LEVEL 6: REUNION
Updated: 5/7/24(†)
Secrets: none Pickups: 31 including the Hand of Rathmore (yet again) Kills: 11
NOTE: There are 11 enemies including the final boss, but that last kill does not register on the counter and end-of-level stats screen.
NOTES: If you've played Tomb Raider 3, the splash screen at the beginning of the level should evoke memories. You're probably beginning to put the pieces together regarding who's behind theft of the fifth artifact. Also note that the regular pickups for this level will include the grenade launcher and rocket launcher if you didn't find them earlier.
LONG ROOM WITH MUTAGEN POOLS AND TRANSLUCENT WALKWAYS: As soon as the level begins, side flip in either direction to get out of the path of the rolling meteorite. (screenshot)
LEVEL MAP by VGCartography (used with permission)
Reunion Video Walkthrough by Eldincy
NOTE: If you approach the opening with the barred windows beside of the pool, the first 2 enemies (1-2) will materialize on the other side of the bars and make their way around toward you. If you avoid this area at first, you'll encounter them later. See the DARK STAIRWAY section below for details.
Walk forward around the rim of the pool of deadly mutagen toward the long, rectangular pool with another huge meteorite at the far end. If you look closely, you'll notice a translucent walkway running down the center of the long pool. Light a flare or fire pistols to make it more visible if necessary. Jump onto the corner of this walkway to start the meteor rolling. Then quickly backflip out of the way. (screenshot) Follow the translucent walkway nearly to the end, picking up 3 pairs of grenades (1-3) as you go. Do not roll after picking up the third set of grenades. The walkway does not extend all the way to the far wall, and Lara will fall into the pool. (screenshot)
NOTE: One of these will be the GRENADE LAUNCHER itself if you didn't find it in an earlier level.
Return to the middle of the long room, where you started, and follow the other translucent walkway nearly to the end, picking up a rocket and more grenades (4-5). Again, mind the gap at the end of the walkway. When you have everything, return to the square pool at the start. Climb up through the opening on the right (i.e., the side without the two barred windows). Go behind the pillar to get some flares (6). (screenshot) Once again, return to the start.
DARK STAIRWAY: Climb into the doorway between the barred windows and watch as 2 burly guys (1-2) with holes in their chests appear on your left and right. They will make their way up along the edges of the room and then back down the stairs toward you. So pick up the flares (7), climb onto the step and grab the MP5 clips (8). Then continue up the stairs and shoot the enemies as they approach. If you wait until they're fairly close, you can kill each one with a single Desert Eagle shot. Just don't let them hit Lara with their flaming torches or she'll catch fire. (screenshots)
Return to the second step from the bottom and drop down into the little room on the right. Take care to avoid the sparkling mutagen as you pick up the small medi pack (9). Climb back onto the stairway and drop down on the other side. Pick up another small medi pack (10) in the room below, while avoiding the deadly bits of floor. (screenshots)
MUTAGEN POOL WITH DANGLING BODIES AND SWINGING BURNER: Now climb the stairs all the way to the top. The dangling corpses are just for show. They won't do any harm. Retrieve the rocket (11) behind the square pillar on the right. Move to the edge of the pool and use flares or pistol fire to illuminate a series of small, translucent platforms. Take a standing jump from the edge onto the first platform on the right side of the pool. Then take a running jump to the next platform and a standing jump to the third. Walk to the far left corner of the third platform and take another standing jump into the opening. There's a short ramp on the other side and a swinging burner. If you angle this jump so Lara lands near the right edge of the opening, she will slide down to a safe spot rather than into the burner. Pick up more flares (12) on the floor to the right. (screenshots)
Move carefully to the other end of the ledge and turn so the swinging burner is on Lara's right and she's facing the small, square, flagstone ledge ahead. Sidestep toward the left wall. Then walk to the edge and take a standing jump onto the flagstone ledge. (screenshots)
CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF THE ROOM FOR THE FINAL CONFRONTATION: When Lara lands on the ledge beyond the swinging burner, the camera shifts to a wide-angle shot. Sophia Leigh appears and begins to climb the ledges on her side of the mutagen pool. (screenshots)
NOTE: For those who haven't played TR3, Miss Leigh was one of the bosses in that game. She had gotten her well-manicured hands on one of the four original meteorite artifacts: the Eye of Isis. Her goal was to live forever and, failing that, to leave a spectacular corpse. Although Lara defeated her last time around, she has now returned for a rematch.
Do not bother shooting Sophia until you reach the highest set of ledges in this room. She is invulnerable until then. Before Sophia can power up her staff and begin shooting deadly energy bolts, hop across the gap to the next ledge. Then run around the corner to the right and make a U-turn at the top of the ramp. Climb or jump onto the gray block with the small medi pack (13). As you do this, Sophia climbs the corresponding ledges on the other of the room. (screenshots)
This next sequence is optional, but if you want all the kills and items, you'll need to retrieve the large medi pack (14) on Sophia's side of the room before climbing higher. To do this, climb onto the gray block with the small medi pack, as described above, but don't pick it up yet. Then, while Sophia is busy climbing the ledges on her side, take a running jump across the gap, grab the large medi pack, and immediately roll and take a running jump back to the side where you started. You need to move quickly before Sophia has a chance to power up again. Otherwise she'll release an energy pulse that will knock Lara off the ledge. Climb back onto the gray block, pick up the small medi pack, and keep going. Note that taking the large medi pack triggers the appearance of another eviscerated dude on the ledge where Sophia is standing. You'll have a chance to kill him shortly. (screenshots)
NOTE: If you're having trouble retrieving the large medi pack and jumping back across the gap fast enough, there's an alternate strategy on the page with screenshots.
From the gray ledge with the small medi pack, jump onto the grate below the dangling mutant. Vault onto the ledge ahead, pick up another small medi pack (15), and then run around to the left and take cover behind the stone structure. This area is safe as long as you stand back from the opening. (screenshots)
When Sophia finishes a round of energy blasts and begins to power up again, vault onto the low ledge, step forward, and then pull up onto the ledge above. As you do this, another huge meteor falls from the ceiling into the pit. Don't worry; it won't harm Lara. Turn left, vault onto the low stone wall, turn left again, and follow the walkway around to the wide corner ledge, where there's a large medi pack (16) sitting out in the open. As you approach it, one of Sophia's heartless minions (3) emerges from the alcove on the left. Shoot him and take the health. You're safe here, so take a moment to breathe and save the game if you like. (screenshots)
NOTE: Sometimes saving and reloading when you reach the various safe spots in this area will cause Sophia to stop shooting at you. It doesn't always work, but if you're low on health, it may be worth a try.
When you're ready to move on, run straight across the room, staying close to the left wall. As you approach the corner, you'll see a yellow glow as another burly zombie (4) appears behind the square pillar ahead. You can shoot him as soon as he appears, but if Sophia has already resumed her attack, you're better off just running forward off the edge. Lara will land on a small ledge above a pool of water. You can then roll and shoot the enemy as he approaches. (screenshots)
Now climb/jump onto the ledge where that last enemy spawned. Vault up onto the ledge ahead and move forward to stand behind the the next pillar. As you do, another giant meteor falls from the ceiling and rolls to the right, down the stairs. (screenshots)
NOTE: If you didn't kill the enemy who appeared when you picked up the large medi pack on the level below, you may be able to get a good shot at him from behind this pillar. (screenshot)
Ignore the switch for now. Wait in this safe spot for Sophia to go through another round of staff blasts. There are usually 11 blasts between power-ups. When she's reached 9 or 10, run down the stairs to the right. Pick up the large medi pack (17) on the bottom step. Then turn around. Don't roll or Lara will fall off the edge. If you want all the kills, you'll need to climb over the low wall into the dark area on the right side of the stairs. There you'll meet another animated corpse (5). (If you didn't kill the enemy (6) who appeared when you took the first large medi pack, he will make his way down the stairs to this area. So watch out for him as well.) Wait here until Sophia pauses once more to power up her staff. Then quickly climb back onto the stairs and run for cover behind the pillar where you hid before. (screenshots)
When Sophia pauses to power up again, run to the switch, pull it, and hurry through either of the doors. Now you'll need to act quickly as 4 heartless brutes (7-10) move in. Again, the Desert Eagle is the weapon of choice here. You won't need it for Sophia, so now is the time to bust it out. Shoot the first 3 enemies as you run toward them. Then roll and take out the fourth. Pick up a small medi pack (18) near one of the bodies plus another small medi pack and flares (19-20) at the back of the room. Go through the doorway on the left near the glowy-eyed mutant embedded in the wall. (screenshots)
Slip carefully past the swinging burner and use the switch to open a door above. Climb the ladder at the top of the stairs and go through the door you just opened. As you move along the passageway, the door closes behind you. (screenshots)
DEFEATING SOPHIA LEIGH: Climb up on the left to emerge on a ledge opposite Sophia (11). The HAND OF RATHMORE is sitting on a ledge above her. Save the game here and get ready for the final confrontation.
Jump onto the low wall on the right. When you do this, Sophia climbs onto the ledge with the HAND OF RATHMORE. As she begins to power up her staff, side flip off the wall into the area below on the left. (Unless Lara is about to expire, there's no need to go after the large medi pack (22, below) on the ledge ahead. Leave it for now. We'll get it in a little while.) While this is going on, another huge meteor falls from above and lands in the pool, raising the level of the mutagen and the toxic mist hovering above it. (screenshots)
Sophia is only vulnerable after she climbs onto the ledge with the artifact and the meteor falls. Step up onto the ledge with the single rocket (21). From here, you can target Sophia without being hit by her energy blasts. Aim with the MP5, Uzis, or pistols and count the blasts. Sophia usually fires 11 blasts per round, with the occasional pause for maniacal giggling. As soon as she has fired off the 11th blast, she'll raise her staff with one hand. She is vulnerable just before she begins gather the crackling blue energy around herself, so this is when you need to hit her. (screenshots)
NOTE: Earlier versions of this walkthrough suggested using a single rocket to bring her down, but timing the shot just right can be tricky. The MP5, Uzis, or even the pistols work just as well, and you don't need to be as precise. (I don't recommend grenades or harpoons, since they tend to arc downward, missing their target at this distance.) If you're having trouble, just shoot at her continuously with pistols. You should still manage to hit her during the crucial moment.
When you hit Sophia dead-on just as she's starting to power up, you'll notice static electricity swirl around Lara. Then Sophia will let out a groan and fall down. (screenshot)
BUG NOTE: Destroying Sophia does not count toward the 'official' number of kills shown on the stats screen. If there's a way to fix this, I am not aware of it. My guess is it was programmed that way for TR3, where you defeat Sophia without actually shooting her, and carried over into this game.
CLEANING UP AFTER THE FIGHT: If you don't care about getting all the pick-ups, just cross the pool, pick up the HAND OF RATHMORE, and proceed to the exit. If you do want everything, be sure to retrieve the large medi pack (22) on the ledge atop the wall and the rocket (21) in the corner. Then climb up onto the wall overlooking the mutagen pool. If you didn't kill the enemy (6) who spawned when you took the first large medi pack on the lower level, he'll still be running around on the other side of the pool. Shoot him from above. (screenshots)
Move to either end of the wall and jump down onto the perpendicular stone wall at either end of the pool. There are small rooms containing various goodies in all four corners of the room—6 rockets and 2 small medi packs (23-30) in all. If you don't yet have the ROCKET LAUNCHER, you'll find it here instead of one of the rockets. Of course, you won't need these once you've killed Sophia. The alcoves on the far side of the pool connect to the room behind the artifact, so you can more easily move from one side to the other. (screenshots)
LEVEL EXIT: When you have everything, jump from the end of either stone wall into the room below Sophia's final position. Climb up to the ledge where she was standing and reclaim the HAND OF RATHMORE (31). A small door then opens at the back of the room. Enter there, slide down the long, brick ramp, and splash down in a pool of water. Climb out of the pool and make your way down to the beach. You'll recognize this as the same area from the end of the Madhouse level. Approach the hot-air balloon to end the level—and the game. (screenshots)
†UPDATE HISTORY: 5/27/17 - First major update since 2000. This revision includes many new screenshots and a few clarifications and strategy changes.
5/7/24 - Added sequential kill and item counts in the walkthrough text. (Actual remaster updates coming eventually, but this should help.)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: My eternal gratitude goes out to the participants in the alt.games.tombraider newsgroup, without whom some parts of this walkthrough could not have been written. Thanks also to Art, Helena, and Rémy for their help on this level.
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