NOTES ON THE REMASTER: I have attempted to provide running kill, item, and secret counts. (Details are in a footnote following the first-level walkthrough.) I have also tried to cover all achievements/trophies, except New Game+. These guides are based on classic tank controls, but I hope they will be useful for those using modern controls. Follow this link for the archived classic guide. Chronicles does not include a "Restart Level" option, so I recommend making a new save at the beginning of each level in case you need to replay. Follow this link for Steam/GOG save files.

LEVEL MAP by VGCartography (used with permission)

Chronicles Remastered Video Walkthrough by Eldincy

Starting Inventory: HK gun, 36 HK rounds, headset, 3 small medipacks, 1 large medipack*
Pickups: 26, including a keycard, 2 access disks, a cloth, 2 bottles of chloroform, the Iris artifact, and 3 Golden Rose Secrets**
Kills: 6***

IMPORTANT: The Von Croy Industries (VCI) Headquarters levels can be difficult, especially the final level, Red Alert! Unlike previous levels and previous Tomb Raider games, you have neither unlimited ammo nor the luxury of collecting supplies over many levels. So be sure to conserve ammo and health, or you may not finish. Whenever possible, I have tried to describe useful strategies for staying safe. As always, I recommend making a new save at the start of each level, in case you need to replay. If you're playing the Steam or GOG version, you can download remastered save files here.

ACHIEVEMENT/TROPHY NOTES: The first, "Nailed It!," requires you to use a hammer to take a shortcut at the beginning of the level. I'll describe that route here. If you take this shortcut, you'll miss a small medipack, making it impossible to unlock "Hoarding Order" in the same playthrough. So you'll need to save just before using the hammer, unlock "Nailed It!" and then reload. For "The Trap Is Set," you must obtain all three secrets in this level without taking damage from lasers. For "Mission Impossible," you must get through the level unnoticed. "Dodge This!" involves killing five enemies in a specific way. I'll remind you about each of these when we get there.

Cutscene: After sliding down the chute into the level, Lara makes radio contact with her assistant, Zip. He tells her to go through the ducts and try not to attract too much attention. During their conversation we see a nearby vent with a medipack behind it as well as a 360-degree fanservice view of Lara in her latex catsuit.

VENTILATION DUCTS: From the starting point, head to the left toward the vent with the large medipack (1) (174/239) you saw in the cutscene. Set the HK on sniper mode*, hold Look to use the scope, target the vent, and shatter it with one bullet. Crawl into the duct, pick up the medipack, and continue forward to the barred opening. (screenshots)

Cutscene: A view of the SUIT ROOM below. Note the golden rose on the floor. A man wearing an armored suit enters. Zip tells Lara about the suits and the weaponry—lasers with a limited range but a lot of power.

Continue crawling forward to a T-intersection. Stay low to avoid the laser array moving back and forth overhead. (Remember, if you're going for the achievement/trophy "The Trap Is Set," you can't take any damage from lasers.) Crawl to the right and collect another large medipack (2) (175/239). Turn around and crawl back in the other direction, past the passage on the left, where you came in, to a vent in the floor crisscrossed with more deadly lasers. Wait for the overhead array to move behind you. Then stand up and jump over the laser-trapped vent. Lara is safe on the other side, since the laser array doesn't move all the way to the end of the tracks. (screenshots)

Ignore the vent on the left for now and crawl through the low opening on the right. Then roll out of the duct into a DIMLY LIT STOREROOM. Search the shelves for a small medipack, HK ammo, and a HAMMER (3-5) (176-178/239). Climb back into the duct and crawl back to the right, the way you came. (screenshots)

At the next corner, where Lara can stand, shoot out the vent you passed earlier and crawl through. The duct below on the right contains another moving laser trap. Wait for the lasers to move off to the left. Then roll out and immediately crouch. Crawl to the base of the ramp. Then, when the lasers pass behind Lara, stand, run up the ramp, and crawl into the low opening before the lasers return. Follow the duct to another vent that opens as you approach. Roll out into the SUIT ROOM and pick up the golden rose (6) (179/239) you saw in the cutscene. (This is SECRET #1, 28/36.) (screenshots)

Climb back into the duct and crawl through to the other opening. As soon as the laser array starts to move away, crawl out, stand, run down the ramp, and crouch. Crawl forward and face the opening above on the right. When the lasers move off, stand and pull up into the duct. Crawl through to the next intersection, where Lara can safely stand. (screenshots)

BACK TO THE START: Now, we need to go back the way we came. Walk to the edge of the laser-trapped floor vent. Wait for the laser array to move away. Then jump over the vent, crouch, and crawl into the passageway on the right. Follow this duct past the barred window overlooking the SUIT ROOM to the next bend, where Lara can stand. (screenshots)

Now there are moving laser arrays in the passageway where you began the level. This sequence can be tricky, so definitely quick-save first. Stand on the safe tile between the two crawlspaces and watch the lasers. When the lower array moves away, run after it, but stop at the double lines on the floor where the duct segments meet. Notice the ceiling is a little higher beyond this point. Wait here as the lower array moves away, and the upper array moves toward you. When they reverse, get ready to move. Just as the lower array reaches the doorway with the chute, ahead on the right, jump forward over it. If you time it right, Lara will take no damage. Run forward to the end of the passageway and quickly duck to avoid the upper laser array. Lara is also safe from the lower array here. Crawl to face the ladder on the left wall. Wait for the upper array to move away again. Then stand, grab the ladder, and climb up before the lasers return. Follow the duct to the end, grabbing some HK ammo (7) (180/239) on the way. (screenshots)

Cutscenes: You'll see two short cutscenes as you advance. First, a view of the IRIS artifact in the room below. Lara asks Zip to find a way to deactivate the force field surrounding it. He says he's on it. Then, just around the corner, we get a glimpse of another armored soldier in the room below. The duct near the ceiling is the one Lara is in now.

IMPORTANT: If you want all pickups as well as the achievements/trophies, SAVE THE GAME BEFORE OPENING THE PADLOCKED GATE at the end of the duct.

First, use the HAMMER to pry open the padlocked gate and unlock the "Nailed It!" achievement/trophy. When you have it, reload your previous save if you want all pickups. There's one small medipack you can only get by falling into the room below. (screenshots)

Or, if you don't care about 100% completion, after using the HAMMER to open the gate, skip the next section and continue in the "ROOM WITH FISHBONE LADDER," below. You will miss one small medipack.

PADLOCKED GATE (all pickups + stealth): When you shoot the padlock, instead of prying it off with the hammer, there are a few different ways this section can go. If you want a stealthy approach for the "Mission Impossible" achievement/trophy, stand close enough to the padlock so you can see the hand icon. Set the HK to sniper mode with silencer*. Then fire once to break the lock. The duct collapses, dumping Lara into the room below, but thanks to some amazing Tomb Raider Logic™, the armored soldier (not killed) does not notice. (screenshots)

NOTE: Alternatively, if you choose to take on the armored soldier, set the HK on sniper or burst mode, with or without silencer, step back a bit, and shoot the locked gate. The duct collapses, and Lara slides down. Immediately pivot left and use the scope to aim for the soldier's face (his one vulnerable spot). You'll need to land a headshot before he manages to discharge his energy weapon twice, since two shots will kill Lara. Even if you shoot the soldier, he is not counted as an official kill on the in-game Statistics screen. Check the footnotes for details. (screenshots)

ROOM WITH COLLAPSED DUCT AND ARMORED SOLDIER: Now you'll need to climb out of here. If the armored soldier is still alive, you'll want to do this quietly. No running or gunfire! Climb on top of the broken duct. Turn around and jump straight up to grab the edge of the opening where the duct separated. Pull up. Just ahead is a hole in the floor leading to the next area. (screenshots)

NOTE: Once you drop down here, you will not be able to return. So, if you missed secret #1, or any of the earlier pickups, you can jump over this hole, grab the opposite edge, pull up, and follow the duct back to the starting area. When you're ready to move on, return here and drop through the hole.

Shortly after you drop through the hole, loud explosions rock the duct with the slats just ahead. These repeat every few seconds. Wait for the pause between three explosions before running forward, so Lara doesn't catch fire. In the next small room, pick up a small medipack (8) (181/239) and climb the rungs to the ROOM WITH THE FISHBONE LADDER, which you glimpsed earlier behind the padlocked gate. (screenshots)

NOTE: If you took the shortcut by breaking the padlock with the HAMMER to get into this room, the floor grate will be closed. So you cannot access the room with the small medipack below. (screenshot)

ROOM WITH FISHBONE LADDER: Before climbing this ladder, pull up into the red-lit alcove behind it to get some HK ammo (9) (182/239). Drop down and go around to the front of the fishbone ladder. Grab on and climb to just below the moving laser array. Climb to the right a bit. (This will buy you a little more time to get past the lasers.) Then, when the lasers move off to the left, climb up past them. At the top, use the HK with scope to shatter the hole-riddled panel on the left. Pull up into the duct and pick up more HK ammo (10) (183/239) on the left. As you approach to the other end of the duct, dramatic music signals enemy activity ahead. Stop here and quick-save. (screenshots)

13th FLOOR - CORRIDOR WITH SODA MACHINE AND GUARD: If you want the "Mission Impossible" achievement/trophy, you can't let the patrolling security guard spot you. If he does, he'll run to the left end of the hall and activate a machine gun turret. Not fun. To avoid being noticed, do not advance beyond the double lines where the duct segments join. Set the HK on sniper mode. Use the scope (Look button) to line up a headshot as the guard passes back and forth. If you're careful, one round will take him down. (screenshots)

NOTE: Enemies killed in stealth are not added to the count on the in-game Statistics screen. See the footnote for details.

Now you can roll out of the duct. There are deadly lasers crossing the hall just beyond the Fizwiz Cola machine. To avoid them, shoot the vent near the floor opposite the duct where you came in. Crawl in and around the corner to the point where Lara can stand. Shoot the next vent and crawl out. (screenshots)

Cutscene: Zip points out the sleeping guard in a nearby office and suggests that Lara sneak in and steal his access card.

IMPORTANT: If you are hunting achievements/trophies, save the game in a new slot and do not overwrite this save. You'll have to reload at least once to unlock both "Dodge This!" (one-shot five guards in 20 seconds or less) and "Mission Impossible" (complete the level without being noticed). We'll go for the five headshots first then reload and continue with stealth and full health.

If you don't care about achievements, skip the next section and stealthily approach the sleeping guard to get his HIGH-LEVEL ACCESS CARD, as described below.

"DODGE THIS!" ACHIEVEMENT/TROPHY: In order to headshot five security guards in 20 seconds, you'll need to alert two guards here on the 13th FLOOR and three more up on the 16th FLOOR. The sequence described here usually works but may take several attempts. So, again, make sure to save in a new slot before you start, and set the HK on sniper mode.

Do not approach the sleeping guard yet. If you get too close to his glassed-in office, he'll wake up, activate the machine gun turret over his desk, call in a second guard, and come after Lara, making things unnecessarily difficult. Leave him for now. Press the button on the wall to the left of the crawlspace (right when facing it) to call the ELEVATOR. Press the buttons inside and ride up to the 16th FLOOR. Step forward cautiously to trigger a cutscene, but do not move all the way out. (screenshots)

Cutscene: Two guards in conversation at the right end of the hallway.

Do not alert these 2 security guards on the 16th FLOOR yet. If you do, they'll call a third guard who patrols the ramp behind them. The goal is to get through the cutscene so you don't have to watch it later when you're on a timer. Press the elevator controls to ride back down. (screenshots)

Back on the 13th FLOOR, exit the elevator and turn right. Now quick-save. You can replay from here if you have to redo the timed sequence. Just don't overwrite that earlier save. You'll need it afterwards for the stealth playthrough.

Approach the sleeping guard to wake him up, but don't kill him yet. Immediately roll and sprint back to the elevator. Sleeping Beauty activates the gun turret in the office and calls in the second guard, who appears behind the boxes beyond the elevator. You want to get into the elevator and use the controls quickly. (screenshots)

As you ride back up to the 16th FLOOR, ready your weapon and face the elevator doors. The 3 guards you saw earlier will be on alert when you arrive. As the doors open, activate the scope (Look) and headshot all three as quickly as possible. If all goes well, they should cluster together near the box to the right of the F-16 sign. If it takes the third guard more than a few seconds to arrive, or if one of them has wandered off to the left, rather than lining up with the others, you probably need to reload and try again. (See the note below.) (screenshots)

When you've killed these three, quickly use the elevator controls to ride back down to the 13th FLOOR. Heal on the way if necessary. When the doors open, run out and turn right. The first 2 guards should be waiting here. Shoot each of them in the head as quickly as you can. It doesn't matter if a few shots miss. (screenshots)

As long as you kill all 5 guards using headshots within 20 seconds, the "Dodge This!" achievement/trophy should pop when the fifth guard falls. When you have it, reload your backup save after Lara has just emerged from the crawlspace near the sleeping guard.

NOTES: These 5 kills will be added to your official kill count, but if you follow this guide and replay in stealth, they will not be counted at the end of the level. If the method described above isn't working for you because the third guard on the 16th FLOOR takes too long to appear, instead alert the guards on the 16th immediately after triggering the cutscene, but don't engage them yet. Ride the elevator back to the 13th. Quick-save, alert the sleeping guard and his pal, then run back to the elevator. Ride up to the 16th, headshot the three guards there, who by now should be clustered near the elevator. Then quickly ride back to the 13th and headshot the other two guards.

THE 13th FLOOR (STEALTH REPLAY): Start by walking into the glassed-in office to avoid making too much noise. Either kill the sleeping guard with a single headshot or walk around him slowly and quietly. Take the HIGH-LEVEL ACCESS CARD (11) (184/239) sitting on the desk and use it in the card reader on the wall nearby. This opens the STOREROOM on the right and deactivates the lasers out in the hall. Search the shelves in the STOREROOM to find a small medipack and 2 sets of HK clips (12-14) (185-187/239). You can run while inside the storeroom, but if you left the guard sleeping, be sure to walk through the office. (screenshots)

NOTE: If you wake the sleeping guard, he'll activate a machine gun turret over his desk, making it next to impossible to get the card, and another guard (not encountered if you use stealth) will appear at the end of the hall beyond the elevator.

Exit the office, turn right, and continue down the hall. (You can run again once you reach the crawlspace.) Press the button to call the ELEVATOR. Enter and press the buttons inside to ride up to the 16th FLOOR. When the doors open, step forward cautiously. (screenshots)

Cutscene: Two guards in conversation at the right end of the hallway.

THE 16th FLOOR: Do not run out of the elevator or the 2 security guards will notice and start shooting. This will alert a third guard (below), who'll come up the ramp at the end of the hall behind the first two. To get through using stealth and only three bullets, set the HK on sniper mode and walk toward the open elevator doors. Position Lara at the left side of the opening and turn right. Use the scope to target either guard's head, visible just above the large, gray box. When you headshot the first guy, the second doesn't react. (Maybe they weren't really work friends after all.) So you can take a moment to line up a second headshot. (screenshots)

Turn around and head for the triangular door at the left end of the hallway. Swipe the HIGH-LEVEL ACCESS CARD in the card reader to open the door. The 2 orange-suited workers (6-7) in the COMPUTER ROOM ignore Lara as long as she doesn't draw her weapon. (If she does, they'll cower and activate a machine gun turret.) Press the button on the square console to activate a hologram of the IRIS. Doing this also opens a door at the far end of the hall. (screenshots)

Return to the corridor and continue past the ELEVATOR almost to the end. The third guard, mentioned above, is patrolling the ramp ahead on the right. As long as you're quiet and stay out of sight, he won't come all the way to the top. So, stand facing the wall to the right of the doorway and watch him. When he moves down the ramp, draw your weapon, step out, and headshot him before he turns around. (screenshots)

Continue down the ramp. If you pressed the button in the COMPUTER ROOM, the next door opens as you approach. Go through the ROOM WITH THE METAL DOME ABOVE THE IRIS and enter the SUIT LOCKER ROOM. Press the button to the right of the orange-suited worker to open the locker. An ACCESS CODE DISK (15) (188/239) falls out onto the floor. Pick it up and return to the ELEVATOR the way you came. Press the button to ride back down to the 13th FLOOR. (screenshots)

BACK ON THE 13th FLOOR: Exit the elevator and turn right. If you didn't kill the sleeping guard earlier, you'll need to walk past the glassed-in office now. (Once you reach the Fizwiz Cola machine, you can run again.) Use the ACCESS CODE DISK in the console at the end of the corridor to open the grate above. (screenshots)

Cutscene: A series of explosions begins in a vertical shaft with a pole. Even Zip thinks this is weird. Notice the ledge about halfway down the shaft. That's where you're headed next. (screenshot)

DUCTS WITH EXPLOSIONS: Climb into the duct and move to the left, away from the explosions. Face the climbing pole squarely, but don't stand too close or Lara will catch fire. Now observe the pattern: After the blast from the first vent, just ahead on the left, there are six more blasts moving downward from vent to vent. Then the cycle repeats. (screenshots)

Wait for the blast from the first vent. That's one. Count off three more blasts. Then run forward off the edge (don't jump) and hold Action to grab the pole. Continue holding Action to hang on and press Down to slide about halfway down the shaft. When Lara is between the second and third vents on the wall of the shaft, press Jump to backflip into the opening behind her. Do not hesitate on the pole or Lara will catch fire when the explosions reach her. Turn around to find a golden rose (16) (189/239) (SECRET #2, 29/36). (screenshots)

Once you have the secret, move toward the pole, but don't get too close. Wait for the explosions to move all the way to the bottom of the shaft. Then when they cycle back to the top, run off the ledge and crawl into the low opening on the left. (screenshots)

Follow the crawlspace to a LARGE ROOM WITH CATWALKS and step out onto the walkway. Lara immediately notices the the armored soldier below. (screenshots)

Voiceover: Zip chimes in over the headset, advising Lara to be especially wary of the "hulk" in the armored suit below. Again, he draws her attention to the suit's open faceplate.

Continue across the catwalk. (You can run here without attracting attention but don't shoot.) Enter a hall with overhead pipes. Go into the DARK STOREROOM on the right and take a small medipack and a CLOTH (17-18) (190-191/239) from the shelves. Continue along the hall with overhead pipes to a second catwalk parallel to the first. (The armored soldier and the crawlspace where you came in are now ahead on the left.) Cross this catwalk and continue down the stairs. (screenshots)

On the lower level, move around the edge of the room, keeping the wall on Lara's left. (You can run without being noticed. Just don't don't get close to the soldier or fire your weapon.) Use the HIGH-LEVEL ACCESS CARD in the card reader to open the second door on the left side of the room. (screenshots)

BRIGHTLY LIT ROOM WITH INSECT CASES: Enter but don't go too far in. Search the first cabinet in the near right corner to get a large medipack and a BOTTLE OF CHLOROFORM (19-20 (192-193/239), but avoid the rest of the room for now. If you approach the second cabinet or the glass cases, there's a short delay, then one case shatters releasing a swarm of insects. Once you have the CHLOROFORM, exit the way you came in. The case shatters as you leave, but the bugs should disperse by the time you finish this next bit of business. (screenshots)

Walk around the boxes and approach the armored soldier from behind. If you have Action Indicators enabled in the Options menu, you'll see the hand icon when Lara is in the right spot. Combine the CLOTH and CHLOROFORM in your Inventory and use it on the soldier, the same way you attacked the cook in the Russian submarine. (screenshots)

Cutscene: Lara subdues the man by holding the chloroform-soaked cloth over his open faceplate.

NOTES: It is possible to climb onto the gray box just outside the bug room and shoot the armored soldier in the face without him noticing Lara. If you do, another armored soldier (not encountered if you use stealth) appears in the corner to your right. (screenshots) You can shoot him in the face as well, but as far as I know, there's no way to do this in stealth. The chloroform method is easier. This second soldier also appears if you fire your weapon after knocking out the first soldier. Neither of these soldiers count as official kills on the Statistics screen.

Once the suit guy is taken care of, return to the INSECT CASE ROOM. If the bugs have not yet dispersed, wait a bit before going in. Search the second cabinet for a small medipack and another BOTTLE OF CHLOROFORM (21-22) (194-195/239). (screenshots)

Use the HIGH-LEVEL ACCESS CARD to open the door the soldier was guarding. Pick up the HK ammo (23) (196/239) lying on the floor. Then, if you're going for "Mission Impossible," take a minute to set up the next encounter. In order to avoid being noticed, you must headshot the next armored soldier before he fires at you. Stand on the spot where you just found the ammo. Draw the HK and use the scope to aim at the center of the VCI logo on the door at the end of the hall. Adjust your angle as needed. Then quick-save. Walk straight ahead until the door opens, revealing the soldier beyond. Quickly press Look to pull up the scope. You shouldn't have to adjust your aim much, maybe a tiny bit up or down. Then fire at the soldier's head. If you see his energy weapon discharge, you've been spotted. Reload and try again. (screenshots)

NOTE: Even if you shoot him point blank, the soldier does not count as a kill on the Statistics screen.

Pick up the IRIS LAB ACCESS disk (24) (197/239) the soldier drops. Use it in the computer console to open the door at the end of the hall. (screenshots)

LASER-TESTING LAB: Advance to the second window but no farther. Behind the glass, a worker in an orange jumpsuit is testing a laser. A patrolling guard (later) paces the hallway outside. If he sees Lara, he'll run to the far end of the hallway, activate the gun turret on the ceiling, then attack. But as long as you stand back from the corner, you can observe his movements through the window, and he can't see Lara. (screenshots)

Wait for the guard to approach. Then as soon as he turns and starts to move away, walk or crawl after him. Follow him without hesitating. As he rounds the next corner, move into the second doorway on the left. Position Lara at the back of this alcove, on the right, and the guard should not spot her when he passes. You can stand or crouch facing the windows and use Look to watch him. If necessary, wait for him to do another patrol. Then, as soon as he moves past you, heading to the right, start walking up the ramp and turn left, away from the guard. When you reach the corner, turn right, then run toward the SMALL CONTROL ROOM at the end of the hall. (screenshots)

Cutscene: Zip tells Lara that the next door requires two access cards used simultaneously. He advises her not to kill the worker since she'll need his help to open the door.

When the cutscene ends, immediately run into the CONTROL ROOM and hide in the near right corner. Stand near the angled wall between the doorway and the worker in the orange suit (12, later) and make sure Lara has not been noticed by the guard. If he starts running, you've been spotted. If he approaches, then turns and walks away, you're good. (screenshots)

IMPORTANT: Save the game in a new slot and do not overwrite this save. You'll have to reload at least once to unlock both "Mission Impossible" (complete the level without being noticed) and "The Trap Is Set" (for obtaining three secrets while avoiding the lasers). Unfortunately there's no way to get the last secret in stealth.

If you don't care about achievements/trophies, but do want all pickups, you can skip the next section and continue with secret #3, below.

First, the stealthy finish. This should only take a few minutes. Wait until the patrolling guard moves away down the hall. Then follow Zip's advice and draw your weapon, but do not fire at the orange-suited worker (screenshots)

Cutscene: Lara forces the man to open the door then knocks him out.

Turn and make sure the patrolling guard still hasn't noticed Lara. Then go through the door you just opened. Climb the metal stairs to a small OBSERVATION ROOM overlooking the IRIS ROOM. Finish the level as described on this page with screenshots. If Lara hasn't been spotted by any enemies, you'll unlock "Mission Impossible" when the next level loads. Now, reload your backup save in the CONTROL ROOM with the orange-suited worker, and we'll clean up.

CONTROL ROOM AND CORRIDORS NEAR THE LASER-TESTING LAB: Go ahead and shoot the orange-suited worker (1) (45/62) this time. Unfortunately, you must do this to get the last secret. (screenshot)

NOTE: Now that you've blown your cover, this and the remaining kills actually count.

Cutscene: Zip criticizes Lara as two more guards enter the hallway beyond the LASER-TESTING LAB.

The door shown in the cutscene is at the far end of the hallway, directly opposite the door you opened with the IRIS LAB ACCESS disk. This is not shown, but the gun turret outside the lab has also been activated. (This happens even if you kill the first guard before killing the worker.) Set the HK to burst mode. Move out into the hallway, but don't round the corner yet, or the gun turret will lock on. Shoot that patrolling guard (2) (46/62), then the 2 new guards (3-4) (47-48/62), as they approach. When you've taken care of them, sprint past the turret and around the next corner. Follow the hallway to the end. Turn left, go through the door that opened in the cutscene, and kill 2 more guards (5-6) (49-50/62) in the passageway ahead. (screenshots)

Continue to a T-intersection with a laser trap. Crawl in under the moving laser array, turn left, and crawl partway up the ramp. When the lasers pass behind Lara, stand and run forward to the golden rose (25) (198/239) (SECRET #3, 30/36). Lara is safe here. (screenshots)

When you have the rose, turn around to face the laser array. When it moves away, run after it and duck at the low point in the floor. Wait for the lasers to pass in the other direction. Then stand and run up the ramp into the stairwell ahead. The door closes behind you, locking you out of the secret area. (screenshots)

NOTE: Straight ahead is a door that opens automatically. Ignore it for now. It leads to the IRIS ROOM, but the IRIS is protected by a force field, so there's nothing you can do there yet.

STAIRWELL NEAR THE IRIS ROOM: Climb the metal stairs. (The door on the middle level is closed now, but it's the same door you opened earlier with the help of the orange-suited worker.) The door on the top level opens as you approach. Inside is a small OBSERVATION ROOM overlooking the IRIS. The switch on the wall to the left of the door, when facing it, shuts off the force field for about 20 seconds. You'll need to hustle to reach the IRIS and grab it before the force field comes back on. (screenshots)

Again, the easiest way to do this is to glitch through the observation window: Throw the switch and immediately sidestep once to the left. Backflip twice. Then press Action + Back to crawl backwards through the observation window and drop down inside the IRIS ROOM. Roll and run up the ramp to the IRIS (26) (199/239). Remove it from the pedestal before the timer runs out. After that, the force field stays off, and the exit opens. Run on through the green-lit corridor to finish the level. (screenshots)

If you found all three secrets and took no damage from lasers, "The Trap is Set" should unlock as the next level loads.

NOTES: Touching the force field surrounding the IRIS does not void this achievement/trophy, at least in the Steam version, but it hurts a lot. If the window glitch doesn't work for you, or you'd rather finish the "honorable" way, there are tips in a footnote.

*VCI HEADQUARTERS - STARTING INVENTORY AND EQUIPMENT: The Headset works just like binoculars: use Crouch/Duck and Sprint/Dash buttons to zoom in and out, Action for light/infrared, Draw/Holster Weapon to return to normal view. The HK gun is similar to the MP5 from previous games. It has three modes: sniper, burst, and rapid. Change mode by going into Inventory and selecting the HK. Then select "choose weapon mode." Sniper mode shoots one round at a time, burst mode shoots quick bursts of five rounds, and rapid mode is for constant automatic fire. You'll notice the ammo count display changes color depending on which mode is enabled: white for sniper, blue for burst, red for rapid. Most of the time, you'll want sniper mode to conserve ammo. All three modes have a scope similar to the laser sight. Activate with the Look button, use Crouch/Duck and Sprint/Dash buttons to zoom in and out. The remaster adds a new feature: a silencer, which can be toggled on and off in Inventory. It seems a little buggy, in that sometimes gunfire is quite audible with the silencer on, and vice-versa. But if you're going for the "Mission Impossible" achievement/trophy (complete the level in stealth), make sure the silencer is ON and hope for the best. :D

TIMED RUN TO THE IRIS: If you'd prefer not to rely on glitches to avoid the timed run, here are a few suggestions:

• If you find the tense music distracting, either mute the audio or use the switch, wait for the timer to run out, then quick-save at the switch. Next time the music won't play.
• If you're comfortable with Modern Controls, you might want to use them here, since they make the tight cornering in the stairwell a bit easier.
• If you use Sprint at all, wait until you're inside the IRIS ROOM, since it's impossible to make tight turns while sprinting.
• In the remaster, the Look button actually works in the stairwell. Use it.
• Now the run: Throw the switch, turn right, and run through the doorway and down the right staircase. Circle to the left as you come down the first set of stairs. Then run across the landing, veering to the left a little to go down the opposite set of stairs. Circle to the right as you come down the second set of stairs. Then cut to the right into the hallway leading to the IRIS ROOM. If you make it this far without running into anything, you should be home free. Just run/sprint up to the IRIS and grab it.
• Alternatively, to shave a few seconds off the run, pull the switch, side flip to the right, take a running jump to clear the railing and land on the middle-level landing below. Roll, tap Look to reorient, then run down the stairs and around to the left (i.e., Lara's left). Continue around to the left into the hallway leading to the IRIS ROOM. Run or sprint up the ramp and across the room to get the IRIS.

†UPDATE HISTORY: Updates made prior to the Tomb Raider IV-V-VI Remastered release, including credit for tips sent in by other players, are tracked in the archived classic guide.
12/21/25 - Remastered guide first posted.

**NOTES ON PICKUPS AND SECRETS: There are 239 pickups in the entire game. The total number of pickups includes 36 golden rose secrets. All pickups are required for the "Hoarding Order" achievement/trophy. Finding all secrets unlocks an achievement/trophy at the end of each level set (Rome, Russia, etc.) See the footnote following the STREETS OF ROME walkthrough for details on how these statistics are tracked in-game and in this walkthrough.

***NOTE ON KILL COUNT: There are approximately 62 kills in the entire game. The number of kills for this level will vary depending on whether you shoot the friendly, orange-suited workers and whether you use stealth or offensive tactics. The official kill count on the in-game Statistics screen registers security guards and workers as kills, but only if they are aware of Lara when she shoots them. It does not count enemies killed in stealth, and does not count the armored soldiers, even if they spot Lara before she shoots them. If you follow this guide (i.e., reload after unlocking the "Dodge This!" achievement/trophy, headshot most guards, and spare all of the workers except the last one, whom you must kill to get the secret), your final "official" count will be 6 kills (50/62). I only include the "(x/62)" notation when the in-game kill count actually changes.

NOTE ON LEVEL MAPS: Special thanks to VGCartography for the excellent level maps, which are used here with permission. Visit VGCartography on DeviantArt and follow on Twitter/X and YouTube for more fantastic game maps.

DARK MODE: I plan to add optional dark mode for these pages, but my current priority is updating the walkthroughs. Meanwhile, may I suggest a reputable dark mode browser extension, such as Dark Reader? (Download only from trusted sites, like darkreader.org or your browser's official add-on/extension site.)

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. If this guide was useful, please consider supporting my work financially or in other ways. For details, visit tombraiders.net/stella/support.html. As always, I welcome your corrections/suggestions. Thank you!

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