Stella's Tomb Raider: Last Revelation Guide - Windows, Macintosh, PlayStation, PSP, Vita & Dreamcast

LEVEL 35:  TEMPLE OF HORUS

Updated: 5/5/19()

Kills: 10 (13)  Items: 3 plus Large Waterskin and Amulet of Horus (again)  Secrets: 0*

NOTE: The Ammit-like monsters at the beginning of the level are optional kills and respawn infinitely, so this count is based on bats only (10) or bats plus 3 monsters (13).

FIRST WATER AND SCALE PUZZLE: Follow the ramp up to the next room. On the left is a cage containing a nasty monster resembling the Egyptian goddess Ammit. On the right is a balance-beam scale with a silver pitcher on one side and a feather on the other. (See the FYI below for more about Ammit and the weighing of the heart.) As you approach the scale, Lara looks to the left at the inscription above one of the fountains. There are two wavy line symbols representing water, so for this puzzle you need 2 liters of water. (Never mind that ancient Egyptians knew about as much about the metric system as modern Americans. We'll just suspend our disbelief, won't we?) Pick up the LARGE WATERSKIN from the floor near the skeleton. You will need it—along with the SMALL WATERSKIN, which you should still have in your inventory from the MASTABAS—to solve the puzzle. (screenshots)

How to use the waterskins: If you stand in the pool on either side of the walkway, open your inventory, select either waterskin, and press Action, Lara will fill that waterskin if it's empty. If you stand outside the pool, open your inventory, select either waterskin, and press Action again, Lara will empty that waterskin on the ground. By experimenting you'll see that the large waterskin holds 5 liters when it's full; the small waterskin holds 3 liters. You can also pour the contents from one skin to another using the 'Combine' option inventory ring. You can then pour the contents of either skin into the silver pitcher on the scale.

BUG NOTE: If Lara says "no" when you try to fill or empty the waterskins, try pausing a moment between actions before pressing Action. If she's in the middle of a movement animation, she won't start another action. If you're playing with keyboard and she still says "no," make sure you're pressing Action (Ctrl) instead of Enter when using or combining the items within the inventory ring. If that doesn't help, see the footnote.

To solve the puzzle (screenshots):

  1. Make sure both waterskins are empty. If not, stand on dry land, select each one from inventory, and select "Use" to dump it out.
  2. Stand in either pool, select the large waterskin from inventory, and select "Use." Lara then dips the waterskin into the pool to fill it.
  3. Select the large waterskin containing 5 liters and combine it with the small waterskin (empty) to fill the small waterskin from the large one. You should now have the small waterskin containing 3 liters and the large waterskin containing 2 liters. Exit the inventory ring without using either one.

NOTE: If you want all kills, be sure to use the wrong amount of water (small waterskin) first to release the monster so you can fight it. Then use the correct amount (large waterskin) to solve the puzzle.

Position Lara squarely facing the left scale platform with the pitcher on it. Make sure she's right up against it. (You might want to save your game before pouring the water.) Open your inventory, select the large waterskin (with 2 liters of water), and Use it to pour the water into the pitcher. If you're too far from the scale, Lara will pour the water on the floor and you'll have to start over. You will see and hear water pouring if you've done it correctly. Once you pour exactly 2 liters of water into the pitcher, the scale balances and the grate in the floor opens. (screenshots)

If you use the wrong amount of water, the scale won't balance and the monster will be released. You must then kill it or reload a saved game and try again. Explosives are basically useless, but 4 revolver rounds will do the trick. The shotgun, Uzis, or even pistols can also destroy it; this just takes a little longer. When you defeat the monster, it vanishes in a flash of fire and reappears in its cage, ready for Lara's next attempt. (screenshots)

Once you've solved the puzzle, drop down through the open grate and follow the passage to a dark room with a climbing pole going down into an opening lined with retractable spikes. Enter and kill a couple of bats. Take a standing jump from the edge of the opening to grab the pole. Slide down and wait to just above the spikes. Then, just as they begin to retract, slide down through the opening. Kill 2 more bats in the room below. Continue to the next room. (screenshots)

SECOND WATER AND SCALE PUZZLE: It's the same basic setup as the previous puzzle: Ammit-creature in her cage on one side, scale on the other. Only this time, according to the number of wavy lines above the fountains, you need 4 liters of water to balance the scales. (screenshot)

  1. Pour out the small waterskin so both skins are empty.
  2. Step into one of the pools and fill the large waterskin (5 liters).
  3. Step out of the pool. Select the large waterskin (5 liters) then combine it with the small waterskin (empty) to pour water from the large skin into the small one. You should now have the small waterskin with 3 liters and the large one with 2 liters.
  4. Empty the small waterskin.
  5. Again select the large waterskin (2 liters) and combine it with the small waterskin (empty) to pour water from the large skin into the small one. You should now have the small waterskin (2 liters) and the large waterskin empty.
  6. Step into the pool and refill the large waterskin (5 liters).
  7. Step out of the pool. Again, select the large waterskin (5 liters) and combine it with the small waterskin (2 liters) to fill the small waterskin from the large one. You should now have the small waterskin with 2 liters and the large waterskin with 4 liters.

Go to the scale and pour the 4 liters of water from the large waterskin into the pitcher. This should balance the scales, opening the grate in the floor. As with the previous puzzle, if you use the wrong amount of water, the cage door opens releasing the Ammit-like monster. You'll need to kill it—4 revolver rounds should do it—or reload and try again.

Drop down through the open grate and follow the passage to another room with a climbing pole and retractable spikes. Again, you'll need to kill 3 bats. Then take a standing jump to grab the pole. Slide down to just above the spikes. Then, just as the spikes begin to recede, slide down through the opening. Kill 3 more bats in the room below. Continue to the next room. (The screenshots for the previous section show how to do all this.)

THIRD WATER AND SCALES PUZZLE: Here we go again. This time there's only one wavy line symbol above each fountain. (screenshot) So you'll need to pour 1 liter of water into the vessel on the scale. Here's the sequence:

  1. Empty the large waterskin (if it isn't already empty from the last time).
  2. Step into either pool and fill the small waterskin (if it isn't already full from last time).
  3. Select the small waterskin (3 liters) then combine it with the large one. You should now have the large waterskin with 3 liters and the small waterskin empty.
  4. Fill the small skin again. Small and large skins should now contain 3 liters each.
  5. Select the small waterskin and combine it with the large one. You should now have the large waterskin with 5 liters and the small one with 1 liter.

Go to the scale and pour the 1 liter of water from the small waterskin into the pitcher. This should balance the scales, opening the grate in the floor. Again, if you use the wrong amount of water, the cage door opens releasing the Ammit monster. You'll need to kill it or reload in order to try again. Once you get the grate open, drop down through the opening and follow the passage.

PASSAGEWAY WITH SHAFT OF BLUE LIGHT: Jump across the opening and grab the climbable back wall of the shaft. Climb down, down, and more down. There's a small room partway down containing a complicated trapdoor mechanism and a closed gate. There's nothing you can do here now, so keep descending until you can dismount on a small ledge on the right (north). (screenshots)

Cutscene: A panoramic view shows the statue of Horus awaiting its armor. It stands in a cavern on a small island surrounded by a pool. Classic boss-level architecture if you ask me. ;-)

SHOWDOWN: Turn right (north) and take a running jump from the ledge near the shaft of light to land in the water below. Turn around and swim forward and little to the left to find a place where you can climb out of the water onto the island. Place the 4 HOLY SCRIPTURES on the pedestals surrounding the statue of Horus. (You should still have them from the level UNDERNEATH THE SPHINX.) Then approach the statue from the front to trigger the next cutscene. (screenshots)

BUG NOTE: There is a bug in this section which may manifest in varying degrees. See the details at the bottom of the page.

Cutscene: Lara arranges the armor on the statue and places the amulet on its chest.

FMV sequence: High in the heavens sparkling light coalesces into a shining falcon, which dives through space into the pyramid. It smashes into the statue, bringing the god into physical form. Then, outside, a swarm of locusts gathers and speeds toward the pyramid. The insects penetrate the tunnels and surround Horus. The god then explodes, his energy scattered. Lara is blown off her feet, and the amulet flies through the air landing in the water nearby. Seth now appears in Horus's place. (See the Cinematics section for details and transcript.)

SETH is apparently unwilling to negotiate. He immediately starts firing shards of blue energy that will quickly kill Lara if she doesn't get out of the way. You can't destroy him—after all, he is a god—so don't waste bullets shooting at him. Your only option is to entomb him once more. To do that, you'll first need to retrieve the AMULET OF HORUS. As soon as the cutscene ends, turn right (north) and run off the edge into the water, swim down to the bottom, and pick up the amulet. (screenshots)

BUG NOTE: If the amulet is invisible, try lighting a flare to reveal it. If that doesn't work, check the footnote for other options.

Once you have the amulet, the iron gate on the south side of the cavern opens. To get there, turn left and swim around the island to the southwest corner of the cavern. Here you can climb out of the water on a small, slightly sloping ledge. Run forward and jump up the slope directly ahead (to the south). Follow the rock shelf around to the left and up the ramp. At the top, turn right and run through the open gate. Inside, pick up the Uzi clips behind the gate, and pull the switch to open the other gate, on the north side of the cavern. Meanwhile, SETH runs around on the island or hovers above it making creepy noises, but as long as you stand to either side of the doorway, his blasts won't hurt Lara. So you can take a break, heal if necessary, and save the game. (screenshots)

To get from the south switch to the north switch, exit the first switch room, veer slightly to the right, and jump off the ledge into the pool. Swim forward then around to the left to reach the northeast corner. Here you can climb out of the water on another small ledge. Run forward and jump up the slope directly ahead (to the north). Follow the ledge around to the left and up the ramp. At the top, turn right and run through the open gate. Pick up the small medipack behind the gate and use the switch. This activates the ornate trapdoor mechanism in the room halfway up the SHAFT OF BLUE LIGHT. (Remember, you passed it earlier as you climbed down inside the shaft.) (screenshots)

To get from the north switch back to the shaft of light, exit the switch room, veer a little to the right, and jump into the water. Lara will land in the pool near where she picked up the amulet earlier. Swim forward then around to the left to get back to the southwest corner. Climb out on the same small, square ledge. Jump up the slope, turn left, and run up the ramp. This time, instead of going into the room with the switch, run past it and jump down to the uneven ledge in the southeast corner. Veer left as you run across this ledge. Take a running jump to grab the thin ledge protruding from the east wall above the water. Pull up, run forward, and jump to grab the slightly higher block directly ahead. Pull up again. Jump up the slope and turn left. (screenshots)

Now, climb or jump up onto the light-colored square block just ahead. (If you happened to explore the cavern earlier, this block was not here then. It rises out of the ledge when you use the second switch.) Turn slightly to the right and take a standing jump up to the next ledge. Here you'll find a small medipack. Grab it. Then follow this corner ledge around to the right (south). Take a running jump from the outer corner of this ledge to grab the rectangular ledge jutting out of the left (east) wall. Pull up. Run forward and jump off the far edge, aiming a little to the left, between the east wall and the the pointed rock formation hanging from the ceiling. You'll land on a dark ledge in the southeast corner of the cave (above where you were earlier). (screenshots)

Cross to the far right and look for the raised crawlspace above the south switch room. Jumping to grab this opening is a little tricky. Even though you risk losing some health from SETH's energy blasts, you may want to take the time to set up the jump: Walk to the edge facing the crawlspace. The south cavern wall is now on Lara's left. Hop back once. Then run, jump, and grab the opening. Hold Action to hang on and press Crouch + Up to pull up. Then crawl forward. You're safe inside, so take a breath and save if you like. (screenshots)

Crawl through the twisting tunnel to the end. Crawl backwards toward the opening and drop onto the ledge below. Roll and follow this ledge around to the right and up the slope. Take a running jump at the end to grab the next ledge, which juts out of the west wall toward the SHAFT OF BLUE LIGHT. Pull up. Step forward once then side flip to the right. The SHAFT OF LIGHT is now just ahead on the right, the pool and island far below. Walk to the edge, hop back, then take a running jump to grab the climbable wall directly ahead. Climb to the right, into the blue light, then upward onto the ledge above. Lara will take some hits from SETH's projectiles, so heal as you go if necessary. As soon as you pull up onto the ledge, turn left, grab onto the climbable wall, and climb to the left, into the SHAFT OF LIGHT. Continue climbing upward inside the shaft. After a bit, SETH will lose sight of Lara and stop firing at her. Just continue climbing. (screenshots)

Cutscene: Lara reaches the room above and does a fancy flip to land on the floor. She places the Amulet of Horus into the odd mechanism, and the trapdoor closes, sealing Seth inside the cave.

TRAPPED PASSAGEWAY TO THE EXIT: Turn around and exit through the open gate. Go up the stairs cautiously because there are sliding block traps ahead. Once you've activated the first block, position Lara facing it, one or two walking steps away, and slightly to the left or right of center. Watch the block move back and forth. Then, as soon as it starts to slide away, take a standing jump past it onto the next safe step. (screenshots) Repeat this for two more block traps.

At the top of the stairs is a steep tunnel. The vibrations from Seth's almighty tantrum have begun to knock the place down. Advance one or two steps beyond the doorway. Then wait as a huge stone block smashes down just to your right. If you examine the ceiling, you'll notice that certain tiles have skulls carved into them. These are the ones that collapse if you get too close. If you move cautiously, you can avoid them or at least make sure to run beneath them quickly so Lara doesn't get crushed. To get through this first section, step onto the next tile directly ahead, stop, and wait for 2 more blocks to fall, one ahead, one on the left. Then advance up the right side of the slope. Take a running jump across the spike pit to grab the opposite edge. Pull up. (screenshots)

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Amulet of Power
The Amulet of Power, published in 2003, reveals the never-before shown events that took place between The Last Revelation and The Angel of Darkness. Available on Amazon.com, Amazon UK, and eBay. (paid links)

Move partway up the next slope then to the left, between the two columns, to avoid another falling block. Continue up the slope along the left side. Take another running jump across the next pit to grab either the left or middle of the opposite side. If you grab the left side, traverse to the middle. Then pull up. (screenshots)

For this next section, avoid the left side of the tunnel, where there are more falling blocks. Instead, advance up the right side of the slope to the third pit. Take a running jump across the pit to grab the opposite edge but don't pull up yet. Look up to spot 2 ceiling tiles with skulls directly above. To avoid being crushed, either pull up and immediately run forward out of the way or traverse to the left side of the ledge before pulling up. Then wait for the block on Lara's right to smash down. Move around that block to the middle of the slope, avoiding the area beneath the skull tile just ahead on the left. Now continue up the ramp to finish the level and the game. (screenshots)

FMV sequence: Moonset and sunrise in the desert near the pyramids. Lara, out of breath and limping, makes her way toward the exit as the tomb crumbles. A shadow passes across the sunlit doorway. Lara looks up and sees Von Croy. He motions for her to hurry, and they exchange words (transcribed in the Cinematics section), but before he can reach her, the doorway collapses, bits of rock flying everywhere. Von Croy manages to get to safety, but Lara is sealed inside the tomb. He turns and looks back toward the temple, removes his hat, and bows his head.

This walkthrough is dedicated to the late Theresa Jenne, founding webmaster of tombraiders.com and tombraiders.net. Way back in 1999, she gave my site a home and encouraged me to persist. She lost her battle against cancer in 2006, but her spirit lives on in all fans of the classic Tomb Raider games. It is also dedicated to my dear friend, Eldin, who I've known almost as long, and who gave many hours of his time to proofreading these pages and making new PC save files.


*NOTE ON SECRETS: There are 70 secrets in the entire game and none in this level. The last one is found in the previous level, INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID. There's no reward for collecting all secrets, other than personal satisfaction, but if you'd like to play a bonus level once you've finished the main game, The Times Exclusive Level is available on the TR4 Downloads page.

[Previous - Inside the Great Pyramid]

[TR4 Level Menu]

[Next - Times Exclusive Level]

UPDATE HISTORY: 10/13/08 - Last tracked update before 2019. Unfortunately the details on what actually changed have been lost.
5/5/19 - First major update since this walkthrough was created in 1999. This revision includes many new screenshots as well as various other corrections and clarifications.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Special thanks are given to the participants in the alt.games.tombraider newsgroup and the old tombraiders.com forum, without whom parts of this walkthrough could not have been written. Thanks also to Andy, Basil, Bman, and Zomber for their help on this level.

BUG NOTES: This particular cluster of bugs can range from mildly annoying to crippling. It apparently begins in the third water puzzle area. At this point you may notice flares don't work. You can draw them but they don't light until you throw them. Also, Lara may refuse to use the waterskins. Later, in the area with the statue of Horus, she may refuse to put the holy scriptures on the pedestals. Also, for some players, the Amulet of Horus remains in the inventory after the cutscene and does not appear on the bottom of the pool. As a result, it cannot be picked up, the south gate doesn't open, and the level can't be completed. Here are some possible solutions:

  • If you're playing on PC, try pressing Action instead of Enter when using or combining items in the inventory.
  • If you're having trouble placing the Holy Scriptures or using the waterskins and the above suggestion doesn't work, just keep trying. Some players have reported that Lara will eventually do what she's supposed to do.
  • If the amulet doesn't leave your inventory and appear on the bottom of the pool, try lighting a flare underwater. Some players have reported that doing this causes the amulet to appear. And, from what I've heard so far, once you are able to retrieve the amulet, everything returns to normal.
  • If none of these work, PC players can download a save file to complete the level. For instructions, see here.

FYI: The waterskin puzzle is an allusion to the ancient Egyptians' beliefs about death and the afterlife, described in their Book of the Dead. In order to attain immortality, a soul had to endure a series of trials, culminating in the weighing of the heart, which the Egyptians believed was the seat of the soul, against the "feather of truth." If the person had led a good and just life, the heart and the feather would balance, and the person would be granted immortality. If the heart was heavy with misdeeds, then the gods would refuse the person salvation, and his or her heart would be eaten by the monster/goddess Ammit (also known as "the devourer"). Ammit is described as having the head of a crocodile, the forequarters of a lion, and the hindquarters of a hippopotamus. For more info, visit Wikipedia and the University of Pennsylvania's online translation of the Book of the Dead by E.A. Wallis Budge.

WAS THIS WALKTHROUGH HELPFUL? If not, I apologize and invite you to contact me with any questions. If you need help right away, I recommend the r/TombRaider subreddit. Other fan-run forums are listed at tombraiders.net/stella/community.html. If this site was useful, please consider supporting it financially or in other ways. For details, visit tombraiders.net/stella/support.html. As always, I welcome your corrections/suggestions. Thank you!

Stella's Tomb Raider Site: tombraiders.net.