20x20x20 CHALLENGE - TRAP GALORE

Level by AoDfan

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth (using the video walk provided by the builder)

Lara slides down into a dark room.  Draw your pistols and shoot a couple of bats.  Pick up the flares in the NW corner and pull up into the S opening.  Crawl forward and use the reach-in switch at the far end.  Reverse roll and get back to the opening room.  Torches have been lighted and the N gate has lifted.

Enter and look on the wall at the three symbols, which is your clue for the first switch combination.  Turn right and go down the stairs to the room below.  You see the same symbols on the S wall, although in a different order.  Before doing anything else, loop around right and activate the jumpswitch in the pillar near the NW corner of this room.  A jackal shows up, so kill it. 

Go back upstairs and go W past the threshold into the opened doorway for SECRET #1.  Shoot the jackal and pick up the large medipack, small medipack and flares being rather ineffectively protected by the skeletons.  Exit this room and go back downstairs.  Approach the large buttons in the S wall.  If you were paying attention to the clue in the other room, you would now push the buttons in order from right to left.  However, if you want the next secret you're encouraged to push the buttons in the opposite order, from left to right. 

Enter the opening in the E wall and turn left.  Walk forward slowly past the open gate (which closes behind you).  Walk forward five more steps to trigger the blade trap, and hop back.  When the blades retract, walk forward to trigger a couple of swinging blades over a spike pit.  Stand at the right edge of the pit and take a standing jump to the swingpole when it's safe to do so.  Swing around over the second swinging blade and land on a blade trap.  If you side flip left to avoid it you'll simply trigger another one, and the same thing happens if you take another side flip left.  At least they'll all be triggered then. 

Go to the W passage to trigger a couple of squishy blocks and a dangling blade-ball.  Good luck getting past them without sustaining some significant health loss.  Your best bet is to get past all three obstacles, squeezing to the left or right of the blade-ball, without stopping.  Once past them, duck to crawl underneath the horizontal blade.  Pull the wall switch at the end for a cut scene of the large buttons.  Pull up to your right and then pull up still higher to your right.  Follow the passage and drop down at the end on the other side of the squishy blocks.

Return to the spike pit and locate a ladder at the near (NW) corner.  Climb down into the pit for a large medipack and a small medipack for SECRET #2.  Climb back up and turn around in place, then stand jump to the swingpole, swing around and jump off to the other side.  Return to the room with the large buttons and shoot a jackal and a couple of scorpions.  Push the buttons in the correct order this time (right, middle and left) to open the gate on the right in the E passage.  Go there and climb down the ladder.  At the bottom locate and activate the jumpswitch in the NW alcove to open a gate.

When you go W into the next room, Lara looks up.  Using your binoculars and flashlight (action key), look up above each face door and note the symbol you see in the opening.  For now, the important one is the symbol above the S door.  Climb back up the ladder and return to the large button room.  Push the button with the corresponding symbol (the one on the right), then the one on the left and finally the one in the middle.  Exit W, slide down the pole to the room below and exit through the open S gateway (the gate closes behind you).  In the next area pull down the timed wall switch to turn off the flames on the pillars (and the flames protecting the swingpoles around the corner) for a brief period of time.  Stand jump to the first pillar, then a running jump to the next pillar and turn left to stand jump to the swingpole.  Swing around once only and jump to the next swingpole, swing around once only and jump to the block ahead just before the flames return.  Draw your pistols to kill three bats.  If you wish, you can now kill the crocodile down in the water, jump in and grab the small medipack near the skeleton and use the NW ladder to climb back out and repeat the timed sequence just described.

Otherwise, take a running jump to the SE pillar and face another timed wall switch.  Pull it down, then take a running jump down to the NE block and stand jump left to the W swingpole.  Jump off and land past the timed gate.  Slide down to face a room with sloped blocks and deadly water.  Stand jump to the right side of the first block in front of you, jump off with a right curve to land on the next slope, and jump off (using grab if necessary) to reach the E opening.  Run through the passage to the next room.  You've got a decision to make.  Both buttons could be spike-trapped, or either, or neither.  Take a deep breath and push the one on the right (N).  Whew!

After the brief earthquake, go back W and stand at the edge.  Take one step back, stand jump to the first sloped block, jump immediately to the second one and jump off onto the N block.  Enter the passage ahead and light a flare.  Side jump past the giant cigar cutter when the blades are open, and when you turn the corner to get a remote fixed camera, take a running jump over the horizontal blade trap and quickly turn right at the corner.  As you enter the next room to confront the hammergod, the gate shuts rudely behind you.  However, this dude can be killed, so jump up and down while firing at him to avoid his deadly hammer blows.  When he finally collapses, take the flares from the skeleton and exit S.

Climb the ladder in the S into an upper room.  Use the tightrope to cross the hammergod room.  When you reach the other side, follow the passage to the next room.  Grab the small medipack in the far left corner and step into the blue light.  Use your crowbar to pry off the SOUTHERN SHAFT KEY, and you'll be transported to a familiar room.  The lighted torch shows you where to place the Key, so do that and note the faint rays emanating from the opening above to the central plinth.

Exit E and use the ladder to get back up to the room with the large buttons.  Push them in this order: middle, left and right.  Exit W and draw your pistols to dispatch a jackal.  Slide down the pole to the lower hub room and exit W.  The gate slams shut behind you.  In the next room, run past the scales and jump into the NW water hole.  Get the small medipack in the SW alcove and swim out E.  Veer left to a water hole and pull out.  Shoot a bat (maybe two, it's so dark it's hard to tell) and pick up the flares near the skeleton.  Push the button in the E wall to open a nearby gate, then jump back into the water hole and swim looping around left to pull out in front of the opened gate.  Go through, turn right and encounter more squishy blocks.

Go straight through S and hop down into a dark underground room.  Pulling down the W wall switch stops the squishy blocks in their tracks.  You want to stop them while retracted, so listen for their thumps and pull down the switch immediately following a thump.  Go back up the ladder and check.  If you've got a clear path you guessed right.  Pull the block away from the S wall and go around to find a SMALL WATERSKIN.  Unfortunately, picking it up awakens a wraith, so quickly climb the ladder and beat a hasty retreat N, turning left at the wall and jumping into the water hole.  Swim W to the next water hole and pull out E into the room with the scales.  For some reason the wraith doesn't follow.  Step into the trench opposite the scales and fill up your waterskin.

Go to the scales.  You've got three liters, and you have no way of knowing whether that's the magic number or not.  Since you don't yet have the large waterskin, it's academic in any event.  Go ahead and empty your water skin into the pot on the left side.  Sure enough, you guessed wrong and the NE gate opens to release an ahmet.  Deal with it, go to its lair and pick up the LARGE WATERSKIN while being wary of another ahmet beyond the next closed gate (as it can rake you with its claws if you get too close).

It appears you need to come up with one liter (since there's only one water spout in the trench), so fill the small waterskin, combine it with the large waterskin, fill the small waterskin again and combine it with the large waterskin, and you're left with one liter in the small waterskin.  Empty the small waterskin into the pot on the left side again, and the N gate to your left opens.   Follow the dark passage to a pit.  Slide down and jump off to grab the rope as spikes spring up from the pit.  Swing and jump off to land on the E ledge.  Draw your pistols before approaching the door ahead, which opens automatically to reveal a demigod in the next room. 

Side flip while raining a steady hail of bullets upon the demigod, and he'll eventually succumb.  When he dies the S gate opens, so go there and step into the blue light.  Use your crowbar to claim the WESTERN SHAFT KEY, and you'll be transported back to the room with the key receptacles. 

You know where to insert your new Key, so do that (there are two receptacles on the W side) and exit E and up the ladder to the large button room where you'll meet up with a scorpion and a jackal.  Push the buttons in this order: left, right and middle.  Go out W, down the pole and through the N opening.  Pull up the trap door, hang from the edge and release to activate the jumpswitch.  Another trap door opens beneath you so you'll drop down safely into some water.  Pull out into a torch-lit room and take the S opening.  Go down the stairs to find a room riddled with spike traps.  Some tiles are safe, however, and these are indicated on the ceiling.  Take a running jump SW, then a "walking jump" S (hold down the walk key before initiating the running jump) and finally a stand jump to the wall switch in the SW corner. 

Pull it down, turn around and look at the ceiling.  The arrangement of safe tiles has changed.  Stand jump NE, N and NW to a jumpswitch in the corner.  Activate it to neutralize the spikes in the opposite SE corner.  Stand jump SE, S and SW to push the wall switch back up and rearrange the safe tiles.  Then two stand jumps E to the SE corner and pick up the METAL BLADE.  To exit, stand jump W, take a "walking jump" N and a stand jump NE to the entrance.  Return to the torch-lit room and go through the N opening.

Go down the stairs to a shallow trench flanked by flame blowers.  Stand facing the middle on your left (N) until the flame goes out, then run forward and use the reach-in switch for a large medipack.  Hop back into the water, turn around and face the S row.  When the flame on the right goes out, run forward and use the reach-in switch.  Hop back to the safety of the trench and go E toward the closed gate.  Turn left and use the reach-in switch on the right (N) and you should have time to take a rolling back flip and use the reach-in switch on the left (S).  Hop back into the trench.  Go back W and use the reach-in switch in the N row, left side.  Finally, use the middle reach-in switch in the S row, and the E exit gate should open.  Go into the next room and pick up the WOODEN HANDLE next to the skeleton.

Exit this area, up the stairs and back to the room with the water hole.  Stand on the dirt mound with the light shining on it, combine the Wooden Handle and the Metal Blade to form the SHOVEL, and dig a hole in the ground.  Hang drop to the room below and immediately draw pistols to meet the hammergod.  You can't ignore the two scorpions in the meantime, as their stings will poison you.  When the hammergod falls the E gate opens to reveal a blue light.  Pause for the small medipack next to the skeleton, pull up into the opening and pry off the NORTHERN SHAFT KEY.  You're teleported back to the room with the receptacles, so insert your Key in the appropriate receptacle.

Exit E, climb the ladder and return to the room with the large buttons.  Two jackals are waiting for you this time, so deal with them and approach the buttons to push them in this order: left, middle and right.  Exit W, down the pole and find that the E gate with the yellow helix is now open.  Enter but don't approach the helix yet.  Loop around left and activate the jumpswitch, then step into the alcove with the helix to be taken to a different room.  Shoot the scorpion and grab the small medipack in the NW corner.  Exit E and go down to trigger a flyby that maps out a complicated timed run that now faces you. 

First, however, turn right and climb down into the SW corner.  The spikes there were disabled when you used the jumpswitch in the previous area, so pick up the large medipack for SECRET #3.  Climb back up and run along the ledge, jump N to the raised platform and continue with a running jump to the wall switch in the NW corner.  Now would be a good time to save your game.

Pull down the switch, reverse roll and taking a "walking jump" to the raised platform, followed by a running jump to the ledge.  Run across the ledge and jump off SE onto a raised platform.  Turn upon landing and stand jump NE onto a pillar.  Without stopping, swerve right and take a running jump SW to a raised platform.  Turn left upon landing and stand jump NE to a second wall switch.  If you've made good time thus far you may want to save in a different slot as you're pulling down the switch.  You now need to retrace your steps in the exact same order to return to the first wall switch.  Hop back while turning left a bit, so you can take a running jump SW to the raised platform.  Line up for a running jump NW to the pillar, and without stopping veer left with a running jump SW to the raised platform.  Quickly line up for a running jump to the W ledge.  However, when you get there you can't stop hurrying, as the timer for the pillar flames is still ticking. 

Make your way N to the first wall switch and save your game again.  Pull down the switch again and make your way counterclockwise around the room, following the same course as before.  This time, however, when you reach the pillar, swerve left and take a running jump and grab to the next pillar N.  Pull up and take a running jump to the raised platform in front of a third wall switch.  Save your game again as you're pulling it down.   Hop back while turning back and take a running jump E to the raised platform.  Line up for a running jump SE to the exit gate and save your game a final time once you're through.

Follow the passage and side flip past the giant cigar cutter.  Go around the corner and engage the demigod across the way.  Don't try to go after him, or you'll get spiked.  When he's dead the spikes are neutralized, so hop to the now-safe block and across the deadly green water.  Walk forward into the blue light and pry off the EASTERN SHAFT KEY.  Back in the receptacle room, place the key in the W dual receptacle, and an artifact appears on the plinth behind you.  Reach for it and the level ends.