Antarctica (TR3)

 is the first level of Antarctica and the sixteenth level overall of Tomb Raider III. In it, Lara must deliver the artifacts to Dr. Willard and discover his true intentions...

Outfit

 * Antarctic

Weapons Found

 * Dual Uzis

Vehicles Used

 * Speedboat

Allies Encountered

 * None

Enemies Encountered

 * RX-Technician
 * Mutant Crawler
 * Huskie

Locales Visited

 * Antarctica

Secrets

 * 1 - 1x Save/Power-up Crystal and 1x MP5 Clips or 1x Save/Power-up Crystal and 1x MP5
 * 2 - 1x Large Medipack, 1x Small Medipack and 1x Grenades
 * 3 - 1x Save/Power-up Crystal, Uzi Clips and 1x Flares

Walkthrough
Lara travels to Antarctica in a helicopter. The pilot attempts to contact the base, only to receive no answer. After a big mishap due to the storm, the helicopter appears to land safely. However, the pilot just happens to land on a patch of thin ice. Lara jumps out of the helicopter as it sinks into the water, taking the pilot with it.

It is time to deliver the artifacts to Dr. Willard. But first, congratulations for reaching the fifth and final area of the game! The last four levels offer the greatest challenges of the game. In this and the next level, you have to handle yet another new hazard while underwater: the temperature bar. The deeper you go in the water, the faster it will drain, even when you are just submerged in the water. If it drains completely, you will take a huge amount of continuous damage until you get out of the water. Unfortunately, there are some extra supplies in the water, so you have to plan your swim through these frigid places.

You will start on a small island, with a ship, the icebreaker RX Explorer, on the left. Just to the left in the water are some Desert Eagle Clips. If you are really brave, or low on ammunition, you can go get them. Jump to the small ice island, dive into the water and quickly swim to the right, where you can climb up on the slope. Move forward past the hut. This hut contains Secret 3, but you must ignore it for now. Use a running jump to reach the ledge on the other side of the water. Turn right and climb up on the ledge. Follow this up to a slope and use a standing jump to reach the top of it. Jump to the snowy arch and cross it to a cave. Go inside the cave, and you will find a Large Medipack, some Flares, a Rocket, and a Save Crystal. Return to the ledge on the other side of the water.

Swim across to the ledge just ahead. Climb out of the water, wait for the temperature bar to refill, and then jump in the water again. Swim to the low ledge ahead near the ship and climb out. Climb up the ledges on the right, grab hold of the ceiling and swing across to the ledge ahead. From here, you can jump to the ship.

Jump down the hole and follow the ramp down. Shoot the RX Technician and proceed down the hall, shooting another one as you go. Climb up behind the generator and pull the switch. Jump down the trapdoor behind Lara and quickly shoot the RX Technician. Another one will appear as you go up the hallway. Press the button to open the door next to it.

Take a right in the next room, walk down the steps, shoot the RX Technician and take his Desert Eagle Clips. Drop down the hole and another one will appear from behind as you approach the ladder. Quickly shoot him, take his Uzi Clips, and climb the ladder. Press the button to drop the speedboat into the water outside. Return to the previous room and climb up to the upper hallway. Follow the path and press the button to emerge outside.

Secret 1
Take a right and follow the railing to the end. At the end, use a standing jump with a grab to reach the opening. Climb down into the icy room. Your rewards are a Save Crystal and the MP5 (or some MP5 Clips if you already have it).

Face the winch that was holding the speedboat and climb atop it. Use a running jump to land on the snowy ledge ahead. Jump to the triangular ledge in the corner and climb up into the opening for a Rocket. Slide down the slopes to a snowy ledge next to the speedboat. Jump into the water and quickly board the speedboat.

Go around the ship and head down the channel next to the hut. If you want to risk a swim, there are some Flares in the water halfway through the channel.

Secret 2
Park the speedboat next to the opening on the left wall, jump out and climb the ladder. Slide down the slope and quickly jump and grab the invisible opening on the wall ahead. If you fall into the water, you can do nothing but wait for your doom. Crawl to the right all the way to the end. Your rewards are a Large Medi-pack, a Small Medipack, and some Grenades. Return to the crawlspace, light up a flare and turn right at the intersection. Drop into the water at the end, quickly swim to the left and board the speedboat.

Head around the corner, jump off the speedboat and quickly fight the RX Technician. On the other side of the building is a large metal box. There is a Rocket in the water beneath the icy ledge right next to the metal box, if you want to risk a swim. Climb atop the metal box and then jump and grab the grating up above. Swing along the path, taking a right at the intersection. Drop down on the snow, slide down the slope and quickly shoot the RX Technician.

In the next area, quickly climb atop the box directly in front of you and fight the Huskie from safety. Head around the left past the fire and go into the corner for some Shotgun Shells. Go into the dark corridor and quickly fight the Huskie and the RX Technician. The latter will drop some Desert Eagle Clips for you. In the next area, take some Shotgun Shells from beneath the fuel tank and go into the cave on the left, beyond the bend in the pipe.

In the next area, shoot the two Huskies and enter the building. To negotiate the trap, wait for the doors to slam shut and then quickly roll through them. Repeat the process for the next doors. In the next room, quickly take cover and shoot the two RX Technicians. One of them will drop a Small Medipack. You will arrive inside an office. Press the button next to the computers, which will open a closet that contains another Small Medipack. In the last room, take the Crowbar and quickly shoot the RX Technician that appears. He will drop a Shotgun or some Shotgun Shells if you already have it. Return outside the building, wary of yet another RX Technician running about.

Return to the first compound area and climb up the tower next to the fire. Up there, pull the switch and use the Crowbar to pry open the door. After you use the Crowbar, make sure to pick it up again, because you will need it later. Swing across to the building and follow the catwalks to the right to find a Small Medipack. Jump down through the trapdoor.

Throw the switch to open the exit and shoot the RX Technician outside. Return to the fuel tank and follow the pipe down the hole. Swim through the water and climb out on the far edge. Climb the ladder, and in the next room, turn the second and the fourth valves, picking up the Save Crystal while doing so (the water around the chamber is safe). Climb up the ladder to reach the generator room. Go through the door and throw the switch to turn on the power. There is also a Large Medipack behind the generator on the right.

If you want a taste of your experience in the next level, go into the shack ahead and approach the dark area of the lounge to find a Mutant Crawler. Fortunately, it is dying, but it can poison you, forcing you to use a Medipack. Go through the ice tunnel to the left of the shack to find a kennel. Press the button to open the door, letting out a Huskie. Press the next button to open the next door, letting out two more Huskies. Press the third button to open the door in the building. Take out the Huskie inside the building before taking the Gate Control Key from the table. An RX Technician will come in to investigate afterwards. Before leaving, pick up the Uzis in the corner (or some Uzi Clips if you already have them).

Go through the next ice tunnel to arrive over a bridge. Shoot the RX Technician ahead and the Huskie down below, and then climb down there to find some Grenades. Climb back up and cross the bridge to reach the second compound area. Take a left through the dark hallway back to the first compound area. Return to where you parked your speedboat by swinging back over the bars in the ceiling. Pry open the door with the Crowbar (you do not need it anymore after this) and go in. Use the Gate Control Key and then press the button to open the gate in the water. An RX Technician will come to investigate afterwards.

Get back into your speedboat and travel down the channel. Dismount on the ledge ahead and shoot the RX Technician. Take the Uzi Clips after doing so.

Secret 3
Jump into the water next to the speedboat and swim down to the alcove. Pick up the Hut Key and return to the speedboat. Now return to the hut next to the ship and use the Hut Key to open the door, letting out a Huskie. Your rewards are some Uzi Clips, some Flares, and a Save Crystal.

Get back into your speedboat and continue down the channel, stopping to grab the Shotgun Shells on the left ledge ahead. At the end, jump to the ledge and climb up. In the next area, there are two RX Technicians; the first will come from the left as you enter. Go up the snowy slope and around the corner, careful not to fall down the elevator shaft, and shoot the other RX Technician. Go around the cabin and approach the door on the other side to finish the level.

Lara encounters Dr. Willard inside the cabin. Dr. Willard is not surprised at all when Lara mentions the monster that she found in the lounge (regardless if she encountered him or not). Lara listens as Dr. Willard explains that the core of the meteor (which is located deep beneath the mines) has magical life properties that apparently speed up evolution, and that he now has access to it with the use of the four artifacts. It is then revealed that Dr. Willard has been using the meteor’s power to experiment on his own men, and that he intends on doing it again, only on a global scale, in order for humanity to truly experience Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory. He then reassures that Stephen’s expedition into the island so many years ago was the root of it all and has led them all down to this. Now convinced that messing with the core is a bad idea, Lara tells Dr. Willard that he is crazy and attempts to convince him to give up while pointing her guns at him, but Dr. Willard betrays Lara and escapes the cabin with the artifacts in hand. Lara chases him outside, where Willard calls out an elevator. Willard stumbles up the slope as Lara opens fire on him, but he manages to get inside the elevator. As the elevator descends into the mines, Lara jumps down on top of it to pursue Willard.

Cutscenes
The cutscenes for this level:

Antarctica