The game opens with a brief FMV showing Werner Von Croy crashing into a wall and hopping into a dark cave.

This level and the next one (The Race for the Iris) are the training levels. In this first level you learn how to control Lara at the age of 16, as she follows her mentor Werner Von Croy. It is easy to complete - just follow and listen to him because he explains how you can move around. The controls are similar to the previous games, so experienced Tomb Raider players will not have a problem. If you already know what to do, or do not want to listen to Werner, you can press the Look button whenever he starts giving Lara movement instructions and skip them. However, you cannot skip the very first brief cut scene.

Once you complete this level, you compete against Werner in a race during the next one. The path and the difficulty of the race will differ depending on whether or not you find the 8 Secrets - 8 Golden Skulls - contained within this opening level (check the Note about the Secrets at the bottom of the page). Note also that you cannot skip the two training levels as they are part of the game. Finally, it is worth remembering that the Secrets are added in your total summary as you proceed throughout the game. There is no a reward, though, if you find all 70.

Cambodia 1984.

Werner: And so, we breach the sanctum of the ancients, the first footfalls in this tomb for centuries.

Lara: This place gives me the creeps... After you...

Approach Werner.

Werner: Careful. All is not as it seems. Concealed traps and pitfalls await the unwary. You must stay close and follow my instruction.

1st Secret (1-8\ total: 1-70) - At the end of the left ledge, close to where Werner was standing, a Golden Skull is located. Pick it up and run towards Werner who is now standing at the corner beyond.

Werner: Good men have died for the information contained herein, and cruel men have bartered the information for their own ends. For this we must respect it. We will not deviate from its route and you will not deviate from my instruction. This way!

Follow Werner again but do not try to pass him. Werner is trying to disable the spikes on the right around the corner. Once he does this, follow him. Halfway across the bridge, he will explain to you how to Walk.

Werner: The first obstacle. A small hop to test your, how do you say, pluck? Press and hold Walk. Now, push forward.

When you reach the edge of the water pit, Werner tells you how to perform a standing jump.

Werner: Come, come, child. Do not fear. This is merely an appetizer for the perils ahead. Push forward and Jump together.

2nd Secret (2-8\ total: 2-70) - Before jumping to the opposite ledge, drop into the water below and pick up the Golden Skull. Return back up to the bridge by following the left or right stairs.

Jump the gap and follow either part of the slope. A boar appears from the left passageway. You cannot do anything about that, so leave Werner to kill it. To avoid it, enter the passageway from where the boar came and jump or climb onto the ledge (to climb, stand against it and press Action and Forward at the same time). The boar cannot reach you up there and you can wait for Werner to kill it. If you proceed before Werner kills the boar, you will trigger the next cut scene where he says "Patience child. Disrespect is the route to carelessness. Our route lays beyond the stream". In any case, you get this cut scene when you enter the next area, but if you do it before the boar is dead, do not backtrack or it may hurt you.

Walk to the edge of the ledge. Werner explains how you can jump and grab.

Werner: This gap is wider and the edges treacherous. First walk to the edge, then press forward and Jump together. When you are in mid-air, press and hold Action. You will grab the outcrop.

3rd Secret (3-8\ total: 3-70) - Before jumping the gap, go to the left and head down the ramp or jump onto the slope on your right and slide down. Go to the other side of the courtyard and pick up the Golden Skull beneath the walkway. For those who have already completed the game once, you can skip a small part of proceedings here. From where you got the Secret, jump backwards and onto the slide, pressing Action to grab the walkway above (as shown in this screenshot).

Return back to the ramp and then to the gap - jump over it to grab the opposite ledge. Whilst hanging from the edge Werner tells you how to pull up. "Hold Action, and press up".

Werner: Ah, the pace is quickening now, ja? One more crossing, child. Or do you wish to stop for... tea?

Lara: Oh, I think I can just about hold it together. Wouldn't want to spill it your nice suit at any rate.

When you approach Werner, he tells you that this one (the next gap) calls for a run-up and that he will go first. Once he has cleared the gap, he tells you to walk to the edge and tap backwards once to give yourself a run-up. Follow his instructions.

Werner: Now, press forward and immediately press and hold Jump. Then hold down Action to grab onto the ledge.

Follow him to the left around the corner. He pauses beneath a crevice in the wall.

Werner: A useful crack, rendered by the hand of time, invisible to the untrained eye.

Lara: You're a regular superhero, Werner.

Werner: Ah yes.. the super.. man? Hmph! Is enough comedy.

Vault onto the small ledge. Werner will tell you how to shimmy across. "Run to the wall. Now press forward and hold Action to grab on. Now press right to shimmy across!"

So, stand against the wall and jump up, pressing Action to grab the crevice - shimmy across. When you reach the flat ledge, Werner tells you again how to pull up. "Good! Good! Now press forward to climb up". Follow him to the end of the hallway.

Werner: This is a high fall. You should lower yourself down to be safe. Turn around to face away from the door. Now press back and hold Action. Let go of Action to fall to the floor.

Drop to the floor and go where Werner is.

Werner: Your chance to earn your keep, fraulein. The mechanism to activate the bridge lays at the other side of the stream. These rivers cascade through chambers and caverns deep below these prehistoric foothills. As a consequence...

Lara: Freezing! I guessed. Your gout playing up again Werner?

Approach the ledge that overlooks the pool.

Werner: In deep pools, you can swim by pressing Jump. Use the Direction to navigate through the water. There may be artifacts... trinkets at the bed.

4th Secret (4-8\ total: 4-70) - Drop into the pool and swim to the bottom where the Golden Skull is lying. Get it and surface if you need some air.

On the right hand side of the waterfall is a tunnel. Swim through it and follow it to the end to get a Large and a Small Medipack. The ledges are high here and you cannot climb out. Return to the pool and now swim to the left of the waterfall (or to the right as you exit the tunnel). Surface and approach the ledge.

Lara: Your average priceless seaweed.

Werner: No prizes for you this time Lara! Ah well, use forward and left and right to move across the surface until you reach the shore. Then press Action to climb out.

Climb out of the water. Werner tells you about the lever you need to use in order to activate the bridge. Stand in front of it, having the bars to the back of you and press Action. This will lower the bridge so Werner can come across. Follow him as he opens the next door.

Werner: You will catch your death in those clothes my dear. A quick sprint up that ladder will dry you out again.

Lara: Such concern. I never knew you cared.

Werner: Dear Lara, you are a valuable asset to the quest.

Lara: You old romantic, you.

Werner: Yes, quite.

Approach Werner again and he will tell you how you can climb up the ladder. "Walk up to the ladder. Now press and hold Action to climb onto it. Keep this button pressed, and use forward to climb to the top". When you pull yourself up, Werner tells you about another lever that activates the next bridge. Pull it and return back down. Cross the bridge and go up the steps on the left.

Werner: Swiftly across the vines now. Press Jump. Then hold down Action to grab onto the bars.

So, stand beneath the vines and jump up pressing Action to grab them. Follow Werner's instruction: press forward to swing across and do not let go of Action. Drop down at the end and head up the ramp to reach the open area. Two more boars will appear. Again, you need to avoid them and let Werner to take care of them.

5th Secret (5-8\ total: 5-70) - Run to the right part of the area, but do not proceed through the opening. Assuming you have the opening to the back of you, look for the Golden Skull in the far left corner.

Now go through the opening and follow Werner down the stairs. You will eventually reach another open area. Follow the next opening to where the two lion statues flank the entrance.

6th Secret (6-8\ total: 6-70) - Go to the right of the spiked room and pick up the Golden Skull behind the column. Exit through the opening at the other side of the room.

Werner: There is no mention of this in the texts. I fear this must be opened internally. We must enter through the grate and be wary of snares.

Lara: I presume by "we" you refer to me.

Werner: Ja. My heavier frame may activate traps. You will pass unnoticed.

Lara: How convenient.

Approach Werner and he will tell you how to crawl through the opening. "Stand facing the grate. Now, press and hold the Crouch button. Push forward to crawl into the gap. Be alert!"

7th Secret (7-8\ total: 7-70) - So, crawl through the opening and hug the left wall until you come across the Golden Skull. Return back and follow the other side of the crawlspace.

The cut scene shows Lara entering the next room. She tugs at the backpack finally manages to wrestle it from the skeleton.

Pull the lever on your left to open the circular door outside. Crawl back out through the tunnel to where Werner is.

Werner: Ah, a backpack. Let us hope it does not hold the same luck for you as its previous owner.

Lara: I make my own luck Werner. What now?

As you approach the opening where the circular door previously barred the way, Werner tells you about the next part where you need to sprint.

Werner: Now it begins. The eyes of the ancients are upon us, and their vengeance is wrathful. We must move quickly! When running, press and hold Sprint to gain extra speed.

Go down the stairs and start sprinting in the long hallway to avoid the poisonous darts. When you are half way through Werner explains how you can pass the door ahead that begins to close. "Dive through the gap! Dive through the gap! Press Jump to perform a diving roll!". Do not worry if you do not make it on time. The door does not close entirely. If you are slow you will just need to crawl under it. Go up the slope on the left to reach the outdoor area.

8th Secret (8-8\ total: 8-70) - Before climbing up the stairs where the two lion statues are, turn around and climb onto the ledge opposite the statues, where the double railings are. Pick up the Golden Skull from the corner and return back to Werner.

Depending on the number of the Secrets you have found up until this point, a different route will open up for you now at the end of this level and the next one (The Race Of The Iris). Follow Werner up the steps that lead to a dark room. A cut scene will follow. The dialogue in this cut scene depends on whether you have found all the Secrets or not.

If you have found all the Secrets (8 Golden Skulls) you will hear the following dialogue...

Werner: So you found the Garden of the Five Towers. Well done my child. To the right, the Path of the Heretical. To the left is the Route of the Virtuous.

Lara: I'm up for a little heresy.

Werner, however, opens the left door after the cut scene.

If you missed just one Secret (or more) however you will hear the following dialogue...

Werner: The Garden of the Five Towers. To the right, the Path of The Heretical. To the left is the Route of the Virtuous.

Lara: You know me, Werner. A regular virtuoso.

Werner, however, will open the right door after the cut scene.

(Note - Thus, in both cases he does the contrary of what Lara chooses.)

In both cases, you will for now end up in a similar room with few differences. Regardless of the door that Werner opened, follow him down the stairs to reach a big room with a rope hanging from the ceiling. If you went through the left hand door (Route of the Virtuous), the room is quite dark and there is a stone ledge at its centre. If you went through the right door however (Path of the Heretical), the room is bright and there is a pool in the middle where otherwise there would have been a stone block.

Werner: Now it becomes interesting, ja? You see now, it is not for the weak of heart. How do you hold up girl?

Lara: Oh, I think I could get used to this.

Werner is standing in front of a mechanism. Approach him.

In the cut scene, he tells you that the door requires two people to open it. He then suggests you go up to the alcove above the door.

Follow his suggestion and clamber up onto the left ledge of the room. Opposite the ramp, you can see an opening in the wall. Go towards it and listen to Werner, who explains how you can crawl through it. Stand against the wall and jump up to grab the edge. Press Duck and Forward to pull yourself into the opening. Crawl to the end and go up the ramp to reach the upper part of the room. Follow the walkway to the right. When you reach the edge, Werner explains how you can swing on the rope.

Werner: Swing across to the alcove. Jump from the ledge, then hold down and Action to grab the vine. To release, let go of Action.

To reach the opposite ledge, take a running jump and whilst in midair press Action to grab the rope. Swing on the rope (press the Sprint button whilst holding Action) and press Jump to leap from the rope to the opposite ledge. If you are having troubles grabbing the rope, line Lara's head to it (as shown in this screenshot).

Pull the lever on your right to open the double circular doors. Safely drop to the ground (hang from the ledge and release Action) or jump into the pool if there is one, and go through the doors to end the level.

Note about the Secrets - If you want to get all secrets throughout the game, but do not wish to try the challenge of the long and difficult route in Race for the Iris, pick up all the Golden Skulls except the last one. Go up the steps on the left where Werner asks you to choose your route. Since you have only seven Skulls in your inventory, the easy route will unlock. When the cut scene ends and Werner opens the door on the right for you (that is, the path that leads to the room with the pool of water), return back to the yard outside and pick up the eighth Skull. Return back to the room with the pool where Werner is waiting and proceed with the latter part of the level. You now have eight golden sculls (that is, all of them!) and the luxury of completing the next level via the short and easy route.

Note about the numbering of the Secrets - Whenever there is a Secret, the walkthrough shows the following information just prior to the description instructing you in how to pick it up...

1st Secret: Meaning the first in the level, but not necessarily in the game.

1-8: The '1' means exactly the same as the above but printed numerically, where as the '8' is the figure of how many Secrets there are in the entire level.

Total: 1-70: This stat shows you which Secret you have arrived at in the context of the game as a whole. In this example, we can see '1-70', which means we are the first secret out of 70.