Level 13
VCI Headquarters
Red Alert!
This level will be a true test of your Tomb Raider skills. The entire level is almost an expert's challenge.
It is very easy not to be able to finish the level because you may run out of ammo and medi-packs. So conserve ammo, conserve medi-packs and save your game often!
Use Sniper mode.
Stairs:
From the bottom of the stairs, switch the gun to sniper mode and shoot the Dreadnought in the face. Go up the stairs and take a long running jump with grab across the gap. Continue up the stairs to the door.
Save your game.
Take a long running jump with grab from the ledge near the door as the stairs collapses and falls down. From the higher stairs, do a safety drop over the edge and climb down the vertical broken stairs. Climb sideways and enter the small tunnel.
OR
You can fall down to the lower stairs losing health and repeat the trip back up to the broken stairs. Take a long running jump with grab the broken stairs. Climb sideways and enter the small tunnel.
In the small tunnel, pick up Secret#1 - a gold rose. Do a safety drop to the stairs below the tunnel and repeat the trip up the stairs.
OR
Stand in the front corner facing the broken stairs, do a standing jump with grab and climb back up the ledge.
Climb up and go to the top of the broken stairs. Take a standing jump with grab over the gap to the ledge near the stone wall. Next, take a long running jump with grab across the gap to the ledge on the other side of the stone wall.
Save your game.
Another collapsible walkway! Walk backwards as far as you can and to the right edge of the ledge. Take a long running jump with grab just inside the rail and the stair collapses. Grab the ledge with the fire and climb up. Walk to the cracked wall covering the crawl space and press the Action key to kick out the cover.
Crawl in and find yourself under a grated floor with a guard patrolling overhead.
Room under grated floor:
Save your game. Walk under the right rear grate and look to see a handle on the grate. Do a jump grab and pull the grate down. Run to the wall and do a jump grab to climb out.
(Note, this is a bit buggy, try turning Lara to make sure she is flat against the wall.)
Run to the crates and climb to the top of the tall crate. Pick up HK ammo and turn and shoot the guard using the Sniper mode to conserve bullets. Next, pick up the Grappling gun ammo from the low crate.
Hall with laser beams:
The hall with white lines on the floor is filled with laser beams. Zip did hint about your headset, but instead use the HK in sniper mode and shoot at the red valve wheel on the other side of the hall with white lines. The broken steam pipe now shows the laser beams.
Most of the laser beams have the pattern: quick on, quick off, quick on, slow off and then the pattern is repeated. Turn partially facing the wall to watch the laser beam pattern, then run across the white stripe during the slow off period.
You can also use the headset in the infrared mode to see what the laser beams are doing (hold down the Action key).
The best way I found to get through the beams was to time a roll, this I think is the quickest way to get Lara across each section.
Save after successfully crossing each white stripe.
Hall to the elevator:
Climb up on top of the tall crate and pick up a large medi-pack. Run towards the elevator; it opens with a guard protecting the elevator. Back flip back down the hall and shoot the guard in the sniper mode to conserve health and bullets. Press the up elevator button, then enter the elevator and press the elevator buttons to activate the elevator and go up to the next floor.
Hall with shooting gallery:
A guard is waiting just around the corner of the elevator. Run out to trigger the guard, then hop back into the elevator shooting him in the sniper mode with auto-aim. Enter the left narrow room with windows and find more HK ammo. Save your game.
Shooting gallery:
Use the rapid fire mode on the HK gun. Press the button, draw the HK gun, zoom in and down to get the sight in the proper vertical range and then move the target to the left to sight in the left target when it pops up. Shoot the first target on the left and then sweep to the right picking off the targets. Press then release the action key to shoot each target or you will use up all of your ammunition. You must shoot all the targets before any target crosses the line near the front of the shooting gallery (near Lara).
OR
Be very quick in sniper mode, taking one target at a time, you will need to zoom in about three-quarters zoom range to get the best movement and accuracy.
Success:
If you succeed, the door to the second target range opens. Save your game before entering the target range.
Failure:
If you fail, be sure to press the button on the shooting gallery and shoot all of the targets. Shoot up all of the ammo in the HK gun and more ammo will magically appear on the table in the shooting gallery. Pick it up and go out to the hall.
At the end of the day if you do fail, all you miss is one secret.
Save your game before you enter the second target range.
Second target range:
If you succeed, the door to the next target range will open. Enter the second target range.
Push the button and straight away get out the HK in sniper mode and zoom in about three quarters of the way.
These targets are again timed, but this time they come in a sequence. This is the order of movement and you must always shoot the one nearest to you first.
Firstly the centre, then centre left, then far right, then centre right, then far left, then far right again, then far left and the last three together, but do the centre one, then centre right and finally centre left.
You will still get gas, but at least the door is open so get out fast.
SAVE YOUR GAME.
Armoury:
Run up to the end of the hall and enter the door on the left side. Find a large medi-kit, HK ammo and Secret #2 - a gold rose.
Armoury:
At the end of the hall, walk into the door on the right and enter the armoury. Pick up the HK ammo on the floor and find the grappling gun in the cabinet with the green laser beams, picking the grappling gun locks the door and releases a guard. Kill the guard who is triggered by picking up the grappling gun. Pick up the grappling gun ammo, which is on table in the armoury.
Warehouse:
Enter a large warehouse with crates. Kill the guard hiding behind the boxes. Climb up to highest crate and pick up HK ammo. Aim the grappling gun at the grate in the centre of the ceiling. The sighting light will turn green when you can shoot at something. Shoot a rope to hang from the centre of the ceiling. On the low crate, line up a long running jump with grab to the rope.
Lower yourself to the bottom of the rope, then swing to the old wall on the opposite side of the crates. Use the Jump key to let go of the rope and use the Action key to grab the wall where it is falling apart. Shimmy to the right and climb up in the vent. Save your game and slide down the vent.
Hall with shooting gallery:
Two Dreadnoughts with lasers are coming up the hall. Immediately switch to sniper mode and shoot each of the guards in the face. Now that you have the grappling gun, perhaps, you can proceed farther on the outdoor stairway. Press the down button on the elevator and the elevator buttons to go back to the previous floor.
Floor with laser beams:
Stay close to the left wall, walking carefully, when you can see the guard STOP use the laser sight to get a clean head shot, navigate your way back through across the laser beams and drop into the room below the floor grates. Crawl out the crawlspace back to the stairs.
Stairs above deep pit:
Stand near the crawlspace, and shoot the grappling gun at the stairs hanging from the middle of the ceiling. The light will turn green when you can shoot at something. Take a long running jump with grab to the rope. Lower yourself down and swing to the window with the fire in the stone wall. Use the Jump key to let go of the rope when Lara's legs are pointing at the sky. Slide down the ramp and then jump and grab across the fire to the higher ledge. Crawl into the crawlspace.
STUCK!! ARE WE. I CERTAINLY WAS UNTIL I ACCIDENTLY PRESSED THE JUMP BUTTON AND LARA ROLLED OUT OF THE CRAWLSPACE. (DID NOT KNOW SHE COULD DO THAT!)
Room with crates:
Save your game. From the crawlspace, point Lara's head toward the crate on the right. Do a forward roll from the crawl space (Jump Key) to the crate on the right. Land on the crate, then carefully take a precise aim at the guard's head down below. You need to kill him before he can activate the very deadly robot machine gun. Jump across the crates to the bottom and pick up a large medi-pack. Pull the switch to the right of the door to open the door.
Hall with elevator:
Save your game before entering the elevator. Press the up button and enter the elevator. Push the elevator buttons to go up to another floor. Walk near the elevator doors and they open.
PC bug alert: If the elevator doors do not open or if the paratroopers do not drop from the sky, or if the metal door above the crates does not open, load an earlier saved game that you have from before entering the elevator! Save your game only after getting the metal door open above the crates.
Lobby with paratroopers:
Paratroopers drop in through the skylights. Shoot them in the sniper mode to conserve ammo. Go to the top step and take a long running jump with grab to the rope. Swing to the tall crates and use the Jump key to land on the crates. Stand in the centre of the crate and do a jump grab to open the metal door.
PC bug alert: I found that sometimes Lara jumps through the metal doors and just grabs the ledge above them. If this happens you do not get the next two guards. It does not affect the rest of the game.
Immediately roll and stand on the crate with your back to the wall to pick off the guard on the floor. Next roll and kill the guard standing in the vent.
Vents:
Make your way through the vents. As you approach a red button, the floor drops away. Slide down the ramp and notice the climbing ladder above the hole to the floor. Drop down into the hall.
Halls with laser beams:
All of the halls are blocked by laser beams, so crawl into the vent. Climb up and then save your game.
Room with the cyborg:
Go to the crawl position and use the forward roll (Jump and Roll keys) to land on the high crate. Don't bother with the large medi-pack on the floor for now. Stay on the crate and start shooting the cyborg in the sniper mode with auto aim until he loses bits of his skin. If you run out of ammo, just pick up some more from the top of the crate. When the cyborg has lost a lot of skin and has metal exposed, pick up some fresh ammo and change to sniper mode. Using the laser sight, shoot the red valve wheel on the pipe in the back of the room to release water which electrically shorts out the cyborg.
DO NOT touch the floor as it is now electrified.
From the far back right corner of the crate line up a running jump with the black ledge between the two ventilator shafts, when you land keep the forward button pressed to make sure Lara stays on top the ledge.
OR HARDER
Take a diagonal standing jump with grab to the vent. A very nasty jump sequence awaits you. Look in the corner at the sloped ledges. You need to jump up these sloped ledges and land on the black ledge next to the vent.
Vent jump: Walk to the left side of the vent and take one side step to the right. Take a long running jump with grab to the lowest sloped ledge in the corner. Slide down and grab the edge.
Lowest sloped ramp: Climb up on the sloped ramp, immediately press the jump and roll key to do a backwards jump with a twist. Land on the second sloped ramp, slide down and grab the edge. Save your game.
Second sloped ramp: Climb up on the sloped ramp, immediately press the jump and roll key to do a backwards jump with a twist. Land on the highest sloped ramp, slide down and grab the edge. Save your game.
Highest sloped ramp: Climb up on the sloped ramp, immediately press the jump and roll keys and the left arrow key to do a backwards jump with a twist that curves to the right. Land on the black ledge next to the vent.
On top of the vent:
Pick up the grappling gun ammo from the black ledge, then climb on top of the vent and shoot a grappling hook into the vent at the centre of the ceiling.
Walk to the edge of the vent, take a leap backwards and use a standing jump with grab to the rope. Use the rope to swing to the high alcove on the opposite side of the room. Use the Action key to grab the ledge as you fall.
Flip the switch to drain the water from the electrified floor and take a long running jump back to the top of the vent. Drop to the black ledge beside the vent and pick up one more grappling ammo.
Safety drop to the floor.
Floor below vent:
Pick up the left key Bit from the dead cyborg and the large medi-pack from the floor. Unfortunately, the switch that drained the floor also closed the gate to the vent, so you will have to repeat the trip back up to the top of the vent. Use the rope swing to the high alcove and flip the switch to open the door to the vent.
After flipping the switch in the high alcove, take a long running jump to the top of the vent, safety drop over the end, release and then press the Action key to drop and catch the bottom ledge of the vent. Climb in and return to the hall with the laser beams.
Poison gas rooms:
Run and take the first left and dashing to avoid the helicopter bullets. Look through the window to see a room with poisoned gas and a switch. Continue to the left and find your way blocked by laser beam. Find the tunnel that goes down and flip the switch to remove the laser beams and shut the door. You will need to come back here, so flip the switch to open the door back to the windowed corridor with the helicopter. And don't do any more in this area.
Helicopter gauntlet through the windowed corridor:
Now you must run the helicopter gauntlet along the windowed corridor. Save your game!
Start running along the windowed corridor and take long running jumps over the first two pits. You will need to hit the jump key just as you place Lara's foot at the edge of each ledge.
(NOTE: There are two large medi-packs in the first two pits, plus there is also a safe place to wait and reload your health.)
If you fall into a pit, reload a saved game as you will lose too much health getting out of the pit. The nitrogen bottles will explode when the helicopter shoots them and break off the ledge before and after the bottles. Be sure to jump when you land next to the bottles and run into the small waiting room. (Don't land to close to the bottles or Lara will die.)
Bar:
Run behind the bar, then crawl to the switch on the far wall. Press the switch to release the cyborg.
SAVE YOUR GAME!
Crawl down the length of the bar, then run back into the waiting room with the cyborg. Get ready for another run through the helicopter gauntlet.
(NOTE: There is a broken door on one side of the bar that does nothing.)
Helicopter gauntlet through the windowed corridor:
Practice makes perfect. So start your run and jump so you land at least in the centre of the next ledge. Hold down the forward arrow and press the Jump key when you land on the ledge to make continuous running jumps without stopping. Run across the windowed corridor and take a right down the long hall to the poison gas rooms.
Use the dash key in the long hall to speed ahead of the cyborg. Run to the left around the corner and down to the little room under the grated floor. Wait by the switch and wait for the cyborg to pass overhead into the next room. Flip the switch to trap the cyborg in the room with the window to the poisoned gas room. If the cyborg meets you in the hall, you will need to reload a saved game and try again. If the cyborg walks around above on the grated floor, you have not trapped him and will need to try again.
Poisoned rooms:
Flipping the switch has trapped the cyborg in the room with the window. Find the hall with the laser beams and enter the door. Run straight ahead through the first two rooms, then take a left and enter the room with the switch. Locate the crawlspace with the rose.
Crawl in to get some fresh air and Secret #3 - a gold rose. Flip the switch (to open a door back in the first poisoned gas room). Go through the door opposite of the switch and take the right door in the next room. Jump over the newly released guard (or kill them if you have enough ammo) and keep running. In the poison gas room by the hall with the laser beams, take the right door when facing the laser beams.
Enter the room with the window and a switch. Flip the switch to get some fresh air and divert the poisoned gases to the room with the cyborg. He runs around and finally dies. Flip the switch once more to clear the room with the cyborg. Go through the door opposite the switch and return to the room under the floor grates. Flip the switch to open the door to the room with the window.
Room with the window:
Pick up the right Key bits the cyborg left behind. Run down the long hall back to the windowed corridor with the helicopter. Take a right and run into the building. Ignore the crawlspace and continue down the hall past the laser beams. Do a jump grab to the vent and climb up. Turn around to see a climbing ladder. Climb up and sideways and drop to the ledge.
Lobby:
Find yourself above the crates in the lobby. Combine the left and right key bits to create a Helipad access key. Place it in the receptacle by the door. Run up the ramp to end the level.
Cut scene:
Lara is chased by men. She flips into her hang glider and glides to another roof to escape.
Cut scene:
The funeral trio cheers Lara on.
Cut scene:
Von Croy, digging in the pyramids, discovers Lara's backpack.
End of level
Secrets: 3 of 3 (36 out of 36 total Secrets)