CAMEBODIA

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Angkor Wat

Meet Verner Von Croy, your instructor during this portion of the game. If you are new to the Tomb Raider series then you will find this training mission very helpful. If you are a veteran "tomb raider" then you will soon grow impatient with Von Croy's long-winded instructions and frequent interruptions during this first level. During his long speeches you will notice that the screen will narrow. This indicates an automated cut-scene where you will have no control over Lara. When the screen returns to full frame you can resume playing.

Before following Von Croy you will first want to approach and climb the stairs to the left and get Secret #1; a Gold Skull resting on the steps. Head back down and follow Von Croy up and around the corner where he is examining a circular pattern in the wall. Don't go past him or you will die in the spike trap around the next corner. Wait for him to deactivate the trap the continue.

Von Croy will instruct you how to jump over the first gap but first you will want to drop into the water below to get Secret #2; a Gold Skull lying in the shallow water. Return to the top using the stairs around either corner. Make the jump and continue into the next room where a Wild Boar will attack. Since you have no weapons you will need to keep your distance and let your partner kill him with his knife. Move on and head out into a large open area with a stunning waterfall.

Listen to Von Croy as he instructs you on the standing jump and grab and running jump moves to get you across the next to gaps in the path. When you are across both of these he will turn and move on. You need to drop to the stone floor below and get Secret #3; a Gold Skull lying under the walkway. Return to the upper ledge using the ramp in the opposite corner and make those two jumps again. Continue around until you catch up with Von Croy who will teach you how to shimmy.

Grab the crack and shimmy to the right and pull up when you reach the ledge. Follow Von Croy down the passage until you arrive at the next lesson area. He will teach you how to do a "drop down" which I also refer to as a "safety drop". Drop down and continue along the obvious path until you catch up to Von Croy again. He will give you some swimming tips and then you can dive in. Swim to the deepest part of the pool to retrieve Secret #4; a Gold Skull from the bottom. Now head for the underwater passage and follow it around to where you will find a Large and a Small Medkit. If you need air you can breath in the long portion of the passage. Return to the main pool and surface for more instructions.

Climb out of the water (and notice the cool dripping water effect) and approach the lever to the left. These levers are very picky about where you stand - you must be directly in front of the lever or it will not activate. Flip the lever to lower the bridge. Follow Von Croy as he heads around the corner and unlocks another door leading to your next lesson. Climb the ladder to reach another lever and flip it to lower another bridge. Return to the ladder and climb down and head around to the left and up the stairs to the next lesson.

Jump and grab the rungs above you and monkey swing across to the other side. When you are safely over the opposite ledge you can release and drop down. Continue forward and up the ramp to the outdoor area. More Wild Boar run around this area so stay out of the way until Von Croy has killed them. Head around the building to the right and catch up with your teacher who is in the process of opening another door. Continue past him and you will find Secret #5; a Gold Skull in the far right corner. Collect it then return to the door and follow Von Croy to the next area.

Head down the stairs and continue through the next door with the statues on either side. In the dark chamber turn right and head around to the right side if the right pillar to find Secret #6; a Gold Skull lying on the floor. Head past the spike and the bones of the previous adventurer and out the exit. Von Croy is waiting to give you your next assignment.

Crawl through the opening and down the passage. A tunnel branches off to the left where Secret #7; a Gold Skull lies at a dead end. You can either get it now or on your return trip. Continue forward until the movie takes over showing Lara entering the large room. Learn the history of the now-famous backpack she has worn in her previous five adventures then move over and flip the lever to roll the large stone slab out of the way. Crawl back outside and follow Von Croy into the next area.

The next area will test your sprinting and somersault abilities. Use the sprint and jump keys to get past the dart traps in the next passage and perform a daring roll to duck under the closing stone slab. If you miss the roll you can simply drop down and crawl under the stone. Enter the next area and locate Secret #8; a Gold Skull up on the walkway near where you entered. Now head to the other dark entrance and go inside to hear more from Von Croy.

He will tell you about the two doors and depending on if you got all 8 Secret Gold Skulls will determine which door he opens and also whether you get the regular or difficult path in the next level. Follow him to the next room with another rolling door and a pool of water with a rope hanging over it. Turn left and move onto the raised section of floor to await more instructions. Climb and crawl into the narrow opening. Move forward until you can stand then follow the passage back out onto the upper walkway. Follow it around until it ends. Take a step back then run and jump and grab onto the rope. Slide down to the bottom to increase your swinging arc then use the Sprint command to shift your weight and begin to swing. At the far end of your swing release and drop to the opposite ledge. Follow it around to the right and flip the lever to open the pair of doors below. Return to the lower floor (fall, jump, or dive into the pool) then move to the door. Enter the passage and slide down the long dark tunnel into the next level...

Race for the Iris (Normal)

Staying ahead of Von Croy during this next race will make things much easier for you. If he beats you to any of several checkpoints he will close doors to hinder your progress. Use your sprint command a lot to stay ahead whenever possible. On your mark...get set....GO!

Sprint out of the mouth and past the cheating Von Croy who took off on the count of "two". Enter the door and turn right then left and left again up some stairs. Run and jump over the first pit then climb the ledge and do a running jump over the next pit. If you fall in the first pit you can climb out. If you fall in the second pit look for the hole that leads to the next area.

Race through the arches and turn right as the camera pans to an overhead view. Run off the ledge and through the door below and into the next room. If you are ahead of Verner then you can go through the door otherwise he will have shut this door forcing you to climb the vines on the wall to the left and drop into the room on the other side. In the next room climb into the opening and continue down the passage to the right then left and left again up the ramp. Do a running jump and grab to catch the opposite side and pull up. If you miss and fall into the pit head to the block in the corner and climb out.

Continue forward until you reach another large pit area. Jump and grab the walkway above and monkey swing across to the opposite side. If you fall into this room you can go to the opposite wall and climb up the vines. The rock piles in this next room are deceiving. You need to do a running jump to get to the flat ledge of the first pile then climb up onto the next block. Turn right and pull up onto the ledge then follow it around jumping the gap and head down the wooden bridge (the same bridge you monkey swung across just a moment ago) toward the giant doorway. If Verner is ahead of you at this point he will close this door. If the door is closing you can try to somersault under it, otherwise the switch to open it is in a hole on the wall to the right.

The next section of the passages twists right, left, right, right, and left. These are very sharp turns so don't try to sprint through this section or you will hit the wall and waste more time than you save. Race down the ramp - this is the final stretch so if Von Croy is near make sure to sprint into the final room.

Once in this area the movie will take over. Depending on whether you won the race or not will alter the movie just a bit, but the end results are the same. Enjoy the finale of your training mission and the very cool opening movie for the main game. See you in the Tomb of Seth.

Race for the Iris (Hard)

If you are a true "tomb raider" and got all 8 Golden Skulls in the first level then you get the more challenging course in your Race for the Iris. Aside from more twists and turns and some spike traps this path isn't that much harder than the normal route.

Sprint to the left and turn right into the passage. Race down the hall and do a running jump at the end to clear the first pit. As soon as you land do another running jump over the second pit. This second jump can be tricky if your launch and landing points aren't precise. Falling into the pit is fatal, so you may want to stop and line up your jump before making it. Continue running forward to the next pit and do a running jump and grab. If you fall short you can catch the vines and climb out.

Run into the next room to the right and turn left as you race for the next door. It will open as you approach. Head to the right and sprint across the bridge. At the other side you will start to slide down a slope toward some spikes. Immediately do a standing jump to land on a second slope and jump again to land in the next passage and head toward the rubble.

Head to the left side of the passage and jump right then forward over the pile of rocks. Just past the rocks is a door on the right wall. Enter and turn right to reach a second bridge. Sprint across the bridge and hug the right wall as you enter the next passage. If Verner reaches this bridge ahead of you he will cut the ropes forcing you to drop into the water below and swim into the next room using the underwater passage.

Follow the stone path across the water (do running jumps at the corners to shave seconds off your time) and head through the open gate into the passage ahead and follow it to the left until it ends at a spiked pit. If Verner beat you to the gate then he will have closed it and you will have to go over to the right corner and climb a pair of blocks to reach the upper path. Run around this path and it will take you to the other side of the gate and the spiked pit.

Do a running jump over the spiked pit and grab the vines and pull up on the opposite side. Do another running jump and grab over the second spiked pit and quickly pull out as the spikes will harm you as you hang on the vines. Enter the dark passage ahead and turn left climbing up into either of the openings and enter the next room. Another rope bridge is in this room so sprint across and climb into one of the openings on the other side and continue to the left. If Verner beat you to this bridge then he will have cut it loose and you will have to swing across this pit using the hanging rope.

Turn right and head down the stone passage then turn left to arrive at a giant stone head. Pause for the special camera shot then turn left and circle the head and enter the mouth. If you fell while moving during the camera shot you can use the vines to climb back up to the head. Inside the mouth turn to the right then head left, right, and left and race down the final passage to the Iris.

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