SOUTH PACIFIC PART 3:  MADUBU GORGE
Kills: 16 Items: 12  Save/power-up crystals: 8  Secrets: 3*

*The item count is approximate. It varies substantially depending on the route you take through the level. Be sure to find all the secrets so you can access the bonus level at the end of the game. Note that one of the regular pick-ups here will be the ROCKET LAUNCHER if you didn't get it in the previous level.

Objectives: Find a kayak. Paddle down river and locate a place where you can climb out of the boat. Return up river on foot to the building where the control for the plug is. Let the water out of the plugged pool, get your kayak back and paddle down into the "drain" to find the exit.

Go forward to the square columns. Climb up into the opening in the ceiling between the columns, where the bats fly out. Inside you'll find Uzi clips, grenades and a small medipak. There's also a closed trapdoor. Below it is a room with a kayak. You can paddle down the river from there, but you'll miss two secrets if you do.

For either path, you'll first need to drop back down to the grassy area and continue forward from the start. A poison-breathing lizard climbs down from the ledges behind the palm tree. Another lizard lurks down on the rock ledge to the right. (These don't do much damage with their teeth or claws; however their green gaseous breath will eat away at Lara's health until you use a medipak.) Kill them and climb down onto the ledge where the second lizard was. Jump from the lowest ledge to the square block in the middle of the river. (Don't let Lara fall in or she'll be killed in the rushing rapids.)

Now choose either the QUICK ROUTE (below) or the LONG ROUTE/ALL SECRETS (pick up the walkthrough below at the **).

QUICK ROUTE: Take a running jump from the block in the river to grab the angled rocks on the other side of the water. Traverse to the right, pull up and climb/jump around the corner to the right. Push the button to open the trapdoor back at the starting area.

To get back there, follow the rocks the way you came. That tricky jump to the raised block below the drawbridge can be done by taking a running start and grabbing the left side of the block. Otherwise, Lara will slide down the slope into the river. Hop down on the other side of the raised block.

Now you can choose whether to go after an extra save crystal or not. If you don't want it, drop back to grab the edge and traverse back to the left until the square block in the river is behind you. Skip over the next paragraph.

If you do want the extra crystal, drop back to grab the edge and traverse left all the way to the corner. Let go and quickly grab the ledge below. Pull up and crawl forward until you can stand. Take a standing jump-grab (using Action lowers Lara's trajectory) to the ledge with the save/power-up crystal. Press the button to open the nearby trapdoor. Jump back to the previous ledge and climb up through this door. Now drop back and grab the edge and traverse to the right along the angled blocks until the square block in the river is behind you.

Pull up onto the slope and quickly back flip to land on the block in the river. Turn around and take a running jump to grab the ledge where you climbed down. Climb back up to the start and go into the building. Drop through the trapdoor you just opened and climb into the kayak.

(KAYAK NOTES: This craft is quite difficult to maneuver. The most useful moves are the paddle turns (Walk + Left/Right) and the back paddle, which slows the craft and can fight currents more easily than regular forward paddling. Use Action to climb into the boat at the side and Roll plus Left or Right to climb out. Lara will only climb out in the calm water of the pool where you'll end up. Also note that the river is laced with traps that are tripped by ropes stretched between rocks. Red ropes are bad; green are good. Lara will take damage when she goes through spikes/blades or when taking a long drop. So don't hesitate to use medipaks as you go.)

Paddle out of the room and steer down the river to the left. The current carries you around the corner to the right. Try to steer with it so you're facing forward. Stay to the middle as you go over the falls so you can snag a save/power-up crystal. Next you'll go under a wooden bridge. Stay to the right in the next turn to avoid a trip wire. If you do accidentally go over it, back paddle to avoid the falling rocks ahead. Then continue. Pick up the walkthrough below at the ****.

(**) LONG ROUTE/ALL SECRETS: From the block in the middle of the river, take a running jump to grab the angled rocks on the other side. Traverse all the way to the left. Let go and quickly grab the ledge below. Pull up and crawl forward until you can stand. Take a standing jump-grab (using Action lowers Lara's trajectory) to the ledge with the save/power-up crystal. Press the button to open the nearby trapdoor. Jump back to the previous ledge and climb up through this door.

Use the handholds on the rock arch above to traverse across the river. Drop to the ledge below. Drop back and grab the edge. Traverse to the right until you can pull up. Turn around and take a running jump past the corner to the angled rocks, slide back and grab the edge. Traverse to the right a bit, pull up and jump into the doorway.

INTO THE CAVE: Go past the closed door through the only open doorway. Slide down the ramp. Slide again and jump from the slope to clear the spikes below. Drop down to a dark area. Crawl through the low opening on the right and kill the poison-breathing lizard. Follow the passageway, cross the wooden bridge and continue to a rock bridge above the water. Jump to the bridge to get the save/power-up crystal. Turn around and kill the lizard in the doorway where you came from before jumping back. Return the way you came through the dark crawlspace.

Now continue along the main passage and go up the steps, killing another lizard on the way. Drop into the grated alcove and use the button to open the door you passed when you entered this area. Return to the area with the spikes. WALK into the spike area. Then use the climbable wall on the left to get back to the room at the top.

Go through the door you just opened to emerge above the water. Below and to the left is a waterfall. Hop down to the flat block below the doorway. Then take a standing jump into the opening behind the waterfall. This is SECRET #1. Walk to the back edge and kill the lizard in the cave below. Drop down and pick up the MP5 clips. Then climb back up to the entrance.

Jump to grab the ceiling and traverse around to the doorway at the far right. Slide down the ramp and jump to grab the edge of the pillar. (Be careful or you'll land on the burner below. If Lara does catch fire, there's a pool of water in the middle of this room to douse the flames and a place to climb out on the far side.) Kill the poison-breathing lizard on the other side of the room from the top of the first pillar if you can.

The middle pillar, with the save/power-up crystal, ignites when Lara steps on it, so avoid this. Instead, take a running jump from the first pillar over the second to grab the edge of the third pillar. You'll get the crystal in the air. Now pull up and take a running jump to the doorway.

Pick up the small medipak on the left. Hurry past the poisoned dart trap on the right. Slide down the ramp. At the opening to the next area, jump to grab the ceiling. Traverse forward to the wall, then let go. Climb down and get the save/power-up crystal. (Be careful not to fall into the piranha-infested pool.) Then climb/traverse back toward the entrance and around to the other doorway.

SECRET IN THE THATCHED HUT: Crawl through to a ledge high above the water. The thatched hut on the left is where you're headed. Turn left and take a running jump across the gap to grab the rock ladder. Climb to the top. To the left is an opening leading down to a pool with another kayak. You'll return there in a few minutes.

First, a side trip to the hut: Position Lara's back against the rock at the right side of this ledge. (The back of this block is steeply angled.) Walk five steps forward, then back flip to land on the steep slope. Slide back and grab the edge. Traverse to the right and drop to the small, wooden platform. This is SECRET #2. Jump to the next block to the right then over to the hut area. Go around the front. Inside you'll find a large medipak and a rocket.

Return to the wooden platform. The jump back to the rocks near the waterfall is very tricky. Line Lara up so she's facing the tall, angled block to the left of the falls and below the ledge you jumped from to reach the rock ladder. Make sure she's also angled just to the left of the overhanging rock, or she'll bang her head when she jumps. Now take a running jump WITHOUT GRABBING and use the Right directional key to turn Lara back toward the lower block where she needs to land. It may take several tries to finesse the angle, but it is possible.

KAYAK ROOM/HEADING DOWN RIVER: Climb up, jump back to the rock ladder, climb to the top and go down into the passage to the kayak. Kill the 2 crocodiles in the pool from the ledge. Then jump in and pull the underwater lever to open the gate. Now get ready for some white-water action. (See the KAYAK NOTES, above, for some tips on maneuvering.)

Steer out of the room, back paddling as you come down the chute. If you can manage it, cut to the right into a pool where you can find a save/power-up crystal. If you miss it, don't worry; there will be others. Stay to the right as you go over the first falls to avoid the trip wire on the left and the big rock in the middle. If you do accidentally go over the wire, back paddle to avoid the falling rocks ahead. Then continue.

(****) The current in this next pool sweeps you to the right toward some slicing blades. Back paddle to the left to go over the green trip rope that turns off the blades, then continue past them.

Go over the falls, paddle turn to the left, then back paddle hard to enter the cave on the right with the black fronds hanging from the opening.

(NOTE: If you do get swept off to the left, you'll go over a steep drop-off then through some spikes and slicing blades. Don't back paddle. Just get through it as quickly as you can, feeding Lara medipaks as you go. Next, you'll go over a waterfall into a pool with a BIG PLUG in the center. Cut to the left to enter the cave where the third secret is. Pick up the walkthrough below at the *****. Or, if you don't want to deal with these hazards, reload a saved game and try again.)

On entering the cave with the black fronds, quickly choose your path (LEFT or RIGHT CHANNEL, below) and back paddle as needed to get on the side you want. Each has good and bad points. On the right side, you'll probably take more damage, but you can get two extra save/power-up crystals if you play it right. It's also possible, though not at all easy, to start on the left side and cross over to the right after crossing the green trip line (see below). You may also be able to paddle turn and back paddle to slalom between the blocks and avoid the red trip lines altogether. Taking this run facing upstream may help you to do this. I found it nearly impossible—A good "Expert Challenge."

LEFT CHANNEL: First you'll go over a red trip rope that activates a poisoned dart trap. Next, you'll go over a green trip rope, which causes a save/power-up crystal to appear on a block just below in the middle of the stream. (You'll have to get it later on foot.) Then you'll pass another red trip rope that raises some spikes. Beyond that is a building with a zip line, where you'll be returning later. You may be able to cut across the stream to the right here to avoid the next hazard: a very high waterfall. Either back paddle like mad as you crest the falls to slow your descent, or make sure Lara's health is at 100%, as she'll take nearly that much damage. If you can, aim for the middle of the falls and get the save/power-up crystal on the way down. Once you reach the pool below the big falls, you'll need to do some backtracking. Paddle up the rapids to the pool above with the HUGE PLUG—i.e., the rapids on the left side of the wider waterfall. Now pick up the walkthrough below at the *****.

RIGHT CHANNEL: Follow the right channel down past some red trip ropes that raise spikes. (Use medipaks as needed as you go.) You'll end up in a pool with a chain in the middle attached to a HUGE PLUG. Don't go down the next set of rapids. (If you do, just paddle back up the rapids again to the pool with the PLUG.)

(*****) Steer into the cave with the brick platforms flanking the sides. Head around the corner and paddle under the falls into the cave with the save/power-up crystal. This is SECRET #3. There are some items on the ledges near the falls, which you can get later on when you pass this way on foot.

Return to the plug room and paddle through the tunnel to the right of the raised alcove with the wooden door. (If necessary, back paddle to fight the current.) At the top, go into the cave on the left. Here you'll find a calm pool with a crocodile swimming in it. Jump out of the kayak (Roll + Left/Right) and swim to the ledge to climb out. Kill the poison-breathing lizard on the steps first; then take care of the croc.

UP RIVER ON FOOT: Go up the steps and hop down into the opening near the torch. Take a standing jump to grab the handholds on the ceiling above the water. Traverse across the pool, using careful timing to pass the two fire-breathing-head blocks. Continue to traverse into the passageway leading to the third secret. At the end of the traverse, hook to the left and drop onto the block.

Turn around and take a running jump across the river to the next ledge. Enter the alcove and pick up the ROCKET LAUNCHER. (NOTE: This will be a single rocket if you already have the launcher.) Climb up and follow the short passage to an opening. Safety-drop (or climb down) to the ledge below. Follow the ledges toward the falls where you got the third secret. Pick up the large medipak. Take a running jump across the water to grab the ledge with the MP5 clips. Turn around. Now return to the other side by taking a running jump from the right side of the whitish block (next to the block where the clips were). Grab the ledge opposite (to the left of the triangular ledge where the medipak was). Pull up and follow the ledges back to the right.

Rather than jumping to the next ledge on the right (where you came from), climb into the curved alcove on the left. Use the handholds in the wall to climb up to the thin ledge on the right. Grab the handholds in the ceiling and traverse across the water. (Be careful of the flame trap.) When you reach the falls, traverse to the left. Drop onto the ledge below. Get the flares and shotgun shells in the cave off to the right. Then traverse back across the falls to the other side and drop to the ledge. Turn left and follow the path upstream.

Take a running jump to the square ledge to the left of the spikes and blades. Turn around and take a running jump to grab the handholds on the wall on the other side of the spikes. Climb up and to the left as far as you can. You'll come to a flat ledge. The first (right) square is white with mist and is very slippery, so don't drop there. The square just to the left is safe. (Now you're level with the cave opening with the black fronds.)

Follow the ledge to the opening. Turn around and climb down into the deep pit. There's a boulder trap at the bottom. Run forward to the step and duck so the boulder rolls over Lara's head. Repeat this for the second boulder. The third boulder is dangling from the ceiling just inside the next room. On either side of the walkway are steep slopes with flames below. And there are more flames inside the doorway at the far left end of the walkway. You can outrun the boulder, jump into the doorway and hope you don't get toasted, or try one of these techniques: Either, stand in the middle of the square under the boulder. Turn to either side and side flip out onto the walkway. Immediately jump back and grab the edge of the walkway. Hang until the boulder rolls by, then pull up. OR, walk forward under the boulder about 6 steps (any farther will cause it to drop). Then, turn right, drop back and hang from the walkway. Traverse to the left, pull up, and the boulder will stay where it is.

Now jump into the doorway near the boulder, taking care to avoid the burner. Take a standing jump from the MIDDLE of the square near the doorway to clear the flames. Immediately run forward to the step and duck to avoid yet another boulder. Continue forward and up to emerge near the river again.

Take a running jump to the first ledge on the right. Use the handholds on the right wall to climb over to the next ledge. Crawl through the low opening to a doorway near the rapids where the zip line is. Take a standing jump to the nearest block in the middle of the river then a running jump to the pile of rocks. (Be sure to jump to the right of the rock hanging down from the ceiling.) Take a standing jump to the block with the zip line.

If you ran over the green trip line earlier, there will be a save/power-up crystal on the square block just downstream. Walk down to the bottom of the rock outcropping and take a running jump to land near the crystal. Turn around and take a running jump (without pressing Action) back to the bottom of the rocks below the zip line. Climb up and ride the zip line down to the building.

ROOM WITH PLUG MECHANISM: Drop down inside (near the chain) and climb up the opposite wall (with the carved faces). Kill the lizard in the hallway on the right. Go around to the left and use the switch to pull the plug in the pool below. Follow the dark passage. The torch at the end lights and another lizard emerges near the end. Kill it and hop/slide down the ramps back to the room with your kayak.

Make sure Lara is at full health. Then paddle out into the plug room. Let the whirlpool carry you down the drain into the room below. Climb out of the boat and either harpoon the crocodile, or swim to one of the ledges and shoot it from there. Swim under one the ledge with the wooden door above and pull the underwater lever to open the door. This also lets in 2 more crocodiles. You can kill them or just exit the level.

Walkthrough text, maps, diagrams, and all other original images copyright © 1997-2008 Stellalune.
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