Tomb Raider 2 1997, also known as Tomb Raider II, was published by Eidos Interactive and developed by Core Design. It was the second game of the series that was released. It follows Lara Croft on her second adventure to get the legendary Artifact – Dagger of Xian.
The Dagger of Xian was used by the Emperor of China. Which allowed him to command his army. By stabbing the Dagger into the owner’s heart, the weapon turns the owner into a Dragon. Which caused him to be super powerful.
Thankfully, the Tibetan Monks defeated the Dragon Emperor and the Dagger was returned to a safe place inside the Great Wall of China. Fast forward hundreds of years and now, Lara Croft has to race against the clock to get the Dagger of Xian before enemy group Fiamma Nera retrieve it.
Tomb Raider 2 Levels
Training Level
Lara’s Home is a level you can play straight from the main menu. It is classed as a training level, which allows you to practice your jumps on an assault training course. There are also some extra objectives to do in this level, such as finding your way through the maze to discover the hidden treasure room. Of course, the top priority is to lock Winston the butler in the freezer like in the old times.
Level 0: Lara’s Home
China
The first level you play is The Great Wall, where you are on the hunt for the Dagger of Xian, located in China. Once battling through this and going along a zipline, you end up at a door and a cutscene. As seen below, a Fiamma Nera Cult member shows up and exchanges some words before ending his life. Lara then discovers a laptop which shows Marco Bartoli’s Hideout location in Venice.
Level 1: The Great Wall
Venice
Once arriving in Venice, you will be facing various types of puzzles and enemies, such as thugs who have guns, bats and you’ll even encounter dogs. Just to get to Bartolis Hideout. You will also get to drive a motorboat, which is the first time you have got to drive a vehicle since Tomb Raider 1996.
Level 2: Venice
Level 3: Bartoli’s Hideout
Level 4: Opera House
After completing Opera House level, you encounter a seaplane, which shows a cutscene and overhearing Marco Bartoli talking to one of his henchmen. Sadly, Lara is knocked unconscious by one of the henchmen. When she wakes up, she finds herself trapped in a prison room with none of her weapons and trapped in an oil rig surrounded by the ocean. Please see the Cutscene below.
Oil Rig
Level 5: Offshore Rig
Level 6: Diving Area
Once escaping the Oil Rig area, Lara discovers a wounded monk who tells her that another ancient artifact, “The Seraph”, is what Bartoli is after, which is to unlock a malignant treasure in the monastery in Tibet. Although it is buried deep below the ocean in the wreck of the Maria Doria, which is a luxury ship that sank decades ago.
Maria Doria
Level 7: 40 Fathoms
Level 8: Wreck of the Maria Doria
Level 9: Living Quarters
Level 10: The Deck
Now obtaining “The Seraph”, Lara returns to the surface. She steals the seaplane and heads to Tibet to find the Monastery which the wounded monk spoke about. Sadly, the plane runs out of fuel and Lara crashes the plane near by and has to take the journey to get to the Monastery.
Tibet
Level 11: Tibetan Foothills
Level 12: Barkhang Monastery
Level 13: Catacombs of the Talion
Level 14: Ice Palace
After using the Seraph in the monastery and discovering a new item, “Talion”, which is needed to access the door in China to the Temple of Xian. Lara defeats the Talion Guadian and escapes with one of the bad guys’ jeeps and heads to China again to insert the Talion. Finally, back on the hunt for the Dagger of Xian.
China Revisited
Lara has been beaten by Marco Bartoli is getting the Dagger of Xian and he plunges it into his chest. The henchmen carry him out of the room and Lara follows.
Level 15: Temple of Xian
Level 16: Floating Islands
Level 17: The Dragon’s Lair
Finally, completing all of this and having to beat Marco Bartoli in Dragon form. Lara Croft takes the Dagger of Xian and has to escape from the temple as it comes crashing down on her.
England
Home Sweet Home is the final level of the Tomb Raider 2 game. Lara is back in her mansion in England where two vans come crashing through her gates and many Fiamma Nera goons turn up to retrieve the legendary artifact, the Dagger of Xian.
Level 18: Home Sweet Home
Well done! The game is completed and the final cutscene appears. Lara showers off all the chaos she’s been through.
Now that you have completed the game, you can now replay the whole game again, but you have unlocked all the weapons and unlimited ammo.
Tomb Raider 2 Characters
Lara Croft – This time, Lara searches for the mythical Dagger of Xian.
Winston – Lara Croft’s butler.
Marco Bartoli – Ruthless leader of the Fiamma Nera cult who are also searching for the dagger.
Brother Chan Barkhang – A monk from the Barkhang Monastery who attempts to stop Marco and his cult from recovering the Seraph.
Fabio – A member of the Fiamma Nera and pilot of a seaplane.
Claudio – A member of the Fiamma Nera who ambushes Lara at the Great Wall of China.
Eros – A member of the Fiamma Nera and rig worker of an offshore rig.
Fiamma Nera Boss – A member of the Fiamma Nera who attempts to stop Lara at the Opera House.
Guardian of the Talion – A half-man half-bird creature which protects the Talion beneath the Barkhang Monastery in Tibet.
Gianni Bartoli – The previous leader of the Fiamma Nera who was killed when his ship was bombed by Chan Barkhang’s father.
Barkhang – Chan’s father and the person responsible for the sinking of Gianni’s ship.
Dragon Emperor – Emperor of China who used the Dagger to become a dragon, enhance his army’s powers and lead a battle against the Tibetan monks.
Tomb Raider 2 Expansions/DLC
Tomb Raider 2 “Golden Mask”, also known as “Tomb Raider 2 Gold”, is an expansion pack of extra levels. It was released (1999), which was 2 years after the original Tomb Raider 2. These can still be played today on the Steam and GOG version. Thanks to Carlmundo who released an “Automated Fix – Improved Graphics, Resolution, Music + Expansion Pack” Download.
The DLC gives you 4 additional levels + 1 extra bonus level which is only accessible by getting all secrets from the other 4 levels.
Level 1: The Cold War
Level 2: Fool’s Gold
Level 3: Furnace of the Gods
Level 4: Kingdom
Bonus level
Level 5: Nightmare in Vegas
Tomb Raider Cheat Codes
All Weapons
While playing, take out a flare, take one step forward (hold down walk key while pressing up arrow), then take one step backwards, turn around 3 full times and then jump backwards.
Level Skip
While playing, pull out a flare then hold shift and move one step forward, one step backwards, turn around 3 times, and jump forward.
Make Lara Expode
Draw any weapon, then walk one step forward, one step backwards, turn around in a circle three times then jump backwards.
Soon to come there will be another Tomb Raider game, thanks to Amazon announcing that a new game is in development, so please be sure to check out for this!
