BtB 2006 - Level 1 - Jin Ra Long

Level by Aza

Authorized walkthrough by Sutekh

CS = Crawlspace - MS = Monkey Swing - L = Left - R = Right - N, S, E, W = Cardinal Points - UW = Underwater
SJ = Standing Jump - SJ+G = Standing Jump + Grab - RJ = Running Jump - RJ+G = Running Jump + Grab
Enemies - Pick-ups - Secrets - Traps - Timed-Sequences

-- General Notes --

* Items in Bold are necessary to complete the level or get the secrets, either by using them, picking them up or both.
* You'll find a summary and a Spoiler Section at the end of this walkthrough.

Story

50 years ago in a mysterious far Eastern country the first human cloning experiment took place. The experiment was going well until the young clones turned into psychotic stick wielding killers. They took over the nearby monastery called The Temple of the Dragon, killed all the monks, and sealed themselves in. They have stayed there in isolation ever since. One day whilst Lara was taking a trek through this country she fell down a hole in the forest and landed in the monastery. To get back to the outside world Lara has to find three Dragon Gems and put them back on their proper pedestals.

== Welcome to the Temple of the Dragon ==

Level Objective: Find and use the three Dragon's Gems

You start the level in a rocky passage, having just very accidentally fallen from a hole. Run ahead to the other end: there's a closed metallic door to your R (W). Turn L (E) and look up to locate the jump-switch then jump up and grab to flip it and open the door. Your adventure begins.

-- Dragons Cry Too...

Objective: Find the Dragon's Teardrop and use it.

Turn around and jump on the doorway. No time to look around, though. Run ahead a bit and draw your weapons to dispatch your very first foes: a crazed clone and a snake.

You're now in the Main Courtyard. In front of the entrance (W) is a closed door flanked by a gem hole (a Dragon's Teardrop one, to be accurate). There's also a hole in the pool but it currently leads to a dead-end so ignore it for now and go to the recesses on the L (S) instead.

The R one is closed by another door and you can see a Yin-Yang Receptacle on the L. There's a hole in the L one, head for it and immediately draw and back-flip: another crazed clone is attacking you from behind. Kill it quickly then return to the hole and this time drop down through it.

Draw again: this time it's a snake that's awaiting you down there. Once it's down, light a flare. Assuming you're still below the hole facing N, you can see a white (unlit) lamp in front of you and a closed door to your L (W).  Go toward the lamp and turn R (E) then right again to face the column. Look up: there's a jump-switch up there. Flip it and immediately run R, drawing your weapons, as your last action has attracted another snake (as well as lit the lamp and opened two nearby doors). Kill it but mind the lit lamp while fighting as you'll get torched if you get too close.

Once it's dead, go through the door that's right below the hole and pick up the large medipack there. Return to the nearby room and run R of the column (SE - the low crack in the wall is where the snakes came from) then continue R around the corners to eventually find yourself standing on the edge of a water hole.

Swim ahead until you find yourself at a junction. The Dragon's Teardrop is ahead of you and a door opens as you approach. Don't go for the gem yet. Turn L (W) instead and swim through the tunnel to pick up a small medipack and - more importantly - the laser-sight. Continue along the tunnel to get back to the main one and pick up the Dragon's Teardrop on your R. Turn around and swim through the newly opened door then L (W) and eventually up to surface in the pool in the Main Courtyard.

Swim W and exit the pool. The Dragon's Teardrop Hole is in front of you but before doing anything with it, a short detour for some goodies (and some desnakization).

You're now standing in front of the Western House. Go to its L (SW) first and into the short alley between it and the L wall. Go to the end and pick up the flares there near the house wall. This attracts a snake, so draw your weapons and kill it. Return in front of the house then go into the R (NW) alley where you'll find some shotgun normal ammo. Same cause, same consequence: a snake will soon slither at you. Kill it as well.

It's now time to use the Dragon's Teardrop and proceed into the Western House. Go to the house door and put the Teardrop into the Dragon's Teardrop Hole, opening said door.

-- A Dragon's Gem in a Cage

Objective: Open a door somewhere in the Western House and get your first Dragon's Gem

A Hard-To-Reach Weapon

Run into the corridor to the closed door ahead (W). There's a stairway going up to your R (N) but what we're going after now happens to be at the end of the L (S) corridor. Run into it but be cautious and stop soon as 2 lateral blades are set in motion as you approach. To pass them without a scratch, walk to them and stop roughly two steps away. Turn L (E) and step back if necessary so the wall is against your back. Wait for the blade to be fully extended then side-jump R at the very same moment they start returning to the wall.

Once you've made it, turn around and pick up the revolver on the floor after the corner. Fortunately, you won't have to deal with the blades on your way back. Jump up and grab the ceiling which happens to be a monkey-swing. Swing to its end, going safely over the blade then run up the stairway ahead (N).

Getting Some Clues

You're now in a two-parts room. The right part is adorned with a long set of stargates ended by a (currently trapped) cage. The left one contains a Red Dragon Dice that you'll have to move later. Incidentally, there are also 2 crazed clones waiting for you at the end of the stargates room, so first things first, take care of them but be cautious as you move around as fires will light under the stargates when you approach them and you really don't want to accidentally jump into them and get torched.

Each clone kindly leaves something behind him so go pick up the Yin and the Yang. Combine them to create the Yin and Yang symbol and leave this room to return to the Main Courtyard: time to use your newly found item.

Run diagonally R (SE) to the recesses and use the Yin and Yang symbol on the Yin-Yang Receptacle in the R recess, opening the nearby door. Go up the stairway a bit and draw your weapon to welcome a crazed clone. Once he's down, resume up the stairs to eventually reach a small room at the top. You can see a set of Red Dragon Tiles on the wall: take good note of their location.

Jump into the hole to pick up the flares there. The Red Dragon Dice is only here as a clue, so leave it alone and return to the Main Courtyard and from there to the Stargates Room.

The Red Dragon Dice Puzzle

Time to take care of that movable Red Dragon Dice in the left part of the room. Since it's a puzzle indeed, you'll find the solution in the Spoiler Section at the end of this walkthrough. Once it's solved, a door will have open in another part of the Western House (we'll get to it later). Return to the Stargates Room.

The Stargates Ordeal

As you might have guessed, your next task will be to go through every stargates in order to unset the fire trap in the cage at the end of the room, and get what's inside. It is perfectly possible to do so without burning on the fires or being hurt by the stargates themselves. It involves a rather unusual move: the swan dive.

Approach the first stargate (a fire should already be burning under it) and stop in the center of the closest tile. Hop back and take a run up as for a standard running jump and hit Jump + Walk (usually Alt + Shift) to perform a running swan dive through the stargate and over the fire. You might need to tweak the timing as to not jump through the stargate while it's completely closed (I found the best moment is to start running the second time the blades close), but you should do it without a single scratch. Repeat the same process with all the following stargates.

Once you've made it through all five stargates, simply enter the cage and pick up your first Dragon's Gem.

-- A Dragon's Gem on the Roof

Objective: Find the 2nd Dragon Gem.

Getting Another Clue

When picking up the gem, you also opened a trapdoor on the floor near the cage as well as a door in the opposite side of the room. Let's go through the former first to get another clue.

Drop down in the hole. A chain will start swinging in front of you: deal with it by staying on either side of the corridor, with Lara's shoulder against the wall and waiting for the chain to swing away before running past it. Another trap will appear in the form of a spiked ball falling from the ceiling. Either hurry before the spikes appear or crouch and crawl under the ball to its other side.

You're now standing on an upward and short ramp ended by some spikes. Light a flare and first go L to the far left corner (SE). You'll find a short passage there. Run to the end and pick up the flares on the floor.

Now make your way to the far R corner of the room (SW) and to the end of the passage there where you'll find a switch. Flip it and return to the room. The spikes at the top of the ramp have now moved below the opening. Go to the top of the ramp: the south wall will be lit, revealing another set of dragon tiles (this time black). Take note of their location and return to the Stargates Room, dealing again with the traps on your way and using the ladder to your R to get back up.

A Trip to the Roof

Run to the opposite side of the room to pass through the door there (opened when you picked up the Dragon's Gem). Draw you weapons to kill a crazed clone that comes to attack you then pick up the revolver ammo he dropped when dying. Go to the little room he came from.

There's a block in the corner in front of you and an opening above, but the block is too low to reach it. Look up and to your L (N) above the lit lamp: you'll see a shatterable ball hanging from the ceiling. Shoot it using the revolver combined with the laser-sight to raise the nearby block. Pull up on the latter then into the opening to your R (S). Follow the passage until you reach a pedestal supporting the 2nd Dragon's Gem. Pick it up: the door near the Western House entrance is now open.

Don't rush there, though. There are goodies to harvest first. Turn R (S) and jump over the bell. Run ahead then around the corner to the end of the roof and drop down on the one below. Turn R (E) and pick up the uzi ammo. Continue along this lower roof until you reach a column blocking the way. Drop down, grab and shimmy R past the column. Pull up back on the roof and pick up the shotgun.

Now simply drop down into the Main Courtyard and run through the Western House entrance in front of you to soon find yourself in front of the newly opened door.

-- Two Dragon Eyes

Objectives: Find the two Dragon Eyes then make your way past the Dragon Head

Of Smashing Walls and Crazed Clones

As soon as you set foot in the room, a smashing wall is set in motion, preventing you to pick up the tempting large medipack. Forget about this one, you won't be able to get it. Deal with the smashing wall by standing on the L side with Lara's shoulder against the wall and running past it when it moves away.

Once you're there, turn L (S): there's a passage in the far L corner (SE), with white floor. Don't step on it: it would only attract a couple of electrical wraiths, and considering the situation, they are the last things you need to deal with now. Look up and notice the MS running above the white floor passage. You will use it to reach the other side of the passage without attracting the wraiths attention, but you first need to deal with another type of annoyance first.

Walk toward the MS but don't grab it yet. Hop back into the room instead and draw you weapon: 2 crazed clones will soon run from the passage to meet you. Dispatch them while carefully avoiding both the smashing wall and the white floor passage.

Once you're done with them, go to the start of the MS, jump up, grab and swing to the end.

The Black Dragon Dice Puzzle

You'll find yourself in a room with a Black Dragon Dice and Black Dragon Tiles on the floor. There's a door that's already opened (you did so when moving the Red Dragon Dice) but you first need a little something before passing through it and reaching the next area.

This said, before proceeding further to that effect, run N past the door (but not through it, stay in the Black Dragon Tiles room) to the end of the Dragon Tiles and locate the high CS. Pull up in it and crawl a bit until you can drop down in a hole. Pick up the crossbow normal ammo and the shotgun wideshot ammo there then return to the Black Dragon Tiles room and the Black Dragon Dice.

Notice the metallic door up in the S wall: that's what you need to open now, and you'll do so by moving the Dice along a given path. You'll find the solution to this puzzle in the Spoilers Section at the end of this walkthrough, if needed. Once it's solved, the metallic door will be open.

In the Jaws of the Dragon

Go to the now accessible high alcove in the S wall and pick up the crowbar there. Time to pass the open door.

You're now in the core of the Temple: the Dragon Head Room, and your next destination is indeed the Dragon Head itself. Not really inviting, admittedly, but yet you'll have to get in there. Apart from that, there are also two raised white blocks up on the top of the wall surrounding the room, one on your L and one in the far R corner.

To safely make your way through the teeth (aka spikes), first walk toward the head to the edge of the ledge. Step back twice then hop back (you should now be behind the step). Start your running jump one second after the spikes have retracted and hit Action at the very last moment to avoid hitting the roof (if you hit Action too soon, you'll grab the roof instead of going through the spikes and will suffer damage from said spikes). Run ahead a bit further to clear the spiked area: you've done it.

Pick up the revolver ammo on the floor. There's an opening above the alcove ahead but the hole there is currently throwing fire and it isn't reachable (it's a dragon mouth, after all). This said, you haven't got there only to pick up some ammo: you can't see it yet, but the closest white block up on the wall is now low, allowing you to safely reach the top of the Dragon Head.

Leave the Dragon Head by simply running though the spiked area when the spikes are low and return on the ledge by the entrance. Go R (S) to the highest part of it, pull up and grab the edge of the wall. Shimmy to the R.

Accessing the roof would require to shimmy to the middle of the wall (roughly) but you're going to first pull up where the white block was for an upcoming secret. Doing so will lower the other white block in the opposite corner (NW). Once you've done that, drop down and continue shimmying R until you reach the middle of the edge. Pull up, back-flip with a roll in mid-air and grab the edge of the Head top. Pull up. (Alternatively, from the lowered white block, you can do a diagonal RJ (NW) to the top of the Head).

Go L (W): you now clearly can see two stone star-shaped objects embedded in the red dragon blocks ahead: Dragon's Eyes. Go pry them up with the crowbar. Now and before doing anything else, let's make a small detour for a secret.

Run ahead to the end of the head and turn R (N) to face the now lowered block. Walk to the edge, hop back and do a RJ to the opening. Immediately draw your weapon of choice to take down the snake that's slithering around (although admittedly it's already as low as can be). Once it's killed, run behind the central "column" to reach Secret #1: a large medipack and shotgun wideshot ammo. You can now return on the Dragon Head.

Run between the two red dragon blocks then turn R (S) to stand before the L one. Turn around and hop back to slide on the side of the head, hitting Action to grab the edge. You should now spot the jump-switch there. Let go and hit Action again to grab and flip it, which turns off the fire in the Dragon's Mouth.

So yes, you now have to get back in there again, and since the spikes aren't deactivated at all, using the same jump you used the first time around. So go to the entrance and proceed into the mouth.

Run to the hole then turn around and look up to spot the ladder. Jump up and grab it then back-flip on the green block. Turn around and run down the passage.

-- A Dragon's Gem in Hell

Objectives: Find the third Dragon's Gem

A Little Fighting

Run ahead and up the steps then pick up the crossbow on the pedestal. As soon as you do so, the door ahead opens and 2 crazed clones run through. Take care of them while avoiding the nearby spikes and fire. Once they're down, pick up the crossbow normal ammo one of them has dropped.

Before going further, notice the fire, the spikes, and also the boulders hanging from the ceiling and the four tiny green/blue lights after them. None of them are good news, and you'll have to soon deal with the like of them. Combine your laser-sight with the crossbow (so you don't waste revolver ammo in the upcoming task) and go to the next room beyond the door.

Pick up the crossbow explosive ammo there then use both Dragon's Eyes in the Dragon's Eye Holes beside the closed door to open it. Make sure Lara's healthy enough and save. Pass the door and slide into the next room.

Shooting Practice and Jumping For Your Life

What you need to do now is to quickly shoot the shatterable green balls scattered around the room to avoid being burnt by fire. You'll do this one at a time, as most are for now protected by closed doors. Don't shoot the red ones or you'll be crushed by a boulder. The sequence is as follow (angles are given relative to W, i.e. facing the closed door):

- Left side of the room (90° L)
- Right of the door (45° R)
- Left of the door (45° L)
- Right side of the room (90° R)

As you shoot the last one, a block rises from the lava in front of you and 3 electrical wraiths appear and start to chase you.

If you don't mind skipping a secret, shoot the L ball in front of the door, which will open said door, giving you access to a much needed pool. SJ to the closest block then RJ to the next one and rush into the pool to get rid of the wraiths. Resume after the green paragraphs below. If you want that secret, though, the route will be a little tougher:

SJ to the closest block then continue running with a L curve to do a RJ to the long block to your L. Jump from there to the next one and run with a hard L curve to jump on the block below the opening in the wall. Turn R then pull up to get into the opening to your R. Needless to say, you've got to be fast if you want to make it alive, since the wraiths are very much on your tail (see this screenshot for the secret location and this screenshot for the jump sequence).

Run into Secret #2 and to the end of the passage to pick up an Uzi and 3 uzi ammos then rush to the opening. Run off to the block, turn 45° L and do a RJ to the next block. Run with a R curve and do another RJ to the long block in front of the door. Go left to run on the ledge and quickly draw your crossbow to aim at the shatterable ball there. This opens the door (but also lowers the blocks before the secret, which is why you had to get it first). Hurry to the pool beyond the door and finally get rid of the pesky wraiths.

[Note: If you're lucky enough, the wraiths will throw themselves in the scalding water and extinguish. This is very random, though, so don't count on it]

The Third Gem

You're still lacking one gem though, so now is time to get it. Return in the Scalding Water room (which is now wraith-free) on the long block near the pool and turn L (N). Do a RJ to the block with the lantern then pull up on the next one. Go to its far R corner and turn slightly R to aim at the ledge below against the N wall and do a SJ to land on it, run to the part that's directly against the wall and turn R (E).

Your goal is the crawlspace to your R, up above a slope. You can't reach it from the ledge that's right in front of it (too far) so you'll need to do things a bit differently. Walk to the wall ahead (E) stopping one step away from it, turn slightly R to face the CS, hop back and do a RJ+G to it, with a L mid-air curve before hitting Action. Pull up into the CS.

Crawl a bit until you can stand up then run off into the hole to pick up the hard-earned 3rd Dragon's Gem. Turn around and jump to the block above, crawl to the entrance of the CS, drop down on the slope below, slide a bit and back-flip to safely land on the ledge.

Turn R (S) and go to the far R corner. Turn slightly R (SSW) to face the high block with the lantern, hop back and do a RJ+G to it. Pull up, run off onto the lower one and eventually do a RJ to the long block. If you still have the crossbow ready, shift to a more lethal weapon (or load the explosive ammo). Cross the pool and exit the water. The end is near.

-- The Way Out

Attack of the Clones (sorry, couldn't resist)

As soon as you set foot in the next room, a crazed clone attacks soon followed by 2 others if you run a little further. You can dispatch them with explosive or the revolver or simply cross the pool again and shoot them from the other side.

Once they're down, run into the room. There are three Dragon's Gem Receptacles there and three closed doors separating you from the exit. Put a first Gem in either one, a first door opens and 2 crazed clones appear so prepare to fight again, using whatever strategy you prefer. Each time you'll put a gem where it belongs, 2 clones will attack for a total of 6.

Leaving the Temple

Once you've opened all three doors and took care of all six clones, pass said doors and run to the end of the passage beyond where you'll find a hole. Run into it, slide to the end of the slope to land in a pool below.

There's a grenade launcher ahead on the edge of the pool. Swim to it and exit the water, de facto leaving the Temple and ending the level.

==== In this level, you should have found...
Enemies: Snakes, Crazed Clones, Electrical Wraiths
Items of note: Laser-Sight, Dragon's Teardrop, Revolver, Yin + Yang (= Yin and Yang), 1st Dragon's Gem, 2nd Dragon's Gem, Dragon's Eye 1 and 2, 3rd Dragon's Gem
2 Secret
some Traps

== Spoilers Section ==

Solution to Red Dragon Dice Puzzle

Quick Solution:

The dice must be moved following the exact path shown on the wall of the little room you found beyond the door opened by the Yin-Yang.

(Resume walkthrough)

Detailed Solution:

Screenshot of the room and the path to follow

Solution to the Black Dragon Dice Puzzle

Quick Solution:

Just like the red one, the dice must be moved following the exact path shown on the wall of the dark room beyond the trapdoor and below the stargates room.

Detailed Solution:

Screenshot of the room and the path to follow (note that at this point the door should be open)

(Resume walkthrough)