THE GOLDEN CITY

Level by: Pascal Scherer

Walkthrough by: Nina Croft

Secrets: 7

Important note: Be very careful with medipacks, as you get only a couple of them, and it will be necessary to use two-three small medipacks just to survive one terribly high and dangerous fall.

GOLDEN PYRAMID: When the level loads watch the flyby suggesting that Lara has arrived here by Jeep (and also that someone else had arrived here before her as well). Once the flyby is finished, draw your guns and kill three red scorpions on the right hand side. If you are feeling particularly destructive, you can blast the vase on the left hand side, since there is nothing inside. Before you drop into the opening ahead (between two lions), go around to the back side of the pyramid. Jump to one of the lower flat edges on the side of the pyramid, then on the higher one, and from there into the hole behind the back of the central statue. Here you'll find Uzi ammo, representing Secret #1. Drop down to the ground and go to the main entrance.

Slide down two slopes at the entrance to the pyramid, facing downhill if possible. Once you end up in a room with a burner, do not step onto the lower floor as it contains concealed spikes. Also, one boulder is coming after you, so be quick here. Turn right and  climb up the leaves on the wall. Once Lara's feet are above the entrance, jump back with Roll and Action to grab the back side of the slanted block. Pull up onto it, slide and jump to grab the walkway ahead. Go right and notice a closed gate between two lions, as well as deep pit with spikes. This gate will open once you place an artifact into the receptacle in the window to the right of the gate. Blast three vases lying around and pick up flares hidden in one to the left of the gate.

Jump into the pool and swim down and through a narrow passage to another pool. Climb out of the water and pick up two Uzi clips from a step near the pool. In the corner to the right of this block there is a passage hidden with leaves (SW corner). Go through and pick up Secret #2: Grenade Launcher. Return to the pool and go through the passage on the other side. At the fork go left and flip the lever to make the wall in the pit climbable. You'll hear some mummies above, so, choose the Grenade Launcher from your inventory, go forward from the lever, slide down and jump before you fall on the spikes, to grab the climbable wall. Climb up and kill two mummies.

Now it's time to open that gate. Go towards the northern wall and climb the wall to the alcove above (walls are climbable if they have leaves on them). In the alcove jump up to grab the leaves on the ceiling and monkey swing towards the gate. To the right of the gate there is a high opening. Hang on the ceiling to face this opening, drop and grab the opening. Climb in and find the HAND OF ORION inside. Drop to the ground, climb to the window and use the star you've just found to open the gate between two lion statues. Go through. In the passage walk to the edge of the spike pit and jump up to grab the ceiling with leaves. Monkey swing across and drop on the other side. Follow the passage until you emerge in a big room with lava and lava falls.

LAVA FALLS ROOM: There are several possible routes to open the gate at the top of the stairs, and only one of them is described here. It is probably easier to pick up the secret hidden on the left hand side now, before you trigger the earthquake, as there are two tricky jumps to perform in order to take it. As you enter this room, stand on the tile where the first burner on the right hand side is. From there you have to perform a tricky banana jump pressing Action at the last second, in order to grab the leaves on the wall SE. Once you make it, traverse right around the corner until you can drop onto the pillar. From there, run jump to grab the rope. Face the next pillar squarely, swing the rope several times and jump off to land on this slanted pillar (not an easy jump at all – maybe you need to press Left cursor key in order to land on this pillar successfully). Slide to the very end and jump off to land on the small flat block where you'll find Secret #3: Revolver (NOTE: Do not press Action when jumping onto this block, but Up cursor key instead, or Lara won't make it).

SECRET AREA: From the entrance into the lava falls room, walk to the right hand edge of the stairs and turn to face NE. In the very corner near the entrance you'll see the leaves on the wall (all leaves on the walls are climbable!). Run jump to grab them, climb up, then right, around the corner, and all the way to the right, as far as Lara will go. The following jump can be a bit tricky. If Lara cannot climb to the right any more (but her feet do not hang), climb up until her feet are just above the thin line between two textures. From there jump backwards with Roll and Action to grab the leaves on the block hanging from the ceiling. Climb around it until you get to the other side, and from there jump backwards into the opening. Slide down towards the spike pit facing uphill and grab the edge of the slope. Climb to the right until you can drop into the tunnel where there are no spikes. Jump across another tile with concealed spikes and enter the room with a sarcophagus. You will hear a chime signalizing Secret #4.

Blast away two mummies with your Grenade Launcher and switch back to pistols. Shoot to break the vase to the left to find Uzi clips inside. On two pedestals at the other side of the room you will find an SM and UZIS. Pick them up and return to the entrance. To the right of the entrance there is a passage with lava. Walk to the end of the lava pool and jump to grab the leaves above. Monkey swing to the other side, and follow the passage to the end. Climb up into the tunnel above. Slide to a fork, and first go to the right (W). Run off the edge to land on a pillar above the lava pool. Pick up Uzi clips there and jump to grab the leaves below the opening where you just came out. Climb back up to the fork and this time take the passage to the South, but walk carefully towards the slope and save you game before you slide.

SECOND LAVA ROOM: Slide to the very end and jump to grab the leaves on the pillar beneath the ceiling. Shimmy around the pillar to the other side and back flip to land on the slanted pillar. Slide down and jump to grab the crack on the wall. Shimmy to the left and drop on the low slanted block below. Slide backwards, grab the edge and shimmy to the very corner on the right. Pull up and back flip with Roll and hard pressing Left arrow key, to make Lara land on the next slanted block. Jump off it and grab the leaves on the higher block ahead. Shimmy to the right and around the corner and climb almost to the top of the pillar. Back flip from there to land on the slanted block, jump off to land on the next one, slide to the very edge and jump to grab the leaves on the wall.

Climb up almost to the top and to the left to hang on the middle line of leaves. Jump back with Roll and Action to grab the leaves on the block below the ceiling behind Lara. Climb around this block to the other side, then back flip to land on the pillar behind Lara. Slide almost to the edge and jump to grab the crack in the wall. Shimmy all the way to the left and drop on the slanted block below. Jump off it, land on the last slanted block, jump off it too and finally land on the flat and safe walkway. Do not step on the lower parts of this walkway, as they contain concealed spikes. Just jump to the next safe tile (normal jump), then run jump across two dangerous tiles to the last tile, and finally, jump to the right into the alcove where you'll find a floor lever. Pull it to drain the lava pool. Drop into the empty pool, go to the South, pick up flares on the way and find an opening above the ivy. Climb up, then into the opening and up the stairs to a room with darts and red pillars.

ROOM WITH DARTS: Two ninjas are waiting for you here, so get rid of them. Watch out, there are some darts flying across the room. Go forward avoiding the lower floor containing concealed spikes as well as the pit in the center of the room. As you progress, two more ninjas and two mummies will attack. Be careful not to shoot the ninjas with grenades (use Pistols or Uzis instead). Once you killed them, run by the ramp at the other side of the room, to trigger the boulder to roll down into the pit. Now you have to push/pull that statue on the left side of the ramp onto the marked golden tile on the right side of the ramp. The darts will reduce Lara's health in the process, so take care about it by feeding Lara with medipacks as necessary. Once the statue is on its place, a door nearby will open. Go up the ramp and jump onto the block with vertical pole on it.

Turn to face E and climb almost to the top of the pole (light a flare if too dark). From there make a back flip with Roll and Action to land in a dark tunnel behind. Follow the tunnel around the corner and WALK to the edge of the pit with retracted spikes (the pit is also concealed with leaves). Stand close to the wall on Lara's right, and take two hops back from the edge of the pit. From there perform a running jump to land in an alcove inside the pit. You have just found Secret #5: an SM. You can also get to this alcove by simply climbing down into the pit across the leaves on its walls, then climbing almost all the way down and to the left until you can land into the alcove. Use the same leaves to get back to the edge of the pit and run jump to the other side. On the pedestal you will find the HAND OF SIRIUS. Use it into the receptacle on the wall to trigger an earthquake and open the gate at the top of the stairs in the big lava room.

GOING BACK: Climb into the opening to the right of the receptacle and try to ignore the shaking of your screen. Climb up several blocks and slide backwards. Make sure Lara's health is topped before you climb down the leaves. This climb is particularly hard. Lara has to have 100% energy before she falls to the staircase below from the lower edge of the shaft, and two ninjas are shooting at her from below, making her lose her health. So, feed Lara with another medipack if necessary, before dropping down, immediately heal her after she has dropped and kill two ninjas before they finish her off. The bastards don't leave anything behind :( As you can see, the room geometry is changed a bit. Climb to the top of broken stairs and slide down through the opening into another lava room.

NOTE: There is another dangling rope hanging from the ceiling on the right hand side of the first lava falls room. You can grab it by run jumping from the last tile with burner on the right hand side of the stars, and from there, run jumping to grab the rope. If you swing the rope and jump off to grab the leaves at the opposite wall (below the opening) or to land on the pillar with Uzis, you can climb and get into the Second Lava Room but you would then miss to take Secret #4. That's why I described the lounger and a bit more difficult route here.

BLUE LAVA ROOM: In this room there are also several possible routes to be taken, and here is described only one of them (which covers everything, of course). After the flyby jump onto the blue rock protruding from lava and pick up the HAND OF ORION. Run jump (or jump with grab) onto the ledge straight ahead and kill a mummy there. Take a look at the ledge to the left: there is also a mummy there, but the floor is trapped with retracted spikes. Walk to the edge nearest to this ledge, take two hops back and run jump to grab the edge of the dangerous floor. Shimmy to the right until you can pull onto the blue, safe block. Kill the mummy lurking nearby, jump diagonally on the higher block and from it onto the blue ledge in SE corner. Drop to hang on the edge of this block, drop to grab the crevice below, shimmy to the right around the corner and drop onto the ledge below. Stand on the golden tile to deactivate the burner on the other golden tile, stand jump onto the next ledge, then on the ledge with deactivated burner and lever. Pull it and jump back to the first ledge.

From there, run jump to grab the back side of the block in the SE corner, pull up, slide and jump to grab the ladder on the wall. Climb up until Lara's feet are above the blue stripe, hang on the right hand side of the ladder, and jump back with Roll and Action to grab the block hanging on the ceiling. Shimmy to the other side and back flip to land on the highest ledge. On the raised block NW you'll find the HAND OF SIRIUS. From there you can shoot to kill a ninja lurking on the next structure. Hang from the ledge of the central hole and drop on the safe blue block below. Turn to face NW, jump to the next blue stone, then on the small blue island in the lava pool. From there jump to grab the ledge of the first structure and climb up.

Go left, taking care not to fall in the lava pool through the hole. Jump into the window above and pull the second lever. Jump back to the ledge and run jump to land on the stairs along the wall. Go up the stairs and climb up the ladder on the wall. When Lara's feet are just above the blue stripe, back flip with Roll and Action to grab the ledge behind. Go to the other end, run jump to grab the ledge in the corner and pull up. From the highest point of this ledge jump up to grab the lower ceiling and use the leaves to traverse to the next ledge. On this ledge turn to face the central structure. Run jump to grab the edge of it, pull up and pick up the second HAND OF SIRIUS. Save your game before you attempt to take the next secret.

SECRET #6: Climb to the triangular tile just above (North), turn left (West) and jump to the next triangular tile on the edge of the roof. There you can slide to the lower ledge. Perform a banana jump from the flat part of this ledge to grab the climbable blue wall ahead, traverse to the left and climb onto the block in the corner where you'll find Secret #6: UZIS, Uzi clips and Revolver Ammo. Jump up to grab the ceiling and monkey swing forward, then to the right, at the end to the left, and drop on the structure below. Go around to the other side and run jump to grab the rope. Swing across to land on the structure with the statue, kill one ninja there and pull the lever. Use the rope to get back to the previous structure and drop to the lower level from the edge (to the rightmost or leftmost block, not to the middle one). Find another lever to the left and pull it as well. Once all four lever have been pulled, two gates at the structure with burners shall open.

Run jump to grab the tunnel straight ahead behind the lever and pull up. Quickly kill two ninjas coming at you, and pick up the second HAND OF ORION in the corner. Go right around the corner, slide and jump to the first construction near the lever. Make your way back to the top of the third construction as you did the first time, use the rope to swing to the roof of the construction above the ledge with gates and burners, and use the ladder on the left hand pillar to get down to the ledge with gates. There are two separate areas to be visited behind these gates and it is left to you to decide which area you want to play first.

LEFT HAND AREA: Enter the left gate and use the first star into the receptacle to open the second gate. Use another star in the second receptacle to open the third gate. Save your game here. Do not go through the third gate. Turn to face the other way and make two-three steps away from the gate. From there hop back to trigger the boulder and quickly run forward to get out of the way. Once the boulder is gone, go down the ramp and jump to grab the back side of a slanted block. Pull up, slide and jump to grab the ladder on the wall. Climb up and jump back with Roll and Action to grab the climbing block hanging from the ceiling. Shimmy to the other side and climb up to find the first half of BA Cartouche. Climb back the ladder below and jump back off to land on the ramp behind. Return to the big room with lava.

RIGHT HAND AREA: Use two stars in two receptacles to open two more gates and jump into the water. Follow the passage to a flooded room with a sarcophagus. Directly above the sarcophagus there is a surface. Climb out of the water there and use the lever to open the gate in the pool below. Jump back in the water and go through the opened gate. You'll emerge in a big lake outside the ruins. Swim into the NE corner to find Secret #7: Uzi clips. Then surface for air and climb out of the water near the jeep. Kill two ninjas near the jeep, as well as a small scorpion. Behind the ruins there is another jeep with three more ninjas and another small scorpion. Once the coast is clear, climb up the pole in the middle of the ruins. Jump back off the pole to land on the ledge above and pick up the second half of the Cartouche. Combine two halves to get BA CARTOUCHE, and return back via the lake and flooded room to the blue lava room. Use Ba Cartouche in the receptacle between two gates to open the silver gate to the right of the receptacle (when facing it). Jump to land inside yet another lava room.

GOLDEN ROOM: Stand jump to the first rock protruding from lava (on the right). Run jump across the rocks until you reach the last. There, jump up to grab the leaves on the ceiling and monkey swing forwards then to the right into the alcove with the lever. Pull it to raise the first rock in the lava. Return there the way you came. Now when this rock is higher, you can jump to grab the higher block ahead. From there, run jump to the next ledge does not work if you perform it in the standard way (hop back and running jump from there). Instead, walk back to the other edge of the block as far as Lara will go. Run and perform a run jump in this way. Press Action in the last possible moment to grab the block ahead. Pull up and run jump to land on the blue floor in front of the statues (as you can assume, the brown floor contains concealed spikes). From there run jump to land on the block SW. Turn right and jump to grab the leaves on the wall. Climb up, then left and again up and into the opening. Slide to end the level.