NOTE: Combat strategy is based on the Medium difficulty setting, so your experience may vary slightly. In addition to the walkthroughs for each level, there are separate pages for Controls & Gameplay Tips, Skill & Weapon Upgrades, and Collectible Items.
SAVING AND CHECKPOINTS: Like the last several games, TOMB RAIDER uses autosave checkpoints. Whenever you pass a checkpoint, the game is saved automatically. Then, if Lara dies or you quit the game and restart, the game reloads at the last checkpoint. If you only rely on one autosave, you may run into trouble if you get stuck in the game, encounter a bug, or if your autosave file becomes corrupted. To avoid problems, I highly recommend changing your save slot at least once each level. You may also want to periodically back up your autosaves on a memory card (consoles) or into a separate folder (PC). See the controls page for details.
AREA 9: CLIFFSIDE VILLAGE
Updated: 10/21/15(†)
Camps: Cliffside Vista (Day Camp)*
Gear: Rope Arrows Weapons/Weapon Parts: none
Documents: none Relics: none GPS caches: none Treasure Maps: none
Challenge Tombs: none Challenges: none
*See the section about base camps on the Controls page.
After her harrowing escape from the airplane brought down by the storm, Lara watches the pilot parachute down somewhere to the southeast. Lara decides to go after him and try to help.
OBJECTIVE: Find a Way Back to the Mountain Village
COLLAPSING BUILDINGS: The next platforming sequence involves making your way through a series of rickety shacks built on the side of a cliff; hence the level name. The way forward is fairly obvious, but there are a few possible paths. The main thing is to keep moving. If you linger too long, the structures will collapse with Lara inside.
Start by going up the wooden ramp ahead on the left. Cross the platform and take a running jump toward the hanging banner. Lara will grab on automatically. Swing forward trapeze style and jump into the next building. Here you can go up the ramp on the left or down along the right side of the room.
If you go up on the left side, jump from the top of the ramp to grab the ledge above, pull up, cross over the ledge and jump onto the dangling crate ahead on the left. Jump from there into the upper room of the next building. Stay to the left as you go through, since there's no floor on the right. As you go, the house tilts forward and Lara slides down to the lower level. (*)Run through the room and jump into the next building. Again, the floor on the right is missing. So stay to the left. Run and jump to grab a second hanging banner, swing forward and crash through a flimsy shoji wall into the upper level of the next house. As this house tilts forward, jump down into the next one, which has a ramp on its near edge. Veer right to cross the floor of this house. Then jump down into the next one. At this point, the floor tilts forward and Lara slides into a larger, more solid building, and a cut scene begins. Skip the next paragraph and pick up the walkthrough below. (screenshots)
If you go down and to the right in the building after the first hanging banner, you'll then need to jump onto a narrow, white plank. As you walk across it toward the next building, it tilts downward. Jump from the end of the plank into the next building. Here you can either run forward and jump to grab the edge of the next house or move onto the outside ledge on the right and jump from there to the dangling crate. (If you go through the building instead of jumping onto the crate, pick up the walkthrough at the * above.) From the dangling crate, jump to grab the edge of the narrow, white plank above. Pull up and walk along the plank onto a section of brown plank. Then jump the gap onto the next white plank ahead. As you move forward, the plank tilts downward. Jump from the end of it to grab the edge of the building with the dilapidated shoji wall ahead. Pull up and move through the building. As it tilts forward, jump down into the next one, which has a ramp on its near edge. Veer right to cross the floor of this house. Then jump down into the next one. At this point, the floor tilts forward and Lara slides into a larger, more solid building, and a cut scene begins. (screenshots)
You receive 100 XP for navigating the collapsing buildings.
BUILDING WITH CRASHED PILOT: In a brief cut scene, Lara finds the pilot of the crashed plane being attacked by a couple of Solarii. He manages to fend one off but is then killed by a nasty guard with a metal shield. The guard doesn't notice Lara at first, but when Roth tries to contact her over the walkie talkie she loses the element of surprise.
The shielded guard starts by throwing a bundle of what looks like dynamite but behaves more like fireworks. You still need to dodge out of the way to avoid taking damage, but at least it doesn't destroy the whole building. If you try to avoid him, he'll continue to lob explosives at you, so try to finish him off quickly. As with the previous shielded guard, you need to select the pistol or SMG, hold Aim and target the big guy. Don't bother shooting yet, since his shield protects his front. When he gets close, continue to hold Aim and press Dodge/Roll (Shift/Circle/B) as you move to the left, right or back away from him. He should then turn aside momentarily, exposing his body so you can shoot him. Repeat this a few times (or land a headshot) to bring him down. (screenshots) Loot his body and that of the other Solarii. The unfortunate pilot isn't carrying anything useful.
NOTE: If you're still getting the hang of combat and are having trouble with this fight, you can run up the ramp where the pilot died and hang off the edge momentarily until Lara's health regenerates. The shielded guy will not be able to reach you here. He'll continue to throw dynamite, but it won't damage Lara—at least at first. (screenshot) Eventually he will move closer and start to throw dynamite directly down at Lara. So be sure to pull up before that happens. When you do, he will come for you and you can use the dodge-and-shoot maneuver described above. Alternatively, you can avoid the big guy altogether by simply running up the ramp, jumping across the gap and continuing to the next area. You won't get the XP for killing this enemy or the salvage in the building, though.
Before moving on, go into the room on the left, light your torch using your newly acquired fire striker (hold Interact to light; hold Dodge to extinguish) and burn the salvage net to get the crate inside. Take the 2 bundles of arrows if you need them and smash a few urns just for old times' sake. Then climb onto the wooden ledge in the corner and scramble up the wall to grab the wooden board running along at the same level as the ledge on the left. Climb around and jump onto the ledge. There you'll find a salvage trunk. Pry it open to get at whatever junk-drawer treasure might be inside. (screenshots)
Drop down and move to the top of the ramp near the pilot's body. Jump across to the next wooden walkway. Near the end of it on the left is an edible plant you can pick for XP. (screenshot) Continue forward a little way to the Cliffside Vista Day Camp. If you rest here, you'll unlock another entry in Lara's Journal (4/10). Otherwise it will unlock at the next camp you visit.
When you start up the stone steps to the east, Roth contacts Lara again by radio. He says he saw the plane crash from his current position so she must be close. He urges her to be careful on her return. Here you get another 100 XP and a new goal.
OBJECTIVE: Regroup with Roth
Continue up the steps and through a short tunnel. When you emerge on the other side, look to the left to find a salvage crate in a little niche. (screenshot) There's also another fruit plant on the right side of the path.
AMBUSH IN AREA WITH STREAM AND ELEVATED SHACKS: Follow the curving staircase onward and upward until a short cut scene kicks in. Lara steps in a snare and is whisked into the air to dangle upside down as several enemies close in. It's a little disorienting trying to aim upside down but do your best to shoot the 3 Solarii with axes and machetes as they approach. When you've taken care of them, the camera shifts to the pulley that's holding Lara suspended. Shoot it to free her from the trap. In another short cut scene she takes cover behind a wooden box and discovers a new piece of gear: ROPE. (screenshots)
From now on you have the ability to shoot ROPE ARROWS. The tutorial explains how to do it: Aim with the bow as usual. When you're targeting an object with rope wrapped around it, like the angled pole in this sequence, the reticle turns red and changes to a dot with three radiating lines. Press the Alternate Fire button (R2/RB) on the controller, Space or H on the keyboard, to shoot an arrow trailing a length of rope. It attaches itself to the rope-wrapped object and Lara automatically pulls on it. In this case, she yanks hard enough to pull the support out from under the building, causing the 2 enemies inside to tumble out. You also get 270 XP for mastering this useful skill. (screenshots)
NOTE: You do not need to have actual arrows in your inventory to shoot rope arrows, and you do not use up regular arrows by shooting ropes.
Don't get too cocky yet, though. There are still more enemies out there. A demolitions guy steps out into the shack you just tried to pull down. Deal with him first or he'll continue to pelt Lara with fire. Then either stay here behind the single crate or move up behind the pair of crates ahead on the right, which offer a little more cover from the 2 riflemen up on the ledge to the left. When they start shooting, release the Aim button to crouch down behind the crates where it's a little safer. Then when they pause to reload, pop out and take a shot or two. If you don't kill them both fairly quickly, the one on the right will move into the shack you tried to pull down. Try to take him out before he can do too much damage. (screenshots)
You can also use rope arrows to remove the rope-wrapped barriers in front of them. This makes them a bit more vulnerable but isn't really necessary. If you like you can shoot rope arrows at the men themselves and try to pull them off the ledges. (Doing this 5 times unlocks the Get Over Here Achievement/Trophy, but don't worry if you don't get it immediately; you'll have many other chances in later areas.)
NOTES If you missed the salvage in the building where you fought the Solarii with the metal shield earlier, you can get back there now that you have the ability to shoot rope arrows. Return down the path, past the day camp, to the gap in the path. Stand near the anchor post on the left and shoot a rope arrow into the rope-wrapped archway. Then climb the rope line into the building. (screenshot)
When the fight is over, pick up the arrows ahead on the right and loot the bodies, including any that fell into the stream. These tend to float downstream toward the cliff's edge. To get out of the water again, wade back to the western end of the stream, where there's a ledge where you can scramble up onto dry land. From there, jump over to the ledge with the food cache. (I don't know about you, but I always crave canned peaches after a firefight.) Jump back to the clearing with the crates. (screenshot)
Now shoot a rope arrow into the rope-wrapped crate on the ledge above the stream to pull it down. Jump and grab onto it and climb on top. Then jump into the nearest shack. Move through the building and around to the ledge on the left, looting bodies as you go. Use another rope arrow to yank out the beam supporting the second shack. Wait for the junk to tumble out and then scramble up into the building. Go through to find a salvage crate and 2 bundles of arrows. Then jump back down to the previous ledge and continue forward (northeast) along the path leading away from this area. (screenshots)
WOODED PATH: Soon you'll come to a stream with a broken bridge and a rope-wrapped archway on the other side. Take the arrows if you need them. Then, instead of following the tutorial and shooting a line into the archway, stand near the anchor post and aim for the rope-wrapped beam above on the left. When you shoot a rope arrow into it, Lara anchors the other end in the post. Now you can jump and grab the rope and climb up to reach the food cache on the high ledge near the little shack. (screenshots)
NOTE: If you missed the food cache because you were distracted by the tutorial, no worries. Just wade back across the stream, climb up near the anchor post and shoot another rope arrow into the higher beam. The new rope will replace the first one and you'll be able to climb across.
Drop down on the other side of the shack. Pick up 2 more bundles of arrows to the left of the broken bridge. (screenshot) Then continue along the path away from the stream.
A bit farther on, you'll come to another small shack. There are more arrows inside and an edible plant in the underbrush to the left of it. (screenshot)
When you're done here, shoot a rope arrow into the rope-wrapped door at the end of the path to pull the door off its hinges. (screenshot) Follow the tunnel to the next area.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 4/6/13 - First draft of walkthrough posted online.
4/20/13 - Fixed PC keyboard control for rope arrows. It's actually the Space bar. Thanks to Brat352 for the heads-up.
7/11/13 - Added alternate strategies for avoiding the Solarii with the metal shield. The first one (hanging from the edge) comes from PSP Dave.
9/8/13 - Added note about returning for salvage in building after getting rope arrows. Thanks to Jeff Reid for the tip.
10/21/15 - Just a few minor tweaks for clarity.
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