On This Page: Overview Walkthrough Related Pages: Controls & Gameplay Tips Cheats PC & Macintosh Savegames Tech Support Links Demos & Patches

The Angel of Darkness was released in mid-2003. For critics, as well as many hardcore fans, it signaled the end of an era. Although the game was fraught with technical problems, and some players took issue with the sinister turn the plotline took, AOD is not without its supporters. I have mixed feelings about it myself. It's clear the developers took some risks, tried to build in some new features, and succeeded in some areas but failed in others.

The story begins with the brutal murder of Lara's former mentor, Werner Von Croy. Lara comes under suspicion and flees from the police in order to find evidence that will help prove her innocence. In the process, she comes up against a sinister alchemist and his cohorts, and meets up with a mysterious stranger, who carries his own burdens and happens to be seeking the same answers.

Platforms: Available for PC, Macintosh and PlayStation 2.

What's New Since TR5: Lots, actually. Overall the graphics are much improved. Scenery is less blocky and there are plenty of lovely things to look at. Lara is smoother and more realistic than before. The control system has also been revamped-but not necessarily for the better. There are a few new moves and modified mouse-look, which unfortunately doesn't always function as it should. I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions. If you need help, check the Controls & Gameplay page.

Other new features include a second playable character, a limited dialogue system and ability upgrades for Lara. These seem like great ideas but weren't all that well executed. During several levels you play as Lara's new partner/rival, Kurtis Trent, which is refreshing at first but becomes frustrating during certain boss battles, where Kurtis handles like a tank compared to Lara's APC. ;) In the dialogue segments, Lara's interactions with non-player characters affect the course of the plot, but only in very limited ways. The concept of ability upgrades, as done in countless role-playing games, is solid: complete tasks to get better, stronger, faster. But in Angel of Darkness, the tasks seem arbitrary rather than evolutionary. Lara gains only upper- and lower-body strength, no actual skills.

Still, there are many interesting twists in this game. I wouldn't suggest that any fan pass it by, but I do recommend you be aware of its flaws before diving in, and expect to struggle at times (or plan to download savegame files to skip the more frustrating bits).

Saving Your Game: Unlimited saves on all platforms. (PC and Macintosh savegame files are available in case you make a bad save, want to skip a level, etc.)

Secrets: None.

Bonus Levels: None.

Angel of Darkness & Windows Vista, XP or 2000: This game was designed to be XP-compatible and should not have trouble running with Vista. I do recommend installing all available patches before playing. If you do run into difficulties, you're welcome to start your troubleshooting process with my Downloads and Tech Support Links pages.

Becoming an Expert Raider: If you've never played Tomb Raider before—or even if you have—I encourage you to check out my Controls & Gameplay Tips page, which includes pointers on moving Lara through her environment, conserving health and ammo, using the menu and inventory systems, and more.

This walkthrough has been completely revised. The new version was posted on 1/16/07. Each page now includes an update history, detailing the most recent changes. Most pages have undergone at least minor revisions, and a few sections have been completely overhauled. I have also added a brand new selection of PC savegame files made with the v52 patch.

Paris Levels Level 1: Parisian Back Streets Level 2: Derelict Apartment Block Level 3: Industrial Rooftops Level 4: Margot Carvier's Apartment Level 5: Parisian Ghetto Level 6: The Serpent Rouge Level 7: St. Aicard's Graveyard Level 8: Bouchard's Hideout Level 9: Louvre Storm Drains Level 10: Louvre Galleries Level 11: Archaeological Dig Level 12: Tomb of the Ancients Level 13: The Hall of Seasons Level 14: The Breath of Hades Level 15: Neptune's Hall Level 16: Sanctuary of the Flame Level 17: Wrath of the Beast Level 18: Galleries Under Siege Level 19: Von Croy's Apartment Prague Levels Level 20: The Monstrum Crime Scene Level 21: The Strahov Fortress Level 22: Bio-Research Facility Level 23: The Sanitarium (play as Kurtis) Level 24: Maxiumum Containment Area (play as Kurtis) Level 25: Aquatic Research Area Level 26: The Vault of Trophies Level 27: Boaz Returns (play as Kurtis) Level 28: The Lost Domain Level 29: Eckhardt's Lab Special thanks to LaraCroftOnline.com and LaraShots.com for the screenshots shown on this page.