Shoot the two vases to get the Large Medipack and Uzi Ammo. Then slide down the ramp.

The cut scene shows a mass of beetles running towards Lara.

You cannot kill the beetles, so immediately turn right, run forward and grab the bars above. Traverse all the way across and let go at the appropriate moment in order to slide down into a room with a pole.

Two level area with beetles - Jump to grab the pole and slide down until you see the first ledge. Do not slide all the way to the bottom, as more beetles are waiting for you. Instead, back-flip to the ledge. Be careful not to fall down whilst moving around on the ledge because there is a gap between the outer edge of it and the wall. One of the vases on your left (West) includes a Small Medipack. Make a mental note of where the closed door on the same side is, as very shortly this will be your way out.

Now then, what's the deal? Well, there are three niches below. Two of them contain mechanisms that open the exit door. The beetles though will not let you get to them and back without a fight. The Torch you can find on the right side (East) of the room is supposed to help you. You can throw the Torch to distract the beetles, but unfortunately this does not seem to work very well. The beetles will still bite Lara with annoying efficiency. Also, you cannot climb up or down the pole whilst holding the Torch. If you think that the Torch can help you, go ahead and pick it up and light it using the nearby fire.

The niches are on the south, east and north walls. The mechanisms are in the north and east niches. The south niche contains a Small Medipack. An easy way to use all three niches losing only a small percent of health, is to climb down the pole and back-flip pressing Roll at the same time in order to face directly towards each niche. This will leave the beetles in your wake for a while and allow you a bit of breathing space. So, in order to use the north niche, grab the pole facing south (that is, facing the opposite side). Grab the pole, slide down, and back-flip pressing Roll to turn in midair and face the north niche. Sprint towards the niche (or approach it with jumps) and use it. Immediately back-flip and roll at the same time. Run towards the pole, jump whilst running, and press Action to grab it. Climb up to take a breath and save your game. Follow the above solution for the other two niches.

If you want to save time and avoid climbing up to the upper floor every time you press a niche, just jump to grab the pole and turn around so as to have one of the other niches behind you. Repeat the aforementioned strategy and do the same for the remaining niches.

When you are done, the exit above opens. Go through it and open the double red doors on the left (stand in front of them and press Action). Climb onto the block and drop down at the other side. Hang from the edge of the opening and drop down.

Board of Senet - The board and its checkers below look like those used in chess. In order to play you need to find the written rules, which is an individual item to be picked up much like a key or a health pack. Unfortunately, there are tricky jumps through any number of fires and flame breathing holes to negotiate before you can retrieve this particular pick-up. You can take advantage of a bug here and skip the painful part. Be warned though that you will miss a couple of the more standard pick-ups in the process if you make use of it. For now, go for a Secret and then choose the way you prefer after that. Then follow the Playing the Senet Game guide below.

1st Secret (1-7\ total: 31-70) - Jump to the small ledge on the left (west) and climb up the ladder (as shown here). Shimmy to the right as much as you can and drop onto the ledge. Pick up the Shotgun Wideshot Ammo and the Small Medipack. Hang from the edge and drop down.

First way\ skipping a part of the level - Even if you want to skip the painful part of collecting the Rules of the game, you can still get a couple of pick-ups (including the 2nd Secret) as decribed in the next paragraphs. Taking the Secret is quite tricky, so take a look at the Note at the end of the page. But if you are not interested at all, do this: Whilst on the board, stand on the block that is next to the blue checker. Turn to face west and stand at the right corner (as shown in this screenshot). Now turn right in order to face the red railings, and take a running jump to grab the ledge where those railings are. Pull yourself up (pick up the walkthrough at Playing the Senet Game below).

Second way\ normal gameplay - Drop onto the board and head to the right opening (East). Climb up the ladder and then the next ledge. Follow the hallway to the end and drop onto the ledge below. The music tells you that something dangerous is afoot. Kill the two dogs from the ledge without dropping onto the ground.

When you are done, head to the other side behind the central structure. You should be able to spot the three flaming niches from here. Stand in front of the right niche (not so close that you catch fire). Wait for the fire to go away and then run towards the niche until Lara is practically touching it. The niche contains a mechanism that turns off the fire in the middle niche. Immediately jump backwards twice once you have pressed it. Use the middle niche next. This contains a mechanism that lowers a block on the right revealing an opening. Before you go through it, though, use the left niche to discover a Small Medipack.

Go through the opening you just revealed (to the right of the flaming niches) and jump into the pool. Then climb the ledge on the left. The block door will close behind you. You now need to play with the six flaming niches in order to raise a cage outside, take a couple of pick-ups and finally open the exit door. There are three niches on each side. Consult the following table for guidance on which niches will do what.

(The table above numbers the niches as you face them - face west - when you first enter the room, starting from the topmost niche on the left. Also, see this screenshot.)

The 1st niche has no flame at all. Use it to get the Shotgun Normal Ammo.

Use the 4th niche to get a Small Medipack. Use it again to activate a mechanism that raises a cage in the room outside.

Use the 3rd niche to activate a mechanism that turns off the flame in the 5th niche.

Use the 5th niche to activate a mechanism that turns off the flame in the 6th niche.

Use the 6th niche to activate a mechanism that raises a second cage in the room outside and make the 2nd niche able to use.

Use the 2nd niche to open the exit door at the other side of the room.

Every time you use a niche, tap back once and then step backwards. This will help you not to catch fire from the flame both in front AND behind you. Do this after using the 2nd niche even if the camera shows a cut-away of a rising cage (you still have control of Lara). If you save your game in front of a flaming niche and then load it back up again, wait for the fire to go away, come back, and then go away again. You should do this because it seems that the game does not give you enough time to use the niche straight after re-loading the game.

When you are done, climb the ledge on the west side. Be careful of the deep pit!! Jump up to grab the bars and traverse to the end and around to the left. Exit to the room you were in before with the big central structure. Climb onto either of the two cages you raised before when using the flaming niches. If you climb onto the left cage (east wall), take a running jump to grab the ladder and climb to the bottom until Lara is hanging as low down as she can. Climb up (tap the Up cursor key once) and shimmy to the left. Finally, pull up. If you climb onto the right cage, just take a diagonal running jump to land on the central structure.

The opening leads to another flaming niche. Wait for the flame to go away and then use the niche to activate a mechanism that turns off the fire that previously was protecting the key item you need beneath the central structure.

2nd Secret (2-7\ total: 32-70) - Before dropping down, hang from the edge on the left hand side (east) and shimmy to the right around the corner (as shown in this screenshot). Eventually you will see an opening above you. Pull up and pick up the Shotgun Wideshot Ammo and Large Medipack. Safely drop back down to the ground.

Go down the ramp beneath the central structure and get The Rules Of Senet from the pedestal.

The cut scene shows the trapdoor that leads to the place you will play the game, opening up.

Make your way back to the room with the board and climb up the ladder on the west wall.

A second cut scene shows the head of Semerkhet expanding out of the wall. Guess who will be your opponent!

Playing the Senet Game - If you examine the Rules you will see that you need to spin the small sticks. You are the one who starts the game (your opponent is gentleman enough to allow you). Your checkers are the colored ones - red, blue and green. Every time you spin the sticks, you need to stand on one of the colored squares to give the order as to which checker is to move. Be careful to jump/ stand only on the square that corresponds to the color of the piece you want to move. If you run and step on two consecutive squares that are still on the board, only the first will count.

The goal is to land all three of your checkers on the final ankh square. The number of white sticks you can see after taking your spin dictates the number of squares you have to move your checker along. However, if the spin results in you getting four black sticks, your throw is a six, which means that you must move one of your checker six squares. You get an extra turn if you get a six, and also whenever you get one of your pieces to the ankh. If you land on an opponent's piece it is returned to the start (your opponent's piece is returned that is, not your own). This works both ways. Thus, if an opponent's piece lands on one of your pieces; your piece is returned to the start. Note also that if one of your pieces is one square before the final ankh, you will need to get one white stick in order to move the piece onto it. If the spin gives you more than one white stick, you must move another piece and if you do not have one on the board you will just lose your turn. The path of your and Semerkhet's checkers is shown in this screenshot. Yours is red and Semerkhet's is blue.

Note about winning or losing the game - Depending on if you win or lose the game, a different route throughout the rest of the level will open up for you. If you lose, the route will be difficult. If you win it will be easy. Note though that you MUST lose if you want all the Secrets. So, better save your game before starting the Senet battle. If you cheated and got to the place where you play via the railings, you may have a problem in leaving, as the trapdoor will be closed. If that is the case then perform a sideways jump over the railings.

Losing the game\ Long way (all the Secrets) - Once you lose the game, four trapdoors open alongside the board, one in each corner. If you want the Secrets, you had better drop through one of the two trapdoors on the north side of the room (northeast and northwest corners, as shown in this screenshot). It is possible to get the Secret by dropping through the trapdoors on the south side, but this requires tricky jumps and you may lose health. Also, if you use the trapdoors on the north side, later on you will avoid having to use two awkward ropes that are set diagonally.

3rd Secret (3-7\ total: 33-70) - So, drop through one of the two trapdoors on the north side and save your game before sliding down. After the second slope, you drop onto a third one. Be on your toes for the opening ahead. Jump at the edge of the slope and press Action to grab the edge of the opening. Pull up and slide down the pole (or hang from the edge of the hole and drop down). Pick up the Uzi Ammo from the floor and shoot the two vases to get the Shotgun Wideshot Ammo and the Small Medipack. Grab the pole and climb up. Back-flip to any of the ledges and climb into the opening you came from.

You may want to save you game before continuing your descent, because going down the next pole could first need a spot of practice. Walk to the edge of the opening and drop off the ledge (just press the Up cursor key once) to slide down the middle of the slope. Jump to grab the pole and slide down. Back-flip onto one of the two ledges. Pick up the Small Medipack and Uzi Ammo, and grab the pole again to slide to the bottom. Kill the bat that appears.

Room with ropes - Take a look at the other side of the room, beyond the ropes. You should be able to see another pole. That is where you would be standing if you had followed one of the two trapdoors on the south side of the Senet Board. This includes two more pick-ups, but wait to get them later without using the ropes.

[Note - If you reached this room by dropping through the trapdoors on the south side of the Senet Board, you need to use the ropes now and get to the other side (south) of the room. You may want to take the Cartouche Piece 2 first, though, so to avoid having to backtrack and use the ropes again later on. You can get it from the crawlspace on the ledge. After getting the Cartouche Piece 2, use the ropes to get the Cartouche Piece 1. If you want, you can climb up the pole and get two more pick-ups (Small Medipack and Uzi Ammo). Then take a running jump to the ledge on the east wall and open the red double doors to get the Secret. Then continue with the walkthrough Onto the ground below.]

First Cartouche Piece - Take a running jump to the ledge close to the stairs and go to the end. Kill the two dogs inside the room. If you are having troubles with them, follow the way back to the ledge with the pole and kill them from there. Go to the alcove at the other side of the room. Pull the Senet checker underneath the two hammers, and use the lever to activate them and smash the checker. Pick up the Cartouche Piece 1 from the remains and return to the ledge where the pole is back in the main room.

Turn to face north. You need to reach the middle level in the Northwest corner of the room below. Do not use the ropes. Instead, safely drop to the ledge below and then to the ground. Go to the other side where the ladder is and climb up it. Then climb to the left around the corner. Drop onto the ledge, turn around, and crawl through the opening. (See this screenshot to get oriented.)

Second Cartouche Piece - Climb onto the ledge to reach a room with a walkway in the middle. Jump to the walkway and enter the alcove on the other side. Pull the Senet checker out from the wall, jump over it and push it underneath the hammers. They are about to smash the checker, so hop backward to avoid getting damage. Correctly done this will open a door below. Pick up the Cartouche Piece 2 and be on the lookout for two dogs below. To safely kill them, drop onto the block between the walkway and the opening you came from and shoot them from there.

Go through the door you just opened beneath the walkway. Shoot the vases and get the Small Medipack and Shotgun Normal Ammo. Exit and return back outside through the crawlspace. Climb up the ladder and kill the bat that attacks. You can climb up the pole and back-flip onto either ledge in order to get the Shotgun Normal and the Crossbow Poison Ammo's. After that, climb down the pole or safely drop down.

4th Secret (4-7\ total: 34-70) - From the bottom of the pole, take a running jump to the ledge on the east wall (as shown here). Open the red double doors and pick up the Crossbow Poison Ammo and Small Medipack. Return outside and use either of the two long slopes to slide backwards (jump facing upwards). Grab the edge and drop to the ground.

Onto the ground - If you have not already done so, combine the two Cartouche Pieces to get the Ba Cartouche. Place it in the receptacle next to the door on the east wall (you cannot use it in the other receptacle anyway) and kill the two dogs that appear from nowhere.

The timed flaming run - Enter the room and look for the Senet checker on the left. As you can see, it is protected by two lit burners. To turn them off, you have to use the switch on the right hand wall (as you enter). However, this is timed and you have about 75 seconds to make your way up and pull\ push the checker underneath the two hammers.

Below we provide two alternative ways, but before doing anything, prepare the area. Before using the switch, safely drop to the ground beneath the walkway. Go to the back of the room (north) where you will find two poles. Climb up either and back-flip to the ledge close to the Checker. Pull the Checker once, go to the back-side of it and push it once more to position it just before the doorway (as shown in this screenshot). Grab either pole and slide down. Go to the other side of the room and crawl through the opening on the right. As you do the latter, you will hear a trapdoor opening. Climb up the ladder, passing through the trapdoor that opened, to return back up. Enter the room again. Now do either:

• Using the crawlspace: Take a running jump to grab the switch and turn off the burners. Crawl through the opening again, climb up the ladder and enter the room. Cross the walkway and slip past the Checker from either side. Start pushing it until the end.

• Using the pole: Getting the Ra Cartouche using the poles is rather fascinating. As soon as you enter the room, go right on the walkway. Take a running jump to grab and throw the switch. Immediately roll and sprint to the other end of the room (either right or left). Grab either pole and climb up. Back-flip onto the ledge, step onto the walkway, and start pushing the checker.

If you do not make any mistakes during this process you should have enough time to complete it without problems. However, if by the end of your speedy endeavours the burners come back on again and set Lara on fire, do not panic. Pummel her with Medipacks and jump down to the pool. The water might be knee-high to Lara, but she will crouch as she is landing in the pool, and the fire will extinguish. Once you make it on time, the hammers will smash the checker. Pick up the Ra Cartouche and place it in the receptacle next to the other door outside.

Room with three ropes - Go up the stairs. When you reach the doorway that leads to the next room, a fire elemental will emerge from the fire below and start chasing you. To kill it you can backtrack to the room where you moved the last Senet checker, drop to the ground, then to the pool. The fire elemental will stupidly follow you in, and the water will kill it. (Keep this in your mind. A fire elemental can be destroyed by water.)

Another way of killing it in this particular situation is to drop into the room from whence it came, climb onto the ramp on your right, enter the next room, and pull the lever to release an ice elemental from the bluish box. A brief struggle in mid-air will follow and then they will kill each other. With both methods, never stop running the whole time. If you run, the fire elemental will take some of your health, but if you stop it will burn you. The second method incidentally is hard, because the fire elemental will often set you on fire before you can release the ice one.

Utilizing either of the two methods, get the two Small Medipacks from the room where the bluish box is, and if you followed the first way, make sure you DO NOT use the lever and release the ice elemental, because there is NO WAY to kill it.

Using the three ropes - Climb onto the ledge in the doorway, where you first triggered the fire elemental. You need to use the three ropes. They are lined up, so if you stand facing the first one and the other two are exactly behind it, you will not have a problem (check this screenshot). Just make sure you always slide to the bottom of each rope so that you will have a higher momentum when you come to jump to the next one. Take a running jump to grab the first rope, swing, and when you have a high momentum going, jump to grab the next one.

5th Secret (5-7\ total: 35-70) - When you are hanging from the third rope, jump to the opposite ledge - that is, do not turn at all whilst on the rope as might be the temptation when looking at the layout of the room. Pick up the Grenadegun Normal Ammo from the left of the hallway and the Revolver and Uzi Ammo's from the right hand side.

Do not drop down or you will need to use the ropes again. Return to the ledge close to where you got the Grenadgun Ammo and take a running jump to grab the third rope. Climb to the top to stop yourself swinging and then turn right. Slide to the bottom, swing, and jump to the opposite ledge. Cross the walkway and kill the two bats that come from behind you.

From the edge of the walkway, take a running jump to land on the block where the pole is. Press Action to make Lara grab the pole. Make her do 7 'climbing up' movements before turning so you have the ledge to the back of you. Back-flip onto it. If you are not interested in the Secrets, as you will need to use the ropes again, skip to the part of the walkthrough On your way to the exit.

6th Secret (6-7\ total: 36-70) - Take a standing jump to grab the switch on the left wall. This raises a trapdoor beneath a niche on the upper level (the switch and the trapdoor are shown in this screenshot). Kill two more bats. Then jump to the block where the pole is, climb up it, and back-flip as before. Turn around and go to the left. Use the niche to get a Torch. You need to make your way back down, but seeing how Lara cannot climb down the pole whilst holding the Torch, throw it down first (be careful where you throw it). Take a standing jump to grab the pole and slide down. Now take a running jump back to the ledge from where you came, cross the walkway, and safely drop to the ground. You can hang from the block where the pole is and drop down but you will lose a small percentage of health.

Get the Torch from where you dropped it and return to the room with the three ropes. Go up the ramp and jump to the block where the fire is. Light the Torch. Make your way back to the room where you picked up the Torch and light the two dead torches alongside the doorway (as shown in this screenshot). This opens a trapdoor behind you. Throw the Torch away and climb down the ladder. Follow the hallway until you reach a blade trap. To get past it, stand in front of it as close as you can, and when the blades are open press the Roll button. Press it only once. If you keep pressing it, Lara will roll twice and return back to the side of the blade you started off at.

Get the Shotgun Wideshot and Grenadegun Flash Ammo's first. Getting the Flares and the Large Medipack triggers a mass of beetles. Better take the Flares first and then the Medipack. Then jump backward, pressing Roll at the same time. Drop through the hole just before the blade trap on your way back and climb out the other side. Climb up to the next ledge on the left and finally up the ladder.

(Note - The level end is near, so if you are low on health and do not want to spare any Medipacks, proceed through the passageway in the beginning until you hear the chime signalling the Secret. Then return back up to the big room with the torches and the ropes. You will lose a few pick-ups, but you will also avoid the attack of the beetles.)

You need to use the ropes again now. So, make your way back to the ledge in the initial doorway and jump from rope to rope. Whilst on the third rope, turn left and jump to the opposite ledge. Cross the walkway, take a running jump to the block where the pole is, climb up it and back-flip onto the ledge as you did before.

On your way to the exit - Follow either of the two routes on offer and take a running jump to the opposite ledge. Go through the opening and climb through the one in the ceiling.

7th Secret (7-7\ total: 37-70) - There is a switch just above the opening. Take a standing jump to grab it and this will raise a cage between the two ramps. Climb through the opening again, then onto the cage, and finally through the opening above. Pick up the Crossbow Explosive Ammo, the Large Medipack and the Uzi (Ammo if you already have it).

Drop onto the cage and follow the hallway to the end. The door opens as you approach it. Drop down and enter the room with the red floor to end the level. The crawlspace on the right, close where you dropped, would be the exit if you had won the Senet game.

Winning the game\ Short way - When you win the game, five cages rise up from the board where the ankh squares are. Climb down the ladder and go through the opening on the east side. Head up the ramp on the right to reach the edge above the board. If you cheated and got to the place where you play via the railings, you may have a problem in leaving, as the trapdoor will be closed. If that is the case then perform a sideways jump over the railings.

Jump to either of the first two cages and take a running jump to the second. Take a running jump to grab the third cage and pull up. Again take a running jump to grab the fourth cage, pull up and jump to the opposite ledge. Follow either of the two stairs until you reach the double doors that open as you approach them. Kill the two dogs that emerge from inside and head down the stairs.

Shoot the vase on the right to get the Uzi Ammo and go down the stairs in the next room. The next vase contains Shotgun Normal Ammo (be careful with the fire here). Kill the dog that can be found lurking at the bottom and head to the left, killing another dog in the process. Drop through the hole in the floor and be on your guard for the mass of beetles that appear after dropping off the ledge. Sprint to the other side and jump over the ramp. Grab the pole and climb up. Back-flip and shoot the vase on the right to get a Large Medipack.

Circular reflected mirrors - Enter the room with the three reflected mirrors. The two dogs do not awaken here, so move around without fear. Go to the far-left corner of the room (Southeast) and drop down at the bottom of the pole. Kill the two bats and climb up the pole. Back-flip onto the ledge with the two boxes and pick up the Crossbow Normal and Poison Ammo's from behind the boxes. (If you are having trouble doing the back-flip, let Lara grab the pole at the bottom by pressing Action, and do sixteen 'climbing up' movements.)

Mirror puzzle - Jump to the other opening. The door opens as you approach it and closes when you drop down. You are exactly above the room with the three mirrors. You need to pull\ push the three movable checkers to the corresponding colored squares. Start by pushing the red checker to the end and then pull\ push the blue and green ones in whatever order you like, moving them through the path of where the red was once standing.

Every time you correctly place a new checker in its desired position, a cut scene will show the corresponding reflected mirror being disabled in the room. When you have done all three, a secret opening will reveal itself beneath the tomb. This will both awaken dogs and opens the exit door (bit of good and bad then).

Climb through the opening you came from, jump to grab the pole, and slide down. Enter the room with the mirrors and safely kill the two dogs from the west or east ledge. Drop through the opening you revealed after solving the puzzle and crawl through the opening. Drop down at the end and enter the room with the red floor to end the level. The door on the left, close to where you dropped, would be the exit if you had lost the Senet game.

Getting the 2nd Secret by cheating - If you decide to take the shortcut and not collect the game Rules, you can still can get the 2nd Secret. By plying normally, you would have raised two cages in the room with central structure, but since you avoid the room with the six flame niches all together, the cages do not raise. To get the Secret, do this:

Go to the right of the central structure and take a look towards the top of it. You can see an opening up there and this is what leads to the Secret. Climb the block (it is actually two blocks, both next to each other) in the Northeast corner of the room and turn to face the structure. You need to grab the ladder and climb to the opening. Stand against the wall facing the structure and sidestep to the left to reach the edge. Step backwards once and turn 45 degrees to the left. See this screenshot to get oriented. Tap back once and take a running jump to grab the bottom of the ladder. You may need to turn right in midair. Climb to the opening and pick up the Shotgun Wideshot ammo and the Large Medipack.