Tomb Raider 3: Adventures of Lara Croft

South Pacific

SOUTH PACIFIC PART 2: CRASH SITE

• Kills: 56
• Items: 23, plus 2 keys and 4 save/power-up crystal
• Secrets: 3*

*The number of kills and items are approximate and vary depending on the actions of your enemies and allies. Note that one of the regular pick-ups here will be the MP5 ASSAULT RIFLE if you didn't get it in the previous level. Be sure to find all the secrets so you can access the bonus level at the end of the game.

(BUG NOTE: I also encountered a bug where using grenades and/or the big gun inside the airplane to kill the raptors resulted in an inaccurate count--more than double the actual number of kills--so you may not want to rely on the end-of-level statistics here.)

Objectives: Get across the swamp to the crash site. Retrieve two keys to activate the plane's weaponry and, finally, find the exit.

Walk-through: Drop down from the hut and go toward the swamp. (A mysterious earthquake prevents you from going back to the area in the previous level.) Check your inventory for the SWAMP MAP given to Lara by the Aussie. (NOTE FOR NEW PLAYERS: Use Escape then Up to access the top inventory ring. This is where you'll find things you've collected, like keys, artifacts and this map.) Use this to help you cross the swamp safely. All of the solid squares in the swamp have green plants on them, but not all of the squares with plants are safe. The X's on the map show approximately where each safe square is.

When you near the far side, look to the left for an opening in the rock. Jump to the square just below it and climb in for SECRET #1--2 sets of MP5 clips. Climb down from the opening, return to the previous safe square, then take a running jump to the bank.

Before sliding down the slope into the next area, look to the left just inside the opening. Take a running jump to the block with the grenades. Then continue to the bottom.

A raptor comes through the fog from the right. (NOTE: The raptors in this game are much harder to kill than the ones in TR1; however, they seem to move more slowly and don't attack with the same viciousness. You can usually find a raised block to stand on for safety. Also, some will run away after you shoot them a bit, and you'll need to draw them out in order to resume the fight.) When you've killed this raptor, go through the fog, past the small pond, and climb up the rocks into the opening above.

Continue to a clearing with the downed plane. Another raptor emerges from behind the trees on the left. Kill it and continue exploring. You can go into the various areas around the plane--CAVE WITH SWITCHES, COMPSOGNATHUS ROOM, T. REX NEST and RAPTOR POOL (below)--in any order you want to.

CAVE WITH SWITCHES: (NOTE: If you're not interested in getting all the pick ups, you can skip over this area entirely--or take the shortcuts described below at the ** to get the goodies without dealing with all the switches.) Return to the entrance to the airplane area from the foggy area where you killed the first raptor. Stand with this doorway on Lara's right. Above and behind is a rectangular stone ledge. Ahead is a short, green wall with a sloping base. Walk/jump to the left corner of this green wall, where there's a flat spot on which Lara can stand. Jump to grab the edge of the green wall and traverse a little to the right, to the middle of the wall. Pull up and backflip onto the stone ledge above. Turn around and you'll see a crawlspace.

Alternately, you can reach this spot by taking the more obvious but longer route through the treetops: Face the nose of the plane then go back to the left (near where the second raptor came from). Jump onto the gray stone block jutting out from the green corner. Turn around (face the plane) and jump to grab the ledge above. Pull up, then jump from the edge to grab the handholds in the tree branch above. Traverse to the trunk and drop down. Walk along the branch around to the left. Take a running jump to grab the handholds on the tree trunk. Climb up to the ledge. Jump to grab the handholds on the branch above. Then traverse nearly to the end and let go. Here you get a wide-angle view of the area, showing a rock ladder leading down. Climb down and hang on at the bottom. Traverse to the left until you can pull up.

Crawl into the tunnel and drop down in the next room. Climb onto the low block and jump to grab the bars on the ceiling. Traverse forward then hook around to the right to get to the doorway above. Drop down.

Hop down to the ledge below the doorway. Go around to the right and use the first switch to rearrange the bars on the ceiling. Take a standing jump with Action to land on the pillar with the save/power-up crystal. (If you miss, you'll need to restart, because all the slopes lead down into the pit of spikes.) Jump and grab the ledge under the door and climb back up. From the doorway, use the ceiling bars to traverse straight across to the other side. Drop down and climb into the alcove with the second switch. Pull it to rearrange the bars again.

Jump/climb back to the doorway via the pillar where you got the save crystal. On the way, use the first switch again to rearrange the ceiling bars. This time, traverse all the way around the center to the far side of the room. Traverse to the right until Lara is up against the climbable wall (on the back of the central structure). Drop to grab it. Then climb down to the bottom. Position Lara on the lowest rung that allows her to have her feet on the ladder, then back flip into the alcove behind. (NOTE: If you're having trouble with this jump, try climbing all the way down, so Lara is hanging by her hands from the lowest possible rung. Then tap the Forward key just until her feet come up onto the ladder. Now take the back flip from here.) Use the third switch to raise the last section of bars up on the ceiling and open a metal grate nearby.

Jump to grab the rock ladder and climb up to the alcove you just opened. Turn around and take a running jump to the long, angled ledge to the right of the switch alcove. Slide back and grab the edge of the slope. Traverse to the second square from the left, pull up and back flip onto the pillar where the save crystal was. Jump/climb back up to the doorway.

Now you can traverse all the way around to the exit. Pick up the Uzi clips in the corner and climb out onto a ledge across from the airplane. If you've got the two keys and ready to go down into the plane, take a running jump to grab the branch ahead, and jump from there to the fuselage. Otherwise, climb down the rocks to the ground.

(**Note: If you just want the goodies without the work, you can go into the left cave as far as the crystal then go back out the way you came. To get the Uzi clips, climb onto the plane at the front right, when facing the nose, and walk across the top to the back left. Jump to the tree branch and from there to the cave opening. Go in and get the clips.)

COMPSOGNATHUS ROOM: (NOTE: Completing this area isn't necessary to finish the game, but it's quick and easy if you want to do it.) On the right side of the plane (when facing the nose), just before the hummock separating the front and back areas of the aircraft, there's an opening on the right. Hop down and get some MP5 clips. Continue to an open area with a dead soldier and raptor. As you enter the gate closes behind you. As you poke around, a pack of 5 tiny compsognathus emerge to gnaw on the raptor carcass--and on Lara. Get them out of the way and pick up the large med-pack and more MP5 clips. (NOTE: If you don't already have the MP5 ASSAULT RIFLE, you'll get it here instead of clips.) Use the 2 switches in the alcoves to open the exit.

T. REX NEST (Cmdr. Bishop's Key): Drop into the pit near the front of the aircraft (to the left if Lara's back is to the nose of the plane). Climb through the open area. Pick up the MP5 clips just inside. (NOTE: Again, if you don't already have the MP5 ASSAULT RIFLE, you'll get it here instead of clips.) Now you'll meet a soldier and 2 raptors. You can help the soldier kill the raptors or use the raptors to help you in the upcoming battle. (See the strategy note below.)

In the flat area at the bottom of the embankment is a pack of 4 compsognathus, which will give most of their attention to a nearby raptor carcass. You can kill them if they're pestering you. Around the corner to the right, beyond the pond, is a Tyrannosaurus rex nest. COMMANDER BISHOP'S KEY is inside the nest, along with what's left of its owner. When you take the key, Mama Rex returns home. You're stuck down in the lower area with her until you can open the doors. When you do, another raptor enters from above (along with any that you or the soldier didn't kill earlier).

The first door is at the right side of the embankment (when facing it from below). It has both an inner and outer door. When you take the key, the inner door opens. Throw the switch inside to open the second gate, on the far, left side of the pond. Here you'll find the second switch, which opens the outer door (near the first switch).

I found it easier to just kill all the raptors as you go along, and shoot Mama Rex from the relative safety of the switch alcoves or the deep part of the pool. But if you want to live on the edge, you might try this: Leave the raptors at the top alone. Slide down the embankment and go to the nest for Bishop's key. Run to the first switch and pull it. Run to the second switch and pull it. This will let in the raptors from above (between one and three of them, depending on how your soldier friend made out). The raptors will keep the T. rex busy and you can assist or just hang back and see how things turn out. Kill any surviving creatures and exit up the steps near the first switch. If the T. rex is left standing, you can use the switch alcoves for cover if you need to or exit the area. She can't fit through the narrow passage. If any raptors survive, you can get on one of the ledges for safety.

Once the battle is through, make your pick-ups: 3 small med-packs--one on a ledge to the right of the rex nest, one on a ledge opposite the slope and a third in the stairway; and 3 packs of flares--two near the first switch, one near the second. Also, if the soldier was killed, you'll find MP5 clips near his body.

Go up the stairs to the top of the embankment and climb onto the long ledge on the left (near the bent tree). Use the Look key if necessary to spot the large med-pack on the tree branch running parallel to the ledge. Take a standing jump to grab the branch to the left of the med-pack. Pull up, grab the med-pack, then take another standing jump to the next branch with the flares. This is SECRET #2. Now climb down and exit through the tunnel back to the crash site.

RAPTOR POOL (Lt. Tuckerman's Key): Jump over the hummock at the side of the plane into the area beyond. You'll see 2 soldiers fighting a raptor. You can assist if you like. Just be sure not to accidentally shoot one of the soldiers or the others won't be as friendly as you'd like.

Go through the second doorway on the right wall (all the other openings are just shallow alcoves). Follow the passageway to an open area where some soldiers battle another raptor. There's a raised block just inside on the right where you can jump to safety. You'll also find some MP5 clips just inside the entrance. (Don't forget to check the bodies of any downed comrades for additional MP5 clips.)

Don't try to cross the bridge. It will collapse beneath you, plunging you into the piranha-infested pool. There is a place to climb out on the near left side, but it's better to avoid the water for now. Instead, climb a few trees.

Another raptor lurks in the trees above. You may be able to kill it from below. Climb the vine-covered wall above the raised block. When you reach the top, press Jump and hold it to back flip onto the angled block behind then spring to the branch. Finish off the raptor if you didn't already. Or run to the left and jump to the ledge near the back corner (above the entrance) to shoot the dinosaur from safety or avoid it altogether.

Now climb a little higher: Take a standing jump from the triangular ledge in the corner to grab the branch to the right. Pull up, jump to the stone ledge with the save/power-up crystal. You should be able to kill the raptor on the next branch from here. Jump across to the branch that bends up at the end (between the ledge with the save crystal and the branch where the raptor was standing). Take a standing jump to grab the high part of the branch on the left. Pull up for SECRET #3--MP5 clips.

Slide back down and walk to the end of the branch near the dangling raptor carcass. Take a running jump to the green ledge ahead on the left. Around back you'll find a small med-pack. Shoot the carcass and it will fall down into the pool below, attracting the attention of the hungry piranhas. Now you can jump down into the pool and pull the underwater lever to open the gate on the far side of the pool from where you entered.

Climb out of the water and kill the raptor that emerges from the building. Inside the building is another raptor and 3 switches. Pull them one at a time, jumping back onto the block to shoot the 3 raptors that enter after when the switches are pulled (two after the left switch, one after the right). (NOTE: You can kill them all, or just shoot until they run away so you can pull another switch.) Climb up through the trapdoor. Get the save/power-up crystal and LT. TUCKERMAN'S KEY (He won't be using it anymore.), and kill the raptor that appears out of nowhere when you do. Drop down and return to the other side of the pool. Follow the passageway back to the airplane.

INSIDE THE AIRPLANE: Climb onto the plane from the treetops/cave area (see above), or from the ground at the front--just around to the right when facing the nose. (See the screenshot at http://tombraiders.net/stella/images/crashsite3.jpg if you're not sure where to stand and grab in order to climb onto the aircraft.) Drop through the open hatch. Take care of the raptor and pick up the MP5 clips. (NOTE: Again, if you don't already have the MP5 ASSAULT RIFLE, you'll get it here instead of clips.) Use the two keys in the keyholes in the cockpit to open a door down below. Drop through either opening into the belly of the plane. Go to the front and pull the switch to open the back and extend the gun.

When you go out to the gun a couple of soldiers will be patrolling the area. As soon as you grab the big gun, a small army of raptors (30, to be more precise) will begin to swarm out of the doors on the left and right, and across the wooden bridge. The soldiers will probably kill some of them for you. The rest you can take out with the big gun, swiveling around and angling it up and down as needed. When the hullabaloo dies down, use the big gun to blast away the top left corner of the wall to open up the exit. (Press Roll to let go of the gun.) Pick up additional MP5 clips from your late friends. Then jump across the stream at the left side.

Alternately, run out to the big gun, then run back into the plane. You can use your weapon of choice (even pistols) to shoot the raptors safely from inside. Or, climb up onto the fuselage and take them out from above. You may have to dangle Lara over the side periodically to draw the raptors out of hiding. Another technique you may want to try is to run out and use the big gun to shoot out the wall right away. Then run over to the exit, jumping the stream to land safely on the other side. Now you can shoot the raptors from there or leave them to fight it out among themselves.

Climb into the right opening near the exit to get a large med-pack and a save/power-up crystal. Take a running jump over to the left opening and exit the level.

A cut scene follows: Lara enters a temple and meets one of the natives. He tells her she's lucky he's fasting today, since she'd make a nice meal. She inspects a mural depicting a falling meteor and asks the man why his ancestors left Antarctica so suddenly. He tells her there was plenty of flesh there but also powerful evil. One of his tribe's leaders was born without a face and the people took that as a sign of the meteor's curse. He says that some time after they had settled on this island, a white man came with a stone--presumably one of the meteorite artifacts--and his people feasted that day. When Lara realizes she's not going to get any more information out of him, she leaves.