IMPORTANT: Levels 13 through 20, set in Alexandria, are interconnected. Some backtracking among them is needed to find all the necessary items. This walkthrough covers what I hope is the most direct route including all kills, pick-ups, and secrets. I have also included an ALEXANDRIA CHART outlining the basic path through the levels. This chart contains minor spoilers, such as keys and puzzle items, so you may want to avoid it unless you get lost/confused. The walkthrough also contains notes on what to do if you missed any crucial items.
LEVEL 19: PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS
Updated: 5/5/19(†)
Kills: 6 (7) Items: 12 (14) plus 3 (4) Black Beetles, 3 Broken Beetles, Winding Key, and Mechanical Scarab* Secrets: 0*
NOTE: While exploring this level, you briefly enter the next one, CLEOPATRA'S PALACES. The first number in each of the stats above are for PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS. The numbers in parentheses include an enemy and several items in CLEOPATRA'S PALACES. Since you only spend a few minutes there, I have included this visit in the walkthrough below rather than on a separate page.
The entrance to PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS is an underwater tunnel beneath the brownish rocks at the southern end of the tide pools in the COASTAL RUINS. It is marked F on the he map of the ruins. Swim into the passageway, turn left, left again, then right, into the new level. (screenshots)
CAVERN WITH SUBMERGED RUINS: The current sweeps Lara forward into a large, flooded cavern. Keep swimming forward. As you approach the submerged ruins, a hammerhead shark emerges from behind the right side of the building. There's no harpoon gun in this game, so you'll need to avoid the shark for now. Notice the two small, square openings about halfway up the front of the building. Swim through the left opening and climb out of the water. Place the PHAROS KNOT in the receptacle. (screenshots)
Now swim back out to the cavern, turn left, and swim forward, keeping the building on Lara's left. Then turn left into the other small, square opening. Climb out of the water and place the PHAROS PILLAR in the receptacle there. This opens the carved doors down at the base of the building (not the wooden panel between the two square openings). Swim down to the bottom and through the door, luring the shark inside with you. Continue swimming up the flooded steps. Once Lara can stand, turn around and use pistols or a single poisoned arrow from the crossbow to kill the shark—or just avoid it and continue into the ruins. (screenshots)
NOTE: If you are missing either the PHAROS KNOT or PHAROS PILLAR, you'll need to return to the previous levels to get them. See the footnote for details.
BUG NOTE: There's a potential bug in the next area. Save the game here before continuing up the stairs in case you get stuck and need to reload.
ROOM WITH STAIRS FLANKED BY SHALLOW POOLS AND RAM STATUES: When you reach the wide landing at the top of the stairs, an ornamented skeleton rises out of the floor. Either move past it, destroy it with explosives, or use the shotgun to knock it into the rectangular hole between the two statues. Drop through that hole into the pool below and swim down and forward. (screenshots)
SMALL UNDERWATER ROOM WITH THREE DOORS: All 3 square doors open if you swim close to them and press Action, but there is nothing behind the left or middle door, so you may want to just avoid them. Open the door on the right (north) and swim through the passageway to a room where you can surface. (screenshots)
BUG NOTE: Several players have encountered a bug here in which an invisible wall prevents Lara from swimming through the doorway on the right even after the door is open. If this happens, reload an earlier save and next time try opening only the right door. You can also download a PC or Mac save file to get past this section.
ROOM WITH THREE STAIRCASES AND SMALL POOL: As you enter, a living golden uraeus emerges from the stairway on the left (south). If you lock onto it right away and continue firing with pistols, you may be able to shoot it down before begins firing energy bolts at Lara. Of course, Uzis or explosive arrows work even faster. You'll know it's about to fire a blast when sparks start swirling around it. If that happens, side flip out of the way and continue shooting. If it dive-bombs Lara, try and roll/hop out of its way so it doesn't jab her with its stinger-like tail. This does quite a bit of damage and can also poison Lara. If this happens, the health bar tuns yellow and you'll need to use a medipack to antidote the poison. Keep shooting until the uraeus falls out of the air. (screenshots)
Crouch and shoot the 4 hollow benches to get some goodies: small and large medipacks, plus 3 boxes of regular shotgun shells and 3 boxes of wideshot shells.
You can now explore the areas at the top of the three staircases in any order you like. We'll start with the stairs on the left (south) side of the room, where the golden uraeus appeared.
SOUTH STAIRS – ROOM WITH ISIS STATUE: Climb the stairs and enter a long room with columns along each side and a large statue at the far end. The door closes behind you. Approach the statue, taking note of the raised alcoves on the left and right sides of the room and the trapdoor near the statue. There are also tall blocks in the corners to the left and right of the statue with scarab-shaped artifacts set into the walls above them. (screenshots)
Climb onto the block in the right (southwest) corner. Use the CROWBAR to pry out the BLACK BEETLE (1/4). When you do, a swarm of live beetles pours out of the hole and a block rises below the alcove on the west wall. Quickly backflip off the block and roll in the air to land facing away from the block. Side flip to the left and run/jump past the statue to the other tall corner block. Climb on top of it. Now you're safe from the beetles for a moment. Pry out the BROKEN BEETLE (1/3) . This releases more live beetles and raises a second block along the east wall. Again, immediately backflip and roll in midair to land on the floor facing away from the block. Side flip to the right this time and then run diagonally across the room to the block you raised when you took the first beetle. Jump onto the block, jump onto the ledge above, and then pull up into the alcove. The beetles can't reach you here. (screenshots)
NOTES: If the midair roll is too difficult, after prying out each artifact, just roll, run off the edge of the block, and keep going, using a health pack or two if necessary. It doesn't matter which beetle artifact you take first. You won't use the BROKEN BEETLE, but you do need to pry it out of the wall in order to raise the block so you can reach the alcove on the east side of the room.
Press the square tile at the back of the alcove. Roll and run off the edge and continue running straight across the room. Jump onto the other raised block, jump onto the ledge above, jump forward to grab the edge of the alcove, and pull up. Push the second square tile. Pressing both of these opens the trapdoor near the statue. (screenshots)
Hop down and run into the trapdoor, holding Action to grab the short ladder inside the opening. Wait for the beetles to scurry down through the opening onto the block below. If you then pull up and walk away from the opening, the beetles will swarm down to the floor of the lower room. You can then drop onto the block below the ladder without being bitten. (screenshots)
Turn around and run off the edge of the block. Run/jump to the far end of the room, turn right, and run into the angled block. Hold Action and press Jump to grab the edge of the angled block. Pull up and press Jump again to backflip onto the ledge above. Take the WINDING KEY from the pedestal. Then press the square tile to open the exit in the STATUE ROOM above. (screenshots)
Run off the ledge and run/jump back to the block with the ladder. Climb up, jump to grab the ladder inside the trapdoor, and climb back to the STATUE ROOM. Exit the way you came and go back downstairs to the ROOM WITH THREE STAIRCASES AND SMALL POOL. A skeleton rises from the floor as you re-enter the room. Blast it into the pool with the shotgun or dispose of it with explosives. (screenshots)
WEST STAIRS – ROOM WITH SMALL CARVED PYRAMID: Head up the stairs to the left (west). At the top is a colorfully painted anteroom with 4 hollow benches containing Uzi ammo, regular shotgun shells, wideshot shells, and a large medipack. As you approach the entrance to the PYRAMID ROOM, another skeleton rises up in the doorway. Take it out with a grenade or explosive arrow. Enter the room and save the game before sliding down any of the chutes. (screenshots)
BUG NOTE: There's a bug with the black beetles—no pun intended. ;-) In order to complete this level, you'll need to find four BLACK BEETLE artifacts and insert them into the receptacles in the small pyramid. You'll also find a few useless BROKEN BEETLES. The problem is that some of the black beetles may not appear in your inventory when you pick them up. If you like, you can place each BLACK BEETLE into the pyramid as soon as you get it. However, even if you don't see all of the beetles in the inventory, by the time you finish the level the four sides of the pyramid should open anyway. If you have trouble here, you can download a PC or Mac save file.
To avoid the possible complications mentioned above, place the BLACK BEETLE you found in the ROOM WITH THE ISIS STATUE into one of the 4 receptacles on the side of the carved pyramid. This causes that side of the pyramid to retract.
You can skip the CHUTE ON THE RIGHT (NORTH) SIDE, since there is only a useless BROKEN BEETLE artifact and some nastiness down there. But if you insist on covering everything (or have already slid down here and need to know what to do next), hurry to the far end of the pool of oil and climb out before the oil ignites. Use the CROWBAR to pry the BROKEN BEETLE (2/3) out of the wall, releasing a horde of live beetles and changing the ramp into stairs. Climb up to either of the ledges that flank the oil pool. Run along the ledge back to the entrance and jump to the base of the stairs. Quickly climb/jump up the block steps. The beetles follow you until you get back to the PYRAMID ROOM.
Slide down the MIDDLE (WEST) CHUTE, jumping at the end to get a little more distance. Lara lands in a pool of oil. It's safe for now but won't be for long. Flames creep down the grooves in the sloping sides of the pool. So hurry to the far end and climb out before the oil ignites. Use the CROWBAR to pry the BLACK BEETLE (2/4) out of the wall. Climb onto the ledge on either side. Go around behind the stone archway to get back to the ramp, which turned into stairs when you took the beetle. Take a standing jump-grab into the opening. Then climb the stairs (or use a series of standing jumps from the edge of each block to the next) to get back to the PYRAMID ROOM. To avoid complications with the possible beetle bug (above), place the BLACK BEETLE in one of the receptacles on the side of the pyramid now. (screenshots)
Slide down the LEFT (SOUTH) CHUTE, jumping at the end to get a little more distance. Then hurry to the end of the pool and climb onto the ledge on the right before the oil ignites. Do not pry out the BROKEN BEETLE (3/3) next to the step. You don't need it, and taking it out will cause a swarm of live beetles to scurry out of the hole. Instead, climb onto the ledge above and use the CROWBAR to pry the BLACK BEETLE (3/4) out of the end wall. You can then pry out the BROKEN BEETLE without the scarabs swarming out, but there's no need to do this. Follow the ledge around either side of the flaming pool to the ramp, which has turned into stairs. Take a standing jump-grab into the opening and climb/jump up the block steps to the PYRAMID ROOM. To avoid possible complications with the beetle bug (above), place the BLACK BEETLE in one of the receptacles on the side of the pyramid now. (screenshots)
After finishing this area and the ROOM WITH THE ISIS STATUE (above), you should have found 3 BLACK BEETLES and placed them in the receptacles on the small pyramid. There's still one BEETLE missing. So return through the room with the hollow benches where you found the health packs and ammo earlier. Continue downstairs to the ROOM WITH THREE STAIRCASES AND SMALL POOL. (screenshots)
NOTE: You'll be coming back to PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS after getting one more BLACK BEETLE. Therefore, I have included this brief excursion into the next level, CLEOPATRA'S PALACES, within this walkthrough.
NORTH STAIRS – CLEOPATRA'S PALACES: Climb the stairs to the left (north) and follow the hallway into the next level.
Cutscene: As you enter the ROOM WITH FOUNTAIN AND GREENERY, the camera shifts to give you a hint as to where you're headed. The path is a little roundabout, though.
Cross the room and go through the small, square doorway on the north wall, beyond the fountain and below the balcony. Just inside, turn left and run up the ramp to the room above. (screenshots)
CLEOPATRA'S PALACES – HALLWAY ABOVE RAMP: Shoot the hollow bench at the top of the ramp to get the regular and wideshot shells inside. The other bench is empty. If you step out onto the balcony, one of those fancy skeletons emerges behind you. You can blast it with a grenade or explosive arrow, or use the shotgun to blow it off the balcony or into the ramp opening. Go into the alcove to the right and use the CROWBAR to open the square door with the carved face. Follow the dimly lit hallway to another door. Use the CROWBAR to open it and continue to a room with a hole in the floor and a wide, vine-draped opening overlooking the fountain. (This is the opening you saw in the cutscene earlier.) (screenshots)
Save the game. Then slide down the ramp and jump near the end to land in the middle of the pool of oil. Quickly wade over to the left and climb out on the ledge on the right before the oil ignites. Or, after sliding down the ramp, climb out on the ledge directly ahead. Then turn around and take a running jump from the right side of this ledge to the flat ledge to the the right of the ramp. Move to the other end of that ledge and take a standing jump into the alcove across the pool. Use the CROWBAR to pry a BLACK BEETLE (4/4) artifact out of the wall. (screenshots)
Turn around, walk to the edge, and take a standing jump across the pool. Move to the outer corner of this ledge, above the slope, and either take a standing jump (without grabbing) into the small opening where the ramp used to be. Or, instead take a running jump back to the ledge opposite the ramp/steps, aiming for the left side and holding Action so Lara doesn't bang her head on the low ceiling. Turn around and take a running jump to grab the opening. Pull up and climb the block steps to the vine-draped opening overlooking the fountain. Safety drop to the floor. Return to the previous level through the south doorway, where you came in. (screenshots)
PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS – ROOM WITH THREE STAIRCASES AND SMALL POOL (again): As you come down the stairs, another golden uraeus materializes at the top of the middle (west) stairway. Destroy it with a couple of explosive arrows (screenshot) or fight it as you did the first one (above). Then return up those stairs to the PYRAMID ROOM. Place the BLACK BEETLE in the receptacle on the pyramid.
When you have placed all four BLACK BEETLES, the pyramid will open fully. Take the MECHANICAL SCARAB from the pedestal. (screenshot) Return downstairs to the ROOM WITH THREE STAIRCASES AND SMALL POOL. Return up the stairs on the left (north) and follow the hallway back to CLEOPATRA'S PALACES.
BUG NOTE: If you come to the end of the level and find you're missing one or more of the BLACK BEETLES, first check to make sure you've found them in the locations noted above, and that you haven't already placed them in the pyramid. Finally, see the previous bug note, above.
*NOTE ON SECRETS: There are 70 secrets in the entire game. These are marked "(x/70)" in this walkthrough. To check your progress in-game, press Pause (P on keyboard, Start on PlayStation or Dreamcast controller) then choose Statistics. There are no secrets in this level, but if you have found them all up to this point, you should have 53/70.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 5/22/00 - Previous edit, details not available.
5/5/19 - First major update since this walkthrough was created in 1999. This revision includes many new screenshots as well as various other corrections and clarifications.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Special thanks to the participants in the alt.games.tombraider newsgroup and the old tombraiders.com forum, without whom parts of this walkthrough could not have been written. Thanks also to Anubhav, Angela, Eric, John K., Luc, Martin, Ruud, Sturm, Suzuki, Trees, Zac, and Zomber, who contributed suggestions/corrections for this level, and to the many players who sent in info about the invisible wall bug.
FYI: For more information about this level's ceiling decoration based on the Dendera Zodiac, along with many other real-world items and locations featured in the games, check out Tomb Raider Horizons' "Artefactual" series.
RETURNING TO THE PREVIOUS LEVELS: If you are missing the PHAROS PILLAR and/or PHAROS KNOT, you will need to retrieve them in order to continue. The PHAROS PILLAR is in the LOST LIBRARY. The PHAROS KNOT is in the HALL OF DEMETRIUS. To get back there from PHAROS, TEMPLE OF ISIS, start by swimming up to the opening in the ceiling of the huge, flooded cavern. Climb out on the small ledge. Crawl through the low, dark opening, turn around, and drop onto the ramp below. You'll slide down into the tide pool in the northeast part of the COASTAL RUINS. This exit from PHAROS is marked G on the map of the ruins. Then, depending on which gates you've opened, you can return to the LOST LIBRARY and/or HALL OF DEMETRIUS through gate C (the most direct route through the TEMPLE OF POSEIDON), gate B, or gate D. Each of these options is detailed in a separate section with screenshots.
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