Tomb Raider Walkthrough and Game Guide
Featuring All Secrets and Hidden Rewards and packed with Screenshots

Level 15: The Great Pyramid

* The game engine at the end shows 6 kills. It counts either the Scion as a kill since you shoot it (doubtfull) or Natla as two kills since you bring her down twice (more accurate).

Dealing with the giant mutant - As soon as the level begins you will have to kill a giant mutant that jumps out from the sphere. It looks horrific, but it is not so difficult to defeat. This thing moves slowly, so it needs some time to reach you. You can use any weapon you like, although the designers suggest the Uzis, as they provide Uzi Clips in the four corners of the platform. And of course, do not fall off the platform. You may find your own strategy, but here are two:

Jumping around: But not as a lunatic, without seeing where you go. The strategy here will allow you move around the perimeter of the platform, keeping the creature in the middle (the following procedure is shown in this video). As soon as the level begins, equip your guns and start shooting. Allow the creature approach a little (you will see why in just a bit) and once it does, side-flip to the right once (not twice or you will fall to your death). Whilst shooting, jump forwards twice. That way you reach the wall next to the door. Roll, keep shooting and side-flip to the right once. You will stand in front of the door, and if you allowed the creature approach you at the beginning, it should be now standing on the other side. Keep shooting, allow it approach a bit and side-flip to the right. Jump forwards twice and roll. Keep shooting and side-flip to the right. Now, you are at the initial position when the level began. You will not need to make this round again, because once you reach the far right corner, the creature will die.

Hanging from the platform: As soon as the level begins, draw weapons and start shooting. Do not allow the creature come close to you. Quickly drop back and hang from the edge. Do not stay still. Traverse to the either left or right, heading to the corner. The creature cannot damage you if you hang from the corner. And if you had not allowed it approach much at the beginning, you should have had the time to traverse. Otherwise, it can hit you with its hand while you traverse and even grab you. When it leaves for the door, pull up, shoot and hang from the corner again. This procedure takes more time, but it is the safest for the desperate players.

When the mutant is dead, the exit door opens. Pick up the six sets of Uzi Clips from the four corners of the platform and go through the exit.

Area with movable blocks - Follow the fleshy passage around to the left and slide down the slope. Here you can see a movable block, but do not bother with it now. Go down the ramp to reach a second movable block. Push it three times to reveal another ramp behind. Go up it to reach the back-side of the first movable block. Push it once, go to the right side of it and climb on it. Turn around and jump to grab the opening ahead. Pull up.

(The PS players will find a Save Crystal here.) To get past the decrepit crumbling floor and jaw trap, approach the floor and start running when the jaw blades start closing. When you reach them, they will have already closed and opened up for you, allowing you to pass. Go around to the left to reach a T-junction. Here go to the right and down the ramp to find a movable block. Push it once and return back to the T. Go to the right, down the ramp and drop into the lower room with the lava pit on the left. Here you will see the movable block you just pushed. Climb on the block, drop down on the other side and Push it twice. Go through the opening on the left to pass through the hallway where you were before. When you reach the T, go to the right and stand on the block. Use the switch to open the door and go through it.

Room with lava river - You reach an area with a lava river. Turn right and jump to the flat part of the slide. Then take another standing jump for the next flat part. Take a running jump for the third flat part.

1st Secret - Turn around and you will see a bridge that has risen up in front of the entrance. It is on a slow timer, so take your time to reach it, jumping on the flat parts. When you reach the first flat part, jump on the bridge and go to the right. Pick up the Large Medi Pack, the Magnum Clips, and the Shotgun Shells. If the bridge has lowered, use the switch twice to raise the part that is closest to you. Then take a running jump to the entrance or the first flat part of the slide.

Ramps with boulders - Jump on the flat parts as you did before and when you reach the last one, jump to the opposite side. The ramp hides a boulder trap, so do not rush to proceed. The boulder rolls on stepping on the second square, so turn with the boulder to your back, hop back on the square and run, turning right and through the opening you came from. Go up the ramp to reach a second boulder. The procedure is the same, only this time the boulder rolls when you step on the third square. Once it rolls, go up the ramp and follow the passage to reach a decrepit crumbling floor. Step on it and hop back. Hang from the edge and drop down.

Room with Scion - Do what Natla prevented you from doing before. Shoot the Scion to explode it and cause an earthquake and open the door opposite the Scion. (The PS players will find a Save Crystal here.) Go through the door with your weapons drawn. Two mutants will arrive from the two walkways, so back up to the opening and explode both. If you want all the kills, go to the cave at the end of the bridge to alert a third mutant. When you are ready, drop to the rocks beneath the bridge. Find the opening on the north side, hang from the edge and drop down.

Facing the lava pool, locate the crevice on the left. Take a running jump to grab it and traverse to the right. Time your pass through the darts until you reach the end. Drop onto the slide and jump to back-flip onto the ledge behind. Hop back to avoid the dart from the left.

Go through the opening and pick up the Uzi Clips from the left. Notice the boulder above. This last pick-up is a "trap" in order to make you go down the ramp from the left hand side. So, go down the ramp avoiding the path from where the boulder will roll. Beyond is a swinging blade and spikes on a ledge. Do not bother with the blade, and go to the right hand side of the ramp. Aim for the secure part between the spikes (as shown in this screenshot) and take a running jump. Whilst in midair, release the Up arrow to make sure that once you land, you will not move forwards and through the spikes.

Walk through the spikes and around to the left to reach a raised ledge with three decrepit crumbling floors below. Jump on the left crumble floor, side-flip to the rightmost (completely bypassing the middle one), and jump towards the ledge ahead. Go through the opening to reach a room with sloped pillars in a lava pool.

2nd Secret - Notice the reddish part of the wall on the left. This hides a crevice that you need to grab. To do that, stand against the wall on the left and side-step to the right to reach the edge. Tap back once and turn slightly to the right (as shown in this screenshot). Jump to grab the crevice and shimmy all the way across. Drop down to the ledge and pick up the Uzi Clips and three Large Medi Packs.

Walk up to the edge and line Lara to the slide below. Take a standing jump on the slide and jump before reaching the end to land on the block behind. Turn around. Or, if you want to see where you are going, jump backwards onto the slide and jump on the block. (The PS players will find a Save Crystal here.) Jump to grab the crevice and shimmy to the right. Drop onto the ledge, but NOT onto the decrepit crumbling floor! The crumble floors hide spikes below and you can see the boulder and swinging blade beyond. Here are two possible ways to clear the trap:

• From the middle of the ledge, take a standing jump to land on the second decrepit crumble floor, leaving the first one intact. Move forwards and onto the third crumble floor to trigger the boulder. Jump back to land on the first crumble floor and hop back to avoid falling through it and return to the safe square ledge. Take a running jump to grab the opposite side (where the swinging blade is) and pull up.

• Grab the crevice and shimmy to the very right. It is important to hang from the end. Still having the Right button compressed, release Action and press Jump, allowing Lara to side-flip twice. That way you will jump over the boulder and leave intact.

Carefully time your pass through the blade. Stand on either side and run when the blade moves to the opposite side. There is a boulder here in an alcove on the right and a ramp on the left. Go down the ramp, ignoring the Small Medi Pack, and turn right. Once the boulder stops, use the gap between the wall and the boulder to pass through. Run in front of the gap and jump on the spot. Pick up the Medi Pack and jump back behind the boulder.

Again, there is a boulder in the alcove on the left and a ramp on the right. This time, there is a swinging blade half way the ramp, and lava pits on either side at the bottom. Walk up to the either left or right edge of the ramp. Slide down when the blade is on your side. Until you reach it, it will have moved to the other side. When you pass the blade, jump at the edge of the slope to land on the ledge ahead. Do not grab the ledge, because you will most probably not have the time to pull up. Once you make it, drop down on the left hand side. The lava flows will not hurt you, as long as you do not stop running. Stop to pick up the Small Medi Pack and continue to the other side. Flip the switch to open the door.

Go through the opening and move to the right. The door will close behind you. At the end of the passage you will find some Uzi Clips. Pick them up, then back-track past the door you came from. Keep running without stopping and the boulder from above will pass over Lara's head. Walk up to the edge of the lava pit and take a standing jump to grab the opposite side. The second boulder will pass over Lara's head. Pull up and continue through the passage.

Room with pool and burners - Here you need to jump from pillar to pillar until you reach the opposite side. If you catch fire or accidentally drop into the water, there is a low ledge in the northeast corner where you can climb out. Here are three possible ways to pass the burners:

• Walk up to either edge and start taking standing jumps. With the fifth one, you will reach the opposite side.

• Walk up to the edge, tap back once and take a running jump with Action. That way you will completely bypass the first burner and grab the second pillar. Pull up and take a running jump over the second burner. Walk to the edge, tap back once and take a running jump with Action in order to bypass the third burner and grab the opposite ledge. Pull up.

• For the PC and Mac players, take the advantage of a friendly bug here. Save your game in this room and load. The burners should be off now. Reach the second pillar at your ease, take a simple standing jump over the burner and again take your time to reach the opposite side. If you back-track to the passage you came from, you will re-set the area and the burners will come back on.

Enter the next room with a swinging blade in a structure, decrepit crumbling floor beneath, and a lava pool with a small pool at the bottom.

3rd Secret - Beyond the blade is an opening which includes the game's final Secret. Here is how you can get it: Walk up to the edge of the ramp and line Lara to the either left or right side of the opening with the blade. (This screenshot shows the position if you position Lara on the left hand side.) Tap back once and take two steps back. Take a running jump when the blade is on your side and do not let go of the Jump and Up arrows. That way Lara will land on the decrepit crumble floor, jump again and land in the opening. Pick up the Large Medi Pack and the two sets of Uzi Clips.

[Bug note for PC players - You may not hear the chime signaling the Secret, nor see the Secret added to your final Statistics (it reads 2 out of 3). However, this is the final Secret.]

Walk up to the edge of the opening and take a standing jump to land in the pool at the bottom. Or, tap back once and perform the swan dive (hold down Walk and press Jump and Up). Get the Uzi Clips and swim through the tunnel. Climb out of the water and pick up the four sets of Uzi Clips. (The PS players will also find a Save Crystal here.)

Dealing with Natla - Exit and draw weapons. Natla will fly down from the left hand side of the area, throwing fireballs. You can avoid them by jumping from side to side, so make sure you are in an open area and away from the pillars. Once you bring her down, you may want to go through the opening on the west side and pick up six sets of Uzi Clips. Be quick though because Natla is not dead. She will get up saying "You can't bump off me and by brood so easy, Lara!" She needs just a few more shots and she will be dead.

Now you can go for the exit. Go to the southeast corner of the area to find some rocks with an opening behind. Take a standing jump to clear the angled part of the rocks. Climb into the opening and follow the passage to another opening. Take a running jump to the pillar ahead and another one to the next pillar on the left. Jump to the third pillar and pull into the opening. Follow the passage around to the right and climb up the blocks to reach an opening higher in the area. Drop onto the pillar below and use running jumps for the next two pillars. Take a running jump to grab the last pillar and pull into the opening. Follow the passage, which will get you to an opening, this time even higher. Hang from the edge and drop onto the pillar below. Turn right and take a running jump to the ledge. Pull into the triangular opening above and slide down the ramp beyond to end the level and the game.

The FMV shows the pyramid being destroyed. Lara manages to escape just in time. She dives in the sea and swims towards the yacht and climbs aboard. She starts the engine and leaves, whilst the entire island explodes.

 

     
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