THE CITADEL

Levels by Talos

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth

English translations of the on-screen text and dialogue in this game can be found here.

Level 1: THE KHUSUF CITADEL

After several opening flybys, begin as a beefy warrior in a locked jail cell. You have no weapons. Pull the skeleton away from the NW corner (the compass in this game is shown as a mirror image) and pick up the OLD BONE.  Use it as you would a crowbar to open the cell door. Run down the passage, noting the cells on either side (one of which requires a key).

Go through the phantom wall ahead and knock out a ninja from behind with your Old Bone. Open the N and S cell doors.  In the S cell pick up a TORCH where the lantern lies and light it on the nearby flame. Go to the N cell and light the wall torch in the corner to open a trap door revealing a hole in the floor with explosive arrows.  Take the torch with you through the phantom wall and light the wall torch in the passage.  The S cell door opens.  Time the spikes to get through the corridor, noting the on-screen message about restoring your health. You shouldn't have to drink from the nearby fountain, but remember that it's there for your later use if necessary (you have no medipacks in this level). After more spikes you come to another wall torch. Light it to open the gate and note the opposite wall panel.

Time your way past more spikes and the door ahead opens automatically. As you enter the next room an on-screen message tells you how to fight enemies by using the action and arrow keys.   Engage two ninjas (it takes several kicks to kill them).  One of them drops the PRISONS KEY.  There's a nearby water fountain if you need to partake.  The Old Bone opens the door to a dark cell. Enter and pick up flares.  The other cell doors do not respond to the Old Bone (note the shapely female prisoner behind one of them), but you can open one of them by lighting the nearby wall torch.

As you enter you get an on-screen message telling you to throw your torch before proceeding.  It's not clear whether this means you're supposed to douse the torch by tossing it into the water, but that's what I did. Your game also freezes up, so hit the escape key.  Jump into the water with your torch, which separates from you and sinks slowly to the floor (you can't pick it back up again), and swim along the W passage to find at the end a closed gate and a closed door. Return to the opening passage where you began this level and use the Prisons Key to open the gate to the N cell. Enter and push the floor lever to open the door you saw at the end of the underwater passage.

Return through the spikes to find one of the gates separating you from the female prisoner is open.  Pick up the COIN after the conversation ends.  Jump into the water and swim W to the end.  Pull out, run forward and climb the ladder in the N wall. Pull up at the top to trigger a flyby.  You'll be fired upon before the flyby ends, so hop down quickly and engage two ninjas.  There's a handy water fountain nearby.

Climb the ledge in the SW corner and take a running jump W to grab the horizontal pole. Swing around and jump off to land on the SE ledge. Jump NE to the first of three ornate ledges.  From the third one jump NW over the palm tree to land on a pillar against the N wall. Stand jump W to the horizontal pole, swing around and jump to land on a fourth ornate ledge. Hop forward onto the balcony and activate the jump switch to open the large N doors.  Hop over the railing to the ground and exit N.  Bear to your left into a small market area and climb the ledge straight ahead.  Activate the timed jump switch to open a door in the previous room.  Return there, jump the steps and dash into the timed W doorway.

You're instructed to find a coin for the concubine, so after the conversation stand in front of the pretty young thing (at the juncture of the two rugs) and offer her the Coin you're carrying.  She drops the OLD SWORDS at your feet.  Pick them up and go to the dark SE corner. Pick up crossbow arrows near the column. Turn around, draw the Old Swords and shatter the carpets stacked against the wall to open a nearby trap door.  Before going there, however, return to the outdoor area where you engaged the ninjas, go through the N doorway, turn right and shatter the carpets near the woman.  Step forward and pick up the BYZANTINE COIN for SECRET #1.

Return through the timed doorway (which remains open once you make it through) and safety drop through the hole in the floor. Shatter the nearby carpets and pick up the RED GEM.  You're instructed to reach the Library of the Citadel, so enter the N opening and run quickly along the passage as blade ball traps drop in sequence behind you.  If you're fast enough you won't have to deal with them. Otherwise, you'll need to crawl underneath the blades.  In the room below, face W and climb the pole.  Back flip onto a balcony, climb up E and draw your Old Swords to engage three lions at close quarters. Note the nearby water fountain in case you need to top up your health.

Climb the wooden block in the W alcove, climb up higher onto an ornate ledge and jump the ledges in a counterclockwise direction.  From the last one jump to the horizontal pole (curving left to right because of the low ceiling), swing around and jump off to land in front of a snake head receptacle. Insert the Red Gem to open the W doors below.  Safety drop to the ground and go there to enter a plush sitting room. Go through the phantom rug in the middle of the S wall and pull the block into the room as far as you can. Get on the other side and push it N past the tapestry onto a balcony. Get up on the block and jump NW onto a higher veranda. Turn around, stand jump to grab a horizontal pole, swing around and jump off with the action key depressed to glide onto the facing veranda.

Turn right and run along the veranda into a fixed camera.  When you reach the alcove at the other end, camera control is restored. Turn right and jump to activate the jump switch (cut scene of the library). Return to the other end of the veranda, jump down slightly SW to the lower block, curving right in midair.  Go S through the tapestry, turn right and enter the Library of the Citadel.  Run forward to the left of the credenza and pick up the KHUSUF CITADEL SCROLL to trigger a cut scene with dialogue.  You can examine the scroll for an historical and cryptic message.

When the conversation ends the beefy protagonist is transported to a new area outdoors. Run forward across the fancy floor and turn right when you reach the sand dunes.  An on-screen message warns of the wild horse ahead.  Pick up the APPLE and offer it to the horse from its left side.  The horse then docilely allows you to mount it.

Ride forward N and smash through the wall. Ride roughshod past a wooden barrier and stop at the edge. The way ahead is fraught with danger (spike traps below), so put the horse in reverse by hitting the sprint key and back up near a dormant assassin.  Hit the walk key to restore forward motion, turn left into the E market place and run over a ninja. Continue E underneath the tapestry and turn right. Continue forward (N) and crash through a wooden gate.  Continue up the hill and down through a tapestry.  Crash through another wooden barrier and ride up the ramp until you're blocked by a wall.  Dismount (jump key + left arrow key) and vault up onto the wall. Use your Old Swords to shatter the wooden barrier and hop down to a room that appears to consist of pulsating quicksand.

Climb the pillar ahead, slide down the other side and jump to the spike-trapped block. Quickly jump forward to a safe ledge. Turn left, hop back once from the edge and time the spikes to take a running jump W to grab a safe block. Pull up, turn left and again time the spikes to jump and activate a jump switch. Turn right and run through the passage between the columns. Pull up E onto the wall, crawl through and drop down the other side.

Spikes are activated in the S corridor. The instant they pop up, simply sprint through them and sustain some unavoidable health loss. Go around the corner, and the door ahead opens as you approach and closes as you pass through it.  Run past a keyhole, up some steps and vault up right to trigger a flyby with your next marching orders. When the conversation ends and camera control is restored, you're being fired upon by the Priestess.  Approach her with Old Swords drawn and engage her at close quarters. When she expires she leaves behind the DUNGEON KEY.

Pull the statue block two times onto the ornate tile on which the Priestess stood. A door opens somewhere and you hear the sound of two approaching knights.  You can't kill them, and there's nothing close by for them to break with their swords, so beat a hasty retreat S and insert the Dungeon Key in the keyhole you saw earlier. The door opens to your left, so go there and sprint back past the spikes. Crawl over the wall and return to the room with the quicksand. Use the bridge to get across, jump over the barriers and return to where you left the horse.

Pacify the horse with the Apple once again and ride it back the way you came, through the tapestry and up the ramp, down the other side and straight until the wall, left and past another tapestry, ride past the woman and turn right at the wall where you see the dormant assassin.  Dismount, jump to the SW block and go down through the W opening to a room with a floor lever. Push it to raise blocks in the spike-trapped area you avoided earlier after first finding the horse.

Return to the horse, turn it around and ride it N. Stay left and ride over the raised blocks in the spike-trapped area. Ride forward through the tapestry, dismount and enter the W room next to a wooden crate. Pick up the CITADEL'S GATE KEY next to the bags against the N wall. Return to the horse, mount and ride it E past a spike pit, left then right past another spike pit, up the ramp and through a barrier, left and continue until you reach the dormant assassin. Dismount, return to the W room with the floor lever and insert the Citadel's Gate Key in the nearby keyhole. Go through the opened doorway to end the level.

Level 2: CITADEL'S GATE

Run forward around the corner and drop down into a lower area with a floor lever. Push it to open the door you passed on the way.  Pull out and go outdoors to trigger a flyby of a sprawling desert citadel.  Follow along the wall and run down a ramp to the ground. Go right along a trench and locate a jump switch. Activate it to open a door leading into the citadel. Go back and run W toward the palm trees. Look right to see a pass leading to the citadel.  On the left bank, near the palm trees, you can use the flat surfaces on the sand dunes to jump up W. When you reach the top, pick up a BYZANTINE COIN for SECRET #2.

Slide back down, run back E past the palm trees and pull up left at the last palm tree. Run forward past the hanging carpets and approach the kneeling man for instructions concerning an Ancient Sword.  Go all the way back W and find an assassin waiting for you. Watch out for the spike-trapped trench while doing battle.  When he succumbs, he leaves behind the ANCIENT SWORD.  Hop N over the trench and go around the corner to meet a knight and a skeleton, neither of which can be killed.  Face E at the left side of the edge, jump up and use the Old Swords to shatter a barrier and reveal a jump switch.  Activate it to open a door in the spike trench. 

There's a ladder behind you, but first go around the corner and open the chest for poison arrows.  Now climb the ladder and run past the two enemies.  When the spikes are down in the trench, hop down and run through the open doorway. Pick up the BYZANTINE COIN for SECRET #3.  Time a jump out of the trench and return to the kneeling man.  Stand on the carpet facing the man N, with the campfire on your right, and place the Ancient Sword on the weapons already lying there.  Step back and pick up the MONEY.

Turn around and head S toward the water fountain. Drink from it if necessary and head E from there toward a section of the palace being guarded by an assassin.  Bribe him with the Money you're carrying and the door conveniently opens. Enter and go down the stairs to engage an assassin.  Go through the N doorway and follow the passage to some large steps.  Pull up right and avoid the swinging axe.  Hop down the other side, into the opening and through the phantom wall into a dark room.  When you pass the woman you trigger a cut scene of someone holding court in the public square.  It appears that you are the accused, and things aren't going well.

When camera control is restored, you're standing before partially opened doors.  When you turn around and head S, the SULTAN'S KEY appears in your inventory.  Run past the shattered column and use the Sultan's Key to open the door. Hop down to face a pushpiece puzzle.  In each corner of the room is a statue of Athena with the name of the goddess written on the floor tile.  A fifth statue rests on the tile. Move the statues as follows:  NW to the nearest A or alpha tile;  SW to the adjacent theta tile (looks like a circle with a horizontal line); SE to the adjacent H or eta tile; and NE to the adjacent N or nu tile.  Finally, move that fifth statute from the phi tile to the E wall and once right onto the A or alpha tile.

The central trap door opens, so drop down and follow the passage to a closed door with an armed knight who appears prepared for battle.  Continue to the next room to trigger another extended advisory conversation. When it's finally over, step forward and pick up the BLESSED BOW, noting two more seemingly battle-ready warriors on either side.  The door in the previous room is open, so go on through.  A cut scene is triggered whereby you kneel before the tombstone and mumble something, and the level unceremoniously comes to an end.

Level 3: LEONIDA'S LAIR

Take note of the protagonist's odd eye movement, then run forward along the passage into the next room and use the Old Bone in the crowbar device to the right of the pole.  Jump to the pole and climb down past the opened trap door.  When you reach the bottom, arm the Blessed Bow with explosive arrows and run N to trigger another cut scene.  When the conversation is over, about a half dozen armored skeletons come to life.  A single explosive arrow will take care of them all. Now you can concentrate on Leonida. I use up all my arrows and had to finish him off with the Old Swords. He leaves behind the KHUSUF CITADEL KEY.  Insert it in the N keyhole to open the door.  When you take the unnamed artifact from the plinth in the next room, two cut scenes are triggered.  When camera control is restored, you're faced with a demigod-like warrior. 

There are three big panaceas (apparently the same as large medipacks) scattered about the room, together with four explosive arrow pickups, so use those to blow up the warrior. Pick up the WARRIOR'S KEY. Jump over the sarcophagus, turn around with the wall to your back and push the sarcophagus open to claim the DAGGER OF TISHPAK.  Use the Warrior's Key in the N keyhole (the compass in this level is normal) to the left of the ramp. When the gate opens and you go inside to pick up the scroll, the level concludes with two cut scenes where you apparently fast forward a few thousand years. The first shows a modern sports car speeding off in the night, the second takes place in Lara's present-day bedroom.

Bonus Level: CITADEL'S NEIGHBORHOOD

Run forward and use the Old Bone to open the crowbar door. Step inside to trigger another conversation. When camera control is restored, pull up right near the reclining lass and go through the open W (the compass is a mirror image once again) doors.  Enter the next room and pick up the big panacea. Continue to trigger a dragon.  Go to your left for another big panacea as a swarm of locusts is released. Run past the dragon into the S opening. You're safe from the dragon's fireballs here, but not from the locusts.

Light a flare if necessary and pull up into a crawl space on your right. Lower yourself down on the N side, turn around and slide down the N passage and pull up into a crawl space on the far side after pausing halfway across for the hard-to-see MOSQUE RUINS KEY.  Lower yourself down on the W side and run past the dragon once more into the S opening. Bear left this time and go around to a dark green-tinted area.

Turn right and head E, turning right to drop down into a room with two sarcophagi. There's a big panacea in the far corner and a keyhole for the Mosque Ruins Key in the near corner.  Turn left and follow the ramp up to more locusts and a wall switch that moves one of the sarcophagi.  Go back down the ramp and jump into the hole revealed by the moved sarcophagus (more locusts).  Pick up the NAFTA (which looks like a hand grenade) and pull up out of the sarcophagus hole. Pull up higher S, run forward and turn left. Vault over the ledge and loop around right to pull up onto a block.  Turn around and swan dive (alt + shift) onto a higher striped ledge.

Turn around, stand jump E onto a still higher striped ledge, turn around and stand jump W to grab a higher wooden ledge. Pull up, walk to the S edge and take a running jump slightly SW to land in an alcove. Follow the passage to a crowbar device, turn around with your back to the wall and insert the Old Bone to move the other sarcophagus in the room you've already visited. Go back up the ramp, turn around at the top and safety drop to the floor below. Run forward to the S wall and use the Dagger of Tishpak in the SE lock to open the door to your right. Enter to trigger a cut scene of a deadly altercation.

Pick up the CRYPT'S KEY at the feet of the impaled victim and climb the ladder in the NW corner.  Run forward into the next room, turn left and run forward to find another ladder in the N wall.  Climb up and pull up into the night air. Run forward, vault up onto the right side of the ledge, light a flare and turn left to run off onto a striped platform. Drop down to the ground and run E toward the far wall.  Turn right and drop down into the room with the sarcophagi. Find the opening next to the N sarcophagus, drop down and insert the Crypt's Key in the lock to open the door.  Go in and pick up the SULPHUR at the end of the passage.

More locusts attack, so pull out of the hole, pull up SW out of the sarcophagus room, run forward and left to return to the large room with the dragon. Jump up E in front of the dragon onto the ledge with the wagon, combine the Nafta and Sulphur to make the GREEK FIRE, and place it on the white bag behind the wagon. There's an explosion, the dragon is destroyed, and the level comes to an end.