STELLA'S CLASSIC TOMB RAIDER 1 WALKTHROUGH

Tomb Raider I Remastered Guide here.

Kills: 32  Items: 50  Save Crystals: 7 (Saturn and PlayStation only)  Secrets: 3

NOTE: One of the regular pickups here will be the UZIS if you don't already have them.

Cut Scene: Natla places the completed Scion on some sort of mechanical altar, which then begins to revolve. She then gazes out toward a huge, yellow sphere mounted on the far wall of the chamber. This is followed by a brief FMV sequence in which we see the island above. The top of what looks like a volcanic peak blows apart revealing a golden pyramid with a crackling swirl of energy at the top. (This cinematic, titled "Pyramid," is also available on my YouTube channel.

LEVEL MAP by VGCartography (used with permission)

Atlantis PS1 Video Walkthrough by Eldincy

OBJECTIVES: Make your way to the top of the pyramid past various traps, hazards and mutant guardians for the penultimate confrontation with Natla.

Walk forward. The lights come on and you'll find some Uzi clips on the ground. (In the PS1 game, you'll get the UZIS instead of ammo if you don't already have the guns.) In the room ahead are 6 incubators ready to hatch some nasty Atlantean mutants. Step forward cautiously and the first egg on the left will hatch, releasing a spew-spitting mutant. Backflip into the doorway and kill it from there.

NOTE: You'll encounter a number of these incubators throughout this and the next level. You can tell when an incubator is ready to hatch a live mutant because the mechanical arms that support each yellow "egg" begin to move. If the arms aren't moving, it's safe to approach.

Advance forward and to the right and the first egg on that side of the room will hatch. This one contains a fireball-launching mutant. To minimize the damage, you can backflip a few times to get a little distance between Lara and the creature. Then jump from side to side to avoid the fireballs while shooting. When the mutant explodes, go down the right or center to the opposite end of the long room. As you approach the Uzi clips on the floor, the last egg on the left explodes and another mutant emerges. Use those side flips to avoid the toxic spew, kill the mutant and pick up the clips.

Here at the back of the room are 3 doors: one on each side and another in the center. The door on the left opens as you approach. Enter and go up the stairs. The see-through floor is safe to walk on, but there are gaps where Lara can fall through, so stay alert. Pick up a small medi pack in the far left (southwest) corner. The door in this corner leads back downstairs, but it doesn't open yet.

NOTE: This area is very dark. If you have trouble seeing where you're going, try turning up the brightness on your TV or monitor.

Head up the left (west) side of the room. When you near the middle, step out toward the walkway with the shotgun shells and the egg below will hatch. Kill the flying mutant from above if possible. If it flies up above floor level, jump from side to side to dodge its fireballs, taking care not to fall through the openings in the floor. When the coast is clear, get the shells if you didn't already and then continue to the far right (northeast) corner. Use the switch in the dark alcove to open the door across the room (in the northwest corner). Behind that is another switch. Use it to open the door near where you got the small medi pack (in the southwest corner).

Exit the switch room, and head straight across the room to the previous switch. Turn right and continue along the left (east) side of the room. When you reach the middle, the egg below will explode releasing another flying mutant below. Kill it as you did the other, then cross over the bridge at the center and continue along the right (west) side. The remaining egg will hatch below and another mutant will come up the stairs in the far left (southeast) corner. If you don't run forward, you should have plenty of time to kill it as it approaches.

Go down the stairs on the right (southwest). On the way down, you'll see another switch. Throw this to open the middle door in the room below. Continue down. The door at the bottom of the stairs opens as you approach. Go forward then to the right through the door you just opened.

TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES ABOVE BIG LAVA POOL: Advance to a ledge above a large lava pool. Kill the flying mutant that comes down from above.

NOTE: This will happen several more times as you make your way to the top of the pyramid. The fliers can knock Lara off the ledges. Also, they explode when you kill them, and Lara will take some damage if she's close to the explosion. Since they tend to avoid the small doorways, a useful strategy is to draw them down then back up and kill them from cover.

When the flier explodes, turn around and hang from the outside edge of the ledge. Let go and grab the ledge below (as shown in this screenshot). Pull up and enter the passageway, which is SECRET #1. Pick up a large medi pack and clips for the magnums and Uzis. Continue along the tunnel to an opening in the floor where you can drop down into another hallway with gray and gold tiles. At one end of this hallway is a ledge above the big lava pool. (This is within jumping distance of the ledge you stood on previously, but by finding the secret, you avoided that jump.) There are chomping blades in the doorway, but you need not worry about them. Go the other way.

ROOM WITH TRANSPARENT BRIDGE & MUTANT INCUBATOR: The next room contains a lava pit below a transparent bridge with a gap in the middle. Down in the gap is an incubator. Walk to the right side of the bridge and take a standing jump to grab the crevice in the wall. Drop and grab the bottom of the doorway below. (This screenshot shows the spot.) Pull up and follow the tunnel to a switch. Use it to open the red door on the far side of the bridge. Continue along the tunnel to the opening, pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips and take a standing jump down to the bridge. Take a running jump across the gap to grab the other side of the bridge. As you pass the incubator, the egg will hatch, releasing a winged mutant. Pull up and head for the doorway. You can kill the mutant from here or, if you don't want all the kills, just keep going. (Console gamers get a save crystal in the passageway.)

POOL BELOW EXPOSED PYRAMID: Continue to a room with a pool of water. On the left is a part of the sloping outer wall of the pyramid. Like the visible part of the pyramid at the end of the last level, there are several flat spots. There are also two spike pits at the bottom of the slope and a couple of stone blocks. On the right side of the pool are some rocks and pillars. These are climbable but there's no way to get onto them from the water. The exit is that red door on the far side of the pool.

You'll need to go across the pyramid twice: once to spring some boulder traps and find a secret, and again to get out. First, take a running jump from the doorway to grab the tall square block ahead. (Note the square ledge below on the right. You can climb out of the water here if you fall in.) Turn left and take a running jump from the top of the tall block to the nearest flat spot on the pyramid. A boulder rolls from above, so quickly take a standing jump to the next flat spot higher up and to the right. This spot is safe. Now angle Lara slightly uphill and take a standing jump forward to land on the pyramid and slide down to the flat spot just above the second spike pit. Another boulder rolls down. If Lara is facing uphill, you can immediately take a standing jump to the next higher flat spot to get out of the boulder's way. (This series of jumps is indicated on this screenshot.)

NOTE: Alternatively, you can avoid triggering the second boulder by taking a running jump from the second flat spot straight across the slope to land on the next flat spot four squares beyond. Just make sure you do this—or watch out for the boulder—later on when making the timed run.

After clearing these two boulders you can take your time. Take a series of standing jumps, from flat spot to flat spot, up the side of the pyramid to the top right corner. As you get closer, you'll be able to make out an opening in the rock wall (outlined in this screenshot). Climb into it for SECRET #2, magnum and Uzi clips, plus a large medi pack. Exit this room and slide down the pyramid to the flat spot near the red door.

Take a running jump across the water to grab the lowest step on the other side. Pull up and climb onto the step on the right. From here, take a running jump to grab the edge of the tall block ahead. Pull up and get the large medi pack. Take a running jump to grab the next higher block, pull up and enter the room on the left. Pick up the 2 sets of Uzi clips on the ground and pull the switch. This alters the terrain in the next room enabling you to exit.

TIMED RUN TO THE EXIT: Jump into the water and find the underwater lever to the left of the pillar where you just got the medi pack. When you pull it, the red door opens and you have about 40 seconds to get through it before it closes. Here's the sequence (also shown in these screenshots): Pull the lever, turn around and swim to the ledge at water level just below the tall pillar near the entrance. Climb out of the water onto the ledge so you're already facing the pillar. Then when you climb up, you're ready to take the next jump without having to set up first. Take a running jump over the spikes to the nearest flat spot. Press the right direction key to pivot in the air so Lara lands on the flat spot facing the far wall. If you make it this far without stumbling, save your game if possible. Then, if you mess up, you can just reload and skip the business with the lever and the swimming.

With Lara on the flat spot above the first spike pit, facing the wall with the exit door, step back until her heels touch the raised edge of the tile behind her. Then take a running jump straight across the pyramid. Lara should land on the slippery slope and slide down to the flat spot above the second spike pit. Again, step back so Lara has enough distance for the take-off and do another running jump to the ledge near the red door. You should have plenty of time to go through before it closes. Just be careful not to run on into the lava in the room ahead.

NOTE: If you didn't trigger the second boulder on the way to secret #2, you should probably do the timed run the same way you did it the first time, since you won't have time to set up the last running jump to the doorway before Lara gets squashed by the boulder.

ROOM WITH PARTIAL WALKWAY AND THREE LAVA SLIDES: Face the door opposite the entrance and take a running jump to grab the left side of the walkway (the lower of the two steps). Follow the walkway to the end and take a standing jump diagonally to the left into the doorway. (Get a save crystal here in the PS1 game.)

NOTE: If you neglected to pull the switch in the small room above the pool in the previous area, this room will not be filled with lava. Instead it will contain a larger elevated walkway and 3 closed chutes, and you won't be able to reach the exit from the walkway. Go back through the red door or, if it's closed, drop down, walk around the right side of the walkway and climb up next to the switch. Use the switch to open the door opposite and return to the pool room that way. Then climb up to the room in the far left corner—on the opposite side of the water from the pyramid—and pull that switch now. Do the timed run through the exit door again and resume the walkthrough with the paragraph above. Thanks to MrCairo for this tip.

After exiting the room with the three lava slides, follow the passage to the top, jumping over a spike pit partway along. Jump into the pool and swim down and forward. There are some shotgun shells on the bottom and a lever to the left of the entrance (when facing it) that opens the exit on the opposite wall. Swim through this door and climb out of the water.

Walk forward and pick up the 2 sets of Uzi clips on the ledge. The chomping blades only begin to work after you pass. Once again, you find yourself in the TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES above the huge lava pool. Another flying mutant approaches from above. Rather than going back through the blades, take a running jump to the next ledge on the right. Pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips and either kill the flier from that doorway or leave it and continue on.

ROOM WITH SWITCHES & UNDERWATER DOORS: Follow the short hallway to another pool. Swim down and forward into a room with 4 underwater pillars. Behind the first pillar on the right is a small medi pack. Surface near the entrance. The room above contains 4 mutant incubators, none of which are active yet. There are also 3 underwater doors on the left (north) side and 5 switches (plus a convenient save crystal). You only need to pull 3 of the switches to open the doors so you can exit. The others activate the incubators. Each switch and incubator described here is also labeled in the diagram at right.

Start with switch #1 in the northwest corner. Use it to open the outer door. Walk up the short ramp between the two switches to get 2 sets of Uzi clips and a closer look at the exit doors. Continue clockwise around the perimeter of the room, skipping switch #2 in the northeast corner, and using switch #3 in the southeast corner to open the middle door. Continue to switch #4, the middle one of the three on the south wall. Use it to open the inner door. It also activates incubator A, the one on the northeast side of the room between switch #2 and the exit. You'll see the arms holding the egg begin to move.

You can now choose to skip the next four kills, or take between one and four of them. For no kills, after opening all three doors, jump into the water and quickly swim through them and away. For one kill, after throwing switch #4, approach the incubator to hatch the egg and kill the fireball-hurling mutant. Use the usual back-flip/side-flip routine. Just be sure not to fall into the water or you'll have difficulty getting out without being toasted. Now leave through the underwater doors.

Or, for the rest of the kills, use switch #2 (on the northeast side near the incubator that just hatched) to activate incubator B (in the northwest corner between switch #1 and the entrance). Walk toward it to hatch the egg, releasing a flying mutant. Again, hop back and flip from side to side while shooting, and it shouldn't harm Lara. Switch #5, in the southwest corner, activates the last 2 incubators. The one just above the switch (C in the diagram) hatches immediately, and a winged mutant attacks. To prevent it from pinning Lara in the corner, as soon as you pull the switch, roll and run away from the switch. Take a running jump across the pool, roll again and start shooting. This will give you a little more room to maneuver. Do not approach the other egg yet, or it will hatch and you'll have 2 mutants on your hands at once. When the flier is dead, hatch the remaining egg (D) and kill the fourth mutant, which shoots fireballs. Then swim through the 3 doors you just opened.

ROOM WITH BOULDER & MOVABLE BLOCK: Surface and follow the passage to a hallway with pulsing, fleshy walls. After stepping up into this hallway, turn right and throw the switch to open the door. Enter and pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips on the ground. As you walk across the room, a boulder will roll down the ramp and stop at the bottom, blocking the doorway. To get out, position Lara with the boulder on her right, the ramp behind her and her chest against the wall. Side flip to the right several times, and Lara should be able to squeeze past the boulder into the hallway beyond.

Alternatively, find the movable block which forms the corner at the bottom of the ramp. Pull the block once, then go around to the right side and push it against the wall so it's in the path where the boulder rolled (as shown in this screenshot). Exit through the pulsing tunnel and go around to the left to the door where you originally came in. Use the switch again to open the door and magically reset the boulder trap. This time, when you enter, the boulder rolls down and is stopped by the block. Exit through the doorway that was previously blocked by the boulder.

Continue to emerge once again in the TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES above the lava pool. Kill another winged mutant and take a running jump to the next ledge ahead and to the right.

ROOM WITH INCUBATORS & TRENCH FULL OF SPIKES: Advance along the passageway. (There's another save crystal here in the console games.) Enter the room slowly to hatch the eggs one at a time. Kill each of the 2 winged mutants from the doorway. Position Lara facing either section of pulsing floor on the opposite slope (not the tan stone, which is slippery). Slide down the slope and jump at the bottom to clear the spikes and land on the fleshy floor. Go to the top and pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips, a large medi pack and some shotgun shells.

BIG ROOM WITH LAVA POOL & FLESHY BRIDGE: Follow the tunnel to a ledge above a lava pool. There is an incubator on the left and an uneven bridge made of that freaky, fleshy stuff spanning the length of the room. Approach the Uzi clips on the ground near the end of the bridge and a winged mutant rises up ahead. Kill it and take the clips. Then return to the entrance and face the incubator. Take a diagonal standing jump to the ledge on the left. Take a running jump from this ledge to land on the small square ledge that juts out just in front of the incubator. The egg will hatch, releasing another winged mutant. This doorway is not quite big enough to keep the mutant out, so use the shotgun or Uzis to kill it quickly.

Turn around and follow the passage around to its higher opening, picking up some Uzi clips on the way. Take a running jump from the either opening to the tan ledge projecting from the fleshy bridge. (This screenshot shows the spot.) Walk forward onto the bridge and turn around to face the wall you just jumped from. Now you should be able to target the 2 mutants in the cave on the left of the empty incubator. One spits and the other shoots fireballs. Don't jump around too much or you're likely to slide into the lava. Instead lock onto either target and sidestep to the left so you're out of range of the mutants' attacks. Hold the Action button and Lara will shoot whenever the enemy comes within range. It shouldn't take too long before the first mutant explodes. Then repeat the process for the second.

Turn around to so Lara's back is toward the empty incubator. Walk out onto the sloping projection on the other side of the bridge. (There's a fleshy area just below in the lava pool.) Take a running jump to the opposite side and go to the right, up the ramp to the switch, picking up 2 sets of Uzi clips on the way. Use the switch to open a door you can't see yet. Turn around and head back down the stone walkway. Take a running jump across the gap to avoid sliding into the lava. In the far right (southeast) corner of the room there's a movable block. Pull it once to uncover the door you just opened with the switch.

Enter and follow the passage to the chomping blades. Stand close to the blades without touching them and then run through just as they begin to open. Take care not to run off the ledge. If you slide down the slope ahead, you'll have to hop up to the middle of the bridge, jump to the ledge on the left and retrace your steps past the blades again. From the flat ledge beyond the blades turn right and take a running jump to the cave where the 2 mutants were. Head up the slope, turn left and climb the blocks to a ledge with a small medi pack and more Uzi clips. Follow the hallway to a higher another ledge in the TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES above the big lava pool. Kill another winged mutant that swoops down from above. Then take a running jump to the next ledge ahead on the right.

ROOM WITH SQUARE PILLARS & LAVA POOL: Go through the door, which opens automatically as you approach, into a room with square pillars set in a lava pool. (Use the save crystal here if you're playing on Saturn/PSOne.) Go to the end of the walkway and take a running jump to the ledge ahead. Follow the hallway to a switch and use it to change the heights of the pillars. Return to the lava room and take a running jump back to the walkway by the door. Take a running jump to the nearest pillar, which is just to the left of the entrance. Take a standing jump to the pillar on the left, then a running jump to grab the edge of the doorway to the left of the next pillar. Pull up, go into this hallway and use the second switch to move the pillars again. Return to the doorway and take a standing jump to the pillar on the left. Take a running jump to the next pillar ahead. Turn left and take a standing jump to the pillar near the exit. From here, take a running jump into the doorway, then follow the passage to the left.

FLESHY RAMP & SECRET ROOM: Get ready before entering the next area. There are 3 mutants ahead. In this situation, you're better off not drawing them down into the hallway. The mutants can easily corner Lara there. Instead ready those Uzis and run forward, turn left and start up the ramp. Begin shooting as soon as Lara locks onto one of the mutants. About halfway up the first slope, stop running and just concentrate on shooting. The low ceiling makes it difficult to jump from side to side, but you can do some sidestepping to avoid the mutants' attacks. Or just concentrate on the offense and use health packs as needed.

The secret in this area is difficult to spot but easy to get once you know where it is. Return to the hallway at the bottom of the slope. Step on the one floor tile without the gold pattern on it. This pressure pad opens a concealed door at the very top of the ramp where you fought the three mutants. It's on the right, just before the hallway narrows. The door stays open for about 25 seconds, giving you ample time to reach it. Inside is SECRET #3, consisting of Uzi clips, shotgun shells and a large medi pack. (These screenshots show the pressure pad and secret door.) Pick up the goodies then return to the ramp, turn right and follow the tunnel to another red, see-through door.

SWITCH & LAVA TRAP: The door opens automatically. Don't use the switch ahead on the right. It's a trap. Rather than opening the next door, it causes lava to flow into the hallway. Instead climb up through the opening in the ceiling near the first door. Continue to come out again in the TALL ROOM WITH LEDGES above the big lava pool. You're almost at the top now. You can see the underside of a big ledge above, and this time, there's no flying mutant. Take a running jump to the next ledge on the right, pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips and enter the passage beyond.

RAMP WITH DARTS, BLADES & BOULDER: Advance into the next room toward the Uzi clips with weapons drawn. Kill the mutant that emerges at the far end of the room, then get the clips. Continue forward to the bottom of the ramp. There are dart pipes on either side, blades in the doorway mid-way up the ramp and, for good measure, a boulder up at the very top. This looks a lot more difficult than it is. Go around the right side of the ramp (when facing it) and head for the corner. The darts won't start to shoot out of the pipes yet. Now turn to face the highest part of the ramp before the blades and sidestep to the left so Lara isn't directly below the dart pipe. (This screenshot shows the spot.) Vault up onto the ramp and then immediately hop back to avoid the boulder. When the boulder rolls past, it disables the blades so you can climb back onto the ramp and continue to the top.

THRONE ROOM: Here you'll find a room with 3 large thrones (and a save crystal as well). Notice that they are labeled with the initials of the Atlantean rulers: Natla, Tihocan and Qualopec. The "seat" of Natla's throne is actually a movable block. Push it twice to get into the area behind.

NOTE: Instead of going through one of the trapdoors, as described below, you can take a shortcut. After entering the area behind Natla's throne, go all the way around to the right, to the low step behind Qualopec's throne. There's a raised opening above, through which you would return to this room after doing the business described below. Instead, stand on the low step behind Qualopec's throne. Sidestep as far as you can to the left and then try to climb onto the block that forms the seat of the throne. Lara can't stand there and will start to slide back, but before that happens side flip to the left to land in the opening above, as shown in screenshot. Drop down into the small room below and throw the switch to open the red door between the trapdoors behind Tihocan's throne. Climb back up the way you came and go through that door. Skip down to the section "SMALL ROOM WITH THREE INCUBATORS". Special thanks to Beau for this tip.

Or, taking the usual path, after pushing the block, go to the back of the area behind the thrones, where you'll find 2 switches with trapdoors beneath them. There's also a red door between them which doesn't open yet. It doesn't really matter which trapdoor you choose, since both lead to the same place. If you choose the switch on the left, throw it, and quickly jump back off the trapdoor as it drops open. Turn around and drop back to hang from the opening. Let go and, as soon as you hit the slope below, jump to clear the spike pit. Continue up the slope and turn left.

For the trapdoor on the right, throw the switch and quickly jump back off the trapdoor. Turn around and drop back to hang from the opening. Drop into the room below. (You can also just fall through the trapdoor, but Lara loses some health.) Take a standing jump over the lava pit, then immediately backflip to where you first landed in order to avoid the rolling boulder. Hop back across the lava and continue forward then to the left.

Climb up through the opening and throw the switch to open the red door between the trapdoors above. Continue climbing to emerge in the throne room above and behind Qualopec's seat. Drop down and go through the red door between the switches. Head to the right and up the ramp. Advance cautiously into the next room.

SMALL ROOM WITH THREE INCUBATORS: When you enter this room, only the incubator on the far side is active. So you can pick up 4 sets of Uzi clips (in two piles) near the entrance without any interference. Then draw weapons and move toward the active incubator. (In the Saturn/PlayStation game it may not appear to be active yet, but it is.) A centaur hatches out. Do the back-flip/side-flip routine to avoid the fireballs as you shoot it.

Cross the room and throw the switch to the left of the empty incubator to open the exit door. This also activates the two incubators above. As long as you don't step on either of the low, fleshy ramps next to the door, the eggs won't hatch and you can leave at any time. If you want all the kills, you can hatch the eggs one at a time and fight the 2 mutants that emerge.

Alternatively, after throwing the switch, run across the fleshy ramps to hatch both remaining eggs. Immediately slide down the ramp into the next area, popping a health pack as you go, if necessary. Deal with the mutants down there (see next paragraph). Then turn around and shoot the two mutants at the top of the slope. (Thanks to Ian T. for this tip.)

NOTE: In the console version there's a save crystal just beyond the exit door.

CAVE WITH FLESH CREATURE: Be sure you're at full health before exiting down the ramp. At the bottom are 2 more mutants. It's probably easiest to just keep moving and shooting, but you can also run out into the open area, head to the right and climb onto a block where the mutants can't reach Lara. You've got to be quick to do this, though, and you may lose as much health as you would just fighting.

Once the mutants are dead, head for the middle of the room. After examining this next fleshy creature for a minute, you'll realize it mirrors Lara's movements precisely—including shooting at her if she shoots at it. You have to kill it in order to leave, but to do that, you'll need to lure it into a trap.

Here's how: (This sequence is shown in a series of screenshots.) Head for the tall column near the entrance. Walk up the short ramp next to it and climb onto the block above the ramp. Turn around and take a standing jump onto the tall column. From here, you can see how Lara's doppelgänger has mimicked her movements using the tan blocks on the other side of the room. Now take a running jump to grab the right side of the raised platform ahead. Pull up. Here you'll see a switch, a trapdoor in the floor and the exit door. Pull the switch to open the trapdoor above a lava pit. You have a little over 40 seconds before the trapdoor closes. So you don't need to rush, but don't dawdle either.

Roll, run past the exit door and jump at the edge to land on the low ramp ahead. Then climb onto the low block at the top of the ramp. (Or, after throwing the switch, roll and run off the platform, slide down to the ground, run forward to the side of the block and vault onto it, avoiding the ramp altogether.) Jump onto the tall pillar. Now take a running jump to grab the platform and run to the middle. The flesh creature should then run to the middle on her side and fall into the lava pit. When she does, the exit door near the pit will open. Drop down to the floor, climb back up the gray rocks to the other platform and go through the door.

NOTE: The flesh creature is not counted as one of the official kills.

BUG WARNING: If you save your game and reload while exploring this area, the flesh girl may stop moving. If this happens, try jumping onto the ramp where you slid into this area. This will usually un-stick her. If you are on top of a block or ledge when you save and reload, the flesh girl can end up stuck inside the rocks instead of on top of them. If this happens, climb down to the ground, move into the open area, save again and reload. Then try jumping onto the ramp at the entrance to get the flesh girl moving again.)

Climb up into another sloping, flesh-textured hallway. Pick up the Uzi clips. Draw weapons and advance to the bend. As soon as Lara gets a lock on the centaur around the corner, hold the fire button and backflip down the hallway shooting. As usual, jump from side to side to avoid the fireballs and keep pumping the centaur full of lead until it explodes. Go back up to the bend and pick up some more Uzi clips. Now advance slowly. There's a drop-off at the top of the slope with a pool of lava below. Just go far enough to attract the attention of the mutant lurking ahead on the right. You may be able to stand and shoot it using the doorway for cover, but you can also back down the tunnel if necessary.

TIMED DRAWBRIDGE: The exit is straight ahead across the lava, but it's closed and the drawbridge leading to it is down. Both door and bridge are controlled by switches at either end of the U-shaped walkway that runs along the edge of the room. The left switch raises the bridge. The right switch opens the door. Both are timed, but the door stays open longer than the bridge stays up (about 45 seconds and 15 seconds, respectively).

Here's the drill: First, follow the walkway to the left and pick up some Uzi clips. Don't use this switch yet. Now go all the way around to the right end of the walkway and throw that switch to open the door. Immediately roll and run all the way around the edge of the room to the left switch. Use the switch to raise the bridge. Roll, then run back to the center and across the bridge to exit. You should have just enough time if you run without weaving too much and don't bump into anything. But if you want to shave off a few seconds, take running jumps along the straight parts and leap over the corners instead of running all the way around them.

SCION ROOM: Just beyond this door is the room where Natla placed the Scion on the mechanical altar. Pick up 2 sets of Uzi clips on the floor, then walk up the low ramp on the left side of the pedestal and try to take the Scion to end the level.

NOTE: This room is located high above the big lava pool you kept returning to throughout this level. Presumably it is at the center of the pyramid. You'll wind up on the big platform below at the beginning of the next level. There's nothing to find there now, but if you do jump down onto it, you're not stuck. Just face the opening of the SCION ROOM above and approach the left corner. A door will open in the wall. Walk to the edge of the platform and take a standing jump into the doorway, pressing Action to lower Lara's arc so she doesn't bang her head and fall. Follow the passage to emerge in the drawbridge room near the switch on the right. Then repeat the timed run to get back into the SCION ROOM.

A movie follows: Lara touches the Scion and receives another mysterious vision. In this one we see Natla held captive as the other Atlantean rulers, Qualopec and Tihocan, pass sentence upon her.

Natla: You can't do this!

Qualopec: We condemn you, Natla of Atlantis, for your crimes. For the flagrant misuse of your powers and for robbing us of ours. . . .

Natla: You can't! I. . . .

Qualopec: . . . breaking the free bond of consent that our people are ruled and secured under, and for invading Tihocan and myself with our army, our warriors emptied from our pyramid, so that you could use the pyramid—its powers of creation—for your own mindless destruction!

Natla: Mindless?! Look at you! Neither of you have one squirt of inventive juice in your heads. Wasters!

Qualopec (looking at Tihocan): Let's just do it.

Natla: Tihocan?!

Tihocan: You used the sacramental place as a source of individual pleasure. . . as some freak factory.

The camera reveals a mutant standing nearby.

Natla: They're survivalists, a new generation!

Tihocan: A slaughter heap now. And you. . . we're going to lock you in limbo. Make your veins, heart, feet and that diseased brain stick solid with frozen blood. Greet your eternal unrest, Natla!

Qualopec gives the signal to the mutant, who activates the machine that will entomb Natla. As the freezing process begins, Natla yells out.

Natla: You won't rest either. . . or your damned continent, Atlantis!

Next, a cut scene: Lara staggers back from the altar and sees Natla draw near.

Natla: Back again?

Lara: And you? For a grand re-opening, I assume?

In the typical overconfident-villain-revealing-her-evil-scheme speech, Natla explains.

Natla: Evolution is in a rut. . . natural selection at an all time low. Shipping out fresh meat will incite territorial rages again, will strengthen and advance us, even create new breeds.

She indicates the nearby incubator with its huge, yellow egg.

Lara: Kind of evolution on steroids, then?

Natla: A kick in the pants. Those runts Qualopec and Tihocan had no idea. The cataclysm of Atlantis struck a race of languoring wimps. . . plummeted them to the very basics of survival again. It shouldn't happen like that.

Lara: Or like this. (She waves her arm to encompass the whole room, maybe the pyramid itself.)

Computer voice: Hatching commences in fifteen seconds. . . .

Natla: Too late for abortions now.

Lara: Not without the heart of the operation.

Lara aims a pistol at the Scion, and Natla screams, "No!" She tackles Lara, hurling them both over the edge into the pit. Lara manages to grab the edge of the platform below, but Natla plummets into darkness.

Lara pulls up onto the platform below the incubator as the electronic voice counts down, "Ten. . . . Five. . . four. . . three. . . two. . . one. . . ."

(In case you missed them or want to re-watch, these cinematics are also available on my YouTube channel.)

†UPDATE HISTORY: 5/3/07 - First update since I began tracking page updates. Added various screenshots, including screens for all secrets. Added map for ROOM WITH SWITCHES & UNDERWATER DOORS. Also revised several sections for clarity and accuracy.
5/5/07 - Added Beau's excellent shortcut in the THRONE ROOM.
11/7/08 - Clarified the location of the save crystal in the SMALL ROOM WITH THREE INCUBATORS, thanks to a tip from Kayla S.
4/12/12 - Video transcripts and links to YouTube videos added.
11/12/20 - Added the note about the alternate Uzi location, thanks to Autisteadore.
2/5/24 - Added VGCartography's level maps, with permission. Follow them on Twitter/X, YouTube, and DeviantArt for more fantastic game maps.

WAS THIS WALKTHROUGH HELPFUL? If not, I apologize and invite you to contact me with any questions. If you need help right away, I recommend the r/TombRaider subreddit. Other fan-run forums are listed at tombraiders.net/stella/community.html. If this site was useful, please consider supporting it financially or in other ways. For details, visit tombraiders.net/stella/support.html. As always, I welcome your corrections/suggestions. Thank you!

Walkthrough text and diagrams copyright © 1998- - Stellalune (). Special thanks are given to the participants in the alt.games.tombraider newsgroup, without whom some parts of this walkthrough couldn't have been written. Thanks also to Rick J., Ian T., David P. and Beau for their help with this level. All TR1 screenshots were made using Glidos and Fraps. Feel free to copy or print this walkthrough for personal use. By all means, share it with friends, but please include this credit line so people can send me their feedback. No part of this walkthrough may be reproduced on another site without permission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Follow this link for details about this site's advertising and privacy policy.

Stella's Tomb Raider Site: tombraiders.net.

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