant) and shoot the fuse box to reveal a code device.  

Since you have no codes to insert at present, go back to the harpy room N and find an opening in the middle of the W wall.  Run down the passage to the entrance of the next room, then reverse roll and return to the previous room where two Lara harpies have been activated.  Kill them with the Walther P99 (not the H&K) while being careful not to target the Lara statutes (which will cause your own health to be drained). 

When they're both dead, return to the W room, veer to the right and push the button on the block to suppress a laser bank invasion.  Now go SW and pick up the NOTE PAD on the floor over the grill as beetles come pouring down.  Examine the note pad to find the second part of the required code: 02.  Run to the NE corner and pull down a wall switch there.  Exit this room E and find that the dormant hand in the previous room is now very much alive.  Shoot both of the green eyes in the head, jumping all about in the meantime to avoid the deadly laser beams, and the whole shebang will explode.  Step forward and pick up the NOTE PAD for the first part of the code: 16. 

Go S to where you lowered the block earlier and you'll find a hole in the floor underneath.  You can hang from the edge to get rid of those pesky beetles (but be sure not to drop down).  Return to the S room and enter the S passage when the flame blower subsides.  Go to the code receptacle, press the action key and enter 1602, pressing the star key when you're through.  Exit to find that the flames protecting the bobbing artifact are gone.   Go there and take the IRIS.

The door in the W wall opens, releasing a couple of soldiers.  Kill them and run down the W passage to end the level.