SERIOUS SAM: THE SECOND ENCOUNTER

Walkthrough
Date: May 2003
Author: LM
Copyright info: This document may be freely copied and reproduced.

GENERAL COMMENTS
#1. The story background, enemies, weapons, and controls are covered in the
game's manual, so I won't be discussing them in detail below. If there's no
printed version, you can access the manual by clicking on "Manual" on the
welcome screen that appears when you insert the disk in the CD drive. You can
also consult it in C:\Program Files\Croteam\Serious Sam - The Second
Encounter\Help\Manual. Perhaps one advice would be in order: When the game
calls for swimming, I suggest using--in combination with the directional
key--the Jump key to swim up and the Crouch key to swim down faster.
#2. This walkthrough was written while playing the game in the Normal
difficulty setting.
#3. As in many other games, you may not kill all the enemies or witness all the
events scripted into the game if you don't pick up a certain object, walk over
a certain point, etc.
#4. When I use the term "Use" with a capital U, it means "use the 'Use' key,"
whereas "Analyze" with a capital A means "use the 'Use' key when Sam is
prompted to 'analyze' something." A "non-secret" means an item or an effect
discovered in such a way that it would qualify for a secret in my opinion but
does not count as one in the game.
#5. In most cases, you will be able to proceed past the next door or gate only
after you kill all, or at least most, of the evildoers in the area you
currently occupy. Also in most cases, areas become inaccessible when you leave
them through a door or gate, unless the game calls for you to return there at
some point.
#6. Serious Bomb. This weapon is hard to come by, so try to save enough of them
for the toughest battles, which usually take place towards the end of each
multi-level mission (see, for example, step 5.D.b below). "Enough" means three
because that is the maximum amount that you can carry. Note that Serious Bombs
are the only major weapon that you are allowed to carry over from the last
mission when you start a new one.
#7. Some cheat codes that may be useful (type them in the game console, which
is activated by pressing the F1 or ~ key):
please god (invulnerability)
please ghost (no-clip mode)
please giveall (all power-ups except Serious Bombs)
please tellall (all NETRISCA messages)

INTRO SEQUENCE: "IN THE LAST EPISODE"
Secrets: 1 (Not found. It would seem that the player cannot influence what
happens in the intro. However, when you access the "Statistics" section of
Sam's computer display at the start of the next (first playable) level of the
game, you will notice that the current total number of secrets stands at 13
whereas the subtotal for level 1 is only 12; there is a discrepancy in the kill
statistics as well. That means that you have already missed one secret, and yet
you have not even started playing.)
The intro gives you a brief account of what happened in Serious Sam 1 and ends
with Sam taking off in an alien spaceship. However, the spaceship collides with
a "crate bus."

MISSION ONE: MESOAMERICA

LEVEL 1: SIERRA DE CHIAPAS
Secrets: 12
Enemies introduced: female Gnaar, beheaded firecracker, beheaded kamikaze,
Kleer skeleton, Sirian werebull, common Aludran reptiloid, adult arachnoid,
Scythian witch-harpy, Zumb'ul from Planet Ras-ad-Nyk, beheaded rocketeer,
beheaded bomber, juvenile arachnoid, cucurbito the pumpkin, lava golem, Reeban
electro-fish
Weapons introduced: knife, revolver, revolver in each hand, rocket launcher,
chainsaw, single-barrel shotgun, sniper rifle, flamethrower, double-barrel
shotgun
Health items introduced: vial, cube, pill, flask, heart
Armor items introduced: green vest, yellow vest, shard
Other power-ups introduced: Serious Speed, invulnerability

1.A. CRASH SITE
1.A.a. You start the level free-falling into a pond. You have a knife and a
revolver in your arsenal. SECRET: Rather than going to the surface immediately,
dive all the way down to collect a new weapon (rocket launcher) in the lit spot
near the bottom.
1.A.b. Once you surface, get onto the small peninsula that was behind you when
you were falling. Pick up the extra revolver there; you'll be then able to
wield two of those at the same time. If you haven't played the first game, now
is the time to learn how to access NETRISCA (Sam's computer) and read its
messages. In particular, you'll learn from NETRISCA that you need to find a
teleport to get closer to the Holy Grail.
1.A.c. Still on the peninsula, cover these two SECRETS: (1) Collect the green
vest (+50 armor). (2) Walk towards the phone booth to "discover" it; you might
as well get inside and Use the phone to enquire when Duke Nukem 4 will finally
be released. Swim across the pond, get onto the wooden pier, and take the new
weapon sitting there: chainsaw.
1.B. LOST VALLEY
1.B.a. As you leave the pier, NETRISCA will identify this area as "Lost Valley"
and mention a temple. Soon enough, you'll be able to see that temple. You'll
also be introduced to various enemies (female Gnaar, beheaded firecracker,
beheaded kamikaze, Kleer skeleton, Sirian werebull, common Aludran reptiloid)
as well as a single-barrel shotgun. Keep in mind that there are other useful
items scattered across the terrain, here as well as throughout the game; don't
overlook any. Among those you'll find in the valley are packs of ammo, pink
vials (+10 health), and a yellow vest (+25 armor).
1.B.b. When you reach the temple, don't go in right away. Skirting its outer
perimeter on the left, find a darker section on the wall near the spot where it
meets the mountain. SECRET: Blast it to discover an entrance. If you have used
up your rockets already, find the second secret in the 1.B.c area and then come
back. Follow-up SECRET: Get through the hole you've created and go down to
discover a "hall of fame." Stick around for a silly presentation.
1.B.c. Two more SECRETS: (1) From the hall of fame, get outside and walk
straight to discover smoking remains of the "crate bus" that collided with
Sam's spaceship in the intro. (2) Continue up the slope after #1 until you
collect an ammo pack.
1.B.d. Return to the temple entrance and climb the stairs. You'll see a sniper
rifle, some ammo, and a red-cross cube (+50 health). After you pick up the
rifle, you'll be trapped in this ante-yard, and an adult arachnoid will be
spawned on top of a pyramidal structure up ahead. You'll have to kill the
arachnoid, as well as some Scythian witch-harpies that will come flying from
the hills. The gate will be opened for you soon after, by a couple of Kleer
skeletons.
1.B.e. As you proceed across the yard, you'll encounter still more enemies,
including these new ones: Zumb'ul from Planet Ras-ad-Nyk, beheaded rocketeer,
beheaded bomber. You may also try out the new power-up here: Serious Speed,
which is, obviously, a temporary speed booster. Walk up the staircase into the
temple, collecting some pills (+1 health) along the way. (Before you do that:
If you decide that for some reason you need to revisit the areas outside this
temple yard, you can do so by jumping onto the perimeter wall from the
staircase and then onto the grass below. When you are done revisiting, you'll
notice that a soap-bubble teleport has appeared near the entrance to the temple
yard. Walk into it to get to the ante-yard where you'll find another teleport,
which will get you back inside the temple yard.)
1.C. INSIDE THE FIRST TEMPLE
1.C.a. Soon after you enter the temple, you'll discover some shield-shaped
shards (+1 armor), a flamethrower, ammo for the latter, and a green flask (+25
health). In the next room, you'll have to kill a juvenile arachnoid, as well as
a cucurbito that will break through the wall. Jump down through the hole that
he's made.
1.C.b. Inspect the room that is located directly below the one from which
you've jumped, and then proceed. SECRET: After you pass through the gallery
with hazy sunlight coming through the openings in the roof, there will be a
T-junction. Go left, to find a "secret Mental's room." Make a sequence of jumps
on the lit letters in this order: M, E, N, T, A, L; a niche with a heart-shaped
pack (+100 health) will open on the other side. If you screw up the order or
miss, the jump pads will go dark and the niche won't open. After collecting the
power-up, you can jump on any pad to get back.
1.C.c. Proceed carefully through the crushing-block passage. Next, walk up the
ramp and jump down through the hole at the end, to discover a double-barrel
shotgun below. The golden figurine in the center of the chamber is an
invulnerability power-up. Pick it up, or you won't be able to proceed. After
you kill all the skeletons that will appear, walk towards the corner without a
statue to deal with a Zumb'ul.
1.C.d. Go upstairs, but read the NETRISCA message before you enter the next
room. Your objective there will be to Use two switches on the sidewalls in
order to unlock the door across from the entrance. To avoid the crusher, use
the safety isles to get to the switches and then to the door. Kill the enemies
in the next passageway, with a lava golem among them, and proceed to the exit
from the temple.
1.D. SECOND VALLEY
1.D.a. As you leave the temple, you'll notice a deep pit in front. Kill the
arachnoid on the opposite side. SECRET: The pit has a ledge where you should
jump to collect a weapon. When done, drop to the lower ledge to be teleported.
1.D.b. You'll emerge near a suspension bridge. For a higher kill count, cross
it and go left, back towards the exit from the temple. A number of enemies will
be spawned near the bridge. Keep going until you get a NETRISCA message, then
backpedal and kill them as well as the reptiloid that will be hurling green
blobs at you from across the valley. Cross the bridge again and jump down to
the lower ledge on the left, then to the rocket launcher below. Move into the
valley.
1.D.c. SECRET: Soon, there will be a conspicuous rock on the mountainside on
your left. Blow it up to discover a cave. Go inside, dive, and swim on. Another
SECRET: When you emerge from the water passage, cross the suspension bridge to
collect the heart on the other side.
1.D.d. Slide down safely and proceed through the valley towards another temple.
SECRET: When you reach the second temple, dive into the pond to find a health
cube in the lit spot near the bottom. On your way there you'll be introduced to
some Reeban electro-fish. Get to the surface and onto the wooden pier, go
through the gate, and walk forward to start the next level.

LEVEL 2: VALLEY OF THE JAGUAR
Secrets: 8 (I've been unable to find one of the secrets. Maybe the non-secret
in step 2.B.a is actually a secret too stubborn to register.)
Enemies introduced: major bio-mechanoid, minor bio-mechanoid, Fiendian
reptiloid demon, marsh hopper from Rigil Kentaurus
Weapons introduced: Serious Bomb, grenade launcher, machine gun
Armor items introduced: red vest, blue vest
Other power-ups introduced: red ammo backpack, Serious Damage

2.A. STILL INSIDE THE TEMPLE
2.A.a. After you pass through the first door, NETRISCA will tell you that you
need to use the bounce pads to cross the chasm. Follow that advice. On the
second leg of your journey in the cave, you'll have to use the stone ledge on
your left in order to progress. And, of course, the last pad, which is moving,
can be tricky. When you reach the final platform, you'll discover a new weapon:
Serious Bomb. Read what NETRISCA has to say about its properties and also what
I have to say about it in #6 of the General Comments above.
2.A.b. Use the right-side lane in the next passageway to get closer to the
lava-spewing stone head above the exit door and destroy it. Next, you'll find
yourself in another cave with a chasm and bounce pads, as well as
liquidy-looking blue ramps. You'll be well advised, while bouncing on the first
pad, to get rid of the green reptiloid that can be seen at some distance, 1
o'clock. Using the first row of bounce pads, reach the first switch and Use it.
A bounce pad will move closer to the starting platform. Again, it'll be wise to
eliminate the reptiloid that will appear on the opposite end of the cave.
Return to the starting platform and get to the blue ramp, which will also act
as a bounce pad. Get to the second switch using the ramps and summon another
bounce pad, which will help you get to the final platform where you'll find a
red vest (+200 armor).
2.A.c. SECRET: From the same platform, make a somewhat awkward jump onto the
smaller ledge located slightly lower, on the left, to be catapulted onto the
stone canopy above the platform for some ammo. After you pick up the ammo, you
should hear the sound of a werebull from below. If you want to avoid direct
confrontation with the beast, jump back onto the secret ledge and then bounce
up, twisting in such a way that the beast may notice you. The bull will then
charge forward and fall to its death. Then you can safely jump down from the
front edge of the canopy onto the protruding part of the platform. Proceed
through the door to find a new weapon (grenade launcher) and a red ("Serious")
backpack, and then get outdoors.
2.B. VALLEY
2.B.a. Read the NETRISCA message about your objectives. NON-SECRET: As soon as
you get out into the open, turn around and you will notice a camouflaged ledge
on the hill slope. Blow it up to release an invulnerability power-up.
2.B.b. Quite a few enemies will be spawned as you venture into the valley,
including two varieties of a bio-mechanoid: major and minor. (You may also
notice, if not now then at some point before the end of this level,
witch-harpies carrying beheaded kamikazes into battle.) One way to deal with
them would be to pick up the invulnerability, run towards the center of the
valley, and use the Serious Bomb that you acquired in step 2.A.a. Don't expect
all of the foes to die, however; you'll still have some resistance left. When
you have killed everyone, climb the stairs to the top of the central pyramid
and learn from NETRISCA the details of your task. Two more ammo backpacks will
be spawned here after you visit other structures in this valley, so feel free
to pick up the one that's already there.
2.B.c. For more data, go to the top of the staircase that completes the axis
formed by the valley entrance and central pyramid. NETRISCA will tell you that
the door at the top leads inside the Temple of the Jaguar. Turn around now, go
down the stairs, and walk towards its sub-temple on your right. Climb the
stairs there and proceed inside the mountain.
2.C. FEMALE-JAGUAR SUB-TEMPLE
2.C.a. After a couple of ordinary rooms, you'll find yourself in a chamber
outfitted with spikes. The breezes there will force you towards the spikes, so
you'll have to keep adjusting your position in order to stay as close to the
central axis as possible. Keep in mind that this chamber will remain dangerous
on your way back.
2.C.b. SECRET: In the next room, with four health vials, there is a bounce pad
in an alcove on your left. Jump up and collect the items sitting on the
overhead beam, including this new one: blue vest (+100 armor).
2.C.c. The final chamber will have a disappearing light path. The advantage of
following it is that the bulk of the enemies will not be spawned until after
you pick up the female-jaguar statue and the chamber is illuminated. Having
obtained the artifact, return to the valley.
2.D. BACK IN THE VALLEY
Keep in mind that, as shown to you in a cut-scene, a new enemy (Fiendian
reptiloid demon) will be waiting for you on the central pyramid (and there's
going to be another one near the entrance to the valley). Kill whomever you can
from a vantage point. When you leave the sub-temple complex and reach the
ground level, bear right. SECRET: Go towards the "Crollywood" sign until you
get a message about a movie studio. Then turn around and proceed towards the
sub-temple on the other side of the valley.
2.E. MALE-JAGUAR SUB-TEMPLE
2.E.a. Go up the staircase. When you reach the top of the pyramid, Sam should
smell "some serious firepower" nearby. SECRET: Slide down to the nearest ledge
on the right side and blast the darker section on the wall to reveal a new
weapon: machine gun.
2.E.b. Proceed through a couple of rooms and ramps. At some point, you'll have
to destroy another lava-spewing stone head. In the colonnade chamber after
that, things will be complicated by a patch of thick black fog passing through
periodically. In order to successfully fight off the annoying cucurbitos,
you'll probably have to make use of the new power-up that's located here:
Serious Damage. It temporarily boosts the amount of damage you inflict with
your weapons. However, while the dark patch may look intimidating, it's quite
narrow, no more than 2 virtual feet.
2.E.c. Pick up the male-jaguar statue in the next room and retrace your steps
to the valley, to be greeted by freshly spawned foes on your way back.
2.F. BACK IN THE VALLEY YET AGAIN
2.F.a. Go down the stairs and bear right. SECRET: Head for the corner of the
valley, where you can see a huge ball sitting at the top, and collect the armor
vest there. Be sure to step aside for the ball to roll past you.
2.F.b. Now you can rightfully go to the central pyramid and place the jaguar
statues on the sparkling pedestals. Watch a laser burn through the door that
was blocking entry to your final destination in this level. Start advancing
there, fighting enemies on the way. A new variety among them will be marsh
hoppers from Rigil Kentaurus.
2.F.c. When you cover the first flight of stairs, don't overlook the last two
SECRETS: (1) Go inside the stone hut to the left of the final structure;
there's an ammo depot there. (2) Circle the base of the pyramid to collect a
healing pack, which is located where its right side meets the grassy slope.
2.F.d. Walk through the newly created entrance. Sam will pick up the crystal
skull that NETRISCA told you about when you found the Valley of the Jaguar.

LEVEL 3: THE CITY OF THE GODS
Secrets: 15
Enemies introduced: Zorg mercenary from Beelmez IV, Zorg commander from Beelmez
IV
Weapons introduced: cannon, submachine gun
Power-up introduced: green ammo backpack

3.A. FIRST SNAKE-GATE YARD
3.A.a. You start in a small ammo depot adjacent to a large yard. Collect what
ammo you can and leave through one of the doors.
3.A.b. Move to the right from the entrance. New enemies will greet you at some
point: Zorg from Beelmez IV, in their mercenary and commander varieties. Follow
the perimeter wall to the nearest corner to find this SECRET: Cut down the tree
in the corner, which will reveal a wedge-shaped area between the stone hut and
the perimeter wall. Pick up the health cube. By now, NETRISCA has probably
informed you that you need to collect two masks in this yard. Go inside the
nearby building, which is one of the two that house them.
3.A.c. The item you are looking for (the "happy" mask) is located on the ground
floor, but be sure to search the whole building for useful items, including a
green ammo backpack. There is also an armor vest on a ledge on the second floor
that you can reach by making a series of jumps from ledge to ledge. Exit the
building and continue along the perimeter wall.
3.A.d. SECRET: In the next corner, in the area between the building with facade
columns and the perimeter wall, find a darker section on the building and blast
it to find an armor vest. Proceed with your quest, and when you see the gate
with a snake figure on top, stop for a second to Analyze it. Another SECRET: In
the next corner of the perimeter, search behind the building for a health pill.
Pick it up to activate a "secret bloodbath."
3.A.e. Enter the second big building in the yard for the remaining mask. Go
right first and discover these SECRETS: (1) Blow up the fallen pillar to reveal
a corridor. (2) Follow that corridor into the room with cannon balls and
destroy the central pillar there to find a new weapon: cannon. Then go back and
follow the other corridor (the one that was not blocked) in this building. Find
the "scary" mask and leave.
3.A.f. SECRET: Visit the remaining corner of the yard to collect an ammo pack.
Now you can go to the altar (shown to you in a cut-scene) near the central
pyramid and place the masks. Attaching them there will unlock the snake gate.
On your way towards the gate, collect a new weapon from the nearby pedestal:
submachine gun. Go through the gate, which is followed by a smaller yard and a
short maze with arrow-firing heads, to the next large yard.
3.B. SECOND SNAKE-GATE YARD
Your objective is, of course, the next snake gate. It will be unlocked as soon
as you defeat the major bio-mechanoid that will appear when you approach the
gate. In order to cover this area thoroughly, though, go left as you first
enter. Behind the third tree from the entrance, there is a SECRET: an
unobtrusive twinkling teleport. Walk into it.
3.C. SECRET YARD
You arrive in a "yard of strange-looking heads." The exit is located on the
opposite side of the yard, in a building with columns that houses a teleport
bubble. On your way there, you will pass several pools with electro-fish and
ammo and will meet familiar, if differently sized, enemies. NON-SECRET: When
you are reasonably sure that you're done with the resistance, blast the
"strange-looking heads" for a higher kill count. Before leaving, check the rear
of the exit building: there's a health item there. However, you will be able to
return to the secret yard, up until step 3.E., so don't take more than you
need.
3.D. BACK IN THE SECOND SNAKE-GATE YARD
You'll emerge in the central part of the yard. Before leaving through the snake
gate, replenish your ammo supply in the building that is located to the left of
the gate. SECRET: There is an ammo pack behind that building.
3.E. "VERY LONG RUN"
In the two-leg stretch that follows, you'll be hit by several attack waves.
Note that some beheaded kamikazes will be carrying cannons and cannon balls,
which you can collect after you kill them. Some werebulls will be carrying
cannons and will be shooting at you.
3.F. VILLAGE AFTER THE "VERY LONG RUN"
While pacifying the village, keep in mind that there are two SECRETS there: (1)
Find a hut with a snake ornament on the roof and enter the hut (and sidestep
quickly) to discover a "lost Spanish cannon." Destroy the cannon and collect
the ammo sitting by it. (2) Reach the section of the perimeter wall that is
directly opposite the entrance; there is a health cube behind the hut that
stands at an angle to the wall. Proceed inside the snake-adorned building that
stands apart from the village.
3.G. UNDERGROUND TUNNELS
3.G.a. SECRET: In the middle of the entrance hall, there is a healing heart
pulsating just under the ceiling. Blast the stone piece it sits on to collect
it. NON-SECRET: When you get through the door at the end of the hall, you'll
see a steep slide. If you jump over the rails there, you will find yourself in
a chute. As you slide down, several power-ups get spawned. However, the chute
ends in spikes. Every once in a while, I manage to jump out of the chute before
getting myself impaled and even to grab a couple of items before escaping. I
think you should bump into a side beam to achieve this feat. It happens really
fast, so I am not certain. Maybe there is an easier way. Whatever the case, the
conventional way to proceed would be to just slide down the upper surface and
not use the lower chute at all.
3.G.b. You'll fall into a room with two SECRETS: (1) Blast the central section
of the wall on the right to find some items. (2) Repeat the same on the left
wall to discover a "secret poker game." Proceed.
3.G.c. You'll soon find yourself in a windy corridor with rectangular holes in
the floor and round holes in the walls. You can follow the corridor, but it's
risky since there are spikes everywhere. Besides, you have to cover this SECRET
anyway: enter a secret passage through the first round hole on your right. Kill
the mini cucurbito there. Now all you have to worry about is evading the last
two spiky plates when you get out of the secret passage. Proceed through a
number of rooms and passageways to a smaller cave with ammo and then a big lava
cave.
3.G.d. SECRET: In the lava cave, go to the right, towards the half-submerged
building. There is a low-lying ledge between the building and the rock wall,
with an ammo pack on it. As for crossing the lava, you can see that the bridge
is destroyed. Find a floating piece in the lava in the left part of the cave
and use it to get across. Leave the cave through the door. Follow the stone
bridge and walk under the stone head with burning eyes, into a small ammo
depot.
3.G.e. In the chamber after the depot, after you make a few steps towards the
pulsating heart, the passage will collapse under you and you will fall, only to
discover that the floor acts as a trampoline. Soon, hordes of enemies will join
you in the circus act (about 130 altogether). You can keep on jumping, land on
a side pillar, or alternate. If you manage to catch your breath, note the
power-ups and supplies that are stored here. NON-SECRET: Picking up a second
health pill from the floor creates temporary "gravity off" conditions, meaning
that everybody will act as if in the no-clip mode. I think this procedure can
be repeated indefinitely because the pills are re-spawned. When everyone
(except you) is dead, leave this area via the pillar that housed the heart
power-up; the door behind the heart will open.

LEVEL 4: SERPENT YARDS
Secrets: 10
Enemy introduced: highlander Aludran reptiloid

4.A. INITIAL YARDS
4.A.a. First of all, get these two SECRETS out of the way: (1) Walk to the
right from the entrance and collect the ammo pack in the corner. (2) Same as
#1, only in the left corner; pick up the armor shard there to discover a
"suicidal plant." The pedestals in the left part of the yard are booby-trapped:
when you first approach them, the stone head with burning eyes will shoot in
their direction.
4.A.b. Proceed up the steps and beyond the walled enclave, into the yard with a
pit and a snake-statue pedestal. If you linger in that yard for too long, the
area will be bombarded with lava balls. (Maybe something other than the
player's slow pace triggers that; I'm not sure.) The bombardment should stop
after you kill all, or maybe most, of the monsters that will be spawned there.
Also, at some point one of the walls of the enclave you've passed will explode,
and a couple of mechanoids will be released. If that does not happen by itself,
you can achieve the same effect by stepping back towards the enclave after
venturing into the snake-statue yard. One reason for letting it explode is to
find its SECRET: there's a healing pack inside.
4.A.c. In the yard with the snake statue, go right and find yet another red
phone booth. Make a call. Then backpedal and proceed past the pit with the
statue to the next area.
4.A.d. You'll be soon facing what NETRISCA will term a "force-field passage."
You can experiment with what triggers what and how to use it to your advantage;
I prefer to just stay as close to a sidewall as possible and charge forward,
beyond the shooting section. SECRET: After you clear the force-field passage,
go behind the stone hut on the right to collect an ammo pack. Walk through the
gate into the next yard.
4.B. SNAKE-GATE YARD
Approach the altar with the stone statue for data, then Analyze the door of the
building opposite the altar, and finally Analyze the gate with the snake
ornament. Go through the gate opposite the entrance.
4.C. MOON PYRAMID
4.C.a. At least some of the roaming fields in the structure that houses the Ix
Chel mask act as teleports, and if those touch you, you will be relocated away
from the mask, which can be disorienting. Don't let that prevent you from
collecting everything you need, though.
4.C.b. SECRET: Approach the flattened head to the right of the structure that
housed the mask (only possible after you capture the mask). Blast the head
after it attacks you, to get a healing heart. Another SECRET: Walk behind the
Moon Pyramid and Use the detonator switch there to activate a "mega ultra
explosion." Meet a couple of highlander Aludran reptiloids. Return to the
previous yard.
4.D. BACK IN THE SNAKE-GATE YARD
4.D.a. You'll notice that the eyes of the stone head on the roof of the
building opposite the altar are burning now. When you approach the altar to
place the mask, the "bad head" will start firing at you. Just bite the bullet,
place the mask quickly, and get out of harm's way. The altar statue will deal
with the head then.
4.D.b. SECRET: After the "bad head" is destroyed, visit the building it sat on,
to collect an armor vest. Then leave this yard through the snake gate.
4.E. YARD PAST THE SNAKE GATE
4.E.a. Follow the perimeter wall on the right. SECRETS: (1) In the corner
behind three stone huts, collect the health pill to reveal a "secret watcher."
(2) Distance yourself from the watching eyes and shoot them to activate an
effigy that will shortly explode by itself.
4.E.b. To learn more about what to do next, cross the nearby bridge and go
inside the structure on the far end of the yard. Analyze the exit door. Then
turn around and go inside the building on your right. Use the switch in the
basement. Go outside and follow the water passage to get to the opposite
building. The similar switch there is inaccessible, so just shoot at it. That
will unlock the door at the end of the yard. Leave through that door.
4.F. EXIT CHAMBER
Eliminate the resistance. After you kill everyone, a hole will be created in
the floor. SECRET: Before jumping into the hole, destroy the two jaguar statues
on the stone canopy above the exit to release a health cube.

LEVEL 5: THE PIT
Secrets: 10
Enemy introduced: Kukulkan the Wind God
Weapon introduced: laser gun

5.A. INNER AREAS
5.A.a. You'll emerge falling into a pool. Proceed through the door after you
are done with the fish in the water and the Zorg ashore. Don't overlook the
health cube at the bottom of the pool, if you need it. The next gallery houses
a SECRET: Behind the fourth pillar on the right, there is a dark passage to a
spot with a healing heart.
5.A.b. The next room will be outfitted with crushing blocks. Luckily, the
blocks don't take up all the space: they come in three rows and there are safe
strips in between. Be greeted with applause (at least I think it's applause)
when you are out of danger, and find a new weapon (laser gun) in the next room.
5.A.c. In the room with the long up staircase, lava balls will start flying at
some point. The only way to stop them is to reach the top of the stairs.
Unfortunately, some enemies will be spawned there just then. When you're done,
go through the door. A well will be uncovered for you; jump in and slide down.
5.A.d. You'll fall into a chamber with "dangerous forces." The walls there have
a bouncing effect. Staying close to the central axis of the chamber will help
overcome the weird physics; the tactic for surviving the onslaught is up to
you.
5.A.e. At the end of the next gallery, with arches, there is a SECRET: a
twinkling teleport in the lamp on the left. Jump into it to get to a higher
point, from which you can reach an armor vest by jumping from ledge to ledge.
After surviving another chamber, where the floor will be making half-circles
about the longitudinal axis, you'll finally be out in the open.
5.B. CASTLE
5.B.a. You find yourself in what looks like a medieval castle. You'll cross a
couple of bridges and climb a spiral staircase, discovering these SECRETS along
the way: (1) Near the end of the first bridge, jump onto the side ledge on the
right to find a twinkling teleport just off the bridge. Jump into it to get
some ammo. Use the nearby teleport to return to the bridge. (2) Right after you
enter the stairwell tower, go right to find a health cube under the staircase.
(3) In the seventh window up the staircase, there will be a mini version of the
red reptiloid demon, hissing. Kill it to release a healing heart. (4) At the
L-shaped intersection on the upper bridge, destroy the two lamps on the first
(as you approach) outer ledge to summon "annoying Pinky's lost brothers." (For
the uninitiated, that is a reference to a similar creature killed by Sam in the
first game.) (5) From #4, go to the other ledge at the same intersection and
use the "secret broken teleport" in the right lamp. Once teleported up, you
will have to jump towards the armor vest to obtain it.
5.B.b. Eventually, you'll reach the final tower of the castle. There's more
weird physics as you enter the cylindrical chamber where the force of gravity
is directed centrifugally from the medial axis of the cylinder. Then proceed
through the passage that curves downwards and the room with a stone head and
two Serious Bombs. SECRET: In the next corridor, destroy the eight lamps to
have some cannon balls spawned. Exit to an open area.
5.C. FIRST OUTSIDE YARD
5.C.a. What you see in front of you is the Sun Pyramid, your final destination
in this mission of the game. Two SECRETS here: (1) After the welcome ceremony
(its near end will be marked by the appearance of werebulls and red reptiloid
demons), the gate with a snake ornament will be unlocked. Walk up the
staircase, turn right, and jump into the teleport in the corner lamp. Drop down
to the roof of the booth after you have been teleported, and collect some
"rocket-festival gear." (2) After #1, quickly jump off the booth onto the
perimeter ledge and then towards the healing heart sitting between two nearby
lamps. A "rocket festival" will be activated.
5.C.b. When you are done, go through the gate and up the stairs again. Collect
whatever you can, learn some bad news from NETRISCA, and use the slide,
avoiding a couple of spiky plates on your way down.
5.D. SUN PYRAMID
5.D.a. Shortly after you place the skull in its place, Kukulkan the Wind God
will emerge. Start shooting at him as soon as a "big boss" bar (showing the
boss's remaining strength) appears on the screen. NETRISCA will not provide
info on him until after he's dead, so I'll tell you right away that only
certain weapons work against him: the rocket and grenade launchers, the laser
gun, and the cannon.
5.D.b. Unfortunately, you and Kukulkan will not be fighting alone. Enemies more
familiar to you will keep being spawned until you defeat him. Supplies and
power-ups will also be spawned for you from time to time, although it will be
difficult to collect what you need in the heat of battle. If you have any
Serious Bombs left, now is the time to use them. However, since you only have a
few of them, wait until you have enough enemies on the battlefield to justify
their use. Serious Bombs will not affect Kukulkan, though.
5.D.c. Soon after Kukulkan is gone, the position he occupied will start
emitting the familiar twinkling of a teleport. Before walking into it, you
might want to kill whatever conventional opposition still remains and collect
whatever useful items you can find. By "useful," I mean Serious Bombs, health,
and armor. Ammo packs won't be of any use since the only weapons you are
starting the next mission with are your knife and revolver (and Serious Bombs,
if any).

MISSION TWO: MESOPOTAMIA

LEVEL 6: ZIGGURAT
Secrets: 10

6.A. ZIGGURAT PROPER
6.A.a. You emerge on top of a ziggurat. As indicated in step 5.D.c, you start
with only a knife and a revolver. Begin reacquiring weapons by walking around
the entrance structure and discovering a SECRET: sniper rifle.
6.A.b. Enter the building, reacquire more weapons, jump onto the wall of the
well, and look down. Use the two ledges there to get inside the ziggurat. Don't
jump all the way down; there's another way to get to the healing heart that's
stored among the spikes below.
6.A.c. After a few rooms, you'll find another well, with crisscrossed beams.
Use the beams to descend, and go down the ramp to find a platform flush with
the floor. Step onto the platform, and it'll take you down.
6.A.d. When you open the next door, you'll find yourself in a hall with tall
pillars, two of which have ledges that can be used as a spiral staircase.
SECRET: One of those pillars has an opening near the floor level. From the
opening, you can make a rather tricky jump towards the healing heart that you
saw from upstairs earlier. Don't panic when you start jumping up and down;
collect the heart, look around, locate an upper ledge, and land on it safely.
Return to the hall with the pillars.
6.A.e. Using either one of the spiral staircases, climb up. There is a switch
on one of the upper-level platforms, and other useful stuff on the remaining
three. Find the stuff and collect it; find the switch and Use it. Then jump
down and proceed through the exit door, which is now accessible thanks to the
staircase that you've just activated. Go up the ramp to an outdoor area.
6.B. FIRST WINGED-HORSE YARD
6.B.a. When you step out into the yard, NETRISCA will inform you that you need
to visit two temples here to proceed. Walk towards the gate on the opposite
side of the yard and Analyze it to confirm. Then turn around and walk right.
6.B.b. Visit the temple to collect a hawk-wing artifact. There are two SECRETS
near that temple: (1) Go behind the temple; there is a darker section on the
perimeter wall. Lacking explosive ammo, you should be able to cut it open with
any weapon. Find an armor shard inside; a monster will be spawned to offset the
value of your find. (2) If you follow the perimeter wall back towards the
entrance, you should find an ammo pack sitting in the corner. Picking it up
will activate a "suicidal avenger plant."
6.B.c. Proceed past the entrance and find another SECRET in the other corner
this side of the yard: there's a darker section on the wall of the ziggurat
where it meets the perimeter wall. Destroy it to find a healing pack. Now you
should visit the second temple to collect another hawk wing. When you have done
so, the exit from the first yard will be unlocked.
6.C. BUILDING PAST THE FIRST YARD
6.C.a. Try the door at the end of the first corridor, on the right side; you'll
learn that it's locked. Go through the opposite door, find a switch in one of
the rooms there, and Use it. That unlocks the locked door. Go through it.
6.C.b. SECRET: When you enter, walk to the right. Move into the dark area
between the first two warrior-adorned pillars on the right wall; you will find
some "useful items," which you may have noticed when you first entered the
building.
6.C.c. As you move on, you'll notice a round stone embedded in the wall.
Analyze it. When you step into the half-pipe that comes next, that stone and
more like it will be released to crush you. Avoid them. When at least the first
ball comes to a stop, jump over it onto the upper ledge. Jump into the next
room and proceed.
6.C.d. Next, you'll have to cross a millstream. Dive into its right section,
swim to the opposite side, and use an incoming spoke of the watermill as a lift
from which you can jump onto the platform. The next passage will lead you to a
well with ledges. Climb up by jumping from ledge to ledge and use the moving
platform at the end to lift you to the surface.
6.C.e. Kleer skeletons will attack after you collect the double-barrel shotgun
in the next room. A Serious Damage will be spawned at some point during the
assault. Kill the skeletons and follow the next passageway to another well;
you'll have to jump across it rather than climb up or down. You might want to
collect the armor vest sitting on a ledge there; it's tricky but quite
possible. Go through another passageway before you get outdoors.
6.D. FIRST RESIDENTIAL AREA
6.D.a. NETRISCA will instruct you to place the hawk wings (that you collected
in section 6.B above) in two temples located in this area. The opposition
you'll encounter while carrying out those instructions will be easier to deal
with, since this area is open and you will have plenty of room to maneuver on
both sides. Go to the temple on the right side. It's a prism-shaped tower
located at 2 o'clock from the entrance. When you have placed the artifact
there, you might as well cover the nearby SECRETS: (1) There is a solitary
plant in the desert at some distance. The secret registers when you collect the
speed power-up there. (2) Still there, blast the plant to find a damage
power-up.
6.D.b. Proceed to the other tower and place the second hawk wing. The door to
the next area is now unlocked. Go on to the next yard, where you'll see four
horse statues.
6.E. SECOND RESIDENTIAL AREA
6.E.a. Walk up to the exit door, Analyze it, turn around, and go through the
door on the right. In the next enclosed section, find the only tower that you
can enter; naturally, it's the furthest one from the entrance. Approach the
blue sacred stone, to "touch" it. Return to the four-horse yard and proceed to
the other enclosed section.
6.E.b. SECRET: Walk up to the wall opposite the entrance, past the lone statue
of a winged horse. Turn left there and collect the health pill near the
two-story building to enable a "Boxing Barry" secret. Then, walk along the
building until you hear a squeaking sound. Look up and shoot off the flapping
window shutter. A green reptiloid will be spawned on the roof of the opposite
building, only to be knocked out.
6.E.c. Locate the other sacred-stone tower, but don't enter it yet. Find this
SECRET first: If you stand with your back to the tower entrance, it'll be at 10
o'clock from your position. Blast the darker section of the wall in the niche
and enter. Look up, and you will see a wooden pallet up above. Blast it, too;
an invulnerability power-up will be released. In order to put it to good use,
pick it up after you touch the green stone in the tower.
6.E.d. When all is done, return to the four-horse yard and leave this area
through the now-unlocked door.
6.F. CHAMBER OF PUNISHMENT
6.F.a. When you enter a roofless hall with four overhead beams that look like
springboards, NETRISCA will identify it as "Chamber of Punishment." Don't pick
up the power-ups here yet. The only accessible door will be the one on the
right. Go there and Use the switch on the wall. Another wall will break
shortly, and another switch will be revealed. Using that one will cause a third
switch to be uncovered. Use it to unlock the other doors in the previous hall,
and return there.
6.F.b. Rather than leaving through the open door on your right, go to the room
opposite the one with the switches. This one also has a switch, but don't rush
to Use it. Look up, and you'll notice moving platforms overhead. The switch
will change the direction of gravity in this room, so you should synchronize
Using the switch with the passage of the platform directly above you. If you
succeed, you'll land on the platform, feet first; if not, you'll face death by
impalement. From that platform, drop onto the lower one. There's another switch
there--you know what to do. Finally, you'll be facing a stable-enough ledge.
Jump onto it and proceed. You are now above the Chamber of Punishment. Jump
from ledge to ledge to get the healing heart, and drop down.
6.F.c. Pick up the armor vest. A "big boss" bar will appear on the computer
screen. The collective big boss (represented by Kleer skeletons) will prove to
be rather puny, however, especially since you are provided with a Serious
Damage power-up as well. Dispatch the boss and leave.
6.G. GUARDING AREA
Go Analyze the Main Gates (the door on the opposite end of this yard). Sure
enough, guardians of the gates will soon be spawned, in waves. Judicious use of
the Serious Damage power-ups and armor vests scattered around will help you
defeat them. Eventually, the door will be unlocked and you will be able to
proceed, thus finishing the level.

LEVEL 7: THE ELEPHANT ATRIUM
Secrets: 12
Armor item introduced: helmet

7.A. STILL INSIDE THE BUILDING
7.A.a. After the entrance gallery, you'll find yourself in a hall with a
slippery floor. Leave it through the door on the right, turn left, go up the
staircase, and make two lefts. You should be on a platform overlooking the
slippery hall. SECRET: Use the bounce pad on the left to get on top of a
pillar, and jump your way to the healing heart on the other side.
7.A.b. Drop down and visit the room located below the secret heart. Return to
the area mentioned in the previous step, just before you made the last left
turn towards the secret pad. Only now, you should bear right. Proceed through a
sequence of rooms, staircases, and passageways until you get outdoors.
7.B. ELEPHANT SQUARE
7.B.a. Visit the door opposite the entrance, past the elephant statue, and
Analyze it. NETRISCA will call it "Door of Purity." Turn around and go towards
the prism-shaped tower at 2 o'clock, which has an entrance. Walk inside for
supplies, exit, and go towards the corner to the right of the entrance.
7.B.b. SECRET: You will find a health pill by the perimeter wall. Pick it up.
Several mechanoids will be spawned, and an explosion will destroy a section of
the wall, revealing a secret yard that you ought to explore. Another SECRET:
When you reach the end of the secret yard, you will find a detonator switch.
Use it to destroy one of the towers. Return to the main section of Elephant
Square.
7.B.c. Find the "Holy Bathhouse," located across from the tower in step 7.B.a.
In the hot-tub room downstairs, collect a new item: helmet (+5 armor). After
you clean yourself, the Door of Purity will be unlocked. Don't overlook the
backpack at the bottom of the tub. On your way back, avoid impact with a
punching block on the staircase.
7.B.d. SECRET: On the left side of the outer wall of the "Holy Bathhouse",
blast the darker section to find an armor piece. After some fighting, proceed
through Door of Purity to the next area.
7.C. SMALL COURT PAST THE DOOR OF PURITY
7.C.a. Now, this one is really frustrating. When you have eliminated the
initial enemy presence, six Kleer skeletons will be catapulted, one by one,
into the court from behind the perimeter wall to the right of the entrance.
SECRET: If you succeed in taking each one out before it touches the ground
(only possible with the sniper rifle, I think), you will receive a
congratulatory message.
7.C.b. When you Analyze the door opposite the entrance, you'll learn that it is
"locked forever." You have no other choice but to turn around and exit through
the door on the right.
7.D. NEXT YARD
7.D.a. After you pass through the small ammo depot, you'll find yourself in a
larger yard. Three SECRETS there: (1) From the entrance, make two rights and
pick up the ammo pack. A "mutated plant" will appear. (2) As in #1, only on the
left: you will notice a darker section on the wall of the entrance building.
Blast it to find an armor piece. (3) Diagonally across from #1, there is a
niche in the perimeter wall, with a healing heart.
7.D.b. If you stop near the elephant statue to analyze the nearby door,
NETRISCA will dub it "Yet Another Locked Door." Leave through the door on the
other end of the yard.
7.E. YARD WITH THE PIT
Most of this yard is taken up by a very deep pit in the middle of which there's
a platform with a golden elephant statue. Walking past the pit, enter the
supply depot through the open entrance. Use the switch inside the depot. When
you get out, don't overlook this SECRET: There's another switch on the
perimeter wall, to the left of the pit. Use it to unseal a secret yard, which
you'll locate later. Return to "Yet Another Locked Door" mentioned in step
7.D.b.
7.F. YARD WITH THE ELEPHANT DOOR
Proceed through the door (which is open now) to a room with supplies. Exit into
a yard where you'll see a platform with four minarets and a machine gun.
Analyze the door to the right of the entrance ("Elephant Door"). You'll learn
that you should acquire the golden statue that you saw earlier, in order to
open this door. Turn around and walk through the door on your right. It will be
unlocked if you Used the secret switch in step 7.E.
7.G. SECRET YARD
Again, a small ammo depot, then a yard. Enter the red phone booth to answer the
call. SECRET: Walk to the other end of the yard to find some useful items. Get
back to the four-minaret area.
7.H. BACK IN THE YARD WITH THE ELEPHANT DOOR
Go through the archway on your right, then downstairs. Collect the golden
elephant statue and leave. Now that you have it, the Elephant Door is open. Go
through it.
7.I. BUILDING PAST THE ELEPHANT DOOR
7.I.a. The green armor that you see as soon as you enter sits on a trap. If you
walk towards it, you'll drop into the basement. All the areas described below
are still coverable, but you'll have to readjust the next two steps of this
walkthrough. I'll bypass the trap, at least for now.
7.I.b. Go through another door, visit the nearby supply room, and then follow
the ledge that runs around the pit with a rotating platform. The first door
that you'll pass on your right will be locked (the "forever locked" one from
step 7.C.b). The second one will lead to an outside yard, but don't go there
yet. Follow the ledge to its sudden drop, jump down to the lower level and
proceed down the ramp. The final room is the same room where you would have
fallen had you stepped on the trap in step 7.I.a. Return to the ledge where you
see the rotating platform and use it to get across the pit.
7.I.c. You have two options now: you can return to the trap, reach for the
armor vest, drop downstairs, collect the vest, walk up the ramp, and jump
across the pit again. Or you can go directly to the door that leads outside,
mentioned in step 7.I.b.
7.J. LAST YARD
7.J.a. When you step into the yard, NETRISCA will inform you that you are
approaching the Courtyards of Gilgamesh. Two SECRETS: (1) To the right of the
winged-horse statue, there is a building with a locked door. If you go to the
left of the statue, you will find a switch to the left of the up staircase. Use
the switch to unlock that door. And visit the building, naturally. (2) Approach
the horse statue from behind. Get as close as you can to its rump. When the
"Use" message appears, press the Use key to harness some "secret horse power."
7.J.b. Leave the yard through the door next to the horse.
7.K. EXIT BUILDING
You'll see a meshwork fence in front of you. Inspect the outer areas first,
then enter the fenced area. You'll get locked within it, and some Kleer
skeletons will be spawned without. They will soon decide to join you in your
cage, and a side gate will be opened. You may stay inside or run out of the
cage through it. When you kill all of the skeletons, another gate, which was
blocking the exit door, will open inside the fenced section. Before leaving,
don't overlook the narrow ramp leading downstairs.

LEVEL 8: COURTYARDS OF GILGAMESH
Secrets: 11

8.A. WINGED-LION YARD
8.A.a. After the entrance hall, you'll find yourself in a yard. SECRET: Use the
two ledges on the wall to the right of the entrance, in order to get onto the
otherwise inaccessible platform. You will find a healing heart there.
8.A.b. Approach the structure in the middle of the yard, which is surrounded by
a pit with spikes. NETRISCA will say that you need to go left to find a switch
that will lift the bridge from the bottom of the pit, which will allow you to
collect the winged-lion statue. Analyze the door opposite the entrance (it
leads inside the Temple of Gilgamesh), and NETRISCA will repeat its advice.
Turn around and go through the door on your right to the next area.
8.B. YARD WITH TWO POOLS
8.B.a. Analyze the gate on the opposite side, and NETRISCA will instruct you to
find a water passage. Turn around and go to the pool on your right. SECRET:
Dive and swim through the only opening without a grating. There's an ammo pack
there, which you can collect now or later, in step 8.C.b. Return to the
surface.
8.B.b. Walk to the other pool. SECRET: There's a backpack sitting by the pool.
Again, you can collect it now or later, in step 8.C.b. Dive into this pool now
and swim through any of the upper openings. Follow the narrow passage to an
underwater chamber with a pillar in the middle. After the chamber, you will
find yourself in an area where you can surface to catch some air. SECRET: At
the cross-shaped junction that comes next, swim straight and then up; turn
around to find a room with a healing pack. Return to the junction; swim left
and up, turn around, and go straight. There'll be a ramp on your right. Proceed
up the ramp and go left or right, and then through any opening. Get out of the
pool. You are in the next yard, past the locked gate.
8.C. YARD AFTER THE "NASTY DIVE"
8.C.a. Your destination here is the pyramid on the opposite end of the yard.
The yard is also home to these three SECRETS: (1) Look for two golden domes
located outside the yard, and you will notice a red-and-white practice target
on a tower that is also located outside. Shoot the target, and a niche will
open on that side of the perimeter wall behind which you see the tower. (2) The
section of the wall directly opposite the niche opened in #1 has a darker
patch. Blast it to reveal a detonator switch. Ignore the "don't push" message
and Use the switch. (3) There's a backpack behind the pyramid; pick it up to
discover "a mutated plant and friends."
8.C.b. Use the switch in the basement of the pyramid. That will activate the
bridge in the first yard, and you should head back there. The water passage
will be blocked, but the surface gate will be now open. Proceed through the
previous yard, where you can collect the secret backpacks if you haven't picked
them up already (see steps 8.B.a and 8.B.b above).
8.D. BACK IN THE WINGED-LION YARD
Collect the statue of the winged lion from the central platform, accessible
through the bridge now. The Temple of Gilgamesh is unlocked, and that's where
you should go.
8.E. TEMPLE OF GILGAMESH
8.E.a. When you enter, you'll notice a grenade launcher. Don't pick it up yet.
Move to the right and locate a room where a healing heart sits at the top of a
staircase. SECRET: Collect the heart to get the secret registered. When you try
to leave the room. you'll be lowered into the foggy basement where you will be
attacked, naturally. After you kill everyone, you'll be lifted back. (It is
possible to avoid the trap. The meshwork floor does not start descending until
you cross a certain invisible line. If you get close enough for a jump to the
other side before crossing the line, you'll land safely and the floor will be
lowered without you.) Return to the area where you entered the temple.
8.E.b. When you pick up the grenade launcher, three juvenile arachnoids will
appear in a red niche. Deal with them and proceed through the next corridor. It
will end in a slide, which, in turn, ends in a pit with spikes. Once you are
safely past the pit, go left for supplies and then leave through the door.
8.E.c. In the next corridor, when you almost reach its end, about 80 enemies
will charge at you in waves. However, the corridor is narrow, and you can
survive the onslaught without too much harm just by retreating and using the
flamethrower continuously. SECRET: After the narrow corridor, walk to the left
to find an armor piece in a niche.
8.E.d. Go up the stairs. Collect the backpacks in the room behind the Zumb'ul
after you kill it. Observe the spike panel on the wall of the next room. If you
move fast, you should avoid impalement. Proceed to the next area.
8.F. GRAND HALL
8.F.a. In the Grand Hall, jump down from the starting ledge. Kill some enemies;
the floor will collapse under you, and you'll drop to a lower level. The
procedure will be repeated three more times. After the last drop, a red demon
will break through a wall at some point, opening an exit from the Grand Hall.
Go there when you've killed everyone.
8.F.b. At the end of the passage leading from the Grand Hall, go right first,
to pick up some ammo and armor. Then go towards the health cube. NETRISCA will
warn you about dangerous spikes above you. However, when you pick up or walk
over the cube, the floor will collapse again and you will fall all the way
down--only to bounce back. While you are flying up, the spikes will move aside,
and you'll be catapulted into an upper-level chamber with enemies all around
you.
8.G. CHAMBER PAST THE GRAND HALL
After you land on the upper level, eliminate the enemies that will keep coming
for some time. Proceed through the narrow passage created by their last wave
and then up a couple of ramps, until you reach a chasm where NETRISCA will
imply that you should make a leap of faith.
8.H. "LEAP OF FAITH" AREA
8.H.a. Pick up the supplies from any accessible ledges and jump onto the
platform below. The platform will start moving. Face forward. Monsters will
start shooting at you out of the fog. SECRET: At some point, the platform will
be passing under a small ledge with a pulsating heart (on your left). If you
time your shot correctly, you can blast the ledge so that the heart falls onto
the platform. (I think your cue should be Sam's second remark while under
attack, something like "Now I am seriously serious;" wait another second and
shoot.) Leave the platform only after it comes to a complete stop.
8.H.b. Proceed through a couple of bridges, a few passages, and a couple of
rooms with a slippery floor. Shortly after you collect a Serious Bomb, you will
reach a door. Open it to get out into the open.
8.I. "GOODBYE GILGAMESH" YARDS
8.I.a. As soon as you venture into the first yard, you'll come under attack.
When you are finally able to walk past the walled enclave, towards the door
leading to the next yard, do so. The walls of the enclave will explode, and
more monsters will emerge. Picking up the supplies that will be exposed inside
it will cause an additional few enemies to be spawned. Get through the door,
replenish your supplies, and walk into the next yard.
8.I.b. In this, last yard, you'll face several assault waves as well.
Fortunately, all of them will originate from its far end, so you'll have plenty
of room for tactical retreats. Some supplies will be spawned for you here and
there. SECRET: Find an outside tower on your left. Shoot the red-and-white
practice target on it to observe some wild hearts and eventually get one.
8.I.c. Leave the level through the door on the opposite end of the yard when
you can.

LEVEL 9: TOWER OF BABEL
Secrets: 10
Enemies introduced: male Gnaar, highlander Aludran reptiloid's bride, Exotech
larva

9.A. CEREMONIAL HALL
At the starting point, collect whatever you need and go through the door. Next,
pick up the statue of King Tilmun from the platform, and the door on the
opposite end of the hall will be unlocked. SECRET: Find a niche in the wall to
the left of the exit to collect some ammo. Replenish your arsenal in the next
room and proceed.
9.B. CHAMBER OF COSMOS
9.B.a. At the start, you will be attacked by a new variety of Gnaar: male
(however, it won't be announced until step 9.B.c). Follow the staircase.
SECRET: Between the second pillar (from the entrance) and the staircase, jump
down into the lower niche to find a healing heart. Actually collecting it can
be tricky because the heart is co-located with an invisible teleport.
9.B.b. Midway across the narrow bridge after the previous secret, jump over to
the platform on your right, for supplies. Another SECRET: After the bridge but
before another up staircase, visit the lower platform to collect some ammo.
9.b.c. When you reach the upper platform, you'll notice a platform flush with
the floor, which serves as an elevator. Step on it, and it will take you very
deep down. SECRET: In the basement, shoot any of the mouse-sized holes to
summon "deadly midgets." Use the red and green buttons (they are located on the
other side of the central column that houses the elevator shaft) to call
another elevator, which will take you to a higher position in the main section
of the Chamber of Cosmos.
9.B.d. Follow the next stretch of the staircase, which ends in a ramp. Slide
down, as if towards the door, but go left immediately. SECRET: Look for a floor
lamp next to the slide. Use the bounce pad behind the lamp to be catapulted
onto a platform where you find some ammo. There is a teleport in the corner
there to take you back.
9.B.e. Before leaving the Chamber of Cosmos: If you still have valuable stuff
in the basement, here's what you do (if not, skip to step 9.B.f). Return to the
point where the first elevator was (you'll have to use the secret bounce pad,
jump down to the lower level from the platform where you'll land, and then go
up the first staircase). You'll notice that the elevator has not returned from
the basement. However, you can safely jump into the shaft. Collect what you
came for, and then use the second elevator (between the red and green buttons)
to go back up. If the second elevator is not there, Use the buttons again to
summon it.
9.B.f. Leave the Chamber of Cosmos through the door near the bottom of the ramp
and replenish your supplies in the ammo depot that comes next.
9.C. CHAMBER OF DEITIES
When you enter this dark chamber, you'll notice an illuminated device above the
opposite door. That is a light switch. Shoot at it to turn on the light. The
device is timed, so you'll need to shoot at it again whenever the chamber goes
dark. The spawning of a red mechanoid should mark the end to the assaults. The
door will be unlocked. Get through the next room and go outside to enjoy a
"magnificent view."
9.D. YARD NEXT TO THE TOWER OF BABEL
9.D.a. Analyze the door on the other side of the bridge. You are at the Tower
of Babel. However, you'll need to collect three tablets of wisdom (located in
nearby gardens) to enter. Feel free to explore the yard, but your next
destination is the garden accessible through the gate to the left of the tower.
Go there when you finish step 9.E.
9.D.b. SECRET: In the left section of the yard, the perimeter wall has a pillar
with a bas-relief of a warrior. At some point, the warrior's eyes will start to
glow. I do not think you have to wait for that, though; just blast the pillar
at any time to find a "passage to Egypt." Walk into the bubble.
9.E. MOVIE SET
You turn up on a movie set. There are two NON-SECRETS there: (1) You can
destroy the mini version of Ugh-Zan III to spawn an armor piece. (2) A healing
heart can also get spawned after some additional destruction, but I am not
certain what exactly triggers that. Do not kill the mini version of Sam,
though. Return via the teleport.
9.F. FIRST- AND SECOND-TABLET GARDENS
The tablets of wisdom can be found in the rooms located on the right side of
each garden. Pick up the tablets and proceed. The building that serves as the
passage between the first and second gardens has two annexes where you will
find useful power-ups.
9.G. THIRD-TABLET GARDEN
SECRET: Go to the perimeter wall directly opposite the entrance and behind the
flat statue. There is a darker section on the wall of the building there, on
your right. Blast it to expose an invulnerability power-up. The location of the
tablet is similar to that of the previous ones. Get some supplies in the
building past the garden and go outside.
9.H. NEXT YARD
9.H.a. SECRET: Walk 1 o'clock from the entrance and pick up the health pill in
the corner to summon a "mighty gizmo." The gizmo will explode almost
immediately, but about 60 mini hoppers will be spawned.
9.H.b. Go up the stairs and through another building, and you'll find yourself
back in the yard where you started your quest for the tablets of wisdom.
9.I. BACK NEAR THE TOWER OF BABEL
9.I.a. Two SECRETS: (1) Go to the left of the base of the entrance to the Tower
of Babel, to collect an invulnerability power-up. (2) Rather than going into
the Tower of Babel right away, revisit the garden to the left of it--the one
where you got the first tablet of wisdom. Go in for a "secret round two," i.e.,
another raid through the gardens surrounding the tower, following the
now-familiar path. You'll meet a new variety of Aludran reptiloids:
highlander's bride.
9.I.b. When you come back, enter the tower at last and slide down the ramp. In
the basement, you'll have to fight a new boss: Exotech larva. To defeat it,
you'll need first to destroy four force reactors, one on each wall; they serve
as regeneration sources for the beast. I don't think they are totally destroyed
until their blue lights go out. Besides hurling blue energy blobs, the monster
will also be spawning lesser larvae to attack you. At two thirds of its initial
strength, the boss will lose one of its limbs; at one third, the other one, at
which point it will start using its antennae as lasers. When the boss is dead,
a teleport will appear in the middle of the basement.

MISSION THREE: EASTERN EUROPE

LEVEL 10: THE CITADEL
Secrets: 16 (Before starting the level, read about the secret in step 10.I.a
below.)
Enemy introduced: static cannon

10.A. STARTING YARD
NETRISCA informs you that your task is to find a "Book of Wisdom." Again, you
are starting with a knife and a revolver. Luckily, there is a stash of weapons
in plain sight, as well as in this SECRET: The third hut on the left side has a
squeaking door. Destroy the door (with the knife) to collect a weapon inside.
Leave the yard through the gate adorned with a double-headed eagle.
10.B. FIRST BUILDING
10.B.a. Go down a couple of ramps, and you'll end up in a "Kill-o-Matic" room.
Your best tactic would be to make a step forward and retreat, in order to wait
out while the bulk of the incoming marsh hoppers gets destroyed by the
machinery. Then carefully jump your way through the central part of the room.
The elevator on the other side of the room will take you down.
10.B.b. At the end of the next ramp, you'll notice a niche (with a switch) in
the wall. SECRET: Come closer, and a "Use" message will appear, as will a green
reptiloid behind you. Use the switch then, to knock out the monster. Walk out
through the gate into the open.
10.C. STONE BRIDGE
10.C.a. When you reach the stone pillars at the start of the bridge, jump over
the railing onto the rock base of each pillar. On each side, there's useful
stuff to collect and a glowing bounce pad to get you back; only the left one
counts as a SECRET, though.
10.C.b. At some point, a red-colored mini creature (I think it's a variation on
the marsh-hopper theme) will be spawned, carrying a Serious Damage on its back.
Kill it quickly to get the damage power-up, which will help you deal with the
more formidable enemies. When they are defeated, go on to see what's behind the
stone walls.
10.D. FIRST YARD PAST THE BRIDGE
10.D.a. If you Analyze the gate on the left, you'll learn that you need a key
in the shape of a cross to open it. The obvious place to look for it will be
the cemetery located opposite the locked gate. Before going there, keep in mind
that there are two SECRETS in this yard: (1) From the entrance, walk to the
right and behind the hut in the corner, to collect an ammo pack. (2) Same as in
#1, only at 2 o'clock from the entrance. Also, there are two cannons stationed
in the yard: one on the roof near the locked gate, the other on the ground near
the cemetery. If you destroy them, you'll see that NETRISCA has classified them
as enemies and labeled them "static cannons." (This is not the first time you
deal with them, however; remember the "secret Spanish cannon" from step 3.F?)
You can cover these two secrets now or later, when you get the key from the
cemetery. The same is true for the cannons, with one important difference: when
you return with the key, the cannons will start shooting. So I would destroy
the cannons now, unless you want to see them in action first.
10.D.b. Anyway, pick up the health pill near the cemetery gate and follow the
pill chain that will lead you to a chapel. Get the cross inside the chapel.
SECRET: Discover two sets of graves by the perimeter wall. You may open each
grave, if so inclined, and kill those who will rise from the dead. Now that you
have the key, return to the main section of the yard and proceed through the
gate on the opposite side.
10.E. SECOND YARD
SECRET: In the far left corner from the entrance, there is a dead tree. At some
point, apparently after you collect the nearby napalm capsules, the tree turns
into a "secret jumping plant." Proceed through the exit gate when you are done
here.
10.F. THIRD YARD
10.F.a. Before you do anything else, locate two static cannons sitting on the
opposite towers outside the yard you've entered. Destroy them from afar; your
revolver is good enough for the task because the cannons won't be shooting back
at this point.
10.F.b. Some useful power-ups will be spawned in the middle of the yard after
the first attack. You won't be able to proceed if you don't pick them (or maybe
just one) up. Amidst the battle that will follow, don't overlook the red mini
creature (same as in step 10.C.b. above) that will be carrying a Serious
Damage. It will appear at least twice; the damage power-up is extremely useful
under the circumstances, so try to get it each time.
10.G. FOURTH YARD
SECRETS: (1) To the left of the entrance, there is an area with a phone booth
behind the stone hut. Move in to find some ammo and make a call to self. (2)
There is a barrel leaning against the hut diagonally across from #1. Destroying
it and getting behind the hut will get you an invulnerability power-up. So it
probably makes sense to find this secret before doing anything else. On the
other hand, if you pick it up right before you leave this area, it might help
you in the next one. Anyway, enter the next building when you are done here.
10.H. BUILDING WITH BIG COGWHEELS
10.H.a. Follow a sequence of ramps and rooms, some equipped with shooting stone
heads. If you still have the invulnerability power-up going or if you simply
resort to crawling, you should avoid any damage.
10.H.b. In the room with the big cogwheels, there is a SECRET: From the
entrance, get through the small opening on the left. Dive, turn around, and
look for a niche with a healing pack. Get to the surface and approach the
cogwheels. NETRISCA will point out that they are in poor condition. Blast off a
couple of cogs and make a calculated jump onto the otherwise inaccessible
ledge. Then jump onto the ground below.
10.I. CLOCK YARD
10.I.a. To discover this secret without resorting to a cheat, you need to get
from the level's starting position to this yard in time for the clock to strike
midnight. You start the level at about 11:45 p.m. (virtual time), which makes
it a tough task indeed, especially since you probably want to check the
previous areas thoroughly enough to discover the other secrets. A "midnight
mega SECRET" gets enabled at midnight: the door of the hut located to the left
of the entrance ledge opens, providing access to some very useful "midnight
items." Entering the hut gets the secret registered. You have 1 minute to claim
the goodies, after which the door closes again. I wonder if the door opens
again, e.g., if you leave the game running for 24 hours, but I am not obsessed
enough to try that. Anyway, if your only concern is to make the secret
register, you can go behind the hut and get close enough to its rear wall. For
some reason, you will pick up the Serious Damage power-up from inside the hut
and get the message about finding the "midnight items."
10.I.b. With or without the "midnight items," kill the monsters and cover this
SECRET: Go behind the clustered huts to the right of the exit gate, to find an
armor vest. Go on to the next yard.
10.J. DRAWBRIDGE YARD
SECRETS: (1) Collect some ammo behind the hut to the left of the yard entrance;
(2) Diagonally across from #1, there is an armor vest behind the corner hut.
According to NETRISCA, the drawbridge will be accessible after you have dealt
with its guardians. Proceed into the castle when you have achieved that.
10.K. CASTLE
10.K.a. When you reach a door with two snake skulls, NETRISCA will send you to
a drainpipe. The drainpipe in question is the nearby well that acts as a slide.
Jump into the drainpipe, and you'll fall into a pond, where you should search
the bottom for useful items, including a SECRET, which registers when you
collect a health cube.
10.K.b. One more room, one more ramp with shooting heads, and one more
"Kill-o-Matic"... NON-SECRET: Before any enemies appear in the "Kill-o-Matic"
room, you can blast the thumping spikes off the pillars and blow up the pillars
themselves for better fighting conditions. Towards the end of the battle here,
a passage will be created, leading to a switch. NETRISCA will be unsure about
its purpose, but when you jump over the nearby barrels onto the next platform,
it will inform you that the switch summons an elevator. If you miss the
elevator the first time, don't worry: the switch is reUsable. The elevator will
take you to a corridor whose walls are adorned with a portrait of the game
developers. After paying due respects, use the nearby bounce pad.
10.K.c. You'll land in a yard. SECRET: There is a barrel in a corner, which you
can destroy to reveal an armor vest. Go up the stairs and through the gate. The
level ends with Sam finding the Book of Wisdom.

LEVEL 11: LAND OF THE DAMNED
Secrets: 13
Enemy introduced: rotating cannon

11.A. FIRST VILLAGE
11.A.a. You start on a mountain slope covered in snow. Proceed through the
village below. SECRETS: (1) One of the huts at the start of the village, on the
left side, has a squeaking door. Blast the door and step inside to collect a
damage power-up. (2) Use the switch on the windmill to summon a "secret Santa."
(Related NON-SECRET: Find and shoot the running Santa for a present. If you
choose to dispatch him with the single revolver (or better yet, the
flamethrower, using short bursts; that will sometimes produce an amusing
effect) rather than a more devastating weapon, you will be able to maximize
Santa's gift output.) (3) In the second half of the village, beyond the
windmill, look for Santa's feet in a chimney. Blast the chimney to unplug the
"secret jammed Santa." (4) There is a snowman close to #3. Shoot it to find an
armor vest.
11.A.b. When you are done, exit through the ornate Gothic gate located on the
other end of the village.
11.B. PASSAGE BETWEEN THE VILLAGES
You'll have to survive a tough battle before you reach the next village.
Shortly after you start advancing into the valley, NETRISCA will warn you about
"armed kamikazes." And sure enough, there will be a couple of kamikaze teams
deploying a new weapon: rotating cannon.
11.C. SECOND VILLAGE
11.C.a. Again, your goal is to survive the attack by the forces occupying the
village. That goal is complicated by the presence of several cannons on and
near the wall towering behind the village. As you might expect, the village is
home to several SECRETS: (1) Pick up the armor piece in front of the
bespectacled snowman, who will then attack you. Then terminate this "snowman
avenger." (2) The hut just to the right of the #1 avenger has a squeaking door.
Blast the door and step inside to collect an invulnerability power-up. (3) Not
far from #2, on the right side of the village, there is a snowman with a
switch. Use the switch to summon another "secret Santa." (Related NON-SECRET:
same as in step 11.A.a above.) Note: If the secret snowmen get destroyed (by
you or in the crossfire) before their secrets are actually enabled, you don't
get credit for the secrets.
11.C.b. When you are done, exit through the gate in the stone wall.
11.D. YARD WITH THE MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE
SECRET: Shoot at the snowman repeatedly to find that you were dealing with an
"incredible shrinking snowman." Proceed through the opening and inside the
mountain.
11.E. FIRST LAVA CAVE
After the narrow passage, you'll find yourself in a lava cave. Follow the stone
arch that serves as a bridge. At some point, a piece of rock will fall and
create a gap in the bridge. SECRET: Drop through the gap into the familiar
twinkling, to be teleported to a healing heart. Then jump down onto the bridge,
jump over the gap, and continue.
11.F. SECOND LAVA CAVE
11.F.a. After another passage, you'll reach another lava cave. SECRET: When you
enter, you should be able to discern a glow on a stone ledge up ahead. Blast
the ledge, and an ammo pack will fall onto the rocks below, where you will pick
it up later. (You may also destroy the ledge when you get across the lava to
the other side of the cave, but the ledge will be even less visible then.)
11.F.b. Cross the cave via another narrow bridge, which runs through a couple
of wider rock formations and ends in a ledge. Before leaving this cave, don't
forget to pick up the secret ammo (see previous step). There's also another
SECRET here: Go to the left before the exit and then to the left of (or over)
the boulder that gives the impression of blocking the passage. Collect the
weapon that sits on the narrow ledge. Now you can leave this cave and follow
another passage.
11.G. THIRD LAVA CAVE
11.G.a. The third cave is going to be the most challenging one. After the first
span of the bridge, you will end up on an island and will have to use floating
platforms to proceed. Some of the platforms will be sinking after you step on
them, so don't dawdle. SECRET: When you first reach the floating platforms, get
to the one on your left that is furthest from your position and closest to the
two-pronged solitary rock standing in the middle of the lava lake, also on your
left. The platform will start sailing towards the rock. As you get near, you
will notice a ledge by the rock, with some goodies. Jump there and grab them
when you feel it is safe (the armor vest counts as a secret), and immediately
jump back onto the floating platform, which will make a full circle around the
rock. (You may want to forgo the platform and just wade to the ledge, since the
platform moves rather slowly and you are open to enemy fire all along.)
11.G.b. After the floating platforms, you'll have more terrain to cover,
including bridge spans and rocks. You will know that the exit is near when you
reach a larger island from which you can see a narrow arched bridge. SECRET:
When you cross that bridge, circle its base to collect a healing heart. Leave
the cave and follow one last passage.
11.H. MAGIC PORTAL
The next cave houses a portal that Sam will mistake for a big-screen TV. Walk
into it.
11.I. ICE CASTLE AREA
You'll emerge on a very slippery ice field and will have to survive several
assaults. When the battle is over, proceed through the gate of the Ice Castle
to finish the level. Unfortunately, you will find that the Holy Grail, which
has been the object of your search (see step 1.A.b above), is missing.

LEVEL 12: THE GRAND CATHEDRAL
Secrets: 6
Enemy introduced: Mordekai the Summoner

12.A. CORRIDOR OF DEATH
The corridor you are about to cover has seven sections. In each section, you'll
be challenged by various opponents who will force you to make frequent tactical
retreats. Otherwise, the corridor is pretty straightforward, apart from these
SECRETS: (1) First section: Turn to the right from the entrance and blast the
darker section on the perimeter wall to discover some items. (2) Second
section: In the far right corner, there is a dude with an Afro looking out a
window. Shoot him to have a damage power-up launched from behind the perimeter
wall onto the passage. (3) Third section: Towards the end of the section, blast
the darker patch of the left perimeter wall to discover a teleport to a
"pumpkin field," which you ought to visit.
12.B. PUMPKIN FIELD
Don't go beyond the visible area of the field, or you'll die. Your untimely
death may also be caused by mini cucurbitos, who will hatch from certain
pumpkins in the field, and a couple of cannons. Eliminate them, grab the
supplies, and leave through the teleport.
12.C. BACK IN THE CORRIDOR OF DEATH
SECRETS (continued): (4) Sixth section: blast the darker patch on the left wall
to discover another teleport, which leads to an "embryo museum" (again, go
there).
12.D. EMBRYO MUSEUM
When you pick up the power-ups, two monsters will be spawned. Deal with them
and leave.
12.E. BACK IN THE CORRIDOR OF DEATH, AGAIN
12.E.a. SECRETS (continued): (5) Seventh section: At the start of the section,
look to your left. In the middle window of the bastion you will see a Scythian
witch-harpy mooning you. Kill the witch to have an invulnerability power-up
launched onto the passage from behind the perimeter wall.
12.E.b. When you have finally covered the Corridor of Death, proceed through
the gate to the next area.
12.F. YARD WITH JUMP PADS
The yard past the Corridor of Death is equipped with jump pads that are placed
in strips at equal intervals. The strips in the inner part of the yard have two
sections; one for jumping forward, the other for jumping back. One trip will
not be enough because there will be several attack waves, necessitating your
redeployment. The last wave will be marked by the spawning of four green
reptiloids. The jumping thing is tricky. I have been able to land in an
intermediate patch rather than travel all the way, but I have no idea how to
achieve that on purpose. Anyway, when you are done, approach a gate on the
opposite end and leave.
12.G. METEOR-SHOWER FIELD
12.G.a. It may be appealing to stay in the four-pillar area between the
entrance and the castle: it contains re-spawning power-ups. However, after
picking up whatever you need initially, I would put as much distance as
possible between that area and myself. Soon, the skies will darken, and a
meteor shower will start. That area is going to be bombarded quite heavily.
Ideally, you should position yourself near one of the outer corners of the
castle. From there, make occasional forays towards your opponents, most of whom
will be circling the four-pillar sanctuary. Make them notice you, and retreat
again, killing those who'll follow you. This tactic may be time-consuming and
boring, but it ensures your survival.
12.G.b. After you and the meteors succeed in killing about 350 creatures, the
skies will clear up. Collect what you can at the four-pillar sanctuary and
proceed through the gate to the inner yard of the Cathedral of the Sacred
Blood.
12.H. FINAL YARD
12.H.a. You'll be dealing with Mordekai the Summoner, who, as his name
suggests, summons his minions to do his dirty work for him. Mordekai is also
capable of teleporting himself at will, thus changing his position
instantaneously. The perimeter walls to the left and right of the cathedral are
outfitted with bounce pads. SECRET: At some point during the battle, you will
receive a message about a pink secret having been enabled. That refers to the
pink section of the perimeter wall just to the right of the bounce pad on the
right side of the yard (if you are looking from the starting position). The
message means that you can now approach that section and just crawl inside to
retrieve a healing pack, at which point the secret will register.
12.H.b. Apparently, Mordekai does his summoning and teleporting only when you
are in his line of sight. If you are wise (or cowardly) enough to choose your
position correctly, i.e., hide somewhere behind the protruding features of the
cathedral on either side, you should be able to dispatch the monster pretty
easily, without being bothered by the lesser enemies or the boss himself. Peek
outside just enough to be able to shoot at his shoulder or some other part of
his anatomy. The sniper rifle is your best bet. However, you may choose to
fight him openly and even use the bounce pads to your advantage. I find them
rather disorienting, though.
12.H.c. When the Summoner is dead, the other creatures should die, too. You'll
be treated to a video of Sam walking into the cathedral, taking the Holy Grail,
and making a confession. Then the roof of the cathedral will open, and Sam will
take off in a spaceship.

THE END