IMPORTANT NOTE ON SAVING & CHECKPOINTS: Checkpoints are the spots in each level where the game auto-saves. These are noted in blue and numbered in the walkthrough text to correspond with PC, Macintosh, PSP & Wii savegame files available for download. (Please note that the number and location of checkpoints vary slightly for the Nintendo Wii game.) Although it is also possible to save manually, the save system in Anniversary is very different from the older Tomb Raider games and differs in several ways from the TR Legend save system. Please see the Anniversary Controls page for details. This may save you a great deal of frustration as you make your way through Lara's latest adventure.
DESIGNERS' COMMENTARY: The commentary tracks are unlocked after completing each chapter (i.e., Croft Manor, Peru, Greece, Egypt and Lost Island). For details, see the Rewards page. You'll also find full transcripts of the commentaries here. (Many thanks to Treeble for these.)
LEVEL 12: NATLA'S MINES | Updated: 3/9/10(†) |
Kills: 3(*) Supplies: 10 Other: 3 FUSES, PISTOLS, SHOTGUN, 50-CALIBER PISTOLS, MINI SMGs
Artifacts: 4 Relics: 1 Rubbing Rewards: 0(**)
Time Trial: 17:00(***)
Between the previous level and this one, there's another brief cinematic: Lara emerges from her hiding place on Natla's boat, dives overboard and heads toward the island where, we assume, Natla and her men have gone.
Thanks to Natla and her henchmen, you begin this level without any weapons. The first order of business will be to get your hands on some.
SUBTERRANEAN POOL: Swim forward from CHECKPOINT 1 and scope out the area. Ahead is an inflatable dinghy anchored to a stone ledge where there are a number of stacked boxes and barrels. Two large metal crates are suspended from ropes above the pool. There's also a raised opening above the water on the left, which you can't reach yet.
Swim to the right and go behind the small waterfall. Climb out of the water there and follow the tunnel up and around to an opening overlooking the pool. Take a running jump to grab the horizontal pole. Swing around and jump to grab the metal bar on the wall ahead. Climb to the left and jump to grab another metal handhold. From there, jump back to grab the rope holding up the nearest crate.
Drop down on top of the crate and take a running jump to the next dangling crate. Turn right and take another running jump to the top of the stacked crates on the shore, where you'll find a large medipack. Take a running jump back to the nearest dangling crate. (If you fall into the pool, you'll have to return to the tunnel behind the waterfall and work your way back up to the pole, handholds and dangling crates.)
Take a running jump from the second hanging crate to grab the rope dangling from the ceiling between the crate and the waterfall. Adjust Lara's position so she's hanging on near the bottom of the rope and facing the metal handhold to the left of the waterfall. Swing, jump and grab it. Traverse around to the right until Lara's feet come up onto the wall. At this point, she'll be hanging underneath the falls. Jump back to the ledge behind. Follow the twisting tunnel to CHECKPOINT 2.
CAVE WITH CONTROL ROOM: This large open area contains several points of interest. Ahead on the right is a small, freestanding building. You can glimpse your PISTOLS through the windows but unfortunately you have no way of getting them yet. It is possible to climb on top of this building using the yellow crate behind it for a boost, but the large, metal crate suspended above it prevents you from going farther.
Just to the left of the entrance is a ledge—actually it's part of a conveyor belt that has seen better days—with a shiny silver artifact. You can't reach it from below, so be patient for now. You'll get to it by jumping across the ledges shortly. Ahead on the left is an elevated CONTROL ROOM with stairs leading up to it. Between the two structures there are several piles of small boxes and a stack of larger crates. Climb onto the small crates, jump over to the larger tarp-covered crates and then climb onto the single large box stacked on top to get another large medipack.
The tracks leading away from the stacked crates and small, glassed-in building come to a dead end. You can glimpse glowing lava beyond the boards blocking the opening, but you can't get through.
RED FUSE: Instead, follow the other set of tracks, between the CONTROL ROOM and the ledge with the artifact. These tracks lead past CHECKPOINT 3 to another open area. Avoid the 2 rats for now. (If they get too close, just crouch to avoid taking any damage. Then run away.) You'll be able to kill them later once you get your guns back. Vault up onto the mine cart and get the RED FUSE.
NOTE: In the Nintendo Wii game, there are 3 rats here but none in the area where you find the other fuses. So the final kill count is still the same.
This area also contains a small, elevated control room, but the trapdoor at the top of the ladder won't open, so you can't get in. Next to it is a fenced-in pit, which you'll get to later from above.
Follow the tracks back to the larger cave. If you run and jump all the way, the rats probably won't follow. Climb the stairs to the CONTROL ROOM. Place the RED FUSE in the corresponding red slot at the far end of the control panel. Press the button on the panel next to the red slot. This activates the crane, moving the large, metal crate suspended above the glassed-in building and revealing an opening in the wall behind it.
Return downstairs to the ground. Cross the cave to the yellow crate next to the glassed-in building, climb onto the crate and jump to grab the edge of the little building. Pull up. (You can also move the yellow crate up against the side of the building, but this isn't necessary.) Now that you've shifted the crate suspended from the crane, you can go around it to the other side of the roof.
ARTIFACT #1: Jump from the top of the building to perch on the nearer of the two vertical wooden posts. From there, jump to the second post, then to the metal handhold on the wall ahead. Climb along the handhold to the left and jump to grab the bottom of the grate to the left. Jump up to grab the top of the grate. Then jump back to grab the horizontal pole behind. Now Lara should be hanging from the pole facing the artifact. Swing around the pole, jump forward to land on the sloping section of broken conveyor belt ahead. Immediately jump forward to grab the edge of the ledge with ARTIFACT #1 (36/44). Pull up and take it. (This series of screenshots shows the whole sequence.)
GREEN FUSE: Drop down, return to the yellow crate and climb back on top of the glassed-in building. Go around the suspended crate again and this time jump into the opening on the cave wall. Follow the tunnel to a gap above the wider tunnel where you entered this area. Take a running jump to the other opening.
NOTE: If Lara grabs the edge instead of landing inside the tunnel beyond the gap, CHECKPOINT 2 will register again. If you save and reload from here, Lara will be in the lower tunnel. You'll then have to climb back to the upper tunnel again.
Continue along the tunnel to an opening high on the wall of the cave facing the CONTROL ROOM. You can't reach the higher ledge ahead from here, so drop down onto the broken conveyor belt and head up the slope to CHECKPOINT 4. Push the yellow crate off the edge and take a running jump across the gap to grab the next section of conveyor belt. If you fall at any time during this next sequence, you can use the yellow crate to climb back up.
Continue nearly to the end of this section of the belt. Turn right and take a running jump to grab the metal bar at the bottom of the grate on the other side of the tunnel. Jump up to grab the higher metal bar and climb to the left. Jump to the left and grab the next elevated section of conveyor belt. (You'll need to press Interact for a saving grab after this long jump.) Pull up, follow the belt to the end. Jump onto the slope formed by the broken section of belt ahead. Slide just briefly and jump to grab the next elevated section. Pull up, go to the end and turn right. Then jump onto the perpendicular section of the belt ahead.
Continue to the other end and drop down behind the fence onto a ledge where you'll find the GREEN FUSE. In the Nintendo Wii game, the fuse is hidden behind the corroded electrical panel. You'll need to use your pickaxe to hack the cover off before you can grab the fuse.
NOTE: There should really be a checkpoint here, but unfortunately there is not. Be careful during this next bit or you'll have to repeat everything from the spot where you pushed the yellow crate off the ledge. If you have difficulty with the next sequence, you can follow the longer ALTERNATE PATH TO THE BLUE FUSE described below in a footnote.
BLUE FUSE: Now you'll need to do a slightly tricky maneuver to get to the bottom of the pit, where you'll find the next fuse. From the ledge where you found the GREEN FUSE, turn to face out over the pit. Take a running jump off the ledge and grapple the metal ring on the wall above. Lengthen the cable as far as it will go. Then wall run back and forth carefully. Do not run too far to the right or the cable will hit the ledge above, and Lara will plummet to her death. Instead run just far enough so Lara is hanging above the curved metal duct below on the left. Then drop (press Crouch to release the cable; don't jump) and grab onto the duct, as shown in this screenshot. Drop again to grab the lower part of the duct and from there drop to the floor. (Special thanks to Brian J. for this awesome shortcut.)
CHECKPOINT 5 registers when you touch the ground. Avoid the rat as you cross the pit and pick up the BLUE FUSE. Immediately jump onto the green box to the left so the rat doesn't nibble on Lara too much.
This rat doesn't appear in the Wii game, so you can take your time here. Face the electrical panel on the side of the green box. Press Interact, then use the pickaxe to break the cover off the panel so you can take the BLUE FUSE.
CLIMBING OUT OF THE PIT: The quickest way out is to head for the slope on the opposite side of the pit from the green electrical box. Stand facing the slope with the large, vertical metal duct above on Lara's right. Run forward and just as Lara reaches the base of the slope, jump onto it and quickly jump again. With careful timing, Lara will leap onto the slope and instead of sliding back to the floor, she'll jump and grab the duct. (These screenshots show the sequence.) Skip the next two paragraphs and continue climbing the duct to the exit. (Thanks to Paul D. and Bo L. for this tip. Bo has kindly provided a short video of the technique.)
If you can't manage the double-jump technique Turn to face the two vertical pipes on the shorter wall ahead. (The following sequence is shown in these screenshots.) The steam escaping from these pipes will injure Lara, so try to minimize her exposure. Wait until the steam stops venting from the first pipe and take a running jump to grab it. Climb up as far as you can, move the camera to the left so it point at the first vertical pipe and the second pipe is directly ahead beyond the first. When the steam escaping from the second pipe subsides, jump forward to grab it. Climb as high as you can, keeping the camera behind Lara, and then jump back to grab the small square platform above the first pipe. Quickly pull up before the steam from the first pipe burns her.
Be careful as you maneuver around the small platform. The camera is hard to control and it's easy to step off the edge by mistake. Point the camera out across the pit and watch the rotating piece of machinery ahead. (Sorry, I have no idea what this is.) When it turns so the flat side is facing Lara, jump and grab onto the right side of it. As it turns, move to the right side and lean out by pressing the Right button or right on the control stick. When the flat edge that Lara is hanging from points toward the silver bin mounted on the wall, jump to grab the edge. The bin immediately starts to tilt forward, so quickly climb to the right (tap Interact to climb faster) and jump to grab the edge of the next bin. It also starts to tilt, so again climb quickly to the right end. Before the bin can tilt downward, jump back to grab the bottom edge of the big, metal duct on the wall behind you. If either bin tilts too far downward, you'll have to drop to the floor, climb back up on the green box and try the whole sequence again.
When Lara is dangling from the duct, traverse around to the right and lean back to see behind you. (These screenshots show the path from the duct to the tunnel above.) Watch the steam venting from the hole in the vertical pipe. When it subsides, jump to grab the pipe and quickly climb up and away from the steam. Watch out for the second steam vent above. Wait for it to subside and then climb to the top of the pipe and jump to grab the top edge of the duct. Climb around to the left until you can't go any farther. Then jump back to grab the metal handhold on the opposite side of the pit. Climb to the right until Lara is hanging below the grating. Jump up three times to reach the top of the grating and pull up onto the ledge above.
Turn around and take a running jump across the pit into the tunnel opening ahead. (If you followed the alternate path in the footnote, this is where you dropped into the pit earlier.) Follow the tunnel forward. Climb one ladder, then another and continue forward again to where the passage comes to a T. Turn left and return to the opening near the CONTROL ROOM. (If you go to the right, you emerge on a ledge high above the pit where you found the GREEN and BLUE FUSES. There's no need to return there now.)
OBTAINING THE PISTOLS: Drop down from the conveyor belt and go up the stairs to the CONTROL ROOM. Place the GREEN and BLUE FUSES in the color-coded receptacles on the control panel. Press the button near the blue fuse to drop the suspended crate. (If you pressed any of the other buttons out of turn, don't worry, just re-press them as needed to move the crate back into position above the small building and then press the blue fuse button.)
The suspended crate descends, destroying the roof of the small, glassed-in building.
CHECKPOINT 6 registers after the brief cut scene. Head downstairs and use the yellow crate for a boost to grab the top edge of the glassed-in building. Pull up and drop down inside. Pick up your PISTOLS. Shoot any of the windows, jump out and deal with those pesky rats at last.
NOTE: If you're not interested in getting all the kills, artifacts and relics, you don't need to reposition the suspended crate at this time and you can skip the next several paragraphs. Follow the tracks past the CONTROL ROOM and CHECKPOINT 3 again to the area where you found the RED FUSE. Pick up the walkthrough below at the section titled "DRILLING MACHINE".
OBTAINING THE RELIC: If you are collecting artifacts and relics, you'll need to return to the POOL at the start of the level to pick up one of each. Leave the CONTROL ROOM area through the opening to the right of the glassed-in building where the PISTOLS were. Pass CHECKPOINT 7 (same spot as 2) and follow the tunnel back to the opening with the chain-link fence overlooking the pool.
From here you should be able to target the rope holding up the metal crate on the right. Shoot the rope to drop the crate onto the ground below. Dive into the water, swim to the shore and head for the crate. Inside you'll find this level's only RELIC (7/8), the Chalice of Torment. (This sequence is shown in both screenshots and a video walkthrough.)
NOTE: If you are unable to shoot the rope holding up the crate from the ledge near the waterfall, instead jump into the water, swim behind the falls and follow the tunnel to the opening near the horizontal pole. There you'll have a clearer shot at the rope. Manual aim isn't necessary but it may help.
IMPORTANT: Before going after the second artifact, you should save your game manually in a new slot. Then if you miss any of the jumps on the way and fall into the pool, you can reload and try again from CHECKPOINT 7. If you haven't saved manually and reach another checkpoint before getting the artifact, it's still possible to obtain it using the ALTERNATE PATH TO ARTIFACT #2, described below in a footnote, but reloading is probably easier.
ARTIFACT #2: Swim to the inflatable dinghy and climb on board. Shoot the rope anchoring the boat to the shore and take a relaxing ride across the pool. As you float along, face in the direction you're moving. Then, when the dinghy approaches the metal handholds on the left wall, hop up onto the motor and jump to grab the first handhold. (These screenshots show the sequence. It's also included in the video showing how to get the relic.) Climb to the right and jump to the next handhold. Jump up to the one above and then jump back to grab the one behind you. Climb all the way around the corner to the right until you can't go any farther. Then jump to grab the next handhold. Climb all the way to the right and drop onto the ledge below. This is the raised cave with the "Natla Technologies" crates that you couldn't reach from below. Go behind the nearest crate to find ARTIFACT #2 (37/44). Once you have the artifact, you can jump into the water and swim to the dinghy, triggering CHECKPOINT 8 (same as CHECKPOINT 1) if you like. You don't have to do this.
Swim back to the tunnel behind the waterfall. Follow it to the higher opening and make your way across the horizontal pole and metal handholds as you did before. From the second handhold, jump back to grab the dangling rope where the crate with the relic had been hanging. Climb down almost to the bottom of the rope and adjust Lara's position left to right if necessary so she's squarely facing the rope nearest the waterfall. Swing, jump and grab it. Turn to face the handhold to the left of the falls, swing, jump and grab it. Then climb around to the right and jump through the falls to the ledge behind. Follow the tunnel back to CHECKPOINT 9 (same as 2 again).
CONTROL ROOM (again): Finally, if you're completely retentive (like me) and want all the kills, you'll need to go back to the pit where you found the BLUE FUSE in order to get the single rat there. (If you're not interested in doing this, or if you're playing the Wii game, where there is no rat in the pit, just skip down to the next section.) To get back down to the pit quickly, first return to the CONTROL ROOM and use the buttons near the green and red fuses once more to move the suspended crate into position near the stacked crates in the middle of the cave. Go back downstairs and use the stack of small crates to jump over to the large crates covered with tarps. From there climb onto the green metal crate on top of the stack. If you didn't get the large medipack here earlier, take it now. Jump to grab the edge of the suspended crate and climb around to the left. Position Lara at the middle of this side of the crate and jump back to land on the corner of the elevated conveyor belt behind you. (These screenshots show where to climb and jump.)
Go to the end of the conveyor belt and into the tunnel on the left. Follow this tunnel until a side passage splits off to the right, then go that way. Climb down the long ladder, then the shorter one and continue to the end. You should not need to drop down into the pit to target the rat. Just press and hold the Target Lock key (Right Mouse Button or G on the PC, L1 on the PS2) to lock onto the rat below, then shoot. When you've dealt with it, return along the tunnel and up the two ladders. When you reach the T intersection, turn right and continue forward to emerge on a ledge high above the pit where you found the GREEN and BLUE FUSES. Take a running jump from this ledge across the pit and over the fence, to land near the mine car where you found the RED FUSE earlier.
DRILLING MACHINE: If you like, you can run along the tracks toward the CONTROL ROOM just as far as CHECKPOINT 10 (same as 3), just to get an extra save point, but this is not necessary. Then return to the small control room near the mine cart and drilling machine. Switch to manual aim mode and shoot the glass out of the windows in the small control room above. (You really only need to break the one in the middle, but vandalizing Natla's property is just so much fun. So go ahead and shoot them all. You know you want to.)
Climb onto the mine cart, hop over to the drilling machine and from there jump to grab the lower edge of the control room. Pull up through the broken middle window, go to the right end of the compartment and press the button to move the drilling machine onto the track below. Drop down, climb up onto the back of the drilling machine and press Interact to start it up.
A cut scene ensues. Lara rides the drilling machine back to the main CONTROL ROOM only to find the track blocked by the large crate. Larson has the blue fuse and he's not planning on letting Lara go any farther. When Lara threatens to shoot him if he doesn't give way, Larson calls her bluff. "That's just not who you are," he says.
Perhaps not, but when it comes to getting the Scion back and saving her mother, Lara is able to summon the resolve she needs. She responds coldly, "I'm not who you think I am."
This leads into an interactive cut scene. Larson comes at Lara with a shotgun and you must press the controls indicated on screen to make Lara fire on her adversary. The correct controls for each system are as follows:
BUG NOTE: If you're having trouble with the interactive cut scene because the icons indicating which buttons to press don't appear, see the footnote at the end of the Lost Valley walkthrough for some possible solutions.
When Larson finally falls, Lara reclaims the fuse and stows it in her pack. She seems genuinely distressed to have had to kill a man. Try as she might, she can't manage to clean all of Larson's blood from her hands.
CHECKPOINT 11 registers when you defeat Larson, CHECKPOINT 12 when you take his SHOTGUN.
Return to the CONTROL ROOM, triggering CHECKPOINT 13 (same spot as 6) in the process. Return the BLUE FUSE to its slot in the CONTROL ROOM and press the button to raise the crate. Go back downstairs, get on the drilling machine and press Interact to start it moving again. The machine proceeds along the track, shredding through the boards at the end of the tunnel. When you step off the machine and into the opening above the lava pool, CHECKPOINT 14 registers.
LAVA POOL: Now you must make your way across this deadly hot pool of molten rock to the other side, making a few pickups on the way. (The screenshots for this sequence are divided among several pages. The first is here.)
50-CALIBER PISTOLS: From the broken tracks jutting out above the lava, take a running jump to the broken support column ahead on the left. Turn around and face back toward the entrance. See the shiny goodness on the rock ledge below? Those are the 50-CALIBER PISTOLS. To get them, jump down onto the tiny piece of iron I-beam jutting out of the lava below. From there, jump to the ledge and take the guns.
Now turn around and jump back to perch on top of the I-beam. From there, jump to grab the top of the metal grating on the side of the broken support column. Climb around to the right and jump back to grab the vertical metal pole behind you. Climb up as high as you can and then jump to the right to land on another I-beam sticking up from the lava. Jump from there to the handhold on the column ahead. Climb around to the left, jump up to grab the handhold above and then jump back to land on the support column behind you. This is CHECKPOINT 15.
If you don't mind cheating a little, you can get an extra ammo pickup here. Save manually after reaching CHECKPOINT 15 and then reload. Turn around and you should see the 50-CALIBER PISTOLS still on the rock where they were before. Make your way back to that ledge following your previous path in reverse. The whole sequence is shown in this screenshot. This time, when you pick up the guns, you actually only get ammo. Return the way you came before to the support column where CHECKPOINT 15 was. (Special thanks to Dan L. for this useful bug and to Linette for confirming it works in the PS2 version as well as the PC game.)
ARTIFACT #3: Standing at CHECKPOINT 15 with the cave wall on Lara's right, you can see a metal ring on the underside of the ledge jutting out from the wall ahead. Take a running jump off the column and grapple that ring. Adjust the length of the cable if necessary so Lara is hanging a few feet above the lava. Swing back and forth on the cable and take a look ahead. Adjust Lara's angle left to right so she's swinging toward the top of the ramp ahead. Then, when you swing forward and jump, Lara will land on the top of the ramp, and you'll be able to slide for a second before jumping to grab the horizontal metal bar ahead. If Lara lands near the bottom of the slope, you won't have time to react and she'll slide off into the lava. When Lara grabs the metal bar, it swings around to the left so Lara is facing away from the artifact. Turn around to face the ledge with the goodies, swing around the bar and jump to the ledge ahead. Grab ARTIFACT #3 (38/44) and a small medipack. (These screenshots show the path from the checkpoint to the artifact.)
NOTE: Alternatively, you can take a shortcut from the checkpoint to the artifact, bypassing the ramp and rotating bar. While hanging from the metal ring, lengthen the grapple cable so Lara is hanging just above the surface of the lava, get a very long swing going and then jump past the slope to land on the I-beam that juts up out of the lava beyond the ramp. From there, jump to perch on the next iron beam, just ahead on the left, and from there, jump to the ledge with the artifact (as shown in this screenshot). I had initially suggested this in the main walkthrough, but a lot of players had trouble with it, so I replaced it with the slightly easier method above.
After picking up the goodies, turn toward the slope. (The following sequence is illustrated in these screenshots) Take a running jump to perch on the nearest metal I-beam protruding from the lava pool. Jump from there to the next beam and from there to the slope. Slide just briefly and then jump to grab the horizontal bar, just as you did before. Again, when Lara grabs the bar, momentum causes it to pivot 90 degrees counterclockwise. So she ends up facing away from the ledge where the artifact was and toward another slope.
If Lara is too far to the left or right before swinging around the bar, she'll miss the next grab and fall into the lava. So adjust her position so she's hanging directly in front of the nearest corner of the ramp. (Again, check the screenshots if you're not sure.) Swing around the bar, jump onto the ramp, slide just a little bit and jump to grab a handhold on the support pillar ahead. From there, climb straight up to the top of the pillar.
It's tempting to just continue forward, but if do you'll miss a juicy pickup. Turn around and look for another metal ring attached to the grating on the ceiling (shown in the first of these screenshots). Take a running jump off the pedestal and grapple that ring. Adjust Lara's position so she's squarely facing the alcove with the goodies on the other side of the cave. Swing and jump into that alcove to get a large medipack and 2 sets of SMG clips. Turn around, jump off the ledge and grapple the ring again. If you lengthen the cable a bit, you can now swing directly to the broken tracks on the far side of the cavern. There's no need to go back to the support column first.
TALL, BROWNISH ROCK FORMATION: Follow the tracks around to the right, crossing CHECKPOINT 16 on the way. At the bottom of this big pile of rocks is a lighter-colored boulder with an angled top and vertical scratch marks on it. Take a running jump onto this boulder and before Lara can slide down, jump to grab the ledge above on the left (opposite the slope, as shown in this screenshot). It may help to double-jump, the way you did when climbing out of the cistern area in the Tomb of Tihocan (described here). Pull up and then climb onto the higher ledge ahead. Turn right, climb up once more and then turn to face out across the gap. There are two flat ledges on the other side. Take a running jump across to grab the higher one on the left, or land on the lower one on the right and climb onto the one above. From the upper ledge, turn to face out across the gap once more. This time, take a running jump to land at the top of the sloping rock ahead and to the left. Before Lara slides too far, jump to grab the ledge ahead. Pull up.
In the next interactive cut scene, Lara confronts Natla's remaining henchmen, Kold and the Kid, who have been stationed here to guard the pyramid entrance. Lara is obviously scared but she masters her fear and presses on. When Kold comes at her with his knife, press the correct keys as the icons appear on screen to dodge and retaliate. If you are successful, Lara manages to survive Kold's attacks long enough for the Kid to finish him off and then expire himself. The correct controls for each system are:
When the ordeal is over, Lara picks up her dropped pistols. She's clearly shaken. And so our heroine starts down a somewhat darker path than her protected upbringing might have suggested.
CHECKPOINT 17 registers after the cut scene; CHECKPOINT 18, when you reclaim the MINI SMGs from the Kid.
NOTE: You may want to wait and go after artifact #4 before taking the SMGs and triggering CHECKPOINT 18. The next sequence is a bit challenging, and you can use that extra checkpoint to your advantage. If you save manually after CHECKPOINT 17, you can then reload if you miss the artifact and try again. Once you have it, take the guns and trigger the final checkpoint. Then go on from there to open the exit. (Thanks to Donna for this tip.) Alternatively, trigger both checkpoints and then proceed to the exit. Wait to get the artifact until after the level finishes. It's quite a bit easier that way and will still count toward the total number of artifacts found in Natla's Mines. This is covered in the walkthrough below. (A number of player suggested this method. They are credited below.)
PYRAMID EXTERIOR: Now to find a way inside. There's an extra bit of business here in the Wii version—two constellation puzzles similar to the ones in ST. FRANCIS FOLLY. First, locate the clues inside the two small bunkers near where you encountered Natla's men. Each clue shows a pattern of three connected dots. Step on each of the square pads on the ground in front of the star puzzles and press Interact. Then use the Wii remote to connect the dots as shown in the clues. (These diagrams show the correct patterns for the left and right puzzles.) When you draw the patterns correctly, several additional spikes rise from the side of the pyramid.
Head for the rock formation to the left of the pyramid entrance. Push the yellow crate up against the rocks so you can climb onto it and jump to reach the lowest stone ledge (shown in these screenshots). Pull up, turn right, climb up the two crevices ahead and pull up onto the ledge above. Grab the handhold there and climb around to the right. When you can't climb any farther, jump to the right to land on the next ledge. Grab the crevice ahead and climb to the flat ledge on top of the rock formation.
HIDDEN SUPPLIES: Before climbing the pyramid, take a quick detour for a sweet pickup. Just below where Lara is standing, there's a little cave with some goodies inside. You can see it if you shift the camera out and downward. To get there, take a running jump onto the sloping side of the pyramid, slide and jump to land in or grab the edge of that opening. Pull up and retrieve 2 sets of SMG clips and a large medipack. Hop down to the ledge below the little cave. Turn so the slope is on your left and head forward and around the rocks to the right. Climb the handholds once more to reach the stone ledge above. And if you miss grabbing the opening the first time, just climb up this way and try again. (Check these screenshots if you need a visual.)
SCALING THE PYRAMID: From the ledge above the hidden cache of goodies, you get a bird's eye view of the side of the pyramid. Notice how among the blunt spikes sticking out of the structure there are six spikes that look different—slightly darker in color with golden glyphs decorating each side. (In the Wii game these are the ones you just raised by solving the star puzzles.) These actually function as switches or buttons and are part of the door control mechanism. When Lara depresses all six, by standing on top of them, the door will unlock. After that, you can use the switch in the alcove near the top of the pyramid to open the door.
Some general tips for navigating across the spikes:
ARTIFACT #4: The last artifact in the level is located in plain sight atop the rock formation on the far side of the cave. (It's circled in this screenshot.) It is possible to open the exit and get the artifact all in one trip across the side of the pyramid, but this is difficult to do on the first try. You may want to save the game (as explained in the note following CHECKPOINT 17, above) before attempting to reach the artifact. Then, if you don't make it on the first try, you can save the game, reload and try again. (These screenshots show the path to the artifact.)
Begin by jumping off the stone ledge onto the nearest normal spike (i.e., one that's not a switch), just below and to the left. From there, jump to the normal spike above on the right. (This one is between two of the switch spikes.) Ignore the switch spikes for now. Turn to the right and jump to the next normal spike just ahead and a little bit higher on the slope. (There's another spike on the right that's a little closer, but it's too high to reach.)
From there, work your way across the side of the pyramid by jumping to the spike ahead and a little lower on the slope, then to the next spike ahead and a little higher. From here, jump to the switch spike just ahead at the same level on the slope.
If this is the first switch spike you've hit, there will be a brief cut scene showing what the spikes do. A glyph is illuminated on the side of the pyramid above the switch alcove, and the camera lingers momentarily on the door at the base of the structure.
When you regain control, tap Interact to balance and then quickly jump to the nearest normal spike, just ahead and a little lower down the slope. Lara should still be facing more or less in the same direction—toward the far wall of the cavern. Jump to the next normal spike, which is just a little lower on the slope, below one of the switch spikes.
Turn just a little to the left (uphill) and jump forward to perch on the normal spike between the two switch spikes. Jump from there to the next spike straight ahead and a little higher on the slope. Beyond that spike is a lava flow on the cave wall.
Turn to look down the slope. Now the cave wall is on your left and you have a clear view of the artifact on the ledge ahead. To reach it, jump onto the switch spike below and then immediately jump forward to grab the corner of the narrow, horizontal ledge below the artifact. This can be tricky. As soon as Lara lands on the switch spike, you have to press Interact to get her footing back, point the camera toward the corner ledge, and then immediately jump forward to grab it before the spike retracts too far. If you miss the grab, save the game, reload at CHECKPOINT 18 and try the whole thing again.
Once you've managed to grab the ledge, climb around to the right as far as you can and jump to the flat ledge on the right. Then climb to the top of the rock formation to get ARTIFACT #4 (39/44).
After picking up the artifact, climb down the back of the ledge and work your way around to the right, below the narrow ledge you climbed along before. Where the pyramid meets the cavern wall, there's a large medipack. (You probably saw it on your way over.) Get it and then slide down the pyramid to the ground.
At this point, if you haven't already done so, you may want to pick up the MINI SMGs lying near the Kid. CHECKPOINT 18 registers when you do.
OPENING THE DOOR INTO THE PYRAMID: Now you'll be making your way across the pyramid again to activate the remaining four switch spikes so you can open the door. If you didn't go for the artifact, you'll need to activate all six switch spikes now. (This series of screenshots shows just one possible sequence, but the order in which you activate the spikes doesn't matter.)
Begin by jumping down onto the nearest normal spike, just below and to the left. From there, jump to the normal spike above on the right. (This one is between two of the switch spikes.) Turn left and jump up to the switch spike above. Quickly jump back down to the previous normal spike. (At this point, it's easier to just press Forward + Jump to get there, then Back + Jump to get back, rather than swinging the camera all the way around to aim.)
From there, jump down to the nearest switch spike, below and a bit nearer to the pyramid door. Again, jump back to the previous spike right away before the spike retracts.
From atop this spike, turn to face the alcove high in the middle of the slope. Jump to the next normal spike ahead and a little to the right. Turn left and jump onto the spike above. Turn right and jump to the switch spike and then quickly jump to the normal spike beyond it. From there, jump into the alcove. (Alternatively, you can jump from this switch spike to the normal spike below on the right. However, this is a long jump and if you hesitate before jumping, Lara may not make it. Continuing to the alcove takes a little longer but it's easier.)
The switch won't work yet, since you still have a few more spikes to activate. So move to the left edge of the alcove, facing out over the open area below. Jump down to the nearest spike below on the left. Turn left and jump to the next spike. From there, jump down to the switch spike ahead on the right. Then immediately jump to the normal spike above and to the left.
If you already tripped two switch spikes getting the artifact, this should be the sixth, and all of the door glyphs should now have been activated. Turn around on this spike and jump across the two normal spikes above on the right to reach the alcove.
Use the switch in the alcove to open the pyramid door and end the level.
NOTE: If you didn't get the MINI SMGs back from the Kid before the level ended, you can still do that before entering the pyramid. You may also be able to obtain ARTIFACT #4 as well. See the footnote below for details.
†UPDATE HISTORY: 7/9/07 - First draft of walkthrough posted online.
12/31/07 - Added various shortcuts and alternate paths, including the shortcut from the green fuse to the blue one (above), a slightly different path to the third artifact (above), and alternate methods for obtaining the second and fourth artifacts (below)—all based on tips sent in by other players. Note that some of these resulted in adding new screenshots and renumbering various checkpoints. Also made a few minor tweaks in other areas based on my own discoveries along with other players' suggestions. Where only one player sent in a particular discovery, they are credited in the walkthrough text. In cases where several people sent in the same suggestion, they are credited in the acknowledgements below.
1/21/08 - Lara M. and Toni have confirmed that the alternate method for getting artifact #4 (below) works in the PS2 game.
2/11/08 - Added Nintendo Wii edition info, along with a few minor corrections and clarifications. Also changed the numbering system for artifacts, relics and rubbings, as explained in the note below.
2/16/08 - Added Xbox 360 interactive cut scene controls, thanks to James S., who also confirms that the trick for getting artifact #4 after the level ends (below) works in the Xbox game.
2/23/08 - Fixed a few typos and minor logistical errors, thanks to contributions from readers.
4/29/08 - Added Macintosh save files and info. Thanks to Andrew W. and Chris H.
6/5/08 - Added shortcut out of the pit with the blue fuse, thanks to Paul D. and Bo L.
6/6/08 - Added PSP interactive cut scene controls, thanks to Piesia.
10/11/09 - Streamlined the relic sequence for this level slightly and added videos for all relics in the game.
3/9/10 - Confirmed that the useful bug for biasing extra ammo after Checkpoint 15 works in both PlayStation and PC games.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Special thanks to Tiri Li for the PS2 interactive cut scene controls and to both Tiffany and James S. for the Xbox 360 info. Thanks also to the following players for various strategies used in this level: Ariel, Bo L., Brian J., Bruce H., Caroline, Dan L., David M., Devon, Diane C., Donna, Frank, Jerico, Jezyk, Kenzie, Leo, Linette, Mainewha, Paul D., peacemonger07, Peter T., Phil P., Piesia and Reaan.
*NOTE ON KILL COUNT: Since you defeat Larson during an interactive cut scene, rather than in combat, he does not count as an official kill.
*ABOUT ARTIFACTS, RELICS & RUBBING REWARDS: Finding artifacts and relics (formerly known as "secrets") unlocks various extras like outfits and concept art. The Nintendo Wii game also includes "rubbing rewards" in some levels. I have numbered each of these bonuses in the walkthrough. So, for example, "Artifact #2 (10/44)" means that this is the second artifact in this particular level and the 10th out of 44 artifacts in the whole game. Please see Anniversary Rewards page for more info on all of these.
***ABOUT TIME TRIALS: After completing a level, you will be able to replay it in Time Trial mode to unlock cheat codes. For more info, please see the Time Trials and Rewards pages. For help beating this level's time trial, see Eldin's Natla's Mines - Time Trial Tips.
ALTERNATE PATH TO THE BLUE FUSE: If the shortcut involving grapple swinging and dropping down into the pit doesn't work, you can take the longer route I had originally recommended: After getting the GREEN FUSE, turn to face out over the pit. Take a running jump off the edge and grapple the metal ring on the wall above. Shorten the cable a bit if necessary. Lara should be able to wall run back and forth smoothly, without hitting any rough patches on the wall. Wall run back and forth to build momentum. Then, when Lara runs to the left, jump back to grab the metal bar on the wall behind her (shown in this screenshot). Climb to the right and jump to grab the ledge in the corner. Pull up and climb the ladder to the top. Jump to the left to clear the fence and grab the edge of the small control room mounted on the wall. Drop onto the crate below and from there to the ground.
Follow the tracks back past CHECKPOINT 3 to the main CONTROL ROOM. Climb the stairs and place the GREEN FUSE in the green slot. Press the button to the right of the green slot to swing the large, metal crate suspended above the glassed-in building around to the left. Then press the button next to the red slot again in order to move the suspended crate back along the boom toward the stacked crates.
Now head downstairs, climb onto the stack of small crates and jump over to the crates covered with tarps. Then climb onto the green metal crate on top of the tarp-covered crates. If you didn't get the large medipack here earlier, take it now. Jump to grab the edge of the suspended crate and climb around to the left. Position Lara at the middle of this side of the crate and jump back to land on the corner of the elevated conveyor belt behind you. (These screenshots show where to climb and jump.)
Go to the end of the conveyor belt and into the tunnel on the left. Follow this tunnel until a side passage splits off to the right, then go that way. Climb down a long ladder, then a shorter ladder and continue to the end. This opening is low enough that you can safety drop to the floor without injury. Continue following the main walkthrough with the section about the BLUE FUSE.
ALTERNATE PATH TO ARTIFACT #2: If you miss the boat, so to speak, or just want to try going after the artifact a different way, try this. Swim behind the waterfall and follow the tunnel to the opening near the horizontal pole. Use manual aim to shoot the rope holding up the second dangling crate. (You should already have done this with the first crate in order to obtain the relic.) Now you should have three dangling ropes here.
Make your way across the horizontal pole and metal handholds as you did before. From the second handhold, jump back to grab the dangling rope where the crate with the relic had been hanging. Climb down almost to the bottom of the rope and adjust Lara's position left to right if necessary so she's squarely facing the rope nearest the waterfall. Swing, jump and grab it.
Climb down the rope to the bottom and turn to face the handholds on the cave wall opposite the cave with the relic. Tap the HUD key to move the camera directly behind Lara and check that she is lined up squarely facing the nearest handhold. If she isn't, tap left or right and try again. Then swing back and forth to build up momentum. When Lara swings toward the handholds, jump and grab onto the nearest one, as shown in this screenshot. This is the same handhold Lara would have grabbed had she jumped from the moving dinghy. Continue to the cave with the artifact, as described in the main walkthrough and on this page of screenshots.
You can also get the artifact this way at the beginning of the level, before you regain your guns. Just jump from the first suspended crate to the second, then to the dangling rope. I found the jump from the rope to the handhold quite a bit more difficult than jumping from the dinghy to the handhold, but whatever floats your boat. . . . ;)
ALTERNATE METHOD FOR OBTAINING ARTIFACT #4: First, while still playing the Mines level, save your game in a new slot in case this doesn't work for you. Then you can always reload and try to get the artifact in the usual way. After saving, unlock the pyramid door and complete the level. Once you've started the next level, The Great Pyramid, the switch spikes should remain locked in place, and you can jump across to the artifact without any of them retracting beneath you. Once you have the artifact, even though you actually obtained it during the Great Pyramid level, it should register as one of four artifacts in Natla's Mines.
To make sure it worked, proceed to the next checkpoint in the Great Pyramid. Save the game in a new slot. Then reload any save from Natla's Mines. Press Escape/Pause and choose "Level Statistics" from the menu. That stats screen shows how many artifacts and relics you've collected. Reload your Great Pyramid save and continue from there.
I have confirmed that this works in the PC, PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii versions. It may or may not work on other platforms. If you try it and find that it works in the PSP or Mac game, please let me know.
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