
The Lizard King


CONTENTS OF THIS README
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HINTS AND TIPS
GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THE GAME

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HINTS AND TIPS

IMPORTANT: BEFORE YOU START TO PLAY,  ENTER SETUP AND:
- SET YOUR OUTPUT RESOLUTION TO A HIGH-RES 16-BIT 
- TURN THE VOLUMETRIC FX OFF

These measures will ensure you get optimum graphical quality allowing distant features to appear gradually and smoothly as they come into range. 

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The Underworld.
 THE HUB  (an introduction)

Since you used a spell to get here to the Underworld, rather than the more traditional method of dying, you begin this adventure at location (2)  … the Magus Entrance Point.

[Consult Dante’s map (.bmp that came with the download) to see where you are and what lies beyond the various paths that radiate out in all directions. Visit: 

http://users.skynet.be/fa208416/Lawther/lizard%20title%20page.html

or:

http://pacnamegif.tripod.com/lizard_title_page.html

…and hover over the map to access screenshots from the various areas]

Your first stop is (1) The Icons From  (Lara’s)  Past. 

Pickup the SCROLLS/SHOTGUN&AMMO and the icons raise up. The lowering of the icons comes much later so forget about them for now. The side blocks have lowered;  it’s time to move on.

Before investigating the outlying areas, it might pay to investigate the places contained within the hub level. Of particular interest would be ‘Thor’s Hammer’ which is being wielded by an impostor Hammer God. He’s easy to avoid - but that’s not the point. One of your main aims in the game is to get that  hammer off of him!  3 nearby stones each contain some information for you to mull over - but no need to take any action yet.

The other area of particular interest would be ‘Block’ - the original Immovable Object. You will have to smash this down to complete your mission. That’s why you’ll need Thor’s Hammer - the original Irresistible Force.

[note: if you have slow load times you could rename Dante’s Map to load and use it as your load screen. The more familiar you get with the layout of the map, the more fun and immersive this experience will get.]



Okay, there are other things to see, and the map will tell you their names, if they have any, but now it’s time to begin the game proper. You have 5 possible routes to take; each of these leads to a separate level and a quest for a Lizard Trueform. Each of these levels is roughly themed on one of the pushable icons seen at the start.
Summarizing, the levels are:

1/ 	Uranus, River of Blood - leading to Osiris Court.
2/ 	Castle Orr.
3/ 	Hyan Pyramids/Nothings, - leading to The House of Self.
4/	Demon Nursery.
5/	Babylon.

These levels can be tackled in ANY ORDER.  However, the order presented above would lead to a good progression throughout the game moving from the fairly straightforward Uranus, River of Blood  to the harder and more esoteric levels at the end - it’s probably the way I’d want to play this game. Babylon is the only level that features a vehicle.

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URANUS/ STYX/OSIRIS COURT


URANUS - RIVER OF BLOOD

Just follow the river upstream (or would that be downstream ;)) until it eventually flows into the Infernal River Styx.
Sword traps are disabled by shooting nearby swords. There is NO LASERSITE. You don’t need one. Only weapons here are pistols and shotgun (same with all levels, and the reason for this will be explained later ).

RIVER STYX

Don’t fall in the big river.
Summon the boatman by placing his pole in the receptacle by the boat. Then hop aboard.

OSIRIS COURT. 

Anubis has not forgotten to open that door - he’s waiting for you to collect something. According to the map what’s also in the neighbourhood?

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CASTLE ORR

Don’t try to whack the first Xian you meet - not all TR enemies are cannon fodder. Rule of thumb: If he’s crouching - don’t fight him, apply stealth tactics. 

[It is possible to trigger the Xian to activate the deadly floor (and survive!) by letting off a few shots from below. If you do this you can eventually make the floor safe for pulling the lever when you find the correct route - just be advised that the designed gameplay is for you to avoid the Xian and his deadly floor.]

Stealth elements demanded the removal of heavy firepower - so pistols and shotgun only for other fire-fights.

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NOTHINGS/HYAN PYRAMIDS/HOUSE OF SELF

NOTHINGS

You need to invoke Anubis to help you through this. (you do have the scrolls, don’t you?).Place the scroll and Anubis will be on his way to help out. 
Stick close to Anubis through the Nothings - if you lose sight of him you will be hopelessly lost.  Just 2 minutes through this nightmare and you arrive at:

THE HYAN PYRAMIDS

Anubis stops and waits for you to find the map that will take you and him the next area:
IMPORTANT: Pickup the 4 boulder keys on pedestals near the ‘map room’  (or later do the mother of all backtracks) 

Can’t get out of the start?? Look for a jump switch.

Remember to flick the lever switch that opens the door back to Anubis and the map room

The Hyan ghosts are not much of a threat and may ignore you. Any that persist are destroyed by water.

Once you’ve got the second map back to Anubis (the first is the one he’s holding) it’s back for another romp through the Nothings. A bit trickier in places to keep up. Then it’s on to:

THE HOUSE OF SELF

Don’t just push the Lara Icons at random - you have to KNOW where to push them.

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DEMON NURSERY

The shortest and perhaps most unusual of the levels.  

Get jumping, make your way up to the big platform and flick the lever switch to summon the little demons.  This section will get the adrenaline going. With the shotgun, the little beasties are easy to blast - but you have to be QUICK. If one of them reaches the end of its track you’re toast.

The last demon drops a key. Pick this up and take the zip line back to the start.

From the start, the area above contains the round keyhole to the nearby doors….

“Confusion comes to those who save”
Confused? 
The timed sequence that follows will remain unchanged whether you save or not and it begins when the shielded demon begins to move. Save after this point and then reload and the demon is back at the start and you lose track of  how much time you have left to complete your task. To play this as it was intended please attempt this section without saving - and race the demon! (it’s not so hard that you need to save)

Once you place the pushable icon you are safe from anything the other demon does and you can access the last zip line.

UNNAMED PYRAMID (back in the hub level)

Find your way to the top and collect the Lizard Trueform


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BABYLON.



Use your remaining scroll to invoke Anubis and see an interesting set of flybys. Anubis as jackal, then as man, then  as … something else. Boy, is that one versatile pooch!?

Rightmost door to outside area:   Once outside, park the vehicle next to the track nearest the switch (or just to the left of the switch) and save your game if you’re happy  you’re not trapped or anything. Flick the switch and race back to the car and zoom as fast as you safely can over the shortest route over the twisting track before it torches you.

Once on the safe ground beyond you need to gain enough speed to hit the ramps fast enough to reach the top. 

Follow the tracks and take a big jump that scares Anubis.

The sloping ‘lava’ block. 
You have to steer the vehicle along the track and avoid the lava areas.
Some of you might think this is very hard or impossible to do but it is in fact quite easy if you use the CORRECT TECHNIQUE. 
The TRICK is to keep the vehicle faced UP at all times and just use the THROTTLE (ctrl) to move. Only use the side arrows to NUDGE the vehicle in the direction you want to go so that it faces up and to that side slightly. Then by gentle touches of the throttle you can progress easily around the track - up, down and to the sides  -- all with the throttle.
Save when you get to the top. Then use the ramp to position yourself for a REVERSE down the other side. Use the same technique as before. For the last bit just let the vehicle slide down to the bottom - be sure it is lined up straight first!


Faust's Key
Access is possible only from the back. Collect key and return to the room with 5 switches then up the other route to the outside.

Raise and lower blocks to develop a route through to the far side, the take the tracks below and take a small jump to return to the indoors. Dismount. (if you did things in the same order as outlined here you can finish with vehicle, otherwise just leave it here and collect it later when you can)

The next section involving a slide and a trapdoor simply requires a little patience….
Alighieri's Key 
And then it’s on to the room with 4 Anubis pushable icons. It’s a case of ‘give the dog a bone‘. Is it not working for you? Well where are those bones. It’s no good sticking it in the dog’s ear or up its arse. You know where he wants it.

Collect Alighieri's Key and then beyond the next corridor you can now open the door with the 2 keys you collected. 

Lava chamber. Similar technology to that you encountered in Castle Orr. All you have to do is pass over the lave/grills to be set alight - so no jumping shortcuts.
Use the twinned pads at the entrance to arrange the floor patterns so they form a continuous track to the side area. 

Flick the lever switch to open doors and repeat with the new pads to arrange the floor patterns to reach this area

Collect the 5th and last Lizard Trueform

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BACK TO THE HUB

You will have noticed that throughout the game - every time you completed a level and returned to the start - an Icon had been lowered. Now all 5 are lowered and can be pushed to their destinations. It’ll help if you ‘know your past’ ie - you have played the original Tomb Raider games in order to know where each Icon belongs. They are representatives from each game - assuming Lara herself represents TR1. Even without knowledge of TR you could have an informed guess about at least 3 of the icons and then do trial and error for the last 2. 
I was going to include the answer now - but the chances are the full walkthrough is available now. 
Email me or check out the forums if you need the answer.

With the 5 icons correctly placed, Anubis is finally able to enter the Inverted Manse and read the spell that disorientates the impostor  Hammer God. Anubis beckons for you to investigate.

At last the Hammer God is snared in a trap. Anubis is very happy about this. Stand next to the Hammer God and collect Thor’s Hammer. If this does not work first time try moving slightly - it’s a simple pickup - no hidden tricks.

Armed with 5 Lizard Trueforms and Thor’s Hammer you are finally in a position to smash down the Block and enter the realm of The Lizard King.


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REALM OF THE KING

Time at last to meet the Lizard King. You’re probably wondering if this guy’s worth all the fuss - he is. The Lizard King is Bad and Bad.
As the phantom skeletons bash out their demonic beat, find receptors for the 5 trueforms you toiled so hard to collect; avoiding LK and his considerable firepower. 
Save when you accomplish something and this section will become easier.
Expert’s Challenge: Do the whole of this section without saving.  

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END SEQUENCE

Anubis shows you the way home. 

THE    END

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN THE GAME

Anubis
The Jackal, Anubis, Egyptian god of the dead, leads the dead to Osiris and the place of judgement

Babylon.
Of ancient Mesopotamia. Also synonymous in some cultures with corruption. The Babylon of the Underworld is the newest construction. 

Block.
The original Immovable Object. (See Thor’s Hammer).

Castle Orr
Home to the terminally belligerent. Willing agents of the Lizard King.

Dante Alighieri.
Author of the Devine Comedy. Travelled through all the levels of Hell, witnessing its many tortures.

Faust.
 'Doctor Faustus', the German necromancer and astrologer who sold his soul to the Devil in exchange for knowledge and power.

The House of Self.
Confront your id. Use your super ego.

Hyan Pyramids. 
Ancient - even by the standards of the Underworld.  Now discarded and forgotten by all but a few ghosts. They are encroached by the invasive Nothings.

Manse.
Not strictly speaking a church, as depicted here. More a minister’s living quarters.  The Inverted Manse is a brilliant Thief level. I’m paying homage.

Manna From Heaven.
A miraculous food originating from the place of the immediate divine presence.

Manna From Hexham.
Something containing lots of fat and carbohydrates originating from a market town in northern England.

Magus.
=Magician.  A title suitable for anyone who reaches the Underworld before death.

The Nothings. 
The Underworld is a composition of Mind. Where the mind does not operate there is the absolute nothing.  Only licensed spirit guides can navigate through this without going mad.

Osiris
Lord of the Underworld. Anubis’s boss. Big on hats. Bigger on big hats.

The Skelly Tones
The resident band of Castle Orr. Patrons express their appreciation of an evening’s set by blasting the band members into a pit of lava.  Also perform at other venues throughout the Underworld. Management offices in Hades, Dis and Leeds.

Styx
The infernal river separates the realm of the dead from the realm of the living. All those who die are transported across the river to be judged - either by Osiris, Minos or something else  - all depending on your own cultural reference points.

Thor’s Hammer
The original Irresistible Force. (See Block).

Uranus.
Castrated and deposed by his son Cronus. From his blood the monstrous Furies were born. These fearsome female creatures were wingless and  black; their eyes dripped poisonous tears. 

Virgil.
Roman Poet.  Dante’s guide through Hell.


