From CHECKPOINT 1, in the doorway between the previous level and this one, step forward into the throne room.

To save space, an account of the cinematic sequence in which Lara meets Natla is included in a footnote at the end of the walkthrough.

BATTLING THE GIANT MUTANT: As soon as you regain control of Lara, CHECKPOINT 2 registers and the humongous, legless mutant drags itself toward you across the platform.

As with the other bosses in this game, this beast cannot be defeated directly.  Just shooting it does nothing.  Instead you must employ a few special techniques similar to the ones you used to beat the T.  rex and the centaurs.

• Switch to Advanced Toggle combat mode if you're not using it already.  This helps keep a target lock on the mutant, making the adrenaline dodge move much easier.



• Circle around the big beast, firing with your weapon of choice.  I prefer regular pistols for most of this sequence, since you have unlimited ammo and Lara is fairly maneuverable while holding them.



• Take care not to fall off the edge of the platform into the lava pool below.  If Lara falls and grabs the edge, you can usually manage to traverse to one side or the other to avoid the mutant and then pull up, jump past it and continue the fight.



• Keep your distance from the mutant so it can't swat Lara off the edge, sit on her with its massive mutant butt, or grab her.  If it grabs her, it will either toss her away or swallow her whole.  If Lara gets eaten, you can escape by shooting the mutant's innards with your pistols until it throws her up.



• Using regular pistols, shoot at the mutant until it becomes enraged.  You'll see its rage bar (below the health bar at the top right corner of the screen) max out and both bars will glow red.  At this point, it will bellow (even if you can't hear it, you can see the graphic representation of sound waves emanating from its head) and lumber toward Lara.  Now it's time for the adrenaline dodge.



• Make sure you have a target lock on the mutant.  To do that, either set the combat mode to Advanced Toggle before starting the fight, so Lara will maintain a lock on the enemy throughout, or press and hold the Target Lock key (right mouse button or G on the PC, L1 on the PS2).



• Also make sure Lara has room to maneuver, at least in the direction you plan to roll.  If she hits a wall or a part of the mutant before completing the move, it won't work.



• To do the dodge, continue to maintain a target lock, start moving to the left or right (using the direction keys on the PC or left control stick on the PS2) and press Duck.



• If your dodge is successful, Lara will leap to one side and you'll see two separate targeting reticules converge on the mutant's head.  In order to see this, you may need to move the camera to point directly at the enemy.  When the reticules overlap, immediately shoot.



• If don't fire too early or too late, your head shot will connect, and the mutant will lunge toward Lara and roll past her.  Depending on where it ends up, one of several things will happen:

• When the mutant's hand becomes stuck, immediately switch to more powerful weapons and begin shooting that hand.  When the hand is stuck in the floor, you'll see two separate targeting reticules—one for the mutant's head and one for its hand—so make sure to target the hand.



• The first time the mutant goes over the ledge, there's a cut scene showing what happens.  Afterward, you only have a few seconds to shoot, before he pulls up onto the ledge and starts attacking again.  So you may not make any progress this time.  But if you repeat the process once or twice, eventually you will destroy one of the mutant's hands.



• When the mutant has only one hand left, concentrate on luring it toward the edge of the platform.  To do this, it may help to move to the back wall or one of the inner corners first.  Let the mutant make its way toward Lara, and then jump past it and head for the outer edge.  By the time the mutant turns around to face her, you will have had time to position Lara fairly close to the edge of the platform.  Move from side to side as you shoot it with regular pistols.  When it becomes enraged and charges, do the adrenaline dodge again, and with any luck the mutant will hurl itself off the platform and hang there.  Change to more powerful weapons and pump lead into the hand.  Once the remaining hand has been destroyed, the mutant will be unable to hold on and will fall into the lava below.

If you're low on health or ammo, you can find 2 large medipaks, 2 sets of SMG clips and a box of shotgun shells on the platform.  If you don't need the items right away, wait until the battle is over before picking them up.

When you've defeated the mutant, the door at the back of the platform opens and CHECKPOINT 3 registers.

NOTE: If you're unable to defeat the mutant, you're welcome to download my PC save files for CHECKPOINTS 2 and 3.  One is at the start of the fight with a nice supply of ammo and medipaks.  The other, after the battle.  Instructions are included with the download, but please see the note about savegame files at the end of the walkthrough for more info.

PASSAGE WITH LAVA STREAM: Follow the hallway past CHECKPOINT 4 and jump across the stream of flowing lava to the little rock island ahead.  Turn right and take a running jump to the next solid stone.  Get the large medipak and take another running jump to perch on the narrow pole sticking up from the lava pool ahead.  Turn left and hop onto the next vertical pole.  From there, jump to grab the ledge ahead.

Immediately pull up and shoot the winged mutant that rises up from the area ahead.  Use powerful weapons to kill it as quickly as you can so its fireballs don't knock Lara off the ledge into the lava.

When it's dead, pull the switch on the right wall.  This causes the small ledge Lara is standing on to begin to retract into the wall.  At the same time, the larger ledge ahead extends toward you.  Wait until it is almost fully extended and then take a running jump to grab it.  Pull up and continue along the hallway, picking up some shotgun ammo on the way.

Follow the hall through several twists and turns until you can see an artifact in a raised alcove ahead.  At this point, get ready for combat.  As soon as you round the corner, a centaur charges from the room ahead.  Try to run past it so it doesn't corner Lara in the narrow hallway.

ROOM WITH SWITCHES AND LAVA PITS: CHECKPOINT 5 registers as you enter.  For some reason, the grapple doesn't work on the metal cage in the raised opening.  So leave it for now.  Cross the room to the switch on the far wall and use it to open the exit and close the door through which you entered.  Doing this also hatches one of the mutant pods on the wall, releasing a flying mutant.  After the brief cut scene showing the doors opening and closing, immediately turn left and shoot it down.  If you do move around while fighting, watch out for the lava pits along the side walls.  Then head for the door you just opened, pick up the shotgun ammo and large medipak on the floor and go through.

ROOM WITH POOL & THREE UNDERWATER GATES: CHECKPOINT 6 registers about halfway down the ramp and 2 mutants, one cat and one flyer, hatch from pods in the room ahead.  If you back up the ramp, the flyer can't follow you.  Then you can deal with the cat alone.  Just be careful not to back into the lava pit behind you.  When it's dead, return down the ramp and deal with the flying mutant.  You'll find both shotgun shells and 50-caliber clips on the floor.

NOTE: As you explore these two rooms, you can re-use CHECKPOINTS 5 and 6 to save your progress.  Both of them will register any number of times as long as you alternate stepping over each one.

The exit from this area is through the underwater tunnel on leading out of the pool.  It is blocked by 3 circular gates, which you must open.  First go to the far right corner.  Equip the regular pistols.  Then take a running jump across the small lava pit, jumping just at the edge and holding the Jump key to ensure that Lara makes it all the way across the pit, and grab the crosspiece on the shield-shaped panel.  Lara's weight pulls the panel down revealing a button.  When the panel has descended all the way, jump back across the lava pit and shoot the button before the panel retracts.  This opens one of the underwater gates and also hatches another flying mutant.  You may want to switch to the shotgun before taking on the flyer.

When you've destroyed it, switch back to pistols and go to the other shield-shaped panel in the far left corner of the room, relative to the entrance.  Jump to grab it, which is much easier this time without the lava below, and then jump back to the floor and shoot the button.  Another underwater gate opens and another flying mutant emerges from its pod.  Switch weapons again if you want to and shoot it down.

The switch to open the third gate is located behind that rough rock wall in the far corner of the room, which can only be reached in a roundabout way.  First jump into the pool and pull the underwater lever on one of the side walls.  This extends a small ledge in the room above.  Climb out of the water and onto that ledge, which is just to the right of the entrance when facing it.  As soon as Lara touches the ledge, a cat mutant hatches from the pod near the ledge.  You can shoot it from the ledge with pistols if you're patient.  Or jump down and fight it head-on.

ARTIFACT #1: Climb into the opening above the small ledge and pick up a large medipak.  Climb into the opening near the metal box and turn around.  Jump to the rough stone ledge with ARTIFACT #1, take it and jump back.  Push the metal box out of the opening into the next room.  Drop down and push the box against the rough stone pedestal near the entrance.  This is CHECKPOINT 7 (same spot as 5).

Use the box to climb up onto that pedestal.  Kill the flying mutant that bursts out of the pod ahead and then pick up the small medipak.

ARTIFACT #2: If you want the artifact, climb up onto the ledge next to the stone pedestal and use the switch there to re-open the door below and close the door leading to the ROOM WITH THE POOL.  Drop down and push the metal box through the door into the hallway.  Use it to climb into the alcove with the ARTIFACT #2.  When you have it, push the crate back into the room and climb back onto the rough stone pedestal.

From there, take a running jump to grab the top left edge of the first horizontal steam vent on the wall above the lava pit.  Climb as far to the left as you can and jump to grab the next vent before the steam shoots out, burning Lara so she loses her grip and falls into the lava.  Quickly climb to the left across the second vent, tapping Interact as you go to climb faster, and jump to grab the next one.  Climb quickly across this one and jump to grab the handhold in the corner.  Climb around the corner to the left.  Jump back and grapple the metal ring on the wall above.  Wall run back and forth to build up momentum and then jump to grab the rough stone handhold in the next corner.  Climb to the left, jump up to grab the edge of the opening above and pull up.

Take the 50-caliber clips in the opening.  Then drop down into the small, dark tunnel on the other side and get pick up some shotgun ammo.  Climb down into the next room.  Now you're behind the ring of stones that you couldn't climb over from the other side.  Pull the switch to open the third underwater gate and trigger CHECKPOINT 8.

NOTE: This checkpoint registers when you open the third gate, regardless of the order in which you use the three switches.  If you reload, Lara will be standing in the entrance to the POOL room.

Use the low step to climb over the rocks to the pool.  Jump in the water and swim through the passageway, picking up a small medipak on the way.  There's an air pocket above the medipak if you need to breathe.  Continue to the end of the tunnel and climb out of the water.  Get the 50-caliber clips and proceed to CHECKPOINT 9.

LAVA STREAM & FALLS: Ahead lies a deathtrap of flowing lava.  Tremors rock the cavern as you enter this area, but they subside after a few moments and shouldn't affect your progress.  Continue forward, jump across the first lava stream and then across the crack in the floor.

NOTE: Avoid stepping in this crack, since Lara can get one leg stuck in it permanently.  If this happens, save the game, reload at CHECKPOINT 9 and try again.

Beyond the bend in the lava stream, jump across to the opposite bank and follow the ledge to where it juts out over the lava pool below.  Turn right and take a running jump across the pool to grab the ladder carved into the far wall.  Fireballs periodically fall from above, but as long as Lara is hanging onto the ladder and not leaning outward, they won't touch her.  Climb to the top and jump to grab the edge of the steam vent to the left.  Stay as far to the right as possible to avoid the steam.  Now watch the hole above on the right.  When it stops belching fire, quickly jump up to grab the ledge above and climb to the right.  Position Lara just below the left edge of the steam vent above and jump up to grab it.  Then jump to the left to grab the handhold above the glowing glyph.

Now you can take your time.  Climb all the way to the left along this handhold and then jump across the gap to grab the ledge on the other side.  Traverse to the left a little and look down.  Before dropping to grab the ledge below, make sure that Lara is at the middle of this ledge, not the left or right edges.  There's a notch broken out of the right side of the ledge below.  So if she drops there, she won't be able to grab.  If she's too far to the left, she'll hit the lava falls.  When you drop and grab the ledge below, immediately press Interact to perform a saving grab.  Then pull up and take the large medipak.

Drop and hang from the middle of this ledge—not the right where the notch is—and look down.  Again, you want to position Lara at the middle of the ledge in order to drop and grab the ledge below.  From there, jump back to grab one of the handholds on the square column beyond the double lava falls.  Take care not to jump too close to the falls.  The middle of this small ledge is a good take-off point.  Climb around the corner to the right and drop down twice to reach the ledge below.

Now turn to face out over the lava pool.  Ahead are 2 small stone islands.  These will support Lara's weight but only for a few moments.  After that, they sink into the lava.  If you don't want the next artifact, take a running jump from the ledge to the first island, quickly jump to the second, and then jump to grab the handhold on the wall ahead.  Then skip the next paragraph.

ARTIFACT #3: If you do want the artifact, jump to the first island, then the second, then turn left, jump onto a rock that you previously couldn't see because it was hidden behind the lava falls.  From there, jump to the ledge that runs along behind the falls.  Head toward the back wall and then turn left again to find ARTIFACT #3.  Pick it up and return to the opening next to the falls.  By now, the rock islands should have risen up from the lava pool again, and you can jump across the nearest two to reach the handhold on the wall ahead.

Jump up to the handhold above and climb around to the left.  Jump back off the wall to perch on a pointy stone column sticking up from the lava.  Turn toward the next pointed pillar but take a moment to observe before jumping over there.  The hole on the wall to the right of the pillar spews flame every few seconds.  So carefully time your next jump so you land on the pillar just as the flames are going out.  Then jump forward to grab the horizontal bar ahead.  Swing around the bar and jump to the small stone island ahead.  It starts to sink into the lava, so quickly jump to the safe ledge beyond.

Turn left and jump onto one more little stepping stone.  Before it can sink into the lava pool, take a running jump to grab the ladder ahead.  Climb to the top and step forward to CHECKPOINT 10.  Whew!

If you're not collecting artifacts, simply continue forward into the final room and skip the next paragraph.

ARTIFACT #4: If you want the last artifact in the game, after crossing the checkpoint, turn around to face out over the lava pool.  Take a running jump off the ledge above the ladder and grapple the ring on the ceiling.  Grapple swing across the gap to the ledge on the far side.  Quickly move out of the way of the flame jet and pick up the large medipak.  Turn left and approach the edge of the ledge overlooking the lava pool you just came across.  Take a running jump to the ledge jutting out of the left wall, where you'll find another large medipak.  Turn right and take another running jump across the gap to the ledge with ARTIFACT #4.  Return to the ledge above the ladder the way you came, except that you won't need to grapple swing across on the way back.  Lara can make it using a running jump, as long as you hold down the Jump key.

THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID – FINAL BATTLE: Enter the large chamber at the peak of the great pyramid.  At last, you've reached the final confrontation with Natla.

To save space, the cinematic sequence before the battle is transcribed in a footnote below.

CHECKPOINT 11 registers as you regain control of Lara.  Natla immediately bears down on you from above.  If you need supplies, there are 3 sets of SMG clips and a box of shotgun ammo on the floor just inside on the left.

NATLA - PHASE ONE: As in the original Tomb Raider, the final battle has two stages.  In the first part of the fight, you must destroy each of her wings to bring the airborne Natla down to earth.  Shooting at her body does no damage, so try to concentrate your fire on her wings, each of which has a separate targeting reticule.  It can be difficult to target the wings instead of the body, so stick with regular pistols for now.  If you use more powerful guns you risk wasting ammo on the wrong target.  When you do enough damage to each wing, it becomes useless and can no longer be targeted.  At this point, her health bar should be reduced to a little more than half full.

As you fight, duck or dodge to avoid her swooping lunges and jump out of the way when she launches a fireball attack.  You can also hide behind the pillars to avoid the fireballs, but you'll have to move out to target her once the firebombs stop.

When you've destroyed both of Natla's wings, a cut scene ensues.  Natla falls to the floor and you get a clear view of a bluish-green glowing area on her back.  But before Lara can do more than look, Natla leaps up and grabs Lara by the throat.  "I cannot die, you fool!" she taunts, tossing Lara across the room.  "Sooner or later you'll run out of bullets."

Fortunately, Natla doesn't realize that Lara's magical pistols never run out.  ;)

NATLA - PHASE TWO: Even though she can no longer fly, Natla is still a fearsome adversary.  She begins by standing near one of the side walls and pelting Lara with a barrage of fireballs.  These fan out in groups of three from where Natla is standing.  So, for the most part, you can dodge them by jumping from side to side while facing her.  Or, stand in one spot and wait for her to launch all three fireballs and then quickly jump out of the way.  After unleashing several rounds of fireballs, she'll zip across to one of the adjacent walls and start the process again.  Turn to face her and continue dodging.

As you do this, fire at her constantly.  Again, pistols are probably your best bet, at least until you get the hang of the process.  When you feel comfortable with what you need to do, you can switch over to SMGs or 50-caliber pistols, which will enrage her faster.  This isn't necessary, however.  You can beat her with just pistols.

Watch Natla's health and rage bars at the top right corner of the screen.  When the rage bar maxes out, both bars will glow red, she'll let out a shriek (which is visible as stylized sound waves emanating from her head) and charge at Lara.

Now you must perform the old adrenaline dodge again.  The technique is the same as for the previous bosses:

• Keep a target lock on her, either by setting the combat mode to Advanced Toggle or by holding down the Target Lock button (right mouse button or G on the PC, L1 on the PS2).



• Make sure Lara has room to maneuver in the direction you plan to roll.  If Lara hits a wall or column, or if Natla is able to slash Lara with one of her wings, Lara will be knocked off her feet, and the dodge won't work.



• To do the actual dodge, while maintaining a target lock, start moving any direction (using the direction keys on the PC or left control stick on the PS2) and press Duck.



• If your dodge is successful, Lara will leap away from Natla and you'll see two separate targeting reticules converge on her.  You may need to point the camera directly Natla to see it.  When the reticules overlap, immediately shoot.



• If your shot connects, Natla will be momentarily stunned, and she'll slump over, revealing the green spot on her back.  Switch to more powerful weapons and shoot the glowing green spot until Natla recovers.  This is the only way to injure her.



• For most enemies, moving to the left or right works best for the dodge, but this is generally not the case with Natla.  If you're able to roll backwards away from her or roll forward just before you reach her, the dodge can work even better.  The forward roll is a little tricky.  You need to run toward Natla as she's running toward you and roll just when it looks like Lara is about to run into her.  If you time the move correctly, Lara will actually leap over Natla.  Then, when the targeting reticules converge, you can shoot her from behind.  If you succeed, Lara ends up facing Natla's exposed back, so she's able to fire at the green spot immediately without adjusting her position.

Once she becomes enraged, Natla stays that way for a while.  (Her health bar remains red.) So if you don't manage the adrenaline dodge the first time, she'll charge at Lara again and again, giving you a few more chances.  If you don't succeed before her rage bar subsides, Natla's health bar will turn yellow once more, and she'll return to one side of the room and begin the fireball attacks again.

Repeat the process—shoot at her while dodging the fireballs until she becomes enraged, wait for her charge, do the adrenaline doge, shoot to stun, then shoot her in the green glowing area on her back—until Natla's health is reduced to zero.

NOTE: If you're having trouble with this fight—either because it's too difficult or because you haven't saved up enough medipaks to get through comfortably—you're welcome to download my PC save files for the checkpoints before and after the fight.  My "before" save includes about 40 of each size health pack.  My "after" save is just before the final cinematic.

When you finally defeat Natla, an interactive cut scene begins.  Natla still has enough fight left in her to make a final desperate attack.  Press the controls indicated on screen to evade her—that's Up then Down on the PC, X then Circle on the PS2.  Natla then taunts Lara, telling her this isn't the end, just a temporary reprieve for the human race.  She vows to find another remnant of Atlantis and begin again.

Lara glimpses one of her pistols on the floor nearby.  As Natla launches a fireball, she dives for it.  Press the keys indicated on screen to grab the gun, stun Natla with a well-placed shot and then grapple one of the pillars down on top of her.  The correct controls are Down, Up and Left on the PC; Circle, R1 and Square on the PS2.  When you succeed, Lara runs up the broken column and makes her escape.

In the final cinematic of the game, Lara dashes out of the pyramid and dives into the sea.  She swims to Natla's boat as the pyramid explodes behind her, and then motors off into the distance.  Job well done.

*ABOUT ARTIFACTS & RELICS: Finding artifacts and relics (formerly known as "secrets") unlocks various extras like outfits and concept art.  A complete list of these bonuses and how to get them will be added soon.

**ABOUT TIME TRIALS: After completing a level, you will be able to replay it in Time Trial mode to unlock cheat codes.  Again, more info will be added about this once the main walkthrough is done.

Copyright © 2007 - Stellalune.  All rights reserved.  Feel free to copy or print this walkthrough for personal use.  By all means, share it with friends, but please include this credit line so people can send me their corrections, comments and suggestions.  This walkthrough may not be reproduced in any other manner without the author's written permission.

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