SAVING, CHECKPOINTS & TECH SUPPORT: This game incorporates autosave checkpoints. If you only rely on one save slot, you may run into trouble if you get stuck, encounter a bug, or if your autosave becomes corrupted. To avoid problems, I highly recommend changing your save slot in the pause menu at least once per level. If you encounter a serious bug, I encourage you to visit the Official Shadow of the Tomb Raider Support Forum and or put in a support request with Square Enix. PC save files are available for download here.
AREA 9: THE MOUNTAIN TEMPLE
Updated: 10/15/18(†)
Camp: The Mountain Temple
Annotated Level Map: N/A (no major collectibles)
OBJECTIVE: Find the Inner Stronghold
TEMPLE ENTRANCE: You enter the MOUNTAIN TEMPLE at the north end of Paititi. (screenshot) Move deeper inside, jump over to the climbable wall, and rappel down past a couple of cult guards whose backs are turned. (screenshots) Drop into the anteroom below and gather a few resources.
As you move through this room, a brief cutscene shows Lara taking a pistol out of her rucksack. (screenshot) This is meant to alert you that you now have use of all of your weapons again.
CHASM WITH SMALL BUILDINGS AND LEDGES: Scramble up into the opening in the far left corner of the room. Cross the chasm along the narrow wooden beam. Move to the jutting edge of this ledge and jump across the chasm to grab a handhold on the wall below the next building. The handhold collapses, but Lara manages to grab the narrow ledge below. Climb around to the right as 2 cultists cross the walkway in the distance. Climb then jump to the right. Then pull up onto the wooden ledge. Move down the hill toward The Mountain Temple Base Camp. (screenshots)
Lara contacts Jonah over the radio to tell him she's entered the temple. He says that Unuratu will be ready when Lara opens the gate from inside.
Before leaving this area, go into the building just north of the camp to find some gold and supplies. Grab another small pile of gold on the ledge on the south side of the campfire. Then head down the steps and around to the right. Scramble up the stone wall onto the ledge above. Jump past the little waterfall onto the wooden ledge beyond. The ledge settles a bit but doesn't collapse. Move to the end and slide down the zip line to the building below. (screenshots)
Lara draws her weapon as a cultist approaches from the stairway ahead on the right. If you move over to the right side of the room, behind the low block, he won't notice you. Wait for him to turn away and then sneak up behind him and kill him with a melee attack. Whoever he was talking to is gone now, so you can head up the stairs on the right, where he came from. (screenshots)
ROOM WITH SACRIFICIAL TABLE: At the top, enter the building through the low, rectangular opening. Inside, advance and take cover behind the low wall so the 2 cultists don't detect you. You can fight them now that you have weapons, but if you'd prefer stealth, grab the ceramic jar sitting on the ledge and hold Alt Fire (Middle Mouse/R1/RB) to craft a smoke bomb using fat from your inventory. Wait until the 2 men are fairly close together. Then hold Aim and you'll see a white arc. Aim with the mouse or right stick, then press Left Mouse/Right Trigger to throw the smoke bomb. Take advantage of the chaos to rush out and melee attack the nearer enemy. Then rush to the second man and try to stealth kill him as well. After the smoke clears, exit through the doorway opposite the the entrance. Gather some supplies in this hallway lined with flaming braziers. Then follow the hall to the northeast end. (screenshots)
OBJECTIVE: Open the Great Gate
COMBAT IN THE TEMPLE COURTYARD: There are 8 enemies in the large, open area between here and the gate. You'll need to clear them out in order to reach the gate mechanism. If you like fast-paced combat, you can enter with guns blazing. There are plenty of walls and ledges so you can maneuver around the area and take cover. You'll also find healing herbs and other supplies, as well as several large red jars of gunpowder that you can shoot to take out nearby enemies or create a distraction. Go for it!
If you'd prefer a stealthier approach, I have described a sequence that worked fairly consistently for me in this section with screenshots. It includes tips on using the Scavenger Skill Serpent's Fury for a Chained Takedown, a maneuver you'll need to master for the Chain Gang trophy/achievement, and also the Warrior Skill Howler's Troop, which lets you fire arrows at two enemies simultaneously. If you haven't unlocked these skills yet, there are alternative tactics as well, including crafting smoke bombs using empty ceramic jars.
Once you've taken out all 8 cultists, loot the bodies—each man carries at least 100 gold pieces—and scour the area for other resources. Then climb the wooden slats to the right of the golden gate to reach the mechanism above. (screenshot)
Lara turns the huge wheel to open the gate so Unuratu and her companions can enter. Lara then makes her way to the inner gate and uses the serpent key to open it. Unuratu and Uchu emerge from a side area with Etzli just as the cultists realize their stronghold has been breached. As the cult members move in on the rebels, Unuratu orders Uchu to take Etzli to safety. She allows herself to be surrounded and captured in order to draw attention away from her son and from Lara, who sneaks through the inner gate.
OBJECTIVE: Find the Silver Box of Ix Chel
THE EYE OF THE SERPENT: As you move out the rear of the temple, Lara and Jonah touch base over the walkies. Then you get a good look at the Eye of the Serpent, a man-made island in the middle of the rapids. Naturally there's no convenient bridge, so you'll need to climb.
Move to the right and jump over to the climbing wall. Climb down and around to the left. When you can't go any farther, jump to the left to grab the narrow ledge on the next rock formation. Climb around the corner to the right. Then axe-climb down another section of craggy wall. Rappel down to the wall-running area below. Run back and forth and jump to the right to grab the horizontal bar. Swing, jump, and latch onto the next section of climbable wall. Climb to the left, then downward as far as you can. When you run out of rock, rappel down to the little island below. Move to the pointed end of the island and grapple-swing across the gap toward the Eye. Enter the structure and either dive right into the pit or jump off the jutting ledge to latch onto the climbable pillar extending from the ceiling. Then rappel down and drop into the CENOTE. (screenshots)
†UPDATE HISTORY: 10/15/18 - First draft of walkthrough posted online.
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