MOUNT PARNASSUS - PALACE OF PERICLES

Level by Sabatu

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth, with the help of Doggett TV's video walk.

A rather hectic beginning has Lara sliding down a slope while being chased by three boulders and falling debris. Jump twice with right curves as you slide, the second jump bringing you safely over the spikes onto a flat surface. Grab two small medipacks, one on either side of you, and from the E block take a running jump back S (yes, not only does the compass have an annoying spin, it's also backward) to the block jutting from the slope, using a right curve to avoid the obstruction.  Stand jump S to a flat spot up in the corner and enter the short passage to your right for SECRET #1. Pick up the shotgun ammo and large medipack, slide back down to the block and jump NW over the spikes to the central block. Note in passing that the SCION is already in your inventory, but no flares.

Take a running jump NW toward the opening and back flip to safety as a boulder comes rumbling down the passage. Jump back to the opening and you can see a second boulder poised at the top of the ramp. I found that the safest way to deal with this one was by standing right with my back to the boulder. I then hopped back to trigger the boulder, took a standing jump onto the slope ahead and jumped S to safety over the spike pit. Get back to the opening and run up the ramp. As you come to a ledge overlooking a deep valley, Lara says something to herself and you hear the secret sound (but no secret is registered).

Stand left and take a running jump W without grab down to the opening. Hang from the edge and shimmy left along the crack until you can pull up. Run forward, pull up higher and shoot the aroused bat. Pick up the shotgun ammo, hop up NW to the inclined block and line up for a running jump slightly SW, curving left to land on the slope. Slide, grab and drop to grab the crack. Shimmy right until you can pull up to arouse two more bats. They may be stuck in a wall, so turn around and take two standing jumps E, then vault up in front of a wall switch that opens a nearby gate.

Hang from the lowest point of the previous ledge and safety drop to the valley floor with a slight health loss. Go up the wide W ramp, turn around at the top and jump up to grab the ledge. Pull up in front of another wall switch. This one floods the valley. Swim back there, find the large medipack and SHOTGUN next to the skeleton, surface and pull out at the end of a short N channel. Follow around and pull up higher, walk carefully through the spike field and continue walking right over the edge with another slight health loss to register SECRET #2.

Pick up 2 x shotgun ammo, pull back up to the spike field and walk to the other side. Loop around left and pull up onto a ledge near the opened gate. Deal with the bats if they're still fluttering aimlessly against the wall. You're high over the water, so walk forward and stand jump with grab to land on the adjacent ledge. Do the same to land in the E opening. Walk forward and slide down to trigger a cut scene of a mural with Lara providing some dialog in which she mispronounces "Pericles."

Loop around left for a small medipack and pull down the wall switch to open the E gate. Go on through, but be careful of falling debris as you step out onto the ledge. Jump E over the spike pit and save your game at the top of the slope. Slide down to trigger a pursuing boulder, jump off near the bottom, run along the ledge and jump again to land on a second slope and allow Lara to drop down into the water far below. Pull out into the N window opening and shoot two crocodiles. Jump back into the water, swim past the dead crocs and pick up a small medipack on the way to a waterfall.

Pull out onto the block next to the waterfall and stand jump to the next block. Take a running jump to the next block, arousing as many as four bats. Continue with a long running jump, curving right in midair, to land on the ledge near the dead crocs. From the other end of that ledge, hop up left into the opening and follow the fenced passage to a wall switch that lifts a gate.

Get back to the opening and jump into the water. For a rather unfair secret (seeing as you have no flares), swim E past the dead crocs until you see an underwater fenced area to your right. Straight ahead and slightly to your right at floor level in the E wall is a small opening you can just barely squeeze through. Follow around to your right in the darkness until you can surface and pull out N. Turn right, walk forward and hop down onto the floating tile for SECRET #3. Pick up a spare SHOTGUN and 2 x shotgun ammo, then jump back into the opening, drop into the water and swim back through the tiny opening (much easier to see on the way back).

Continue toward the W wall where you dropped down into this pool and find that two more crocodiles have materialized. After dealing with them from the N window opening, swim to the NW corner and pull up into the alcove. Pull up higher S, walk forward and stand jump to grab the jutting ledge. Pull up to deal with a trio of bats before going through the opened gate to your right. Stand at the base of the ramp facing S and hop back twice to trigger the boulder at the top of the ramp. Run down and left around the corner as the boulder passes by.

Go back up the ramp and pull down the wall switch to open a gate, but not the one to your left. Go back down and jump into the water. Swim around to that N window from where you shot all the crocs and pull up to find the gate has opened there. Shoot an entire family of bats inside (I think I counted 15) and go up to the NE corner. Jump up W to grab the ledge and pull up near a spike field. Since you can't shimmy around corners in this game, walk through the spikes, stand left and jump up W to grab the ledge. Pull up to find a boulder blocking your progress. The safest method of getting it out of your way is by getting close to it, facing away from it, and running across the left corner of the NE ledge and continuing by running off the left edge (thus avoiding the spikes below) so the triggered boulder won't crush you as it rolls by.

Pull back up and jump to grab the N opening. Pull up and hop right back, grabbing the edge as two more boulders are triggered from your right. Pull back up and walk forward into a room encompassed by a low fence. Go over to the far side of the room and pull down the wall switch to open the E and W gates.

Let's take the E gate first. It does make a difference if you want the next secret. Slide down the slope, jump over the spikes and continue around the corner to an underground cavern guarded by four crocodiles. There are three wall switches in the area. Pulling down all three retracts the spikes in the slope, allowing you to get back up. However, you feel sure there's some other reason for coming down here, and you're right. From the W wall switch, turn left and go to the dark wall. Stand right and pull up onto a block. Turn left and hop up onto a platform. Turn left and stand jump with a right curve around the corner to land on another platform for SECRET #4 and the UZIS.

Safety drop to the ground, exit S and jump up the slope to the previous room. Go across to the W opening and slide down the slope as Lara's theme music plays. Go around to emerge in a room with a mural on the wall similar to the one you saw earlier. Locate the NW pushblock and pull it once so you can get on it to reach and pull down the wall switch in the same corner. Go across the room (after grabbing the large medipack the pushblock was covering) and pull up on either side behind the stone slope. In the upper fenced area you'll find another pushblock in the NE corner. Move it against the back of the stone slope after picking up the shotgun ammo it was covering. Get up on the pushblock and take a running jump N to grab the ledge. Pull up in front of the wall switch and pull it down to hear the sound of a door opening down below

Stand right or left and jump back to the pushblock. Slide down to the floor and exit N. Slide down left to a lower room. Go up the N ramp and approach the closed door to trigger a flyby through the magnificent area ahead. The door opens, allowing you to enter, and then closes right behind you. With an area as vast as this, it's difficult to know where to begin. If you explore the main room, dominated by the pool, you'll attract the attention of three lions. There's also a crocodile swimming around in the pool. With these enemies out of the picture, you'll also notice that the N double doors require four keys, so let's start looking for them.

In no particular order, begin with the SE opening near the entrance door. Go up the steps and locate the pushblock in the right corner. Move it out so you can use it to get up to the higher ledge, but first go to the revealed NE opening, drop down twice and pick up the shotgun ammo, then pull down the wall switch to open an underwater door. Return to the pushblock, get on it and pull up to the higher ledge, then pull down the wall switch to open a door somewhere. Get back down to deal with the waiting lion.

Climb up onto the block below the mural in the S wall and jump N to the top of the column. Jump E over the fence and shoot another lion. Go N into the adjacent room, pick up the shotgun ammo on your right and continue N to the next room. Pull down the wall switch to open a gate down below, go back S to the first room and get on the block. Pull up higher S, loop around left and take a running jump onto the roof. Slide, grab and shimmy right to a flat spot in the corner where you can pull up. Turn right and hop toward the plants for SECRET #5. Pick up the small medipack and 2 x shotgun ammo.

Jump back to the roof, shimmy left until the column is directly behind you, pull up and back flip onto the column, slide and jump to land on the top of the column near the mural. Jump E over the fence, climb the block and pull back up to the higher area. This time walk as far W as you can, hop SE onto the ledge and hop down W to a ledge with plants. Make your way W along the blocks and ledges and jump to the flat spot at the corner of the roof. For a pickup, hop up right and vault up left for a small medipack. Return to the flat spot and continue with jumps N to the other two flat spots. From there, jump up NW into a hole in the roof, land on a slope and slide down to a veranda where a lion is waiting.

Pick up the nearby shotgun ammo and pull down the wall switch in the next room to open another gate down below. Return to the veranda and take a running jump slightly NE to the adjacent balcony. Go around through the opened gate, loop around left and climb the block. Jump to grab the E opening, pull up and turn right to pull up higher. Follow the short passage around and pull up two more times to an upper passage. Follow to an outdoor roof and don't fall prematurely through the openings obscured by greenery. Go to the S side for SECRET #6 and grab the supplies: a large medipack, a small medipack and an extra pair of UZIS.    

Turn around and simply run off the nearest edge to land in the pool below. Pull out onto the central ledge and look for a spare SHOTGUN hidden among the plants at the S end. Go to the E end of the room and down the ramp in the central opening. Save your game, jump into the water and quickly pull the N underwater lever to open the gate behind you. It closes behind you as you pass through, so you'll need to hurry. Swim down into the trough ahead and flip turn to find another underwater lever. Pull it to open a gate, swim up out of the trough and N over the skeleton into the opened gate, follow the hexagonal passage to a block with the SILVER KEY. Swim back the way you came, past an annoying crocodile, turn left at the trough to find an opening high up in the W wall.

Swim through past another opened gate to the familiar pool, pull out and shoot a lion as well as the pursuing croc, then return to the previous area to grab at your leisure the large medipack (just inside the gate to your left), the small medipack and shotgun ammo in the area with the skeleton, all of which you had no time to stop for earlier. Return to the pool, pull out and enter the right-hand opening in the E wall. Go up the steps, shoot a lion and loop around right up more steps. When you get to the room at the top, jump into the bath to find shotgun ammo and more UZIS to add to your arsenal.

Exit E and the gate slams shut behind you. Debris falls from the ceiling as you step forward. Run around a bit to make sure it has all been dislodged. A lion comes at you from the SW corner, where you'll also find shotgun ammo. Locate the pushblock near the entrance and move it away from the gate onto a debris-free ledge in the sunken part of the room. Get up on it and pull up N onto the ledge. Take a running jump to the ledge with the closed door, climb two blocks and jump to grab a jutting platform. Pull up and take a running jump to grab the crack in the W wall. Shimmy left and pull up into the opening.

Follow the dark passage around right and pull up twice to arrive at a corner ledge overlooking the room far below. Take a running jump slightly SE onto a slab to trigger a cut scene of the spike-protected key beyond the fence to your left. Jump to the veranda ahead and loop around left through the opening to arrive at the spike-filled room. First, pull up left and get the shotgun ammo in the NE alcove, then walk through the spikes to the slab with the key. You know it can't be this easy, so save your game. Sure enough, when you pick up the GOLD KEY a cut scene shows a previous gate re-opening (which doesn't appear to be timed) and action music signals hazardous duty ahead.

Walk through the spikes, go down the steps and loop around right to the veranda where more debris starts falling. Jump back to the slab that triggered the cut scene earlier and safety drop to the jutting platform below. Turn right and stand jump with grab to land safely on a corner block, hop down right onto the ledge, turn a bit right and hop down onto the pushblock, jump down to the floor and dash through the opened gate to trigger a final release of debris. Go down multiple flights of steps to the pool area.

Now it's time to do the W side. Go through the left opening and around up the steps to another vast area. Jump down into the water and you're immediately attacked by three crocodiles. There's a stable ledge you can pull out onto near the SE corner, as well as an opening near the SW corner. When the coast is clear, jump back into the water and explore the lake floor for uzi ammo and a large medipack. You can find a small medipack by exploring the SW opening, but there's closed gate at the end. Get on the SE ledge and jump N to a longer ledge. Take a running jump N to a level section of the sloped rock and continue with a slide and jump to a plant-covered ledge.

Enter the passage ahead, pick up the small medipack and jump up right. Take a running jump W to the lower ledge on the right, hop up left onto the ledge and jump toward the tall plant where another crocodile is lurking. Pull up onto the nearby block, pull up higher W and turn right. Jump at a slight angle to grab the higher S ledge and pull up to be greeted by a lion. Grab the uzi ammo on the nearby corner slab and shoot the crocodile in the small pool. Go up the W steps to an upper area guarded by a lion. The S wall switch opens the gate to your left but seems to serve no useful purpose.

There are two omega tiles up here at the E end. Step on both of them, shoot a nearby crocodile and follow the ledge against the S wall. Jump from the end onto a slab and from there on to a ledge with a large plant. Pick up the large medipack and the GOLD BAR, then return via the slab to the W area. Go past both omega tiles and jump to a corner block in the rocky wall. Continue with several more jumps until you're facing an opening you can reach with a standing or running jump.

Hang from the edge and shimmy left along the crack until you can pull up into an opening with a large medipack. Turn around and look down to your right. Find the gray platform that was raised when you stepped on both omega tiles, although you had no way of knowing that. Stand jump down to the platform and take a running jump SW to a ledge. Run forward, shoot three bats and jump into the pool. Swim down through the hole in the floor, follow the passage for uzi ammo, turn right into the alcove ahead and pull the underwater lever to open a gate. Swim to the end of the passage, swim up through the shaft and pull out.

Shoot the waiting lion and grab the shotgun ammo. Pull down the wall switch, go to the ledge on your right and stand jump onto the slope. Slide and jump at the last instant to grab the ledge ahead. Pull up for 2 x shotgun ammo and safety drop to the area with the omega tiles. Go down the steps, shoot the lion and loop around left past the opened gate and a swinging blade. Get on the raised slab for another GOLD BAR, grab the shotgun ammo on the other side of the slab and exit to the pool.

Loop around right up the steps and use the raised block to your left to reach the upper area with the wall switch. Loop around right and take a running jump through the plant to land on the ledge slightly to your left. Open the gate with the two Gold Bars and go inside and around left to a lovely indoor pool. Jump into the water and take the RUSTY KEY from the central slab. (For some reason it sure is difficult to control Lara's movements underwater in this game.) Exit to the outer ledge, safety drop to the floor, reverse roll and go down the steps and around to the other side of the outdoor pool.

From the end of the jutting ledge, take a running jump to grab the E ledge and pull up. Run forward through the opening, down the steps and along the passage to return to the main pool room. Loop around left and enter the right-hand W opening. Your earlier explorations should have sniffed out a lion in the S passage, but if not you can deal with it now. Follow down to a lower room, turn left and go up the ramp past an opening and a closed door to a meeting room with benches. Go around to the NW alcove to find a wall switch that lifts a gate somewhere. Grab the small medipack between the metal fence and the first row of benches and exit to the ramp.

Enter the opening opposite the closed door and run down the ramp past a gated opening and through the opened gate ahead. Turn left in the next room and pull down the wall switch to open the gate you just passed. When you go there and enter the next area, the gate slams shut behind you. Take refuge by hopping onto one of the handy blocks and shoot two lions. Get on the highest block for shotgun ammo and jump to the ledge. Check the corners for a large medipack and 2 x shotgun ammo. You can hear another lion snarling down below, so shoot it from up here and then pull down the W wall switch to lift the exit gate back up.

You have more work to do here before leaving, however, so get down and drop down W through the triangular opening (the apparent ladder doesn't work as such). Shoot the lion in the lower room and note the omega tile. Get on the angled rock slab and take a running jump to grab the crack just to the right of the "ladder." Shimmy right, pull up into the opening and pull down the wall switch to open a ceiling trap door somewhere. Safety drop to the ground, and for maximum kills and a pickup step on the omega tile to open the SW gate and release two lions. Go inside and find the uzi ammo in the right-hand stall. 

Get back on that angled rock slab, and this time jump to grab the opening above the "ladder." Pull up into the room with the blocks, exit W and turn right. Go past the wall switch you used earlier and find the opened trap door in the back left corner. Drop down for the hard-to-see IRON KEY and get back out. Return the way you came and run E up the ramp. As you approach the connecting ramp the door ahead opens and a boulder starts rolling toward you. Run to your right or left to evade it, go to the SE opening and follow the ramp up and around to the main pool room.

Now that you have all four keys, head to the N end and place them all to open one of the large double doors. Slide down to a cave with the obligatory lion. Follow around to a temple area with three more lions in the immediate area. Search the SE corner between the columns for shotgun ammo and continue clockwise all the way around the perimeter for a small medipack, shooting two more lions along the way. Try to target three crocodiles in the water and kill them from up here. Jump into the water and search the floor for a large medipack and shotgun ammo.

Swim E past where you got the large medipack and find an opening on your left. Enter and follow around to an underwater lever. Pull it to open a temple door and go back the way you came. Turn left when you reach the moat and swim counterclockwise around to the front of the temple. Pull out and loop around left to enter the temple. Note the gem ahead behind the closed gates and deal with two lions that were trying to sneak up on you from behind. There's nothing more to do here at the moment, so exit and turn left.

Jump W into the water and pull out onto the SW ledge. Step forward for the shotgun ammo and pull up right. Step forward, note the spike pit to your left and pull up left a little further on. Take a running jump NW to the top of the column and jump up N to a jutting ledge. Take a running jump NE to the next ledge and E to the roof. Loop around right and jump to the NW ledge for uzi ammo. Take a running jump E from the adjacent ledge to grab the N section of the roof. Pull up and go around for a large medipack and pull down the wall switch to open one of the gates leading to the temple gem.

Jump down into the water and swim around counterclockwise again to pull out in front of the temple area to deal with two more lions (where do they keep coming from?). Starting with the rocks to your left as you look toward the open temple door, make your way clockwise around the rock wall until you face N and see the steep slope ahead. Take a running jump to grab it, pull up and slide down to a ledge, jump to the next ledge, hang from the edge and shimmy right along the crack until you can pull up for uzi ammo.

Turn around and jump up at an angle to grab the moss-covered ledge, pull up and jump onto the corner of the next ledge. Turn right and jump to grab the roof. Pull up and go around to find an alcove with a small medipack and a wall switch that opens the second gate leading to the temple gem. Find a safe spot to drop down into the water and swim counterclockwise again to pull out near the front of the temple.

Do I have to tell you that three more lions are awaiting your arrival? When you enter the temple and take the EYE OF PERICLES, the building starts shaking and debris starts falling, even when you exit the temple. Turn right and run through the E gate that has opened, keep running ahead of the falling debris and you'll eventually slide and drop a long distance into the water below. Pull out and run up the ramp toward the sunshine to end the level.