UUB 4 - Taking Care of Business Walkthrough Walkthrough written by Selene This adventure consists of 7 parts and there are 11 secrets to find (as listed below): The Descent- 2 Secrets Swamp- 1 Secret The Asylum- 2 Secrets Realm Of The Lost- 1 Secret The Great Mausoleum- 1 Secret Factories- 3 Secrets Dark Souls’ Stronghold- 1 Secret NOTE: This game must be run by replacing the default .exe file with the one provided in the level folder. For more important information consult the readme file. In the readme you will among other things find two maps showing you the different locations, these might come in handy. There is also a very important and detailed description on beacon construction, so be sure to read this one as well. PART 1- THE DESCENT: Pickups: Flares, magic elixirs, normal shotgun ammo, shotgun, Manna from Heaven + 2 Secrets (magic elixir and revolver ammo + normal shotgun ammo, magic elixir, flares and revolver ammo) Enemies: Baby demons, moths, giant spider The final part of the quest begins where the last one ended. We see Lara and the ever-charming Demon Smalls sliding down the slope towards the depths of Hell (or should I say bumping down??). Demon Smalls: Thank the Lord, made it!!! He trips and bumps down to the bottom of the slope with a scream, falling flat on his face. He gets on his feet, grunting and moaning. Lara: What I have to work with. The unlikely couple walks over to the edge of the cliff and looks down at the ground far below. Apparently the descent will be all but easy. Demon Smalls: Oh-my-God. Lara: It’s a long way down.... Demon Smalls: Hmm, I’m wasting my time here. Aren’t we all? But Demon Smalls seems to have a solution to all problems. Well, all of HIS problems anyways: he sets off the cliff as the lucky bugger he is, donning a parachute and all. What a thoughtful little demon he is.... Lara (shouts after him): Hey, where’s my parachute? Demon Smalls (shouts back from afar): Elvis has left the building. Down the cliffs we go: Just great.....we are not as lucky as him and don’t have any means of getting to the base of the cliffs as fast, so we’ll have to go about it the long way. Begin by picking up some equipment conveniently laying at your feet (maybe our friend left it for us before taking off, knowing there will be plenty of hazards to deal with along the way down): flares, a magic elixir (for those of you familiar with Richard’s previous offerings you’ll perhaps remember that the magic elixirs function as small medipacks), normal shotgun ammo and the shotgun itself. Now that we’re properly equipped, let’s start with the inevitable descent. To your left (when facing the edge of the cliff) you’ll see cacti growing on the side of the mountain, these are the ecological cousins of the well-familiar spikes so avoid them at all costs. No point in going back where we came from either and there’s no jumping off the cliff, so that leaves us with only one possibility: going right. Go towards the rightmost side of the small plateau and turn Lara so that she’s facing the entrance. Hop backwards off the cliff, grabbing the edge on your way down. Shimmy a bit left and you should be able to spot a crevice below, drop to grab this one. Shimmy left as far as she can go and pull up onto a flat block below a rocky overhang. Crawl ahead to the other side of the block, turn around and vault down so that Lara is hanging from the edge. Now shimmy left again as far as possible and drop. She’ll land on a slope (losing a tiny slice of health, but this is inevitable) so immediately jump forwards and press Action to grab the platform below the block you stood on before. Pull up and you’ll find a demon’s head mounted on the wall to the left. In its mouth there is an orange handle, this is a switch. Pull it and off to the distant right of Lara you’ll see a hatch lower. Stand with Lara’s back to the edge where she climbed up, drop again and she’ll slide down the short slope to land on a now raised hatch. There is another one of its kind straight ahead and in order to reach it you will have to do a standing jump (if you try a running jump she will overshoot it and land on the slope beyond, sliding down to a certain and painful death). There is an odd metal handle on the back of the slope, this is a jump switch. Position Lara in front of it, jump straight up and press Action to make her grab it. This raises the portcullis on the N side of the platform with the demon head switch to give you free passage, but it also causes the hatch beneath Lara’s feet to lower again. She’ll drop down onto a slope below so immediately backflip to save her from a high and nasty fall. You’re now back on the safe trapdoor from before so backflip onto the slope behind and jump forwards to grab hold of the platform with the railing and demon switch. The N side railing is now gone like I mentioned before and you now have free access to the path beyond it. But first you’ll need to raise the hatch ahead again and that is done by flipping the demon switch back up in its original position. That done you can do a running jump towards the hatch and press Action in the last moment to grab onto it. Pull up and now you’ll see a slope ahead and a gilded monkeyswing running across the rocky ceiling above it. Stand on the rightmost side of the block, slightly angled left, and standjump to land on the slope. Slide for a split second, then jump forwards. If you’ve timed the jump correctly you should leap under the rocky overhang and be able to press Action in order to make Lara grab the monkeyswing. Swing forwards and right towards the dangling rope. Position Lara directly above it, drop and immediately press Action again to grab the rope. Turn left and far ahead you’ll see a platform on the right-hand side, this is your next goal. Be sure to slide all the way down to the bottom of the rope before swinging, otherwise she won’t make it all the way. Once you’ve reached the platform stand facing the red waterfall W (which oddly enough seems to be running upwards instead of downwards). Drop off the platform, grab the edge and start shimmying right. You’ll first reach a slope with a face on it, here you’ll have to pull up onto it and as Lara slides off again grab the edge once more. You might have noticed the sound of a hatch rising as you pulled up and that is exactly why that pulling up onto that particular slope is an essential move for further progress. Continue shimmying around the corner and here you’ll find the hatch you just raised. If you hadn’t climbed onto the slope the hatch wouldn’t have risen to an upright position and you wouldn’t be able to go any further. Now you can pull up onto the hatch and do a running jump to grab the edge of the crawlspace in the wall ahead (where you can see a fire burning). Wait for the flame to subside, then immediately pull up into the crawlspace and crawl through before the flame emitter comes back on. The Caves: Crawl through to the other side and now you’ll hear a babyish laughter, so get up on your feet, draw guns and prepare to take out the baby demon coming to greet (or is it eat?) the surprise visit. When it’s dead you can continue through the small cave left and drop down into what appears to be a large network of caves. Before proceeding, look up at the ceiling. There are stalactites hanging there and these will drop and impale Lara if she walks below them, so be careful NOT to dash ahead into newly discovered territory and be sure to always keep your eyes open for danger. If you look closely you’ll spot a small gap between the stalactites. Walk carefully through here and you should be able to clear them. Continue down the slope until you reach a deep pit. Going down is out of the question so turn your focus towards the cave mouth to the S/E where you'll see the golden gleam of a burning fire. Do a running jump towards said cave mouth and Lara should land on a flat block right next to it. We're not going in there though, instead continue jumping to the next block S and from there do another running jump to a third S block. From the safety over here you can kill the baby demon running around on the rocks to your right and you might also be lucky enough to get a few shots at the baby demons frolicking on top of the hill ahead. You now have to do a running jump to the grey block where you killed the first baby demon. Such a jump is never easy, but if you do a long running jump (i.e. without letting go of the Up arrow key) and stick to the right side, you should be able to make it across. Now you can slide down into the playground of the baby demons that are no more. Go towards the blood waterfall that is apparently running the wrong way and turn right to face a rock barrier. Jump over the lowest part, but don’t go running ahead, otherwise you’ll slide straight down to an untimely and boiling death in the lava pool below (this IS Hell after all, what did you expect?). Down across said pool you’ll spot a portcullis, currently closed. You’re still going to have to reach it though and that is done by following the N/W route. A quite simple task really: all you need to do is to position Lara as shown in THE SCREENSHOT BELOW and do a running jump across the gap as indicated by the arrows: If that’s done correctly she will slide down onto a flat rock, from which you can slide further down to the ground in front of the portcullis. Our next task is to find a way of raising the portcullis. To the immediate right of where you landed when sliding down from the upper area you’ll find what seems to be a ladder leading downwards. This is the only obvious route from here, but she can’t actually climb the ladder so you just have to drop down. Here you’ll find a crevice running along and a vertical pole leading down to what appears to be a rotating blade trap. Hang from the edge and shimmy around to the other side where you can pick up the Manna from Heaven. You now have to make your way to the bottom while trying to avoid those demonic blades (is that like a sort of torture method in this place- strapping a baby demon to a blade, kind of like a never-ending ride at a fun park?). Run into the hole while pressing Action to grab the pole and just slide down to the bottom without stopping. Lara will lose a small slice of health, but there’s nothing to do about it and it’s not so much that it causes much hassle anyways. Pick up the magic elixir from one corner and approach the demon’s head switch in the alcove in the opposite wall. Two moths will come buzzing out so shoot them before climbing into the alcove and pulling the switch. This causes the portcullis from before to rise, but now you have to make your way back up there. There is a platform in one of the corners, this can be used for avoiding the bottom blade, but you’ll still have to make your way up past the top one. Jump from the edge of the platform to grab the pole and immediately climb up all the way. Lara will again take damage, quite a bit this time, but you’ll have no other choice. On top position Lara so that the middle of her back is up against the alcove where you found the manna, then backflip. Hang from the edge, shimmy around and pull up near the useless ladder. Pull up and go right through the now open portcullis. The portcullis will slam shut behind Lara so now there’s no way back. Walk forwards cautiously as there’s a hole in the ground and the bottom of it is infested with cacti (they’re not in their full bloom now, but you try jumping down there and see what happens- just make sure you save your game first). Walk along the left side of the cacti pit and pick up the flares on the corner block. Ahead of you lies a death slide (culminating in a killer fall near the flame you see below to the left), this you’ll need to stay away from. Instead look across towards the opening with the reddish light and line Lara up at the very corner of the block facing the V-shaped opening. Do a running jump to land inside said opening, making sure you let go of the Up arrow key as soon as Lara lands, otherwise she’ll run straight onto a slope and slide down to a certain death by weed. Stand facing N/W and do a running jump to land on a slope beyond the cacti trap, sliding down onto a safe spot. The Lava Cave and raising blocks- secret # 1: Down below you’ll see a large cave with a deadly lava pool and some pillars rising up and down in it. There’s a baby demon running around on a small platform to the right, but you can’t shoot him from here so we’ll wait until we can move up closer. Turn around so that Lara faces the cacti trap where you came from and hop backwards onto the blood cascade. She’ll begin sliding so grab the edge. You should spot a jump switch directly below her, drop and press Action again to grab it. This raises a block behind her, so as soon as she drops down after pulling the switch, backflip to land on said block. Turn around and pull up onto the higher block held up by a faceless mutant of sorts (kind of reminds me of Atlas with that block upon his shoulders). Locate the alcove in the wall to the N/E, do a standing jump from the corner edge to land in it and pick up Secret 1: a magic elixir and some revolver ammo. Return to the Atlas block with a running jump and let’s get down to some serious business. There are probably different ways of doing the next part, but the one I listed is what I found to be the easiest and most straight-forward route. You can choose to go by that or find another way around it. Line Lara up with the slope S/E and do a running jump to land on it. She will begin sliding, so jump near the end and press Action to grab the monkey bar underneath the overhang. Traverse to the end, turn left and position Lara so that she’s up against the wall as close as possible. Now turn around 360 degrees (note that it is possible to save your game here so that you won’t have to do the slide and grab again, just make sure that you keep Action pressed while reloading the game so that she doesn’t drop down as the game starts). Drop down onto the pillar below as it rises, immediately run forwards and jump at the end. Press Action in mid-air and Lara should grab the edge of the block with the baby demon, pull up and kill him. Now pull the switch here to lower a rope above a slope to the N/W. Do not use the rope yet though, we’re going for the secret first. A short detour for another secret: Face the gilded, spear-shaped bars opposite of the demon’s head switch. Now stand on the left-hand side and look towards the bars to spot a small gap on the left between the bars and the rocks. Your goal here is a running jump while angling Lara right in mid-air, in order to make her squeeze through said gap and land on a flat rock beyond. She’s safe there so you can save your game. Turn right to face the rising and lowering pillar. You can either: a) jump on top of it, run to the edge and jump to land in the alcove in the wall ahead or b) stand at the base of the pillar and pull up as it rises, standjump forwards and press Action to grab the edge of the alcove, then pull up. Either way will land you in the alcove where you can retrieve Secret 2: normal shotgun ammo, a magic elixir, flares and some revolver ammo. Getting back the way you came is slightly easier: stand at the edge on the rightmost side of the alcove while facing the pillar in the lava pool. Notice that you can actually jump onto the pillar before it has risen (as if there’s some invisible block above it- this will save you some precious seconds and enable you to start the run before the pillar has actually risen to its full height). Watch the pattern in which the pillar lowers and rises, this way you will easily be able to time a standing jump a few seconds before it has risen full up. As Lara lands on the pillar turn left, take a step backwards and runjump over the gilded bars, then press Action to grab the edge of the switch block from before. Now’s a good time to try out that rope so do a running jump to grab it and swing into the room straight ahead (N). Not there quite yet: Vault carefully up into the gap above the flame emitter to the left and pick up the normal shotgun ammo. Go back down and head out through the E opening. You’re now standing out in the open and as you can see there’s still a long way down. If you look down to the right you might spot an opening in the rocky wall- beyond this is a large room containing slopes, ladders, vertical poles and of course a lava pool at the bottom. You have to reach the first pole in that room and this can be a bit tricky. This is how I did it (but there are probably other methods that work as well): Stand at the edge of the triangular point facing the slope underneath the overhang (this is right above the slope leading down to the room with the ladders and poles), facing the middle. Hop backwards once and do a standing jump forwards. Lara will land on the slope underneath the overhang and slide down to the second slope. As she drops and lands on the second slope let her slide for a split half-second and jump forwards while angling her right in mid-air. Finish it off by pressing Action and she should grab the pole. Doing it this way might take a couple of tries, but it’s fully possible. Turn around so that Lara’s back is up against the block above the ladder (Lara will now be facing the slope she came from). Slide down until her shoulders are about level with the edge of the block and backflip. She should land on top of the block so turn and climb the ladder down and around the corner to the right. Go on until you reach the longest ladder at the end and climb up. There’s a slope above you so pulling up is not an option, instead backflip from the top of the ladder and Lara will land on a safe block where she can retrieve some flares. Turn left and standjump to grab the second pole. Slide all the way to the bottom, but do NOT let go of the pole- she’ll just slide off the block straight down to a certain death. Instead turn her around so that she’s facing the flame emitter above and backflip to land on a safe ledge. Down to the left (when facing the pole) you’ll spot a long grey ledge, which is really the beginning of a bridge. You have to get down there so simply do a standing jump from the edge while tapping Action lightly to prevent her from hitting her head on the overhang. What goes around comes around- rebuilding the bridge: As she lands on the bridge a short cutscene kicks in. A pack of baby demons are standing at the middle of the bridge, jumping frantically up and down. “She’s here” and “quicker” reveals that this was pretty much a planned trap and an attempt of causing it to crumble (probably to the extent that it will collapse as soon as Lara steps onto it). The word schadenfreude gets a whole new meaning as the bridge breaks over and the little devils plummet screaming down into the abyss. After a short moment of rejoicing upon the fate of those little fiends it’s time to figure out a way of getting across. On the right side of the broken bridge there’s a ladder, climb down there and over to the left. Climb up and left again, across to the tallest ladder and up, then right until you can pull up onto the top. So near to the ground, but yet so far! Ahead you’ll see a flood gate, currently closed- in other words we have to find a way of opening it. Walk around the barrel-like object to the right of the gate and examine it. There’s a ring attached to the end of a log and it’s possible to pull this out, but you need to raise a hatch behind you in order to get some more room. Walk onto the slanted block at the end and standjump to the ledge around the corner. Pull the switch here to raise the afore-mentioned hatch. Hop back there, grab a hold of the ring and pull the log out. The flood gate opens and water cascades down the rocks to the bottom. This also causes a block to rise over to the left. Do not climb onto it yet though, first return to the platform where the switch is and push it back into its original position. This causes the hatch on the side of the flood gate to lower and two other hatches to rise on the level above. Return around the corner and climb onto the block. You’ll be hearing some mischievous giggles so draw guns and jump up and down while shooting at the baby demon scurrying about on the ledge above. When it’s dead pull up there and have a look around. To the left you’ll find a heap of rubble, a shovel and two hatches, the ones that rose as you pushed the switch back the way it was. Walk around to the back of the shovel and push the rubble onto the hatch. Return back down where you came from and pull the switch again. The hatch lowers, sending the shovel and rubble down onto the raised hatch in front of the flood gate. Go back there and push the shovel up against the stalactite in front of the gate. The flow of water splits, causing a stalactite to drop from the rocky wall. Time to return down to the bridge again. Position Lara right of the shovel with her back against the edge. Hop backwards, grab the edge and climb the ladder down, left, down again and right until you can pull up onto the broken bridge. Now you will see that the falling stalactite has created a pillar right at the middle, so you can do a running jump over to it and from there a running jump to the opposite side. All about bugs, lava and slopes: Enter the cobweb-covered opening ahead, turn left and immediately gun down three moths. Watch out for the hanging stalactites and carefully hop up into the S alcove where you can pick up some flares. Head N up the rocks and to the right. As you approach the cobweb ahead a huge spider comes crawling out. Kill it and walk up to the right until you reach a device similar to the one blocking the flood gate earlier. Go around it to the right and jump over to the other side of it. Pull the log out and the gate opens, releasing a boulder which rolls down and crashes through the cave floor, revealing a room with a lava pool below. Slide down towards the entrance (be careful, it’s easy to slip off the edge) and walk around the perimeter towards where you slid down. In the lava pool below you’ll spot a sloping pillar, standjump forwards to the slope ahead (with the stalactites sticking out of it)- make sure that Lara lands facing upwards- and grab the edge. Shimmy a bit left, drop to land on the slope and press Action to grab again. Pull up, backflip/roll and press Action in order for Lara to grab the crevice behind. Shimmy right until she can pull up and walk right along the railing. Ahead there is a slope decorated with a face and above said slope a hanging boulder. This will drop the moment Lara lands on the slope, so there’s no way you can simply jump straight forwards. It’s easier than it looks though: hop back twice from the slope, angle Lara right (S/E) and perform a running jump. The boulder is released and Lara will land on a second slope further down so immediately standjump forwards to a flat spot and wait for the boulder to pass by. Drop down onto the flat block in the lava pool below and from here do a running jump to grab the ladder. Climb up to the top and grab the flares and magic elixir. Walk over to the slope leading down from the S/E corner, run onto it and jump at the end. Lara will land on another slope and slide down to the next level. LEVEL 2- SWAMP: Pickups: Normal shotgun ammo, Seedling, 1 Demon $, Fake Asylum Staff Pass + 1 Secret (magic elixir and shotgun ammo) Enemies: Moths, wasps and flies Go right and out through the gateway to the left. You have now reached the swamp and for your own good stay out of the water. The currents are extremely strong and if Lara falls in she will be swept down into a cluster of underwater cacti. Because of this the best idea is to navigate along the rocks lining up the deadly pool. A bit of rock climbing for a secret: Head right over to the E line of rocks. Hang from the edge of the slope and shimmy left until Lara can pull up onto a flat, slanting rock. Turn left and walk to the edge of the slope, start sliding and jump at the end in order to land on the opposite bank. Hang from the edge of the slope ahead and shimmy left until you can pull up again. Above Lara a monkeyswing is running across the pool, but first we’re going for this level’s only secret. Continue shimmying left around the edge of the block and past the slope, then pull up again. Drop down near the odd-looking trees and pull up on the left side of the rocks ahead (N). Here you’ll find Secret # 3: a magic elixir and shotgun shells. Deadly fauna: Go back down where you came from and return to the slanting block below the monkeyswing. Shimmy along to the opposite side and at the end position Lara so that she’s facing the rocky wall. Drop down and as she starts sliding press Action to grab the edge of the slope. Shimmy left until you can pull up into a safe alcove. Do a standing jump from the edge up to the flat ledge S/W and walk to the far end, from there do a long running jump to land on the sloping rocks S. Grab the edge on your way down and shimmy right all the way until you can pull up into another alcove. Turn and quickly draw guns to expose of some nasty moths, then do a running jump over to the alcove opposite where they came from. Continue following the passage through a crawlspace, at the end get up and gun down another moth. Drop down and walk along the swampy passage until the area widens out and you’re back at another part of the shore running along the perimeter of the pool. A wasp comes flying in from the left so kill it and do the same thing to the moth that decides to join in on the fun. Walk N along the bank and when you reach the corner of the rocks standjump over to the small slab of land S/W. Here another wasp will attack so take it down quickly and continue over to firm ground. Keep on going W through the swamp until you reach another side of the pool with some orange lily pad-like flowers floating in the water. Climb up onto the rocks to the left, position Lara facing the first flower and save your game. As you have probably understood you’ll have to use these seemingly innocent flowers to get across the pool to the other side. However, there is a catch and it’s a quite big one too. As soon as Lara lands on the flowers she’ll have about a split second or so to move on to the next one- if she stays too long on each one she will be impaled by the spikes sprouting out of the flower. Here you’ll have absolutely no time to waste whatsoever. The first three are relatively straight-forwards (not in the way they’re positioned though- but as long as you keep running and jumping you should easily make it across), but as soon as you reach the fourth one you’ll have to do a standing jump to the small slab of land ahead (you won’t be able to reach the fifth flower from that long a distance). Once there you’ll be facing another two flowers that are just like the rest, but first of all do a running jump over to the slab of land N/E. Climb onto the rocks N, drop down into the water hole ahead and pick up some normal shotgun ammo from the bottom. Use the corner block and the nearby slope to shimmy back to where you dropped down and return to the pool. Do a running jump back to the opposite shore and now you can make your way across the remaining orange flowers. Stand about a hop away from the edge and standjump onto the first flower. Run across and jump to the second one, but this time veer sharply right and jump to reach the slope ahead. Shimmy left until you can drop down onto the opposite shore. The Asylum Courtyard: Climb the rocks N and go around to the left. At the end of the passage do a running jump to the red rocks ahead, grab the edge and then shimmy around to the left until she can drop down. Here awaits quite a sight to behold: you have successfully reached The Asylum. Quite a spectacular beauty indeed, but entering it will be all but easy. As you can see the plants guarding the gate are not intending on letting you just stroll by and the entrance is closed anyways. Near the N/W corner you’ll encounter a snake oil salesman and his job is to sell fake ID’s. They are listed as $1 a piece and that’s money you just don’t have right here and now (somehow I doubt that credit cards are accepted in this part of Hell and what would the currency of Demon Dollars be anyways?). Stick to the E wall (adjacent of the Asylum) and about halfway down you’ll find a narrow passage. Start down there, kill the wasp you encounter right around the corner and continue trudging your way through the mud. At the end you’ll be facing a pool. The bottom is lined up with more of those deadly orange flowers so there’s no way you can cross it. Turn left and up in the corner you’ll find just what you need: a crawlspace. Useful fungus: Pull up there and when you reach the junction crawl straight ahead until Lara can stand up. Do a running jump to grab the opposite side (be careful, there are more deadly flowers waiting below). Shimmy left and pull up, drop down into the next passage and climb up at the end. There’s a crevice running along the wall opposite so do a running jump to grab it and shimmy around to the left until you can drop down safely on the other side of the pool with the orange flowers. Turn around and follow the passageway into the stone building and at the end you’ll be pestered by another flying insect. Teach it a lesson and enter a room with a pool in the middle and some odd, beanstalk-like mushrooms growing out of it. Drop into said pool and at the bottom you can pick up the Seedling (this is the tiny mushroom near the S wall). Climb out of the water and return along the passage back to the deadly pool. Do a running jump to the N/E corner block across the pool and to your immediate left you’ll find an opening in the wall. To reach it do a standing jump from the edge and press Action to grab hold. Pull up and drop down on the other side. Now go right and up on the same wall (W) you’ll find the first crawlspace you came through to begin with. Go through there, left at the junction and drop down on the other side of the deadly pool. You can now return to the front of the Asylum. Continue following along the perimeter towards the left side of the building. Here you’ll find a closed portcullis and a small pedestal. Place the Seedling on it and the portcullis rises. Kill the two moths flying down from the ceiling and proceed to pulling the nearby jump switch (the metal “frame” up on the left wall). Watch in astonishment as two lights are switched on inside an open room somewhere nearby, causing a beanstalk to sprout out of the ground. Head outside and this time return around the perimeter of the Asylum Courtyard back to where the snake oil salesman is. My Demon Dollar for your Fake Staff Pass: At the right side of the building there’s an open room, this is the one with the lights and beanstalk you saw earlier. A wasp comes flying out, kill it and climb the beanstalk and backflip onto the upper level of the Asylum. Proceed along towards the opposite side and here three moths will attack. Kill them and approach the room to your right. You’re instantly attacked by a swarm of flies. You can’t kill those, the best way of getting them to disperse is to run over to a corner and crouch- stay that way until they’ve flown off. At least the three little gardeners won’t hurt you!! Over by the wall opposite of the entrance you’ll find One Demon Dollar- and guess what? That’s exactly what we need right now. Return outside and slide down the beanstalk. Head out to the salesman and place the coin in his purse- he will hand you a Fake Asylum Staff Pass (it even has a picture of you on it!!!). Now that you have this you can head over to the entrance. Apparently the fake ID is good enough for the malevolent plants. They will be following Lara’s steps as she walks by, but at least they won’t attack her now that she has a staff pass. Go to the end and follow either the left or the right passage (they both lead to the same place) to enter the Asylum. LEVEL 3- THE ASYLUM: Pickups: Note from Demon Smalls (No Secrets) Enemies: None Welcome to the house of Torture: Ok, so here we are- inside this place called the Asylum and what an utterly creepy place it is: demons are standing guard (they won’t pay any attention to Lara though- luckily for us) and witnessing extensive testing of various torture devices is on today’s menu. Luckily this won’t last too long- we’ll be on our way again soon. Left of the entrance is the section called Heat Treatment and to the right we have a section of Acupuncture (and here I thought that was supposed to have a healing effect). At the middle of the hall you‘ll find a seemingly unstoppable carousel (is this too a torture method of sorts?) and here at this middle part there are two doorways. The one to the right leads to a room with two lowered portcullises and a closed gate, so for now this is a dead-end. The left doorway leads to a room with another gate that is closed and a keyhole next to it, but as we do not have that key yet it’s safe to say that we won’t be getting very far here either. Continue through to the W part of the ground floor where we’ll be introduced to the hellish equivalent of a lobotomy and the phrase “eat your heart out” is given an entirely new meaning. Proceed through the doorway at the far end and head up the stairs. I guess it’s a major understatement to say that the methods employed up at this level are even more gruesome than the ones down on the ground floor. Walk along the right side and at the end turn your attention towards the ledge running along the right wall, directly beyond the pillar next to you. You can reach this by a running jump as long as you angle Lara right in mid-air and do NOT press Action at all. Once there turn around and do a running jump to grab the cable attached to the top of the carousel. Climb up to the top and here you’ll find an opening in the wall. Slide Lara down so that the back of her shoulders is approximately level with the edge and backflip to land on the floor. Follow the passage around until you reach the end. You’ll have to drop down here, but the fall is quite high and Lara will lose some health. Cross the Electric Shock Treatment section and go through the open doorway in the wall N. Head down the stairs and at the base you’ll find yourself in the room at the other side of the portcullis you saw earlier. Push the button next to it, this causes both of the portcullises to rise. Cross the room and go through the second portcullis ahead. Introducing the Chief Registrar- further instructions from Demon Smalls: Follow the hallway around and you’ll end up at the desk of the Chief Registrar. As you can see from the poster hanging on the wall here he has lost his Gold Medallion and will offer a reward for the one who brings it back. Well, we know Lara Croft is just the woman for the job, but it’s probably not completely unreasonable to presume that it won’t be an easy task at all. Start down the stairs and Lara will be looking down on a scroll laying on one of the steps. This is a Note from Demon Smalls so pick it up and read the message he’s got for you. “Lara, You should meet me down at Phlegyas, we have got a problem. I can see no way to get past this lake! And keep your eyes open, the Registrar is a major player round these parts, it would be useful to find that medallion of his.” Seems like we’ve got a job to do and for that we need to leave the Asylum for the time being. Follow the ramp down into the rocky cave and as she approaches the bottom the level ends. LEVEL 4- REALM OF THE LOST: Pickups: Flares, Manna from Heaven, revolver ammo, magic elixirs, revolver, lasersight, Scroll (Calling Demon Smalls), 1 Demon $ + 1 Secret (revolver ammo and magic elixir) Enemies: Baby demons, deadly plants Trial by spikes: You’ll start this level sliding and it’s not good news that awaits you at the bottom- as you already know the cacti down there means certain death. Try jumping at the end and steering Lara left so that she’ll land next to the cacti instead. Climb onto the ledge running along the N wall, go left and pick up the flares over in the dark corner and proceed to climb the ladder. Do not pull up over the top yet though, save your game first and take some time to prepare yourself for the next difficult challenge. As soon as you pull over the top Lara will start sliding again- straight down a slope littered with cacti. You’ll have to dodge these as best you can and this isn’t necessarily an easy task. There are probably several ways of doing this and I can’t guarantee that my way is the easiest. It’s one way to get past it and if you time it correctly you should get through with no or minimal health loss. Position Lara on the left side of the ladder and pull up over the top. As she starts sliding towards the first trap jump and steer her towards the left to clear it. Jump and veer left again immediately so that she’ll be as close as possible to the rocky wall/slope on the left-hand side. Slide for a bit and right before the next trap jump again and steer her left so that she lands on the rocky slope. At this point the rocks are aligned in a manner that causes her to first slide straight ahead for a split second (along the rocks) and then the direction of the slope will change- sending her sliding back down onto the cactus slope. At this point timing is everything. As soon as she hits the rocks let her slide for a fracture of a second and do a long jump forwards. If done correctly she will slide down to the cactus slope and land on a “safe” spot (safe as in a spot with no cacti growing on it). Immediately jump forwards/slightly right and she should now slide down into safety at the bottom of the slope. I found this to be a bit difficult to explain, so if you’re not following me please feel free to have a look at this sequence of screenshots for further assistance: Alternatively start sliding and as you approach the first cacti trap jump left. Slide a bit again and jump right. Immediately jump right three times and you should make it safely past. Like I said there are most likely other (maybe even easier) ways of getting through this. Feel free to try whatever method works for you. Looks like a trap is being set up: At the bottom of this deadly slope head N/W around the winding passage and go on until you reach a high opening overlooking another slope. A Manna from Heaven is placed on the ground about halfway up the ramp and on top you’ll see a line of three boulders waiting to drop. Is it just me or does this look like a trap someone’s set up? Drop down onto the ramp and approach the pickup. Position Lara directly in front of it, back to the boulders. Pick up the Manna from Heaven. The moment you do so you’re shown a cutscene. Two baby demons are waiting on the other side of the dark opening at the base of the ramp. One of them is watching Lara’s movements and the other pushes a button. The boulders start rolling down the ramp and the gate you came through closes, so there’s no going back now. As soon as the camera cuts back to Lara run forwards down the ramp. There’s a small slope directly underneath the dark opening: jump onto it and immediately backflip. The boulders will roll by below her and come to a grinding halt against the base of the slope. Phew….that was one close call. Go up to the top of the ramp and use the jump switch right of the gilded gate to open it. Head through the gate and you’ve now reached the 1st Lava Cave. The 1st Lava Cave- a rock slide and sinking tiles: In the lava pool you’ll spot two gilded tiles. These will swiftly sink into the lava as Lara steps onto them, so it’s best to outline a clear route before attempting to cross. There’s a small slope in the middle of the lava pool, connecting the first gilded tile with the second one. As we all know slopes are for sliding and considering this it’s quite obvious that Lara would end up a roasted marshmallow if she were to attempt stepping onto the slope. In other words our first task is to find some way of clearing a path across. Go up the steps behind the boulder slope to the right and pick up the flares. Now stand directly behind the boulder and press Action. Lara will kick at the boulder, sending it flying down the slope. It will land straight onto the slope in the lava, causing parts of it to crumble. Return back down to the pool. Stand facing the first gilded tile square on and from the edge hop back twice. Do a running jump to land on the tile and immediately continue running, jumping at the edge to land onto the now flat part of the small slope. Here you can save your game if you like and spend some time setting up the next jump. It’s essential here to take advantage of all the space you can, but be careful not to step onto the lava. Stand at the bottom part and do a running jump to land on the next tile. Try steering her right in mid-air, this will make the run and jump from the second gilded tile over to firm land a lot easier. Once there pull the jump switch on the wall to the right. The centre part of the monkeyswing nearby will slide out of the wall, enabling you to use it later on. And what do you know: it also allows for three baby demons to cross over to the other side. You can try killing as many of them as possible from here or wait until you get closer. The gilded tiles are now back and you’ll have to use them in order to cross over again. This becomes a tad more difficult due to the cacti trap right in front of the first tile. I found it possible to stand on the right-hand side (facing the gap between the cacti and the mushrooms), as close to the cacti as possible without it popping out and then do a standing jump to the gilded tile. Run left and jump at the edge (without pressing Action) to land on the flat part of the slope. Again take full advantage of the flat part to do a curved running jump to the next gilded tile. Continue running straight ahead and jump at the edge to reach the other side. Kill the demons now if you haven’t already and follow along the right side of the lava (when facing it) to find the monkeyswing you saw earlier. The 2nd Lava Cave- ladders, slopes, sinking tiles and a monkeyswing: Jump up to grab the monkeyswing and traverse across to the other side. Drop down and follow the dark passage until you reach a ladder above the 2nd Lava Cave. Jump to the ladder and climb down and around the wall to the other side. When Lara reaches the middle of the back wall you’ll have to backflip/roll and immediately press Action for her to grab the ladder behind. Climb around to the right and pause there for a moment. The next move is a bit tricky and requires you to backflip and roll while angling Lara right in mid-air. Obviously this is for her to land on the nearby slope so that she can jump and grab the next ladder. Make your way around the ladder to the other side and drop down to the small platform in the lava pool. From there turn left and look for the monkeyswing underneath the ladder (the monkeyswing is running along the right side of the cacti on the block by the left wall). Do a running jump while pressing Action to grab the monkeyswing and traverse ahead and left around the corner. Drop down inside the alcove, pulling the lever here causes gilded tiles to appear across the lava pool. Traverse back along the monkeyswing (please do be careful not to get too close to the cacti as even barely touching them will cause Lara to lose health). Do not go all the way to the end of the monkeyswing though, about halfway you should be able to locate a gilded tile below. Turn Lara around so that she’s facing the safe platform she came from. Now drop down onto the gilded tile. This will begin sinking into the lava so if you don’t get moving she’ll be dead within a split second. Immediately backflip to the gilded tile behind, standjump forwards again to land on the first tile (which of course stopped sinking the moment Lara’s weight was taken off it) and runjump to land on the safe platform. The 3rd Lava Cave- from ashes to fire: Face the gilded tile between the slope and the right wall and do a running jump to land on it. Quickly standjump with a right angle into the open doorway in the wall next to you. A short fly-by shows the 3rd Lava Cave, where five baby demons sit on each their gilded tile worshipping some unseen entity (Lucifer himself, probably). Turquoise plants start sprouting up from the lava and this is almost certainly not a good thing (does anyone see the resemblance to the lightning bolt-spitting plant from Hell’s Arboretum here?). Follow through the passage and jump up to grab the monkeyswing above. Traverse across and turn left, drop and immediately grab the ladder below. Climb down as far as you can, drop down onto the gilded and quickly vault up onto the floor below the ladder to avoid a certain death. We’re now going from ashes to fire (quite literally too), because the moment you enter the 3rd Lava Cave you’ll begin hearing the sound of lightning bolts being fired off. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about those turquoise plants! Should hardly be necessary to say it, but I’d advice you to save your game before leaving the safety of the narrow passage. Sprint ahead down the path (ignoring the red-herring monkeyswing to the left), at the end turn right and start jumping up the far left side of the slope. The plants will stop firing at Lara now, but if she misses a jump and slides back down they’ll be at it again, so I’d recommend saving the game as soon as she’s safe (before attempting any hazardous jumps). Make your way via the dark left corner up to the top and from there hop over to the pointy side of the grayish rock jutting out from the centre. Do a running jump to the bridge going across the lava pool (luckily the plants will leave Lara alone even when she’s up there). You won’t get very far though as a pillar is blocking the path at the other side of the bridge. Do a banana jump around it and pick up some revolver ammo on the other side. And the 4th Lava Cave- slope bouncing and a secret: Drop down from the bridge and follow the stairs down to the relative safety of the 4th Lava Cave. At least there aren’t any malevolent plants down here, but a couple of baby demons are scurrying about on the opposite side. The task at hand is to find a way to reach the other side and it will be all but easy. In reality the only thing required is a couple of simple moves. However, the fact that these moves require perfect precision and that even the slightest miscalculation can (and will!) send Lara down to a scorching death makes it a rather daunting challenge. Position her by the right-hand slope (this is, of course, right-hand when facing the lava pool). About two inches down said slope there’s a slight break in the rocks- this is where the line between down-into-the-lava pool and down-towards-the-other-side goes, if that makes any sense to you. To put it quite simply: if you land on the right side of the break (the side closest to Lara) she will slide down into the lava pool. Land on the left side of the break and she will slide a few steps down along the rocks towards the other side. Step one is to land on the left side of the break. Step two is as follows: after she has slid about ½ step down jump forwards to land even further down the rocks. Step three is the hardest one: as Lara lands on the slope again jump immediately, roll in mid-air and steer her hard to the right. With some luck (and loads of the aforementioned precision) she will land safely on the other side of the lava pool. The giggling of baby demons will grow louder as they come running up the slope to dispose of the unwanted visitor. Simply stay where you are and pick them off one by one. Before moving on we’re going to get a secret. Turn to face the lava pool again and this time standjump up to the slope which is now on your right-hand side. Grab the edge and shimmy left until you can pull up onto a small, safe spot. Back up until Lara is facing down towards the lava pool and entrance, then do a right-angled running jump to land up at the flat spot on top of the slope. There’s a dark crawlspace here, inside it you can pick up Secret # 4: revolver ammo and a magic elixir. Go back outside and walk as far as possible, standjump towards the other side and when Lara lands on the slope bounce off with a sharp left angle to land safely on the ground. Start going downwards into the large cave and when you reach the second toadstool patch and right past it hop up to the dark rocks on the right side and grab a Magic Elixir. Continue making your way to the bottom of the cave. The Mausoleum Cave: A most impressive building is found in the large cave, this is the Mausoleum. As with everything in Lara’s world it will be an ordeal of another world (literally) to get the portcullis open so that you can enter it. And quite frankly: where would the fun be otherwise? First things first: in the S/E corner you’ll find some flares and those can be quite useful when navigating around dark places like Lower Hell. Clamber over the rocks left of the doorway E and on top you’ll also find a Magic Elixir (which will probably come even more in handy than the flares). The E passage leads up some stairs to the Demon Expressway, which will by the looks of it take its passengers back up to the Asylum. For the price of 1 Demon Dollar of course (oh, where is that spare change when you need it the most?). Guess we’ll find the answer to that soon enough. Head towards the opposite side (W) and down the stairs through another cave. Keep an eye out along the rocks to the right because at some point you’ll find a pickup well guarded by a cacti trap. Jump up onto the trap block and immediately backflip before the cacti pop out. It is now safe to climb back up and retrieve the Manna from Heaven. By the shores of the Phlegyas: Continue down to the bottom to find the Phlegyas, as deadly as can be. And lo: your friends are standing there waiting for you on the shore. Lara: Hello guys. Anubis: Hello Lara. Demon Smalls: Damn, not at all good! Lara: What’s up with him, still no way through? Anubis: Alas not, no amount of magic seems to work. That is why I have been summoned. But I have no influence down here either. Demon Smalls: There’s no way I’m gonna get through here. Lara: Who does have influence? Anubis: The Asylum Registrar has the power to assign souls to this terrible place. Lara: I still haven’t found his medallion. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack in these caves. Anubis: The Registrar never leaves the Asylum. Demon Smalls: So I guess it’s next stop Asylum. Lara: Oh gosh, that place is sick and you better start making yourself useful. Demon Smalls: Wooo! That told me! [Starts typing something on his laptop] This should be useful. Useful stuff- hitching a ride with the Demon Expressway: Well now, that IS useful. Demon Smalls conjures up a revolver, belonging lasersight, a Scroll (Call Demon Smalls) and aha: 1 Demon Dollar. But before leaving go behind the pedestal and left: you should now spot some flares high up on a rock. Jump up to the flat spot on the rocks left and continue this way, jumping across the flat parts to get to the top of the rocky slope. From here you can jump down to the rock with the flares. You might need to crouch in order to pick them up. My safest way of getting down was to standjump over towards the glass pane preventing you from accessing the stairs at the end. From there you can standjump to the flat spot below the rock where you found the flares. Runjump past the odd-looking plants and head back past your old friends and up the stairs to the Mausoleum. We now have the required Demon Dollar so go through the doorway E and use the coin in the slot on top of the stairs. The gate left opens, go through and hop over to the plants waving in the…..eh…breeze? Lara is immediately transported back up to the top and one step closer to the Asylum. Go around the hallway and you’ll find a sign with an arrow pointing down “To Great Mausoleum”. That fall would most definitely kill Lara and besides we have more important things to do right now. In other words go through the left passage and follow the stairs up into the darkness until the passage widens out into a small cave. There’s a closed gate to the left, we’ll get back to that later on. For now head right through to the next cave. Next stop Asylum: There’s a lava pool below and you’ll need to navigate around the right perimeter to eventually end up at the far left side. Start by jumping N/E over to the slope with the flat bottom (below the cacti). From the far right side (the entrance is on your left) do a running jump towards the right-hand cluster of rocks. Lara lands on a slope, but will thankfully slide down to a safe, flat part. Make your way back up to the top by jumping up to the flat part above and from there a standjump to the block jutting out of the rocky slope. Up on top there’s a monkeyswing S/W running over to the opposite side of the room. It seems awfully high up, but upon closer inspection you will find that the dark pillar before it (right next to Lara) is really a slope. Position her as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT and sideflip right: She will (or should at least, provided you’ve lined her up correctly) hit the top part of the slope and bounce off so immediately press Action to make her grab the monkeyswing. Traverse across and drop down on the other side. Follow the rocky passage ahead and around to the left where it merges with a hallway. At the end you’ll find a long flight of stairs leading upwards and a sign revealing that the Asylum is waiting up on top. Don’t go up there just yet though, continue past the stairs and push the button at the end. The gate on your left opens and this is the exact same gate you saw earlier: in other words you’ve just opened up a shortcut that will come in handy later. Return to the stairs and go back up to…… LEVEL 5- THE ASYLUM PART II: Pickups: South Wing Key, revolver ammo, magic elixirs, 1 Demon $, Shapeshifter Key, flares + 2 Secrets (normal shotgun ammo and Manna from Heaven + normal shotgun ammo, revolver ammo and Manna from Heaven) Enemies: None The Chief Registrar’s Office- getting the South Wing Key: Go through the doorway and you’re now back in what must be one of the least pleasant places in Hell (that soundtrack just gives me the creeps!). As you can see you’ll be starting out inside the Registrar’s office. Take the South Wing Key from the bookshelf on the left and push the nearby button to open a gate so that you can leave. Follow the hallway S past the carousel and into the open doorway opposite. Here you’ll find a keyhole for your newly acquired key. Go through the portcullis that lowers and follow the long, dark passage to enter a new area of the Asylum. Go along until you reach a junction. Here you have three choices: there’s a sign pointing towards the Treatment Center and Administration (that’s where you came from), a second sign reading Diablo Nightclub, Swimming Pool and Mental Torture and a third sign leading to Asylum Roof Gardens (via shape-shifter- whatever that is). The Balloon chase: Seems we have quite a few options on our hands. The shape-shifter is currently unavailable, but do peer into the first room to find two demons suspended by some colorful balloons of various shapes. Nothing more to do here for now so follow the sign leading to the Diablo Nightclub. Letting your hair down seems quite tempting right now, but unfortunately the club operates with a 1 Demon Dollar entrance fee, so we’ll have no choice but to return once we’ve found a way to pay. Next you’ll come to a room with a Demon Holographic hovering above a fire (on the right-hand side). This area is rather maze-like and it can be a bit difficult to figure out which of the seemingly endless number of doorways one should choose first and last. There is no real answer to this, as the rooms can be done in pretty much any order. Your main goal is to find and destroy each of the 8 balloons scattered all over the place to liberate the floating demons you saw earlier (in the room past the sign leading to the Asylum Roof Gardens). The Shifting Blocks Chamber- Red Square: Beginning with the doorway opposite of the 1st Demon Hologram seems like an idea. Follow the passage around until you reach the first opening to the left. This is the Shifting Blocks Chamber and it got that name for a reason. As you can see the blocks in the lava won’t stay put for very long, their pattern changes continuously. We do need to find a way past the lava pool though and there’s no other way but to go by the shifting blocks. The challenge itself isn’t really all that difficult once you know what to do. I found it easiest to go by the blocks along either one of the walls. Try to aim for the lava tiles, jumping a split second before it changes into a safe tile. That way you should land just as the tile becomes safe. Wait for another split second before jumping on towards the next lava tile. This pattern becomes a lot clearer once you’ve done it a couple of times. At the far end of the room there is one safe tile and you can easily tell which one it is as it has a dark brown colour which differentiates it from the rest of the tiles. Once you finally land on the safe tile turn around and shoot Balloon # 1: the red square. As you do so you’ll see a camera shot of one red balloon being released in the room with the floating demons. Now make your way back to the start the same way you came (I found it easier this time around because the screen will be shaking in a sort of earthquake-fashion right before the tiles shift). When you’ve successfully reached the other end continue along the passage and up the stairs into a room with three new doorways to choose from. Just to keep track of things I chose to go clockwise from left to centre to right. The Chamber of the Sinking Tiles- Green Triangle: The left doorway takes you up some stairs and along a long hallway. About halfway down you’ll come across another doorway on the left, go through there to find the Sinking Tiles Chamber. This is a bit more taxing than the Shifting Blocks because here you don’t have a second to waste. The gilded tiles will start sinking as soon as Lara steps on them and there will be no time to re-position her once she hits one of those tiles. In many ways this reminds me a bit of the timed run over the burning pillars in TR1 (the Palace Midas level), only difference being that this is lava and thus slightly more of a challenge. Do a running jump from the doorway to the first gilded tile, trying to land as close to the right wall as possible. Run and jump and try steering Lara in mid-air so that she lands close to the right-hand edge of the second gilded tile. Run and jump to land on the third one. If you land underneath the lamp it will slow you down a little bit, this might make the running jump to the fourth gilded tile easier. Once Lara lands on that last tile immediately release the Up arrow key and press it again together with Jump to make her standjump from the tile and over to safe grounds. Pick up the revolver ammo and turn around. To the right of the doorway there’s an alcove in which you will find Balloon # 2: the green triangle. Arm Lara with the revolver and stick to the corner diagonally opposite of the alcove, then blast off at the triangle to release the second balloon in the room with the floating demons. Now return to the doorway the same way you came. The Swimming Pool- chutes, demonic currency and a Yellow Star: Go on along the hallway and up the stairs until you reach yet another junction. Left is good for a start so head through that doorway and at the end you’ll come out by the Swimming Pool. In the pool you will find some demons floating about and you’ll also see a whole bunch of water chutes and some tilted mirrors that actually function as slopes. Standing on the higher part of the floor, do a running jump to the one closest to you. You can save your game while Lara is inside the water chutes, this is advisable as it’s quite easy to make a mistake and swim out of the chute (by doing so she will land in the pool below and will have to start all over again). Rotating her a bit while swimming is usually a helpful way of ensuring that she stays inside the chute. Swim up and into the passage and as you come down in the second water chute position Lara to face S, angled slightly left. Gun it forwards out of the chute and hopefully she should land on a slope: immediately jump with a sharp left angle to land in the third water chute. This time face E and gun it hard out of the chute to land on a new slope. As soon as you land jump forwards and press Action to grab the monkeyswing. Traverse to the end and turn right, go as far forwards as you can, drop and grab the edge of the slope below. Shimmy over to the right corner, pull up and jump with a sharp right angle, pressing Action to make Lara grab the climbable pole. Climb up almost to the top and backflip to land in the next water chute. There’s a switch up in the ceiling above you and when you pull it one mirror slope shifts to a different location. Drop down into the pool below, scour the bottom for a Magic Elixir and revolver ammo (the latter is a bit difficult to spot, but it’s located in the N/W corner). Now find the mirror slope that just shifted (it’s over by the S wall). From there you can access the nearby water chute, but it’s positioned slightly left of the slope so you’ll have to pull up at the far left side, roll in mid-air and steer Lara hard right in order to land in the chute. Swim up and along the passage, down into the final chute and out to land on the slope. Jump to land in the wall alcove ahead and loot the swimming demon’s clothes for a Demon Dollar. Stand on the far right side facing the pool and on the opposite wall you’ll spot Balloon # 3: the yellow star. Use the revolver to shoot it, thus releasing the third balloon in the room with the floating demons. Dive into the pool and return to the entrance, from there head back to the junction. Monkeyswing & Sinking Tiles- Red Square # 2: This time go through the doorway N, leading to the Monkeyswing & Sinking Tiles Chamber. Do a running jump to grab the crack in the wall ahead and shimmy right along an invisible crevice. Around the corner there is a line of five gilded tiles and a sixth one over by the wall. Drop down onto the first gilded tile and immediately sideflip right to the one by the wall. As soon as you land sideflip left again to the first tile and hop back four times so that Lara ends up at the final tile. From that position quickly jump up and grab the monkeyswing. Follow it along to a passage where you can climb a ladder. Shoot Balloon # 4: the red square and now both of the red-square balloons are floating freely. We still have four balloons left to go though, so no time to waste. Drop down into the hallway below (directly in front of the MS & ST Chamber) and return to the junction. N is the doorway you came from so turn left and go through the E doorway back to Junction # 3. From here head N to a room with a lava pool and a pool of water, these are separated by a walkway. The Pipe Puzzle- A Blue Diamond: Notice the pipes scattered about. Two of these are moveable and you’ll be using those to make things happen around here. Start with the one left of the N doorway. Pull it with you three times, go around it to the right and pull it once. Now go around to the opposite side of the pipe and push it once so that the gilded part of the pipe connects with the gilded cap at the edge of the water pool. There’s another pipe with a gilded part on it, this is located next to the doorway you first came through. Move this one by pushing and pulling so that the gilded part of the pipe connects to the gilded cap by the edge of the lava pool. Nothing has happened yet, but there’s one more pipe that can be moved- this one has a black cap at the base. Move said pipe over to the tile past the two other pipes that you moved. Voila: the water is drained from the pool as it floods out into the lava pool and it is now safe to cross. That’s exactly what we’re going to do: down the stairs to the right you’ll find the 2nd Demon Hologram. Up in the S/W corner of the same room there’s a Balloon # 5: the blue diamond for you to shoot. Going backwards- the Rotating Stars Puzzle: Return to the previous room and cross the now safe pool. Go through the N doorway and go either straight ahead or left- they both lead to the same spot. Leave the right doorway alone for now. Continue up the stairs to enter the Rotating Stars Chamber. In the room to the right you’ll find a long row of stars that are slowly rotating above some white platforms. In the room before there is a clock on the wall, obviously not functioning seeing as how its arms are missing, but it still gives a hint as to what you have to do in the room with the rotating stars. Notice something funny about that clock (apart from the fact that it’s not working)? Look again, closely this time. Are you now ready to take on the riddle of the rotating stars? Apparently the numbers on the clock are in reversed position. Enter the room with the rotating stars and step on the platforms beneath the stars that are rotating COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. Counting from left to right (when facing the stars) the correct ones are the numbers 3-6-8. Once this is done correctly the gate opposite of the clock opens. Go through and right at the junction (the other two are dead ends), follow until you reach a tall room with a lava pool at the bottom and floating gilded tiles scattered about. Ignore those tiles, over on the wall ahead (near the right corner) there is a jump switch (a bit difficult to see, but it’s there alright). Do a running jump to grab it and the gilded tile below will float up towards Lara. That didn’t prevent her from losing half her health, but at least it takes us even further up. So far up in fact that you can climb straight into the doorway on top. The Maze- a Double Date and a secret: Follow the dark passage up and around, jump over the gap in the floor (there’s lava below) and go on until you reach a climbable pole. Climb down until you see firm ground behind Lara, then backflip. You’re now on top of the Maze. In the N wall of the Maze there’s a gate (at ground level). This is currently closed. Head over to the N/W corner and climb down the ladder there, pick up the Magic Elixir and go back up. On the far wall E there’s a jump switch. Pull it down to open the gate below. Head over to the S/W corner and drop down here, in the passage S/W you’ll find Balloon # 6: the Yellow Star. Turn around and go E and left around the corner to find a button. Pushing it opens up an exit so leave through the passage opposite of the button and you’re now at Junction # 6. S goes back to the hallway with the Diablo Nightclub, N is the exit to the Maze (so where you came from), W leads into the room with the pipes and drained pool and E takes you back into the Maze. This time we’re going for the latter option. From the entrance go straight-left-right-right-left-left-right-left-right-right. If you’ve gone the right way you should now have found a dead end with a narrow crack in the wall. Inside that crack you’ll find Balloon # 7: the green triangle. Use the revolver to shoot it and now we have to find some way of locating the secret room from before. One of the floating demons is now totally released, but we still have one more balloon to go. Now go straight-left-right-right and right. Aha, there it is: the open gate. In the alcove beyond you’ll find your prize- Secret # 5: two boxes of normal shotgun ammo and Manna from Heaven. And now to find a way out of this place. Straight-right-left and right is all it takes to locate the doorway leading back to Junction # 5. Head S to the pipe puzzle, left cross the drained pool and you’ll now find Lara at Junction # 6. Go through the S doorway to get back to the hallway by the 1st Demon Hologram and the Diablo Nightclub. Diablo Nightclub- the Shapeshifter Key and Blue Diamond: Now that we have the Demon Dollar and all, it’s time to check out the nightlife. Put the coin in the slot to gain access to the disco. It looks rather dark to begin with, but this is only the wardrobe and on the wall opposite of the entrance we can read that DJ Shorts is the guest DJ. Go behind the black curtains to reach the dance floor. Enjoy the sight you’re about to see, because this is something you most certainly haven’t seen before (and probably won’t ever see again). After a good laugh go up to the groovy little DJ Shorts and pick up the Shape-Shifter Key behind him. Don’t leave yet though, go behind the black curtains E and enter the Lounge. The restrooms are located in the S/W corner (unisex too, even). Well, I’m terribly sorry about the intrusion gentlemen, but there’s a very important jump switch located at the far back wall of the restrooms. Seriously, there is and it opens a ceiling hatch back out in the Lounge. Return to the Lounge and this time head left to find a ladder at the back of the pillar. Climb up to the top (this is where the hatch opened before) and dismount on the left side, shoot Balloon # 8: the blue diamond. Both the floating demons are now released and in gratitude they’ve opened the door at the back of the room for you. Climb back down to the ground and it’s now (sadly) time to leave the Diablo Nightclub behind for good (and I who didn’t even get a chance to stop for a Cosmo!). Once outside go right and follow the hallway back to the junction with the signs. Enter the room with the floating demons and go straight through the door they opened for you. Shortage of Shapeshifter Parts- taking Demon Oddjob for a ride: A blue sign on the wall reads Due to a shortage of Shape-Shifter parts… Demon Oddjob has agreed to “fill in”. Whatever works is good enough for me. Follow through to the next room and here you’ll find the Shape-Shifter….a neat little car and it’s even held together by Demon Oddjob. The car to the right apparently belongs to the Chief Registrar and is currently out of order. Pick up the Magic Elixir and hop aboard the Shape-Shifter. Drive up the ramp ahead to reach a new area (notice that at bumpy and treacherous parts you might actually hear Demon Oddjob wail and curse?). The path to the Asylum Roof Gardens is under construction so we’ll have to go on a slightly more treacherous route. Be very careful as you go along the narrow walkway. At the end gun it up the ramp to get across the small pit on top and continue following the walkway around the entire perimeter of the room until you reach a long, dark ramp at the end. Hot business- but it’s worth it: Don’t go up yet though, leave the car for now while getting some pickups. Climb the pillar next to where you parked (you might have to crouch in order to get up) and retrieve some flares. If you don’t want to go for the next secret you can skip down to the part where she drives the Shape-Shifter up the dark ramp. If you’re interested in getting the secret, here’s how-to. Stand in the position shown in THIS SCREENSHOT: Hang from the edge and you’ll see that there’s a demon on a platform down there having a ball with a flamethrower. What you have to do is to shimmy right and just as she turns the corner drop down there so that you’ll land safely (well, you’ll lose quite a bit of health from the fall alone, but apart from that) AND you have to jump to the safe platform ahead before the little creature decides to roast Lara as well. A little tricky, but it can be done. Now you have to make your way past the following: two demon platforms- one safe platform- one demon platform- secret platform. I found this to be near impossible- until I figured out that Lara can actually stand at the corners of the platforms without being roasted. This way you can set up the jumps correctly and it all of a sudden becomes a piece of cake. At the last demon platform do an angled standing jump to the platform between the two pillars and pick up Secret # 6: normal shotgun ammo, revolver ammo and Manna from Heaven. To get back up carefully time a standing jump from the back of the secret platform to the demon platform. Stick to the edge and turn to face the ladder. As the fire goes out standjump to grab the ladder. Climb up until you’re nearly at the top and as far left as possible. Backflip/roll in mid-air and steer Lara hard right so that she lands on the walkway. Heading for the Asylum Roof Gardens: Return to the Shape-Shifter and this time drive up the dark ramp. Ahead of you is yet another room with narrow ledges and a lava pool below and this time it’s even more difficult due to the fixed camera angle that follows you through most of it. I also had quite a lot of trouble land on the walkway after the ramp leading up to the upper level, but if a miserable driver like myself can do it, I’m sure you can too ;) When you reach the next room you’re on top of the “construction ramp” so drive up the ramp to the left and prepare to be taken back to….. LEVEL 6- THE SWAMP PART II: Pickups: Gold Medallion (No Secrets) Enemies: None Green fingers, sticky hands- the disputed Medallion: Dismount the Shape-Shifter and go through the doorway in the right corner. Lara has reached the Asylum Roof Gardens and what extraordinary plant life she’ll find up here! Head S past the flowers and a swarm of flies attacks. Run to a corner and crouch, they will disappear after a little bit of nibbling. Continue following the roof S and at the end you’ll find one lazy little gardener. And will you look at that: this is the guy who stole the Registrar’s medallion. Pick up the Gold Medallion and the little gardener jumps to life. Gardener: Hey, I found that! It’s mine! Lara: Tell that to the Registrar. Gardener: Uh oh… All of a sudden his full attention is directed towards the paper again. I thought so! Go past him and behind the wall you’ll find a beanstalk. Standjump to grab it and slide down to the bottom, drop down onto the slopes below. Go around the building, past those nasty flowers in front and re-enter….. LEVEL 7- THE ASYLUM PART III: Pickups: Mausoleum Key (No Secrets) Enemies: None We’re not going to spend much time around here for now, but the Registrar probably misses his lost bauble so let’s get down to business. Go forwards to the carousel and enter the doorway to the right (N). Head through the left portcullis and go around to the front of the Chief Registrar’s office. Hand him the medallion and watch the cutscene where he shows his undying (ehm…) gratefulness. Chief Registrar: My medallion! You’ve found it! Wait a minute, who are you? You’re not a member of my staff…guards! Lara: Now wait a minute. I didn’t see any members of your staff looking too hard for this bauble. I was the one that found it, and I claim my reward. Chief Registrar: Oh, very well. I’ll put you on mild tortures for a week, how’s that? Lara: Not too enticing. I’m not one of your wretched inmates either. Chief Registrar: They are patients, not inmates. So what are you then? If you’re not a demon? Lara: I am a living human soul and I’m on a mission to defeat the dark souls. I understand you might be able to help my team pass beyond the Lake of Boiling Blood. Chief Registrar: You mean Phlegyas? Interesting…there is a rogue demon, Verdilet that belongs in that infernal lake. But he has found sanctuary in the great Mausoleum and so lies beyond my grasp. But you could reach him. Bring me his Immortal Soul, live human. Lara: And then? You’ll help us get past the lake? Chief Registrar: Bring me Verdilet, and you’ll see…. Well, well…aren’t we demanding? First we retrieve his medallion and now we have to go on a wild goose chase for immortal souls as well? This better get us past the Phlegyas! At least he had the decency of turning the heat down in his office. The Mausoleum Key- returning to the Lost Realm: Go right and left out through the portcullis. Turn left again and enter his office. Stand in front of the fireplace, press Action and Lara will grab the Mausoleum Key. Now that we have a way of opening the door to the Mausoleum we have to return there. Go behind the demon bust in the corner (near the shelf where you got the key earlier) and we’re once more back in….. LEVEL 8- THE REALM OF THE LOST PART II: Pickups: None (No Secrets) Enemies: None Reaching the Mausoleum: Go down the stairs and right. Around the corner you’ll find the gate you opened earlier. If it’s still closed it would be a good idea to push the button next to the gate so that we can proceed through. Ignore the doorway straight ahead; instead follow the passage right until you reach the room with the Demon Expressway. There’s a sign here with an arrow pointing down “To the Mausoleum”. This requires a genuine leap of faith: drop down into the deep shaft and somehow Lara will drop through an air current. At any rate she will land safely and that’s the most important thing after all. Run down the stairs and over to the Mausoleum, use the key you found in the Registrar’s office to raise the portcullis. Enter the darkness beyond, go down the stairs and at the bottom go either left or right to enter….. LEVEL 9- THE MAUSOLEUM: Pickups: Baton + Spirit of the Flame (=Flambeau), magic elixirs, 2x Binro’s Gem, Mausoleum Key, the Immortal Soul of Verdilet + 1 Secret (Manna from Heaven) Enemies: Verdilet The tomb you see straight ahead is the Tomb of Verdilet, whose immortal soul we’re seeking. To the left is the Tomb of Binro the Heretic and we will need a gemstone in order to gain access to it. Right we have the Tomb of Damocles. Straight ahead a portcullis is preventing us from access the Hall of Memories. A sword in the tomb of Damocles: Go towards the Tomb of Damocles first. When you reach the closed gate turn around and look up on the right column to spot a jump switch (you’ll need to stand on the floor in order to reach it, Lara can step onto the base of the column itself, but she won’t be able to pull it from there). Pulling it lowers the portcullis behind and you can enter Damocles last resting place. Those souls just don’t give up on anything without a fight, do they? It seems impossible to pry that gemstone out of Damocles’ cold grip, so we’ll have to find some other way of going about that task. Take a mental note of two things during the cutscene: the sword hanging by a thread (literally) above Damocles’ sarcophagus and most importantly right now the jump switch on the column behind Lara. Pulling it lowers the portcullis at the back of the tomb. Enter and pick up the Baton from the pedestal to the right. Go to the W wall and pull up into the large alcove there, here you’ll find a lever to pull. You will see a camera shot of the pillar in the middle of the room, but this time it’s no longer located in the same spot as before. Drop down to the floor and climb the pillar again, look towards the entrance to find a jump switch on the wall, this you can reach by a running jump combined with the Action key. As Lara pulls it down you’ll hear a door somewhere opening. Climb back up to the lever and push it back into its original position to shift the position of the sand-colored pillar again. Runjump to said pillar and from there turn left to spot the open door in the wall N. Do another running jump into the doorway. On Lara’s right-hand side there’s a window blocking her access to a jump switch, to the left there’s a ladder. Climb up to the top and follow the hallway out onto a bridge above the room from before. The doorway on the other side of the bridge is currently blocked so turn right to spot some slanted platforms and ladders. Standjump with a grab to the first one, pull up and jump/grab the second slope. Shimmy left as far as you can, pull up and jump with a left curve to land on the third slope. Grab the edge on your way down, pull up and backflip/roll. As soon as you land on the fourth slope jump forwards. This will land Lara on a short slope so immediately jump while pressing Action to land on a longer slope, the instant you land press Roll together with jump. Lara should now land facing upwards, so grab the edge on your way down. Shimmy left around the corners until you’re directly above the jump switch, drop and grab- pulling the switch down opens a door somewhere nearby. Climb into the lever alcove again and once more use the lever to shift position of the pillar. Drop down, climb the pillar and underneath the monkeyswing you will find the now open door in the S wall. Do a long running jump + grab to the ladder, climb up and retrieve the Spirit of the Flame (this must be combined with the Baton to create the Flambeau). Use the monkeyswing to traverse across the room, at the end drop and grab again and finally pull up and slide down to the bottom. The jump switch you saw through the window earlier is up on the wall to your right, pull it to open the door across the bridge. To get back out simply standjump over the slope where you slid down. Retrace your steps back up on the bridge by using the lever to shift the pillar, jumping into the left doorway and climbing the ladder again. Cross the bridge and go through the doorway, climb the ladder and dismount on the left side. Follow the passage around until you come to an opening high up above the previous room. Do a running jump to grab the crevice in the wall opposite. Shimmy left around two corners and drop down next to the burner block. Runjump to the ledge underneath the overhang at the opposite wall and walk to the right end. In a wall alcove you might spot a pickup, do a running jump along the edge and steer Lara slightly left in mid-air so that she lands inside the alcove. Pick up the Magic Elixir and turn around to face the room. Look down and you’ll find a ladder going down from the back of a slope. Near the bottom of the ladder there’s a concealed jump switch. Stand at the back of the alcove and do a standing jump forwards while pressing Action to grab the ladder. Climb down, drop and grab again to make Lara pull the switch down. It opens one of the doors down on the ground and she’ll lose a tiny slice of health in the process. Turn around to find the open gate in wall ahead. The swirling light at the end of the passage is a sort of simplified expressway and it will teleport Lara up to a higher level. Follow the long passage out onto the top level of the tall structure in the middle of the room and do a running jump + grab to the ladder at the end. Climb up to the top and follow through to the next room where a lava pool is waiting for you. A row of slopes suspended upon poles are lined up in the lava pool and you will be using these to make it across to the other side in one piece. I found it easiest to stand facing the end of the first slope (standing on the edge) and do a long standing jump to land at the middle of the slope. Immediately jump and press Action to grab the back of the second slope. Shimmy as far to the right as you can so that once Lara pulls up over the top you can angle her right in mid-air to grab the back of the third slope. Pull up, slide and jump with a left angle and grab the final slope. I would recommend you to save the game while Lara is hanging from the back of the last slope, the next part can be a bit tricky. Pull up, slide and jump to land on a long slope going down to the left. At the end of this slope jump towards the short slope ahead. Immediately jump again (Lara will lose a little bit of health as she lands on the next slope) and a second jump from there (again this will cost her a little health). Jump and grab the ladder, immediately drop down along the ladder fast (by tapping Ctrl repeatedly) to avoid taking too much damage from the spears popping out from the ladder. To top it off she will also lose some health dropping down from the bottom of the ladder, but all in all the entire sequence shouldn’t cost her more than tops half her health. You’ll now find Lara standing in a room with a sarcophagus. Go ahead and place the Flambeau on the pedestal at the foot of the sarcophagus and watch in amazement as a flame burns the rope holding up the sword in Damocles’ Tomb. The sword drops and well, the rest is history as they say. Locate the jump switch on the right-most column by the E wall and pull it down to open a nearby door. This leads back out to the room from before and from there you can return to Damocles’ Tomb and claim your hard-earned prize: Binro’s Gem from the floor next to the sarcophagus. Binro the Heretic: Leave the tomb and cross the room past Verdilet’s Tomb and over to the final resting place of Binro the Heretic. Use the gemstone in the receptacle next to the tomb in order to gain access to it. In this tomb you will find a sarcophagus with some burners underneath it. Face N and locate the jump switch on one of the columns, pulling this down lowers the portcullis so that you can move on to the next room. This room bears a slight resemblance to the one where we found the Flambeau. Off to the right there’s a closed gate in the wall with another gemstone receptacle right next to it. At the back of the pillar opposite of said gate you’ll find a ladder. The top of it is a slope so it won’t be possible to pull up without sliding back down. What you need to do here is to pull up and immediately perform a backflip and roll. Angle Lara hard right in mid-air and she should land on a safe ledge right of the ladder. A timed run and some backtracking for a secret: Turn to face N/W and runjump to the ledge behind the pillar. Pull up onto that first pillar and face the slope adorned with the image of a warrior N/E. Landing on this slope will open a trapdoor further up and a timer will start ticking. You need to get past the trapdoor before it closes again. Here’s how to do it: Try to aim for the far corner of the warrior slope and do a running jump with a mid-air roll. The moment she hits the slope jump with a right angle to land on the next slope. Jump again and grab the ladder ahead, climb up about four rungs, backflip/roll and grab the slope behind. Shimmy right as fast as you can, pull up and immediately jump with a right angle, press Action to grab the ladder. Now all you need to do is to climb up to the top as fast as you can before the trapdoor closes. Face and you’ll see a slope over by the wall (by the right-hand side). Do a running jump to land near the bottom of the slope and jump with a sharp right angle to land in the alcove here. Do a running jump over to the alcove right to get a Magic Elixir, then return to the previous alcove. Climb down the long ladder to the pillar at the bottom. There’s a secret nearby, but getting it means quite a detour so this is for you to decide. If you want it turn right and do a running jump to grab the crawlspace in the left wall. Pull up and retrieve Secret # 7: Manna from Heaven. Now you will have no choice but to drop down to the floor and go all the way back to the pillar at the bottom of the ladder (past the timed run/jump/climb and everything). Demon Smalls’ Virtual Workshop- solving the puzzle of the colored tiles: Once you’re back at the base of the ladder (or if you should choose not to go for the secret) do a running jump + grab to the alcove E with the colorful platforms. Pull down the jump switch to the left and proceed to climb the ladder down into the hole. Head E towards the room with the flickering candlelight (ignore the right passage; it only leads back out to the previous room). It’s time to ask for some much needed assistance so place the scroll on the pedestal ahead to summon Demon Smalls. A cut-scene shows our learned friend standing with a pair of stilts up by the colorful platforms. “Hmm, interesting” he says and a door opens in the room with the scroll pedestal. Head down the passage where you’ll find a door and a sign reading “You are about to enter the Demon Smalls Virtual Workshop”. Open the door and on a platform in the middle of a dark void you’ll find four miniature-statues of Demon Smalls. Each of them is attached to a stick and at the end of the stick you will find some colored blocks (same colors as the platforms, what a coincidence). These statues are moveable and your workshop task is to move them about so that the colored blocks attached to them form a single straight line. You can try doing this yourself or refer to THIS SCREENSHOT if you need help: Once the task is done be sure to note the order of the colors (from left to right) and leave through the other door to return to the Mausoleum. You’ll end up in the room where you placed the scroll before. Leave and climb the ladder back up to the platforms. By now you should know what to do with them. The way of solving the puzzle is to walk (or run, if you prefer) across the platforms in the correct order (according to the colors). This is the exact same order as the colors of the blocks in the workshop. The correct order of the platforms is YELLOW- BLUE- GREEN- RED- YELLOW. Absolution from heresy- the second gemstone: That done you will see a cutscene showing the sarcophagus sliding across the floor to reveal the second gemstone and the voice of Binro cuts through the silent air: “Oh blessed relief. Absolution from heresy. Thank you Lord”. Drop down and go back out to the sarcophagus, pick up the 2nd Binro’s Gem from the floor. Return to the room with the slopes and ladders once more and use the gemstone in the receptacle by the right wall to open the gate next to it. The three L’s- ladders, levers and lava + some flame emitters for good measure: Follow the long passage to a lava pool that has flame emitters in it. There are column alcoves on each side of the narrow lava trench; the idea here is to navigate by jumping back and forth along these column alcoves. You’ll have to jump in zigzags from left to right and back (or vice versa: from right to left etc.) and of course time your jumps past the flame emitters. At the end jump from the left column over to the floor by the levers. You now have to use the levers to align the ladders at the opposite side of the room so that you can climb across them. Going left to right start by pushing lever # 1. This moves the ladders 2, 4 and 5. Push lever # 2 to move ladders 4 and 5 again and finally push lever # 4 to move the 4th ladder back. Go back to where you came from and do a running jump to grab the first ladder. Climb left and be extra careful as you climb past the flame emitters (go past when they’re down) and climb around the left corner into the alcove. Go forwards a few steps, turn around and climb up the long ladder above. On top you’ll find a room that looks identical to the one before. This time standjump to the column alcove on the left-hand side and jump straight up to grab the monkeyswing. Traverse across the lava trench, being cautious not to get too close to the flame emitters. At the end drop down onto a slope and jump to land on the floor ahead. A short fly-by shows a nearby jump switch so go to the end and right, then run into the hole while keeping Action pressed. Lara will grab the jump switch, thus raising the portcullis previously blocking your access to the Hall of Memories. The Hall of Memories- one Immortal Soul less: Lara lands on the floor near Verdilet’s sarcophagus so go past it and enter the Hall of Memories. Go up the stairs and past the black curtains, walk up to the two spheres at the far end and press Action. We see Lara placing her hands upon them, ghostly whispers rise through the air and we’re shown a camera shot of Verdilet’s sarcophagus. Speaking of which, Verdilet is coming up behind Lara on a dark steed right now so as soon as the cutscene ends roll and draw guns to prepare for a lengthy battle. The first thing you need to do is to knock him off the horse. This is by far the worst part. The bullets will only affect him if you hit him straight in the chest (you might see some turquoise sparks when you hit in the right spot), something which is not all that easy as the horse seems to do a pretty good job in keeping him out of Lara’s range. The whole thing will take very long, but don’t give up- just keep backflipping, sideflipping, running and dodging while firing like a mad until he finally drops off the horse’s back. From here on it’s a cakewalk. Now all you need to do is to run, jump and shoot him in the chest until he falls. You can tell when he’s about to launch an attack with his sword as he will slow down the pace a slight bit right before. When he finally drops pick up the Mausoleum Key he leaves behind (notice that the horse is gone too. Go towards the closed portcullis and use the Mausoleum Key in the keyhole to the left. This raises the portcullis so leave the room and head over to Verdilet’s sarcophagus. Climb down into the hole left behind as the sarcophagus slid away and enter the dark tomb. Pick up the Immortal Soul of Verdilet from the head of the coffin and climb back up. Now it’s finally time to leave the Mausoleum behind. As you head up the stairs you’ll see a cutscene of Lara handing the Immortal Soul to the Chief Registrar. Chief Registrar: My dear Verdilet. Ah, how you have led us a merry chase. Time to burn! The soul vanishes and right afterwards we see Demon Smalls down by the Phlegyas. An explosion sets in and Smalls reacts with a “What the hell” before he sees Verdilet struggling to get out of the lake of boiling blood. “You pathetic little man” he snorts and it’s time for one last show-down in….. LEVEL 10- THE REALM OF THE LOST PART III: Pickups: None (No Secrets) Enemies: Baby demons, Deeper underground: Lara hitches a ride with the Demon Expressway and lands back down in the Lost Realm. Head down the stairs, cross the open area by the Mausoleum and down the stairs to the shores of Phlegyas where you last met Demon Smalls and Anubis. Go left along the shore towards the rock where you got the flares before. This time do a running jump to the flat, triangular block at the base of the rocks (past the odd-looking plants and the soul squirming in the boiling blood). From there do a running jump to the other side. The glass window that prevented you from entering before is now gone and you can reunite with Demon Smalls and head down the stairs to….. LEVEL 11- FACTORIES: Pickups: None + 3 Secrets () Enemies: Baby demons, Spoken of in whispers- arrival at the Factories: Demon Smalls is trailing off with another deep reflection as we’re treated to an impressive fly-by of the premises: “Spoken of in whispers at the Deadside margins, in the hushed and shivering tones of the lurking, lurching revenants. These places, blood temples to the Loa, where the Dark Souls did find their secret corner. Hidden by the sanguinary sisters steeped in voodoo lore”. Sounds good to me. Or maybe not, when I think about it. He’s gone again anyways, so pick up the Reminder from Demon Smalls which reads “Lara, Remember you have my instructions on how to build a beacon! DS”. For further reference these instructions are found in the readme file that comes along with the level. The main task of this level is to use items located within the Factories to construct a beacon so that you (and Demon Smalls) can summon Geryon. He will then take you to the Dark Souls’ Stronghold. The Oil Refinery- gathering some equipment: First of all go left towards the truck standing there (they have actual vehicles in Hell?). Search the left side of the vehicle for an empty Jerrycan. Go S past the toxic pool to the shed and pick up the Lump of Coal from the barrel on the left side of the shed. We’re getting the key for the locked shed later on. For now continue S past the shed and towards the drilling machine ahead. Next to it there’s a small pool of oil and here you can fill up the jerrycan. Turn around and head towards the shed again, picking up the flares up on the rocks to the right on your way there. Go to the front of the shed and we’ll be getting the key right away, even though we won’t need it just yet. Start going W and at the middle you’ll find some silver tanks in a pool of toxic waste. At the middle of said pool you might just spot the key you’re looking for, but how to get through the toxic waste alive? The answer lies near the gilded tanks S. Go towards them and turn around to face the pool, here you’ll find some colorful levers. There’s only one you can pull and doing so drains the toxic pool, BUT only for a short while. Pull the lever and run right past the lever panel. Sprint straight ahead into the now drained pool and pick up the Shed Key. You’re running out of time now so immediately turn right and pull up onto the silver tank before the toxic waste starts filling the pool again. We’ll be going over to the shed in just a moment. But before doing so head N towards the chute-shaped pipes (or whatever they are) that have steam coming out of the top. Right by them there’s a hole in the ground, go down the stairs and at the end of the passage you’ll find a room with an “Ancillary Pipe to Petroleum Cracker”. Pour the oil into the ancillary pipe and watch the cutscene of things going on outside. The capsule drops from the slim pipe to your right, go over and pick it up- it turns out to be something called Polypropylene. Intelligent rubber and a secret: Leave the room and return to the shed. Use the key you got before to unlock the door and enter. Inside you’ll find another odd-looking device and a sign where it says “Intelligent Plastic (Experimental)”. On the left side of this sign there’s an empty receptacle for a bottle of some sort. The sign above it says “Polypropylene” and you happen to have just that sort of thing with you. Place it in the empty spot and watch as the machine is activated and the glass case protecting the button nearby raises. Push this button to turn the machine on and it will produce for you one piece of Intelligent Plastic. Not only is it intelligent, it’s apparently also very much alive. Follow it out the door and run around the refinery chasing it. While doing so draw your guns and shoot at it until it stops moving. You can now pick up the Intelligent Plastic. We’re heading over to the Factories themselves now, but first a short detour for a secret. Go back to the toxic pool where you got the key before and stand on the side with the colorful levers. Walk along the pool to the next one (towards the Factories) and underneath the pipes right of the second pool you will have to look closely to spot Secret # 8: the shotgun. Lara might have to crouch in order to retrieve it. Now it’s time to enter the Factories. First of all pick up the flares on the right-hand side of the stairs (at the main entrance). Go around the building to the left and here you’ll find a small brown-reddish door in the right wall. Approach it to be transported into the Factory. Factory of Hell: This place is really quite confusing and I spent a lot of time running around in circles in here, but I’ll try to be as concise as possible in my explanations. Have a look around the main hall. There are two doorways leading out of the room: one in the W wall (past the conveyor belt with the machine that is spawning baby demons) and one in the S wall. By following the hallway W you’ll reach a room where Demon Smalls is standing by his ever-useful laptop near something called a Bantam Node Machine. This machine is currently of no use to us whatsoever, but we’ll be needing it later on so just take a mental note of that place and apart from that mental note feel free to ignore it for now. Let’s explore the S passage instead. First the secret, then some more useful tools: First of all go straight ahead and around the corner, you’ll reach the demon tubes. Right before you reach them though turn right and there’s a hard-to-spot ladder on the dark wall. See THIS SCREENSHOT if you’re uncertain about the location: Climb up there and bring along Secret # 9: revolver ammo and a Magic Elixir. Go down to the ground and continue forwards. Go left past the demon tubes (there are stairs leading down to the right behind the demon tubes, we’ll deal with those later) and make it a first left. Scour the first shelf on the left side to find the crowbar. Notice the stairs going down to the right, but first of all move further down to find a second shelf on the left-hand side. Grab the Signal Bolt and Manna from Heaven from the second shelf and continue forwards to the area with the turning wheels. Go on through that area and turn the corner, you’ve now reached another baby demon conveyor belt. One final secret before getting down to serious business: In the S/W corner there’s a silver tank and the floor tile underneath the tank is slightly raised. Stand next to the tank and pull up onto the pillar. Turn around and do a running jump to the pillar opposite. Now you have to reach the pillar across the slope- this is done by doing a running jump + grab to the gap in the wall N. Walk to the end and do a running jump to the pillar I mentioned. From here do a final long running jump and a last-moment-grab to reach the gap in the E wall. Crouch while pulling up, otherwise Lara might drop down to the floor instead. Crawl left and pick up Secret # 10- Manna from Heaven. Now you’ve found all the secrets scattered about in the Factories, time to get down to some real business. Return to the demon tubes and this time head down the stairs behind them. At the junction go left (the right side is for later) and you’ll reach a room with a toxic pool at the bottom of the gap. Notice how Lara is looking towards the silver tank at the other side of the room? Do a running jump towards it, aiming for the middle of the pipes sticking out of the wall and she’ll grab hold of the edge on the other side (I found that this trick only works in the particular spot, in all other spots she’ll miss and drop down into the toxic waste below). Pull up and follow the passage on the left. The VHPC machine- turning coal into diamonds: Head through the first opening on your right and down the stairs to the next room. Go right and you’ll find a machine called VHPC. Place the lump of coal you found outside in the machine’s empty slot and the panel protecting the nearby button opens. Approach it and push the button to get the VHPC going. It starts with a lot of clanking and fizzing and ends up with steam hissing out of the slot where you placed the coal. Walk towards the machine and stop at a safe distance from the steam. As the steam stops for a moment run forwards and press Action. Lara will reach into the machine and pull out a Diamond. Immediately backflip to avoid the steam and return back up the stairs. Looting the storeroom and the laser diamond challenge: Turn right and go straight to the end. Lara enters a storeroom and in here you can loot the shelves for a Magic Elixir, Manna from Heaven, a Copper Sheet and Electronic Components. At the far back of the room there’s a small button on the wall, this opens the door on the right-hand side. Head out there and you’re back on the other side of the toxic pool. Leave this room and continue through the hallway until you reach the stairs leading back up to the Main Entrance Area. Do not go up there yet though, instead continue following the passage around the corner to a room with rotating diamond lasers. Time for the next challenge. There’s a door at the W side of the room that needs to be opened. In order to do this you’ll need to push all five buttons scattered across the room and each of these will in addition stop one rotating diamond laser. As you can imagine the tough challenge awaiting you down here is to reach these buttons without being killed by the mentioned lasers. This is without a single doubt one of the more challenging tasks in the game and it takes a lot of skills, patience and luck. Fortunately you can save at certain spots between the lasers (mainly where the lasers have already been stopped), but do be sure that you have actually succeeded in pushing the buttons. If you haven’t you might be unlucky enough to save the game just as the supposedly stopped laser comes gliding back and kills her. The easiest thing to do is to always aim for the closest button. In the case of the first run this is located around the left corner and if I’ve counted correctly there are four lasers you need to avoid in order to get there. Finally remember that you simply can NOT afford to overshoot the buttons. If you do she will never succeed as the lasers will catch up with her before she gets a chance to move away. Button # 1- Deactivating the first two lasers: First of all wait for the first laser and start running after it as it moves away from Lara. Run around the left corner, pause for a moment to wait for the next laser to move away and then run to the button with a sharp left angle. Again remember that you have to hit the button straight-on. Immediately push it and sideflip left twice. Here you can save your game first time after making sure that the lasers have actually stopped. Just for the record the ones in question are located right of the entrance (when facing it) and if you turn left from there you’ll see the second deactivated trap in the alcove over by the N wall. Button # 2- Another couple of lasers deactivated: Position Lara as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT: On the wall ahead and left you’ll spot the second button, to reach it you have to dodge three lasers. One of them is sliding back and forth directly past the button, the other two cross paths right in front of where Lara is currently standing. Wait until the laser going directly past the button slides off into the left passage and there’s a small gap between the remaining two lasers. At that point run forwards to the button and immediately push it (note that the buttons will turn from yellow to blue once they’re pushed). Wait for a moment and if the laser doesn’t come back from the left-hand passage you can save your game again. The lasers that you have stopped this time would be the one going along the passage with the second button and the one going back and forth up to the entrance of the room. Button # 3- Nearly halfway there: Go left from the button and time a run past the moving laser to the exit door. Of course it’s still closed, but turn to face S/E and you’ll find the third button at the back of the pillar. Wait until the laser passing that button goes off to the right, then run to the button and push it. Save the game again once you’re certain that the laser isn’t coming back. Button # 4- Three down, two to go: Walk down the passage past the third button and face the opposite side of the room (E) and the first button. What I did here was to position Lara as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT (opposite of the deactivated laser right of the entrance) and as the remaining lasers cross in each their direction run/jump across the room and stop next to the laser rolling past the first button (but do take care to stop so far away from it that it won’t hit Lara). Now position her as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT: and as the lasers cross, leaving a gap between them, run across to the button shown in the screenshot. Push it immediately to stop the laser coming towards Lara. Button # 5- Almost there: Now you only have two lasers and one button left to go. Position Lara facing W and the button on the wall there. As the laser slides off to the right run to the button and push it to stop the final two lasers and see the door opening. Congratulations on successfully completing one of the most difficult tasks in this game! Stage I Fabrication- the Stage I Device: Make your way over to the open door and enter the next room. Here you’ll find a device with the name Stage I Fabrication. Stand in front of the left side of the device and press Action. Lara will drop the Intelligent Plastic into a hole in the machine. Repeat the move on the right-hand side and she’ll rid herself of the Signal Bolt. Go past the device and use the red lever on the right-hand side. A panel covering the button to the left is raised so go over to it and use the button to activate the machine. Wait while the machine does its work and when it’s done use the crowbar to pry off the Stage I Device. Return to the room with the deactivated lasers and we see a cutscene showing Demon Smalls attempting to activate the Bantam Node Machine. Apparently his attempts are useless because he keeps getting an error message and in the end he turns towards the camera with an exasperated “Hmm, not good”. Cross the room while staying clear of the lasers, they can still kill her if she touches them. Turn the corner left and follow the stairs left back up to the demon tubes. Keeping the tubes on your left-hand side go straight ahead (E) into the passage opposite. Turn right and go down the stairs opposite of the first shelf. Chemical Etching- Stage II Device: In the room at the bottom of the stairs you’ll find the Chemical Etching Machine. Next to the stairs there are two circuit boards with the words Stage II written above one of them. Turn around and walk over to the large spool by the toxic waste and press Action to make Lara place the Stage Device I into the hole in the spool. Go around the machine to the other side and place the Copper Sheet inside the other side of the spool. That done the panel above the button rises so that you can proceed to push it. Wait for the machine to stop and pick up the Stage I & Empty Circuit Board from the platform. This combined with the Electric Components creates the Stage II Device. Leave this room now and as you do so you’ll see another cutscene of Demon Smalls typing frantically on his laptop. He has now gotten the Bantam Node Machine to work so head up the stairs, go past the demon tubes and return to the Main Hall (this is where you first came when you entered the Factories). It’s Beacon Construction time: This time head through the W doorway and go on until you reach the room with the Bantam Node Machine (Demon Smalls has now packed his things and taken off again). Pick up the Bantam Node left behind and combine it with the Diamond to create the Regulating Round. Return to the Main Hall and this time locate the machine past the demon conveyor belt called Beacon Construction. Stand in front of the machine (right where the turquoise arrows are) and press Action to toss the Regulating Round and the Stage II Device into the machine. The panel to the right is raised so that you can finally go on to push the button. Watch the amazing cutscene showing the machine at work and when it has finished you can go to the end of the conveyor belt and pick up the Beacon. Now that you have gotten what you came here for you can leave the Factories through the E door. Lara is instantly transported up to a stone bridge somewhere; go to the end where you’ll meet up with Demon Smalls. Cast one last glance at the Factories and place the Beacon on the pedestal here. The morbid mystery entwines- on a ride with Geryon: A final cutscene shows Lara tossing Smalls up to a switch and as he pulls it down the beacon lights start swirling out through the dark skies. “Look!” Demon Smalls shouts as Geryon comes soaring up. His mouth opens and Smalls lets out an “Oh yeah!” in excitement as the unlikely couple walks in and start descending. Demon Smalls: “And deeper still, the morbid mystery entwines. What love I ever had for life should find its place in here, locked within a cankered cell beset by madmen chained to hell. The horror, the horror, I embrace it………… Ok, ok, let’s just get this thing over with”. LEVEL 12- DARK SOULS’ STRONGHOLD: Pickups: Magic Elixirs, Team Anubis Scroll, Stronghold Key, 4x Lucifer Star, revolver ammo, For We Mask, Are Many Mask, Dark Soul of Legion, Manna from Heaven + 1 Secret (revolver ammo) Enemies: Belial, Legion/s (+ Mini-Legions & Baby-Legions), Madam Orr Floating islands- reaching the bridge: Let’s indeed! Take a moment to savor the sight of the impressive Stronghold where the Dark Souls reside (kind of Floating Islands-atmosphere here isn’t it?). Walk over to Demon Smalls and look over at the slab of rock he’s staring at. You have to do a running jump to it, try aiming for the left side and press Action in the last moment to grab the edge. Pull up and watch the cutscene showing how Demon Smalls tries jumping after you. He misses the ledge and plummets down into the darkness below. “Smalls!” Lara cries after him, luckily he still has his parachute. Let’s hope he’s still ok and in one piece. Face N/E and do a running jump to the next rock, this will cost Lara a little bit of health. The next jump is rather tricky and it requires her to do a long running jump (without pressing Action) to land on the sloped rock ahead. Try aiming for the top side closest to you, she should just about make it. Continue making your way across the rocks with running jumps and finally a long running jump + grab to reach the bridge. The portcullis here is down so apparently we can’t enter the Stronghold from here. You can’t go along the right side because sooner or later you’ll run into a gap which is too wide for Lara to jump across and because of this we’ll need to go the long way around the left side. Rock climbing along the Stronghold: Do a running jump around the corner of the castle to land on a flat spot. If you hit the slope below it’s no big deal as long as you only slide down to the flat part below (as opposed to sliding down into the abyss), from there you can simply standjump back up. Walk to the end and this time you’ll need to do a running jump to land on the slope near the wall. From here she should slide down to the next flat area. Continue walking as far as you can and runjump to the triangular block ahead right at corner. Walk around the perimeter until you see the turret ahead. Don’t worry about the skeleton harpy on top of it, he’s harmless (for once). Go up as high as you can and do a standing jump while angling Lara right to land on the rocks around the next corner. Go on follow the perimeter until the end, stopping on the way to pick up the Magic Elixir nestled among the reeds. Walk up along the rocks, stop a few steps from the slope ahead and standjump to the flat spot right before the slope. From there you can do a long running jump to land at the slope’s far side and slide down to the safe triangular ledge. From there jump up to the flat part by the turret. It is really quite obvious where to go next, you just have to follow the rocks around the perimeter of the Stronghold, searching for flat spots and using either running or standing jumps to reach them. There is only one way to go and that is forwards. After a while you will reach a triangular ledge where you have to do a running jump with a sharp right angle to land on flat grounds around the corner. This is rather difficult to do, but try to stay at least one-two steps away from the wall and don’t let go of the Up arrow key until she lands on the other side. The Courtyard- entering the Demon Domain: Here you’ll see another turret and skeleton harpy. Go underneath it and pick up another Magic Elixir among the blue reeds. Continue making your way around the perimeter and in the distance you’ll see the rocks where you started the level. I know I could list every single jump and run, but quite frankly there is only one way you can go here and figuring out how to reach the flat spots really isn’t all that difficult, thus I have chosen to omit any unnecessary details. Right around the corner you’ll finally reach the ladder you came all this way for. If you want/need a final pickup before taking on the Dark Souls you can jump around the corner to a triangular ledge and from there runjump to the rocks ahead and pick up the Magic Elixir hidden among the blue reeds. Return to the ladder with a standing jump and another one around the corner. Climb up to the top and go through the crawlspace. Ignore the gate to the right, just continue through and climb down the ladder into a courtyard. Ignore the pickup on the tall pillar, we’ll get that one later. Just continue around the courtyard and you’ll now find Lara to be on the other side of the portcullis that prevented you from entering directly from the bridge. Pass the portcullis S and go either left or right. A new part of the level loads. The gate right is blocked so go through the left doorway instead. In this room there are three doorways- the names above them read Belial, Orr and Legion. These are the three Dark Souls you’ve come so far to battle and now you have to take them on one by one. You can fight them in any order you like, according to Richard’s added readme-file the following can be said about each one: BELIAL: Belial is a powerful demon believed to be the first of the fallen angels. He is impervious to Lara’s earthly weapons and so Team Anubis will have to deal with this one. Some spells and other paraphernalia will have been transmitted down to the stronghold. Lara simply needs to read the spells. Belial is not able to destroy these but he may have placed items beyond Lara’s reach. Team Anubis has tried to anticipate his moves. Difficulty Rating: 7 LEGION: For he is many. He’s easy to kill - but he won’t stay dead. He’ll keep coming at you with evermore ferocious attacks. Eventually his Dark Soul may be 'exposed’. Destroy it to completely destroy Legion. A tough battle of attrition. Difficulty Rating: 8 MADAM ORR: The unofficial leader. Treacherous and very deadly, Madam Orr was the Dark Soul who exerted an evil influence over Demon Smalls at Demon Heights (see ub1 - Recruiting Demon Smalls). Demon Smalls does not recall much from his ‘time under’ but he suspects he was coerced into designing a spell defense system that will neutralize Lara’s firepower. Madam Orr can be taken down with a single shot - but it’s not likely to be that easy. Difficulty Rating: 9 As mentioned before you can take them down in any order you prefer, I will simply list the strategies I used for each one below. Personally I strongly agree that Madam Orr is the hardest one by far. As for the remaining two I found them to be on a pretty even level in regards to difficulty, but I would still say that to me the Legion-challenge was slightly easier than facing Belial. The latter was actually the one that cost me the most health, but as I said this is a personal opinion only and may or may not reflect the opinions of the builder and/or other players. Belial: This grunting and squealing demon has got two hammers and he’s not afraid to use them (unfortunately for us). Each time he strikes them on the ground powerful blasts will be sent out and these can cause Lara some seriously damage. Our weapons have no effect on him either, so we’ll need to summon Team Anubis for this task. For that we’ll need a scroll and here’s part of the problem: exactly where is the mentioned scroll hidden? The white blocks in the corners on each side of the slope where you came down are safe, but you can’t stay there forever. Dash over to the N wall and pull the jump switch here to open a door to your right. Run into that room and jump up onto one of the ledges here, Belial won’t be able to harm Lara as long as she stands on those either. Notice the scroll pedestal in the corner? At least now you know where to go once you have the scroll, but the hard part is finding it. In the small room where you slid down there’s an urn. You have to move this urn across the floor onto the tile below the hanging hammer. In order to do so you should try to lure Belial as far into the large room with the white ledges as possible before returning to the small room to move the urn. You won’t be capable of moving it all the way in one go (I could only move it one tile at a time), if Belial comes back just seek refuge on the white blocks or ledges and repeat the procedure until the urn is in the right spot. Remember that when you push the urn onto the tile below the hammer you’ll have to backflip immediately, otherwise Lara will take quite a lot of damage. When the urn is broken grab the Team Anubis Scroll and dash into the room with the pedestal. Place the scroll there to summon Team Anubis. The two guardians will remain standing on the white blocks in the small room though, so you’ll need to lure Belial out there to get him within their range. When the beast finally goes down pick up the Stronghold Key he drops. Star of the Devil: Use the key to open the gate in the room where you placed the scroll. Follow the hallway and climb the white ledge to the right where you can push a lever to open the first gate out of three. Continue along the hallway to be transported to a new part of the level. Go straight forwards onto the bridge and you’re now on top of the turret you saw earlier. Don’t worry about the skeleton harpy, he’ll stay out of your business and remain in his position above the turret. Walk around the turret and on the other side you’ll find the 1st Lucifer Star. Go back towards where you came from and this time turn and head N. When you reach the end look down to spot some revolver ammo on a pillar, drop down onto the pillar and collect it. Now hop down to the ground and make your way back inside, return to the room with the three doorways and get ready for the next battle. Legion: Go through the doorway, down the stairs and drop down onto the slope leading down to Legion’s domain. First of all notice the lever to your left- push this to open the second out of the three gates (this will be leading you to the final Lucifer Star, but more on that later). Now move forwards to the next room and take a mental note of the ramps with the blue sparks and the flickering flames. There are gilded tracks leading from each ramp to a flame, try to remember which tracks are shorter than the others (this might help you a bit afterwards). Head through the gate to the left (S), it opens as you approach. Legion appears before you. Well, what do you know….he looks just like your average samurai warrior! “My name is Legion, for we are many” he greets you. And just for the record: he is NOT joking. Even the pistols can be used for taking him down in no time. Notice the scepter before the painting of Legion- and the prying eyes left and right of it. We’re leaving this room behind now, I’d strongly recommend you to save your game now and swap to the revolver before re-entering the lava room with the glass floor. Come to think of it, that battle just seemed way too easy for being one of the final bosses. Well, it’s all but over. The moment you re-enter the previous room you will see what he meant by “For we are many”. Mini-Legions start running down the ramps and across the gilded tracks towards the fires. You have to get rid of them all before they reach the fires, if you fail Lara will catch fire. They don’t all come out at once and some of the tracks are (as mentioned earlier) longer so it will take a few seconds extra for those Mini-Legions to reach the end of the tracks. Again I recommend you to use the revolver so that you can dispose of each one with a single bullet or two. The good thing is that here you have the option of saving the game between each battle. Once all the Mini-Legions are dead the gate in the N wall opens. Go through and you’ll hear a vicious laughter ringing through the air: a final Mini-Legion starts running down the ramp towards the nearby flame in an attempt to ambush you. Run back into the room with the ramps quickly and dispose of it before it reaches the end of the line. Save your game and re-enter the N passage. You’re nearly halfway there so keep at it. In the next room you’ll find a lava pool and immediately ahead there’s a gilded ramp with one safe tile between two burner tiles. The blue sparks on top should be a small hint of what’s to come here and you can also take a mental note of the two Legions waiting on the other side of the lava. Stand at the edge, hop backwards once and do a running jump with a twist in mid-air to land on the safe gilded tile. A Mini-Legion will come running down the ramp and attempt to push Lara into the burners. You can hop backwards and grab the edge; Lara is now facing the entrance. Now you can either pull up and dispose of the Mini-Legion with one revolver or alternatively runjump back to the entrance and use the pistols to kill it from there (I prefer the latter, as a means to save some much needed ammo). Runjump back to the safe gilded tile and ahead you’ll see a similar scenario: only here you have two Legion-ramps (one on each side) and also two spike tiles. The moment you land the two Mini-Legions will come running down to push Lara into the spikes and in addition one of the Legions on the opposite side will come alive and start shooting bolts of lightning at her. Great! Runjump to the safe gilded tile, hop backwards and grab. Pull up as fast as you can, run and jump to the previous ramp (with the burners) and from here you can kill the two Mini-Legions. You’ll have to return to the ledge with the spikes in order to kill the bolt-firing Legion though. Once he’s dead a tile will raise in the lava pool, enabling you to cross over to the other side. Standjump from the gilded tile to grab the lava tile and shimmy left, stop right before the corner. Now pull up, run and jump at the edge to reach the other side. At this point the second Legion will come alive and start firing at you as well. On such close hold I’d recommend you to do a “demigod special”: crouch right in front of him, draw pistols and fire until he falls, his bolts will naturally go straight over Lara’s head and it will do no damage to her whatsoever. Now that they’re both dead you can save the game again and pick up the For We Mask that one of them dropped and the Are Many Mask left behind by the other. Oh woe! Look towards the other side of the lava pool and you’ll see a whole army of Baby Legions pouring towards Lara. Now we have to move quicker than fire in dry grass. Do a running jump to the lava tile, angle Lara during the run so that she can jump to the tile between the spikes. Here you’ll have to stop for a moment, because you’ll need to step back to the edge so that Lara will have enough room for a running jump to the next tile. Just try to do it quickly to avoid taking too much damage. Grab the edge of the tile between the burners, immediately pull up and runjump towards the entrance. Dash through the next room and into the N passage. Follow to the room where you killed the first Legion and place the two masks at the eyes on each side of the scepter. Grab The Dark Soul of Legion that materializes on top of the scepter and dash back out to the previous room. Run left through the now open doorway W and you’ll come to a new room. The Baby Legions are still on your tail so hurry up and slam the dark soul down onto the sharp stake at the centre of the room. A huge burst of flames and a piercing scream and all the Legions vanish into thin air (thank Heavens for that!). Go through the portcullis that rises and follow the path to the loading of a new area. A timed run, some pickups and the 2nd Lucifer Star: Walk out to the turret and pick up the 2nd Lucifer Star. Go back and head down the stairs to the N. In the S/E corner you can get some revolver ammo and return back up. Go S this time and runjump over to the ledge by the window to the left. Walk around to the other side and do a long banana-jump to grab the high part of the castle wall (she won’t grab the lower part so don’t even bother trying). Start down the stairs N, but turn left almost immediately and enter the room here to grab that Manna from Heaven you saw through the windows earlier. Notice that elevated tile left of the doorway? This is the start of a timed run. Run over the tile and a gate somewhere opens (press Look to break the camera shot of the gate opening). Dash out and left down the stairs, turn sharply left around the corner and sprint down the long hallway. Make another sharp turn right around the corner and dash/dive/roll through the gate before it opens. At the crawlspace junction go right and climb down the ladder, you’re back in the courtyard. Return through the portcullis back to the Demon Domain. Madam Orr: Go down the stairs and you’ll find a mist-like layer resting over the ground. On the wall to the right there’s a sign saying “Weapons suppression spell in operation”. If you try to draw your weapons you’ll find that you can’t. Well then, how are we going to shoot that bronze ball hanging above the lava trench left of the closed door? Return to the stairs and at the bottom you’ll find a crawlspace high up in the left corner. Pull up there, crawl through and approach the chain. Yank it and the bronze ball moves, leaving the door open. Go back down and slide into the domain of Madam Orr. Madam Orr will arrive in the room at the same time as you do. This is one lethal lady and she can (and will) launch some mighty power bolts that can set Lara on fire. She can be killed with one single revolver bullet, but how can this be done if you can’t draw weapons? Immediately run to the W wall and pull the jump switch here (this might take one heck of a lot of tries as this Countess of Hell has a tendency of firing the most lethal bolts just as Lara lands on the floor after pulling the switch, thus she can’t get out of the way quickly enough). This raises a gilded tile in the lava pool E. The weapons suppression spell is ineffective on that particular tile, but the problem is that it will sink into the lava as soon as Lara steps on it. There is one way you can prevent the tile from sinking right away, but that is a solution so simple that I’ll leave it for you to figure it out (hint: the tile will stop sinking as soon as Lara’s weight is taken off it). As Madam Orr is consumed by flames and dies she will send off one last burst of lethal bolts so be sure you jump out of the way to avoid those. When this tough task is finally over pick up the revolver ammo by the S wall, run over to the corner and climb the rope up through the open trapdoor (notice that Lara can climb even when the revolver is drawn). Backflip to the floor behind, move down the passage and pull the lever in the alcove to open the final out of the three gates. Follow the passage around and up the stairs to move on to the next part. Battle won- claiming your prize: Cross the bridge and go ahead towards the turret with the hovering skeleton harpy above. Stop for a moment as you walk through the arch, face the right wall (approximately at the middle) and press Action. Lara will hop up and grab Secret # 11: revolver ammo, which is this adventure’s final secret. Now you can move out and around the turret to pick up the 3rd Lucifer Star. Go back towards the bridge and turn right (W). Hop over to the wall and at the corner look down to spot a pickup on a pillar. Drop down there and retrieve the Magic Elixir, then drop down into the courtyard and return through the portcullis to the courtyard right before the room with the three doors leading to the Demon Domain (where the entrances to Legion, Belial and Orr are located). This time go through the doorway with the three gates that you have already opened. Head up the stairs and yet another part of the level loads. Up, up and away- to the Stronghold roof for the final Lucifer Star: You’re now outside again and you’ve reached an upper level of the castle. Start by going N and around the corner, here you can start looking for a ladder down on the castle wall (look between the rocky stumps lining up the edge). Drop and grab the edge, shimmy over to the ladder and start climbing down until you’re level with the alcove to the left. Climb around the corner and into the alcove, follow to the next room where you can push a lever to lower a rope somewhere. Go back out to the alcove. You can’t climb the short part of the ladder, but I found that it’s possible to shimmy along the edge of the alcove and over to the ladder. Climb up to the top, across past the first stump and vault up onto the ledge. Head right and around the corner, here you’ll find the rope you lowered before. Climb the block and jump straight up while pressing Action to grab the rope. Now you have to swing and at the highest peak leap off the rope and press Action to grab the ladder S. Climb up to the top and continue straight forwards (S). Follow the ledge around until you reach a taller block on the right-hand side. Climb onto this and turn to face the castle, standjump to grab the dark opening in the wall. Walk forwards and then turn around to face the entrance, look up to spot a ladder. Jump to grab the ladder and climb up to the roof of the castle. Inside the small dome you can pick up the 4th Lucifer Star. Now you have to go down all the way back to the Demon Domain. Entering the home of the Devil: Put simply: climb down the first ladder, go around the perimeter until you reach the short ladder (the one you jumped to from the rope), climb it and drop down to the ground (losing a little bit of health in the process). Walk around the perimeter until you reach the open doorway in the wall- go through there and down the stairs and you’re now back in the courtyard with the entrance to the Demon Domain. Go in there and place the Lucifer Stars on each their iron stake (there are two in front of the Legion doorway and two in front of the Belial doorway). The huge wheel on the floor moves away and you can jump down into the swirling galaxy below. It’s time to pay a visit to… LEVEL 13- LUCIFER: Pickups: Bombay Sapphire Martini (No Secrets) Enemies: None In the Hall of Lucifer- Finished Business: If you thought things couldn’t possibly look any better you haven’t seen this place! In a way it’s like a beautiful Hall of Memories (remember the paintings from UUB 3- The Plain of Jars?). Take some time to savor the beauty of this place and then move towards the other end of the room. Well, someone sure is in a generous mood. “For Lara Croft” it says on a small note and someone’s left you a Bombay Sapphire Martini too! Pick it up and the double doors on the left-hand side open. Go through and a cutscene kicks in, showing Lara walking into a hall (with the Martini in her hand, of course). Lara: Ok, so which of you two is the Devil? Anubis and Demon Smalls, sitting on each their throne, point to the other and say “He is!” Enjoy the spectacular cutscene that (sadly) concludes an amazing adventure through the Underworld with Demon Smalls and Team Anubis. Back to Top
UUB 4 - Taking Care of Business Walkthrough
Walkthrough written by Selene
This adventure consists of 7 parts and there are 11 secrets to find (as listed below): The Descent- 2 Secrets Swamp- 1 Secret The Asylum- 2 Secrets Realm Of The Lost- 1 Secret The Great Mausoleum- 1 Secret Factories- 3 Secrets Dark Souls’ Stronghold- 1 Secret
NOTE: This game must be run by replacing the default .exe file with the one provided in the level folder. For more important information consult the readme file. In the readme you will among other things find two maps showing you the different locations, these might come in handy. There is also a very important and detailed description on beacon construction, so be sure to read this one as well.
PART 1- THE DESCENT:
Pickups: Flares, magic elixirs, normal shotgun ammo, shotgun, Manna from Heaven + 2 Secrets (magic elixir and revolver ammo + normal shotgun ammo, magic elixir, flares and revolver ammo)
Enemies: Baby demons, moths, giant spider
The final part of the quest begins where the last one ended. We see Lara and the ever-charming Demon Smalls sliding down the slope towards the depths of Hell (or should I say bumping down??).
Demon Smalls: Thank the Lord, made it!!! He trips and bumps down to the bottom of the slope with a scream, falling flat on his face. He gets on his feet, grunting and moaning. Lara: What I have to work with. The unlikely couple walks over to the edge of the cliff and looks down at the ground far below. Apparently the descent will be all but easy. Demon Smalls: Oh-my-God. Lara: It’s a long way down.... Demon Smalls: Hmm, I’m wasting my time here. Aren’t we all? But Demon Smalls seems to have a solution to all problems. Well, all of HIS problems anyways: he sets off the cliff as the lucky bugger he is, donning a parachute and all. What a thoughtful little demon he is.... Lara (shouts after him): Hey, where’s my parachute? Demon Smalls (shouts back from afar): Elvis has left the building.
Down the cliffs we go:
Just great.....we are not as lucky as him and don’t have any means of getting to the base of the cliffs as fast, so we’ll have to go about it the long way. Begin by picking up some equipment conveniently laying at your feet (maybe our friend left it for us before taking off, knowing there will be plenty of hazards to deal with along the way down): flares, a magic elixir (for those of you familiar with Richard’s previous offerings you’ll perhaps remember that the magic elixirs function as small medipacks), normal shotgun ammo and the shotgun itself.
Now that we’re properly equipped, let’s start with the inevitable descent. To your left (when facing the edge of the cliff) you’ll see cacti growing on the side of the mountain, these are the ecological cousins of the well-familiar spikes so avoid them at all costs. No point in going back where we came from either and there’s no jumping off the cliff, so that leaves us with only one possibility: going right.
Go towards the rightmost side of the small plateau and turn Lara so that she’s facing the entrance. Hop backwards off the cliff, grabbing the edge on your way down. Shimmy a bit left and you should be able to spot a crevice below, drop to grab this one. Shimmy left as far as she can go and pull up onto a flat block below a rocky overhang. Crawl ahead to the other side of the block, turn around and vault down so that Lara is hanging from the edge. Now shimmy left again as far as possible and drop. She’ll land on a slope (losing a tiny slice of health, but this is inevitable) so immediately jump forwards and press Action to grab the platform below the block you stood on before. Pull up and you’ll find a demon’s head mounted on the wall to the left. In its mouth there is an orange handle, this is a switch. Pull it and off to the distant right of Lara you’ll see a hatch lower.
Stand with Lara’s back to the edge where she climbed up, drop again and she’ll slide down the short slope to land on a now raised hatch. There is another one of its kind straight ahead and in order to reach it you will have to do a standing jump (if you try a running jump she will overshoot it and land on the slope beyond, sliding down to a certain and painful death). There is an odd metal handle on the back of the slope, this is a jump switch. Position Lara in front of it, jump straight up and press Action to make her grab it. This raises the portcullis on the N side of the platform with the demon head switch to give you free passage, but it also causes the hatch beneath Lara’s feet to lower again. She’ll drop down onto a slope below so immediately backflip to save her from a high and nasty fall. You’re now back on the safe trapdoor from before so backflip onto the slope behind and jump forwards to grab hold of the platform with the railing and demon switch.
The N side railing is now gone like I mentioned before and you now have free access to the path beyond it. But first you’ll need to raise the hatch ahead again and that is done by flipping the demon switch back up in its original position. That done you can do a running jump towards the hatch and press Action in the last moment to grab onto it. Pull up and now you’ll see a slope ahead and a gilded monkeyswing running across the rocky ceiling above it. Stand on the rightmost side of the block, slightly angled left, and standjump to land on the slope. Slide for a split second, then jump forwards. If you’ve timed the jump correctly you should leap under the rocky overhang and be able to press Action in order to make Lara grab the monkeyswing. Swing forwards and right towards the dangling rope. Position Lara directly above it, drop and immediately press Action again to grab the rope. Turn left and far ahead you’ll see a platform on the right-hand side, this is your next goal. Be sure to slide all the way down to the bottom of the rope before swinging, otherwise she won’t make it all the way.
Once you’ve reached the platform stand facing the red waterfall W (which oddly enough seems to be running upwards instead of downwards). Drop off the platform, grab the edge and start shimmying right. You’ll first reach a slope with a face on it, here you’ll have to pull up onto it and as Lara slides off again grab the edge once more. You might have noticed the sound of a hatch rising as you pulled up and that is exactly why that pulling up onto that particular slope is an essential move for further progress. Continue shimmying around the corner and here you’ll find the hatch you just raised. If you hadn’t climbed onto the slope the hatch wouldn’t have risen to an upright position and you wouldn’t be able to go any further. Now you can pull up onto the hatch and do a running jump to grab the edge of the crawlspace in the wall ahead (where you can see a fire burning). Wait for the flame to subside, then immediately pull up into the crawlspace and crawl through before the flame emitter comes back on.
The Caves:
Crawl through to the other side and now you’ll hear a babyish laughter, so get up on your feet, draw guns and prepare to take out the baby demon coming to greet (or is it eat?) the surprise visit. When it’s dead you can continue through the small cave left and drop down into what appears to be a large network of caves. Before proceeding, look up at the ceiling. There are stalactites hanging there and these will drop and impale Lara if she walks below them, so be careful NOT to dash ahead into newly discovered territory and be sure to always keep your eyes open for danger.
If you look closely you’ll spot a small gap between the stalactites. Walk carefully through here and you should be able to clear them. Continue down the slope until you reach a deep pit. Going down is out of the question so turn your focus towards the cave mouth to the S/E where you'll see the golden gleam of a burning fire. Do a running jump towards said cave mouth and Lara should land on a flat block right next to it. We're not going in there though, instead continue jumping to the next block S and from there do another running jump to a third S block. From the safety over here you can kill the baby demon running around on the rocks to your right and you might also be lucky enough to get a few shots at the baby demons frolicking on top of the hill ahead.
You now have to do a running jump to the grey block where you killed the first baby demon. Such a jump is never easy, but if you do a long running jump (i.e. without letting go of the Up arrow key) and stick to the right side, you should be able to make it across. Now you can slide down into the playground of the baby demons that are no more.
Go towards the blood waterfall that is apparently running the wrong way and turn right to face a rock barrier. Jump over the lowest part, but don’t go running ahead, otherwise you’ll slide straight down to an untimely and boiling death in the lava pool below (this IS Hell after all, what did you expect?). Down across said pool you’ll spot a portcullis, currently closed. You’re still going to have to reach it though and that is done by following the N/W route. A quite simple task really: all you need to do is to position Lara as shown in THE SCREENSHOT BELOW and do a running jump across the gap as indicated by the arrows:
If that’s done correctly she will slide down onto a flat rock, from which you can slide further down to the ground in front of the portcullis.
Our next task is to find a way of raising the portcullis. To the immediate right of where you landed when sliding down from the upper area you’ll find what seems to be a ladder leading downwards. This is the only obvious route from here, but she can’t actually climb the ladder so you just have to drop down. Here you’ll find a crevice running along and a vertical pole leading down to what appears to be a rotating blade trap. Hang from the edge and shimmy around to the other side where you can pick up the Manna from Heaven.
You now have to make your way to the bottom while trying to avoid those demonic blades (is that like a sort of torture method in this place- strapping a baby demon to a blade, kind of like a never-ending ride at a fun park?). Run into the hole while pressing Action to grab the pole and just slide down to the bottom without stopping. Lara will lose a small slice of health, but there’s nothing to do about it and it’s not so much that it causes much hassle anyways.
Pick up the magic elixir from one corner and approach the demon’s head switch in the alcove in the opposite wall. Two moths will come buzzing out so shoot them before climbing into the alcove and pulling the switch. This causes the portcullis from before to rise, but now you have to make your way back up there.
There is a platform in one of the corners, this can be used for avoiding the bottom blade, but you’ll still have to make your way up past the top one. Jump from the edge of the platform to grab the pole and immediately climb up all the way. Lara will again take damage, quite a bit this time, but you’ll have no other choice. On top position Lara so that the middle of her back is up against the alcove where you found the manna, then backflip. Hang from the edge, shimmy around and pull up near the useless ladder. Pull up and go right through the now open portcullis.
The portcullis will slam shut behind Lara so now there’s no way back. Walk forwards cautiously as there’s a hole in the ground and the bottom of it is infested with cacti (they’re not in their full bloom now, but you try jumping down there and see what happens- just make sure you save your game first).
Walk along the left side of the cacti pit and pick up the flares on the corner block. Ahead of you lies a death slide (culminating in a killer fall near the flame you see below to the left), this you’ll need to stay away from. Instead look across towards the opening with the reddish light and line Lara up at the very corner of the block facing the V-shaped opening. Do a running jump to land inside said opening, making sure you let go of the Up arrow key as soon as Lara lands, otherwise she’ll run straight onto a slope and slide down to a certain death by weed. Stand facing N/W and do a running jump to land on a slope beyond the cacti trap, sliding down onto a safe spot.
The Lava Cave and raising blocks- secret # 1:
Down below you’ll see a large cave with a deadly lava pool and some pillars rising up and down in it. There’s a baby demon running around on a small platform to the right, but you can’t shoot him from here so we’ll wait until we can move up closer. Turn around so that Lara faces the cacti trap where you came from and hop backwards onto the blood cascade. She’ll begin sliding so grab the edge. You should spot a jump switch directly below her, drop and press Action again to grab it. This raises a block behind her, so as soon as she drops down after pulling the switch, backflip to land on said block. Turn around and pull up onto the higher block held up by a faceless mutant of sorts (kind of reminds me of Atlas with that block upon his shoulders).
Locate the alcove in the wall to the N/E, do a standing jump from the corner edge to land in it and pick up Secret 1: a magic elixir and some revolver ammo. Return to the Atlas block with a running jump and let’s get down to some serious business. There are probably different ways of doing the next part, but the one I listed is what I found to be the easiest and most straight-forward route. You can choose to go by that or find another way around it.
Line Lara up with the slope S/E and do a running jump to land on it. She will begin sliding, so jump near the end and press Action to grab the monkey bar underneath the overhang. Traverse to the end, turn left and position Lara so that she’s up against the wall as close as possible. Now turn around 360 degrees (note that it is possible to save your game here so that you won’t have to do the slide and grab again, just make sure that you keep Action pressed while reloading the game so that she doesn’t drop down as the game starts).
Drop down onto the pillar below as it rises, immediately run forwards and jump at the end. Press Action in mid-air and Lara should grab the edge of the block with the baby demon, pull up and kill him. Now pull the switch here to lower a rope above a slope to the N/W. Do not use the rope yet though, we’re going for the secret first.
A short detour for another secret:
Face the gilded, spear-shaped bars opposite of the demon’s head switch. Now stand on the left-hand side and look towards the bars to spot a small gap on the left between the bars and the rocks. Your goal here is a running jump while angling Lara right in mid-air, in order to make her squeeze through said gap and land on a flat rock beyond. She’s safe there so you can save your game.
Turn right to face the rising and lowering pillar. You can either: a) jump on top of it, run to the edge and jump to land in the alcove in the wall ahead or b) stand at the base of the pillar and pull up as it rises, standjump forwards and press Action to grab the edge of the alcove, then pull up. Either way will land you in the alcove where you can retrieve Secret 2: normal shotgun ammo, a magic elixir, flares and some revolver ammo.
Getting back the way you came is slightly easier: stand at the edge on the rightmost side of the alcove while facing the pillar in the lava pool. Notice that you can actually jump onto the pillar before it has risen (as if there’s some invisible block above it- this will save you some precious seconds and enable you to start the run before the pillar has actually risen to its full height). Watch the pattern in which the pillar lowers and rises, this way you will easily be able to time a standing jump a few seconds before it has risen full up. As Lara lands on the pillar turn left, take a step backwards and runjump over the gilded bars, then press Action to grab the edge of the switch block from before. Now’s a good time to try out that rope so do a running jump to grab it and swing into the room straight ahead (N).
Not there quite yet:
Vault carefully up into the gap above the flame emitter to the left and pick up the normal shotgun ammo. Go back down and head out through the E opening. You’re now standing out in the open and as you can see there’s still a long way down. If you look down to the right you might spot an opening in the rocky wall- beyond this is a large room containing slopes, ladders, vertical poles and of course a lava pool at the bottom. You have to reach the first pole in that room and this can be a bit tricky. This is how I did it (but there are probably other methods that work as well):
Stand at the edge of the triangular point facing the slope underneath the overhang (this is right above the slope leading down to the room with the ladders and poles), facing the middle. Hop backwards once and do a standing jump forwards. Lara will land on the slope underneath the overhang and slide down to the second slope. As she drops and lands on the second slope let her slide for a split half-second and jump forwards while angling her right in mid-air. Finish it off by pressing Action and she should grab the pole. Doing it this way might take a couple of tries, but it’s fully possible.
Turn around so that Lara’s back is up against the block above the ladder (Lara will now be facing the slope she came from). Slide down until her shoulders are about level with the edge of the block and backflip. She should land on top of the block so turn and climb the ladder down and around the corner to the right. Go on until you reach the longest ladder at the end and climb up. There’s a slope above you so pulling up is not an option, instead backflip from the top of the ladder and Lara will land on a safe block where she can retrieve some flares.
Turn left and standjump to grab the second pole. Slide all the way to the bottom, but do NOT let go of the pole- she’ll just slide off the block straight down to a certain death. Instead turn her around so that she’s facing the flame emitter above and backflip to land on a safe ledge. Down to the left (when facing the pole) you’ll spot a long grey ledge, which is really the beginning of a bridge. You have to get down there so simply do a standing jump from the edge while tapping Action lightly to prevent her from hitting her head on the overhang.
What goes around comes around- rebuilding the bridge:
As she lands on the bridge a short cutscene kicks in. A pack of baby demons are standing at the middle of the bridge, jumping frantically up and down. “She’s here” and “quicker” reveals that this was pretty much a planned trap and an attempt of causing it to crumble (probably to the extent that it will collapse as soon as Lara steps onto it). The word schadenfreude gets a whole new meaning as the bridge breaks over and the little devils plummet screaming down into the abyss.
After a short moment of rejoicing upon the fate of those little fiends it’s time to figure out a way of getting across. On the right side of the broken bridge there’s a ladder, climb down there and over to the left. Climb up and left again, across to the tallest ladder and up, then right until you can pull up onto the top. So near to the ground, but yet so far! Ahead you’ll see a flood gate, currently closed- in other words we have to find a way of opening it.
Walk around the barrel-like object to the right of the gate and examine it. There’s a ring attached to the end of a log and it’s possible to pull this out, but you need to raise a hatch behind you in order to get some more room. Walk onto the slanted block at the end and standjump to the ledge around the corner. Pull the switch here to raise the afore-mentioned hatch. Hop back there, grab a hold of the ring and pull the log out. The flood gate opens and water cascades down the rocks to the bottom.
This also causes a block to rise over to the left. Do not climb onto it yet though, first return to the platform where the switch is and push it back into its original position. This causes the hatch on the side of the flood gate to lower and two other hatches to rise on the level above. Return around the corner and climb onto the block. You’ll be hearing some mischievous giggles so draw guns and jump up and down while shooting at the baby demon scurrying about on the ledge above. When it’s dead pull up there and have a look around. To the left you’ll find a heap of rubble, a shovel and two hatches, the ones that rose as you pushed the switch back the way it was.
Walk around to the back of the shovel and push the rubble onto the hatch. Return back down where you came from and pull the switch again. The hatch lowers, sending the shovel and rubble down onto the raised hatch in front of the flood gate. Go back there and push the shovel up against the stalactite in front of the gate. The flow of water splits, causing a stalactite to drop from the rocky wall.
Time to return down to the bridge again. Position Lara right of the shovel with her back against the edge. Hop backwards, grab the edge and climb the ladder down, left, down again and right until you can pull up onto the broken bridge. Now you will see that the falling stalactite has created a pillar right at the middle, so you can do a running jump over to it and from there a running jump to the opposite side.
All about bugs, lava and slopes:
Enter the cobweb-covered opening ahead, turn left and immediately gun down three moths. Watch out for the hanging stalactites and carefully hop up into the S alcove where you can pick up some flares. Head N up the rocks and to the right. As you approach the cobweb ahead a huge spider comes crawling out. Kill it and walk up to the right until you reach a device similar to the one blocking the flood gate earlier. Go around it to the right and jump over to the other side of it. Pull the log out and the gate opens, releasing a boulder which rolls down and crashes through the cave floor, revealing a room with a lava pool below.
Slide down towards the entrance (be careful, it’s easy to slip off the edge) and walk around the perimeter towards where you slid down. In the lava pool below you’ll spot a sloping pillar, standjump forwards to the slope ahead (with the stalactites sticking out of it)- make sure that Lara lands facing upwards- and grab the edge. Shimmy a bit left, drop to land on the slope and press Action to grab again. Pull up, backflip/roll and press Action in order for Lara to grab the crevice behind. Shimmy right until she can pull up and walk right along the railing.
Ahead there is a slope decorated with a face and above said slope a hanging boulder. This will drop the moment Lara lands on the slope, so there’s no way you can simply jump straight forwards. It’s easier than it looks though: hop back twice from the slope, angle Lara right (S/E) and perform a running jump. The boulder is released and Lara will land on a second slope further down so immediately standjump forwards to a flat spot and wait for the boulder to pass by.
Drop down onto the flat block in the lava pool below and from here do a running jump to grab the ladder. Climb up to the top and grab the flares and magic elixir. Walk over to the slope leading down from the S/E corner, run onto it and jump at the end. Lara will land on another slope and slide down to the next level.
LEVEL 2- SWAMP:
Pickups: Normal shotgun ammo, Seedling, 1 Demon $, Fake Asylum Staff Pass + 1 Secret (magic elixir and shotgun ammo)
Enemies: Moths, wasps and flies
Go right and out through the gateway to the left. You have now reached the swamp and for your own good stay out of the water. The currents are extremely strong and if Lara falls in she will be swept down into a cluster of underwater cacti. Because of this the best idea is to navigate along the rocks lining up the deadly pool.
A bit of rock climbing for a secret:
Head right over to the E line of rocks. Hang from the edge of the slope and shimmy left until Lara can pull up onto a flat, slanting rock. Turn left and walk to the edge of the slope, start sliding and jump at the end in order to land on the opposite bank. Hang from the edge of the slope ahead and shimmy left until you can pull up again. Above Lara a monkeyswing is running across the pool, but first we’re going for this level’s only secret. Continue shimmying left around the edge of the block and past the slope, then pull up again. Drop down near the odd-looking trees and pull up on the left side of the rocks ahead (N). Here you’ll find Secret # 3: a magic elixir and shotgun shells.
Deadly fauna:
Go back down where you came from and return to the slanting block below the monkeyswing. Shimmy along to the opposite side and at the end position Lara so that she’s facing the rocky wall. Drop down and as she starts sliding press Action to grab the edge of the slope. Shimmy left until you can pull up into a safe alcove.
Do a standing jump from the edge up to the flat ledge S/W and walk to the far end, from there do a long running jump to land on the sloping rocks S. Grab the edge on your way down and shimmy right all the way until you can pull up into another alcove. Turn and quickly draw guns to expose of some nasty moths, then do a running jump over to the alcove opposite where they came from. Continue following the passage through a crawlspace, at the end get up and gun down another moth.
Drop down and walk along the swampy passage until the area widens out and you’re back at another part of the shore running along the perimeter of the pool. A wasp comes flying in from the left so kill it and do the same thing to the moth that decides to join in on the fun. Walk N along the bank and when you reach the corner of the rocks standjump over to the small slab of land S/W. Here another wasp will attack so take it down quickly and continue over to firm ground. Keep on going W through the swamp until you reach another side of the pool with some orange lily pad-like flowers floating in the water.
Climb up onto the rocks to the left, position Lara facing the first flower and save your game. As you have probably understood you’ll have to use these seemingly innocent flowers to get across the pool to the other side. However, there is a catch and it’s a quite big one too. As soon as Lara lands on the flowers she’ll have about a split second or so to move on to the next one- if she stays too long on each one she will be impaled by the spikes sprouting out of the flower. Here you’ll have absolutely no time to waste whatsoever. The first three are relatively straight-forwards (not in the way they’re positioned though- but as long as you keep running and jumping you should easily make it across), but as soon as you reach the fourth one you’ll have to do a standing jump to the small slab of land ahead (you won’t be able to reach the fifth flower from that long a distance).
Once there you’ll be facing another two flowers that are just like the rest, but first of all do a running jump over to the slab of land N/E. Climb onto the rocks N, drop down into the water hole ahead and pick up some normal shotgun ammo from the bottom. Use the corner block and the nearby slope to shimmy back to where you dropped down and return to the pool. Do a running jump back to the opposite shore and now you can make your way across the remaining orange flowers. Stand about a hop away from the edge and standjump onto the first flower. Run across and jump to the second one, but this time veer sharply right and jump to reach the slope ahead. Shimmy left until you can drop down onto the opposite shore.
The Asylum Courtyard:
Climb the rocks N and go around to the left. At the end of the passage do a running jump to the red rocks ahead, grab the edge and then shimmy around to the left until she can drop down. Here awaits quite a sight to behold: you have successfully reached The Asylum. Quite a spectacular beauty indeed, but entering it will be all but easy. As you can see the plants guarding the gate are not intending on letting you just stroll by and the entrance is closed anyways.
Near the N/W corner you’ll encounter a snake oil salesman and his job is to sell fake ID’s. They are listed as $1 a piece and that’s money you just don’t have right here and now (somehow I doubt that credit cards are accepted in this part of Hell and what would the currency of Demon Dollars be anyways?). Stick to the E wall (adjacent of the Asylum) and about halfway down you’ll find a narrow passage. Start down there, kill the wasp you encounter right around the corner and continue trudging your way through the mud. At the end you’ll be facing a pool. The bottom is lined up with more of those deadly orange flowers so there’s no way you can cross it. Turn left and up in the corner you’ll find just what you need: a crawlspace.
Useful fungus:
Pull up there and when you reach the junction crawl straight ahead until Lara can stand up. Do a running jump to grab the opposite side (be careful, there are more deadly flowers waiting below). Shimmy left and pull up, drop down into the next passage and climb up at the end. There’s a crevice running along the wall opposite so do a running jump to grab it and shimmy around to the left until you can drop down safely on the other side of the pool with the orange flowers. Turn around and follow the passageway into the stone building and at the end you’ll be pestered by another flying insect. Teach it a lesson and enter a room with a pool in the middle and some odd, beanstalk-like mushrooms growing out of it. Drop into said pool and at the bottom you can pick up the Seedling (this is the tiny mushroom near the S wall).
Climb out of the water and return along the passage back to the deadly pool. Do a running jump to the N/E corner block across the pool and to your immediate left you’ll find an opening in the wall. To reach it do a standing jump from the edge and press Action to grab hold. Pull up and drop down on the other side. Now go right and up on the same wall (W) you’ll find the first crawlspace you came through to begin with. Go through there, left at the junction and drop down on the other side of the deadly pool. You can now return to the front of the Asylum.
Continue following along the perimeter towards the left side of the building. Here you’ll find a closed portcullis and a small pedestal. Place the Seedling on it and the portcullis rises. Kill the two moths flying down from the ceiling and proceed to pulling the nearby jump switch (the metal “frame” up on the left wall). Watch in astonishment as two lights are switched on inside an open room somewhere nearby, causing a beanstalk to sprout out of the ground. Head outside and this time return around the perimeter of the Asylum Courtyard back to where the snake oil salesman is.
My Demon Dollar for your Fake Staff Pass:
At the right side of the building there’s an open room, this is the one with the lights and beanstalk you saw earlier. A wasp comes flying out, kill it and climb the beanstalk and backflip onto the upper level of the Asylum. Proceed along towards the opposite side and here three moths will attack. Kill them and approach the room to your right. You’re instantly attacked by a swarm of flies. You can’t kill those, the best way of getting them to disperse is to run over to a corner and crouch- stay that way until they’ve flown off. At least the three little gardeners won’t hurt you!! Over by the wall opposite of the entrance you’ll find One Demon Dollar- and guess what? That’s exactly what we need right now.
Return outside and slide down the beanstalk. Head out to the salesman and place the coin in his purse- he will hand you a Fake Asylum Staff Pass (it even has a picture of you on it!!!). Now that you have this you can head over to the entrance. Apparently the fake ID is good enough for the malevolent plants. They will be following Lara’s steps as she walks by, but at least they won’t attack her now that she has a staff pass. Go to the end and follow either the left or the right passage (they both lead to the same place) to enter the Asylum.
LEVEL 3- THE ASYLUM:
Pickups: Note from Demon Smalls (No Secrets)
Enemies: None
Welcome to the house of Torture:
Ok, so here we are- inside this place called the Asylum and what an utterly creepy place it is: demons are standing guard (they won’t pay any attention to Lara though- luckily for us) and witnessing extensive testing of various torture devices is on today’s menu. Luckily this won’t last too long- we’ll be on our way again soon.
Left of the entrance is the section called Heat Treatment and to the right we have a section of Acupuncture (and here I thought that was supposed to have a healing effect). At the middle of the hall you‘ll find a seemingly unstoppable carousel (is this too a torture method of sorts?) and here at this middle part there are two doorways. The one to the right leads to a room with two lowered portcullises and a closed gate, so for now this is a dead-end. The left doorway leads to a room with another gate that is closed and a keyhole next to it, but as we do not have that key yet it’s safe to say that we won’t be getting very far here either.
Continue through to the W part of the ground floor where we’ll be introduced to the hellish equivalent of a lobotomy and the phrase “eat your heart out” is given an entirely new meaning. Proceed through the doorway at the far end and head up the stairs. I guess it’s a major understatement to say that the methods employed up at this level are even more gruesome than the ones down on the ground floor.
Walk along the right side and at the end turn your attention towards the ledge running along the right wall, directly beyond the pillar next to you. You can reach this by a running jump as long as you angle Lara right in mid-air and do NOT press Action at all. Once there turn around and do a running jump to grab the cable attached to the top of the carousel. Climb up to the top and here you’ll find an opening in the wall. Slide Lara down so that the back of her shoulders is approximately level with the edge and backflip to land on the floor.
Follow the passage around until you reach the end. You’ll have to drop down here, but the fall is quite high and Lara will lose some health. Cross the Electric Shock Treatment section and go through the open doorway in the wall N. Head down the stairs and at the base you’ll find yourself in the room at the other side of the portcullis you saw earlier. Push the button next to it, this causes both of the portcullises to rise. Cross the room and go through the second portcullis ahead.
Introducing the Chief Registrar- further instructions from Demon Smalls:
Follow the hallway around and you’ll end up at the desk of the Chief Registrar. As you can see from the poster hanging on the wall here he has lost his Gold Medallion and will offer a reward for the one who brings it back. Well, we know Lara Croft is just the woman for the job, but it’s probably not completely unreasonable to presume that it won’t be an easy task at all.
Start down the stairs and Lara will be looking down on a scroll laying on one of the steps. This is a Note from Demon Smalls so pick it up and read the message he’s got for you.
“Lara, You should meet me down at Phlegyas, we have got a problem. I can see no way to get past this lake! And keep your eyes open, the Registrar is a major player round these parts, it would be useful to find that medallion of his.”
Seems like we’ve got a job to do and for that we need to leave the Asylum for the time being. Follow the ramp down into the rocky cave and as she approaches the bottom the level ends.
LEVEL 4- REALM OF THE LOST:
Pickups: Flares, Manna from Heaven, revolver ammo, magic elixirs, revolver, lasersight, Scroll (Calling Demon Smalls), 1 Demon $ + 1 Secret (revolver ammo and magic elixir)
Enemies: Baby demons, deadly plants
Trial by spikes:
You’ll start this level sliding and it’s not good news that awaits you at the bottom- as you already know the cacti down there means certain death. Try jumping at the end and steering Lara left so that she’ll land next to the cacti instead. Climb onto the ledge running along the N wall, go left and pick up the flares over in the dark corner and proceed to climb the ladder. Do not pull up over the top yet though, save your game first and take some time to prepare yourself for the next difficult challenge.
As soon as you pull over the top Lara will start sliding again- straight down a slope littered with cacti. You’ll have to dodge these as best you can and this isn’t necessarily an easy task. There are probably several ways of doing this and I can’t guarantee that my way is the easiest. It’s one way to get past it and if you time it correctly you should get through with no or minimal health loss.
Position Lara on the left side of the ladder and pull up over the top. As she starts sliding towards the first trap jump and steer her towards the left to clear it. Jump and veer left again immediately so that she’ll be as close as possible to the rocky wall/slope on the left-hand side. Slide for a bit and right before the next trap jump again and steer her left so that she lands on the rocky slope. At this point the rocks are aligned in a manner that causes her to first slide straight ahead for a split second (along the rocks) and then the direction of the slope will change- sending her sliding back down onto the cactus slope. At this point timing is everything. As soon as she hits the rocks let her slide for a fracture of a second and do a long jump forwards. If done correctly she will slide down to the cactus slope and land on a “safe” spot (safe as in a spot with no cacti growing on it). Immediately jump forwards/slightly right and she should now slide down into safety at the bottom of the slope.
I found this to be a bit difficult to explain, so if you’re not following me please feel free to have a look at this sequence of screenshots for further assistance:
Alternatively start sliding and as you approach the first cacti trap jump left. Slide a bit again and jump right. Immediately jump right three times and you should make it safely past. Like I said there are most likely other (maybe even easier) ways of getting through this. Feel free to try whatever method works for you.
Looks like a trap is being set up:
At the bottom of this deadly slope head N/W around the winding passage and go on until you reach a high opening overlooking another slope. A Manna from Heaven is placed on the ground about halfway up the ramp and on top you’ll see a line of three boulders waiting to drop. Is it just me or does this look like a trap someone’s set up? Drop down onto the ramp and approach the pickup. Position Lara directly in front of it, back to the boulders. Pick up the Manna from Heaven. The moment you do so you’re shown a cutscene. Two baby demons are waiting on the other side of the dark opening at the base of the ramp. One of them is watching Lara’s movements and the other pushes a button. The boulders start rolling down the ramp and the gate you came through closes, so there’s no going back now.
As soon as the camera cuts back to Lara run forwards down the ramp. There’s a small slope directly underneath the dark opening: jump onto it and immediately backflip. The boulders will roll by below her and come to a grinding halt against the base of the slope. Phew….that was one close call. Go up to the top of the ramp and use the jump switch right of the gilded gate to open it. Head through the gate and you’ve now reached the 1st Lava Cave.
The 1st Lava Cave- a rock slide and sinking tiles:
In the lava pool you’ll spot two gilded tiles. These will swiftly sink into the lava as Lara steps onto them, so it’s best to outline a clear route before attempting to cross. There’s a small slope in the middle of the lava pool, connecting the first gilded tile with the second one. As we all know slopes are for sliding and considering this it’s quite obvious that Lara would end up a roasted marshmallow if she were to attempt stepping onto the slope. In other words our first task is to find some way of clearing a path across.
Go up the steps behind the boulder slope to the right and pick up the flares. Now stand directly behind the boulder and press Action. Lara will kick at the boulder, sending it flying down the slope. It will land straight onto the slope in the lava, causing parts of it to crumble.
Return back down to the pool. Stand facing the first gilded tile square on and from the edge hop back twice. Do a running jump to land on the tile and immediately continue running, jumping at the edge to land onto the now flat part of the small slope. Here you can save your game if you like and spend some time setting up the next jump. It’s essential here to take advantage of all the space you can, but be careful not to step onto the lava. Stand at the bottom part and do a running jump to land on the next tile. Try steering her right in mid-air, this will make the run and jump from the second gilded tile over to firm land a lot easier.
Once there pull the jump switch on the wall to the right. The centre part of the monkeyswing nearby will slide out of the wall, enabling you to use it later on. And what do you know: it also allows for three baby demons to cross over to the other side. You can try killing as many of them as possible from here or wait until you get closer. The gilded tiles are now back and you’ll have to use them in order to cross over again.
This becomes a tad more difficult due to the cacti trap right in front of the first tile. I found it possible to stand on the right-hand side (facing the gap between the cacti and the mushrooms), as close to the cacti as possible without it popping out and then do a standing jump to the gilded tile. Run left and jump at the edge (without pressing Action) to land on the flat part of the slope. Again take full advantage of the flat part to do a curved running jump to the next gilded tile. Continue running straight ahead and jump at the edge to reach the other side. Kill the demons now if you haven’t already and follow along the right side of the lava (when facing it) to find the monkeyswing you saw earlier.
The 2nd Lava Cave- ladders, slopes, sinking tiles and a monkeyswing:
Jump up to grab the monkeyswing and traverse across to the other side. Drop down and follow the dark passage until you reach a ladder above the 2nd Lava Cave. Jump to the ladder and climb down and around the wall to the other side. When Lara reaches the middle of the back wall you’ll have to backflip/roll and immediately press Action for her to grab the ladder behind. Climb around to the right and pause there for a moment. The next move is a bit tricky and requires you to backflip and roll while angling Lara right in mid-air. Obviously this is for her to land on the nearby slope so that she can jump and grab the next ladder.
Make your way around the ladder to the other side and drop down to the small platform in the lava pool. From there turn left and look for the monkeyswing underneath the ladder (the monkeyswing is running along the right side of the cacti on the block by the left wall). Do a running jump while pressing Action to grab the monkeyswing and traverse ahead and left around the corner. Drop down inside the alcove, pulling the lever here causes gilded tiles to appear across the lava pool.
Traverse back along the monkeyswing (please do be careful not to get too close to the cacti as even barely touching them will cause Lara to lose health). Do not go all the way to the end of the monkeyswing though, about halfway you should be able to locate a gilded tile below. Turn Lara around so that she’s facing the safe platform she came from. Now drop down onto the gilded tile. This will begin sinking into the lava so if you don’t get moving she’ll be dead within a split second. Immediately backflip to the gilded tile behind, standjump forwards again to land on the first tile (which of course stopped sinking the moment Lara’s weight was taken off it) and runjump to land on the safe platform.
The 3rd Lava Cave- from ashes to fire:
Face the gilded tile between the slope and the right wall and do a running jump to land on it. Quickly standjump with a right angle into the open doorway in the wall next to you. A short fly-by shows the 3rd Lava Cave, where five baby demons sit on each their gilded tile worshipping some unseen entity (Lucifer himself, probably). Turquoise plants start sprouting up from the lava and this is almost certainly not a good thing (does anyone see the resemblance to the lightning bolt-spitting plant from Hell’s Arboretum here?). Follow through the passage and jump up to grab the monkeyswing above. Traverse across and turn left, drop and immediately grab the ladder below. Climb down as far as you can, drop down onto the gilded and quickly vault up onto the floor below the ladder to avoid a certain death.
We’re now going from ashes to fire (quite literally too), because the moment you enter the 3rd Lava Cave you’ll begin hearing the sound of lightning bolts being fired off. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about those turquoise plants! Should hardly be necessary to say it, but I’d advice you to save your game before leaving the safety of the narrow passage. Sprint ahead down the path (ignoring the red-herring monkeyswing to the left), at the end turn right and start jumping up the far left side of the slope. The plants will stop firing at Lara now, but if she misses a jump and slides back down they’ll be at it again, so I’d recommend saving the game as soon as she’s safe (before attempting any hazardous jumps).
Make your way via the dark left corner up to the top and from there hop over to the pointy side of the grayish rock jutting out from the centre. Do a running jump to the bridge going across the lava pool (luckily the plants will leave Lara alone even when she’s up there). You won’t get very far though as a pillar is blocking the path at the other side of the bridge. Do a banana jump around it and pick up some revolver ammo on the other side.
And the 4th Lava Cave- slope bouncing and a secret:
Drop down from the bridge and follow the stairs down to the relative safety of the 4th Lava Cave. At least there aren’t any malevolent plants down here, but a couple of baby demons are scurrying about on the opposite side. The task at hand is to find a way to reach the other side and it will be all but easy. In reality the only thing required is a couple of simple moves. However, the fact that these moves require perfect precision and that even the slightest miscalculation can (and will!) send Lara down to a scorching death makes it a rather daunting challenge.
Position her by the right-hand slope (this is, of course, right-hand when facing the lava pool). About two inches down said slope there’s a slight break in the rocks- this is where the line between down-into-the-lava pool and down-towards-the-other-side goes, if that makes any sense to you. To put it quite simply: if you land on the right side of the break (the side closest to Lara) she will slide down into the lava pool. Land on the left side of the break and she will slide a few steps down along the rocks towards the other side.
Step one is to land on the left side of the break. Step two is as follows: after she has slid about ½ step down jump forwards to land even further down the rocks. Step three is the hardest one: as Lara lands on the slope again jump immediately, roll in mid-air and steer her hard to the right. With some luck (and loads of the aforementioned precision) she will land safely on the other side of the lava pool.
The giggling of baby demons will grow louder as they come running up the slope to dispose of the unwanted visitor. Simply stay where you are and pick them off one by one. Before moving on we’re going to get a secret. Turn to face the lava pool again and this time standjump up to the slope which is now on your right-hand side. Grab the edge and shimmy left until you can pull up onto a small, safe spot. Back up until Lara is facing down towards the lava pool and entrance, then do a right-angled running jump to land up at the flat spot on top of the slope. There’s a dark crawlspace here, inside it you can pick up Secret # 4: revolver ammo and a magic elixir.
Go back outside and walk as far as possible, standjump towards the other side and when Lara lands on the slope bounce off with a sharp left angle to land safely on the ground. Start going downwards into the large cave and when you reach the second toadstool patch and right past it hop up to the dark rocks on the right side and grab a Magic Elixir. Continue making your way to the bottom of the cave.
The Mausoleum Cave:
A most impressive building is found in the large cave, this is the Mausoleum. As with everything in Lara’s world it will be an ordeal of another world (literally) to get the portcullis open so that you can enter it. And quite frankly: where would the fun be otherwise? First things first: in the S/E corner you’ll find some flares and those can be quite useful when navigating around dark places like Lower Hell. Clamber over the rocks left of the doorway E and on top you’ll also find a Magic Elixir (which will probably come even more in handy than the flares).
The E passage leads up some stairs to the Demon Expressway, which will by the looks of it take its passengers back up to the Asylum. For the price of 1 Demon Dollar of course (oh, where is that spare change when you need it the most?). Guess we’ll find the answer to that soon enough.
Head towards the opposite side (W) and down the stairs through another cave. Keep an eye out along the rocks to the right because at some point you’ll find a pickup well guarded by a cacti trap. Jump up onto the trap block and immediately backflip before the cacti pop out. It is now safe to climb back up and retrieve the Manna from Heaven.
By the shores of the Phlegyas:
Continue down to the bottom to find the Phlegyas, as deadly as can be. And lo: your friends are standing there waiting for you on the shore.
Lara: Hello guys. Anubis: Hello Lara. Demon Smalls: Damn, not at all good! Lara: What’s up with him, still no way through? Anubis: Alas not, no amount of magic seems to work. That is why I have been summoned. But I have no influence down here either. Demon Smalls: There’s no way I’m gonna get through here. Lara: Who does have influence? Anubis: The Asylum Registrar has the power to assign souls to this terrible place. Lara: I still haven’t found his medallion. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack in these caves. Anubis: The Registrar never leaves the Asylum. Demon Smalls: So I guess it’s next stop Asylum. Lara: Oh gosh, that place is sick and you better start making yourself useful. Demon Smalls: Wooo! That told me! [Starts typing something on his laptop] This should be useful.
Useful stuff- hitching a ride with the Demon Expressway:
Well now, that IS useful. Demon Smalls conjures up a revolver, belonging lasersight, a Scroll (Call Demon Smalls) and aha: 1 Demon Dollar. But before leaving go behind the pedestal and left: you should now spot some flares high up on a rock. Jump up to the flat spot on the rocks left and continue this way, jumping across the flat parts to get to the top of the rocky slope. From here you can jump down to the rock with the flares. You might need to crouch in order to pick them up.
My safest way of getting down was to standjump over towards the glass pane preventing you from accessing the stairs at the end. From there you can standjump to the flat spot below the rock where you found the flares. Runjump past the odd-looking plants and head back past your old friends and up the stairs to the Mausoleum.
We now have the required Demon Dollar so go through the doorway E and use the coin in the slot on top of the stairs. The gate left opens, go through and hop over to the plants waving in the…..eh…breeze? Lara is immediately transported back up to the top and one step closer to the Asylum.
Go around the hallway and you’ll find a sign with an arrow pointing down “To Great Mausoleum”. That fall would most definitely kill Lara and besides we have more important things to do right now. In other words go through the left passage and follow the stairs up into the darkness until the passage widens out into a small cave. There’s a closed gate to the left, we’ll get back to that later on. For now head right through to the next cave.
Next stop Asylum:
There’s a lava pool below and you’ll need to navigate around the right perimeter to eventually end up at the far left side. Start by jumping N/E over to the slope with the flat bottom (below the cacti). From the far right side (the entrance is on your left) do a running jump towards the right-hand cluster of rocks. Lara lands on a slope, but will thankfully slide down to a safe, flat part. Make your way back up to the top by jumping up to the flat part above and from there a standjump to the block jutting out of the rocky slope.
Up on top there’s a monkeyswing S/W running over to the opposite side of the room. It seems awfully high up, but upon closer inspection you will find that the dark pillar before it (right next to Lara) is really a slope. Position her as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT and sideflip right:
She will (or should at least, provided you’ve lined her up correctly) hit the top part of the slope and bounce off so immediately press Action to make her grab the monkeyswing. Traverse across and drop down on the other side.
Follow the rocky passage ahead and around to the left where it merges with a hallway. At the end you’ll find a long flight of stairs leading upwards and a sign revealing that the Asylum is waiting up on top. Don’t go up there just yet though, continue past the stairs and push the button at the end. The gate on your left opens and this is the exact same gate you saw earlier: in other words you’ve just opened up a shortcut that will come in handy later. Return to the stairs and go back up to……
LEVEL 5- THE ASYLUM PART II:
Pickups: South Wing Key, revolver ammo, magic elixirs, 1 Demon $, Shapeshifter Key, flares + 2 Secrets (normal shotgun ammo and Manna from Heaven + normal shotgun ammo, revolver ammo and Manna from Heaven)
The Chief Registrar’s Office- getting the South Wing Key:
Go through the doorway and you’re now back in what must be one of the least pleasant places in Hell (that soundtrack just gives me the creeps!). As you can see you’ll be starting out inside the Registrar’s office. Take the South Wing Key from the bookshelf on the left and push the nearby button to open a gate so that you can leave. Follow the hallway S past the carousel and into the open doorway opposite.
Here you’ll find a keyhole for your newly acquired key. Go through the portcullis that lowers and follow the long, dark passage to enter a new area of the Asylum. Go along until you reach a junction. Here you have three choices: there’s a sign pointing towards the Treatment Center and Administration (that’s where you came from), a second sign reading Diablo Nightclub, Swimming Pool and Mental Torture and a third sign leading to Asylum Roof Gardens (via shape-shifter- whatever that is).
The Balloon chase:
Seems we have quite a few options on our hands. The shape-shifter is currently unavailable, but do peer into the first room to find two demons suspended by some colorful balloons of various shapes. Nothing more to do here for now so follow the sign leading to the Diablo Nightclub. Letting your hair down seems quite tempting right now, but unfortunately the club operates with a 1 Demon Dollar entrance fee, so we’ll have no choice but to return once we’ve found a way to pay.
Next you’ll come to a room with a Demon Holographic hovering above a fire (on the right-hand side). This area is rather maze-like and it can be a bit difficult to figure out which of the seemingly endless number of doorways one should choose first and last. There is no real answer to this, as the rooms can be done in pretty much any order. Your main goal is to find and destroy each of the 8 balloons scattered all over the place to liberate the floating demons you saw earlier (in the room past the sign leading to the Asylum Roof Gardens).
The Shifting Blocks Chamber- Red Square:
Beginning with the doorway opposite of the 1st Demon Hologram seems like an idea. Follow the passage around until you reach the first opening to the left. This is the Shifting Blocks Chamber and it got that name for a reason. As you can see the blocks in the lava won’t stay put for very long, their pattern changes continuously. We do need to find a way past the lava pool though and there’s no other way but to go by the shifting blocks.
The challenge itself isn’t really all that difficult once you know what to do. I found it easiest to go by the blocks along either one of the walls. Try to aim for the lava tiles, jumping a split second before it changes into a safe tile. That way you should land just as the tile becomes safe. Wait for another split second before jumping on towards the next lava tile. This pattern becomes a lot clearer once you’ve done it a couple of times. At the far end of the room there is one safe tile and you can easily tell which one it is as it has a dark brown colour which differentiates it from the rest of the tiles. Once you finally land on the safe tile turn around and shoot Balloon # 1: the red square. As you do so you’ll see a camera shot of one red balloon being released in the room with the floating demons. Now make your way back to the start the same way you came (I found it easier this time around because the screen will be shaking in a sort of earthquake-fashion right before the tiles shift).
When you’ve successfully reached the other end continue along the passage and up the stairs into a room with three new doorways to choose from. Just to keep track of things I chose to go clockwise from left to centre to right.
The Chamber of the Sinking Tiles- Green Triangle:
The left doorway takes you up some stairs and along a long hallway. About halfway down you’ll come across another doorway on the left, go through there to find the Sinking Tiles Chamber. This is a bit more taxing than the Shifting Blocks because here you don’t have a second to waste. The gilded tiles will start sinking as soon as Lara steps on them and there will be no time to re-position her once she hits one of those tiles. In many ways this reminds me a bit of the timed run over the burning pillars in TR1 (the Palace Midas level), only difference being that this is lava and thus slightly more of a challenge.
Do a running jump from the doorway to the first gilded tile, trying to land as close to the right wall as possible. Run and jump and try steering Lara in mid-air so that she lands close to the right-hand edge of the second gilded tile. Run and jump to land on the third one. If you land underneath the lamp it will slow you down a little bit, this might make the running jump to the fourth gilded tile easier. Once Lara lands on that last tile immediately release the Up arrow key and press it again together with Jump to make her standjump from the tile and over to safe grounds. Pick up the revolver ammo and turn around. To the right of the doorway there’s an alcove in which you will find Balloon # 2: the green triangle. Arm Lara with the revolver and stick to the corner diagonally opposite of the alcove, then blast off at the triangle to release the second balloon in the room with the floating demons. Now return to the doorway the same way you came.
The Swimming Pool- chutes, demonic currency and a Yellow Star:
Go on along the hallway and up the stairs until you reach yet another junction. Left is good for a start so head through that doorway and at the end you’ll come out by the Swimming Pool. In the pool you will find some demons floating about and you’ll also see a whole bunch of water chutes and some tilted mirrors that actually function as slopes. Standing on the higher part of the floor, do a running jump to the one closest to you. You can save your game while Lara is inside the water chutes, this is advisable as it’s quite easy to make a mistake and swim out of the chute (by doing so she will land in the pool below and will have to start all over again). Rotating her a bit while swimming is usually a helpful way of ensuring that she stays inside the chute.
Swim up and into the passage and as you come down in the second water chute position Lara to face S, angled slightly left. Gun it forwards out of the chute and hopefully she should land on a slope: immediately jump with a sharp left angle to land in the third water chute.
This time face E and gun it hard out of the chute to land on a new slope. As soon as you land jump forwards and press Action to grab the monkeyswing. Traverse to the end and turn right, go as far forwards as you can, drop and grab the edge of the slope below. Shimmy over to the right corner, pull up and jump with a sharp right angle, pressing Action to make Lara grab the climbable pole. Climb up almost to the top and backflip to land in the next water chute. There’s a switch up in the ceiling above you and when you pull it one mirror slope shifts to a different location.
Drop down into the pool below, scour the bottom for a Magic Elixir and revolver ammo (the latter is a bit difficult to spot, but it’s located in the N/W corner). Now find the mirror slope that just shifted (it’s over by the S wall). From there you can access the nearby water chute, but it’s positioned slightly left of the slope so you’ll have to pull up at the far left side, roll in mid-air and steer Lara hard right in order to land in the chute. Swim up and along the passage, down into the final chute and out to land on the slope. Jump to land in the wall alcove ahead and loot the swimming demon’s clothes for a Demon Dollar.
Stand on the far right side facing the pool and on the opposite wall you’ll spot Balloon # 3: the yellow star. Use the revolver to shoot it, thus releasing the third balloon in the room with the floating demons. Dive into the pool and return to the entrance, from there head back to the junction.
Monkeyswing & Sinking Tiles- Red Square # 2:
This time go through the doorway N, leading to the Monkeyswing & Sinking Tiles Chamber. Do a running jump to grab the crack in the wall ahead and shimmy right along an invisible crevice. Around the corner there is a line of five gilded tiles and a sixth one over by the wall. Drop down onto the first gilded tile and immediately sideflip right to the one by the wall. As soon as you land sideflip left again to the first tile and hop back four times so that Lara ends up at the final tile. From that position quickly jump up and grab the monkeyswing. Follow it along to a passage where you can climb a ladder. Shoot Balloon # 4: the red square and now both of the red-square balloons are floating freely. We still have four balloons left to go though, so no time to waste. Drop down into the hallway below (directly in front of the MS & ST Chamber) and return to the junction.
N is the doorway you came from so turn left and go through the E doorway back to Junction # 3. From here head N to a room with a lava pool and a pool of water, these are separated by a walkway.
The Pipe Puzzle- A Blue Diamond:
Notice the pipes scattered about. Two of these are moveable and you’ll be using those to make things happen around here. Start with the one left of the N doorway. Pull it with you three times, go around it to the right and pull it once. Now go around to the opposite side of the pipe and push it once so that the gilded part of the pipe connects with the gilded cap at the edge of the water pool.
There’s another pipe with a gilded part on it, this is located next to the doorway you first came through. Move this one by pushing and pulling so that the gilded part of the pipe connects to the gilded cap by the edge of the lava pool. Nothing has happened yet, but there’s one more pipe that can be moved- this one has a black cap at the base. Move said pipe over to the tile past the two other pipes that you moved.
Voila: the water is drained from the pool as it floods out into the lava pool and it is now safe to cross. That’s exactly what we’re going to do: down the stairs to the right you’ll find the 2nd Demon Hologram. Up in the S/W corner of the same room there’s a Balloon # 5: the blue diamond for you to shoot.
Going backwards- the Rotating Stars Puzzle:
Return to the previous room and cross the now safe pool. Go through the N doorway and go either straight ahead or left- they both lead to the same spot. Leave the right doorway alone for now. Continue up the stairs to enter the Rotating Stars Chamber.
In the room to the right you’ll find a long row of stars that are slowly rotating above some white platforms. In the room before there is a clock on the wall, obviously not functioning seeing as how its arms are missing, but it still gives a hint as to what you have to do in the room with the rotating stars. Notice something funny about that clock (apart from the fact that it’s not working)? Look again, closely this time. Are you now ready to take on the riddle of the rotating stars?
Apparently the numbers on the clock are in reversed position. Enter the room with the rotating stars and step on the platforms beneath the stars that are rotating COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. Counting from left to right (when facing the stars) the correct ones are the numbers 3-6-8.
Once this is done correctly the gate opposite of the clock opens. Go through and right at the junction (the other two are dead ends), follow until you reach a tall room with a lava pool at the bottom and floating gilded tiles scattered about. Ignore those tiles, over on the wall ahead (near the right corner) there is a jump switch (a bit difficult to see, but it’s there alright). Do a running jump to grab it and the gilded tile below will float up towards Lara. That didn’t prevent her from losing half her health, but at least it takes us even further up. So far up in fact that you can climb straight into the doorway on top.
The Maze- a Double Date and a secret:
Follow the dark passage up and around, jump over the gap in the floor (there’s lava below) and go on until you reach a climbable pole. Climb down until you see firm ground behind Lara, then backflip. You’re now on top of the Maze. In the N wall of the Maze there’s a gate (at ground level). This is currently closed. Head over to the N/W corner and climb down the ladder there, pick up the Magic Elixir and go back up. On the far wall E there’s a jump switch. Pull it down to open the gate below.
Head over to the S/W corner and drop down here, in the passage S/W you’ll find Balloon # 6: the Yellow Star. Turn around and go E and left around the corner to find a button. Pushing it opens up an exit so leave through the passage opposite of the button and you’re now at Junction # 6. S goes back to the hallway with the Diablo Nightclub, N is the exit to the Maze (so where you came from), W leads into the room with the pipes and drained pool and E takes you back into the Maze.
This time we’re going for the latter option. From the entrance go straight-left-right-right-left-left-right-left-right-right. If you’ve gone the right way you should now have found a dead end with a narrow crack in the wall. Inside that crack you’ll find Balloon # 7: the green triangle. Use the revolver to shoot it and now we have to find some way of locating the secret room from before. One of the floating demons is now totally released, but we still have one more balloon to go.
Now go straight-left-right-right and right. Aha, there it is: the open gate. In the alcove beyond you’ll find your prize- Secret # 5: two boxes of normal shotgun ammo and Manna from Heaven. And now to find a way out of this place. Straight-right-left and right is all it takes to locate the doorway leading back to Junction # 5. Head S to the pipe puzzle, left cross the drained pool and you’ll now find Lara at Junction # 6. Go through the S doorway to get back to the hallway by the 1st Demon Hologram and the Diablo Nightclub.
Diablo Nightclub- the Shapeshifter Key and Blue Diamond:
Now that we have the Demon Dollar and all, it’s time to check out the nightlife. Put the coin in the slot to gain access to the disco. It looks rather dark to begin with, but this is only the wardrobe and on the wall opposite of the entrance we can read that DJ Shorts is the guest DJ. Go behind the black curtains to reach the dance floor.
Enjoy the sight you’re about to see, because this is something you most certainly haven’t seen before (and probably won’t ever see again). After a good laugh go up to the groovy little DJ Shorts and pick up the Shape-Shifter Key behind him. Don’t leave yet though, go behind the black curtains E and enter the Lounge. The restrooms are located in the S/W corner (unisex too, even). Well, I’m terribly sorry about the intrusion gentlemen, but there’s a very important jump switch located at the far back wall of the restrooms. Seriously, there is and it opens a ceiling hatch back out in the Lounge.
Return to the Lounge and this time head left to find a ladder at the back of the pillar. Climb up to the top (this is where the hatch opened before) and dismount on the left side, shoot Balloon # 8: the blue diamond. Both the floating demons are now released and in gratitude they’ve opened the door at the back of the room for you.
Climb back down to the ground and it’s now (sadly) time to leave the Diablo Nightclub behind for good (and I who didn’t even get a chance to stop for a Cosmo!). Once outside go right and follow the hallway back to the junction with the signs. Enter the room with the floating demons and go straight through the door they opened for you.
Shortage of Shapeshifter Parts- taking Demon Oddjob for a ride:
A blue sign on the wall reads Due to a shortage of Shape-Shifter parts… Demon Oddjob has agreed to “fill in”. Whatever works is good enough for me. Follow through to the next room and here you’ll find the Shape-Shifter….a neat little car and it’s even held together by Demon Oddjob. The car to the right apparently belongs to the Chief Registrar and is currently out of order. Pick up the Magic Elixir and hop aboard the Shape-Shifter.
Drive up the ramp ahead to reach a new area (notice that at bumpy and treacherous parts you might actually hear Demon Oddjob wail and curse?). The path to the Asylum Roof Gardens is under construction so we’ll have to go on a slightly more treacherous route. Be very careful as you go along the narrow walkway. At the end gun it up the ramp to get across the small pit on top and continue following the walkway around the entire perimeter of the room until you reach a long, dark ramp at the end.
Hot business- but it’s worth it:
Don’t go up yet though, leave the car for now while getting some pickups. Climb the pillar next to where you parked (you might have to crouch in order to get up) and retrieve some flares. If you don’t want to go for the next secret you can skip down to the part where she drives the Shape-Shifter up the dark ramp. If you’re interested in getting the secret, here’s how-to. Stand in the position shown in THIS SCREENSHOT:
Hang from the edge and you’ll see that there’s a demon on a platform down there having a ball with a flamethrower. What you have to do is to shimmy right and just as she turns the corner drop down there so that you’ll land safely (well, you’ll lose quite a bit of health from the fall alone, but apart from that) AND you have to jump to the safe platform ahead before the little creature decides to roast Lara as well. A little tricky, but it can be done.
Now you have to make your way past the following: two demon platforms- one safe platform- one demon platform- secret platform. I found this to be near impossible- until I figured out that Lara can actually stand at the corners of the platforms without being roasted. This way you can set up the jumps correctly and it all of a sudden becomes a piece of cake. At the last demon platform do an angled standing jump to the platform between the two pillars and pick up Secret # 6: normal shotgun ammo, revolver ammo and Manna from Heaven. To get back up carefully time a standing jump from the back of the secret platform to the demon platform. Stick to the edge and turn to face the ladder. As the fire goes out standjump to grab the ladder. Climb up until you’re nearly at the top and as far left as possible. Backflip/roll in mid-air and steer Lara hard right so that she lands on the walkway.
Heading for the Asylum Roof Gardens:
Return to the Shape-Shifter and this time drive up the dark ramp. Ahead of you is yet another room with narrow ledges and a lava pool below and this time it’s even more difficult due to the fixed camera angle that follows you through most of it. I also had quite a lot of trouble land on the walkway after the ramp leading up to the upper level, but if a miserable driver like myself can do it, I’m sure you can too ;) When you reach the next room you’re on top of the “construction ramp” so drive up the ramp to the left and prepare to be taken back to…..
LEVEL 6- THE SWAMP PART II:
Pickups: Gold Medallion (No Secrets)
Green fingers, sticky hands- the disputed Medallion:
Dismount the Shape-Shifter and go through the doorway in the right corner. Lara has reached the Asylum Roof Gardens and what extraordinary plant life she’ll find up here! Head S past the flowers and a swarm of flies attacks. Run to a corner and crouch, they will disappear after a little bit of nibbling. Continue following the roof S and at the end you’ll find one lazy little gardener. And will you look at that: this is the guy who stole the Registrar’s medallion. Pick up the Gold Medallion and the little gardener jumps to life.
Gardener: Hey, I found that! It’s mine! Lara: Tell that to the Registrar. Gardener: Uh oh…
All of a sudden his full attention is directed towards the paper again. I thought so! Go past him and behind the wall you’ll find a beanstalk. Standjump to grab it and slide down to the bottom, drop down onto the slopes below. Go around the building, past those nasty flowers in front and re-enter…..
LEVEL 7- THE ASYLUM PART III:
Pickups: Mausoleum Key (No Secrets)
We’re not going to spend much time around here for now, but the Registrar probably misses his lost bauble so let’s get down to business. Go forwards to the carousel and enter the doorway to the right (N). Head through the left portcullis and go around to the front of the Chief Registrar’s office. Hand him the medallion and watch the cutscene where he shows his undying (ehm…) gratefulness.
Chief Registrar: My medallion! You’ve found it! Wait a minute, who are you? You’re not a member of my staff…guards! Lara: Now wait a minute. I didn’t see any members of your staff looking too hard for this bauble. I was the one that found it, and I claim my reward. Chief Registrar: Oh, very well. I’ll put you on mild tortures for a week, how’s that? Lara: Not too enticing. I’m not one of your wretched inmates either. Chief Registrar: They are patients, not inmates. So what are you then? If you’re not a demon? Lara: I am a living human soul and I’m on a mission to defeat the dark souls. I understand you might be able to help my team pass beyond the Lake of Boiling Blood.
Chief Registrar: You mean Phlegyas? Interesting…there is a rogue demon, Verdilet that belongs in that infernal lake. But he has found sanctuary in the great Mausoleum and so lies beyond my grasp. But you could reach him. Bring me his Immortal Soul, live human.
Lara: And then? You’ll help us get past the lake?
Chief Registrar: Bring me Verdilet, and you’ll see….
Well, well…aren’t we demanding? First we retrieve his medallion and now we have to go on a wild goose chase for immortal souls as well? This better get us past the Phlegyas! At least he had the decency of turning the heat down in his office.
The Mausoleum Key- returning to the Lost Realm:
Go right and left out through the portcullis. Turn left again and enter his office. Stand in front of the fireplace, press Action and Lara will grab the Mausoleum Key. Now that we have a way of opening the door to the Mausoleum we have to return there. Go behind the demon bust in the corner (near the shelf where you got the key earlier) and we’re once more back in…..
LEVEL 8- THE REALM OF THE LOST PART II:
Pickups: None (No Secrets)
Reaching the Mausoleum:
Go down the stairs and right. Around the corner you’ll find the gate you opened earlier. If it’s still closed it would be a good idea to push the button next to the gate so that we can proceed through. Ignore the doorway straight ahead; instead follow the passage right until you reach the room with the Demon Expressway. There’s a sign here with an arrow pointing down “To the Mausoleum”. This requires a genuine leap of faith: drop down into the deep shaft and somehow Lara will drop through an air current. At any rate she will land safely and that’s the most important thing after all.
Run down the stairs and over to the Mausoleum, use the key you found in the Registrar’s office to raise the portcullis. Enter the darkness beyond, go down the stairs and at the bottom go either left or right to enter…..
LEVEL 9- THE MAUSOLEUM:
Pickups: Baton + Spirit of the Flame (=Flambeau), magic elixirs, 2x Binro’s Gem, Mausoleum Key, the Immortal Soul of Verdilet + 1 Secret (Manna from Heaven)
Enemies: Verdilet
The tomb you see straight ahead is the Tomb of Verdilet, whose immortal soul we’re seeking. To the left is the Tomb of Binro the Heretic and we will need a gemstone in order to gain access to it. Right we have the Tomb of Damocles. Straight ahead a portcullis is preventing us from access the Hall of Memories.
A sword in the tomb of Damocles:
Go towards the Tomb of Damocles first. When you reach the closed gate turn around and look up on the right column to spot a jump switch (you’ll need to stand on the floor in order to reach it, Lara can step onto the base of the column itself, but she won’t be able to pull it from there). Pulling it lowers the portcullis behind and you can enter Damocles last resting place.
Those souls just don’t give up on anything without a fight, do they? It seems impossible to pry that gemstone out of Damocles’ cold grip, so we’ll have to find some other way of going about that task. Take a mental note of two things during the cutscene: the sword hanging by a thread (literally) above Damocles’ sarcophagus and most importantly right now the jump switch on the column behind Lara. Pulling it lowers the portcullis at the back of the tomb.
Enter and pick up the Baton from the pedestal to the right. Go to the W wall and pull up into the large alcove there, here you’ll find a lever to pull. You will see a camera shot of the pillar in the middle of the room, but this time it’s no longer located in the same spot as before. Drop down to the floor and climb the pillar again, look towards the entrance to find a jump switch on the wall, this you can reach by a running jump combined with the Action key.
As Lara pulls it down you’ll hear a door somewhere opening. Climb back up to the lever and push it back into its original position to shift the position of the sand-colored pillar again. Runjump to said pillar and from there turn left to spot the open door in the wall N. Do another running jump into the doorway. On Lara’s right-hand side there’s a window blocking her access to a jump switch, to the left there’s a ladder. Climb up to the top and follow the hallway out onto a bridge above the room from before.
The doorway on the other side of the bridge is currently blocked so turn right to spot some slanted platforms and ladders. Standjump with a grab to the first one, pull up and jump/grab the second slope. Shimmy left as far as you can, pull up and jump with a left curve to land on the third slope. Grab the edge on your way down, pull up and backflip/roll. As soon as you land on the fourth slope jump forwards. This will land Lara on a short slope so immediately jump while pressing Action to land on a longer slope, the instant you land press Roll together with jump. Lara should now land facing upwards, so grab the edge on your way down. Shimmy left around the corners until you’re directly above the jump switch, drop and grab- pulling the switch down opens a door somewhere nearby.
Climb into the lever alcove again and once more use the lever to shift position of the pillar. Drop down, climb the pillar and underneath the monkeyswing you will find the now open door in the S wall. Do a long running jump + grab to the ladder, climb up and retrieve the Spirit of the Flame (this must be combined with the Baton to create the Flambeau). Use the monkeyswing to traverse across the room, at the end drop and grab again and finally pull up and slide down to the bottom.
The jump switch you saw through the window earlier is up on the wall to your right, pull it to open the door across the bridge. To get back out simply standjump over the slope where you slid down. Retrace your steps back up on the bridge by using the lever to shift the pillar, jumping into the left doorway and climbing the ladder again.
Cross the bridge and go through the doorway, climb the ladder and dismount on the left side. Follow the passage around until you come to an opening high up above the previous room. Do a running jump to grab the crevice in the wall opposite. Shimmy left around two corners and drop down next to the burner block. Runjump to the ledge underneath the overhang at the opposite wall and walk to the right end. In a wall alcove you might spot a pickup, do a running jump along the edge and steer Lara slightly left in mid-air so that she lands inside the alcove. Pick up the Magic Elixir and turn around to face the room. Look down and you’ll find a ladder going down from the back of a slope. Near the bottom of the ladder there’s a concealed jump switch. Stand at the back of the alcove and do a standing jump forwards while pressing Action to grab the ladder. Climb down, drop and grab again to make Lara pull the switch down. It opens one of the doors down on the ground and she’ll lose a tiny slice of health in the process.
Turn around to find the open gate in wall ahead. The swirling light at the end of the passage is a sort of simplified expressway and it will teleport Lara up to a higher level. Follow the long passage out onto the top level of the tall structure in the middle of the room and do a running jump + grab to the ladder at the end. Climb up to the top and follow through to the next room where a lava pool is waiting for you.
A row of slopes suspended upon poles are lined up in the lava pool and you will be using these to make it across to the other side in one piece. I found it easiest to stand facing the end of the first slope (standing on the edge) and do a long standing jump to land at the middle of the slope. Immediately jump and press Action to grab the back of the second slope. Shimmy as far to the right as you can so that once Lara pulls up over the top you can angle her right in mid-air to grab the back of the third slope. Pull up, slide and jump with a left angle and grab the final slope.
I would recommend you to save the game while Lara is hanging from the back of the last slope, the next part can be a bit tricky. Pull up, slide and jump to land on a long slope going down to the left. At the end of this slope jump towards the short slope ahead. Immediately jump again (Lara will lose a little bit of health as she lands on the next slope) and a second jump from there (again this will cost her a little health). Jump and grab the ladder, immediately drop down along the ladder fast (by tapping Ctrl repeatedly) to avoid taking too much damage from the spears popping out from the ladder. To top it off she will also lose some health dropping down from the bottom of the ladder, but all in all the entire sequence shouldn’t cost her more than tops half her health.
You’ll now find Lara standing in a room with a sarcophagus. Go ahead and place the Flambeau on the pedestal at the foot of the sarcophagus and watch in amazement as a flame burns the rope holding up the sword in Damocles’ Tomb. The sword drops and well, the rest is history as they say. Locate the jump switch on the right-most column by the E wall and pull it down to open a nearby door. This leads back out to the room from before and from there you can return to Damocles’ Tomb and claim your hard-earned prize: Binro’s Gem from the floor next to the sarcophagus.
Binro the Heretic:
Leave the tomb and cross the room past Verdilet’s Tomb and over to the final resting place of Binro the Heretic. Use the gemstone in the receptacle next to the tomb in order to gain access to it. In this tomb you will find a sarcophagus with some burners underneath it. Face N and locate the jump switch on one of the columns, pulling this down lowers the portcullis so that you can move on to the next room.
This room bears a slight resemblance to the one where we found the Flambeau. Off to the right there’s a closed gate in the wall with another gemstone receptacle right next to it. At the back of the pillar opposite of said gate you’ll find a ladder. The top of it is a slope so it won’t be possible to pull up without sliding back down. What you need to do here is to pull up and immediately perform a backflip and roll. Angle Lara hard right in mid-air and she should land on a safe ledge right of the ladder.
A timed run and some backtracking for a secret:
Turn to face N/W and runjump to the ledge behind the pillar. Pull up onto that first pillar and face the slope adorned with the image of a warrior N/E. Landing on this slope will open a trapdoor further up and a timer will start ticking. You need to get past the trapdoor before it closes again. Here’s how to do it:
Try to aim for the far corner of the warrior slope and do a running jump with a mid-air roll. The moment she hits the slope jump with a right angle to land on the next slope. Jump again and grab the ladder ahead, climb up about four rungs, backflip/roll and grab the slope behind. Shimmy right as fast as you can, pull up and immediately jump with a right angle, press Action to grab the ladder. Now all you need to do is to climb up to the top as fast as you can before the trapdoor closes.
Face and you’ll see a slope over by the wall (by the right-hand side). Do a running jump to land near the bottom of the slope and jump with a sharp right angle to land in the alcove here. Do a running jump over to the alcove right to get a Magic Elixir, then return to the previous alcove. Climb down the long ladder to the pillar at the bottom. There’s a secret nearby, but getting it means quite a detour so this is for you to decide. If you want it turn right and do a running jump to grab the crawlspace in the left wall. Pull up and retrieve Secret # 7: Manna from Heaven. Now you will have no choice but to drop down to the floor and go all the way back to the pillar at the bottom of the ladder (past the timed run/jump/climb and everything).
Demon Smalls’ Virtual Workshop- solving the puzzle of the colored tiles:
Once you’re back at the base of the ladder (or if you should choose not to go for the secret) do a running jump + grab to the alcove E with the colorful platforms. Pull down the jump switch to the left and proceed to climb the ladder down into the hole. Head E towards the room with the flickering candlelight (ignore the right passage; it only leads back out to the previous room). It’s time to ask for some much needed assistance so place the scroll on the pedestal ahead to summon Demon Smalls.
A cut-scene shows our learned friend standing with a pair of stilts up by the colorful platforms. “Hmm, interesting” he says and a door opens in the room with the scroll pedestal. Head down the passage where you’ll find a door and a sign reading “You are about to enter the Demon Smalls Virtual Workshop”. Open the door and on a platform in the middle of a dark void you’ll find four miniature-statues of Demon Smalls. Each of them is attached to a stick and at the end of the stick you will find some colored blocks (same colors as the platforms, what a coincidence). These statues are moveable and your workshop task is to move them about so that the colored blocks attached to them form a single straight line. You can try doing this yourself or refer to THIS SCREENSHOT if you need help:
Once the task is done be sure to note the order of the colors (from left to right) and leave through the other door to return to the Mausoleum.
You’ll end up in the room where you placed the scroll before. Leave and climb the ladder back up to the platforms. By now you should know what to do with them. The way of solving the puzzle is to walk (or run, if you prefer) across the platforms in the correct order (according to the colors). This is the exact same order as the colors of the blocks in the workshop. The correct order of the platforms is YELLOW- BLUE- GREEN- RED- YELLOW.
Absolution from heresy- the second gemstone:
That done you will see a cutscene showing the sarcophagus sliding across the floor to reveal the second gemstone and the voice of Binro cuts through the silent air: “Oh blessed relief. Absolution from heresy. Thank you Lord”. Drop down and go back out to the sarcophagus, pick up the 2nd Binro’s Gem from the floor. Return to the room with the slopes and ladders once more and use the gemstone in the receptacle by the right wall to open the gate next to it.
The three L’s- ladders, levers and lava + some flame emitters for good measure:
Follow the long passage to a lava pool that has flame emitters in it. There are column alcoves on each side of the narrow lava trench; the idea here is to navigate by jumping back and forth along these column alcoves. You’ll have to jump in zigzags from left to right and back (or vice versa: from right to left etc.) and of course time your jumps past the flame emitters. At the end jump from the left column over to the floor by the levers.
You now have to use the levers to align the ladders at the opposite side of the room so that you can climb across them. Going left to right start by pushing lever # 1. This moves the ladders 2, 4 and 5. Push lever # 2 to move ladders 4 and 5 again and finally push lever # 4 to move the 4th ladder back.
Go back to where you came from and do a running jump to grab the first ladder. Climb left and be extra careful as you climb past the flame emitters (go past when they’re down) and climb around the left corner into the alcove. Go forwards a few steps, turn around and climb up the long ladder above.
On top you’ll find a room that looks identical to the one before. This time standjump to the column alcove on the left-hand side and jump straight up to grab the monkeyswing. Traverse across the lava trench, being cautious not to get too close to the flame emitters. At the end drop down onto a slope and jump to land on the floor ahead. A short fly-by shows a nearby jump switch so go to the end and right, then run into the hole while keeping Action pressed. Lara will grab the jump switch, thus raising the portcullis previously blocking your access to the Hall of Memories.
The Hall of Memories- one Immortal Soul less:
Lara lands on the floor near Verdilet’s sarcophagus so go past it and enter the Hall of Memories. Go up the stairs and past the black curtains, walk up to the two spheres at the far end and press Action. We see Lara placing her hands upon them, ghostly whispers rise through the air and we’re shown a camera shot of Verdilet’s sarcophagus. Speaking of which, Verdilet is coming up behind Lara on a dark steed right now so as soon as the cutscene ends roll and draw guns to prepare for a lengthy battle.
The first thing you need to do is to knock him off the horse. This is by far the worst part. The bullets will only affect him if you hit him straight in the chest (you might see some turquoise sparks when you hit in the right spot), something which is not all that easy as the horse seems to do a pretty good job in keeping him out of Lara’s range. The whole thing will take very long, but don’t give up- just keep backflipping, sideflipping, running and dodging while firing like a mad until he finally drops off the horse’s back. From here on it’s a cakewalk. Now all you need to do is to run, jump and shoot him in the chest until he falls. You can tell when he’s about to launch an attack with his sword as he will slow down the pace a slight bit right before. When he finally drops pick up the Mausoleum Key he leaves behind (notice that the horse is gone too.
Go towards the closed portcullis and use the Mausoleum Key in the keyhole to the left. This raises the portcullis so leave the room and head over to Verdilet’s sarcophagus. Climb down into the hole left behind as the sarcophagus slid away and enter the dark tomb. Pick up the Immortal Soul of Verdilet from the head of the coffin and climb back up.
Now it’s finally time to leave the Mausoleum behind. As you head up the stairs you’ll see a cutscene of Lara handing the Immortal Soul to the Chief Registrar.
Chief Registrar: My dear Verdilet. Ah, how you have led us a merry chase. Time to burn!
The soul vanishes and right afterwards we see Demon Smalls down by the Phlegyas. An explosion sets in and Smalls reacts with a “What the hell” before he sees Verdilet struggling to get out of the lake of boiling blood. “You pathetic little man” he snorts and it’s time for one last show-down in…..
LEVEL 10- THE REALM OF THE LOST PART III:
Enemies: Baby demons,
Deeper underground:
Lara hitches a ride with the Demon Expressway and lands back down in the Lost Realm. Head down the stairs, cross the open area by the Mausoleum and down the stairs to the shores of Phlegyas where you last met Demon Smalls and Anubis. Go left along the shore towards the rock where you got the flares before. This time do a running jump to the flat, triangular block at the base of the rocks (past the odd-looking plants and the soul squirming in the boiling blood). From there do a running jump to the other side. The glass window that prevented you from entering before is now gone and you can reunite with Demon Smalls and head down the stairs to…..
LEVEL 11- FACTORIES:
Pickups: None + 3 Secrets ()
Spoken of in whispers- arrival at the Factories:
Demon Smalls is trailing off with another deep reflection as we’re treated to an impressive fly-by of the premises: “Spoken of in whispers at the Deadside margins, in the hushed and shivering tones of the lurking, lurching revenants. These places, blood temples to the Loa, where the Dark Souls did find their secret corner. Hidden by the sanguinary sisters steeped in voodoo lore”.
Sounds good to me. Or maybe not, when I think about it. He’s gone again anyways, so pick up the Reminder from Demon Smalls which reads “Lara, Remember you have my instructions on how to build a beacon! DS”. For further reference these instructions are found in the readme file that comes along with the level. The main task of this level is to use items located within the Factories to construct a beacon so that you (and Demon Smalls) can summon Geryon. He will then take you to the Dark Souls’ Stronghold.
The Oil Refinery- gathering some equipment:
First of all go left towards the truck standing there (they have actual vehicles in Hell?). Search the left side of the vehicle for an empty Jerrycan. Go S past the toxic pool to the shed and pick up the Lump of Coal from the barrel on the left side of the shed. We’re getting the key for the locked shed later on. For now continue S past the shed and towards the drilling machine ahead. Next to it there’s a small pool of oil and here you can fill up the jerrycan. Turn around and head towards the shed again, picking up the flares up on the rocks to the right on your way there. Go to the front of the shed and we’ll be getting the key right away, even though we won’t need it just yet.
Start going W and at the middle you’ll find some silver tanks in a pool of toxic waste. At the middle of said pool you might just spot the key you’re looking for, but how to get through the toxic waste alive? The answer lies near the gilded tanks S. Go towards them and turn around to face the pool, here you’ll find some colorful levers. There’s only one you can pull and doing so drains the toxic pool, BUT only for a short while.
Pull the lever and run right past the lever panel. Sprint straight ahead into the now drained pool and pick up the Shed Key. You’re running out of time now so immediately turn right and pull up onto the silver tank before the toxic waste starts filling the pool again.
We’ll be going over to the shed in just a moment. But before doing so head N towards the chute-shaped pipes (or whatever they are) that have steam coming out of the top. Right by them there’s a hole in the ground, go down the stairs and at the end of the passage you’ll find a room with an “Ancillary Pipe to Petroleum Cracker”. Pour the oil into the ancillary pipe and watch the cutscene of things going on outside. The capsule drops from the slim pipe to your right, go over and pick it up- it turns out to be something called Polypropylene.
Intelligent rubber and a secret:
Leave the room and return to the shed. Use the key you got before to unlock the door and enter. Inside you’ll find another odd-looking device and a sign where it says “Intelligent Plastic (Experimental)”. On the left side of this sign there’s an empty receptacle for a bottle of some sort. The sign above it says “Polypropylene” and you happen to have just that sort of thing with you. Place it in the empty spot and watch as the machine is activated and the glass case protecting the button nearby raises. Push this button to turn the machine on and it will produce for you one piece of Intelligent Plastic. Not only is it intelligent, it’s apparently also very much alive. Follow it out the door and run around the refinery chasing it. While doing so draw your guns and shoot at it until it stops moving. You can now pick up the Intelligent Plastic.
We’re heading over to the Factories themselves now, but first a short detour for a secret. Go back to the toxic pool where you got the key before and stand on the side with the colorful levers. Walk along the pool to the next one (towards the Factories) and underneath the pipes right of the second pool you will have to look closely to spot Secret # 8: the shotgun. Lara might have to crouch in order to retrieve it.
Now it’s time to enter the Factories. First of all pick up the flares on the right-hand side of the stairs (at the main entrance). Go around the building to the left and here you’ll find a small brown-reddish door in the right wall. Approach it to be transported into the Factory.
Factory of Hell:
This place is really quite confusing and I spent a lot of time running around in circles in here, but I’ll try to be as concise as possible in my explanations. Have a look around the main hall. There are two doorways leading out of the room: one in the W wall (past the conveyor belt with the machine that is spawning baby demons) and one in the S wall. By following the hallway W you’ll reach a room where Demon Smalls is standing by his ever-useful laptop near something called a Bantam Node Machine. This machine is currently of no use to us whatsoever, but we’ll be needing it later on so just take a mental note of that place and apart from that mental note feel free to ignore it for now. Let’s explore the S passage instead.
First the secret, then some more useful tools:
First of all go straight ahead and around the corner, you’ll reach the demon tubes. Right before you reach them though turn right and there’s a hard-to-spot ladder on the dark wall. See THIS SCREENSHOT if you’re uncertain about the location:
Climb up there and bring along Secret # 9: revolver ammo and a Magic Elixir. Go down to the ground and continue forwards.
Go left past the demon tubes (there are stairs leading down to the right behind the demon tubes, we’ll deal with those later) and make it a first left. Scour the first shelf on the left side to find the crowbar. Notice the stairs going down to the right, but first of all move further down to find a second shelf on the left-hand side. Grab the Signal Bolt and Manna from Heaven from the second shelf and continue forwards to the area with the turning wheels. Go on through that area and turn the corner, you’ve now reached another baby demon conveyor belt.
One final secret before getting down to serious business:
In the S/W corner there’s a silver tank and the floor tile underneath the tank is slightly raised. Stand next to the tank and pull up onto the pillar. Turn around and do a running jump to the pillar opposite. Now you have to reach the pillar across the slope- this is done by doing a running jump + grab to the gap in the wall N. Walk to the end and do a running jump to the pillar I mentioned. From here do a final long running jump and a last-moment-grab to reach the gap in the E wall. Crouch while pulling up, otherwise Lara might drop down to the floor instead. Crawl left and pick up Secret # 10- Manna from Heaven. Now you’ve found all the secrets scattered about in the Factories, time to get down to some real business.
Return to the demon tubes and this time head down the stairs behind them. At the junction go left (the right side is for later) and you’ll reach a room with a toxic pool at the bottom of the gap. Notice how Lara is looking towards the silver tank at the other side of the room? Do a running jump towards it, aiming for the middle of the pipes sticking out of the wall and she’ll grab hold of the edge on the other side (I found that this trick only works in the particular spot, in all other spots she’ll miss and drop down into the toxic waste below). Pull up and follow the passage on the left.
The VHPC machine- turning coal into diamonds:
Head through the first opening on your right and down the stairs to the next room. Go right and you’ll find a machine called VHPC. Place the lump of coal you found outside in the machine’s empty slot and the panel protecting the nearby button opens. Approach it and push the button to get the VHPC going. It starts with a lot of clanking and fizzing and ends up with steam hissing out of the slot where you placed the coal. Walk towards the machine and stop at a safe distance from the steam. As the steam stops for a moment run forwards and press Action. Lara will reach into the machine and pull out a Diamond. Immediately backflip to avoid the steam and return back up the stairs.
Looting the storeroom and the laser diamond challenge:
Turn right and go straight to the end. Lara enters a storeroom and in here you can loot the shelves for a Magic Elixir, Manna from Heaven, a Copper Sheet and Electronic Components. At the far back of the room there’s a small button on the wall, this opens the door on the right-hand side. Head out there and you’re back on the other side of the toxic pool. Leave this room and continue through the hallway until you reach the stairs leading back up to the Main Entrance Area. Do not go up there yet though, instead continue following the passage around the corner to a room with rotating diamond lasers. Time for the next challenge.
There’s a door at the W side of the room that needs to be opened. In order to do this you’ll need to push all five buttons scattered across the room and each of these will in addition stop one rotating diamond laser. As you can imagine the tough challenge awaiting you down here is to reach these buttons without being killed by the mentioned lasers. This is without a single doubt one of the more challenging tasks in the game and it takes a lot of skills, patience and luck. Fortunately you can save at certain spots between the lasers (mainly where the lasers have already been stopped), but do be sure that you have actually succeeded in pushing the buttons. If you haven’t you might be unlucky enough to save the game just as the supposedly stopped laser comes gliding back and kills her.
The easiest thing to do is to always aim for the closest button. In the case of the first run this is located around the left corner and if I’ve counted correctly there are four lasers you need to avoid in order to get there. Finally remember that you simply can NOT afford to overshoot the buttons. If you do she will never succeed as the lasers will catch up with her before she gets a chance to move away.
Button # 1- Deactivating the first two lasers:
First of all wait for the first laser and start running after it as it moves away from Lara. Run around the left corner, pause for a moment to wait for the next laser to move away and then run to the button with a sharp left angle. Again remember that you have to hit the button straight-on. Immediately push it and sideflip left twice. Here you can save your game first time after making sure that the lasers have actually stopped. Just for the record the ones in question are located right of the entrance (when facing it) and if you turn left from there you’ll see the second deactivated trap in the alcove over by the N wall.
Button # 2- Another couple of lasers deactivated:
Position Lara as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT:
On the wall ahead and left you’ll spot the second button, to reach it you have to dodge three lasers. One of them is sliding back and forth directly past the button, the other two cross paths right in front of where Lara is currently standing. Wait until the laser going directly past the button slides off into the left passage and there’s a small gap between the remaining two lasers. At that point run forwards to the button and immediately push it (note that the buttons will turn from yellow to blue once they’re pushed). Wait for a moment and if the laser doesn’t come back from the left-hand passage you can save your game again. The lasers that you have stopped this time would be the one going along the passage with the second button and the one going back and forth up to the entrance of the room.
Button # 3- Nearly halfway there:
Go left from the button and time a run past the moving laser to the exit door. Of course it’s still closed, but turn to face S/E and you’ll find the third button at the back of the pillar. Wait until the laser passing that button goes off to the right, then run to the button and push it. Save the game again once you’re certain that the laser isn’t coming back.
Button # 4- Three down, two to go:
Walk down the passage past the third button and face the opposite side of the room (E) and the first button. What I did here was to position Lara as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT
(opposite of the deactivated laser right of the entrance) and as the remaining lasers cross in each their direction run/jump across the room and stop next to the laser rolling past the first button (but do take care to stop so far away from it that it won’t hit Lara). Now position her as shown in THIS SCREENSHOT:
and as the lasers cross, leaving a gap between them, run across to the button shown in the screenshot. Push it immediately to stop the laser coming towards Lara.
Button # 5- Almost there:
Now you only have two lasers and one button left to go. Position Lara facing W and the button on the wall there. As the laser slides off to the right run to the button and push it to stop the final two lasers and see the door opening. Congratulations on successfully completing one of the most difficult tasks in this game!
Stage I Fabrication- the Stage I Device:
Make your way over to the open door and enter the next room. Here you’ll find a device with the name Stage I Fabrication. Stand in front of the left side of the device and press Action. Lara will drop the Intelligent Plastic into a hole in the machine. Repeat the move on the right-hand side and she’ll rid herself of the Signal Bolt. Go past the device and use the red lever on the right-hand side. A panel covering the button to the left is raised so go over to it and use the button to activate the machine. Wait while the machine does its work and when it’s done use the crowbar to pry off the Stage I Device.
Return to the room with the deactivated lasers and we see a cutscene showing Demon Smalls attempting to activate the Bantam Node Machine. Apparently his attempts are useless because he keeps getting an error message and in the end he turns towards the camera with an exasperated “Hmm, not good”.
Cross the room while staying clear of the lasers, they can still kill her if she touches them. Turn the corner left and follow the stairs left back up to the demon tubes. Keeping the tubes on your left-hand side go straight ahead (E) into the passage opposite. Turn right and go down the stairs opposite of the first shelf.
Chemical Etching- Stage II Device:
In the room at the bottom of the stairs you’ll find the Chemical Etching Machine. Next to the stairs there are two circuit boards with the words Stage II written above one of them. Turn around and walk over to the large spool by the toxic waste and press Action to make Lara place the Stage Device I into the hole in the spool. Go around the machine to the other side and place the Copper Sheet inside the other side of the spool. That done the panel above the button rises so that you can proceed to push it.
Wait for the machine to stop and pick up the Stage I & Empty Circuit Board from the platform. This combined with the Electric Components creates the Stage II Device. Leave this room now and as you do so you’ll see another cutscene of Demon Smalls typing frantically on his laptop. He has now gotten the Bantam Node Machine to work so head up the stairs, go past the demon tubes and return to the Main Hall (this is where you first came when you entered the Factories).
It’s Beacon Construction time:
This time head through the W doorway and go on until you reach the room with the Bantam Node Machine (Demon Smalls has now packed his things and taken off again). Pick up the Bantam Node left behind and combine it with the Diamond to create the Regulating Round. Return to the Main Hall and this time locate the machine past the demon conveyor belt called Beacon Construction. Stand in front of the machine (right where the turquoise arrows are) and press Action to toss the Regulating Round and the Stage II Device into the machine. The panel to the right is raised so that you can finally go on to push the button. Watch the amazing cutscene showing the machine at work and when it has finished you can go to the end of the conveyor belt and pick up the Beacon.
Now that you have gotten what you came here for you can leave the Factories through the E door. Lara is instantly transported up to a stone bridge somewhere; go to the end where you’ll meet up with Demon Smalls. Cast one last glance at the Factories and place the Beacon on the pedestal here.
The morbid mystery entwines- on a ride with Geryon:
A final cutscene shows Lara tossing Smalls up to a switch and as he pulls it down the beacon lights start swirling out through the dark skies. “Look!” Demon Smalls shouts as Geryon comes soaring up. His mouth opens and Smalls lets out an “Oh yeah!” in excitement as the unlikely couple walks in and start descending.
Demon Smalls: “And deeper still, the morbid mystery entwines. What love I ever had for life should find its place in here, locked within a cankered cell beset by madmen chained to hell. The horror, the horror, I embrace it………… Ok, ok, let’s just get this thing over with”.
LEVEL 12- DARK SOULS’ STRONGHOLD:
Pickups: Magic Elixirs, Team Anubis Scroll, Stronghold Key, 4x Lucifer Star, revolver ammo, For We Mask, Are Many Mask, Dark Soul of Legion, Manna from Heaven + 1 Secret (revolver ammo)
Enemies: Belial, Legion/s (+ Mini-Legions & Baby-Legions), Madam Orr
Floating islands- reaching the bridge:
Let’s indeed! Take a moment to savor the sight of the impressive Stronghold where the Dark Souls reside (kind of Floating Islands-atmosphere here isn’t it?). Walk over to Demon Smalls and look over at the slab of rock he’s staring at. You have to do a running jump to it, try aiming for the left side and press Action in the last moment to grab the edge. Pull up and watch the cutscene showing how Demon Smalls tries jumping after you. He misses the ledge and plummets down into the darkness below. “Smalls!” Lara cries after him, luckily he still has his parachute. Let’s hope he’s still ok and in one piece.
Face N/E and do a running jump to the next rock, this will cost Lara a little bit of health. The next jump is rather tricky and it requires her to do a long running jump (without pressing Action) to land on the sloped rock ahead. Try aiming for the top side closest to you, she should just about make it. Continue making your way across the rocks with running jumps and finally a long running jump + grab to reach the bridge.
The portcullis here is down so apparently we can’t enter the Stronghold from here. You can’t go along the right side because sooner or later you’ll run into a gap which is too wide for Lara to jump across and because of this we’ll need to go the long way around the left side.
Rock climbing along the Stronghold:
Do a running jump around the corner of the castle to land on a flat spot. If you hit the slope below it’s no big deal as long as you only slide down to the flat part below (as opposed to sliding down into the abyss), from there you can simply standjump back up. Walk to the end and this time you’ll need to do a running jump to land on the slope near the wall. From here she should slide down to the next flat area. Continue walking as far as you can and runjump to the triangular block ahead right at corner.
Walk around the perimeter until you see the turret ahead. Don’t worry about the skeleton harpy on top of it, he’s harmless (for once). Go up as high as you can and do a standing jump while angling Lara right to land on the rocks around the next corner. Go on follow the perimeter until the end, stopping on the way to pick up the Magic Elixir nestled among the reeds. Walk up along the rocks, stop a few steps from the slope ahead and standjump to the flat spot right before the slope. From there you can do a long running jump to land at the slope’s far side and slide down to the safe triangular ledge. From there jump up to the flat part by the turret.
It is really quite obvious where to go next, you just have to follow the rocks around the perimeter of the Stronghold, searching for flat spots and using either running or standing jumps to reach them. There is only one way to go and that is forwards. After a while you will reach a triangular ledge where you have to do a running jump with a sharp right angle to land on flat grounds around the corner. This is rather difficult to do, but try to stay at least one-two steps away from the wall and don’t let go of the Up arrow key until she lands on the other side.
The Courtyard- entering the Demon Domain:
Here you’ll see another turret and skeleton harpy. Go underneath it and pick up another Magic Elixir among the blue reeds. Continue making your way around the perimeter and in the distance you’ll see the rocks where you started the level. I know I could list every single jump and run, but quite frankly there is only one way you can go here and figuring out how to reach the flat spots really isn’t all that difficult, thus I have chosen to omit any unnecessary details. Right around the corner you’ll finally reach the ladder you came all this way for. If you want/need a final pickup before taking on the Dark Souls you can jump around the corner to a triangular ledge and from there runjump to the rocks ahead and pick up the Magic Elixir hidden among the blue reeds.
Return to the ladder with a standing jump and another one around the corner. Climb up to the top and go through the crawlspace. Ignore the gate to the right, just continue through and climb down the ladder into a courtyard. Ignore the pickup on the tall pillar, we’ll get that one later. Just continue around the courtyard and you’ll now find Lara to be on the other side of the portcullis that prevented you from entering directly from the bridge. Pass the portcullis S and go either left or right. A new part of the level loads.
The gate right is blocked so go through the left doorway instead. In this room there are three doorways- the names above them read Belial, Orr and Legion. These are the three Dark Souls you’ve come so far to battle and now you have to take them on one by one. You can fight them in any order you like, according to Richard’s added readme-file the following can be said about each one:
BELIAL:
Belial is a powerful demon believed to be the first of the fallen angels. He is impervious to Lara’s earthly weapons and so Team Anubis will have to deal with this one. Some spells and other paraphernalia will have been transmitted down to the stronghold. Lara simply needs to read the spells. Belial is not able to destroy these but he may have placed items beyond Lara’s reach. Team Anubis has tried to anticipate his moves.
Difficulty Rating: 7
LEGION:
For he is many. He’s easy to kill - but he won’t stay dead. He’ll keep coming at you with evermore ferocious attacks. Eventually his Dark Soul may be 'exposed’. Destroy it to completely destroy Legion. A tough battle of attrition.
Difficulty Rating: 8
MADAM ORR:
The unofficial leader. Treacherous and very deadly, Madam Orr was the Dark Soul who exerted an evil influence over Demon Smalls at Demon Heights (see ub1 - Recruiting Demon Smalls). Demon Smalls does not recall much from his ‘time under’ but he suspects he was coerced into designing a spell defense system that will neutralize Lara’s firepower. Madam Orr can be taken down with a single shot - but it’s not likely to be that easy.
Difficulty Rating: 9
As mentioned before you can take them down in any order you prefer, I will simply list the strategies I used for each one below. Personally I strongly agree that Madam Orr is the hardest one by far. As for the remaining two I found them to be on a pretty even level in regards to difficulty, but I would still say that to me the Legion-challenge was slightly easier than facing Belial. The latter was actually the one that cost me the most health, but as I said this is a personal opinion only and may or may not reflect the opinions of the builder and/or other players.
Belial:
This grunting and squealing demon has got two hammers and he’s not afraid to use them (unfortunately for us). Each time he strikes them on the ground powerful blasts will be sent out and these can cause Lara some seriously damage. Our weapons have no effect on him either, so we’ll need to summon Team Anubis for this task. For that we’ll need a scroll and here’s part of the problem: exactly where is the mentioned scroll hidden? The white blocks in the corners on each side of the slope where you came down are safe, but you can’t stay there forever.
Dash over to the N wall and pull the jump switch here to open a door to your right. Run into that room and jump up onto one of the ledges here, Belial won’t be able to harm Lara as long as she stands on those either. Notice the scroll pedestal in the corner? At least now you know where to go once you have the scroll, but the hard part is finding it.
In the small room where you slid down there’s an urn. You have to move this urn across the floor onto the tile below the hanging hammer. In order to do so you should try to lure Belial as far into the large room with the white ledges as possible before returning to the small room to move the urn. You won’t be capable of moving it all the way in one go (I could only move it one tile at a time), if Belial comes back just seek refuge on the white blocks or ledges and repeat the procedure until the urn is in the right spot. Remember that when you push the urn onto the tile below the hammer you’ll have to backflip immediately, otherwise Lara will take quite a lot of damage.
When the urn is broken grab the Team Anubis Scroll and dash into the room with the pedestal. Place the scroll there to summon Team Anubis. The two guardians will remain standing on the white blocks in the small room though, so you’ll need to lure Belial out there to get him within their range. When the beast finally goes down pick up the Stronghold Key he drops.
Star of the Devil:
Use the key to open the gate in the room where you placed the scroll. Follow the hallway and climb the white ledge to the right where you can push a lever to open the first gate out of three. Continue along the hallway to be transported to a new part of the level.
Go straight forwards onto the bridge and you’re now on top of the turret you saw earlier. Don’t worry about the skeleton harpy, he’ll stay out of your business and remain in his position above the turret. Walk around the turret and on the other side you’ll find the 1st Lucifer Star. Go back towards where you came from and this time turn and head N. When you reach the end look down to spot some revolver ammo on a pillar, drop down onto the pillar and collect it. Now hop down to the ground and make your way back inside, return to the room with the three doorways and get ready for the next battle.
Legion:
Go through the doorway, down the stairs and drop down onto the slope leading down to Legion’s domain. First of all notice the lever to your left- push this to open the second out of the three gates (this will be leading you to the final Lucifer Star, but more on that later).
Now move forwards to the next room and take a mental note of the ramps with the blue sparks and the flickering flames. There are gilded tracks leading from each ramp to a flame, try to remember which tracks are shorter than the others (this might help you a bit afterwards). Head through the gate to the left (S), it opens as you approach. Legion appears before you. Well, what do you know….he looks just like your average samurai warrior! “My name is Legion, for we are many” he greets you. And just for the record: he is NOT joking. Even the pistols can be used for taking him down in no time. Notice the scepter before the painting of Legion- and the prying eyes left and right of it. We’re leaving this room behind now, I’d strongly recommend you to save your game now and swap to the revolver before re-entering the lava room with the glass floor.
Come to think of it, that battle just seemed way too easy for being one of the final bosses. Well, it’s all but over. The moment you re-enter the previous room you will see what he meant by “For we are many”. Mini-Legions start running down the ramps and across the gilded tracks towards the fires. You have to get rid of them all before they reach the fires, if you fail Lara will catch fire. They don’t all come out at once and some of the tracks are (as mentioned earlier) longer so it will take a few seconds extra for those Mini-Legions to reach the end of the tracks. Again I recommend you to use the revolver so that you can dispose of each one with a single bullet or two.
The good thing is that here you have the option of saving the game between each battle. Once all the Mini-Legions are dead the gate in the N wall opens. Go through and you’ll hear a vicious laughter ringing through the air: a final Mini-Legion starts running down the ramp towards the nearby flame in an attempt to ambush you. Run back into the room with the ramps quickly and dispose of it before it reaches the end of the line.
Save your game and re-enter the N passage. You’re nearly halfway there so keep at it. In the next room you’ll find a lava pool and immediately ahead there’s a gilded ramp with one safe tile between two burner tiles. The blue sparks on top should be a small hint of what’s to come here and you can also take a mental note of the two Legions waiting on the other side of the lava.
Stand at the edge, hop backwards once and do a running jump with a twist in mid-air to land on the safe gilded tile. A Mini-Legion will come running down the ramp and attempt to push Lara into the burners. You can hop backwards and grab the edge; Lara is now facing the entrance. Now you can either pull up and dispose of the Mini-Legion with one revolver or alternatively runjump back to the entrance and use the pistols to kill it from there (I prefer the latter, as a means to save some much needed ammo).
Runjump back to the safe gilded tile and ahead you’ll see a similar scenario: only here you have two Legion-ramps (one on each side) and also two spike tiles. The moment you land the two Mini-Legions will come running down to push Lara into the spikes and in addition one of the Legions on the opposite side will come alive and start shooting bolts of lightning at her. Great! Runjump to the safe gilded tile, hop backwards and grab. Pull up as fast as you can, run and jump to the previous ramp (with the burners) and from here you can kill the two Mini-Legions. You’ll have to return to the ledge with the spikes in order to kill the bolt-firing Legion though.
Once he’s dead a tile will raise in the lava pool, enabling you to cross over to the other side. Standjump from the gilded tile to grab the lava tile and shimmy left, stop right before the corner. Now pull up, run and jump at the edge to reach the other side. At this point the second Legion will come alive and start firing at you as well. On such close hold I’d recommend you to do a “demigod special”: crouch right in front of him, draw pistols and fire until he falls, his bolts will naturally go straight over Lara’s head and it will do no damage to her whatsoever. Now that they’re both dead you can save the game again and pick up the For We Mask that one of them dropped and the Are Many Mask left behind by the other.
Oh woe! Look towards the other side of the lava pool and you’ll see a whole army of Baby Legions pouring towards Lara. Now we have to move quicker than fire in dry grass. Do a running jump to the lava tile, angle Lara during the run so that she can jump to the tile between the spikes. Here you’ll have to stop for a moment, because you’ll need to step back to the edge so that Lara will have enough room for a running jump to the next tile. Just try to do it quickly to avoid taking too much damage. Grab the edge of the tile between the burners, immediately pull up and runjump towards the entrance.
Dash through the next room and into the N passage. Follow to the room where you killed the first Legion and place the two masks at the eyes on each side of the scepter. Grab The Dark Soul of Legion that materializes on top of the scepter and dash back out to the previous room.
Run left through the now open doorway W and you’ll come to a new room. The Baby Legions are still on your tail so hurry up and slam the dark soul down onto the sharp stake at the centre of the room. A huge burst of flames and a piercing scream and all the Legions vanish into thin air (thank Heavens for that!). Go through the portcullis that rises and follow the path to the loading of a new area.
A timed run, some pickups and the 2nd Lucifer Star:
Walk out to the turret and pick up the 2nd Lucifer Star. Go back and head down the stairs to the N. In the S/E corner you can get some revolver ammo and return back up. Go S this time and runjump over to the ledge by the window to the left. Walk around to the other side and do a long banana-jump to grab the high part of the castle wall (she won’t grab the lower part so don’t even bother trying). Start down the stairs N, but turn left almost immediately and enter the room here to grab that Manna from Heaven you saw through the windows earlier. Notice that elevated tile left of the doorway? This is the start of a timed run.
Run over the tile and a gate somewhere opens (press Look to break the camera shot of the gate opening). Dash out and left down the stairs, turn sharply left around the corner and sprint down the long hallway. Make another sharp turn right around the corner and dash/dive/roll through the gate before it opens.
At the crawlspace junction go right and climb down the ladder, you’re back in the courtyard. Return through the portcullis back to the Demon Domain.
Madam Orr:
Go down the stairs and you’ll find a mist-like layer resting over the ground. On the wall to the right there’s a sign saying “Weapons suppression spell in operation”. If you try to draw your weapons you’ll find that you can’t. Well then, how are we going to shoot that bronze ball hanging above the lava trench left of the closed door?
Return to the stairs and at the bottom you’ll find a crawlspace high up in the left corner. Pull up there, crawl through and approach the chain. Yank it and the bronze ball moves, leaving the door open. Go back down and slide into the domain of Madam Orr.
Madam Orr will arrive in the room at the same time as you do. This is one lethal lady and she can (and will) launch some mighty power bolts that can set Lara on fire. She can be killed with one single revolver bullet, but how can this be done if you can’t draw weapons?
Immediately run to the W wall and pull the jump switch here (this might take one heck of a lot of tries as this Countess of Hell has a tendency of firing the most lethal bolts just as Lara lands on the floor after pulling the switch, thus she can’t get out of the way quickly enough). This raises a gilded tile in the lava pool E. The weapons suppression spell is ineffective on that particular tile, but the problem is that it will sink into the lava as soon as Lara steps on it. There is one way you can prevent the tile from sinking right away, but that is a solution so simple that I’ll leave it for you to figure it out (hint: the tile will stop sinking as soon as Lara’s weight is taken off it). As Madam Orr is consumed by flames and dies she will send off one last burst of lethal bolts so be sure you jump out of the way to avoid those.
When this tough task is finally over pick up the revolver ammo by the S wall, run over to the corner and climb the rope up through the open trapdoor (notice that Lara can climb even when the revolver is drawn). Backflip to the floor behind, move down the passage and pull the lever in the alcove to open the final out of the three gates. Follow the passage around and up the stairs to move on to the next part.
Battle won- claiming your prize:
Cross the bridge and go ahead towards the turret with the hovering skeleton harpy above. Stop for a moment as you walk through the arch, face the right wall (approximately at the middle) and press Action. Lara will hop up and grab Secret # 11: revolver ammo, which is this adventure’s final secret. Now you can move out and around the turret to pick up the 3rd Lucifer Star.
Go back towards the bridge and turn right (W). Hop over to the wall and at the corner look down to spot a pickup on a pillar. Drop down there and retrieve the Magic Elixir, then drop down into the courtyard and return through the portcullis to the courtyard right before the room with the three doors leading to the Demon Domain (where the entrances to Legion, Belial and Orr are located). This time go through the doorway with the three gates that you have already opened. Head up the stairs and yet another part of the level loads.
Up, up and away- to the Stronghold roof for the final Lucifer Star:
You’re now outside again and you’ve reached an upper level of the castle. Start by going N and around the corner, here you can start looking for a ladder down on the castle wall (look between the rocky stumps lining up the edge). Drop and grab the edge, shimmy over to the ladder and start climbing down until you’re level with the alcove to the left. Climb around the corner and into the alcove, follow to the next room where you can push a lever to lower a rope somewhere.
Go back out to the alcove. You can’t climb the short part of the ladder, but I found that it’s possible to shimmy along the edge of the alcove and over to the ladder. Climb up to the top, across past the first stump and vault up onto the ledge. Head right and around the corner, here you’ll find the rope you lowered before. Climb the block and jump straight up while pressing Action to grab the rope. Now you have to swing and at the highest peak leap off the rope and press Action to grab the ladder S.
Climb up to the top and continue straight forwards (S). Follow the ledge around until you reach a taller block on the right-hand side. Climb onto this and turn to face the castle, standjump to grab the dark opening in the wall. Walk forwards and then turn around to face the entrance, look up to spot a ladder. Jump to grab the ladder and climb up to the roof of the castle. Inside the small dome you can pick up the 4th Lucifer Star. Now you have to go down all the way back to the Demon Domain.
Entering the home of the Devil:
Put simply: climb down the first ladder, go around the perimeter until you reach the short ladder (the one you jumped to from the rope), climb it and drop down to the ground (losing a little bit of health in the process). Walk around the perimeter until you reach the open doorway in the wall- go through there and down the stairs and you’re now back in the courtyard with the entrance to the Demon Domain.
Go in there and place the Lucifer Stars on each their iron stake (there are two in front of the Legion doorway and two in front of the Belial doorway). The huge wheel on the floor moves away and you can jump down into the swirling galaxy below. It’s time to pay a visit to…
LEVEL 13- LUCIFER:
Pickups: Bombay Sapphire Martini (No Secrets)
In the Hall of Lucifer- Finished Business:
If you thought things couldn’t possibly look any better you haven’t seen this place! In a way it’s like a beautiful Hall of Memories (remember the paintings from UUB 3- The Plain of Jars?). Take some time to savor the beauty of this place and then move towards the other end of the room. Well, someone sure is in a generous mood. “For Lara Croft” it says on a small note and someone’s left you a Bombay Sapphire Martini too! Pick it up and the double doors on the left-hand side open.
Go through and a cutscene kicks in, showing Lara walking into a hall (with the Martini in her hand, of course).
Lara: Ok, so which of you two is the Devil?
Anubis and Demon Smalls, sitting on each their throne, point to the other and say “He is!” Enjoy the spectacular cutscene that (sadly) concludes an amazing adventure through the Underworld with Demon Smalls and Team Anubis.
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