The following lists basic controls, as well as complex moves involving combinations of controls, and controls for vehicles. Most Macintosh keys are the same as those for the PC. Where they differ, Mac controls are listed in green. PlayStation controls are in blue and Dreamcast in orange. (Some Dreamcast controls are missing. Please let me know if you can help with these.) Instructions for saving and loading games, using the inventory, combining items, targeting, etc., are at the bottom of the page.
This page also includes notes about Weapons & Ammunition and links to All Weapon Locations. More details are available in the walkthrough.
Follow this link for official manual in PDF format.
Follow this link for Mipo's Seamless Controller Setup for Original Tomb Raider Games, using JoyToKey.
Follow this link for a Tomb Raider 4: Logitech Profiler Game Profile created by CrimsonBlitz and posted on the Steam community forum.
Whether you are using a keyboard for the Windows or Macintosh game, a PlayStation or Dreamcast controller or gamepad, you can change the controls to suit your taste. (See Menu/Inventory System & Hotkeys, below.)
To change the screen resolution and other graphics settings, you'll need to run the separate setup program. Details are below under changing graphics settings.
IMPORTANT: If you have never played Tomb Raider before, you should familiarize yourself with the unique control system for jumping. It seems odd at first, but it is actually fairly easy to make Lara do what you want if you just follow certain basic steps, covered on my Tips & Strategy page.
Basic Moves
MOVE |
CONTROLS |
DESCRIPTION/NOTES |
Run |
Up Arrow |
Press forward with left or right to move in that direction. |
Hop Back |
Down Arrow |
|
Turn Right |
Right Arrow |
Hold to pivot on the spot. |
Turn Left |
Left Arrow |
Hold to pivot on the spot. |
Walk |
Shift |
Used in combination with the direction keys/buttons for slower movement. Lara will never walk off an edge, though she will run off. It's also handy for areas with spikes, broken glass, barbed wire, etc. Lara won't take damage if she WALKS through these. |
Jump |
Alt |
Makes Lara jump straight up. More complex jumps are covered under combo moves, below. |
Sidestep Left/Right |
Shift + Left/Right Arrow |
The TR2 sidestep keys, Delete and Page Down, also work in here and can be reassigned if desired. On the PlayStation, holding Walk and pushing the left analog stick lightly can also be used to sidestep. |
Roll/Reverse |
End,
or 5 on numeric keypad, or Up + Down Arrows together |
Lara drops to the ground and comes up facing the opposite direction. |
Draw/Holster Weapon |
Space Bar |
In addition to drawing and holstering guns, this key also used to put away binoculars or drop a flare without lighting another. To equip binoculars, choose them from the inventory ring. (See Menu & Inventory, below.) Using the binoculars and laser sight, targeting, and combining items are covered at the bottom of the page. If Lara suddenly stops aiming at nearby enemies, check the section on automatic vs. manual targeting at the bottom of the page. |
Action |
Ctrl |
Actions include firing weapons, picking up objects on the ground, using switches, keys and puzzle items, activating the light built into the binoculars, etc. (Also used to make Lara grab in certain combo moves, below.) |
Look |
0 on numeric keypad + arrow keys |
Look (labeled "Ins" on some keyboards) shifts perspective to what Lara sees. Hold Look while pressing direction keys/buttons to look in different directions. |
Light/Throw Flare |
< (same as comma) |
Press once to pull out a flare and light it; press again to throw it in the direction Lara's facing. Lara can climb or swim while holding a flare, but she'll drop it when it goes out or she draws weapons. Also used to zoom out when using binoculars or laser sight. |
Crouch/Duck |
> (same as period) |
Used alone, Lara will crouch. She can draw weapons that doesn't require two hands to hold (i.e., pistols, Uzis) and shoot from a crouching position. Lara can also turn around while crouching and holding weapons. Also used to crawl, under combo moves, below, and to zoom in when using binoculars or laser sight. |
Combo Moves
MOVE |
CONTROLS |
DESCRIPTION/NOTES |
Standing Jump |
Alt + Up Arrow |
Press keys/buttons together to jump forward approximately 1 terrain square (see Tips & Strategy) |
Backflip |
Alt + Down Arrow |
|
Sideflip |
Alt + Left/Right Arrow |
|
Running Jump |
Up Arrow...Alt |
Press Forward and then immediately press Jump to run two steps then jump forward approximately 2 terrain squares (see Tips & Strategy) |
Jump and Grab |
[standing or running jump] + Ctrl/X/A |
Do the standing or running jump (above), adding Action to grab a ledge or other object ahead (see Tips & Strategy) |
Safety Drop |
Ctrl + Down Arrow |
Walk to the edge of a drop-off. Turn around so Lara's back is toward the edge. Then press Action + Back to drop and hang from the edge. Continue holding Action to hang on. Release it to let go and drop. The safety drop minimizes damage taken from falling. |
Reverse/Safety Drop |
End + Ctrl |
Stand facing a drop-off about 2 steps from the edge. Press the keys/buttons for Roll then Action to drop, roll and hang from the ledge. Release Action to let go and drop. |
Traverse (shimmy) |
Ctrl + Left/Right Arrow |
While hanging from a ledge (holding Action), use direction keys/buttons to move to either side. Lara can now traverse around both convex and concave corners. Release Action to let go and drop. |
Hand-over-hand Traverse/"Monkey Swing" |
Ctrl + Arrow Keys |
In TR3 Lara can traverse hand-over-hand monkey-bar style. Jump and grab an overhead surface using Action. Hold Action and use direction keys/buttons to move. Release Action to drop. |
Pull Up/Vault |
Ctrl + Up Arrow |
While hanging from a ledge (holding Action) press Up to pull up. While standing, use the same combo to vault up on a low block or ledge. |
Handstand/Walkover |
Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow |
While hanging from a ledge (holding Action), hold Walk then press Up, and Lara will pull up to a handstand then do a walkover onto the ledge (generally useless but spiffy). |
Grab & Pull Up |
Alt + Ctrl + Up Arrow |
If a ledge is too high to climb using just Action + Up, position Lara against the wall below the ledge and then use this combo to jump up, grab the edge and pull up. |
Push/Pull Block |
Ctrl + Up/Down Arrow |
Position Lara so her chest is against a movable block. Hold Action and she'll go into a crouch, then press Up or Down to push or pull the block |
Swan Dive |
Shift + Alt + Up Arrow |
Standing on a platform (ideally above water), hold Walk and press Jump and Forward and Lara will do a graceful swan dive. (Note that she gets a bit of an arc on this dive, so if you're aiming for a small pool, you may need to step back from the edge before diving.) |
Forward Roll |
Up Arrow...Walk + Jump |
Same as the Swan Dive but used on a flat surface. While running, press Jump and Walk and Lara will take a flying leap, somersault and come up onto her feet. (Not necessary but can help avoid damage from certain traps.) |
Swan Dive with Somersault |
Shift + Alt + Up Arrow... End |
Same as the swan dive (above) except pressing the Roll key after diving makes Lara do a somersault (or two if there's time) on the way down. |
Mid-air Turn |
Alt + End |
Begin with a standard forward jump or backflip, press Roll on takeoff and Lara will turn in the air to land facing the opposite direction. (NOTE: Jump + Roll alone is useful for changing direction while sliding down a slope.) |
Mount Ladder |
Ctrl + Up Arrow |
Facing ladder or other climbable surface, press Action then Forward and Lara will climb onto the ladder. She can also take a standing or running jump, above, and grab a ladder with Action. Release Action to let go. |
Climb Ladder |
Ctrl + Arrow Keys |
Mount/safety drop down to ladder, hold Action to hang on, then use direction keys/buttons to go up/down or side to side. (NOTE: To rapidly descend a long ladder, briefly release the Action key to fall a short distance and then re-press it to grab the ladder again.) |
Backflip Dismount |
Alt |
While hanging onto a ladder (or other climbable surface), press Jump to backflip off the ladder and land on the ground or on a platform behind Lara (see Tips & Strategy). |
Mid-air Turn & Grab |
Alt + End + Ctrl |
When Lara needs to jump from a ladder and grab another ladder behind her, press Jump and either Roll or Forward to jump and turn in midair, then Action to grab the second ladder (see Tips & Strategy). |
Crawl |
> (period) + Arrow Keys |
Hold crouch and use direction keys/buttons to crawl. Lara can't use weapons while crawling, but she can come up into a crouch and then draw one-handed weapons (pistols, Uzis). To climb into an elevated crawlspace, press Action + Crouch + Forward. To climb down from a raised opening, back up to the opening and safety drop (Action + Reverse). |
Sprint/Dash |
Arrow Keys...forward slash [/] |
Hold the sprint key while running to put on a burst of speed. Lara can only sprint for a short time, indicated by the stamina meter. Press Jump while sprinting and Lara will do a nifty forward somersault. Release Forward but continue to hold Sprint and she'll skid to a stop. |
Climbing Poles/ |
Same as certain basic controls (see notes at right) |
To climb onto a dangling rope or pole, stand against it or jump to reach it and press Action. While holding on (Action), use direction keys/buttons to climb up/down or change the direction Lara is facing. Release Action to let go or press Jump to backflip off a pole. |
Swimming
MOVE |
CONTROLS |
DESCRIPTION/NOTES |
Dive/Swim Underwater |
Alt + Arrow Keys |
Jump alone makes Lara dive below the surface; it also makes her swim underwater in whatever direction she's facing (use with direction keys/buttons) |
Pivot Underwater |
Arrow Keys |
Direction buttons alone will make Lara pivot underwater or angle toward the bottom (Up) or the surface (Down) |
Underwater Roll |
End,
or 5 on numeric keypad, or Up + Down Arrows together |
Same as rolling on land. Useful in tight spaces or after pulling an underwater lever. |
Swim on Surface |
Arrow Keys, Delete, Page Down |
Dog paddle (Up), backstroke (Down), pivot (Left/Right), sidestroke (same as Sidestep Left/Right). Note that Lara swims much faster underwater than she does on the surface. |
Climb Out of Water |
Ctrl + Up |
Swim to the water's edge and press Action and Up to pull up onto a ledge. |
Vehicles
MOVE |
CONTROLS |
DESCRIPTION/NOTES |
Get on Board |
Ctrl |
Position Lara at the side of the vehicle and press Action to get in or on. |
Climb Out/Dismount |
Alt + Left Arrow |
This control differs from previous games. If you're having trouble, see the notes for the specific vehicles below. |
Jeep (Land Rover)* |
Accelerate
(same as Action) |
To get into the vehicle and start it, approach either side door and press Action. Select the ignition keys (make sure you've picked them up), and press Action again. To shift between forward and reverse, first come to a complete stop. Then press Walk (forward) or Sprint (reverse). To get out of the Jeep, first come to a complete stop on terrain that is relatively flat. Make sure there is nothing in the way of the driver's side door. Then press Jump + Left, and Lara will hop out. |
Motorcycle |
Accelerate
(same as Action) |
Nitro gives the bike a speed boost, similar to the "turbo" feature in TR3. Note that the Nitro won't work until you collect the necessary parts in the Cairo levels. |
NOTE: Several players have pointed out that the two vehicles in the Valley of the Kings are, in fact, Land Rovers and not Jeeps. They do indeed resemble Land Rovers and have the green oval Land Rover emblem on their radiator grilles. And of course the Land Rover is as British as Lara Croft herself. In the walkthrough, I refer to the blue Rover that Lara drives as a "Jeep" because that is how it is listed in the game's instruction manual, and using both terms helps people find these pages in a web search.
At start-up, use up/down arrow keys to select New Game, Load Game, Options, or Exit. Press Enter or Action to choose one. Options include choosing and configuring keyboard or joystick and setting the sound preferences. The graphics options can be adjusted in the setup section of the main menu, which appears when you insert the CD with Autorun enabled. Run Setup to adjust the screen resolution and other graphics settings, as described below. Use the following controls during gameplay: |
|
P/Start = pauses game and displays the following choices:
Escape/Select = go to inventory. Once in inventory: Left/Right arrows/D-pad to rotate the menu ring, which includes weapons, medi packs, flares, binoculars, found items and save game/load game icons (stone tablets). Use up/down arrows/D-pad to select different options from text lists. Action/Enter = activate or use selected item. Escape = deselect an item or un-pause/return to game F5 = shortcut to save game F6 = shortcut to load saved game |
Alt + F4 = quick exit Alt + Tab = minimize Number keys 1-8 = quick weapons Number keys 9 & 0 = use large/small medipak To change the controls: From the Main Menu or Pause Menu (above), select Options and press Enter. Select Control Configuration and press Enter. Press Up/Down to move to the control you want to change. Press Enter to highlight it. Then press the desired key. When you have everything assigned the way you want it, press Escape to return to the game. NOTE: The game will allow you to choose the same key for more than one control, so be careful. If you notice Lara behaving oddly (for example, jumping and drawing weapons at the same time), check your key assignments to make sure you have a different key for each control. |
IMPORTANT: In the PC version of TR4, it is not possible to remap the basic movement keys (forward, back, left, right) unless you download and install the patch. See the Downloads page at https://tombraiders.net/stella/downloads.html for information and instructions. For more info on using the various weapons and equipment, including combining/separating items and choosing ammunition, see the see below. |
|
Anyone with the PlayStation or Dreamcast games is welcome to send me instructions for using the menu rings and I will include them here.
Weapons & Ammunition
WEAPON |
AMMO (per pickup) |
Pistols |
unlimited |
Shotgun |
Normal (red box) or Wideshot (blue box) ammo, 6 shells/box. |
Uzis |
30 rounds/pair of clips. |
Crossbow |
Normal, Poison (blue fletching), or Explosive (larger tip) ammo, 20 arrows/pickup. |
Revolver |
6 rounds/box. |
Grenade Gun |
Normal (orange stripe), Super (yellow stripe), or Flash (blue stripe) ammo, 4 grenades/box. |
As you play through the game, you'll collect various weapons and ammunition. Often you'll find ammo for weapons you don't yet have, since the more powerful guns aren't available until later in the game.
The weapons found in each level are noted in the walkthrough headers. For example, if you check the header for the first Egypt level, you'll see that the Pistols are available from the start and the shotgun and Uzis can be found somewhere in that level. The walkthrough describes where. Every weapon is available in more than one location. So don't worry if you miss one; there will be other opportunities.
Weapon Locations
The links below lead to the relevant sections of the guide (with possible spoilers). If all else fails, you can use cheat codes to obtain all weapons, or download a save file to obtain all the weapons normally available at a particular point in the game.
PISTOLS: starting weapon
SHOTGUN: Tomb of Seth, Burial Chambers, Valley of the Kings (secret #1), Temple of Karnak, Desert Railroad, Catacombs (secret #1), Sphinx Complex, Khufu's Queen's Pyramid (secret area).
UZIS: Tomb of Seth, Great Hypostyle Hall (second visit), Sacred Lake (second visit), Tomb of Semerkhet (secret #7), Inside Menkaure's Pyramid, Khufu's Queen's Pyramid (secret area).
CROSSBOW: Coastal Ruins, Khufu's Queen's Pyramid (secret area), Inside the Great Pyramid (secret area).
CROWBAR: Not technically a weapon but is required in various levels as a tool/lever. It can be found in the Desert Railroad and is required to complete that level so not normally missable. However, if you use the Level-Skip cheat to bypass the Desert Railroad, you will need to use the All-Items cheat (PlayStation) to obtain the crowbar when you need it later in the game. PC players can download a save file (any save after Desert Railroad will include the crowbar) or use a savegame editor to add the crowbar to your current save. The alternative is to also skip levels where the crowbar is needed.
LASER SIGHT: Also not a weapon but can be combined with the Revolver or Crossbow for precise targeting. See COMBINING/SEPARATING ITEMS, below. It can be found in Alexandria and later in the City of the Dead. If you skipped levels and missed it, follow the strats for the crowbar in the previous paragraph.
If you missed the Laser Sight during your first visit to Alexandria, you can return there from all of the other levels that connect to the Coastal Ruins. There are notes in the walkthrough from every point where you'd need the Laser Sight. Likewise, if you miss it in the City of the Dead, there are notes in The Trenches walkthrough explaining how to backtrack and get it. You can also obtain it by using the All-Items cheat (PlayStation) or downloading a save file or using a savegame editor (PC).
Inventory & Targeting
COMBINING/SEPARATING ITEMS & CHOOSING AMMUNITION: When selected, some items and weapons present additional choices. For example, certain found objects can be combined to make a single item, and some weapons can be combined with the laser sight for more accurate targeting. Also, some weapons can use more than one type of ammunition.
Press Escape to go to the menu screen. Use Left/Right direction keys/buttons to rotate the menu ring to the item you want. Press Action/Enter to select it. Use Up/Down keys to choose Equip, Combine/Separate or Choose Ammo. Press Action/Enter to select. When you select Combine or Choose Ammo, you'll be given additional choices. Use Left/Right keys to cycle through the various options (i.e., the second item you want to combine or the type of ammo you want to use), then Action/Enter to select the one you want. Press Action/Enter again to use or equip the item. Or, press Escape to cancel and return to the main inventory. Press Escape again to resume play.
AUTOMATIC VS. MANUAL TARGETING: In the Options menu (accessible from the main menu or Pause screen), you may choose between automatic or manual targeting. Automatic Targeting is similar to the combat system in the previous games. When an enemy comes into range, Lara will automatically lock onto it if she has a weapon drawn. With Manual Targeting, she won't lock onto the enemy until you press the Look key. In both automatic and manual targeting, when more than one enemy is in range, tapping the Look key will make Lara cycle through the available targets. Unlike the earlier games, where you could hold the Action button to stay locked on a target, when Lara loses sight of an enemy, the lock is broken.
Occasionally the game will randomly switch targeting modes. So if you had automatic targeting enabled, Lara will suddenly stop targeting nearby enemies. I'm not sure what causes this to happen, but it's easy enough to fix. Just press P on keyboard or Start on controller to open the pause menu. Choose Options, then under Targeting, switch between Manual and Automatic.
COMPASS: Press Escape to go to the inventory screen. The compass is on the left side, below the menu ring. The compass points relative to the way Lara is facing. So if she's facing east, the red needle will point to E, and so on.
BINOCULARS: Press Escape to go to the menu screen. Use Left/Right direction keys/buttons to rotate the menu ring to the binoculars, then press Action/Enter to select them. The view will change to binocular view. Use the < and > keys to zoom out and in. (NOTE: If you have reconfigured your controls, these will be the same keys as Flare and Sprint.) Use the space bar (draw/holster weapons) to put the binoculars away and return to normal view.
LASER SIGHT: This is similar to the binoculars, except that it can be combined with certain weapons (the revolver and crossbow) for more accurate long-range targeting. Use the menu ring to combine the weapon and laser sight (see Combining/Separating, above). Then equip the weapon.
When you press the Look button, the view will change to laser-sight view. Use the < and > keys to zoom out and in as needed. If you have reconfigured your controls, these will be the same keys as Light Flare and Sprint. Release Look or put away the weapon to return to normal view.
NOTE TO LAPTOP USERS: The default button for Look on the PC is 0 on the numeric keypad. If you're playing on a laptop, you probably don't have a numeric keypad. So you'll need to reassign the Look key in order for it to work.
Changing Graphics Settings
The game includes a separate setup program for adjusting the screen resolution and other graphics settings. To access it, use the start menu shortut. For the CD version, this should be something like
Start > All Programs > Core Design > Tomb Raider - The Last Revelation > Setup
For the GOG version:
Start > All Programs > GOG.com > Tomb Raider 4 + 5 > Tomb Raider - The Last Revelation > Setup
For the Steam version:
In your Steam Library, select Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. Click the green 'Play' button. Choose 'Launch Run Setup,' then click Play again. Accept the terms of service if prompted. Then the Setup screen should appear, with various graphics and audio options.
Main Controls Page | Last Revelation Walkthrough | Main Page
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