ESCAPE FROM THE DRAGONS LAIR
Level by Ex Core Design
Walkthrough by José
First Secret
Advance through this dangerous passage but beware of the falling debris and the rolling ball. Once you see a wall with lava to your left, jump over the slope to get the SECRET #1: the Silver Buddha. Go back to the main passage and continue taking care of more falling debris and another rolling ball (there's a flatter part of the rock in the left side where you can take refuge from the ball and get a small medipack); at the end, time the teeth doors, avoid more falling debris, pick up M16 ammo in a dark corner and use the zip line, but not to the very end, try to drop just before the ledge with the rolling ball so you can land near the edge on the final end of the ledge and quickly roll and grab the edge so the boulder pass over your hands.
Jumpers
Hoist up and now jump to the small island to your right and to the ledge with the jumper; pick up the shotgun shells and run against the jumper to finally land onto the ledge where the zip line is attached (Lara will look to the cave she came from). Take a running jump to the next island and a single jump to the ledge with a second jumper; this time try to run with a left curve so you land onto a huge sloped rocky wall to your left, slide, grab the edge, shimmy right to the very end, hoist up and take a backflip with twist and a left curve so you can land onto the rocky ledge under the sloped roof.
Going inside the Building
Advance over this ledge and you soon will find a flatter part so you can jump over the sloped roof to your left, but if you continue to the very end you can pick up 2 X uzi clips. Anyway jump over the sloped roof but quickly jump back to avoid a new rolling boulder; in the place where the boulder initially was pick up flares and in the place where it stopped there's an opening; so drop, pick up the grenade ammo and time the blades to safely drop through the hole in the corner (best with a roll), pick up the large medipack and break the tile to fall into the water.
Area with the Lava Trench
In the room with the usefulness wall switch you can find automatic pistols ammo, and in the UW crawlspace there are shotgun shells. Now climb the gray ledge, the next one too and take a running jump to grab the crack in the green wall, shimmy right to the very end and prepare yourself to fight with a knife thrower. Climb the block in the middle of the room and take a running jump to grab the edge of the green wall with the slope and the devil face at its top, hoist up and jump back to the higher ledge; there's another usefulness switch here, but explore this high ledges to find uzi ammo and 2 X M16 ammo.
From the place where the uzi clips were, walk to the corner at the top of the pillar and turn to face the central pillar; notice the white different texture at its back, draw pistols and shoot it: a block will fall. Now safely drop to ground floor, drop into the trench (from the safe side) and jump into the small opening over the lava (tricky standing jump), pull the wall switch and go back up.
Lava Jumps
Now climb the fallen block and take a running jump (no grab; try to align against the highest angle in the ceiling) to the small block in the lava river, trying to not hit the ceiling; continue jumping from block to block trying to avoid the disks and further on to the breakable tiles to finally land on a central platform in a very dark room.
Room with the Grenade Gun
Pick up the grenade gun and shoot some warriors; some blocks will appear all around the room so you can use them to take advantage because they can fly. Once the calm is restored jump onto the block next to the entrance and take a look around to see certain blocks with a different texture on top; when you jump onto all four blocks all around the room the exit door opens; pick up the shotgun shells and the small medipack next to that door and go inside.
Room with many Trapdoors
There are two frozen warriors at the back of the room; you can pick up 2 X grenade ammo but if you get the large medipack too they will awake, so it's your choice. In the pillars next to the warriors there are two buttons; looking from the entrance press the button in the right hand side first (first button), climb the nearby raised trapdoor and jump to a solid ledge with a wall switch, pick up the M16 ammo and pull it to raise several trapdoors, drop to ground floor and press both buttons, in the opposite corner you can climb a low trapdoor and reach the solid ledge attached to the other wall; pick up the uzi clips and pull the wall switch to raise more trapdoors. Now drop to ground floor, press only the second button and go to the opposite corner; this time you'll be able to climb and jump all around the room using the raised trapdoors in a clockwise direction and reach the hole in the ceiling.
Jumpers
In this small room pick up the flares in the dark corner and 2 X shotgun shells on the block; from here use several jumpers to reach the very top of the room (try to jump over them near the corners from the solid blocks), climb the ladder at the end.
Room with Timed Fires
Draw weapons to fight with a couple of knife throwers; they will drop 2 X shotgun shells and 2 X M16 ammo, there is a small medipack in the corner opposite the entrance too.
Now climb the shortest block to turn off the fires and jump from pillar to pillar stopping as little as possible until you reach the tallest one with the zip line.
More Floating Islands
Grab the zip line and slide a long way; when the camera changes drop onto a small island in front of a big one, slide and grab the edge, shimmy left, hoist up and jump back, slide and jump several times until you grab the edge of a flat block; from here it's easy to jump to the next ones to finally reach the ledge in front of the platform with many boulders, where you can pick up 2 X automatic pistols ammo.
Platform with many Boulders
Unfortunately I couldn't find a way to cross to the other side in one go, so make your way to go forth and back to the floating ledge to trigger the first boulder and try to step onto the remaining tiles and quickly jumping back to the safe ones until you trigger all the boulders. Be careful here, because even when you can't see them, there are more boulders hidden above the solid ceiling, brrrr!
Second Secret
From the edge at the back of the room, take a jump back and jump to grab the edge of the ledge with the spikes, hoist up, carefully walk through the spikes and jump to the next islands until you reach a flat ledge from where you can jump to the rocky platform. Don't go there yet; from this square ledge you can jump to a not too steep slope next to it and run off the edge to get the SECRET #2: the Jade Buddha. To get back to the previous flat ledge you'll need to take an angled running jump to the top of a lonely green pillar suspended on the void, turn around and take another running jump to the flat ledge in the previous island.
Big Island
Now take a running jump to the big island and when you pick up the grenade ammo (2 X) in its center two warriors will awake; dispatch them and explore the island to pick up M16 ammo, uzi clips and a large medipack. When you approach to one of the sides near the abyss an ominous music starts...
More Floating Islands
Take a running jump to a sloped ledge below and continue sliding and jumping until you eventually land onto a spiked ledge (good luck to land near the start of the spikes or you'll be impaled). Carefully walk between the spikes and continue running, jumping and climbing from ledge to ledge picking up shotgun shells on your way until you reach the huge building where you can pick up 2 X uzi clips; jump through the opening to the final area.
Final Area with the Bridges
In the pool area with stone bridges lead with two knife throwers; they will drop M16 ammo and automatic pistols ammo and at the crossing of the bridges you can find flares. For the last secret, jump into the water and look for a small triangular opening under one of the bridges; in the central part of the pool swim through to get the SECRET #3: the Golden Buddha and a lot of goodies (not enough time to see on screen what I picked up). Swim outside and get out of the water.
The Plaque of Sword Guard
Notice the closed door with two receptacles, and two passages left and right from the entrance. I went through the right one first, and the doors automatically opened. Take a running jump onto the first block and draw weapons to shoot up to three flying warriors; jump to the ledges they were landing and pull all three switches: a jumper appears on one of the ledges. Notice the opening in the ceiling and use the jumper to go up through (situate Lara on the block next to the switch at the back of the room and take a curved standing jump from a corner); light a flare and press the button to open the exit doors and rise a block under the artifact, safely drop there and pick up the PLAQUE OF SWORD GUARD. Take a running jump to the block near the entrance and go outside.
The Plaque of Spear Guard
Now cross the bridge and run directly straight ahead to the other opening, light a flare in the hall and pick up the small medipack and the shotgun shells. The doors will open here as you approach too; enter, shoot the warriors and pull the wall switches as you did in the other room: another jumper will appear near the center of the room; locate the hole in the ceiling and the best position to run with a curve over a corner of it to jump through the hole; again, light a flare and press the button to open the exit doors and rise a block under the artifact, pick up the grenade ammo on the opposite ledge, safely drop onto the raised block and pick up the PLAQUE OF SPEAR GUARD.
The Escape
Now go outside and use the plaques to open the big doors; notice the spiked ceiling and drop to find five switches. Drop and quickly press, from left to right, the first, the third and the fourth switches to open the exit door. Run through the corridor, climb to an outside area and continue running and jumping the last ledges. When you reach the rocky wall, jump to grab the edge and shimmy a bit to the right (not to the very end), hoist up, jump back and jump to the exit.
May - 21 - 2019