EXAMINATION OF THE SPHINX

Levels by Astraf

Walkthrough by José

LEVEL 1 - THE GREAT SPHINX OF GIZA

Note that you already have some extra items in the inventory: the SHOTGUN, the IGNITION KEY and the STOCKROOM KEYS.

Just in front of you there is uzi ammo, and on the wooden platform pick up flares and the JERRYCAN (camera shot of closed doors).

Raid with the Jeep

To avoid backtracking and get some fun with the jeep to get important items you need for later, mount the jeep and drive N to an outside area, turn right (E) and drive through the cave until you find a closed door to your left; dismount and use your keys to open the door, go inside and pick up the flares, shoot the boxes to get the BAG OF SAND and shotgun shells, revolver ammo and a small medipack. Go outside and mount the jeep. Continue driving to an outside area and dismount; in the small pool you can pick up shotgun shells and uzi clips. Go out of the water, to the closed door in the corner and open it with your keys, go inside and pick up the WATERSKIN. Fill it in the nearby pool if you want, mount the jeep and drive all the way back to the second outside area with the statue inside the rocky opening (the one after the starting area).

The Crowbar

Climb the buried column near the SW corner and jump to the top of the W wall; a bit further N you can jump to the top of the higher column to get shotgun shells. Continue N and E until you find the slope above the opening with the statue, jump onto it, slide/grab the edge, and note the jumpswitch below. But don't pull it yet, shimmy right, pull up and continue to the NE corner, shoot the small scorpion and climb the column to get a small medipack; continue clockwise and from the SE corner jump onto the flatter ledges to get the CROWBAR. Go back to the N side the way you came and this time pull the jumpswitch to lower the big blocks in the opening with the big statue.

Spiked Hall

Climb the ledge in front of you and behind the statue shoot the small scorpion and pick up a TORCH, light it and use it to light the wall torches left and right from the closed door to open it; carefully enter, walk to pick up the flares, take the torch with you and time the teeth doors. Throw the torch near the entrance and in this passage, jump only onto the raised tiles to cross to the other side (spike traps in the sandy floor), shoot the bats and locate the movable block attached to the W wall, pull it several times onto the patterned tile to open a door near the entrance, carefully go back there and retrieve the torch.

First Black Beetle

Go through the dark opening and light the torch in the corridor (throw the torch near the teeth doors or in a place you can find it later), continue shooting the bats and advance to the end of the passage to find yourself back in the place with the movable block; move it W passing its original position to the very end and cross again the spiked path to the entrance of the room (shoot more bats), go back through the dark passage to find the block at the end; look up to the ceiling to locate the high wall switch and move the block under it so you can climb and pull it: a block will rise in the nearby W dark room, so go there, shoot a couple of scorpions, climb the raised block and pry the first BLACK BEETLE off the wall; a door opens in the N side of the room with the spiked path so go back there and continue…

Second Black Beetle

Note the closed door high up in a hole in the ceiling and run up the wide stairs taking care of the rolling boulder. Once in the outside area shoot the big bugs and locate four switches to pull around the central pit; only two of them will trigger a camera shot showing a corner in this area so pull only these two switches: the SW and NE ones to lower a block in the SW corner near the palm tree; go there, drop into the hole and pry the second BLACK BEETLE off the wall. Go back up to the area with four switches via the N door and wide stairs.

Third Black Beetle

In the S side of this area, near the stairs leading to the black pyramid there is a hole in the floor with a ladder, safely drop into that hole (there's no need to use the ladder) and when you approach to the door it opens; go through to find yourself near the teeth doors, pick up the torch (or cross the doors to get a second one) and jump to the corridor you just came from, light the wall torch to open a door in the N side of the spiked path, near the patterned tile, go there and pry the third BLACK BEETLE off the wall. Go back up to the area with four switches via the N door and wide stairs.

Fourth Black Beetle

This time approach to the very N side of this area and the camera angle changes, showing you the last beetle in a niche in the wall; approach to the edge, turn around (face S), drop/grab the edge and shimmy left or right until you see one of the cracks right or left from the niche, drop/grab the crack and shimmy left or right and around the corner, drop and pry the fourth BLACK BEETLE off the wall. The nearby door opens, so drop into the hole and go back up to the area with four switches via the wide stairs.

The Ankh

Time to use the beetles, go to the S side of this area, up the dark stairs and use the items on the black pyramid to finally get the ANKH. And that's all in this place; now you can go to the N side of this area where you got the last beetle, safely drop to the courtyard with the small pool and go through the W open door (only if you already got the jerrycan, the bag of sand and the small waterskin; see the first paragraphs of this walkthrough talking about the ride with the jeep). But if you want to get a couple of secrets and some extra pickups read the next paragraphs; if not, skip to ***

First Secret

Once you get the Ankh, approach to the W side of the platform where the black pyramid is and take a running jump W to land onto the flatter part of the rocky wall, from here you can take a standing jump to grab the edge of the tall column S and get a large medipack at its top. Safely drop to the rocky ledge below and to the sandy floor where the jeep is parked. Now go again to the opening with the big statue through the teeth doors and left to the dark room where the movable block is; there's a hole next to the block where a block lowered when you placed the scarabs, facing S drop/grab the edge of the hole and drop/grab the edge below, pull up and get the SECRET #1: the DESERT EAGLE and desert eagle ammo. Take a standing jump to grab the N edge and pull up.

Second Secret

Now go back again to the upper area with four wall switches via the N door and the wide stairs as you did before, this time go to the NW corner where the broken column is and jump onto the brown rocks next to the corner, continue jumping onto the flatter parts of the rocks in a clockwise direction to pick up flares and finally next to the NE corner get the shotgun shells. From this safe position you can shoot a giant bug down on the E ledge if you want. Now take a long running jump with a slightly left curve to land onto the ledge where the giant bug was, slide/grab the edge of the rocky ledge and shimmy right a bit until you find a flatter tile where you can stand up, near the center; take a standing jump to the niche in the corner to get the SECRET #2: the UZIS. Safely drop to the sandy floor and go through the W open doors.

***

Sphinx Area

At the end of the passage you'll find yourself in a very huge area with the sphinx. Go between the arms and use the Ankh to open the last door, enter and watch the brief flyby to finish the level.

Detour for the last secret: go to the left side of the sphinx (S) and look for a broken part of the arm you can climb near the SW corner; I think you can climb to the top of the arm facing directly N, but for me was difficult so I faced W and took a standing jump with a slightly right curve to reach the top of the arm. Advance S to get the SECRET #3: desert eagle ammo, shotgun shells, uzi clips and a small medipack.

LEVEL 2 - THE HOLY EXAMINATION

Spiked Hall

In the first room pick up the flares and the small medipack, advance a bit, shoot the small scorpion and watch out for the first falling boulder and the darts. The sandy tiles are spike traps so from the first triangular tile take a running jump to the next triangular tile in the corner and watch out for the second falling boulder when crossing to the third triangular tile.

Fourth Secret

For a secret: from the first triangular tile jump to your right onto the breakable tile next to the wall and immediately left to the next tile and to the last triangular tile to avoid the falling boulder; when the boulder stops jump to the second triangular tile near the corner and take a standing jump with grab N to the hole where the breakable tile was, trying to not fall into the lava; climb the block to your left to get the SECRET #4: a small medipack, shotgun shells, uzi clips, another pair of UZIS and flares; when you are in front of a sloped block, climb it and jump back to land onto the ledge above, shoot a bat and safely drop through the hole to land next to the second boulder.

Timed Run

From this triangular tile take a standing jump S-SW with grab to land onto the niche with the wall switch in the lava pit. Save your game (it's timed), pull it, turn a bit left, roll and take a running jump with a left curve to grab the edge of the pit, pull up and quickly cross under the timed door.

[Note]: You can try to trap the skeleton out of the room with the puzzle elements; the door is timed about 18 seconds or so, that way you can wait in the room with the lava pit about 16 seconds and cross to the other side leaving the skeleton outside. [End note]

Elements Room Puzzle

Once inside the puzzle room, shoot a bat and a small scorpion, and if you want a secret later, pick up the TORCH between the pools, light it S and light the wall torch on the N wall to open a door somewhere. Use the elements on their respective places, from left to right: jerrycan, water (fill the waterskin in a pool if you need it) and bag of sand; light the left receptacle with your torch and the white door will open.

Water Room with Currents

Jump into the water and fight against the current to swim through the N opening, pick up the small medipack and surface. If you lightened the wall torch in the puzzle room, a door in the right side of the squishy block should be opened, time the block and take a running jump there to get the SECRET #5: flares, the GRENADE GUN and 2 X grenade gun ammo. Time the block again to drop down and go into the niche with the wall switch, pull it and time the block a last time to go back to the water room.

Now fight against the current again to swim through the S opening, pick up the desert eagle ammo and take a curved running jump over the fire from either the left or right sides, pull the wall switch and go back to the pool room (this time you can let Lara catches fire for a very short time or take the curved running jump again).

Drying the Water Room

Swim through the hole in the floor and the door is open, in the next room swim through the opening in the NW corner and continue until you can surface. Pull the wall switch, jump into the water and find the nearby open door to your left and swim back to the main room; now swim through the SE opening until you can surface and pull a second wall switch to completely drain the main room, go back there, pull the jumpswitch opposite the closed door and shoot all the crocs coming from the opening.

Movable Block Puzzle

Pick up the flares and the small medipack next to the skeleton and quickly take a running jump to the next stone tile to avoid the horizontal blades, shoot a couple of scorpions and jump N to grab the edge of the crawlspace; drop from the other side and take care of the white floor tiles with blade traps; pick up the flares, the small medipack and push the crate S once. Go back the way you came to the main corridor.

Corkscrews Room

Pick up the uzi clips and run and jump to avoid the next horizontal blades. In the next room turn right and climb the crate you moved moments ago to pull a jumpswitch. Don’t worry about the corkscrews descending from the ceiling, pick up the small medipack, the uzi clips and the flares, and pull the movable block two times W. In this room there are two white marked tiles on the floor which will raise tall blocks N and S but they are timed. Step first onto the tile next to the W wall and quickly onto the tile next to the movable block, climb the block, climb the raised block and go jumping to the S side of the upper ledges to the top of the second raised block; then angle Lara SE and take a standing jump to grab the monkeyswing before the block lowers, swing to the corner and pull the jumpswitch to open the exit W door.

Rotating Spiked Cylinder Room

Go there, pick up the small medipack and the shotgun shells next to the water hole and jump into the water, let the current takes you to a small pond with a small medipack, pick up the flares next to the pit and if you want some extra pickups (duck when necessary in all this area) drop from the left side of the pit onto the flat ledge bellow and pick up the uzi clips, now slide to the bottom of the pit and pick up the small medipack and shotgun shells. Go back up to the cave with the small pond the way you came.

From the right side of the pit take a running jump to the S ledge, turn left and climb the next block, pick up the uzi clips and jump over the slope to the top of the structure where you can find a large medipack. Step slowly W to trigger falling debris and slide from the left side to land onto a flat ledge below; turn around, blast the skeleton and pull the crowbar switch to open the blue S doors. Take a running jump there.

The Big Dragon

Pick up the flares near the corner and when you enter into the next room a giant dragon awakes, so be fast to do the first tasks meanwhile the dragon doesn’t start to spit fire or locusts. In this room you can do the tasks in any order, but I recommend first pull all the four wall switches N and S to open all doors. Explore the rooms to find: in the NE room a large medipack and shotgun shells into the water hole; in the NW room a small medipack; in the SW room a large medipack and in the SE room a small medipack and uzi clips in the water hole. Note that all four rooms have unlighted wall torches, so pick up a TORCH from the central ledge and light it in the E entrance; go back to the four rooms and light the four wall torches to open doors in the SW and NW rooms.

The Scarab

Don’t throw your torch and run up the stairs from this rooms (SW and NW) picking up a small and large medipacks on your way to reach the high ledges and light wall torches in the niches: SE and NE doors will open and you can get the SCARAB to kill the dragon. Safely drop down to ground floor and jump to the W opened doors.

Hall with Jackals

Take a lightened torch with you and go inside, shoot the jackals and pick up the desert eagle ammo in front of you; left and right there are 2 X flares in the corners too. If you climb the ledge from its center and don't use the left or right stairs you can avoid the attack of the jackals sitting in the corners. Pull the crowbar switches to open doors and go back to the top of the stairs. There are colored blocks left and right to climb leading to the open doors N and S.

The Sandy Pit - First Eye Piece

N door:

Take the torch with you and enter, approach to the edge of the pit and note that there's already an open door in the S wall; if you step onto the white tile, the NW door will open too, but only for a few seconds (timed). Let the torch here for the moment and jump with grab to the S opening, at the end of the corridor use the slopes to jump back and forth going up and take a slightly curve at the end to land onto the ledge with the small medipack, blast the mummy and take a running jump to the slope with the jumpswitch above, jump back and forth to pull it, slide, grab the edge, pull up, jump back with twist to grab the edge of the other slope, drop/grab the ledge below and jump to the entrance.

Pick up the torch and step onto the trigger tile to open the door at the bottom of the pit, quickly drop down and enter, light the wall torch to fill the pit with sand and go up the ramp, pick up the shotgun shells at the top and when approaching to the door it opens. Cross the filled pit and pick up the small medipack, run up the narrow stairs and pick up another small medipack, blast the mummy if you want and jump onto the wooden bridge to get the first EYE PIECE. Safely drop down to the entrance room.

Rotating Blades – Second Eye Piece

S door:

In the room with the lava pit and rotating blades, step onto the white trigger tile and cross to the W side, drop into the hole near the W wall onto a breakable tile and quickly through the open timed door, pull the switch and this time drop to the bottom of the hole, light a flare and go inside the crawlspace to get the SECRET #6: uzi clips, grenade ammo and a large medipack. Go out of the hole.

The last switch opened a door at the top of the N stairs, but the passage is protected by several rolling boulders, to save this danger, I situated Lara at the bottom of the stairs (first step) facing S and near the corner of the wall, I took a jump back and quickly jump forward with a left curve to avoid being crushed by the boulders. It's a bit tricky, but once you get it run up the stairs, blast another mummy in the next passage, jump onto the bridge and pick up the second EYE PIECE. Safely drop to ground floor, go to the big door, shoot a couple of jackals, combine the pieces to form the EYE OF HORUS and use it to open the door.

Horus Attack

After the flyby jump into the water, climb the central platform and run and jump to the recess in the W wall with the receptacle for the Scarab, use the artifact to awake Horus. Jump back to the central platform, and take a running jump over the water to the rocks in the NE corner, climb the block and take another running jump to the W rocks, pick up the flares and take a running jump to the nearest column, pick up the large medipack and take a running jump to the E rocks, now another running jump S-SE to land onto the slope, slide/grab the edge and shimmy right and around the corner; pull up and if you want an extra large medipack take a running jump to the top of the column but go back to the same ledge.

Going Up

Now take a running jump to the rock in the very SE corner, jump to the next, turn around and climb the rock with the vines, from here take a long running jump W to the right side of the next rock (no grab) a standing jump to the rock below and if you want more pickups a last running jump to the rock in the SW corner with the flares and the small medipack. Jump to the previous rock and take a running jump N to the top of the column, pick up the large medipack, turn left and take a running jump to the protruding yellow ledge W, jump to the other side of the structure and take another running jump to the last column with another large medipack; from here a running jump to the N flat block.

If you want extra pickups, take another jump to the rocks in the very NW corner, facing S jump to grab the edge of the rock above and pick up the flares and the small medipack. Anyway jump back to the flat block attached to the N wall. From her backpack against the wall take a standing jump to grab the edge of the ledge to the left of the suspended block with the vines (for some reason Lara can grab the N side of that block but refuses to climb or shimmy), pull up and climb the E side of the block, shimmy right and around the corner, climb to the top and pull up.

The Escape

Now jump S to grab the next suspended block with the vines, shimmy left and around two corners and drop onto a flat ledge; from here take a running jump E to grab the next vines, shimmy right and around the corner and climb to the top. Start running up the next ramps in a counterclockwise direction around the beam of light until you find a wider ramp, continue up and when you reach a wall climb the sloped block, turn around and jump to grab the edge of the next ramp; again continue running up and when you climb the next ledge and reach the beam of light turn around and climb N; approach to the double doors to trigger the final flyby and finish the game.

November – 24 - 2020