Caves (TR1)

Caves is the first level of Tomb Raider. In it, Lara Croft begins her search for the fabled Scion, exploring the caves of Peru.

The Caves are guarded by a set of grandiose, intricately carved doors - the ones Lara opens in the beginning cutscene. This is presumably the once-hidden entrance to the Inca's lost city of Vilkabamba, and also "the Inca's last stand against the invading Spanish", as Toby Gard notes.

Inside, we see evidence of this once lively region. The first few rooms Lara traverses are collapsed with stony debris and snow from the cracked ceilings. Further through the level, the rooms begin to morph into something more manufactured, such as the wolf pit/bridge room and the grand, exit hallway that is protected with flying darts. The long, rather eerie slits on the walls of the exit hall were deliberately depicted. According to Gard, these are where the Inca villagers would have shot darts and arrows from. The scale of the exit hall, as well as its traps, suggest this was the barrier the Spanish conquistadors had to face before being able to raid.

The Caves themselves seem to act as a barricade to Vilcabamba, regarding the deep pits and trapped animals that scatter the place. Perhaps these were effective back in the 16th or 15th century when the Spanish invaded, but as of their decay over centuries, the area is a breeze for Lara.

Walkthrough
See Caves Walkthrough

Outfit

 * Classic

Weapons Found

 * Automatically start with Dual Pistols

Items

 * None

Enemies Encountered

 * Bat (6)
 * Wolf (6)
 * Bear (1)

Locales Visited

 * Caves

Secrets

 * 1) Small Medipack
 * 2) Small Medipack
 * 3) Large Medipack

Cutscenes
The cutscenes for this level:

Cuevas Les Cavernes (Tomb Raider I) Caves Пещеры