Search for Imhotep 3 - The Awakening
by Palopique (Hans Willi Brüggen).

There are two wonderful walkthroughs posted back-to-back here, the first by Gerty and the second by Kris of Lara's Home.

This is an authorized walkthrough written by Gerty.

SEARCH FOR IMHOTEP 3

Level 1: THE SECRET TUNNEL

You start outdoors and walk between the pyramid and the rocks (North) and enter a small house. Shoot the box there and pick up the HOLY SCARAB. Follow the pyramid to the left and at the West wall find an open door. In this room there is a shotgun laying. Don't mind the other door, that will not open. You also will find a receptacle for a Vraeus, but that puzzle you solved in Imhoptep 2. Keep following the pyramid till you are at the start from this level. Now go behind the surrounded area and at the North wall there is a block you need to pull. Behind it is a crawlspace. In there you'll find some flares and a RED ARTIFACT.

Now go into that enclosed area and place the HOLY SCARAB and watch an obelisk rise up out of the sand. Jump past it and jump on that block and shoot a nasty bird. Get into the new opening and shoot that small object there and enter and start crawling.

You get into a small room with a small pool and 2 crocs roaming around. Shoot the crocs and pick up the WATERSKIN and fill it in the pool. By doing that the floor will drop down. Pick up the goodies and switch that lever. That will open the door in the other wall. Crawl in and climb that ladder. Jump down and out and now you are in an underwater tunnel of sorts. Watch out as there is a croc somewhere, so shoot it and gather a small medipack and LASERSIGHT. Climb out of the water and in the next room see the small lizard scurrying away and some goodies in the corner. On the right are three doors so run past them. The last door will open and in there you'll find the DESERT EAGLE and a lever.

Rolling Balls Room.
Go to the right and find a block. You first have to pull (as that will lower a block on the other site) and then push it as far as it will go. Now you are on the other side of that burning slope. There are some creatures running around so kill those and find the two levers on the South and North wall. These will make the ball start rolling and that will raise and lower some blocks. On the West wall, right, there is a ladder and a jump switch; climb and jump, roll and grab, to pull it. There is also a lion to shoot above the entrance, but you can also do that once you are on that walkway. Now go the rising and lowering blocks. Stand at the end when it lowers and the minute you are up, jump to the next. You even have time to turn around and do one step back and a running jump to the walkway. Walk to the closed door on the left and push that lever (don't forget to shoot that lion's head if you didn't shoot it downstairs). Watch the flyby and enter the now open door. Slide down and enter the water. Swim around a corner and into a crawlspace and end up in an underground lake.

Room With 4 Obelisks.
There are some goodies in the water like flares, revolver and shotgun ammo and get those explosive arrows for the crossbow. Swim to the North wall, SECRET #1, the CROSSBOW and at the East wall on the left, get the YELLOW ARTIFACT. To get out of this lake, swim to the North, left of the iron walkway. Now find the 4 obelisks and look at the ceiling where to place them. Watch out as the floor will start burning, so jump into the water and climb out. Go into all 4 openings and find the goodies. Another gate is open now and at the end is a ladder to climb. Do a backward jump at the end and you are in the Artifact room.

Artifact Room.
Place the YELLOW ARTIFACT in the middle and an obelisk will rise, also opening two cages with poisonous beasts in them. The same will happen when placing the RED one. After killing the beasts enter their cages and pick up the goodies and a GREY ARTIFACT. In the last cage there is a ladder, climb that and pick up the torch. Throw the torch downstairs and light it. Push the lever and enter the room. On the West wall is a statue you can push and behind it is a candle. Light the candle and you see some stairs coming out of the wall. Jump those stairs, it is timed. If you fail, one cage will open and pour some water over the fire, that will reset the stairs. And even if you can't make that, then there is the other cage that opens up and will reset the stairs yet again. Take the torch with you as there is an unlit wall torch. After you light that a cage will open and there is a jump switch, that will open the door at the end.

SAVE your game as there will be two giant snakes, spewing fire and locusts. The main goal is to get that CANOPIC JAR that is behind bars. Run past the left side of the snake and jump over the water hole and you can get that medipack and jump into the water. There are two levers underwater, one on the East wall and one on the North. There are some goodies in the water and enough water holes. To get the CANOPIC JAR, try to get into the hole that is right behind that cage and get out, grab it and jump into the water. From there try to find the most right hole and get out as in that corner is a door that is open and jump into the water. End of level 1, the Secret Tunnel.

Level 2: THE CURSE

The current will pull you into a tunnel and once you can swim again, swim a bit forward and look up as there is a little crawlspace with the TOMB KEY in it. After getting that, swim further and get out. The receptacle of the key is on the right and walk into the next room. Be careful as there are some boulders. There are two sets of ammo to find and after that walk into the opening. Notice that switch on your right. If you flip that, the burners will come on, but for now just walk over the burners. There are four reach-in holes and by doing that you turn of the lights and oh, my dear, beetles. Run out again and now flip that switch. Beetles are gone, flip the switch again and go back to the reach-in holes.

Notice the door is open but you need another item first. Reach in all the holes till Lara wont do it anymore and see you will get another CROSSBOW (for those who couldn't find secret #1) and ammo and, more important, IMHOTEP'S HEART.
Now enter the open door and if you have your guns drawn they will point to two Shiva's, but there is nothing happening. Notice also that pedestal, that need something. No it doesn't need water, if the waterskin is full, that is, but the Shiva's are carrying some items. Take your crossbow and arm them with explosives. Shoot one Shiva and the shell it is in will break, now you can finish it off with your pistols. Do the same to the other Shiva and you will end up with a GOLDEN SKULL and one half of a YELLOW DISK PIECE. Place the GOLDEN SKULL on the pedestal and one mouth of one of the faces will open.

SAVE YOUR GAME and place IMHOTEP'S HEART. Now you can go into another room where a scroll is on the floor. Pick that up and READ the scroll. In this room is a middle structure, three levers and one jump lever. But watch out, spikes will pop out of the floor and two nasty floating skeletons will hinder you. The way to kill them (and you must) is to let them get closer and use your Desert Eagle. One will drop another piece of a YELLOW DISK PIECE. Use all the levers and the middle structure will open. Use the yellow disk piece, this will lower blocks Lara is standing on and after that you can save safely again. Walk through the corridor and at the end there is some ammo. There are also some poisonous snakes and one has a RED HANDLE. Place the CANOPIC JAR and a wall will lower.

Room With Snake Faces.
Get into the room and light a flare, there is a crawlspace in the West wall. There you'll find another piece of the YELLOW DISK PIECE and a RED BLADE. Combine the handle and the blade and put it into the snakes mouth. Blocks will start lowering revealing a golden door and a red door. Also four snake heads. Enter the red door.

Lava Room.
There are two harpies flying around and a rope is dangling from the ceiling. Get to the other end; the door will open when you walk towards it. Around the corner is a switch; that will lower some more ropes, one to get another knife and another rope to get back. For now, walk into the maze and be aware as there are skeletons around that carry pieces you need. One carries a BLUE BLADE and the other a GREEN BLADE. I kept the wall on my right and after passing a closed door you'll see a crawlspace. There is some ammo in there and the GREEN HANDLE.

Go back to the closed door and go East and after the corner take the first to your left, another crawlspace. Light a flare and get the BLUE HANDLE and use the jump switch. The closed door is now open and you see a rope dangling. SAVE. This is a very tricky jump Palo made here, as you have to jump from the rope to another rope (horizontal) on the left and from there you can shimmy to the other end. Here is how I did it: jump to the rope, climb one higher, turn Lara towards the left wall in an South/East direction. Swing once, maybe even twice and jump, grab. After she is hanging very still, she will shimmy. At the end drop down. Before entering there is a secret #2 to get, look West and jump into the opening. Here you'll find a second YELLOW DISK PIECE and some goodies. Jump back and enter the room.

Mirror Room.
After the flyby save, as there will hidden spikes in the floor. Enter and walk to the left, you have to open the mirror first and the lever is hidden behind a push block in the North wall. Pull the block and push it aside, and flick the switch. Look in the mirror with the binoculars and you'll see two levers on the West wall and later one on the North wall. Flipping those switches will open the cage. Enter and kill that skeleton and get the BLACK SWORD. Leave the room, use the ropes and go back to the lava room. There is a rope on your left (South) and jump to that pedestal. Get the YELLOW SWORD. Another jump to the rope and just swing once to get to that walkway. Use the rope that is hanging there (there are two, one for coming and one for going) and once you are back in the room with the snake heads, insert the knives into the mouths of the snakes. The Golden door will open.

Before entering, on the left are some more goodies. Now enter the corridor and there is a lever there that doesn't work. Only when you have to go back that lever will work. When you are touching the next lever you get into the next level.

Level 3: THE AWAKENING

Flip the switch and walk further. Use a flare as there is a trap. The wall at the end will lower and SAVE your game. This is another mirror room (look to the left and you will see that you need to get across). Watch those boulders. Once on the other side you can enter another room. There are some nasties in there so look out. Enter again another room and climb on a block on the East wall, from there jump to another block and take a running jump towards the popping up spikes. In the middle is a hole and a switch. The switch isn't timed, but the spikes are, so after flipping it get out as fast as possible and away from the spikes. You opened a door a bit further near that tall block. That block is climbable on the South side and before going in the door you might as well get the goodies behind that green statue.

Now get into that door. There is a lever on the wall that will open another door in the lava room and stand in front of that wheel and SAVE. Use the wheel 5 or 6 times, angle Lara a bit, jump and run inside, crouch, crawl forwards once or twice, pick up a GREEN DISK PIECE and crawl out backwards, you should just make it. I never tried to get that large medipack.

Get back to the first room as there is an opening in the North/West wall. The wall is climbable and there you'll find Secret #3, some ammo and another GREEN DISK PIECE. Get out and go back to the lava mirror room, watch it, nasty alert. This time don't look in the mirror but at the wall and you see another opening, get there. And use that switch. You open another big room with stairs and mutant in cages. The North wall has a switch, and it opens a black skull door, now go to the South wall and use your disk. SAVE first and then run like hell as you get chased by fire wraiths and beetles.

BONUS LEVEL

Lara is transformed into a mutant and once past that door there will be two yetis waiting, so shoot them and they will leave two more DISKS. Insert the disks in their receptacles and have a look around after all the shutters are up. The first block on the right hides a torch, light it and ignite the two steaming vents. This will ignite the fires on the wall and the golden blocks. Watch the flyby and lo and behold you are surrounded by a lot of people of the TRLE community, builders as well as players. Have a good look around and even peer through some of the windows. Once you stand in front of the cage the door opens and you get transported back to the Awakening.

SAVE. In the next room there are on the structures 4 levers that need pulling, while you are being chased by some mutants, that I don't think you can kill. Be aware they can set Lara on fire. Once all the levers are pulled, something will happen to that Meteor stone. Leave the room and there is another opening you can go in. Watch out: boulder alert, and after that run to the outside, into the rain. You've made it!

THE END

SEARCH FOR IMHOTEP 3 – THE AWAKENING
By Hans Willi Brueggen
Released July 2003
Walkthrough by Kris

THE HIDDEN TUNNEL

The third level begins near an obelisk back at the pyramid. Turn to face southwest and continue left until you can go through an open door on the west wall. Go inside and pick up the SHOTGUN. Note the closed door in this area. Return back to the caged area near the obelisk. Now head North past the caged area until you find a moveable block on the north wall directly ahead of you. Pull it out and go through the crawlspace to pick up flares and the RED ARTIFACT. Turn west and continue running until you reach the wooden hut on your right (north). Kill the scorpions and shoot the wooden crate, then pick up the HOLY SCARAB. Now return back to the caged area.

Place the Holy Scarab in its receptacle on the east wall to raise a second obelisk in this area. Shoot the vulture and go into the opening near the shovel, in the sand near the raised block. Drop down and shoot the small brown pedestal to lower a trapdoor beneath it, then safety drop to the new area. Start crawling along the spike patterned corridor (they wont hurt you), and at the end emerge into an underground pool room and shoot the two crocodiles. Pick up the small waterskin to your left and fill it in the pool. When you stand on the centre tile of the pool, it will fall away enabling you to pick up ammo, and give access to the underwater switch. Pull the switch and enter the second crawlspace on the north wall, and at the end, climb the ladder to the top.

Now drop into the small pool of water below and climb out to the west into an underground tunnel. Start to wade and pick up a medipack on the right. Return to the entrance to shoot the crocodile who comes after you. Now return back the way you came and pick up the LASERSIGHT on the left, avoiding the falling ceiling as you progress. At the end, climb out and enter a larger cavern with three closed gates on your right. Avoiding the scurrying lizards, pick up ammo, and go past the gates, the third one will open as you pass. Kill the poisonous reptile inside, pick up the DESERT EAGLE and pull the wall switch to open the gate on the west wall.

Enter a fabulous high domed room with a sloped rolling ball slope covered in flames. Turn to your right and find the moveable block on the west wall. Pull it back once to lower the exit block inside this tunnel, then push it back into the wall until you can enter the new room. You are now in the main part of the room on the other side of the rolling ball slope. As you progress into the room, you will be attacked by two poisonous reptiles. Dispose of them and look round the room. High on the east wall is a Lion’s Head., on both the north and south walls are floor levers. On the far right east wall is a ladder opposite a jumpswitch, and the floor has a shaded floor tile near the tall column.

First go to the ladder and climb up to just past the green line on the wall. Backflip with twist to catch the jumpswitch. The rolling balls will start and the lights between the two statues will light up. Pick up ammo from the floor lever on the south wall. Pull both floor levers to start the rolling balls, which will raise and lower the blocks in the centre of the room . Now go to the block nearest to the statues, stand on it and wait for it to rise, then jump to the block in front, turn around and jump to the walkway. Now turn to face the east wall and shoot the lions head to drop a further block in the centre of the room.

As you approach the door to your left on the south wall, it will open and two reptiles will emerge. Once they have been killed go in and push the floor lever. A great flyby follows, panning the room below. An obelisk will rise between the two statues and the north wall will open at the other end of the walkway. Go there next, the door will close behind you as you enter a brightly lit passageway, slide down the slope and go through the door at the end which opens as you approach into an underground cavern.

Swim through until you find the underground crawlspace on the east wall, and continue until you can surface for air in the underground lake, but don’t climb out yet. Search the floor of the lake for shells, ammo and flares. Now swim north on the higher ledges and pick up SECRET # ONE – CROSSBOW. Turn to swim east and look for the yellow section of the wall. Swim down the hole and pick up the YELLOW ARTIFACT.

Swim upwards and east and find the lowered part of the floor where you can climb out into a huge room with a central metal runway leading to four closed iron gates, behind each of which is a poisonous reptile. Also in the room are four moveable obelisks. Look up at the ceiling and you’ll see three corresponding patterned ceiling tiles above the metal runway, and another patterned ceiling tile above the cage on the north wall. There is also a closed metal gate on the east wall. Time to move the first obelisk, top up on your health and move the first obelisk onto the metal runway underneath the first patterned ceiling tile. As you correctly place the obelisk the surrounding area will catch fire, so sideflip into the lake, then climb out and kill the reptile who has now been released from the first cage, then go inside and pick up ammo. Repeat the process for the other three obelisks.

When all four obelisks have been correctly placed, the door on the east wall will open. Go through and up the stairs to the end, turn around and jump and grab the ladder. Climb up about five rungs of the ladder, then backflip into the new room. On the left are three openings for artifacts and on the right side of the room are six cages with mutants inside. You need an artifact for the first opening on the left, so instead go to the second opening and place the Yellow Artifact. As you do, two mutants will be released and an obelisk will rise on the central structure. Kill the mutants and then place the Red Artifact in the end opening which will raise another obelisk on the central structure and also release a further two mutants. Kill them, and then search the empty cages, picking up two medipacks and the GREY ARTIFACT.

Place the Grey Artifact in the first opening to raise a third obelisk in the central structure, releasing two further mutants, and lowering a block on the west wall, revealing a switch. In the cage next to the switch is a ladder, but before pulling the switch climb up and collect the TORCH then press action and throw it down to the lower floor. Before pulling the switch, light the torch, then after the switch is pulled, the wall to the left of you will lower revealing another brightly lit room.

A reptile will attack as you enter the room. Dispose of him and look for a moveable statue on the west wall. Push it to one side, but before lighting the candle in the alcove behind it, save your game. Once the candle is lit, stairs will emerge out of the west wall, and the blocks are timed. Light the candle and quickly (still holding the torch) run to the stairs and using standing jumps from the back of the steps, jump up them before they retract.

Once in the new corridor, dispose of the reptile which will attack and look for the unlit wall sconce at the end of the corridor, destroying a second reptile as you approach. The side of the cage further down the hallway will open, giving you access to the jumpswitch inside. Jump up with grab to pull it, and the golden door at the end of this passageway will open into a huge arena. In the centre of the room is a canopic jar on a pedestal, but it is protected by flames and encircled by a metal cage. Two giant Serpents guard the room and they spit fire and locusts. On the floor are holes in the ground leading to an underwater cave.

SAVE YOUR GAME. Start running to your left, past the Giant Serpent and into the pool of water behind him. There are medipacks on the floor of the underwater cave. Pull the underwater switch on the east wall, and then locate the second underwater switch on the north wall, and pull that too. (try to avoid swimming directly underneath the water hole exits as this seems to encourage the locusts to attack. Pulling the switches will extinguish the fire and open the cage to the canopic jar. Now climb out the water and run to the pedestal and pick up the CANOPIC JAR. This will open a new door on the east wall, so waste no time in sprinting for the exit. Slide down into the water below, and a current will transport you into the opening on the east wall and into level two.

THE CURSE

Swim high to the ceiling so that you will see the overhead opening. Swim through and pick up the TOMB KEY then return and swim upwards until you can climb out and place the Tomb Key in the receptacle on the north wall. Enter the new room and beware of the two boulders rolling down from near the central structure, boulders will also roll down from the openings to the left and right. After the boulders have stopped rolling go into the right hand alcove where the boulder came from and pick up shells.

Now proceed into the new room and stop at the entrance before the fire tiles on the floor. Turn around to face south and notice the switch near the entrance of this new corridor. This switch controls the fire tiles, but don’t pull it yet. Go further into the main room. There is a central walkway with four columns, each with a reach in hole, and overhead fire sconces. Top up on your health and go to the first hole on the left. Press action once to release the scarabs, and immediately sprint back to that switch at the entrance and pull it. The scarabs will follow you and will be destroyed as the flames appear on the floor tiles. Reset the switch and return to the first reach in hole on the left and press action twice more.

Collect IMHOTEP'S HEART then move on to the first reach in hole on the right. Press action three times, collect crossbow ammo and the lights above the first two holes will go out. Continue down the walkway reaching in to the final two holes. The last hole on the left will give you the ROCKET LAUNCHER. Once you have collected all the goodies from the four holes, all the lights in this area will go out, but the door on the north wall will open and you can walk into a room with four Shiva Statues and a central pedestal. Load up the rocket launcher with explosive ammo, and shoot the outer casings of the two Shivas near the pedestal, then dispose of them as they come to life. Pick up the YELLOW DISC PIECE and the GOLDEN SKULL they leave behind.

Go to the pedestal and press action and place the Golden Skull to open the face tile on the north wall. Just inside the new entrance on your left is an opening in the wall, press action and place Imhotep’s Heart and SAVE YOUR GAME. The door behind you will close, so continue down the corridor and stop at the entrance to the new room.

Ahead of your is a central four faced structure, to your right on the south wall is a jumpswitch. There are three wall switches round the outside walls. The floor has spike traps. Arm yourself with the Desert Eagle, and pick up the GAMER'S SUPPORT SCROLL at the entrance, it reads;-

DEAR RAIDER

Please do not Save and Reload in this room
This may cause Problems reaching the Puzzle Hole
Have Fun………………………Palopique.

Run forward to the face structure and avoiding the spike patterns stand under the jumpswitch, and jump up with grab to pull it. One of the face tiles will lift on the central structure. The first wall switch is on the east wall. Avoiding the spike patterns on the floor make your way over to it and pull it to raise the second face on the central structure. Now turn to face north and carefully proceed to the second wall switch and pull that one too to raise the third face tile. As you do, a floating skeleton will appear and you must destroy him. Be careful not to be pushed onto the spiked floor. Now make your way carefully to the final wall switch on the west wall near the entrance and repeat the process.

As the final face tile rises and the central structure opens up, you will be confronted by another floating skeleton. Destroy him with the Desert Eagle and pick up the second YELLOW DISC PIECE which he leaves behind. Jump into the central structure and combine the two Yellow Disc Pieces. Use the Yellow Disc in the receptacle, and the floor beneath you will drop ledge by ledge until you are in a new area. Now that you have completed the puzzle in the above room, it is safe to use the Save button again.

In the new corridor take the first turning on your right (east) and enter a red room with two giant serpents. Destroy them both and pick up the RED HANDLE. Go over to the receptacle on the east wall and press action to place the Canopic Jar, which will lower part of the north wall. Go into the new room at the top of the stairs. Just inside the entrance (three wall blocks) on the left (west) is a high crawlspace on the west wall. You need to do a slightly diagonal running jump with grab from the central structure to access it. Pull up and go through, drop down the other side. Pick up a medipack, the RED BLADE and another part of the YELLOW DISC PIECE.

Exit the crawlspace and go to the serpent receptacle on the west wall. Combine the Red Handle and the Red Blade to make the RED SWORD and press action. The central structure will drop away revealing four serpent head switches, and part of the east wall will raise to reveal a latticed red door which opens as you approach. A golden latticed door on the north wall will be exposed. To the left of it you can pick up ammo and a medipack.

Go through the red latticed door into the lava room. As you progress to the end of the walkway, two red harpies will attack, so dispose of them both and walk to the end of the walkway and line up with the rope. In front of you is a closed red latticed gate on the east wall. From the end of the platform hop back and do a running jump with grab to catch the rope. Rotate the rope until you are lined up with the path leading to the red door, swing and drop off on the red and green walkway.

Go through the door and enter the eerie blue maze. Keeping to the left start to make your way through. You’ll soon be confronted by floating skeletons, kill them as before with the desert eagle. Keeping left, you’ll eventually reach a crawlspace on the south wall, go through it, and pick up ammo and the GREEN HANDLE. Exit, kill the waiting skeleton and continue as before, but keeping to the right this time until you can pick up the BLUE BLADE (south). Continue right until you are back near the entrance and pull the wall switch. Roll and return into the labyrinth.

Continue right, past the closed gold lattice door until you reach a new crawlspace (south) and pick up the BLUE HANDLE from inside. Still in the crawlspace, stand up and turn around and jump up with grab to pull the jumpswitch. You’ll hear a door opening. Arm yourself with the Desert Eagle, there is a floating skeleton waiting for you as you exit the crawlspace, and dispose of him. Don’t forget to pick up the GREEN BLADE which he leaves behind (it’s easily missed). Now return back the way you came to the golden latticed door which is now open. I’d SAVE YOUR GAME here.

Inside the small lava room is a rope, a green latticed door at the far end of the room below which is a platform in the lava, and an alcove to the right of it. Above your head is a horizontal black ‘line’ which in actual fact is a shimmy rope. Walk to the edge and hop back. Take a running jump with grab to the rope. Drop down to the bottom of the rope and climb up once, and then rotate the rope so that you are almost facing the left hand wall (east). Swing once, then jump with grab to catch the horizontal rope, and wait till Lara is absolutely still before you start the shimmy to the right (This is a difficult rope swing and may take a few attempts). As you reach the green lattice gate, a block will rise underneath it, and you can safely drop off.

Turn to face west and do a standing jump with grab to the opening on the west wall. Pick up SECRET # 2 - medipack, ammo and part of the YELLOW DISC PIECE. Standing jump back to the lava room, and SAVE YOUR GAME. The flyby will show you the new room with a central caged area. The floor has spike traps. .

Turn left and walk directly into the east wall. Turn right (south) and from the back wall do two standing jumps then turn right (west) and standing jump towards the metal cage in the centre and climb up onto the lower ramp surrounding it. Turn northwest and do a diagonal standing jump to the other side of the cage. (still on the lower ramp). Turn west and standing jump once, now turn northwest and jump to the moveable block on the north wall (light a flare).

Pull the block out once and push it to one side, then enter the new passageway to the switch and pull it. The south wall in the previous room will lower, revealing its mirrored image. Use the binoculars to get a clearer picture. There are two switches on the west wall, and a skeleton guards the caged area. Remember there are still spike traps on the floor. From the edge of the moveable block, standing jump over to the west wall, then sideflip to the right so that you are at the far right corner. Now sideflip to the left twice and take a further one step to the left and pull the first switch

Now sideflip once to the left again and take four more sidesteps to the left and pull the second switch. Run across the front of the mirror and use the binoculars to locate the switch on the north wall (it’s difficult to spot). Jump on the central platform and jump to the golden latticed gate on the north wall. With the gate on your right, take one step to the left and pull the third switch. The gate on the central caged area will rise. Arm yourself with the desert eagle, jump onto the central platform, and kill the floating skeleton who is guarding the pedestal. Pick up the BLACK SWORD.

The gold latticed exit door will now open so you can now leave this room, and return to the small lava room where a further rope has lowered. Use the ropes to get back to the labyrinth. From the doorway go left and take the first left, then first left again back to the switch and the entrance to the larger lava room, where a further rope has lowered giving you access to the platform on the south wall.

Line up with the rope, hop back, and do a running jump with grab to catch it, rotate once to the left, swing once and drop off on the platform. Pick up the YELLOW SWORD. Running jump with grab back to the rope, then swing and jump back to the walkway. Walk to the end of the walkway and line up with the first rope on the left near the exit, do a running jump with grab to catch it, rotate the rope slightly to the left then swing once and jump off at the entrance.

Combine the blue and green blades with the blue and green handles and go to the central serpent receptacles, and place all four swords. When all four swords are placed run towards the golden latticed gate on the north wall which will open as you approach. Just inside the gates is a switch on the left which wont pull at the moment, so run round the corner to the next switch at the end of the corridor on your right. You’ll get a flyby of the previous room. Pull the switch to open the heavy grey stone doors and go forward into the next level.

THE AWAKENING

As the next set of grey stone doors opens, light a flare and jump over the pit. The wall ahead will lower as you walk further on into another lava room (with a difference) with invisible ledges and boulder traps. SAVE YOUR GAME. Walk to the edge of the pink ledge and look to your left, you are in another mirror room. Above are three boulders just waiting to crush you, with invisible ledges giving you access to the other side of the room.

Turn back to face the entrance (east) and make sure you are EXACTLY on the edge of the pink square, walk back three times. The next time you walk back the boulder will fall, so take one more step and then run forward to evade the first boulder. Now turn around and walk forward to the end of the first invisible ledge, hop back and do a running jump to the second invisible ledge. Sidestep to the left six times so that you are in line with the door on the west wall. Turn around to face east, the jump back and hang drop with grab while the boulder flies overhead you. Turn around to face west and standing jump with grab to the last invisible platform, and through the new door which lowers to give you access to a new room.

As you enter the room, you will be attacked by two poisonous green lizards, so quickly kill them and head for the far right wall (West). There is a high crawlspace to your right, but it is too high to access, but the west wall near the crawlspace is climbable, so climb up, go through the crawlspace and pick up SECRET # THREE - medipack, ammo and the GREEN DISC PIECE. Exit the crawlspace and kill another poisonous reptile.

Now head for the opening on the north wall which leads to a huge cavern. Before going into the main room, pick up ammo from an alcove on your right, then enter the main area, killing the harpy as he attacks, and another poisonous reptile. Climb up on the short block at the end of the small light coloured ramp on the east wall near the entrance. Turn around and standing jump to the higher block in front (west). As you land the larger area ahead becomes activated with spikes, so time a diagonal running jump when the spikes are at their highest to land on that wider platform. The other spikes will retract allowing you access to the pit in the middle of them. Drop down and pull the switch and quickly get out of the pit (west) before the spikes reactivate. The switch has opened a door on the north wall.

Climb up the south side of the tallest block, but before going through the door, collect ammo from the platform with the green statue, then return to the high block. Do a running jump with grab into the entrance, into a room with a wheel, and a jumpswitch on the far right north wall. Pull the jumpswitch to open a door on the north wall back in the lava room. Now go to the wheel and save your game.

Press action to turn the wheel and raise the door on the east wall (six times), then quickly slightly angle a jump over the wheel to land in the doorway, crawl in and get the GREEN DISC PIECE. Ignore the medipack, there isn’t enough time to get it, and crawl out backwards before the door traps you inside with mutant red bugs.

Back now to the room with the boulders, and the invisible ledges. Walk out onto the invisible ledge as far as you can go, then hop back and running jump to the next ledge. Turn to face north and that newly opened door. There is a boulder overhead. Walk four steps forward towards the new door, then turn to face the original entrance (east) and hang, drop and grab the edge of the invisible platform. Now shimmy left and round the corner, pull up and run like mad to allow the boulder to drop without causing any damage.

Now turn to face north again, and walk on the invisible ledge until you reach the end, hop back, then do a running jump, grabbing at the last minute to land in the new doorway. Run up the steps and use the switch on the left to open the door ahead. Run down the steps into a huge room with suspended cages containing red mutants. There is a switch on the north wall, and a skull door on the south wall flanked by two cages containing red mutants. Go to the north wall and pull the switch, now go to the south wall, and place both discs. (it may be that the yellow disc doesn’t show up in your inventory even though the words ‘yellow disc piece’ are there, but combine the two pieces together anyway and place on the right hand cage.

The door between the two cages will open, fire sprits will be released. Run through , jumping over the spike trap at the entrance, into the molten red corridor, keep moving to avoid the mutant bugs, and the fire spirits and slide down the tunnel to emerge into the new level.

BONUS LEVEL

Load up with the Desert Eagle, and now fully transformed into a red mutant, run forward into the most amazing room. Shoot the two Yetis as they attack you from the right and pick up the GREEN DISC and YELLOW DISC they leave behind. This feels like stepping into Midas’ Palace with golden cages on either side of the room and golden shutters at the windows. There is a large cage on the far wall, and steam vents on the floor either side of the entrance. Go to the second pillar in the centre of the room and place the discs. The golden shutters round the room will rise, and you’ll get your first glimpse of the face tiles around the room.

Now go the first golden latticed cage on the right of the entrance and push it once to enable you to pick up the TORCH. Go back to the beginning of this level and light the torch from the wall sconce, then return to the main room, stand by the side of the steam vents and press action to light both of them. Channels of fire will move through the cages on either side of the room, and when the flames reach the last cages, you’ll get a tremendous flyby as this fabulous room changes before your eyes. The face wall tiles take on colour and detail and illustrate members from every section of the Tomb Raider community, from players, builders, testers etc. If ever there was a "WOW!" moment in a game, then this in my opinion is it.

Go to the cage on the west wall, where the cage door has now opened, climb in and take the elevator back to the Awakening level. The room ahead has two large flying demons, jumpswitches on each of the central pillars, and a huge pit. Top up on you health and SAVE YOUR GAME. You can’t kill the demons, rather you have to outrun them and pull each of the four jumpswitches. As you pull the final switch the central pit will change, the demons will disappear, and the mutant statues round the room will burst into flames, and also disappear.

The exit door on the south wall will open so run through it to the next room, where the door has opened now on the east wall. Stand with your back to the brown path and backflip twice, then run forward and round the corner as the molten lava ball rolls into the room. Now jump over the ball, and run up the pathway to finish this incredible game.