Create a Classic: 20 years of TR - SEARCH FOR THE SUN SERAPH

Level by kaufi-lc

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth (with thanks to MrJavi94 for pointing out the locations of the secrets)

Slide down a dark slope.  At the bottom, continue around the corner and come to an area with three branches.  Loop around right for uzi ammo.  In the middle branch there's an alcove with flares.  The left branch leads you down to a more open area where you start to see signs of civilization.  Pass through a fenced area into a cave where two snow leopards attack. 

Go to the S wall, climb up onto a block to your right and drop down into the trench for more flares.  Pull back out, jump W across the gap and grab the ceiling monkey bars.  Monkey swing along the track as the camera angle changes.  Drop at the end and grab the crack in the wall.  Shimmy right until you can pull up.  Go around the corner and hop over a spear pit.  Continue to another spear pit and jump slightly to the left of the stalactites.

Turn left and hop into the N opening. Drop down, vault up and save your game at the slope.  As you slide down two ice boulders will follow after you.  Hit the look key to regain camera control and jump over the spear pit at the bottom of the slope.  You'll land on the other side of the fenced area you came through earlier, and the gate will slam shut behind you.  You'll find flares NE and a wall switch around the corner in the N wall.  Pull it down to open the doors to your left.  Both close when you go through one of them. 

Go to the E opening and run down the ramp to a fixed camera.  Climb up S to a ramped area.  Down the ramp N is a burning floor.  We'll return here soon. Go up the ramp and continue up the stairs around the corner.  Go past a block with three wall switches and continue down some stairs.  Jump over a spear pit and come to a closed gate.  Pull down a wall switch in each of the side alcoves to open the gate.  Save before entering, as you'll need to be quick if you want the first secret.  Enter and see the doors to your left open as two snow leopards rush out.  Ignore the leopards for the moment and sprint into the doorway before the doors close.  The leopards will follow you inside, so climb up onto the ledge and shoot them.  Drop down the other side to re-open the doors and pick up 2 x uzi ammo.

When you return, the opposite doors open and two baddies pop out.  Shoot them and pick up the uzi ammo and small medipack they drop.  Go where they came from and pull a block from the middle of the N wall to reveal a passage that leads past a set of teeth doors for SECRET #1. Grab the large medipack, shotgun ammo, UZIS, 2 x uzi ammo and flares lying about the area and return past the teeth doors to the former room. Go up the stairs on either side and proceed to the N wall.

You need to go down a passage on each side.  Both are guarded by teeth door traps (two sets in one passage, three in the other).  Get past them and pull down a wall switch at the end of each passage (screen of a burning bowl each time).  Get back to the block with three wall switches and continue past it down to the burning floor.  Hop up NE into the alcove and pull the chain to see a platform lower.  Hop back down to the safe floor and take a long running jump slightly NW to a safe square. Runjump slightly NE to grab the edge of the next alcove.  Pull up and pull the chain to see the platform lower some more. Runjump straight across W and pull the third chain with the same result. Runjump out with a right curve to land on the safe floor. Jump back NW to the safe square, hop into the SW alcove and pull the chain to lower the platform one final time.  Get back to the safe floor and go upstairs to the block with the three wall switches.

The switches are timed, and the S switch opens the gate behind you.  The switch to your right (E) raises a timed gate and ledges on the same side of the room below.  Same for the switch to your left (W).  First pull the S switch, then go around right and pull the E (as you face it) switch.  Run NE to the opening, jump to the lowered central platform, turn left and take a running jump to grab the middle portion of the raised ledges (otherwise you won't be able to shimmy or pull up).  Pull up and crawl forward before the gate closes and the ledges fall back down.  At the end of the passage is a wall switch (screen of a burning bowl).

Crawl back (the gate opens for you) and drop down. Exit E and climb back up the shaft.  Return to the block with the wall switches and this time pull down the S and W switches.  Repeat the sequence described in the previous paragraph, except on the opposite side of the room. All four bowls should now be burning, and a cut scene shows another gate opening in the burning bowl room.  Return to the block, pull down the S switch, turn around and jump to the lowered platform and from there to the opened gate in the N wall.  Crawl through, and when you can stand up jump to the N crawl space and enter for some grenades. 

Climb down two ladders and come to a chain. Pull it and watch the cut scene.  Continue forward a short distance, turn around and jump up to activate a jumpswitch that opens a gate leading to the pool.  Before getting into the water, hop across to the S side and find some flares in the SW alcove. At the NE corner you'll find shotgun ammo.  Now you can jump into the murky water and swim all the way down through a hole in the bottom.  Locate and pull the W underwater lever to open a trap door below you.  Swim down and along a circular passage (reminded me of the space ship in 2001), through a small space and surface in a subterranean area.

Go to the N wall and hop up NW. Follow to a hole where you simply slide down and land in a lower area near a bridge.  Hop up NE and go around to jump over a spear pit for a large medipack, then return. Go across the bridge and through the crawl space ahead. When you emerge in an open area shoot the snow leopard and pull up onto the W ice ledge. Follow the ledge N into an even bigger open area riddled with stalactites. You'll find flares in a NE alcove and uzi ammo in another nearby alcove. Continue up NW to an opening where you can see some white blocks down below.  Look NE from here for a triangular crawl space leading to SECRET #2 and 2 x uzi ammo. 

Get back out and jump down W into the area with the blocks.  Push the lower block to your left (Block #1) once S, then reverse roll and pull the other lower block (Block #2) once S.  Get up and pull the upper block (Block #3) once E, then push it once S. Get down and push Block #2 once S, then pull Block #3 onto Block #2.  Move Block #3 two or three times S, get up on it and jump to grab the ladder. Climb up to a higher level and take the shotgun ammo from the skeleton. Continue up S and trigger a remote camera while stalactites fall.  Enter the W passage and follow up and around to a spear pit.  Jump E across it while ice boulders fall.  If you want the next secret, turn left and take a running jump slightly NW into the gap for SECRET #3. Grab the grenades and uzi ammo, then pull up S (far left), slide and jump left to reach the flat spot. Pull up, hop down the other side and go around left to find the SHOTGUN near the skeleton.  

Exit E, turn right and go up S as high as you can.  Take a running jump SE to the block and wait while an ice boulder comes crashing down. Jump SW to the next block and stand jump SE to the next block. Enter a new area to your right and start climbing up.  You'll reach a skeleton with shotgun ammo, another skeleton with a large medipack, and a RUSTY KEY that triggers a pair of yetis.  After dealing with them, go back down S and encounter another yeti who is surprisingly hard to kill.  Continue to the ladder, climb down and go down E into a lower tunnel where you'll find a keyhole for the Rusty Key at the end.  Insert it and enter through the opened gateway.

Jump over the gap between the bridge sections and continue through the N opening. Drop down to a lower section of the tunnel, turn around at the end and hop back from near the E wall to grab the edge. The camera angle changes.  Drop and jump immediately upon landing to grab a crack in the wall.  Shimmy all the way left, release, slide a bit and jump to clear the spear trap. You can walk through the spears for a small medipack, but you'll take some damage when you stoop to pick it up.  Go to the W opening and try to kill three snow leopards down below.  You may have to go down there to get one or more of them.

In the lower area with the frozen lake, go all the way S past some stalactites to a sheltered area where you'll find a small medipack, flares, uzi ammo and the remains of a campfire.  Return to where you entered this area.  Get up on the lower W ledge and hop up N to the higher ledge where the camera angle changes. Follow to the N end, jump to grab the crack in the W wall and shimmy right around corners to a crawl space.  Crawl forward and pull up higher. Follow the passage to a fenced area and shoot two snow leopards.

Look on an ice ledge SE for a small medipack and go around to the wide S opening. Save your game and take a long running jump SW to the slope, slide and grab, and shimmy left until you can pull up. Follow the passage, safety drop and continue to a slope where you'll slide down into some water.  Swim along the winding passage until you emerge in the frozen lake.  Allow the current to carry you over a waterfall. Pull out into a subterranean area obviously inhabited by other people.

Go W toward the burning barrel and shoot the nearby crate for shotgun ammo and uzi ammo.  Between the fenced area and the structure is a small alley.  At the end of the alley, pull up right and hop down into a room inside the structure where you'll find flares and shotgun ammo. Pull out and continue exploring. In the SW corner you'll find a keyhole. On the other side of this structure is a crate hiding another small medipack. In the SE corner is an opening leading to a new area.  To the left of that opening is an alcove with a pushblock. Push it twice and pick up the small medipack it was covering.  Pull up into the new area and look around.  Shoot crates lying randomly around for flares, shotgun ammo and uzi ammo.  Locate a large hole NW where a dead body is lying down below.  Near it is uzi ammo, but hop back immediately after picking it up to avoid the falling stalactites. Climb out SE and go to the far S end to find closed doors requiring two keys.

Go back N to the burning barrel.  A few steps S is a block next to a skeleton.  Get up on it and jump E to grab a higher block.  Pull up, turn around and take a running jump W to grab a bridge.  Pull up and take another running jump W to grab the roof of the building.  Pull up and walk around left for some flares.  Go back the other way and watch out for the stalactites as you hop over the gap. Turn the corner, jump into the opening and climb down the ladder into the structure.  Pick up the ROOF KEY in the NE corner and climb back out.  You're greeted with a flyby warning of enemies down below. 

Shoot one of three baddies from up here to remove him as a distraction.  Drop down, deal with the other two and take 3 x uzi ammo dropped by them.  Return to the block S of the burning barrel and get back onto the bridge. This time jump to the E structure.  Pull up and take a running jump N with a right curve to land on a flat spot.  For a secret, turn to face slightly NE, then side flip left to land on the sloped roof.  Slide down, grab and shimmy left to the corner.   Pull up, face slightly SW and side flip left to land on the S face of the roof.  Shimmy left almost to the next corner and pull up for SECRET #4.  Pick up the grenades and large medipack, drop down to the ground and get back to the flat spot on the E structure as described above. 

Make your way clockwise around the ledges surrounding the room below. Face the W jump switch and take a standing jump from the corner of the last ledge to activate it.  A door opens in the E wall, so enter, go downstairs and come to a spiked barrel gauntlet.  To make things more difficult, the floor below is also riddled with spears.  Time a running jump past the first barrel.  So far, so good. Now take a running jump past the second barrel and grab the ledge just beyond the third barrel.  You're safe for now, but you'll suffer damage when you shimmy around either corner to pull up.  Take the GUARDIAN'S MASK from the W plinth and grab the LETTER held by the skeleton.

From the ledge, run off S onto a spear-free tile below. Walk through the spears and enter the crawl space in the W alcove (again, you'll suffer some health loss). Drop down the other side for SECRET #5, grenades and a small medipack.  Crawl back out, walk E through the spear field and finally pull out at the end. Replenish your health as necessary.Go upstairs, exit this building and go back down N to the area where you first pulled out of the water.  Three baddies are waiting for you.  Pick up the grenades, uzi ammo and shotgun ammo they drop. 

Go to the SW corner of this area and insert the Roof Key in the keyhole to open the door above and to your left. Hop into the opening, face slightly NE and jump to grab the upper ledge. Pull up and turn right. Jump up to grab the sloped roof, but make sure you're over a spear-free area before you pull up and slide down. Face SE and jump to the spear-free corner of the next building.  Walk carefully to the edge of the spear field and take a standing jump E over the roof for SECRET #6.  Pick up the 2 x uzi ammo and shotgun ammo, then go to the N wall.  Jump up to grab the roof, shimmy left to the corner, then pull up so you'll drop down onto a ledge on the other side. 

Hop N to the nearby building and drop down into the fenced enclosure. Shoot the crates to reveal shotgun ammo, uzi ammo and the CROWBAR. Use the latter immediately on the S crowbar door to get out.  There's another crowbar door to your right, near the NW corner, providing access to an underground river and a motorized raft.  Get into the raft.  Your way ahead is blocked, so go right and follow to an opening.  There's another blocked opening ahead and a pier to your right.  Park the raft alongside the pier and dismount right (page down key).

Shoot the baddy and pick up his uzi ammo.  Enter the building he was guarding and turn left to find a floor lever. Push it (lifts the barrier in front of the raft) and go around to stoop in the SE corner for grenades.  Go outside and to the dark SW alcove for uzi ammo behind the barrels. Light a flare and find a dead body lying face down opposite the doorway to the building.  Pick up the TORCH he was holding and light it on the nearby burning barrel.  Re-enter the building, turn right and light the steaming pipe in the next room.  Flames melt the stalactites outdoors, allowing access to the roof.

Drop the torch and go outdoors.  Turn left and go to the W wall, to the right of the pipe. Pull up right and jump up to grab the monkey bars.  Monkey swing past the flame blowers and drop down at the end onto the roof.  Shoot the SE crate for the FLOODGATE KEY. Go to the W end of the roof and side flip right over the barbed wire. Go to the raft, hop in and drive S through the opening. Turn left at the E wall and disembark onto the short pier. Use the Floodgate Key to lift the nearby barrier.  Get back into the raft, and instead of driving through the opening turn around and drive the raft back S. Turn left and drive E through an opening and turn right at a grouping of ledges.  Disembark onto a dark ledge to your right.

Shoot the nearby crate for a large medipack and follow the ledge to a camping area.  Two baddies come out to greet you, one drops uzi ammo and the other shotgun ammo. Shoot a crate near the entrance for grenades and enter the adjacent tent and shoot the crate there for another GUARDIAN'S MASK.  Crates near the NE corner hide flares and a small medipack. Two more crates near the NW corner contain 2 x uzi ammo. Enter the NW opening and follow the dark passage to climb up to a fenced area requiring a card for access, so this must be for later.

Return to the raft, turn it around and drive it N, then W, then N again through the opening raised by the Floodgate Key. Turn right and disembark to your right onto an ice ledge near the E wall.  Enter through the crowbar door opening and turn left.  Go all the way to the waterfall, turn right into the large open area and run all the way to the S wall.  Use the two Guardian's Masks to open the large doors and draw weapons to deal with three snow leopards inside. Go up the stone steps and look for uzi ammo in an alcove to your right. Continue W along the passage and find flares in the next alcove to your right.

Follow the path until you reach an opening that overlooks the camp site you visited earlier. Locate the sloped NE opening, stand with your back to it and back flip onto the slope. Jump off to grab the monkey bars in the ceiling. Monkey swing along the bars and drop down onto a ledge. Take a running jump W and grab the next ledge. Pull up, run forward and pull up left into a crawl space. Crawl to a flooded area and wade across to the other side. Shoot a yeti and follow the passage until you can hop down a couple of times. Safety drop from the E end of the ledge to land on the ledge  below.  Take a running jump W to grab the ladder, and shift right around two corners to the other side.  Take a rolling back flip to a slope, slide and jump off at the last instant to grab the W ledge. Pull up, step forward and pull up to a higher ledge.

Side flip right onto the slope, slide and grab, and shimmy right around the corner until you can pull up into an opening.  Light a flare and locate another crawl space to your left.  Follow until you can stand up at a ramp.  At the N wall, just ahead and slightly to your right, is a hidden crawl space.  Jump up to grab it, then crawl forward and drop down the other side for SECRET #7 and the GRENADE GUN. Pull back out and crawl around left for 2 x uzi ammo. Drop down through the hidden crawl space, proceed E and then hop down into an Oriental temple setting.

Follow the dragon head torches, take either the right or the left branch and proceed W down the stairs until you reach a room with a central plinth.  A block rises behind you as you enter to prevent retreat. First, go around the room and collect 2 x large medipack, then approach the central plinth and take the SUN SERAPH.  A jade warrior comes to life, so use that grenade gun to good advantage.  It takes four grenades to kill him, so you won't have quite enough of them to deal with all four jade warriors as each one comes to life in turn. When the last one has been vanquished the E block lowers, allowing you to exit.

Return to the camp site (the block rises behind you) and engage three baddies.  One of them drops a KEYCARD, and you know where that goes. Go to the NW opening and pull up to that fenced area you saw earlier. Use the Keycard to open the gate and enter. Shoot a baddy, go up the NE steps and follow to a room with blocks of various sizes.  Run up the ramp N into the elevator and enjoy the ride up.  When you reach the top the S door opens when you stand in front of it.  Follow the passage to a base camp area while Lara's theme music plays. Head NE along the alley toward the waiting helicopter.  Use the Keycard to open the gate and run forward to end the level.

"Bonus" Level: A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

After finishing the main course you're taken to a light dessert in Lara's mansion.  It doesn't matter whether you found all, some or none of the secrets, you're treated to this additional and rather mundane exercise simply because you made it to the finish trigger.  However, the more secrets you found, the more doors will be open to enable you to spend even more time in meaningless exploration.  I found it all quite boring, as there's nothing really to do, and I exited after checking out the first couple of rooms.