PART 1: THE TROPICAL STONE

 

Level by misho98 (Michael Velinov)

 

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth

 

 

Lara splashes down into a pool well stocked with colorful fish.  Swim into the S alcove for MP5 ammo.   Beyond the W beach is a gated structure, but you can't gain access to it yet.  However, if you wade out and walk around near the gate, you'll attract the attention of a parrot, so you may as well kill it now rather than later.  Get back into the water and pull out SE in front of a Shiva statue.  Get the nearby small medipack and take a running jump N to the nearest pillar in the pool.  Take a running jump to the second pillar N, turn right and take a running jump and grab to the moss-covered E wall.  Pull up, jump up NE for the MP5 ammo, then hop down into the hole for SECRET #1.  Take the SACRED STATUE from the pedestal and pull out E.  Back flip to a stable surface, jump into the water and pull out SE once more. Pull up into the E opening.  As you enter, a cage rises behind you to bar your exit.  You're in a fairly small room, but there's plenty to do here.

 

First of all, relieve the skeleton of his MP5, as he won't be needing it any more.  Immediately draw it to deal with the four compsognathus that are swarming all about you.  One of them drops a TORCH (although there are two more in front of the NE alcove).  Light the torch using one of the convenient flames, then drop the torch somewhere where you can easily locate it (unfortunately, the flame can't be seen when the lighted torch is on the floor). 

 

Enter the SW passage and pull down the wall switch.  The gate swings open in the SE passage, so go there, push the skull cage forward and pull down the revealed wall switch to open the gate in the NW passage.  Go there to push the skull cage forward once.  A flame blower is activated, so wait for the flames to subside before pushing the cage a second time.  Duck to avoid the returning flames, and either await the next cycle or crawl into the E alcove to pull down the wall switch there. 

 

Return to the SE passage and push the skull cage one more time.  The gate swings open to your right, so enter the alcove and pull down the wall switch.   A cage has been raised in the main room next to the skeleton, so get up on it and jump up to grab the ceiling.  Monkey swing to the E wall and release to activate the jump switch.  The gate in front of you opens, so step forward and pick up the TEMPLE KEY.  Go get your torch and take it into the SW passage.  The E and W gates are now both open, so light the two wall torches to open the gate in the NE passage.  Go there and pull down the wall switch to lower the cage that was blocking your exit from this room.  Leave, run in front of the Shiva statue, pull up into the W opening and use your Temple Key to open the gate. 

 

Watch out for the swinging scimitars as you enter.  You're immediately assaulted by a trio of bats.  Avoid targeting the monkey as you kill the bats, or you'll add him to your list of enemies.  Note the closed gates and the crowbar levers.  Jump into the water and enter the N opening.  Pull out, climb up and follow the passage to a new area where a cage again rises up behind you to bar a retreat.  Shot a bat, then aim W to target a second bat that's presently dormant.  While your weapon is out, shoot the shark in the water below.   Stand in front of the wall switch and save your game for a timed run.

 

Here's how I did it without burning.  Wait until you see the flames emitting behind you.  Count to three slowly, then pull down the wall switch.  Take a rolling back flip to land on the first pillar, then a standing jump to land on the second pillar.  Step forward to the far edge (where you'll be safe), wait for the right moment and take a standing jump to the third pillar, then another one to the W ledge.  Step forward into the open alcove and take the CROWBAR from the pedestal.  Jump into the water and find the flares near the NE corner.  Swim into the SE passage and pull out at the end.  Insert the crowbar in the crowbar lever to raise the water level in the pool.  Swim back and locate the narrow crawl space near the skeleton lying against the S wall.  Swim inside and pull out into a chamber for SECRET #2.  Take the SACRED STATUE from the pedestal, swim back and find the underwater lever on the W side of the central pillar.   A gate lifts when you pull it, so swim to the E ledge, pull out and enter the NE passage (you don't even have to crawl).

 

Hop down the blocks and jump into the water.  Swim back to the previous pool and pull out.  You can choose either crowbar lever to continue.  I used the W one first (face N to insert the crowbar).  The adjacent gate opens, so enter and follow the passage to a spike trap.  Time a run past the spikes and stop before you fall into the lava.  Hop into either alcove and jump up to grab the edge of a higher passage.  Pull up and avoid a second spike trap, then a third.   Get past a pair of teeth doors and stop in front of two breaktiles.  Ready a weapon and run across the breaktiles to the pedestal.  Turn to your right and shoot the compsognathus, then pick up the first VALLEY KEY.

 

Stand between the pedestal and the fern and take a running jump toward the teeth doors.  Grab the vine-covered wall and shift to your left as far as possible.  Climb down until Lara's feet are on the horizontal strip, then take a rolling back flip with a midair curve to the right.  You should land in a corner away from the flames.  Step inside the alcove for SECRET #3 and take the SACRED STATUE from the pedestal.  To get back, take an angled running jump and grab the vine-covered wall.  Climb up, get past the teeth doors and spike traps and lava down below, and return to the hub room.  Go across to the E side of the pool and use your crowbar to open the adjacent gate. 

 

Enter a mirror room and find a flame-guarded Shiva statue at the far end.  Crawl under the flames for some MP5 super ammo.  Look in the mirror, and you'll see an alcove in the N wall.  Run past the walkthrough wall to the left of the skeletal remains (where the fern is) and pull down the wall switch.  A gate lifts to give you access to the skull cage in the W alcove.  Look in the mirror to see where it goes, then pull it back twice and S once.  Get around to the other side and push it S once more, onto the marked tile you saw in the mirror, so you'll be facing the Shiva when it comes to life.  After killing it, pick up the flares in front of the mirror and crawl under the flames to take the second VALLEY KEY from the opened alcove.  Turn around and shoot two compsognathus.

 

Return to the hub room and use the two Valley Keys to open the gate between the keyholes and let that poor monkey in.  Follow it into the passage and kill two raptors.  Grab the large medipack and MP5 ammo from the alcove to your right, then enter the S clearing as jungle music starts playing.  Take the Ingrams ammo from the nearby skeleton.  A stash of torches is presently protected by a  cage.  Shoot the shark in the pool and note two more that are locked behind the E and W gates.  Hop onto the block in the NW corner and activate the jumpswitch.  Fires are lighted in the alcoves below.

 

Reverse roll and hop onto the block jutting out from the W wall.  Jump to grab the branch and monkey swing toward the trunk of the tree.  Release to activate another jumpswitch.  The cage in the E alcove is now accessible, so pull it back twice toward the tree.  Go around it and pull down the revealed wall switch in the alcove.   This initiates a timed run, where two blocks are raised briefly in the W wall.  Use these blocks to get on top of the monkey swing limb.  Shoot the parrot now so you won't have to deal with it later, and note the four unlit torches embedded in the tree trunk.

 

Get back down, jump into the water and swim into the S alcove for a large medipack.  Flip turn and swim between the two blocks.  You'll see an underwater lever in the E and W walls.  Pull them both and quickly swim out and around, and pull out of the water.  Both sharks have been released, but fortunately they're too dumb at first to come after you the same way you arrived, but rather they try futilely to swim through the walls.  At least, until you swim out into open water.

 

However, what these sharks lack in craftiness they make up for in versatility.  At least one of them will follow you onto dry land and attack you from the air.  When you kill it, it will float lazily skyward.   The cage protecting the torches has been lowered, so pick up a TORCH and light it by using one of the nearby flames.  Run over SW and drop the lighted torch on the timed rising block.  Pull the timed switch in the E alcove and repeat your jumps to the top of the raised blocks.  Quickly pick up the torch and hop onto the tree limb.  Go around the trunk and light all four torches.  You can hear the sound of a gate opening, so get down to find an opening in the S wall.

 

Jump over the water into the opening and follow to a wall switch.  Pull it down to open a path to a new outdoor area.  Three raptors are waiting for you, so deal with them quickly.  Get the MP5 ammo in the SE alcove and locate the ladder on a tree as you face N from the rear of the clearing (near the water, which contains a red gem presently protected by a cage).  Climb up and look over to the opposite E limb to see that you need to find a way to raise another cage.  Jump SW to the next tree, then SE to a tree limb with an open flame.  Jump to the SW corner to find a wall switch in the previous tree.  Pull it down to raise that cage and summon a parrot.

 

Make your way over to the raised cage (the flame on the other limb has gone out) and get up on it.  Use it to access the next higher level of tree limbs.  Make your way S to find a spot where another cage needs to be raised.  Take a running jump W from there for a large medipack.  Get back to the N end and jump into the opening in the wall.  Shoot the compsognathus and investigate the situation.  There's a skull cage at the E end and a marked tile at the W end, but at present there's no way to bring the two together.  Pull the skull cage back once, then jump up to grab the E ladder.  Climb up to a higher passage, turn around and jump to activate the W jumpswitch.  A trap door lowers, so climb back up, hop down SE, and now you can push the skull cage W onto the marked tile.

 

Go back outside and hop along the tree limbs to the S end.  Sure enough, the cage there has been raised, so get up on it and pull up to the next higher level of tree limbs.  Pull down the nearby wall switch you see, which alerts a couple of bats and excites some reptilian cries from down below.  Jump to the SW corner for a small medipack.  You can jump to the NW end and back flip over the green slope, slide, grab, shimmy left and pull up, from where you can reach the upper level of tree limbs for nothing other than the satisfaction of getting there. 

 

Make your way back to the wall switch at the S end.  Hang from the S edge of the limb there and release to drop down into the water below.  The cage you saw earlier has lowered, so swim down and grab the first RED GEM.  Pull out onto the jungle floor and kill the two raptors that were making so much noise.  Exit N, kill another raptor in the next area and continue NE past the scimitar trap.  Hop down in front of the Shiva statue, near the point where you began this level. 

 

Take running jumps N to the three pillars in the pool.  From the third pillar take a running jump N to a grassy ledge and hop down to a beach with one skeleton and two cold campfires.  Take the Ingrams ammo from the skeleton and jump into the water for the INGRAMS.  Pull out onto the beach and hop to the NE block next to the waterfall.  Take an angled standing jump and grab the top of the waterfall.  Shimmy left, pull up and run forward to the N wall.  Pull up right and find flares, a large medipack, Ingrams ammo and MP5 ammo

 

Get back down and jump to the corresponding NW green block.  Jump to the left waterfall and pull up.  Run to the N wall and pull up left.  Follow to a room guarded by two natives.  One of them drops a small medipack.  Note the elusive red gem behind two gates in the N wall.  You now have the choice of exploring the E or W areas.  Let's start by pulling up into the W area.

 

You can see a monkey swing that requires the raising of a gate.  There's also a closed gate in the N wall.  Drop down onto the NE ledge and shoot the shark.  Jump in the water and swim into the N opening.  Carefully make your way past three spike traps and pull the underwater lever at the end of the passage.  Swim back past the spikes and find that the grate has been raised.  Pull out E and monkey swing across the pool room to the raised grate.  Turn left, go to the wall and release to activate the jumpswitch.  The gate in the N wall opens, so go back and follow the monkey swing all the way around in a clockwise direction until you reach the open gateway. 

 

Release, drop and grab the edge, pull up and take the first ANCIENT STONE from the pedestal.   You need to find one more, so get back to the main room and pull up into the E area.   This part looks more complicated.  There's a cage-protected wall switch and a closed doorway at eye level, and you can hear spikes popping out down below.  Step down onto the stone ramp and shoot a bat.  If you can target the crocodile clattering about down below, deal with it from up here.  There are jumping slopes ahead, but you can also climb down either side of the ramp.  Do so and find a large medipack in the SE alcove.  Note the side alcoves with deep, inaccessible shafts.

 

Climb back up and stand with your back to the wall.  Take a standing jump forward and grab the edge of the first slope.  Shimmy left as far as possible, then pull up, slide and jump to the second slope, slide a bit and jump off with a left curve to land on the left-facing slope against the wall.  Slide and jump with a right curve if necessary to grab the edge of the NE alcove.  Pull up and find a wall switch.   Pull it to lower the cage protecting the switch on the other side of the room.  I couldn't jump to the far side of the slope from here, but no big deal.  Drop down, climb back up and repeat your jump to the first slope.  This time, keep jumping forward and you'll eventually make your way around the room to the switch in the S wall.  Pull it to open the door behind you.

 

Use the monkey swing to get across to a third wall switch.  Pull it down to flood the room below.  Drop into the water to find that those alcove shafts are now accessible.  There are five in all, each one leading to a different area.  They can be explored in any desired order (although you do need to save the middle S shaft, which has a distinctive marking, for last).

 

NE shaft:  Swim up and pull out in front of a room.  Don't rush in, however, as there are hidden spike traps.  Look up at the ceiling for the proper route.  Get across and pull down the wall switch between the statues.  A cut scene shows an underwater gate opening, but there are others still closed.   Get back across the room, following the same route, and swim back down the shaft to the previous room.

 

Middle N shaft:  Pull out and prepare to battle two natives.  There are blocks with five wall switches in this room, one of which is protected by a cage.  Look above the four switches to find the only safe one, the NE one.  Pull it down to lower the cage, go there to pull down the N wall switch, and a cut scene shows a second underwater gate opening.  Get back to the previous room.

 

NW shaft:  Pull out and shoot a compsognathus.   Note a second compie behind a closed gate.  Stand with your back to the slope, back flip and jump off to grab the edge of an alcove.  Pull up and find the wall switch.  Pull it to release the compie.  Drop down and kill it, then enter its lair.  Do the same back flip and grab trick.  This time you have to climb up two levels to reach the next wall switch.  Pull it down to open up the way to the third wall switch down below.  Pull it down for a cut scene showing a third underwater gate opening.  To get back to the previous room, you have to use the N slope to push the first switch back up.

 

SW shaft:  Now you have to deal with a lava room.  Jump W to grab the first slope.  Pull up, slide down the other side, jump to grab the second slope and repeat.  Grab the ladder in the W wall and shift left.  You need to jump off at the proper height, so climb down until Lara's hands are on the next to the bottom rung.  The slope behind you should be completely obscuring your screen.  Take a rolling back flip, jump off the slopes and grab the second slope.  Pull up, slide and jump to grab the ladder in the E wall.  Use the crack in the wall to shimmy right and around the corner.  Pull up onto the block, turn around and use the monkey swing to get across the room to the W alcove.  Pull down the wall switch there to open the fourth and final gate in that underwater room.

 

The slope angles have been conveniently changed, so to get back, monkey swing to the SE block.  Use the crack in the wall to get back to the ladder, climb down until the ramp behind you completely blocks your screen, then take a rolling back flip and jump twice to grab the ladder in the W wall.  Shift right and repeat to get back to the entrance.  Swim back to the previous room.

 

Middle S shaft:  You're immediately greeted by a native.  After he's gone, note the moveable crate, shoot the shark in the water, then jump in and find those underwater gates you opened earlier.  Pull an underwater lever behind each one and pull out to find that you now have access to four more moveable crates.  Pull one of the crates out of the wall, move it onto that rising cage square in the N wall, then move another crate under that wall switch in the W wall.  Climb up and pull down the wall switch to raise the cage and the crate that's on it.  

 

Now arrange the other crates in a row stretching across the room.  Move the upper crate along this row until it comes to rest against the S wall.  Climb up on it and pull down the wall switch to open the gate in the E wall.  Before going there, jump SE to the top of the waterfall and find the room SW for SECRET #4.  The moat and the small medipack in it are guarded by a crocodile.  Take the SACRED STATUTE from the pedestal on the central island and return to the previous room.

 

Push the middle crate toward the pool so you can jump across to the E alcove and take the ANCIENT STONE from the pedestal.  Jump back over, exit W and return to the flooded room.  Pull out W and hop down to the main room.  Insert the two Ancient Stones in their receptacles to open the gates leading to the second RED GEM.  Take it from the pedestal, exit S, hop down from the waterfall to the sandy area and climb out using the SE green block.  Slide down into the pool with the colorful fish, swim W to the beach, wade out and insert the Red Gems in the snake head receptacles to lift the gate.  A parrot may show up here.  If so, deal with it.  You may think the level is now over, but there's still more exciting gameplay to come.

 

If you look down into the water you may be able to see a crocodile swimming around, but you can't entice it up to where you are.  Nothing to do but jump into the water and swim through the W passage with the crocodile giving hot pursuit.  Enter a large area and turn right to pull out N.  Kill that crocodile, then look around and find much unfinished business in the immediate area - closed gates, receptacles needing artifacts, etc.

 

Jump back into the water and swim through the narrow N opening.  Pass over a closed grate and pull down the overhead lever.  Look into the NE alcove and swim there for the MAGNUM.  Look in a W alcove for some flares.  Nearby, in a lower W alcove, a cage has been lowered, allowing you to pick up the GOLDEN KEY.  There's an air pocket in an upper E alcove if you're getting short of air.  In a lower E alcove you'll find some Magnum ammo.  Avoid the adjacent lower E alcove, or you'll get spiked.

 

There's another overhead lever in the SE alcove.  Pull it down to open that grate in the floor.  Swim down there and pick up the LASER SIGHT.  Leave this room and swim across the main room (pausing for air if necessary) and into the narrow S opening.  Swim into the SW alley and locate the underwater lever near the end on your left.  Pull it and swim diagonally across this room to the NE corner, where a gate has opened.  Enter and follow until you can pull out S.  Step forward and pull up to face a rope hanging down over the water.  In the central structure beyond you may see a skeleton roaming about.

 

Don't use the rope yet.  Instead, pick up the spare MP5 at your feet and look to your left.  Jump to the E alcove and use your crowbar to open a door guarded by that skeleton you saw.  Now return to the rope and jump S to grab it.  Swing forward and jump off to land on the central structure.  Blast the skeleton into the water and take the flares from the dormant skeleton.  Find the moveable crate in the S wall.  Pull it out, get up on it and jump to the higher ledge.  There are two more skeletons up there, so prepare to deal with them.  Locate the opening in the W wall near the SW corner and jump into it. 

 

As you go up the ramp you trigger a series of boulders.  They're slow moving and fairly easy to dodge, but be aware that there are more of them up there near the top.  You can see them perched in their ceiling holes.  See if you can trigger them all without getting squashed.  It's worth the effort, because when you're able to pull up into the NW opening, you'll be rewarded with SECRET #5 and another SACRED STATUE.  Don't forget to take the ROSE from the pedestal in the W alcove before leaving.

 

Get back out to the pool area and cross the bridge to the N side.  Insert the Rose in the snake head receptacle on the column to your right.  A door is opened high up in the E wall, so simply hop NE to the adjacent ledge and take a running jump to grab the edge of the opening.  When you pull up, teeth doors are activated, so carefully run forward and pull down the wall switch.  A cut scene shows an underwater gate opening. 

 

Hop back past the teeth doors, turn around and jump down to the former ledge.  Hop W to the next ledge and pick up the MP5 ammo.  Safety drop to the floor below and jump into the water.  Exit NW and swim back to the main room.  Surface and pull out N.  Insert the Golden Key in the nearest receptacle to open the gate in the S wall.  Turn around, combine the Magnum and the Laser Sight and shoot the golden ball in the S alcove.  The second underwater gate lifts in the W wall, so swim down there and take PUNA'S TEMPLE KEY from the pedestal.

 

Surface, pull out N and use Puna's Temple Key in the N alcove keyhole.  The gates on either side open, so select one and slide down toward the N room.  Jump to clear the spike trench.  Pull up left onto the W ledge and find four receptacles, with a fifth receptacle up in the NW alcove.  Insert all five of your Sacred Statues to open the W door.   Enter for SECRET #6 and pick up the RUBY.  Hop down to the floor and enter the N opening to attract three natives who follow close behind.  Run back out to avoid the Puna Queen's deadly bolts, and do battle there with the natives (but you may find that one of them has gotten stuck in the ceiling, for crying out loud). 

 

Now you can devote your full attention to the Puna Queen.  When she dies she drops a ROSE, which you insert in the snake head receptacle in the E wall to lower the cage behind you.  Hop onto the central block and take the TROPICAL STONE from the pedestal.  A door has opened in the N wall, so go there and up the ramp toward the ladder to end the level.