TR2 - LEVEL 15: TEMPLE OF XIAN

The first doorway has flicker motion on the ouside faces and turn-in flicker motion on the passage faces. At the entrance to the next room, the left corner has no bugs, but on both faces of the right corner, turning imbeds her so a column of Laras appears, and she is freed by Roll.

The second passage has flicker motion on both faces of the right corner, and turning leads to wall slides or temporary lifting at the left corner. The entrance to the next room is like the previous one.

The third passage has starts like the previous one. The entrance to the dagger chamber has nothing at the left corner and turn-in flicker motion at the right corner.

THE DAGGER...ALMOST: For a super shortcut, pick up the Gold Dragon and perform a curve jump to the sloping rock by the bridge. Catch the edge before you slide off and traverse to the left end. Pull up to Jump with Roll and steer right in the air. Lara will land on the bridge. Seen in XAlien’s Youtube video from July 2006. Earliest mention found: Varatharaju on tombraider forums, Feb. 2, 2005.

After getting the Gold Dragon, dive into the pool and swim against the current. Hold Action, and Lara will catch a crack one square below the lip of the falls. She can traverse back and forth a width of 4 squares, but if you pull up, she doesn't recatch. Also, from the doorway high in the left wall, Lara can jump to the water above the falls and catch the crack.

-- Details skipped to continue the shortcut above. --

WOODEN BRIDGE WITH ROLLING BLADE:

Go to the high end of the bridge and throw the switch.

If you got here by jumping from the Gold Dragon pickup, you can skip most of the level by crossing the bridge and continuing. Or to shortcut to opening the temple doors, turn to your left and attempt a corner bug at the corner which is missing the lower part.

Lara will drop straight down to a ledge a few feet below the water, with no damage, where she can stand. Jump to the opening nearby and hop down to open the temple doors with the switch. Drop down to get the grenades first if you wish, then return to the opening and jump out. Incidentally, I couldn’t swim to the ledge in several tries. Also, a corner bug back up to the bridge works with difficulty; stand with Lara’s foot off the ledge as much as possible, turn to 45 degrees, and jump, pressing Forward while Lara is off the ground. After the second such jump, the bug may work. She is often washed away while attempting this. So this is another possible shortcut to the bridge above.

Trying bugs at the corners of the doorway to the room lead to death by rolling wheel.

The corner in the room by the end of the wheel’s travel allows flicker motion.

A turn-in corner bug works at the corner of the doorway to the next room (which has a rolling wheel to your left).

STEEP SLOPE WITH TIERED SPRINGBOARDS: The rolling wheel is not triggered if you approach from the upper direction, so you can find that the three corners of the wooden column permit flicker motion.

The left and right corners of the next wooden column work by turn-in, but they cause her to drop to the bottom floor. Bug back up at the nearby corner with a turning corner bug from the left face and a normal corner bug on the right face.

On the bottom floor, the “second” tiger is triggered by entering the square by the doorway. The “first” tiger is triggered by the first square of the bridge (going in the normal direction). You can bug through the corner to the bridge without triggering the “second” tiger, but it doesn’t work in the other direction.

The corner near the lowest springboard traps Lara from the left face until rolling or turning is tried. The right face shows no bugs. The corner above the highest springboard has flicker motion on both faces.

MAIN CHAMBER: There are no bugs at the double doors.

You can’t quite reach the “safe” lava (see below) beyond the grate that can be raised. I tried advancing with sidesteps before the jump plus swan diving. A simple running jump reaches the safe lava by the other dragon, but there’s nothing to do there; the corners of the dragon column don’t allow bugs.

The corner to the left of the lock causes Lara to jump into the lava when a bug is attempted. The corner to the right of the lock allows you to catch the edge above, if Action is held. Then traverse left to skip the ladder climb beyond the spike wall. This all leaves the spike wall untriggered, but it’s about 7 seconds slower.

The corner one square from the ladders traps Lara permanently in the wall, from both faces. One square away, the left face of the corner does the same.

The corners before the next moving spike wall both trap Lara in the wall. The right corner releases her with Roll.

From both faces, the corner above the ladder beyond the moving spike wall traps Lara in the wall, but she is released by Roll. However, the right face lights her on fire from the wall torch.

Three squares away, the corner allows turning corner bugs from both faces. One square further, the only bug is flicker motion on the left face.

One square away at the next column, both faces support flicker motion. At the other column corner, I made a turning corner bug work only on the left face.

At the last column, the corner by the switch traps Lara permanently in the wall, from both faces. Bugs work at the other corner, but she falls immediately from the left face, and the right face traps her until Roll frees her. Opening the grate later doesn’t change any bugs.

After the switch raises the grate, the left corner permits turn-in flicker motion. The right corner allows a turning corner bug leading to a wall slide.

After retrieving the key atop the column, safety drop from the edge furthest from the dragon head. Lara automatically lands on the edge of the horizontal platform, facing toward the exit. This shortcut saves a few seconds.

To speedily reach the ladder beyond the raised grate, make a running jump that takes off from the edge of the previous platform, and hold Forward and Jump until she jumps from the grate.

After climbing the ladder, instead of jumping over the spikes to the second ladder, it's possible to jump to the left (running jump without action) onto the dragon slide. This has no use whatsoever.

The two column corners accessible from the raised grate allow (fatal) flicker motion.

The two corners by the switch that turns off the flames bug Lara through the ceiling to the upper chamber:

The fastest way is to put Lara’s feet even with the line above the triangle of brickwork at the bottom of the adjacent columns, move sideways to the right side of the ladder, and jump. Lara lands at the left corner of the switch platform, just turn right a bit less than 45 degress and do the corner bug. This shortcut saves about 15 seconds.

The corners by the extinguished flame you jump to after throwing the switch both allow flicker motion.

At the opening to the second dragon, the right corner permits a turning corner bug, and the left corner has no bug.

Both corners at the bottom of the ladder on the second dragon allow flicker motion.

Climb up the left side of the first ladder, and place Lara’s feet 5 rungs above the horizontal platform on her left about halfway up. Then hold Jump and Action, so Lara jumps immediately from the slope behind her. Do the backflip and twist from the next ladder 3 full rungs below blade.

The corner at the top of all the ladders permits turn-in flicker motion.

After sliding down the dragon's neck to the block, I once hopped the wrong way, into the lava. Instead of going into her death swoon, Lara stood there! I found she was able to walk past the dragon through several lava squares to the wall, without dying.

Using Look to shift the viewpoint below the lava surface was especially interesting. Try pulling up on the dragon; Lara disappears into its side, but is ejected back into the lava immediately. Both dragons work the same; it also seems to have no use. I saw this on another site, but I can’t recall where.

At each dragon column, the corners in the non-fatal lava have no bugs.

Lara can jump or drop into the non-fatal lava as an alternate way down, but it’s slower than sliding down the necks.

LEVEL 16: FLOATING ISLANDS

BEGINNING OF LEVEL/GOLD LATTICE BUILDING: The right corner (after you turn around) of the structure behind Lara allows a corner bug.

A flying guard is destroyed by about 40 pistol or automatic pistol rounds, 80 Uzi rounds, 27 M-16 rounds, or 3 grenades.

I treated the flying guard low on the left with three grenades while he was still frozen. In opposition to Stella’s remarks for the PC, this did not diminish the number of automatic pistol or Uzi rounds or grenades necessary to explode him after triggering. Ten grenades while frozen also seemed to have no effect. However, 18 harpoons did about 75% damage to the guard while he was frozen.

The trigger square for the above guard is by a corner that puts Lara on the roof of the Lattice Building.

The right corner of the opening to the Gold Lattice Building allows flicker motion, and the left corner permits turn-in flicker motion.

At the passage to the raised grate, the right corner is bugless. Turning corner bugs work at the left corner; the left face produces a column of Laras, but she’s freed when Roll is pressed.

Shortcuts: After pulling the switch in the lattice building, try a third alternative. Do a forward jump with Action from the left of the large opening to the left of the stone island in front of you. You should reach the slope beyond the flat square. This costs about 20% of Lara's health. The corner allows you to jump off the top, and with a bit of Left in the air, to grab the opening to the lattice building. Then take a running jump to the plaque island, being careful not to run off. Take the plaque, do a running jump to catch the center of the next island, then an easy jump to the Jade Dragon island.

OR, a fourth alternative: in the lattice building, get 2 paces back from the left of the large opening, aim just past the lattice and "fly" Lara to the brick structure, using the Left key in the air. Then run off the bricks to the plaque island, holding Action. "Fly" Lara right, if needed. Only 10% health is lost. You can now jump to the flat area beyond the slope, then by careful angling to the middle of the slide. But the guard never animates if you jump to the left of the vertical stone face, over the straight upper edge. "Fly" right during the jump. To get back to the area near the plaque island, do a running jump from the second or third block up on the right. If you hold Action, no health is lost.

LARGER ISLAND, LOWER LEVEL: The corner by the switch is without bugs.

You can’t bug past the closed gate. There are no bugs at the open gate.

MYSTIC PLAQUE GATE AND GARDEN BEYOND: Shortcuts: The near corners permit corner bugs to the wall’s top. Also, the corner bug works at the right corner of either "column" attached to the wall, next to the frozen guards (or next to where they were); the left corners of those columns permit turning corner bugs. The initial flying guard doesn't activate if Lara doesn't get near the inside of the double doors.

Move near the bridge, and you can see him below on the left, floating in space. Jumping over the door activates him. He flies and lands next to Lara on top of the wall; if she jumps down inside the wall, he takes off and flies down next to her. But if she gets him to land far enough back from the doors, and jumps down just outside, he may land inside. Then he will try to attack Lara through the doors. When he swings his sword, she can hit him with bullets, eventually exploding him.

Note that this bug over the wall lets Lara skip getting the two mystic plaques, allowing a substantial SHORTCUT to the end of the level. This is mentioned in the Expert’s Challenge on Theresa’s site.

The corners of the entrance to the pasage to the Silver Dragon don’t allow any bugs. The corner of the end of the passage doesn’t work on the right face and works oddly on the left face: Lara doesn’t imbed, but appears suddenly on the slope above and slides or jumps to her death. The corner at the drop-off permits a bug, which ends fatally.

At the right end of the wall a jump over the slope traps Lara between the slope on the other side and the Edge of Space. Jump to the large “V” in the right sidewall, keep jumping to avoid the trap at the bottom of the “V”, and then slide and jump forward with a bit of Left to land on the horizontal square. Move forward two squares, and a careful jump along the left edge lands near the Silver Dragon, with no damage.

If you want to get back on the wall from the inside, use the corner bug on the right side of the gate (right when facing the doors). It looks as if a sloping block that covers the lower half of the right side of the corner might interfere, but it doesn't. Note: this area is usually darker; Lara is holding a flare. The left corner has no bugs.

The corner by the lamp is bugless.

For a fast trip to the lower bridge, stand to either side of the upper bridge, slide backwards done the slopes and catch the edge. Traverse to the lower bridge. Pull up, jump with Roll, and steer in the air toward the bridge. Lara will land in the railing with a quaking picture. Earliest reference: a Youtube video of Aug. 9, 2007 by ZephyryhpeZ. Amazingly, RadyxxRyan posted a full TR2 run 2 days later that also includes this shortcut. For a little more speed (but a few percent damage), hang from the top edge, hold Jump and Roll, drop and steer toward the bridge.

The corner before the green boulder allows a bug.

When dealing with the two boulders on the left side, I back-flipped over the first boulder, as Stella suggests. But then I back-flipped again, instead of hopping back and hanging. To avoid the second boulder I jumped forward, and ended up pinned between the rock face and the second boulder! Lara was invisible, but I could wiggle her a bit (the view shifted slightly). She was trapped until I pressed Jump; she landed on the slope.

After the pull-up to the red-walled room, both corners allow flicker motion.

The corner at the largest opening permits Lara to bug throught the roof and slide to her doom. The same occurs at the corner of the narrow opening.

Turning corner bugs work at both faces of the red corner to the left of the green column. In each case Lara slides off the roof into space.

After the climb out of the hole, the corner below the highest point allows flicker motion.

The rock corner beyond where the two boulders were has no bug.

LOWER BRIDGE/ROOM BELOW GARDEN: The corners by the end of the bridge don’t show bugs.

The next corner on the right (toward the zip line) has flicker motion on both faces. The corner to the left also has flicker motion on the left face, but the right face only has a turning corner bug.

The corner to the left of the passage to the zip line has turn-in flicker motion on the left face and a turning corner bug on the right face.

The corner to the right of the zip line has turn-in flicker motion; the corner to the left has no bug.

The corner to the left of the three petrified guards has flicker motion on the right face, and turn-in flicker motion on the left face.

At the green room above the second zip line, The corner missing the bottom foot allows Lara to imbed, but no bug occurs. The other corner doesn’t permit a bug.

LAVA ROOM AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ZIP LINE: At the three columns by the flames on the right, from left to right:

1. At the left corner by the flames, Lara is trapped permanently. There’s no bug at the right corner by the flames. At the other left corner, on both faces a turning corner bug traps Lara permanently or causes a wall slide. With the block in the diagonal position, both faces cause a column of Laras, with escape by turning and jumping in a direction. With the block against the right face, that face shows flicker motion and the the left face is bugless. At the last corner, the left face shows flicker motion, and on the right face Lara is trapped but freed by rolling twice. The diagonal block causes both faces to produce a column of Laras, with escape by turning and directional jumping. When the block is on the left face, both faces produce flicker motion.
2. Same as above, except once on the other left corner Roll freed Lara; and the other right corner has flicker motion on both faces. The block diagonally at the other left corner allows no bug on the left face, and on the right, a column of Laras with escape by turning and jumping in a direction; the block on the right face prevents any bugs on the left face, and shows flicker motion on the right face. With the block diagonally at the other right corner, both faces allow a column of Laras and she can free herself by turning and jumping. With the block on the left face both faces enable flicker motion.
3. The left corner by the flames has no bug. The right corner by the flames has flicker motion. The other left corner has a turning corner bug trap Lara permanently or cause a wall slide, on both faces. With the block diagonal, the left face has no bug and the right face leads to a column of Laras, but she escapes with a backward jump. With the block against the right face, the left face is bugless and the right face (atop the block) has flicker motion. The last corner traps Lara permanently on the left face, and the right face shows flicker motion. But with the block in the diagonal position, both faces form a column of Laras, with escape by turning and directional jumping. With the block on the left face, the right face stays at flicker motion, but the left does flicker motion also.

The column left of the zip line has no bugs at the left corner, and the right corner allows Lara to bug to the top of the column. The left corner’s faces allow bugs if you plush the block against the face, and jump from atop the block, but otherwise the block makes no changes. The column to the right of the zip line permits a bug at the left corner and turning corner bugs on both faces of the right corner.

At the two columns on the left, left to right:

1. The left corner by the flames shows flicker motion. The right corner by the flames traps Lara permanently in the wall. The other left corner permits turning corner bugs on both faces, which raise her temporarily or trap her permanently. The other right corner has no bugs.
2. Both corners by the flames trap Lara permanently in the wall. The other two corners are the same as #1.

It’s easy to reach the switch in the alcove by the flame trench without creating the small “bridge” in front of it. Just hold Action and run off the opposite side of the trench at the alcove, causing about 40% damage. It’s also pretty easy to run and catch the the large step at one end of the trench. The two corners of the alcove both show turn-in flicker motion, whether the bridge is there or not. This is a shortcut, but it’s superseded by ZephyryhpeZ’s Youtube video, where Lara goes straight to the swinging blades and uses med-packs to pass them.

After the gate to the upper passage is open, the small bridge in the flame trench is immaterial! But Lara is not burned by the flame she lands on!?!

At the column on the switch platform, the corner to the left of the switch has flicker motion on both faces. The two corners nearest to it both show a turning corner bug on each face, and the fourth corner has no bugs.

I couldn’t make the swim corner bug work at any of the four corners below the trapdoor in the flames. But it worked at the corner to the right at the underwater tunnel exit to the swinging blades.

The corner by the switch has no bug. The other corner of the alcove shows flicker motion.

The corner at the exit of the swinging blade passage has flicker motion on both faces of the corner opposite the blades. Turning corner bugs work at the corner with the blades.

The only bug at the two corners by the upper disk shooter is flicker motion on the left face of the right corner. There are no bugs at the corners to the cross passage.

The corner by the spikes allows flicker motion.

I tried extensively to make the catch over the spikes from the lower passage by using a longest running jump. Lara’s hands always appeared a couple of inches short. I also tried backing up, so the takeoff point is higher; that also failed.

It’s easy to do a sideflip over the spikes from the left edge of the opening and land without damage; aim about a foot left of the farthest corner. I attempted a corner bug to the upper opening, which almost worked when I pressed Forward during the jump; Lara hops twice in the upper opening and then falls onto the spikes. This can be extended by rolling after the first hop, but she still impales herself. Pressing Action in an attempt to imbed in the wall also leads to death by spikes. Perhaps someone else can figure out how to make this work.

The first corner (on the left) in the upper passage has flicker motion on both faces. The corner by the bars isn’t really a corner at all, since the whole square before the bars is blocked off; there are no bugs. The corner on the right has turn-in flicker motion on the left face and no bugs on the right face. There’s no but at the opening.

The corner of the switch alcove beyond the spikes (with a couple of feet missing at the bottom) allows turn-in, but no bug occurs. At least when you hop through the corner while maximizing the turn, Lara lands between the spikes, with no damage.

With the bars removed, the corner to the opening has turn-in flicker motion on the left face, and the right face allows a turning corner bug that raises Lara until you release Forward.

There’s something odd about the corner at the entrance to the room: the right face unexpectedly moves Lara past the corner, and the left face allows her to imbed part way, but the bug doesn’t work until you hold Forward and she drops when you release it. I guess the bars are sort of still there.

The corner to the right of the guards permits turning corner bugs on both faces. Between the two guards, the right corner of the doorway has no bugs and the left corner allows turning corner bugs on both faces. The corner left of the guards has no bugs.

At the other doorway, the right corners of the two columns flanking the doors allow flicker motion on both faces. Lara is forced from the wall if she flickers up to the door. Along the same face, you can also drop her when the bug works with Action, turn her to look along the wall and perform a wall slide, but she is stopped by the door. Turning corner bugs work on each of the faces of the left-side corners.

THE CAGE: Shortcut: To land on the wall, not down in the cage, do a safety-drop bug at either corner of the hole that’s above the low end of the slide. The four knife-throwers are not spawned. When you drop outside the cage, two jade guards attack, so run to the larger area near the exit in order to have room to maneuver.

On the wall, the right corner of the slide’s column (looking at the high side) permits turning corner bugs on both faces. With a timely jump you can keep Lara jumping back and forth over the hole, but even shifting to the corners doesn’t allow her to escape another slide. The left corner is bugless.

The rear corners of the cage wall don’t allow any bugs, even though the right corner permits imbedding by turn-in. However, after the imbedding, continuous turning to the left, a wall slide, then right, does put Lara back on the wall.

At the right-hand switch alcove, the left-hand column corners allow turning corner bugs, while the right corners are without bugs.

At the left-hand switch alcove, the left-hand column corners allow turning corner bugs, while the right corners permit flicker motion on both faces.

The two corners at the rear of the cage’s switch block allow imbedding, but the bars appear to interfere with bugs. The far left corner of the column permits a turning corner bug on the left face and flicker motion on the right face. The far right corner allows flicker motion on both faces.

Looking at the exit, the three right-hand corners allow turning corner bugs on both faces. The three left-hand corners have no bugs. On the two columns, the far right corners have flicker motion, and the far left corners permit turning corner bugs.

The first corner on the stairs has flicker motion on the left face and turn-in flicker motion on the right face. Continuing up, the second and third corners don’t have any bugs. The last corner has flicker motion on the left face and turn-in flicker motion on the right face.

LADDERS ABOVE SPIKES AND LAVA: There are no bugs by the open doors in this room.

The movable block allows a temporary bug at its original position; no other bugs work at the two corners flanking the zip line.

If you jump to the right, you will find that the green corner begins to allow turn-in

After jumping to the left, the green corner has no bugs.

The left corner of the tunnel to SECRET #3 has no bug. The right corner bugs Lara through the ceiling; if you keep Jump held, an amusing series of jumps finally lands her on a shelf across the lava.

At the first corner into the tunnel the left face shows flicker motion. The right face tries to allow a turn-in corner bug, but the sloping floor seems to prevent it. The next corner has flicker motion on the right face, but nothing on the left face.

At the entrance to the outdoor walkway, the corner to the left suddenly bugs Lara onto a slope where she slides to the Edge of Space and becomes trapped. The right corner is bugless on the right face, and the left allows a bug, but Lara always falls, even if Action is held.

LEVEL 17: THE DRAGON'S LAIR

In the starting room, the two corners to the right of the petrified guard permit fm on each face. The two corners to the left allow turning corner bugs on all faces.

In the next room with the petrified guards, the columns at the entrance have turning corner bugs on each face of the right corners, but nothing at the two left corners.

At the alcove with a blank wall in back, the right corner of the the right-hand column has no bugs. The left corner of the same column has a turning corner bug on the left face. The corner by the alcove on the front faces of both columns causes a column of Laras, but she is freed by jumping forward. The other face of the left column’s right corner is bugless. The left corner of that column shows turning corner bugs.

At the alcove with the switch the front faces of the corners by the alcove form columns of Laras; she escapes by rolling and jumping with arrow keys. The other three faces of the right corners of the two columns show turning corner bugs; the other left corner faces have fm.

At the opening to the room of knife-throwers, the front faces of the corners by the alcove form columns of Laras; she escapes by rolling and jumping with arrow keys. The other three faces of the right corners of the two columns show fm; the other left corner faces have turning corner bugs.

At the entrance to the knife-throwers room, the faces in the room don’t allow bugs, probably because the raised door interferes. The faces inside the passage have turn-in fm.

In the knife-thrower room, there are 18 columns with 56 exposed corners (8 columns are against a wall). These corners have 112 faces, and I tested all of them. In every case if you look at a column with the entrance wall behind you, the near left and far right corners have turning corner bugs, the near right corners have fm, and the far left corner doesn’t have bugs. All column corners are the same on both faces.

Depending on the offset from the corner and the angle when a turning corner bug works, Lara may bug up and fall when you release Forward, do a wall slide, be trapped and form a column of Laras (I was always able to escape by rolling and/or directional jumping), or remain at the top when you release Forward. In the last case, she may be ejected from the corner when you press Roll, or reverse position on the first press of Roll and be ejected on the second.

No bugs work at the ornate doors to the dragon’s lair, whether the doors are open or closed.

Looking back at the slide to the main level, the right corners of the two columns allow turning corner bugs on each face, while the two left corners don’t have bugs.

At the large doors (for the dragon?), the two left corners have turning corner bugs on both faces. The two right corners are bugless.

The two columns flanking the open side of the ceremonial area have fm on each face of the left corners and turning corner bugs exist on each face of the right corners.

After the dragon is slain, face toward the exit. For all four columns around the ceremonial platform, the near left corner has fm, the near right and far left corners show turning corner bugs, and there are no bugs at the far right corner. All corners are the same on both sides.

Inside the exit tunnel, the corners by the door hinges appear to allow imbedding, but the doors are in the way, so bugs do not occur. Lara can jump through the hinges in both directions, after repeated tries.

The corner on the right one square past where jade changes to stone traps Lara permanently in the wall, in a sliding position.

Lara can jump over low ridges to the lava walls at the sides! There are mostly horizontal walkways by the vertical lava (flame?). Lara is not harmed by the lava, and she can’t pass through it. The first lava area on the right has a corner that traps her permanently. The jade portions of the ceiling tend to lose large dangerous pieces.

On the left there’s an oddly dull lava wall. A corner to its left is without bugs.

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