Create a Classic: 20 years of TR - THE DRAGON STATUES

Level by Erikku

Walkthrough by Phil Lambeth

A helicopter drops Lara somewhere in the Pacific.  Step out N onto the beach and shoot two monkeys.  Note: Even though the monkeys are friendly for the most part, having them around can reportedly result in crash issues, so it's best to shoot them all as you encounter them.  You may also be able to target a fish in the water ahead; if so, kill it from this safe position.

A strong current keeps you from swimming very far S. I searched but found nothing interesting in the water. Approach the N bridge. If you're on the E bank, Lara's attention is drawn to something NW, possibly the scenic pagoda in the distance.  Someone has obligingly used a key to open a gate near the bridge, but let's explore the W bank first. Cross the bridge into a dark jungle area.  Shoot a tiger, then stand at the entrance and pull up S onto a flat tree stump.  Jump slightly SW to grab the slope, pull up and back flip onto a limb. Hop NW to the next limb and look W.  You can see something through the leaves, so jump slightly left to grab the slope, release and grab, shimmy right and pull into a crawl space for SECRET #1 and flares.

Drop down and get back up to the same tree limb.  This time run onto the adjacent NW limb and runjump SW to the next one. Hop N to the next limb and see a green ledge down ahead. Hop down there and shoot the W door. It's dark inside, so light a flare, hop down and crawl backwards through the triangular opening. Climb down the ladder and shoot a bat. Save your game before proceeding S. A boulder pursues you, so turn right and stay put until the boulder passes by. Shoot another bat. When you reach the hole where the boulder came to rest, jump with a right curve to land in an alcove.

Step on the nearby breaktile, fall through, slide down and jump into the water to swim around and find an underwater TIBETAN MASK.  Swim up SE, pull out and shoot a bat. Follow the path to an outdoor area where a fixed camera, a helicopter and a dolphin greet you.  Run S along the rock face and turn left at the second palm tree.  You'll enter an opening where normal camera control is restored. Drop down into a hole and follow the passage. Pull out and slide down into the water.  Allow the current to drag you N.  Pull out, and you'll probably trigger a cut scene of a monkey climbing a nearby tree.  (It has probably locked the E gate that was open earlier, as I returned to this area to find it closed.) Shoot the two wart hogs that are running about on the W bank. 

Go across the bridge to the W bank if you're not already there and climb up left on the entrance stump as you did earlier.  Make your way to the NW end of this area, hop down onto the green ledge. Go down into the dark opening and this time avoid the breaktile opening. Follow the passage N and shoot a baby spider along the way.  Emerge in an outdoor area and shoot the crocodile.

Note the closed N gate and make your way W through the shallow water. Locate the N opening near the end and follow the passage.  Shoot the bell at the end to open that gate. Go there and shoot another crocodile.  Lara looks up at something as she enters.  Shoot the tiger in the temple courtyard.  Go up the steps and use the Tibetan Mask to open the temple door. There are four prayer wheel receptacles on the walls, three of which are empty, so it appears we're here prematurely.

Exit the temple and go down the steps.  At the end of the alley to the left of the temple you can jump to grab a crawl space for some flares and SECRET #2.  When you drop back down you're met by a tiger.  You'll find a pushblock on the other side of the temple, which you can move aside to reveal a small medipack and SECRET #3.  Locate the lantern near the entrance. Push it once E and once S for a brief cut scene. Go E, to the right of a small outbuilding, and pull up to an opened gateway.  Shoot a bat and crawl inside. Climb blocks and follow the passage to a familiar water way.

Return to the bridge and jump into the water.  Between the bridge and the waterfall, on the W side, is a dark hole.  Swim into it, light a flare and pick up the hard-to-see ROOFTOPS KEY at the bottom.  You'll disturb a fish, so quickly swim back and pull out E to kill it. Note the protruding rock and opening above the water hole.  That's where you emerged from the temple area just now.  Jump to that protruding rock and make your way N toward the waterfall.

When you reach the gray triangular ledge, take a running jump toward the right side of the waterfall, curving left so that you land inside for SECRET #4.  Pick up flares, the SHOTGUN and a small medipack (thanks, Javi). Get back out and swim quickly to the E bank, as another fish has been alerted.

Remember where you got the first secret?  Make your way up the tree limbs as you did before, but this time jump E and make your way S along the limbs until you come across an innocent-looking monkey who seems to be taking a nap. Shoot it and pick up the RUSTY KEY it's wearing around its ankle.  Three eagles will come to its defense.  Drop down to the ground, cross the bridge to the E side and shoot another monkey if you should encounter one. Use the Rusty Key to lift the nearby gate and shoot the wart hog that emerges.

Light a flare and enter the dark passage.  Crawl over the corner of a breaktile into a small room. This one is harmless, but the other three cover deadly spikes.  Pull up onto the E block and use your Rooftops Key to hear the sound of a trap door dropping.  Get down and hop up to the NW corner. Climb the ladder through the opening into a fixed camera, shift right and release, jump immediately to land in an upper area.  Shoot two eagles and follow the path to a high point overlooking the waterfall.

Look to your left to see a corner ledge and take a curved running jump SW to it.  Face W and take a running jump to the first of three slopes, jumping off each one and grabbing the N ridge at the end.  Safety drop to the ground. Don't jump into the water, or you'll be carried away by the current. Light a flare and locate the SW crawl space. Slide down to another temple area that captivates Lara's attention.

Go up the W steps and find that you need two artifacts to open the temple doors. Continue clockwise around the building and find a dark alley where two tigers are lurking. At the end of this alley is a MYSTIC PLAQUE.  On your way back you'll encounter a third tiger. Go around to the S side of the building.  From there you can jump to the roof of the other temple building you visited earlier.  Jump over the highest portion to the other side to attract an eagle. Go around to the SW corner and jump over to a S tree limb for a small medipack and SECRET #5.

Return to the roof and jump back across N to the second temple area.  Locate a pushblock in the W alley and pull it back to reveal the second MYSTIC PLAQUE.  Go around to the E side and use the Plaques to gain access to the temple.  Stand at the entrance and shoot two baby spiders that are waiting inside.  Straight ahead in the W alcove you can see a prayer wheel and a large medipack.  The prayer wheel is booby-trapped, so don't even approach it.  However, you can safely pick up the large medipack. 

Locate the NW pushblock and carefully pull it out as a sword statue comes to life behind you. Move the block in front of the entrance so you can get on it and pull up higher. Note the dormant sword statue and an artifact embedded in both the E and W walls. Hop NW, shoot out the windows and shoot a horde of baby spiders outside (in the dark it's hard to tell how many). Continue forward to find a pushable block to your right.  Pull it back, then go to the crawl space to the left of it and pull inside for flares and SECRET #6.  Drop down, shoot more baby spiders and push the block as far S as it will go (past the broken window).  This raises a cage inside.

Go to the left of the pushblock, hop across S and shoot out the windows there if you haven't already done so. Go outside, shoot two eagles and go around to the NW corner. Get on the rock ledge, back flip onto the slope and jump off to grab a higher roof.  Pull up and step forward to pull down a wall switch to open a door around the corner.  The door closes behind you as you enter.  The cage you raised is ahead and to your right.  Jump to grab it, shimmy left around the corner and climb up to the penthouse. Shoot the bell in the corner and climb back down the cage, being wary of the darts that have been triggered below in the lion's head panel.

From the S ledge runjump with action to glide into the N window sill below. Go out onto the balcony and loop around right.  Use the rock ledge and slope to gain the upper balcony once more. Go around to the NE corner and find another wall switch (this one being dart-guarded). Pull it down and continue clockwise around the balcony.  You could now use the zip line on the S side of the temple, but let's save that for later.  Continue around to the NW corner and take a running jump W over the rock ledge to slide down safely to ground level.  Go around to the E end and enter the temple.

Vault up onto the ledge where you picked up the medipack earlier and stoop to shoot the prayer wheel.  It shatters, leaving behind the TRAPDOOR KEY, releasing a horde of locusts and causing spikes to spring up all around you. Walk carefully past the spikes and sword statues to the SW corner, hop into the alcove and use the Trapdoor Key to drop down into a dark lower area.  Enter the crawl space and push the boulder out of the way.  Slide down after the boulder and jump off with a right curve to land (most likely) in a hole where a block needs to be raised.  Locate a pushblock in the SW corner and pull it back to reveal shotgun ammo and a small medipack. 

Go past the swinging chain into the NW passage and active the jumpswitch to your left to raise the block in the hole you dropped into.  By this time a swarm of beetles is likely dogging your steps, so move quickly.  Pull the skeleton back by its head to reveal the CROWBAR.  Pick it up and jump back up into the W passage.  Crawl back out and use the ladder to your right to return to the temple.  Back flip past the now dormant sword statue and use the pushblock you moved earlier to reach the upper level. Use the Crowbar to pry PRAYER WHEEL #1 and PRAYER WHEEL #2 off the E and W walls. Hop to the S window sill and go outside. Loop around right and use the rock ledge to gain the next higher balcony.

Use the nearby wall switch to open the door and enter the upper level of the temple. Brave the dart traps and jump to the S alcove where you'll find PRAYER WHEEL #3. The exit door opens briefly when you pry it from the wall.  If you don't get there in time, simply drop down one floor and exit S to the balcony, and from there get back up. You can now use that zip line for a short cut back to the first temple area. Enter the temple, shoot an eagle and insert the Prayer Wheels in the vacant receptacles.

You hear the sound of a trap door opening, so get down and drop down into a green-tinted subterranean area. Be careful as you explore, as debris will fall from above unexpectedly and sword statues may activate at random. You will also alert two giant spiders. At the SE corner you'll find an alcove with a MYSTIC PLAQUE.

On the W side of this room you'll encounter a baby spider or two, but you'll also find a short moveable block. Move it to the dark NW corner and use it to activate a jumpswitch in the N wall. The blade traps start to go really crazy here, but the N exit gate is open.  Be careful as you enter, as flame blowers are activated. When you get past them, loop around left to find a receptacle for your Mystic Plaque.  The door to your right opens, revealing a T-Rex skeleton and three plinths with the JADE DRAGON, the SILVER DRAGON and the GOLDEN DRAGON. When all three are taken a trap door lowers in the first temple courtyard and the level comes to an end.