Tomb Raider 8: Underworld

LEVEL 2: COASTAL THAILAND - PART 1: THE REMNANTS

Available weapons: Pistols, dual submachine guns and sticky grenades

Cinematic: Before setting out, Lara converses with Zip and Alister over the computer uplink. She says she sees no sign of her father's earlier explorations here and surmises that the ruins must be farther inland.

ABOARD THE MOTOR BOAT:

The sunny ledge where you're headed (the same one you saw through Lara's camera in the cinematic) across the water just off the back right corner of the boat. Swim over there and climb out of the water.

CLIMBING TO THE SMALL CAVE:

Once Lara is standing on the sunny ledge, grab the lowest handhold on the natural stone column. Climb to the highest handhold on this side of the column. Then climb along this handhold around to the right side of the column. Jump up twice so Lara hangs from the highest handhold on this side of the column, which is covered in green moss. Climb along this handhold to the right. Then jump to the right to grab onto the next slightly higher handhold. From here, jump straight up three times to reach the long, horizontal crevice above. Climb to the right as far as possible and then jump across the gap between the rock formations to grab the next horizontal crevice, which runs along behind the waterfall. Climb to the right and drop down into a small cave, where you'll find the first treasure (1/4) in the level.

After picking it up, return to the cave opening and jump from the jutting ledge to grab the long, horizontal handhold beyond the gap (i.e., the same one you climbed along before jumping to the handhold behind the waterfall).

NOTE: If Lara falls into the water at any time during this sequence, just climb out on the sunny ledge where you started, grab onto the natural stone column and start again. Once you have the treasure, you won't have to climb all the way to the right again. Just climb up and around to the left.

CLIMBING TO THE PATH LEADING INLAND:

Climb back to the left about halfway along the crevice. Then drop down three times. Climb around to the left side of the natural stone column along the handhold with the green moss.

Keep climbing left and upward until you reach a manmade ledge that runs along beneath a carved stone railing. Traverse to the left along this ledge. When you can't climb any farther, and Lara braces her feet against the wall, lean away from the wall and jump back to grab the narrow ledge on the stone pillar behind. Traverse to the right and pull up onto the small jutting ledge. Jump from there to land on the ledge jutting out of the cliffside.

GAP WITH HORIZONTAL POLE:

Go up the steps, turn right and vault onto the low ledge ahead. Continue up the next flight of steps. At the top, turn right and step forward to the edge of the ramp. Position Lara near the middle of the opening. Slide down the short slope and jump to grab the horizontal pole sticking out of the wall ahead.

NOTE: If you miss the jump and end up hanging from the ledge below the slope, traverse as far as you can to the right and then jump back to grab the narrow handhold on the pillar behind you. Climb to the right until Lara is hanging below the horizontal pole. Then jump up to grab it. If you fall into the water, you'll need to swim to the first ledge and climb back up the way you came earlier.

Swing around the pole and jump to grab lower handhold on the wall ahead. Climb to the right and jump up twice to reach the ledge above. Go up the steps and around to the next landing.

DETOUR FOR A TREASURE:

Notice the light-colored stone lip on the edge of the floor to the right. Hang from the edge here and you'll see a series of handholds on the wall below. Drop down three times. Climb to the left and drop to grab the handhold below. Climb into the corner on the left. Lean away from the wall and jump back to grab the opening of the alcove behind Lara and to the left. Pull up and claim another treasure (2/4).

To get back up to the path, hang from the edge of the alcove. Climb as far as possible to the right and then jump to the right to grab the lowest handhold. Then redo the climb down only in reverse. At the top, pull up and turn right.

Step out onto the flat, sunny rock ledge. Turn left and jump across the gap to grab the lower of two narrow ledges on the wall ahead. Jump up to grab the one above. Climb to the left a bit if necessary and then jump up again to pull up onto the wider part of the ledge.

Now you must chimney jump to the ledge above. To do this, push the control stick to the left to make Lara lean away from the wall. Then jump in that direction. When Lara touches the left wall, you can release the stick, but immediately jump again to spring back toward the right wall. When Lara touches it, jump again to leap and grab the top of the left wall. Pull up and continue forward.

SMALL CLEARING WITH RUINS:

The path curves several times but there are no forks or branches, so you won't get lost if you just follow where it leads. After the second checkpoint, you'll see the vertical roots of a banyan tree and some manmade walls ahead. Continue through this clearing and along the path, which leads off to the right. Follow it through several twists and turns to another clearing with a fallen tree. Vault over the trunk and continue forward.

The path then curves around to the right between a set of manmade walls and dead-ends at a fallen boulder. Climb over the boulder and continue to a ledge overlooking a group of tall, square columns.

A brief cut scene gives an overview of the ruins ahead.

CLIMBING DOWN TO THE STREAMBED:

Walk to the edge and jump to grab the nearest handhold on the column on the left. Jump up to grab the handhold above. Climb around to the right and jump back to grab a handhold on the next column. Climb around to the left and then drop onto the horizontal beam below.

This beam spans the distance between two columns. While standing on it, turn to face the horizontal pole connecting the two neighboring columns. Position the camera behind Lara and then jump forward to grab the pole. Lara will grab on with only one hand. If you have Helper Buttons enabled, you'll see a (Triangle) icon on screen. Press this button to perform a saving grab and keep Lara from falling.

Swing around the pole and jump to grab the rock shelf on the cliff ahead. Climb to the right as far as possible and then jump back to grab a handhold the nearest square column. Climb to the left and then jump to grab a handhold on the next column. Drop onto the beam below. Hang from either side of the beam and traverse toward the other end, where the beam is attached to the next column. When Lara is hanging from the corner of the column, drop to grab the handhold below and continue climbing down to the streambed.

Head downstream to the ledge overlooking the lower portion of the stream. If you drop down there and head forward to the next checkpoint, you'll trigger the appearance of a tiger on the ledge above on the left. If you don't mind direct confrontation, continue to the end of the streambed, climb the ledges on the left and take on the big cat.

If you'd rather play it safe, climb back onto the ledge from which you just dropped. From here, you can target the tiger easily as it runs back and forth along the ledge. When it's dead, drop down into the lower streambed once more, continue to the end and climb the ledges on the left to reach the flat, open area above.

CLIMBING TO THE UPPER RUINS:

Run up the angled column onto the wide, L-shaped ledge just ahead. If you didn't kill that first tiger earlier, do that now from here. Then move to the right end of this ledge (i.e., on Lara's right when she's facing away from the streambed). Grab the horizontal crevice on the wall and jump up to grab the crevice above. Climb to the right as far as possible. Then jump to the right to grab on where that same crevice continues. Jump up to grab the edge of the path above. Pull up and head to the left toward the entrance to the ruins.

UPPER RUINS:

There's a second tiger lurking just inside the building. Rather than backing up and risking falling off the ledge, you may want to run and jump past it into the room beyond as you fight. Just don't run out into the courtyard on the left yet, or you'll have 2 more big cats to deal with at the same time.

Only step out into the sunshine when you're ready to fight them. They approach from behind the fallen columns ahead on the right. There's plenty of room to maneuver here. So just keep dodging and firing until both tigers fall.

Pick up another treasure (3/4) on the left when facing the room where you encountered the second tiger.

Then head for the far end of the open area (i.e., opposite the ledge overlooking the streambed). There you'll find an alcove made of darker stone. Use the small stone block on the left for a boost so Lara can grab one of the horizontal stone bands on the wall. Climb the stone bands to reach the top of the wall. Then drop down into the dimly lit hallway on the other side.

HALLWAY WITH DEEP PITS:

Follow the rubble-strewn hallway to a deep pit. Jump from beam to beam along the middle of the pit. There's no need to jump to any of the shorter beams jutting out from the side walls. Jump from the end of the third beam into the hallway to the left.

Follow this hallway to a second pit. There are no beams here to cross, but the pit is shallow enough that Lara won't be injured if you hang from the edge and drop in. Cross the bottom of the pit to the other side and use the holes on the wall as handholds to climb out. Turn left and follow the hallway to the end. Continue forward to trigger a cut scene.

Cinematic: Lara examines the carvings on the wall and finds a reference to Bhogavati, the capital of the lowest level of the Hindu underworld, reputedly populated by snake people. She also identifies the subjects of the double statue below as the god and goddess Shiva and Kali.