STELLA'S TOMB RAIDER 1 REMASTERED WALKTHROUGH

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Tomb Raider I-III Remastered updates are in progress but will take time. For levels that have not yet been updated, I will continue to link to the ORIGINAL WALKTHROUGHS, which cover all the basics. Please check the introductory notes at the start of the first level for info on my process, modern vs. classic tank controls, etc. Note that I do not cover every possible achievement/trophy in this guide.

LEVEL 3: LOST VALLEY - REMASTERED

Updated: 2/25/24()

Secrets:Pickups: 16, including 3 machine cogs and Shotgun  Kills: 13
Save Crystals: 3 (New Game+ only) 

LEVEL MAP by VGCartography (used with permission)

Lost Valley Video Walkthrough by Eldincy

OBJECTIVES: Descend to the valley and find three machine cogs. Use these to repair an ancient machine at the top of the stream, which will reveal the entrance to the next level.

DETOUR FOR THE SHOTGUN AND A SECRET: To minimize backtracking, we'd usually collect the 3 machine cogs before going after the SHOTGUN, but it's easy enough to get at the beginning. Doing so also unlocks an achievement/trophy. So, from the starting point, follow the tunnel to a ledge overlooking a fast-flowing stream. Throughout the next sequence, try not to fall in the water, or Lara will be swept downstream and over the waterfall. If that happens, either reload or climb out of the water, kill a pair of wolves (1-2), and climb the rocks to get back to the start. (screenshot)

UPSTREAM TO THE ANCIENT MACHINE: As you approach the stream just beyond the starting point, head to the left, around the blocky stone column. Take a running jump across the stream to the opposite bank. Now make your way upstream, jumping back and forth across the water several times until you finally reach the wooden bridge. (There's a save crystal here in New Game+.) This sequence is detailed, with beginner's tips for making each jump, on this page with screenshots.

NOTE: If you're having trouble, you might want to review the section on HOW TO SET UP JUMPS on my Strategy page. With these simple techniques you'll almost never miss a jump again.

On the other side of the bridge is an ANCIENT MACHINE missing some cogs. You'll return later to fix it, but for now we're going after the SHOTGUN and the first secret. Cross the bridge and move to the right side of the wide ledge. Climb down twice, then jump across the dry streambed to the skeleton on the next ledge. Among the bones, you'll find the SHOTGUN (1). Picking it up unlocks the "Lethal and Loaded" achievement/trophy, assuming you haven't collected any machine cogs yet. There's another secret farther along the dry streambed, but you can't reach it yet. We'll return at the end of the level. For now, turn around and hop back across the gap. Then climb up to the machine the way you came. (screenshots)

FARTHER UPSTREAM - CAVE WITH RUSHING WATER: Move to the far side of the ledge in front of the machine. (Ignore the switch. It won't do anything until you fix the machine.) Walk to the edge of the floor near the bridge, turn around so the bridge is on Lara's right, drop back, and grab the edge of the floor. Traverse/shimmy to the left along the narrow crevice and drop down onto a flattish, gray rock with water flowing over it. Enter the cave ahead to find SECRET #1, a large medi pack (2). (screenshots)

WATERFALL AND LARGE POOL: Exit the secret cave, jump into the water, and let the current carry Lara downstream and over the waterfall into the pool below. There are 2 wolves (1-2) lurking on the bank. Either climb out of the pool and confront them, or swim to the ledge to the right of the waterfall (when facing it), climb out, and shoot the wolves from safety. (screenshots)

PASSAGE FROM CAVE WITH POOL TO VALLEY: Climb into the cave opening opposite the waterfall, where you'll encounter another wolf (3). When it's dead, continue through the twisty passage until you come to a wall with flat, stepped blocks and an opening high above. You'll climb up in a minute, but if you want all the kills, follow the tunnel to the right, where you'll encounter 3 more wolves (4-6). If you slide down the short slope into the cave with the wolves, step back once, then backflip, Lara should land on the ledge at the top of the slope. The wolves can't reach her there, so you can shoot them with pistols at your leisure. (screenshot) Now return to the raised opening and climb the flat blocks to reach it. (screenshot) At the top, pick up a large medi pack (3) left behind by another hapless traveler. Continue forward and climb down into a green valley.

NOTE: There are several achievements/trophies that require you to do (or not do) certain things in this area: "T-Rextinct" (kill the T. rex), "Raid Not Kill" (complete the level without killing the T. rex), "Clever Girl" (avoid being injured by raptors in this and the following level). If you're not familiar with the game, I'd recommend saving here and then saving again in a new slot. Do T-Rextinct first, so you can explore and get the lay of the land. Then reload the earlier save and work on the others.

VALLEY FLOOR: Proceed with pistols drawn. If you go slowly, you'll hear, then see the first velociraptor (7) approach from the greenery ahead. Backflip while shooting and it should fall before it reaches Lara. Or, if you really want to play it safe, run back to the rocks, climb up and shoot it from safety. (screenshot)

Now continue with caution into the valley. You'll encounter another raptor (8) as the valley widens. Kill it then take a careful look around. See the rather large, three-toed footprints? Notice the broken wooden bridge spanning the valley? Feel the ground begin to shake? Nope, it's not an earthquake. That's a Tyrannosaurus Rex (9). If you want to go head-to-head, give yourself plenty of room to maneuver, don't let the big beast get Lara in a corner, keep moving, and keep shooting. And watch out for the head; it can grab Lara in that big mouth, killing her with one bite. In the remastered game, every boss has a health bar (hurrah!) so it's easier to gauge how you're doing.

If you want to play it safe (or avoid killing the T. rex for the achievement), run into one of the caves along the right-hand (east) wall of the valley. Don't pick the first alcove; it's too shallow, and the T. Rex can easily reach Lara. Instead, choose the ground-level opening just below the right side of the broken bridge. Follow this passageway forward then left. About halfway in you'll encounter another raptor (10). If you approach cautiously and get a pistol lock on it, you can back away while firing without being bitten. When it's dead, continue to a wide opening higher in the valley wall. Then just wait and blast the T. Rex as it stomps by. If it wanders off, dangle Lara from the edge to get its attention or return to the first opening and try to shoot it from there. (screenshots)

FIRST COG: When the coast is clear, locate another rectangular opening in the eastern valley wall about halfway between the broken bridge and the large raised opening near the corner. Climb in and follow the passageway to a slight drop-off. Don't hop down yet. If you get a pistol lock on the raptor (11) just ahead and hold Action, Lara will maintain the lock and fire when it comes into range. It can't reach her here. When it's dead, continue to a small room with a pool. Climb the tall rock ledges to find the FIRST MACHINE COG (4), one of three cogs you'll need to repair the ANCIENT MACHINE. Climb down, jump into the water, and follow the underwater passageway to emerge back in the valley. (screenshots)

NOTES: If you're playing New Game+, you may want to get the "second cog" first, since there's a save crystal in that area. (See the section ROCK ARCHWAY AND SMALL BUILDING, below.) Also, it's possible to enter the cave with the first cog (above) through the small pool at the base of the waterfall; however, this makes it more difficult to kill the raptor without losing health.

WATERFALL (AND TWO SECRETS): Turn around to face the waterfall feeding the pool you just climbed out of. To the right of the waterfall, in the corner of the valley, is an opening in the rocks. Climb up and go inside to find SECRET #2, some shotgun shells (5). Climb down and face the waterfall again. Between this wide waterfall and the next, smaller waterfall are some climbable rocks. Vault onto the lowest block. Pull up onto the next taller block. Then take a standing jump onto the flat ledge just ahead and to the right. Walk forward and grab onto the small, triangular crevice. Traverse to the right, in front of the waterfall, until Lara is hanging just right of center, where the opening is taller, and you can pull up into the cave above. At the back of the cave on the right is a little room containing SECRET #3, magnum clips (6) and shotgun shells (7). Return to the cave mouth, drop into the pool and climb out onto the valley floor. (screenshots)

ROCK ARCHWAY AND SMALL BUILDING: Turn right (west), and approach the large stone arch and the building beyond. Two raptors (12-13) approach. There's plenty of room to maneuver, so back away while firing. If they make you nervous, climb onto the low block you used to reach the third secret. I don't think they can reach Lara here. (screenshot) Kill them and advance toward building.

Before entering the building, go for a secret: Just beyond the rock archway, near the three tall, red-leafed plants, on the right (north) wall of the valley, is a tall, sloped rock you can climb on. Once on top of this rock, turn left and position Lara near the middle of the block, a step or so back from the edge of the next block, which juts upward. (If Lara's feet are right against this edge, she won't be able to jump forward.) Then take a standing jump forward to grab the edge of the higher block ahead. Pull up. Walk to the outer corner of this ledge, then take a standing jump to grab the next ledge—the greenish, slightly angled block, a bit higher and to the left. Pull up. Walk to the front left corner of the block and take a standing jump to grab the highest rock ledge. (This one has an angled block underneath supporting it.) From here, a running jump—or a standing jump from the outer corner—will get Lara on the roof of the building. (screenshots)

This is SECRET #4. Scattered around the roof you'll find a large medi pack (8), magnum clips (9), Uzi clips (10), and shotgun shells (11). Collect everything then go to the back left corner of the roof (farthest from where you landed when you jumped over) and jump onto the angled stone blocks below. Lara will slide to the ground unharmed. (screenshots)

Enter the building at the front. (New Game+ players will find a save crystal inside.) Jump into the small pool on the right side, swim down, and follow the underwater passage to find the SECOND MACHINE COG (12). (screenshots) Surface and exit the building.

CROSSING THE BROKEN BRIDGE: As you exit the building, look for a dark, rectangular opening with a low block in front of it, just ahead along the right (south) valley wall. (screenshot) (If you're playing with classic graphics, this opening will be light rather than dark.) Climb inside and follow the passage to the broken bridge. (NG+ players will find a save crystal on the way.) Walk to the edge of the broken bridge, hop back, and then take a running jump to grab the other side of the bridge. Pull up. (screenshot) On the platform where the bridge is attached to the wall, you'll find the THIRD MACHINE COG (13). Safety drop from from the end of the bridge to the ground.

NOTE: To make sure you have all three cogs, check your inventory. Press Esc (keyboard), View (Xbox), touchpad (PlayStation), – (minus on Switch) to open the inventory. Then press Up to access the upper menu ring. Press Left/Right to examine all the items here. If you're missing any cogs, check the guide above. Keys and puzzle items are in UPPER CASE GREEN type.

BACK TO THE START: Now, return to the far (south) end of the valley, where you entered from the caves and met the first raptor. (screenshot) Climb back up the white rocks, past the skeleton (where you found the large medi pack earlier). Climb down the other side and continue to the pool with the waterfall. Climb the rocks on the left side of this cavern to get back to the stream where you began the level. (screenshot)

UPSTREAM (AGAIN): Follow the left wall past the side passage where you first entered the level. Pass the square stone pillar, turn right, and approach the stream. Now make your way upstream to the ANCIENT MACHINE, just as you did at the start of the level. (There's a save crystal here in NG+.)

ANCIENT MACHINE: Cross the bridge and place the 3 MACHINE COGS in their proper spots. (You'll notice wooden shafts sticking out where the missing cogs belong, and if you have Action Indicators enabled in the Controls menu, you'll see the telltale hand icon (or exclamation point in the initial, un-patched game), as explained early in the Caves walkthrough.) Throw the switch on the left to start the machine. (screenshot) A little way downstream, a gate moves, diverting the stream off to one side, thus shutting off the waterfall. (screenshot)

NOTE: If you missed the first secret and the SHOTGUN at the beginning of the level, you can get them now. Just follow the walkthrough above. Go for the secret first, though. Now that you've diverted the stream, you can swim to the ledge with the shotgun instead of climbing. (screenshot)

FLOODED PASSAGEWAY AND FINAL SECRET: Drop into the water and swim downstream to the gold gate. Turn left and follow the stream past the ledge with the skeleton, where you found the SHOTGUN earlier. Continue on the surface to the end of the passageway. Make sure Lara has full lungs, then dive under and follow the flooded tunnel through various twists and turns. There are no side passages, so just keep going. Eventually you'll be able to swim up through a hole in the ceiling and surface in a small room with straw on the floor. This is SECRET #5: a small medi pack (14) and 2 boxes of shotgun shells (15-16). (screenshots)

There's no need to swim all the way back. Instead safety drop from the doorway into the dry stream bed. (Lara will lose a tiny bit of health, but all will be restored soon, when you enter the next level.) Follow the trench to the end (away from the gold gate holding back the water) and jump over the sloping rocks to fall safely into the pool below. (screenshots)

LEVEL EXIT: Climb out of the pool on a ledge that was previously hidden behind the waterfall. Follow the passageway to the end of the level.

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UPDATE HISTORY: 2/25/24 - First major update for the Remastered version. Updates made prior to the Tomb Raider I-III Remastered release are tracked in the original guide.

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 web store.)

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