Area 51
Area 51 is the third and final level of the Nevada stage of Tomb Raider III. It is a strongly fortified and guarded US military base near Groom Lake, Nevada. Inside are enough conspiracies and military projects to make a theorist salivate - but only Lara Croft can get inside and out with her prize, Element 115.
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Summary
Lara arrives in an unloading bay for supplies and men coming in from the surrounding military compounds. This area of the base is a series of corridors with strongrooms containing ammunition and guns. Primarily for the inventory and delivery of incoming supplies, this area does not have a lot to see apart from cells for the most intrepid conspiracy theorist or the most dangerous murderer.
A trapped floor will bring Lara down to ground level, where she will have to access the rest of the compound (which lies underneath the bedrock) by way of the ventilation ducts. She will soon gain access to one of the main floors of the base.
One of the first areas Lara sees after checking in with Security are the missile construction areas. These large workshops construct explosives and missiles for use in US military vehicles. Another area will bring her to a large missile silo where a huge ground to air missile stands ready. Lara will be instigating an unauthorised test soon enough.
Lara can also explore further beneath these areas, as a Mag-Lev train runs under the whole base to transport soldiers and equipment efficiently. This way she will get a preview of the UFO wing, and return up top to open some new areas.
Once she has returned to the missile silo, Lara can set off the missile and retreat to the blast shelter. Now that the missile is gone, Lara can climb to the top of the building and explore some passages to come out into an area bordering the desert itself. After dispatching some guards, she can re-enter the base, where the UFO wing now stands open - ready for Lara to enter and take what she came for.
Links
- Previous Level
- Coastal Village (South Pacific area)
- Thames Wharf (London area)
- Antarctica
Notes
Lara gets the Element 115 artefact in this level - at least in some versions of the game. In others, it is the Ora Dagger. But logically, this seems incorrect, and Element 115 should be thought of as the correct artefact for the Nevada levels.
Enemies
Gallery
Area 51 seen from outside
