Rise Of The Tomb Raider Flooded Archives Walkthrough And Puzzle Guide
Navigating the damp and dangerous depths of Kitezh in Rise of the Tomb Raider brings Lara Croft face-to-face with one of her most complex environmental challenges. The Flooded Archives location requires a perfect balance of careful exploration, survival instincts, and physics-based problem solving to progress. Masterfully completing this segment rewards players with deep lore progression and essential upgrades needed for the battles ahead.
Entering the Sunken Vault
Upon arriving in this subterranean chamber, you will immediately notice the heavy atmosphere and the structural decay surrounding the area. Lara must navigate through slippery corridors and avoid aggressive Trinity patrols that guard the perimeter. Moving quietly and utilizing the dark corners will allow you to thin their ranks before tackling the main puzzle.
Once the immediate threats are neutralized, take a moment to look around the central chamber to identify key interactable objects. You will spot several volatile explosive barrels floating in the water currents that are vital for clearing paths. Learning how to manipulate these dangerous resources is the main objective of this zone.
Solving the Explosive Barrel Puzzle
To blow open the massive blocked doorway at the far end of the pool, you must guide the floating red barrels directly toward the barricade. The water currents naturally push objects away, so you will need to use Lara's rope arrows to tether the containers to structural winches. Carefully timing your releases ensures the explosives drift into the correct positions without detonating early.
Be mindful of the fires burning along the shoreline, as drifting barrels will ignite instantly if they come into close contact with open flames. You must strategically alter the water level and clear debris to build a safe path across the pool. This section requires precise positioning and patience to execute correctly.
Securing the Atlas and Escaping
After successfully clearing the blockage with your final explosion, the path to the ancient artifact known as the Atlas will finally be revealed. Safely retrieving this rare item triggers a chaotic collapse sequence as the surrounding structure begins to cave in from the blast. You must think quickly on your feet to find an alternate route out of the flooding complex.
Sprinting through the crumbling tunnels demands fast reflexes and accurate jumping to dodge falling pillars and sudden bursts of fire. Keep moving forward without stopping, using your climbing axes to scale the remaining walls before the water completely engulfs the entire area.