THE CHAMBERS OF WONDER

A Tomb Raider Level Editor level for PC
By Ben Best
(E-mail: benandkylie@hotmail.com)

NOTE:
I have not mentioned when enemies pop up, not wanting to give away everything in this walk-thru.

INSTRUCTIONS:
The level opens with Lara in an area directly outside the entrance to the Chambers of Wonder. Head around the squat obelisk and go through the opening, the wire door mysteriously opening as you approach it.

Examine the strange formation as you run past heading to the left, around the blocks on the floor, to a small room. After entering the small room, the door closes claustraphobically behind you. Slide down the ramp.

In this room there is a closed door to your left, and a number of shootable pots.

[SECRET 1:
Shoot the pot closest to you on the right after sliding down the ramp to uncover a large medi-pack.]

To your right are four patterned tiles on the floor in four alcoves on the right wall. Step on each one of these (in any order), and the door will open. Go through the door into the first chamber.

Nothing wondrous here, although there is an intriguing hole in the ceiling. Again, the door closes behind you as you head to the left. Go through the only available doorway, and head around the corners, but don't go too fast or you'll regret it. You'll come to a large heavily shadowed room, with a number of pillars. Jump to the first one, turn left, and jump to the second one. The jump to the third one is rather tricky. You need to stand a little distance from the corner, jump backwards, and do a running jump which (if you set it up right) will land you on top of the pillar - but don't keep running. The jump to the last pillar is easy, as is the final jump to a small alcove containing the Golden Vraeus. Grab this and return to the first chamber.

Run around the pool to the receptacle for the Golden Vraeus. Place it in the hole. There is a strange red glow, some eerie music starts, and the first wonder can be seen: a pillar of water in the middle of the pool, defying gravity! Jump into the pool, or jump directly into the pillar, and swim up to the roof where there is an opening. Climb out.

Go through into the second, smaller, chamber. There's only a switch below an inaccessible opening. Push the switch. More music, and when you turn around, a section of floor can be seen suspended in the air, with a strange red glow underneath! Go over to it and climb up on to it. That triggers another, higher, platform, which in turn triggers a third one. From the third platform, you can reach the opening.

Go down the corridor and go around more corners than could possibly exist in only three dimensions, and when you come to the end, turn around and climb up into another corridor above the first. Then, drop down the hole (which somehow passes through the lower corridor). You'll land in the third chamber.

Climb out onto dry land and follow the steps upwards. Cue the mysterious music again as a flyby camera reveals where you would like to go . Do a running jump across the gap, then work your way around the outside of the chamber until you get to the opposite corner, where there is a switch on the wall. Press it. Again, there is a red glow, and when you turn around there is a complex pillar of water in the air.

[SECRET 2:
Keep going around the pool to the last platform on which you will find a large medi-pack.]

Jump into the pool, and make your way over to where the pillar comes out of the pool, and swim up. You can actually surface directly above where the pillar emerges from the pool, so get your breath for the rest of the journey up the complex tunnel of water.

Continue up the pillar of water until the pillar enters the wall. You won't be able to "swim" out the end, since the forcefield holding the water in place is too strong. Fortunately, you can get out above, so climb out there, then drop down into the red glow. Enter the small corridor, going around far too many corners than should be possible until you emerge into the fourth chamber.

Music begins as you notice the different tile in the middle of the floor. Step on this, and a number of platforms instantly emerge from the floor of the chamber. Jump onto the platform nearest you on the left. Then, jump to the platform directly in front of you. Turn right, and jump to the platform nearest you. Turn half-right and jump to the next platform, then jump back onto the area where the different tile was - but don't touch it, or you'll have to start all over again. Then, facing into the large chamber, jump to the nearest platform on your left again. Again, jump to the platform directly in front. This time there is another platform directly in front (which wasn't there the first time), so jump to it. Then, there's a long jump to a platform almost directly in front of you. Then, turn to the right, jump to the next platform, turn very slightly to the left and jump to the next platform, then turn left and jump to the last platform. From here, you can reach the opening. (If you fall down to the floor of the chamber, you can climb up a ladder, which will take you to the area with the different floor tile. Step on it, and begin the process again...)

Head down the short corridor, turning left at the T-intersection. Keep going around more impossible corners until you get to a switch. Push it. Then return to the T-intersection, and keep going down the right corridor. Eventually, after many more impossible corners, you'll come to the fifth chamber.

As you enter, there's the inevitable music, but also an immediate red glow. If you turn around, you can no longer go through the doorway - a forcefield prevents you. Similarly on the opposite side of the chamber. In the middle of the chamber, however, sits the Ankh on a pedestal. Get it, or leave it, it doesn't make any difference. So how to get out? Notice the red glow in one of the corners? It betrays the existence of some mischief. This time, one of the wall textures is a holographic projection. When you find the right one, you'll disappear through the wall! Once through, press the switch (to release the forcefields), and head back into the treasure chamber (noting that from this direction, the holographic projection cannot be seen). Head through into the corridor.

You come out in a smallish room, with a large contraption taking up most of it. It looks remarkably like the one in the first room you came to. Stepping into the middle of the contraption sets off what turns out to be a transporter, taking you back to that first room. Exit through the open doorway, and as you get outside the level ends...