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.

Do not swim into the underwater cave ahead on the right, as this can trigger the bug mentioned in the note above.

CLIMBING TO THE SMALL CAVE:

Once Lara is standing on the sunny ledge, grab onto the natural stone column and climb upward then around to the right side of the column. When Lara can't climb any farther, jump to the right past the gap in the rocks. Then jump straight up three times to reach the long, horizontal crevice above. Climb to the right as far as possible and then jump 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 (1/3) 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. 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. Pull up onto the narrow ledge and sidestep to the right (Lara's left), lean away from the wall and jump to land on the ledge jutting out of the cliffside. (Here the camera is fixed on Lara's left, so you'll need to press Left on the stick to make her jump forward.)

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 rough handholds on the wall below. Drop down four times to reach a rectangular handhold. 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 (2/3).

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 and then jump again to pull up onto it.

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 TIGER:

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, and dramatic music starts to play. A tiger charges across the clearing. If you get a lock on it early, you should be able to kill it with pistols before it reaches Lara. When it's dead, cross the clearing and continue along the path, which leads off to the right. Follow it to a high 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 Nunchuk icon on screen. Shake the Nunchuk 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:

Stand beneath the metal ring on the tree branch above and fire the grapple at it. Once it's attached, jump straight up to hang from the cable.

Now you have a choice of routes. If you'd like to take a slight shortcut, skip the next three paragraphs. You won't miss anything except another tiger if you do this.

Otherwise, for the slightly longer route and all the kills, turn so Lara is hanging from the grapple cable so the square columns you climbed down earlier are behind her. Then turn just a little to the left and swing over to the L-shaped stone ledge with the tree growing out of it. Move to the right end of this ledge. 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 enter the building.

Go through the first room and out the doorway on the left. Follow the hallway to a larger room with a barred window and second tiger lurking inside on the right. Kill it and go through the opening on the left. (There's a tempting hole in the opposite wall, but as far as I know, there's no way to get in.) Outside this room, you'll find yourself on a ledge high above the open area where you were before.

Grapple the ring again and jump off the ledge. Swing across the gap to the high ledge on the cliff wall ahead. (Skip the next paragraph.)

Shortcut: Instead of climbing up to the room with the second tiger, grapple the metal ring on the high tree branch and jump up to hang from the cable. While hanging from the grapple cable, turn so the square columns you climbed down earlier are on Lara's right. Shorten the cable just a little bit by holding (Z) and pressing up on the control stick. Then swing up to the high ledge on the cliff wall.

Follow the ledge to the right toward tree trunk. Vault onto the low stone ledge, but take care not to step off the other side. It's a long fall and Lara will probably die. Instead, turn right and walk out along the ledge and onto the tree branch. Go to the end of the branch and jump to grab the corner of the building ahead. Pull up.

UPPER RUINS:

Two more tigers charge from behind the columns ahead. You may want to run past them as you shoot, so Lara isn't near the edge while fighting. Or, run to the left and climb onto the ledge, where Lara can shoot the big cats from safety.

NOTE: This ledge connects to a tunnel that leads back to the ledge above the square columns. You shouldn't need to return there.

Head for the far end of the open area, where the two tigers came from. There you'll find a dark section of wall. Use the small stone block on the left for a boost so Lara can grab the horizontal stone band on the dark wall. Pull up to stand on it. Jump up to grab the band above and continue climbing to the top of the wall. Drop down into the dimly lit hallway on the other side.

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. 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.