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 12: CHASM MONASTERY
Updated: 7/7/13(†)
Camps: Sheltered Alcove (Day Camp)
Gear: none Weapons/Weapon Parts: Trench Shotgun, Bow Part (1/3)
Documents: none Relics: none GPS caches: none Treasure Maps: none
Challenge Tombs: none Challenges: none
OBJECTIVE: Find a Way Out
ONI LAIR: Lara regains consciousness once again suspended in a terrifying situation. Bones and body parts lie in heaps around the room and her captors could conceivably return any minute. Use the left stick or Left and Right direction keys to swing back and forth until Lara braces her feet against the beam from which she is suspended. Then follow the on-screen prompts and tap the Interact button to break free. Lara then falls with a jolt to the floor. As she gets to her feet, heavy footsteps can be heard outside.
NOTE: If you're playing the PS3 game and and are having trouble swinging back and forth while hanging from the beam, try rotating the left stick counterclockwise instead of just pushing it back and forth. I'm told this works wonders.
Move into the tunnel to the right of the big doors. As you do, a huge Oni with a club enters the room where you just were. You can't fight him so just avoid him. If you do venture back into the previous room, Lara will meet a quick and gruesome end.
Continue through the tunnel filled with dismembered bodies until Lara slides down into a sandy area with fewer corpses and a little more fresh air. You receive 100 XP for escaping.
SANDY CORRIDOR: There are rats here if you feel like hunting, but somehow I doubt Lara has the stomach for rat just now. Pick up the box of shotgun shells sitting on the ground near the wall that's open to the outdoors. Shotgun shells? That's a good sign, right? And sure enough, it is. Continue up the stone steps until you find a desiccated body holding a TRENCH SHOTGUN.
Use your new weapon to blast through the barrier made of planks and barbed wire. As 1997 Lara would say, "Aha!" Now you know how to deal with all those boarded-up areas you've seen in earlier levels. Plus you get 250 XP for your trouble.
Jump across the gap where you just destroyed the barrier and continue up the steps. Ahead is a dead end, but there's a small opening on the left where you can scramble up and drop down into another room. (screenshot)
HIMIKO'S TOMB: After the cut scene, in which Lara alternatively despises and adores tombs—can you really blame her, though? yuck!—a band of Solarii drop down through the holes in the ceiling and attack. If you can shoot some of them off the ropes as they descend, they'll fall and die. Arrows, pistol or SMG work fine for this. Six of these guys just have axes and machetes so you can also wait and shoot them as they come to you. The shotgun is especially handy at close range. The last guy has a rifle, though, so either take him out quickly or use the sarcophagus for cover until you can nail him with a headshot. After the fight, remember to loot the bodies for salvage and extra ammo. (screenshots)
As you gather the goodies, one of the Oni tosses a Solarii straggler down into the room. Steal his stuff as well since he's no longer using it.
To get out of this room, stand with the hanging bell between Lara and the barred doors. Shoot a rope arrow into the bell to start it swinging so it crashes through the doors. Go through and enter the low tunnel beyond. Follow it to the Sheltered Alcove Day Camp, where you can take a breather. (screenshots)
WINDY LEDGES OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY: When you're ready to move on, pick up the shotgun ammo next to the boarded-up opening. Then use the shotgun to blast the planks and barbed wire out of the way. Step out onto a rickety platform on the outside of the building. (screenshots)
Move to the end of the platform, which collapses leaving Lara clinging to a narrow ledge. Pull up and make your way forward along the ledge, around the corner and onward along the side of the building. Just keep pressing Forward and Lara will do the rest. When she reaches the end of the narrow ledge, jump forward to grab the wider wooden ledge ahead. Run forward and jump to grab the perpendicular wooden wall above. Climb to the top and move forward and around the corner to the left. Scramble up the wall and drop down into an interior room. (screenshots)
ROOM WITH HUGE, HANGING BELL: Lara stumbles upon several Solarii trying to find a way out. At first they stay hidden, but you can probably pick off the 2 with axes and machetes crouching behind the tall, square columns on the left and right at the far end of the room. Otherwise, shoot them as they run toward you. (screenshots)
Meanwhile, an ugly dude with a shield lumbers straight across the floor toward Lara. Try to take out the first pair of guys before the shield dude reaches you so you don't have to fight them all at once. Then switch to the shotgun or pistol. Continue to hold the Aim button (Right Mouse Button/L1 or L2/LT) as the shield dude approaches. When he starts to swing his machete, press Dodge/Roll (Shift/Circle/B) as you move to the left or right to dodge. This will make him turn away so you can shoot him in his vulnerable back or side. One good shotgun blast should take him down. You can then switch weapons again if you like to take out a fourth Solarii with a rifle and Molotov cocktails, who drops down from the ceiling while you're fighting the others. (screenshots)
Loot the bodies. Pick up a box of shotgun shells near the column in the far left corner of the room. Then use the ramp there climb to the upper level. Stay alert though; as you move up the ramp, a sixth enemy jumps down in front of you.
On the upper level you'll find a box of shotgun shells near the center railing, plus more shotgun shells and rifle/SMG ammo near the railing on the far side from where you climbed up. Grab what you can carry.
Now examine what's available here to help you get out. There's a huge bell hanging from the ceiling and a rope-wrapped clapper which was probably once used to ring the bell. There are also 2 cranks that still work to open the shutters at the corners of the room. Notice, too, the cracked sections in the beams supporting the ceiling and therefore the bell. (screenshots)
Start by cranking open one set of shutters. It doesn't matter which one you do first, but I recommend starting with the shutters on the right when facing the two sets with your back to the bell, since this will put you in a slightly safer position for the next combat. The wind blows furiously, swinging the bell clapper wildly. It needs a little help to move in the right direction. Turn away from the crank so the open shutters are behind Lara. Shoot a rope arrow into the clapper. Lara yanks on the rope, but the wind does the work, smashing the clapper into the beam and destroying it. One down; two to go.
Use the same crank again to close the shutters you just opened. Then use the other crank to open that set of shutters. Again, turn around and shoot a rope arrow into the clapper and pull it to smash the other vertical support beam.
The destruction alerts more Solarii down below and they climb up via the ramp on the left to fight you. Try to take them out as they come toward you. There are 5 in all: 2 with bows and Molotov cocktails, 2 with axes and/or machetes, and one wearing light armor and carrying a pole arm. He is generally the second one to appear. Try to shoot him from a distance to damage some of his armor before he reaches you. Two headshots will take him out, or you can reduce his armor from a distance then finish him off with the shotgun when he gets close. You can also use the same dodge-and-counter maneuver you use for the guys with the shields. (screenshots)
Afterward, loot the bodies for ammo, salvage and a BOW PART (1/3) rom the guy with the pole arm as well. If you used up any of your shotgun or rifle ammo, pick up any of the boxed ammo you couldn't carry before.
NOTE: The on-screen message about this weapon part says "1/2 BOW PARTS." It is actually one of three needed for the next bow upgrade. If you miss this bow part, don't worry; you will receive it when you open the first salvage crate in the next area, Mountain Village Part 3.
Finally, re-open the first set of shutters so both sets are now open. Stand facing the big bell and the huge statue beyond and use a rope arrow to pull the clapper once more. The wind coming in through both sets of shutters will swing the clapper into the beam above the bell, destroying the beam and dropping the bell through the floor. (screenshots)
CRUMBLING EXTERIOR CORRIDOR: Lara slides down through the hole and lands in the room below, where some of Mathias's men are being pummeled by an Oni with a huge club. You receive 250 XP for getting out of the bell room. After the cut scene you regain control of Lara at the start of a hallway that's coming apart in the storm. Do not hesitate too long or try to move back the way you came during this next sequence. If you do, the floor will fall out from under you. Run forward, avoiding fire and rolling obstacles and jumping across the gaps in the floor. As far as I can tell, there are no alternate paths, safe places to stop or items to pick up.
About halfway along, the whole hallway tilts to one side, making one wall the new floor. When you regain your footing, continue running forward and jump down onto the narrow wooden bridge spanning the chasm below. (screenshot) It collapses beneath you, and Lara slides down a steep tunnel. There are 2 barriers made of planks and barbed wire blocking the tunnel. Lara automatically draws her shotgun. All you need to do is fire to destroy each obstacle and slide on past it and into the next area. (screenshot)
†UPDATE HISTORY: 4/13/13 - First draft of walkthrough posted online.
4/18/13 - Added bow part and accompanying note.
5/31/13 - Added trick for rotating left stick on PS3 controller to break free at the start of the level, thanks to a tip from Andrea.
7/7/13 - Updated weapon parts info with help from Jerad Z. and Tikimoof.
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