DECAYING SANGUINITY

Levels by Mahetus and Shadoofus

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth

Note: There's a rather pointless house level called LARA'S SAFEHOUSE you can choose from the load screen, where you can explore indoors and outdoors while accomplishing exactly nothing. On the bottom floor you can punch 5589 into the keypad to gain access to an art exhibit. That's it.

Level 1: GIZA OUTSKIRTS

Run forward and pick up a small medipack and flares. Note that the revolver and shotgun are already in your inventory and continue along the path to a carved stone structure you’ll visit later. Turn right and follow the N path to an open area and locate the bone fragments where you’ll find another small medipack and a BLOODY DRAWING that keeps rotating so that you can’t read the bloody thing (unless you go to the trouble of hitting the action key and then using the arrow keys as necessary). In this level you’ll also encounter stone tablets from time to time that bear cryptic comments intended to be of assistance, but this walk will simply spell out in plain language everything you need to do. To read and add them to LARA’S JOURNAL, stand in front of them and press the shift key. Continue W past an opening blocked by a force field and a closed garage and enter the crawl space in the rock wall. Light a flare and crawl past a crossing on your right until you can stand up and continue to an opening that overlooks a vast canyon.

Slide down to a stone bridge and jump up S from the end onto a ledge leading to a closed gate. Pull the CROWBAR off the gate and return via the crawl space to that E opening you ignored earlier. Turn left at the floor hole and follow to a ceiling trap door. Open it and pull up into the garage you ran past earlier. Search the shelves for a large medipack, revolver ammo, the GASOLINE CANISTER and a small medipack, shoot the crates for flares and uzi ammo, note the nearby keyhole and shoot the fuse box next to the disabled Jeep. Pull down the wall switch to open the garage door and exit to the outdoor area. Return via the winding path to the stone structure you noted earlier and shoot the wooden barrier with the warning sign. Enter the structure and jump across from the left side for shotgun ammo. The pool down below is for later, so jump back and exit the structure, looping around right past a stone tablet until you reach a pit behind the structure. Activate the crowbar switch to raise part of a drawbridge that you can use to get to the other side of the pit. Hop down NE for the STORAGE ROOM KEY and make your way back through the mountain pass to the garage.

Use the key to open the E door and enter the storage room. The crates are empty, so search the shelves for the M16, M16 ammo and uzi ammo and the LASER SIGHT. Note the corner receptacle, exit and drop down into the floor hole in the garage. Return to the crawl space, enter and crawl to your right on the way back to the outdoor canyon. Slide down to the bridge, combine the revolver and laser sight and shoot the target hanging from the cable spanning the canyon. A rope drops down, so walk out to the end of the bridge and jump to grab it. Turn leave to face SW, swing forward and jump off to land on an upper flat spot. Enter the crawl space and loop around right to find a floor lever that opens a nearby door. Return to the flat spot outside, hang from the edge and shimmy right. Release to slide a short distance to a lower flat spot, turn around and jump the gap onto a ledge where the door opened. Enter, light a flare and follow the ramp down to a floor hole. Drop into a small room and ignore for now the spike-trapped sarcophagus. Move the globes onto the marked tiles. The one with the blue rim goes on the W tile, and the one with the gray rim goes on the N tile. A block rises to allow access to the button in the W wall, which in turn disables the spikes. It’s now safe to search the sarcophagus for the PHAROS PILLAR, which registers as SECRET #1.

Return to the canyon ledge, hang from the edge and shimmy right along the crack until you can pull up and crawl to skeletal remnants where you’ll find the SMALL WATERSKIN. Shimmy back to the ledge in front of the opened door, jump S across the gap and look left to see a pair of swingpoles. Walk as close to them as you can, take a running jump to grab the nearer one, swing and jump to grab the next one and swing and jump to land in the E alcove. Pull out and jump from the NW corner of the bridge to grab the rope once again. This time, swing forward and jump off to land on a flat spot against the N wall of the canyon. Walk as far W as you can and take a running jump to land on a slope and drop safely to an alcove. Face SW, stand jump to grab the slope and shimmy left around the corner. Pull up next to a path that brings you to a dark cave where you’ll find uzi ammo and a small medipack. Go back and climb the blocks next to the receptacle until you reach a ledge with a floor hole. Hop down and follow the underground passage to another floor hole that’s covered with a gauzy membrane. Hop down and continue to a level change.

Level 2: ERA INDOMITUS

Walk forward to face a floating islands environment. Take a running jump onto the central platform. Turn left and run E along the ledge to a tunnel. Follow the ramp upward until you reach marked floor tiles that signal a boulder trap ahead. Turn around, hop back onto one of the tiles to trigger two boulders and run back down and around the corner to avoid them. Continue the rest of the way up the ramp and enter a room with a bubbling pool that, as you may suspect, is deadly. Go around it through the S opening to a ledge overlooking larger bubbling pool. Walk a bit S to alert and shoot three poisonous scorpions, go back and walk out SE along the ledge as far as you can down to the corner. A blue sprout jutting from the wall should be close to your left shoulder. Save your game and take a difficult running jump over the deadly goo to land on a safe spot next to revolver ammo. Jump S onto a flat ledge, face SW and stand jump to grab the ceiling. Monkey swing to the end, drop to grab a slope and shimmy right and around the corner until you can pull up. Take a running jump over the pool slightly NW from the end of the jutting ledge and locate the crawl space at the SW corner.

Light a flare, enter and follow to the opening to a room guarded by a swinging blade. Crawl under the blade, shoot a giant flying bug and pick up the M16 ammo and large medipack. Pull the chain in the W alcove to open a door elsewhere, crawl back under the blade and return to the deadly pool. Face the opening at the SE corner and take a pixel-perfect running jump over the goo and onto the jutting right corner. Take two standing jumps up the slopes and land in front of the opened door. Enter the new room and go around the pool (safe water) to awaken and shoot two giant flying bugs. Jump into the pool for a small medipack, pull back out and save your game in front of the timed S wall switch. When you pull it down, platforms are raised around the room. Hop back turning left, stand jump onto the lowest platform, turn around and stand jump W onto the next platform, continue with a running jump curving right onto the near corner of the next platform and proceed thusly in a clockwise direction until you reach the highest platform near the E wall. Step forward and pull the chain to hear the sound of the E door opening down below. Back flip to land safely in the pool, climb out and go through the E doorway to trigger a boulder. Dash right or left to avoid it as the door closes behind you and draw a weapon to shoot three scorpions in the next room.

Jump into the pool and collect grenades, shotgun ammo and uzi ammo. Pull out and find the opening in the S wall. Hop up to face a flooded room with spike-trapped columns. Jump into the water, swim across to the other side and pull the timed underwater lever to open the door above you. Flip turn, swim back, pull out on either side, climb the block and time standing jumps along the column tops toward the timed doorway. When you get there and step on the trigger tile, a flyby shows blocks rising in the previous room. Drop into the water, swim back across, climb the block and stand facing the closed door. Jump up to grab the ladder and climb up to doors you can open. Step out onto a bridge spanning the previous room, run halfway across and hop down left onto a lower bridge. Climb onto the W block, turn to face E and save your game for a timed sequence. Back flip onto a trigger tile that temporarily extinguishes flames protecting three of the upper platforms. Stand jump to grab the first platform, pull up and jump to the next one ahead, then to the next ahead and to your left, and finally to the ledge jutting from the N wall. Pull down the wall switch (1 of 2) to release two wraiths.  

You now need to repeat this exercise, beginning with the trigger tile on the E side of the room, only this time you’ll have to contend with the wraiths while doing so. Hop back, safety drop to the bridge, reverse roll, run halfway across and hop down left onto the lower bridge. Climb the E block, repeat the moves described above and pull down the wall switch (2 of 2) to hear the sound of a gate lifting. Get down as quickly as you can to the pool down below, wait for the wraiths to self destruct and pull out. Exit E past the lifted gate and run up the ramp to a wall switch that changes the ambient color from green to red. Take a rolling back flip and start sprinting down the ramp to trigger the boulder behind you. When it gets close, jump up right or left onto the slope and let it pass by and stop just before it reaches the lifted gate. Squeeze around it and pull up into the N opening in the previous room where a door has opened. Step into the helix to be taken back to the floating islands environment as you see gates being opened.

Head W along the ledge and past the opened gates, follow the passage around to a dead end and step on the trigger tiles to be plunged into an underground river. Swim past the cadavers, being careful not to get caught in their collision, and follow until you can surface and pull out into a surreal area with colorful floating tiles. What appear to be steam blowers are strong winds that will blow you off the edge of the tiles if you’re not extremely careful. Fight your way (I went clockwise) across two tiles to a safe blue tile with a floor lever. Save your game, push the lever for a cut scene of a chain in the far wall and don’t waste your time getting there before a flame blower is activated. Take a running jump E to grab the green tile, pull up and take a running jump onto the tile ahead and to your right, continue with a running jump to grab the next tile, repeat with the last tile and jump left toward the chain. Pull it for a cut scene of the door on the other side, turn and stand jump NW onto the near tile. Take a running jump to grab the next tile W, repeat with the next tile W, then a bit left onto the safe green tile. Catch your breath and go the rest of the way back by using the three red tiles near the N wall.

When you reach the starting ledge, an assassin comes to life and is quickly joined by three of his comrades. When all are dead, climb the central block and jump up to clear a force field and land on top of it. Check the perimeter for shotgun ammo, grenades, a small medipack and flares, exit W and engage an assassin in the next room. Activate the jump switch in the NW corner and head S past the lifted gate. Turn right just inside the tunnel and pull up into the high crawl space. Emerge on a ledge overlooking a room with a deadly pond and flame blowers. Time a jump past the first flame blower, face the next flame blower SW and jump over to it when it’s safe. Continue with another jump SW onto a safe ledge and face the final flame blower. Jump to it when the flames subside and stand jump left to grab the crack in the W wall. Shimmy right around the corner and drop next to a wall switch that lifts a nearby platform and opens a door elsewhere. Face the platform, slide and jump onto it, continue with a running jump and grab to clear the low ceiling and land on the safe ledge near the second flame blower. Retrace your steps to the first flame blower and find the opened door nearby in the N wall.

Enter a room with floor holes and a bay of seven wall switches against the W wall that raise and lower blocks in the floor holes. Counting from left to right, pull down switches 2, 3 and 5. A burst of electricity shatters a barrier blocking access to a plinth in the E alcove. Go there and pick up the DRAWBRIDGE KEY. Doing so opens a door in the area where you did battle with the four assassins (which is currently inaccessible due to the force field), so exit this room S, loop left around the flame blower and jump E to the crawl space. Go through, hop down, turn left and return to a previous room. You can see a helix in the distance ahead, so go there and collect a small medipack on the ledge to your right before stepping into the helix to be transported back to the floating islands environment.

Go to the S sloped block and place your hard-earned Drawbridge Key in the receptacle there to raise the bridge that allows access to the S structure. Go there and up the steps to attract two mutant monsters. After they’re dead, grab the UZIS and uzi ammo on the bottom step and take the CRIMSON GEMSTONE from the plinth at the right corner. Go down past the bottom step and turn around to see two gem receptacles. Go to the SE corner and take a running jump onto a ledge on the side of the structure for the second CRIMSON GEMSTONE. Before jumping back and placing them, go around to the SW corner and take a running jump to grab a ledge on the opposite side of the structure. Pull up for a large medipack and shotgun ammo, jump back and place both gems to open the twin gates to the structure. Enter, shoot two mutant monsters and hear the footsteps of another unseen enemy. Continue forward to the SE column and face W. Jump up to grab the crack, shimmy left or right around two corners to the other side and ledge jump up to activate a jumpswitch. A high door opens elsewhere, so turn around and head W toward the skeletal remains, where you’ll find uzi ammo and a reusable TORCH.

From where you picked it up, go to the NE column and step on the raised mound to light the torch. Light two sconces E and W of this spot to raise a nearby block. Toss the torch, which disappears but remains in your inventory, climb the block and face N. Jump up to grab the higher ledge and pull up to discover the source of those footsteps. Shoot two assassins and bring out your torch. Light it on the left side where there’s a raised mound, note the spike-protected jumpswitch on the nearby column and take a running jump S onto a hard-to-see ledge on the right side of the column near the W wall. Take another running jump S onto the next ledge, which is a trigger tile that lifts two timed platforms connected to the column. Take standing jumps onto the raised platforms, place your back against the wall and stand jump up onto a ledge with a sconce for you to light. You can hear the sound of springing spikes and a nearby door opening, so toss the torch aside and save your game. Take a tricky banana jump around the column (right or left side, whatever works best for you) to grab the opened doorway in the W wall and pull up into a small room. Bring out your torch, light it and go light the two bowls in the window alcove. The central trap door opens, so drop down next to two plinths and collect revolver ammo, shotgun ammo, a large medipack and flares.

Climb back out S, go to the doorway and simply run off the edge to land on the trigger tile. Take two running jumps N back to the ledge with the disabled spikes, activate the jumpswitch to lower a platform and light your torch once again. Go to the E wall past another spike-trapped jumpswitch and repeat what you did earlier on the other side of the room, i.e., take a running jump onto a ledge on the left side of the S column, another running jump onto the trigger tile and standing jump onto the raised platforms and from there to a stable ledge. But this time you need to take another running jump NE to land on a ledge with a sconce to light. You hear the sound of spikes being triggered, so toss your torch and get down by taking a stand jump down S onto the trigger tile at the cost of a small amount of health, followed by two running jumps N to get back to the main ledge. Activate the now-safe jumpswitch to lower another platform nearby, go around the column to the skeletal fragments and jump S to grab the lowered platform. Pull up, stand jump onto the next higher platform and hop up S to find the SACK OF DENSE SAND and a timed wall switch that raises a platform across the room. Turn to your left, hop up into the window alcove and take a running jump onto the raised platform. Run forward before the platform drops back down and take the ONE-TIME TELEPORTER LATCHKEY from the plinth.

Turn around, take a walking/running jump down to the lowered platform, turn around again, stand jump N down to the main ledge, safety drop from there to the raised block and hop down toward the entrance to the structure in the floating islands environment. Exit N to the bridge, run across and around the floor hole between the double helix. Take a running jump with grab to land inside the round structure and run up the ramp, turning right for a level change.

Level 1: GIZA OUTSKIRTS (revisited)

Run forward and pull out through the gauzy hole covering into a passage that brings you back to the rock wall overlooking the canyon valley. Drop down to the ground, locate the receptacle you noted earlier and place the One-Time Teleporter Latchkey to activate a helix beside you. Step into it and you’ll be taken to a spot near the stone structure you explored at the beginning of the level. Go N through the narrow pass to the garage, enter and drop down into the floor hole in the left corner. Follow the underground passage to the floor hole on your left, climb down the ladder to a dungeon-like area and use the convenient pool to fill the small waterskin. Approach the row of scales, empty the waterskin into the one on the left, empty the gasoline canister into the one in the middle and place the bag of sand into the one on the right. Bring out your torch, light it on one of the wall torches and ignite the gasoline to open the E door.

Go through the gauze-covered opening and hop down onto a ledge just above a lake of quicksand (or a substance with similar characteristics). Wait a second and blocks will rise and lower in the quicksand. Your goal is the column to your right near the S wall, so wait until the set of blocks on the right side come up. Stand jump onto the nearest one, wait a couple of seconds and take a standing jump forward (E) to land on the next block just as it’s coming up. Turn right and stand jump to grab the ladder on the column, climb to the top and push the wall button. The easiest way to proceed is to stand jump down to the first block when it rises, hop to the beginning ledge and repeat on the left side of the room. Push the W wall button to raise a platform, stand jump down SE and hop to the raised platform. Take the VOID STONE from the E wall and the quicksand disappears. Run across to the W ledge, climb out of the room to trigger a remote camera, run up the ramp and use the W ladder to return to the passage leading to the garage. Exit to the outdoor area to trigger a flyby that results in an explosion allowing access to the cave around the corner.

When you enter a giant wheel rolls aside to expose a wall opening. First, push the nearby floor lever, then pull into the opening and run forward as the wheel rolls back to block any retreat. Slide down toward a shallow pool, shoot two scorpions and pull the chain two times in quick succession to lift the nearby gate. Go on through, bring out your torch and light it, jump over the pit and light the two wall torches to disable the spikes in the pit. Drop into the pit, push the floor lever and open the doors in the W wall. Follow to a room with a stone tablet and five plinths, four of which are spike-trapped. Search the skeletal remains for M16 ammo, revolver ammo and flares, go to the gap in the W wall and shoot three jars you can barely see in the darkness. Nothing happens, because there’s something else in the middle opening beyond the gap that needs to be shot. I couldn’t make out what that something is, but I fired into that opening from different angles until I heard something shatter and a helix appeared in the vacant plinth behind me. Go there and pick up SHAXX’S AMULET OF WARP.

Exit E, turn left in the hallway and pull up N. Continue past a dormant spike field into a room with three fountains. Shoot two jackals and loop around left through a side passage into a lava room. Take a walking/running jump to grab the swingpole. Swing around and jump off to grab the column crack in the far left corner. Shimmy around the corner, ledge jump back to grab another column crack, repeat to grab a third column crack and shimmy left around the corner this time. Ledge jump back to grab a jutting ledge, pull up and hop N over the gap. Push the floor lever to hear the sound of a trap door opening, jump back to the jutting ledge and take a running jump and grab toward the W ladder. Pull up and climb past the opened trap door, shift left and drop onto a corner ledge. Face N, stand right and take a running jump onto the slope and jump to grab a column crack. Shimmy around to the other side and ledge jump back to grab the E ledge, Pull up and follow past a spike-trapped pole. Jump past a gap in the railing to find a stone tablet, a small medipack, shotgun ammo and a weapon I couldn’t pick up. Note the closed door, jump back to the ledge and find a tightrope next to the spike-trapped pole.

Walk carefully toward the W ledge and dismount before you reach the spike-trapped tile. Enter the SW crawl space and loop around right past a spike ball that drops at the corner. Pull the chain to disable the nearby spikes as well as those below the pole. But first, hop down past the disabled spikes, pull up left into a high crawl space, hang from the other side and ledge jump up to activate a jumpswitch that opens a trap door above the pole. Return to the ledge with the pole in the same manner described above, climb the pole past the opened trap door and back flip into a treasure room. Grab the BA CARTOUCHE FRAGMENT 1, slide back down the pole, cross over on the tightrope and crawl to your right under the spike ball. Hop out at the end and follow the passage to another lava pool. Cross over on the tightrope, ignore for now the ramp to your left and climb down the pole to a lower room. Go to the NE opening and make your way clockwise past assorted traps until you reach a NW alcove up a slight ramp. Jump up to open the ceiling trap door, turn around and pull up to a room with three empty jars. Proceed E to the adjacent room and avoid the spike-trapped tiles on your way through the N passage (watch the low ceiling, best to use walking/running jumps).

Continue to the NW double doors, open them and search the sarcophagus in the next room for the JEWELED SCEPTER that registers as SECRET #2. The floor spikes outside are now disabled, so grab the large medipack, grenades and M16 ammo as you exit this room. Watch out for ceiling spikes as you leave this area and retrace your steps counterclockwise past the previous traps to the room with the pole. Climb up, back flip into the passage and go up the N ramp you ignored earlier. Continue to double doors, open them and step out onto a ledge overlooking the familiar lava room. Hop to the jutting ledge, jump to the W ladder and return to the ledge with the pole in the same manner as you’ve done twice already. Jump across to the S balcony. Turn left and come to a ledge overlooking the room with three fountains. Take a running jump E to grab the swingpole, slide right if necessary, swing around and jump off with a right curve to land on a misshapen ledge. Crawl through the triangular opening, hang from the other side and ledge jump back to grab the wall crack. Shimmy left, pull into the opening and crawl left around the corner. When you can stand up, take a running jump to the first of two swingpoles. Use them both to reach an opening around the corner.

Jump to grab the ladder, climb up and shift right to dismount into a passage with two circular blade traps. Side flip past them both, drop into the floor hole and crawl E to face a flame blower gauntlet. Jump up to grab the monkey bars and time your way past three flame blowers. Drop down and crawl to an opening that overlooks a wide ramp. Hop down and start going up the ramp. As you might expect, when you reach the depression in the middle you’ll trigger a couple of spikeballs, so run back down and jump safely into the opening. Continue the rest of the way up the ramp and engage a knight around the corner. Proceed to a room with five pushpieces and a stone tablet. First, find the GRENADE GUN and a small medipack next to the skeleton, note the spike-trapped S openings and begin the pushpiece exercise. Move the red globe two squares onto the marked SE tile. Move the yellow globe two squares onto the marked NE tile. Move the gray globe three squares onto the central marked tile. Move the green globe two squares onto the NW marked tile. Finally, move the blue globe onto the remaining marked tile to set off harmless bolts of electricity as you hear the sound of a door opening. Stand in front of the spike-trapped opening and shoot two hanging brass balls to disable the spikes in both passages.

Pull up into either passage and find two ladder holes. Climb down either one and find a floor lever that lifts a gate in the room with three fountains and triggers a brief flyby through that area. Climb back out, exit the pushpiece puzzle room and return past the flame blowers and the circular blade traps. Climb down the ladder, drop to the room with three fountains and go around to pull inside the opening in the W wall past the lifted gate. Pull up higher left and loop around right to the gap in the balcony railing. Safety drop to the ledge below and go E past two empty jars, slide down the pole to an underground room and go S down the ramp to a room with a stone tablet. An assassin is stalking around in the distance, so get rid of him and collect the uzi ammo and shotgun ammo from the skeleton on the grated floor. Push the floor lever to open the doors in the adjacent alcove, follow the passage down to a room filled with liquefied quicksand from which two assassins charge forth. Continue to a stone tablet and pick up the nearby EGYPTIAN SYMBOL LEXICON. There are safe spots in the quicksand, so stand left of the stone tablet and stand jump S. From there, follow this sequence: Stand jump SW, stand jump S, stand jump SE (directly toward the wall lamp), stand jump S, run/jump SW (again toward the wall lamp), run/jump SE (toward the middle of the wall mural) and finally run/jump S onto the ledge next to a stone tablet. Take the SHAXX’S AMULET OF MORALITY from the plinth, whereupon the plinth explodes and Lara is seemingly caught in the helix that remains. However, that impression lasts only a moment, and when the dizziness goes away Lara finds herself back on the original side of the quicksand pit.

Exit N up the steps and turn left into the W tunnel. Shoot the warning sign on the right and enter the N side room. Pull up into the E crawl space and follow to another small room guarded by a jackal. The jars are empty, but you can pry the STAR OF DAVID off the wall and open the W double doors for a short cut back to the room with the grated floor. Enter the W passage and shoot the S warning sign. Place the Star of David in the receptacle to lift the gate and follow down to a partially flooded room. Jump into the water hole to the right of the N opening and swim N past a closed door to collect revolver ammo and a CRIMSON GEMSTONE. Return, pull out and activate the easy-to-miss crowbar switch to lift the E gate. Follow around to another flooded area, shoot a jackal and an assassin and place the Crimson Gemstone in the SW receptacle. Enter a room with floor levers and a stone tablet indicating that this is where your lexicon comes into play.

Turn around and push the NW lever, then the NE lever, and the gate lifts at the S end of the room. Go there and follow down to a treasure room. On a pile of gold coins at the NW corner you’ll find a small medipack, shotgun ammo, the FELINE EFFIGY for SECRET #3 and grenades. Return past the floor levers to the flooded room and look near the E wall for a small medipack and revolver ammo. Turn left to see a swingpole and stand jump to grab it. Swing around and jump off to grab a wall crack. Shilly around to corners and line up with the pole behind you (two pulls past the corner). Ledge jump back to grab the pole, slide down slightly and turn so that your back is to the NE corner. Back flip onto the corner ledge, take one step back from the edge and stand jump W to grab the swingpole. Swing around and jump off into the passage ahead and slide down to a canal. Wade along the left side into a floor hole to trigger scissor blade traps and open the underwater door to your left to create a short cut to a previous room for later. Wade back out and pull up into the crawl space in the N wall. Follow up to a ledge beneath the grated floor. Hang from the right (W) side, shimmy right along the wall crack to the next ledge, pull up and find the W wall switch that disables spikes in the canal area and opens a door somewhere. Hang next to the wall and safety drop into the canal. Wade W to the wall and pull up onto the disabled spike field.

Run forward, stand jump onto the ledge ahead to activate squishy blocks and attract a harpy. Save your game, face the stationary column in the distance and time a walking/running jump W onto the ledge with the nearest squishy block, which gives you sufficient room on the ledge to continue with a running jump to grab a crack at the bottom of the stationary column. Drop to grab the block below, pull up and turn left to face the inaccessible wall switch. Take a running jump to grab the ledge, hang right or left and drop to grab the crack below and shimmy right around the corner. Ledge jump up to activate the jumpswitch and raise a block that allows you to pull down that wall switch that opens a door somewhere close by. Hop down W, deal with a knight and find shotgun ammo and M16 ammo next to a skeleton near two star receptacles. Go to the SW opening and face a gauntlet of swinging chains. Time standing jumps to the first two columns, take a running jump SE to land in a lower opening and shoot another knight. Pick up the dropped MECHANICAL SCARAB and go back past the swinging chains by first taking a tricky NW running jump and grab.

Back in the room with the squishy blocks, climb the raised block once again, hang from the crack and jump up to grab the top of the column. Ledge jump back to grab the column crack behind you, shimmy around to the other side and ledge jump back to land on a column top. Walk up to the edge, jump up to grab the ladder, climb until Lara’s feet are planted and shift right around the corner. Climb up and transfer to the ceiling, turn around and monkey swing to a jumpswitch in the N wall. Release to activate it and disable spikes in a crawl space elsewhere. Slide to the floor and deal with an awakened harpy. Return to the raised block, climb up and this time grab the crack and ledge jump up to grab the top of the column. Pull up and face NW. Time a standing jump past the squishy block and continue with a running jump N to activate a jumpswitch in the bridge abutment ahead. More spikes are disabled, so deal with another harpy, climb the raised block yet again and reach the top of the column as you did earlier. Time a jump past the squishy block again, but this time turn left and pull up into the S crawl space, which is now safe. Hop down onto the disabled spike field and pry the STAR OF DAVID off the wall. Return via the crawl space and save your game.

The crawl space in the N wall is too far away for you to reach with a running jump, so you’ll need to time a standing jump onto the ledge between the two squishy blocks and continue quickly with a running jump onto the ledge in front of the crawl space. Enter and crawl to the disabled spike tile. Stand up, turn around and pry a second STAR OF DAVID off the wall. Exit, take a running jump SW onto the ledge above the star receptacles, drop down and place the Stars of David to disable more spikes on an upper ledge near the W wall. Go to another raised block you haven’t used yet, over against the N wall opposite the one beneath the wall switch. Pull up onto the adjacent column, face W and time a jump past the squishy block. Stand jump to grab the swingpole, swing around and jump off onto the disabled spike ledge. Take the RA CARTOUCHE from the plinth, note the closed doors at the end of the steps and safety drop two times to the floor. Run to the E side of this room and climb up the ladder. Jump the gap into the tunnel and wade past the scissor blades toward that underwater short cut door you opened earlier. Use it to return to the flooded room, exit E past the lifted gate and follow to the next flooded room. Loop around left into the E passage and crawl past the obstruction. Continue a short distance but don’t enter the passage ahead. Place the Mechanical Scarab on the circular floor design and wait for it to disable the spikes in the passage. Follow along behind, pick it up and place it on the adjacent circle to repeat.

Enter a room with a stone tablet, a floor hole, two closed gates and four wall switches. Pull down the wall switch on the right on the E wall and the wall switch on the right on the W wall. The N gate lifts, so go on through and search the sarcophagus for the EGYPTIAN HOURGLASS and SECRET #4. Return through the spike passages and both flooded rooms and continue up the W ramp. Loop around right through the room with the grated floors, continue up the ramps to the higher flooded room and climb the pole past the ceiling shaft. Back flip onto the balcony overlooking the lava room and loop around right into the room with the three fountains. Continue E through the short passage and you’ll be attacked by a giant scorpion in the next room. Note the stone tablet and look left for a large medipack, 2 x shotgun ammo and uzi ammo next to a couple of dead soldiers. You can pull one body away from more uzi ammo and a small medipack. Go through the N opening and open the doors on your right. Continue through the passage to a room guarded by three jackals. Go up the steps to your right or left and deal with two awakened mummies. Pick up the dropped GOLDEN SQUARE, note the stone tablet and empty plinth, get back down and go under the ledge to find four sloped blocks with wall switches.

Pull down all four in no particular order, and after the last one you’ll see a flash of green light. Go back upstairs to see a helix surrounding the plinth and take from it SHAXX’S AMULET OF VITALITY. Exit this room, open the doors across the hall if you like to a room of no particular interest, and return W to the room with three fountains. Pull up into the SW opening and pull up higher left. Loop around right to the balcony with the stone tablet and place the Golden Square to lift the adjacent W gate. Run down the ramps to trigger a gauntlet of roller blades and squishy blocks in the room below. If you look left with your binoculars and use its flashlight (action key) you’ll see part of a symbol hint in the far wall. Time a jump past the first pair of roller blades and stop in the safe spot before you reach the next spot. Look left again with your lighted binoculars for another symbol clue. Face S, save your game and time a much more difficult run past the remaining hazards, pausing for a split second after the first pair of roller blades. When you get across safely, save again and grab the large medipack perched on the stone tablet. Face a row of marked buttons and press all three, working your way from right to left. The S gate opens, allowing access to a treasure room where you can collect a small medipack, uzi ammo, grenades (in the corner) and search a sarcophagus for the SPHINX STATUE that registers as SECRET #5.

Save your game and work your way back N past the hazards (I jumped into the water channel and pulled up onto the safe spot along the way to make things easier) and up the ramps on your way back to the lower room with three fountains. You still need a cartouche fragment to open the N doors, so go through the E passage to the next room, turn left past the dead soldiers to the ledge overlooking the deep room and get ready for an extended gymnastic exercise. Take a running jump NW onto the slope, jump to grab the swingpole, swing on jump onto the slope ahead, jump to the facing slope, slide and grab and shimmy left to a column crack. Ledge jump back onto a stable spot, hang from the N side and climb down the broken ladder. Dismount right into the alcove, take a walking/running jump around the corner with a left curve to grab the N ladder and climb to the top. Walk forward and stand jump to grab the wall crack, shimmy right to the corner (fixed camera), ledge jump back to grab the wall crack behind you, shimmy left until you’re close to the next corner and save while you’re hanging. Ledge jump back to land on the first of two consecutive slopes. Jump without sliding from the second one to grab a swingpole, swing around and jump off to land on a stable surface. Take a running jump slightly SW to grab a pole, climb up a bit and turn to back flip onto the W ledge. Face NE, hop onto the slope and use the monkey bars to get across the gap. Don’t release when you reach the end, or you’ll fall to your death. Instead, hit the jump key and you’ll land safely inside the alcove. Push the wall button to lower a block elsewhere and use the swingpole jutting from the S wall to get back across with a curved jump to land on (or grab) the slope.

Hop SW past the pole onto the ledge and take a running jump SE to grab the jutting ledge. Pull up, hop with grab into the E opening and push the wall button to lower another block. Jump back to the previous ledge, take a running jump to grab the W ledge and pull up. Hop up into the W opening and pull down the wall switch to disable the spikes next to you. Walk to the edge, stand right, slide and jump with a right curve onto the stable ledge. Climb down the broken ladder on the N side as you did earlier, dismount right into the alcove and take a walking/running jump to grab the N ladder. Climb to the top, jump to grab the wall crack, but this time shimmy right around two corners and drop onto a sloped ledge. Face E and stand jump with grab into the opening where the block lowered, hop to the ledge ahead and take a running jump to grab the opening in the E wall. Pull up, turn right and pull up higher. Stand at the back right corner, stand jump to grab the swingpole and use it to reach the S ledge. Pull up to trigger spikes around the corner and pull the chain to lower a section of wall elsewhere. Go to the edge of the spike ledge and run off left to land on the stable column. Take a running jump SW to grab the pole, swivel around and back flip onto the corner ledge as you did earlier, face SE and run off the edge to grab the wall crack just below the ledge. Shimmy left around two corners and ledge jump back to grab the top of a corner column, pull up and back flip into the NW opening. Land on a slope, slide and grab and drop onto a jutting ledge. Turn right and stand jump S to grab the opening.

Pull up and run through the next room and into the S passage to open the double doors to your left. Follow the passage to a lava room with multiple fire-trapped columns. Loop around right past a stone tablet and time a standing jump E onto the nearest column. Continue with a walking/running jump to grab the higher block ahead. Pull up at the left corner where you’ll be safe and time a standing jump up S. Push the wall button, turn around and run off the edge onto the previous column when the flames subside. Stand jump NE to the next column, another NE running jump to the next column and a final running jump N to the column near the NE corner of the room. Stand jump to grab the higher column, pull up and push the wall button to hear the sound of nearby gates lifting. Turn around and time a running jump SE down to the ledge next to the lifted gates. Go past either one of them to a seated skeleton and take SHAXX’S AMULET OF WARP from its outstretched left hand. Shoot the knight who appears and pick up the dropped ONE-TIME TELEPORTER LATCHKEY. Place it in the NW receptacle to activate a helix behind you, hop back to be transported next to the previous stone tablet and go up the W steps and through the passage. Turn left to face the lava room and stand jump to grab the swingpole. Use it to reach the ledge on the other side and run and jump across the disabled spike field to grab the opening in the E wall. Pull up into the alcove and push the wall button to disable nearby spikes. Turn around and take a running jump to activate the W jumpswitch above the spike field. Run around the corner onto the adjacent tile and use the swingpole to get back N to the other side.

Turn around at the ledge and stand jump SW to grab the column crack. Shimmy right around the corner and ledge jump back to grab the sloped ledge. Pull up, take a running jump S onto the corner slope and jump to land on the adjacent corner ledge. Activate the jumpswitch in the E wall, take a running jump NE onto the sloped block, slide and grab and shimmy to the right corner. Pull up and back flip onto a safe ledge, from which you can use the swingpole again to reach the N side. Repeat the moves at the beginning of this paragraph to reach the sloped ledge. This time, jump NW to grab the ladder, climb up and shift left to dismount on an upper ledge. Take a running jump E onto the column top, continue with a running jump to grab the column against the E wall. Pull up, face SW at the back right corner and stand jump to grab the swingpole. Shift right, swing around and jump off to grab a second swingpole and use it to reach the S ledge next to a wall switch that disables the spikes behind you. Turn around, step forward for a small medipack and stand at the W edge. Hop back once, stand jump to grab the first of two swingpoles and make your way to an upper W ledge. Use the ceiling monkey bars to make your way to the block that hangs from the ceiling. Release to activate the jumpswitch and drop onto a previously visited column top.

Jump up into the N opening and search the sarcophagi for shotgun ammo, uzi ammo and a small medipack. Pull the nearby chain to lower another section of wall elsewhere. Go to the edge, stand jump down to the previous column top and run off with grab to land inside the N opening. Run through the passage into the next room, turn right past the lowered wall sections and run up the short ramp to do battle with a demigod. Take the BA CARTOUCHE FRAGMENT 2 from the plinth and combine it with the other fragment you’ve been carrying all this time. Turn around and proceed W to the room with three fountains. Turn right and place the Ra Cartouche and Ba Cartouche in their respective receptacles to open the doors between them. Go on through and down the steps to a passage leading off to your left. Ignore it and continue N to a winding ramp that leads down to an opened gate. Save your game and enter a red-tinted room. Draw a powerful weapon and step forward to engage Seth, who can be killed with some effort. When he dies, go to the plinth he was guarding, face E and place the Void Stone on it to raise a drawbridge elsewhere. Exit this room, go back up all flights of stairs into the S passage and turn right into the W passage you ignored earlier. Go across the raised bridge into a room with a stone tablet (which caused my game to freeze) and a central pool. You can now choose between four different ways to end the game, only one of which is really worth the effort, so save now if you’d like to try them all. 

FIRST ENDING: Dead End

Simply hop into the pool and wade forward to see what happens.

SECOND ENDING: Scorned Eternity

Go around the pool and up the W steps, through the opened doors to an outside area and Lara collapses at the entrance. A macabre cut scene involving Winston is intended to follow, but in my game I experienced a black screen for about one minute while foreboding music played in the background.

THIRD ENDING: Deserter of Rebirth

Go up the steps on the N and S sides of the room and place the Shaxx’s Amulets in the wall receptacles. The water in the central pool becomes safe, but don’t jump in. Go up the W steps as you did for the Second Ending, and when Lara goes past the opened doors she won’t collapse but will trigger a series of cut scenes ending in an apparent suicide.

FOURTH ENDING: Sanguinity Achieved

Place the Shaxx’s Amulets as you did for the Third Ending, go to the pool facing the E doorway and save your game in a different slot. Hop back into the water to trigger some flybys that presage a generously timed run. When camera control is restored, pull out of the pool and run through the E corridor. Turn right at the wall, sprint S to the room with three fountains and turn right toward the next room. Loop around left to the small room with the pole, slide down to the underground area and sprint S down the ramps to the lower room with the grated floor. Continue into the tunnel ahead, turn left and loop around and down the ramp to the partially flooded room. Turn left there and continue down to the canal. Hop left into the water and wade past the scissor blade traps, pull up onto the disabled spike field and safety drop to the floor in the squishy block room. Go around to hop onto the raised block against the E wall, pull up left onto the adjacent column, face N and get past the squishy block to jump and grab the swingpole. Jump off onto the ledge with the disabled spikes, run up the steps and into the next room. Hop into the helix for a concluding flyby and a final journal entry.