Tomb Raider Legend Level 4 - GHANA: PURSUING JAMES RUTLAND

The level begins with a short cut scene ("Hunting Rutland in Ghana"), in which Lara ditches the Ducati and slides down a hill.  So far, she says, no sign of Rutland.

THE WATERFALL: From CHECKPOINT 1, follow the path down to a cliff above the falls.

In a second, longer cut scene ("The Postcard Business"), Lara spots the bad guys across the gorge.

Take a running jump or swan dive off the ledge.  Take care to jump out from the edge a bit, or Lara could crash land in the shallows at the edge of the pool.  Before climbing out of the water, pick up a couple of rewards.  First, when facing the drawbridge mechanism on the little island, swim to the right side of the pool until you spot something shiny on the bottom.  Swim down to pick up bronze reward (1/5).  Swim back toward the island then on past it.  You'll find another bronze reward (2/5) on the bottom of the pool.  Tapping Interact (E/Triangle/Y) while swimming helps Lara fight the current, but it's not enough to get the silver reward in the tunnel beneath the island.  There's something else you must do first.

Climb out of the water on the island with the drawbridge.  Cross CHECKPOINT 2, climb the rocks to the right of the drawbridge and jump to grab the dangling rope.  This pulls out the pin that was locking the bridge in place.  Let go of the rope to drop to the ground then quickly use the magnetic grapple to pull the drawbridge down.  (NOTE: Or, still hanging from the rope, turn to face the closed drawbridge, swing and jump on top of it.  Lara's weight will push the bridge down.  I found this to be the easiest way but it doesn't seem to work for everyone.)

In a spectacular cinematic ("Grand Entrance"), the waterfall parts, revealing the ruins hidden behind it.  James Rutland apparently took a shortcut and is already there.  He and Lara banter briefly, veiled threats are exchanged, and he goes inside.

Before entering the ruins, jump back into the water and get the previously unreachable silver reward (1/4) in the tunnel below the island.  Then climb back onto the island, cross the bridge and enter the temple.

INSIDE THE RUINS (lower levels): Follow the hall past CHECKPOINT 3 to a small pool.  The rushing water prevents Lara from swimming all the way across, so use the magnetic grapple to pull the raft toward Lara.  Hop onto the raft and take a running jump to grab the first dangling rope.  Swing and jump toward the far side of the pool.  Lara can swim from there to the other side.

Continue along the passageway.  Lara says she's seen this before in her father's sketchbook.  Around the corner and up the stairs you encounter one of Rutland's hired guns.  He's got a shotgun, so don't get too close.  He drops a SHOTGUN (or ammo), grenade and health pack when he dies.  Take what you need and continue past a broken spear trap and around another corner.

The spear part of the next trap no longer functions, but the pressure pad in the floor still controls dangling rope.  Stand just to the left of the center of the hall, squarely facing the gap between the second set of spears.  Run across the pad, jump over the first set of spears, run straight through the gap between the second set, roll under the third and fourth set and then roll under the door before it closes.

WATERWHEEL ROOM: When you arrive, this room is crawling with mercenaries.  There are 5 inside and 3 more appear in the entrance once you move to the far side of the room.  Just beyond the entrance and CHECKPOINT 4, there's a stack of metal boxes.  Hide behind these and blow up the fuel tank below the pillar supporting the ledge on the far left side of the room, causing part of the ledge to collapse and weakening some of your opponents.  Take out one or two of the soldiers on the ground from behind the boxes.  Then run across the small metal bridge and hide under the ledge to avoid being shot by the mounted machinegun on the ledge.  Turn back toward the entrance and kill any soldiers you're able to target.  Climb onto the ledge in the back left corner of the room (i.e., left when facing the entrance, right when facing the ledge).  Kill the guy manning the big gun first then his companion.  Finally, deal with anyone remaining down below.  You can use the machinegun for this if you like.

CHECKPOINT 5 is on the ledge near the machinegun.  In addition to the health packs, grenades and rifle clips dropped by the mercenaries, pick up the bronze reward (3/5) at the corner of the ledge where you climbed up.

As you explore, Lara comments on the jammed water wheel.  Fixing it will be your next task.  Notice the two light-colored column-like stones near the waterwheel where Lara speaks.  One of those stones is broken off and stuck in the wheel.  To get things going again, climb back onto the ledge and jump to grab the dangling rope.  Slide down the rope a little and then swing toward the light-colored carved stone.  Keep swinging until Lara swings high enough to kick the stone.

A cut scene shows the waterwheel beginning to turn once again, powering various traps.

After this, Lara is still hanging on the rope.  Swing on the rope and jump to grab one of the horizontal spikes on the now moving waterwheel.  Allow the wheel to turn.  When it begins to move upward, start swinging around the spike.  When the spike moves above the level of the ledge ahead, jump off and grab the dangling rope.  Use the rope to swing over to the ledge.  (If you fall, you don't need to go all the way back to the first ledge.  Instead, start by grabbing one of the spikes on the waterwheel.)

Once Lara is on the ledge, go to the right and use the magnetic grapple to pull the suspended platform close to the ledge.  Hop on.  Grapple the broken column on the opposite ledge and pull the platform, with Lara on it, toward the other ledge.  Jump off.  (Or, jump directly from the suspended platform to the rope.)

If you peek into the hallway on the left, Lara says she'll have to activate the traps to pass through.  For now, turn to face back into the room.  Take a running jump to grab the rope hanging between this ledge and the stationary waterwheel.  Swing and jump to grab the nearest horizontal spike on the waterwheel.  Swing around and jump to grab the next spike.  From there, swing and jump to grab the high ladder.  Climb to the top and go around the opening in the floor past CHECKPOINT 6 to the next ladder.

Climb to the top.  Jump to grab the crevice to the left.  Jump straight up to grab the next crevice.  Traverse to the left around the corner.  Jump straight up to grab a third ladder.  (You can see through this one to a long, vertical shaft behind it.) Cross CHECKPOINT 7 at the top.

CISTERN/ACTIVATING THE WATERWHEEL: Follow the passage to a room with a raft but no water.  Kill the leopard before hopping down into the room.  Then climb onto the ledge on the right side, where it's low enough to grab, and follow the ledge around to the opposite side of the room, where you'll find a bronze reward (4/5) in a corner.

There's a rough stone block next to the reward.  Go around behind this block and climb on top of it.  Ahead, along the left wall of the room, are 2 huge suspended stone blocks.  Jump to grab the edge of the nearer block and pull up.  Lara's weight carries the first block down, causing the second block to rise.  Wait for the second block to move a little higher than the first.  Then jump onto it.  As the second block descends, run across it and jump to grab the ladder.  If you're too slow, drop down and try again.  Climb the ladder to CHECKPOINT 8.

A brief cut scene reveals clues to the puzzle ahead.

The pool or cistern below is divided in two by a wall with a gap in the middle.  Cross the ledge and jump into pool on the far side.  (There is also a series of crevices in the rock here where you can climb down, but this way is easier.) Swim to the far left corner and climb out on the low ledge.  Go up the broken steps to the right to find a silver reward (2/4).  Swim across the pool through the gap in the wall and then to the right.  Climb out of the water.

Hop onto the raft and attach the magnetic grapple to the broken pillar ahead.  Pull to move the raft toward the pillar.  When you reach the gap between the two pools, release the grapple and hook it onto another pillar in the next room.  Pull the raft right up against the second pillar.  Release the grapple and jump from the raft to the ledge.  Here you'll find another set of balanced blocks.

(NOTE: Alternately, if you're not going for the rewards, from the ledge high above the pool, you can climb down the crevices in the rock or jump down into the first pool.  Then do the business with the grapple and the raft.)

Climb the ladder to the right of the balanced blocks.  Jump back onto the first block.  Again, Lara's weight carries this block down and raises the second block.  When the second block moves level with the first, run and jump onto it.  Then quickly run across it and jump to grab the ledge ahead.  If you fall, get out from under the second block quickly or it will crush Lara when it descends.

The ledge beyond the second block has CHECKPOINT 9 and a bronze reward (5/5).  After getting the statuette, take a running jump forward off the ledge and press the Jump key twice in rapid succession to grapple swing through the small waterfall to the ledge ahead.  You're now above the room where you killed the leopard.

Take a running jump to grab a notch in the square pillar against the left wall.  Climb around to the front of the pillar.  Drop to grab another notch below.  Climb aournd to the right side of the pillar.  Jump straight up to grab another notch.  Jump to the right to grab a crevice in the wall.  Drop to grab a lower crevice.  Traverse to the right, jumping past a gap in the crevice, continue to the right, then jump up to grab a higher handhold.  Traverse along this crevice as far as possible.  Then jump to the right to grab the ledge.  Pull up at CHECKPOINT 10.

Now you've reached the mechanism that controls the flow of water.  On the center ledge, high above where you first came in, is a device in the shape of a woman with outstretched arms.  Her "heart" is a sun symbol that can be pulled out using the magnetic grapple, but this can only be done if both arms are fully extended.  Flanking the center ledge are 2 revolving ledges.  The corner ledges each have a pressure pad, which controls both the arm and the revolving ledge on the same side.  So, to make the mechanism work, you need to activate both pressure pads and then use the grapple to pull out the sun symbol.

To do that, begin by stepping on the first pressure pad.  This turns the second revolving ledge, dumping the big stone block to the ledge below.  Jump across the ledges to the far corner.  Move the carved stone block onto the second pressure pad.  This turns the second revolving ledge and extends the mechanism's left arm.  Jump back across the ledges to the other corner, where you started.  Now face the center ledge and stand on the first pressure pad.  Wait until the revolving ledge has moved as far as it will go.  Then run and jump onto it as it begins to turn back.  Keep going forward and jump to the center ledge.  Quickly turn to face the mechanism and use the magnetic grapple to pull the sun symbol out.

A brief cut scene shows the sluice gate opening and water beginning to flow.

If you are too slow, just jump back to the corner ledge and try again.  If Lara falls, climb onto the dark stone block below the left corner ledge (i.e., the block that had been on the revolving ledge).  Jump to grab a crack in the wall above, jump up to grab the crevice above, traverse to the left, jump up and up again to reach the ledge with the first pressure pad.

When you've got the water flowing, jump into the pool.  Now follow the water leaving the room to the grate above the ladder where you initially climbed into this area.  This is CHECKPOINT 11.  Climb down the ladder, let go and grab the crevice below.  Then either let go again to drop to the floor, losing a little bit of health, or climb to the right and down the second ladder to the floor.  Cross the room to the top of the third (lowest) ladder.  Climb down to the WATERWHEEL ROOM.

Another cut scene shows the second waterwheel in the room below turning and powering the nearby traps.

Climb to the bottom of the last ladder and jump back to grab one of the horizontal spikes on the moving waterwheel.  Move to the left side of the spike to align Lara with the dangling rope ahead.  When the spike on which Lara is hanging is level with the ledge beyond, swing around and jump to grab the dangling rope.  Swing to the ledge.  If you fall, just stand beneath the waterwheel, jump to grab one of the spikes and try again.

TRAPPED HALLWAYS: Enter the hall, passing CHECKPOINT 12, and position Lara at the center of the spear trap, close but not touching it.  Run through just as the spears begin to retract and stop before the next set of spears.  Repeat the process for each set of spears, running through at the center just as the spears retract.

The next trap involves a set of spinning blades.  The exchange between Zip and Lara hints at a strategy.  To get through safely, move the carved stone block away from the wall and then push it ahead of Lara through the blades.  This can be done either by pushing the block straight down the center of the passageway or along one wall.  The first method can be a little tricky.  If the block is off center, the blades can knock it sideways and slice into Lara.  Pushing the block along one wall is more reliable as long as you stop before clearing the last set of blades.  Then climb on top of the block and jump over the blades on the other side.

Follow the hall up the stairs to another spinning blade trap.  Since you can't get the first carved block up the stairs, you'll need to find another.  Turn away from the trap and scan the wall ahead.  There's a movable block recessed into the wall.  (The binoculars in RAD mode show it clearly.) Pull it out and use it to get through the blade trap as you did the previous one.  Here pushing the block along the wall works much better.

Continue past CHECKPOINT 13, up a flight of stairs, around a corner and down another flight of stairs.  Just before the next spear trap, a cut scene interrupts.  Lara hears a rumbling sound and a huge boulder rolls toward her from behind.  When the cut scene ends, you must react immediately.  Run forward and a little to the right, jump to clear the first set of spears.  Run to the left then forward.  Then roll to get under the second set of spears.  Run straight ahead and jump to clear the spike pit.  If you go too slowly, or fall into the pit, Lara dies.  But once you reach the other side of the pit, she's safe.  Another cut scene shows how she escapes.  Proceed to the exit and CHECKPOINT 14.

NOTE: I found this section extremely challenging, mostly because I'm not great with the new controls but also because the key to move the camera back behind Lara doesn't respond here, so it's difficult to judge just which way you're running.

SCALING THE FRONT OF THE RUINS: Lara emerges on a ledge high above the temple entrance.  To the left is a ladder.  Jump across the opening in the floor to grab the ladder and climb down to find a silver reward (3/4).  Lara can scale the Andes, but apparently she can't scramble over some broken pillars, so climb back up the ladder.

(NOTE: If Lara dies before reaching the next checkpoint, don't forget to get the silver reward again before going on.  If she falls or jumps into the water, it is possible to climb back up.  Face the ruins and swim to the small, flat ledge at water level between the drawbridge and the right end of the pool.  Climb the flat rock ledges and jump back over to the ruins.  When you first visited this area, a big rock blocked this path, but the rolling boulder dislodged it.  Also, I assume you can get any of the 3 rewards in the pool if you missed them at the beginning.)

osition Lara facing the horizontal pole to the left of the exit from the TRAPPED HALLWAY.  Jump to grab the pole.  Swing around and jump to grab a handhold on the square column ahead.  Traverse around to the left, jump straight up to grab a higher handhold, then traverse to the right.  Jump to grab the ledge behind.  Jump straight up to grab the crevice above and then immediately jump back to grab the horizontal pole.  This last jump must be done quickly to avoid the big rock that falls from above.  Once Lara is hanging from the pole, she's safe.  Swing and jump to grab the next horizontal pole.  Jump from there to the ledge beyond.

Here, Lara loses radio contact with the guys.  Cross the ledge, passing CHECKPOINT 15, to face the dangling platform.  Jump onto it and ride it down to a lower level.  Take a running jump from the platform to grab the ledge ahead; pull up.  Take a running jump to grab the next dangling platform.  Pull up.  This one doesn't move, so take a running jump to grab the ledge ahead and pull up at CHECKPOINT 16.  Again, Lara gets no signal from her headset.

Scanning the face of the building with the binoculars in RAD mode reveals a few unstable spots, but Lara can get past them.  First, take a running jump where the uneven ledge juts out and grab the horizontal pole.  Swing around it and jump to grab the rough stone projection beyond.  Traverse to the left so Lara is clinging to the face of the building.  Rubble falling from above signifies danger.  Jump up to grab a higher handhold, then immediately jump to the right to grab the nearest horizontal pole before the falling rock crushes Lara.

Swing around the pole and jump to grab the next higher pole.  Turn around to face the next pole, swing around and jump to grab it.  Swing and jump to grab a narrow ledge on the square column ahead.  Another rock falls from above, so quickly traverse around the corner to the left.  Jump up to grab a higher handhold and then jump back to the big ledge behind.  Enter the ruins again here.

INSIDE THE RUINS (upper levels): Follow the hallway past CHECKPOINT 17.

In a short cut scene ("Dearest Amelia"), Lara picks up a shiny object from the floor, which turns out to be a brooch given to her mother by her father.  She still can't raise Zip over the radio, so she presses on.

Turn on the PLS and head down the dark stairs.  Use the magnetic grapple to swing across the 2 spike pits.  Continue cautiously around the next corner.  Two mercenaries guard a wooden bridge spanning a deep pit.  A metal box on the left before the bridge provides some cover.  When you kill the first two men, a third solider appears on the other side of the bridge.  Take him out and then cross the bridge (or, if you destroy the bridge with a grenade, grapple swing across the pit).  Pick up any dropped items that you need (health packs, rifle ammo, grenades) and continue to the next room.

BIG ROOM WITH WATERFALLS and WOODEN BRIDGE: Pass CHECKPOINT 18 and turn to face the right wall.  See the brownish door to the left of the small waterfall? The final silver reward (4/4) is behind it.  To get the reward, first lob a grenade onto the ledge.  That should blow the door open.  Then take a running jump to grab the first horizontal pole.  Swing, jump and grab the second.  From there, jump to grab a crevice in the square pillar in the corner.  Traverse to the left, jump past the waterfall to grab another handhold, then drop onto the ledge.  Get the reward and return past the waterfall to the corner pillar.

Climb up the corner pillar: first straight up, then left, then straight up twice, then right, then up.  Once you've gone as high as you can, jump to grab the horizontal pole.  Swing around it and jump to grab the next pole.  Finally, swing and jump to the ledge with the explosive barrels.

You may find a better strategy for dealing with the numerous mercenaries in this area, but here's mine: Jump across the stream to the left and stand in the corner facing out toward the stack of metal boxes.  Use pistols to explode the barrels—at least the two near the metal boxes—so the mercenaries can't use them to hurt Lara.

Jump back across the small stream toward the metal boxes, which offer some cover as long as Lara stands a few steps behind them.  Shoot the soldier hiding in the depression behind the explosive barrels to the right.  Shooting the barrels may hurt him, but you'll probably have to finish him off.  Inch forward toward the metal boxes and pick off the 2 mercenaries at the left and right ends of the wooden bridge.  To get the man in the middle of the bridge and the three on the far ledge without getting hurt, you'll need to move closer.

Blow up any remaining barrels.  Then jump across the stream, taking care not to fall in.  If that happens, Lara will be swept over the falls.  Run to the far wall (i.e., the right wall when facing the wooden bridge) and down the steps there.  Stay to the right, out of view of the men on the far ledge.  Kill the soldier on the left first, then inch forward until you can hit the man in the white shirt.  Deal with him before moving onto the bridge, since he's capable of blowing it out from under Lara with his grenade launcher.  Once he's dead, move out and take out the remaining 3 mercenaries.

Cross the wooden bridge (or grapple swing across if the bridge has been destroyed).  Then cross the small metal bridge to the exit door, picking rifle ammo, health packs and grenades as you go.  You can also get the GRENADE LAUNCHER here if you want it.

NOTE: Before moving on, make sure you have the silver reward #4.  If Lara died in this area and the game reloaded at the checkpoint, you may have forgotten to get it a second time.  Or, if you missed it before, you can get it now.  Work your way back to the top of the room where the metal boxes are stacked.  Look down over the edge to spot a brown door.  Lob a grenade onto the ledge there to break down the door.  Then climb down the way you came up.  Get the reward and climb back up.  See the first paragraph of this section for details.

ROOM WITH BROKEN STAIRS and ROPE: Enter, passing CHECKPOINT 19, and advance with guns drawn.  A jaguar lurks in the shadows, but you can probably kill it with pistols if you back out while shooting.  It won't follow Lara into the waterfall room.  If it doesn't die right away, move in again to target it and back out shooting.  Once it's dead, re-enter the room.

There's a reward behind the brown doors ahead, but this time a grenade doesn't work.  You'll have to find another way to open them.  Grab the bottom of the broken stairs on the right and pull up.  Step forward to trigger a boulder trap.  Then run or jump off the stairs to the right to avoid being flattened.  Wait for a second boulder to pass before climbing back up.  At the middle of the right staircase, where you can't climb any farther, turn right and jump to grab the dangling rope.  Climb a little higher on the rope, adjust Lara's angle and swing over to the left staircase.  Quickly hop back down into the area between the staircases to avoid a third boulder.

GOLD REWARD: Repeat the climbing and rope swinging to get onto the left stairs.  Go to the top, where you'll find a pressure pad on the floor.  Stand on it to open the door ahead, but don't go through yet.  This same pad also opens the doors below.  So stand on the pad until the doors have opened fully.  Then run down the stairs on the right, jumping over the watery part, hop down to the floor and run through the brown doors.  Once you have the gold reward (1/1), the lower doors stay open.  Climb back up to the pressure pad, use it to open the exit and run/roll through to CHECKPOINT 20.

Upon entering the final room of the level, a cut scene ("The Ghalali Key") shows Lara confronting James Rutland.  He tells Lara about the key used to reassemble the sword then flaunts the power of his particular fragment.

IGHTING RUTLAND: This battle is quite a bit harder than the one with Takamoto.  Rutland is not only tough and fast; he also has the ability to heal himself during battle, using the four pedestals around the edge of the room.  He throws grenades when Lara is far enough away and slashes with his sword fragment in close combat, both injuring Lara and knocking her to the ground.  You'll probably want to use pistols to start and save your more powerful weapon for the final stage of the fight.  Also, try and conserve health packs as much as possible.  Only use one if Lara has less than half her health remaining.

Run and jump to stay out of Rutland's way as much as possible.  Don't let him get Lara up against a wall, avoid his grenades and shoot at him when you get an opportunity.  In the early part of the fight, it's more important to conserve Lara's health than to injure Rutland, though you do want to weaken him somewhat so he'll retreat temporarily.

Once he's taken a little damage, he'll leap up onto one of the pedestals to heal.  Now you are able to target the red crystals on the underside of each pedestal.  Destroying each of these crystals reveals a shiny grapple point, which you'll use momentarily.  Run in a circle around the room, holding down the fire button and destroying as many crystals as possible as you go.  Try and break at least two or three before Rutland jumps back down.  When he does, engage him again, following the same strategies above.

The next time he jumps up onto one of the pedestals, shoot any remaining crystals.  If you have any time left before Rutland rejoins the fight, attach the magnetic grapple to one of the points where a red crystal had been and pull to topple the pedestal.  If you're using standard targeting mode, that means you'll have to press G (L1/LT) to put away your guns, then Q (Square/X) to grapple, then E (Triangle/Y) to pull.  Not an easy sequence in the heat of battle.  You'll have to repeat this on all four pedestals, which will probably take several rounds of dodging and shooting, then working at the pedestals while Rutland tries to heal.

Once all four pedestals are gone, Rutland can no longer regenerate, so you can pull out the heavy artillery if you want.  If you've been careful, you should have at least one health pack left.  (Oh, how I pine for the days of unlimited saves and the bottomless backpack!) Continue to attack while dodging his grenades and avoiding his slashing attacks.  When he's near death, a cut scene interrupts.

Lara checks the fit between Rutland's fragment and the one she recovered from Takamoto.  She deduces that the sword was designed to come apart and be reassembled using the Ghalali key.  According to Rutland, Amanda believes Lara's father recovered the key and she's now searching Croft Manor to find it.  (This cut scene is titled "Two Shards".)

A second cinematic ("Hasty Departure") shows Lara racing away from the ruins on the motorcycle.  At last she's able to contact her friends, who tell her Amanda has come and gone.  The trail now leads to Kazakhstan, where Soviet scientists had apparently been studying another piece of the sword.

NOTE: If you're playing the PC version of the game and want to skip the fight with Rutland, you're welcome to download a savegame file from the checkpoint at the start of the next level.

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