Quake II/Torture Chambers

Level objective
The objective for this level is to find the Security Pass and take it back to the ../Security Complex/. You will first have to retrieve the Data CD from Cell Block A and use it to gain access to Cell Block B, where the Security Pass is in the possession of a captured Marine.

Strategy
This is an easy level for this point in the game, with a simple objective and no particular difficulties dealing with the Strogg. Your weapons will be a match for anything you encounter (you have the HyperBlaster, right?) and there is no shortage of ammunition. You may find navigating the level difficult (it is constructed as a maze of walkways and passages), but you won't get into too much trouble just wandering around looking for places you haven't been and things to do that might get you closer to your objective.

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Walkthrough
Shortly after entering the Torture Chambers area, you will engage a Tank at the mouth of the tunnel, just beyond a lift platform that descends to a lower level. After eliminating the Tank, mind the gap as you jump off the platform and go outside, turn right and double back along the outside of the tunnel portal structure to find Secret 1. Return to the tunnel portal, step on the floor switch and ride the lift down to a lower level.

The Data CD and Cell Block B
From the high lift platform, take the slightly shorter tunnel that turns to the right at the end. Follow the tunnel and then the walkways at this level, dealing with Strogg as you meet them. You will pass through a room in which four Guards are apparently planning to turn a dead Marine into tiny pieces of dead Marine. It takes all sorts, I guess. Shortly, you will come up behind a Gunner standing where the path drops down a level. You can hear the characteristic clumping sounds of a Tank, so think about taking care of him before going down (although a lift platform nearby will get you back up). The Data CD is on your right. Press the button to deactiveate the force field over the alcove and take it.

Use the lift platform to get back up and retrace your steps until you come through the last door and see the tunnel to your left. Look over the edge of the walkway, watching out for Strogg, and you will see directions plainted on the wall pointing to Cell Block B. Drop down and go to the indicated door where you will find a security console on the wall. It accepts your Data CD and the door opens.

The Security Pass
Enter Cell Block B, again following walkways and dealing with such Strogg as you encounter. Very soon, you will come to another painted sign reminding you that you are no longer in Cell Block A, Dorothy. Below are four prison cells. You can hear moans of "Let me out", "Make it stop" and "Kill me now". People should make up their minds! Drop down and inspect the two cells to the right, which have holes in the floor. The security consoles turn off the force fields. Now, you need to drop down one of the holes. It doesn't matter which one. You don't need to know what is going to happen down there, so skip the rest of this paragraph. You do need to know? OK, well, you're going to be set upon at close range by a Parasite. Once he's in your face, the HyperBlaster is going to be your best defence. But, you can soften him up a bit or maybe even kill him before going down if you know where to put some Grenades. Go into the cell closer to the corner where a grid partly blocks the hole. Stand on the side where the grid is completely missing so that the cell doorway is on your right. Shoot away the grid. With the Grenade Launcher, aim a grenade down the hole to bounce off of the far side near the bottom. Yu should hear a cry of pain and see the Parasite running about. Finish him off any way you like.

Crouch and drop down into the hole. You land in a watery area with a large pipe at one end. Collect the Rebreather conveniently waiting behind the pillar to the right of the pipe and jump up into the opening. Equip the Super Shotgun, activate the Rebreather and dive into the water in the pipe. Swim along the pipe and emerge into a rectangular tank with ladder-like slots in the far wall. Climb out of the water and kill the two Light Guards. It's slightly more interesting if you can kill the closer one before he gets to the computer. A Marine is shackled to an iron maiden-like contraption. Unfortunately, he has the Security Pass that your looking for and won't give it up while he's alive. You can shoot him ... yeah, you could do that ... or you could press the box underneath the computer screen to operate the iron maiden. Either way, the Security Pass appears to his left and your field computer presents the new secondary objective "Grab the passcard and return to the Security Complex". Off we go then.

Back to the Security Complex
Think about how you got here and you'll realize that you can't go back the way you came, so you'll have to find another way. How about going out of the door? If you don't care about scoring all the enemy kills or finding all the secrets, the simplest thing now is to make your way back to the high lift platform. Just outside the door, look over the edge of the walkway. That's Cell Block B down there. Using your vantage point to kill the enemies first, drop one level and take the left turn on the walkway above the cells. Follow the walkway at this level back out of the door through which you entered the cell block, passing the painted signs and the door to Cell Block A on your left. Keep going until you find a right hand corner and steps going up. These lead to a tunnel back to the lift platform. Press the button to call it down, step on, ride up and make your way back to the Security Complex. You'll probably have missed seven or eight kills in this level. You'll also miss enemy kills in the Security Complex because you'll never get to the upper walkway in the room between the courtyard and the pyramid.

If you prefer to make all the kills in every level, you need to take a different exit from here back to the Security Complex. That's really all the advice you need at this point because you can't get into much trouble just wandering around looking for places you haven't been yet. Check out the Secrets section, below, for things to watch out for. If you're still reading, what follows is a reasonable way to complete the level.

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Secret 2 is also found in one of the cells in Cell Block A; be certain to find it before attempting to reach Secret 3.

Use the Invulnerability item found earlier in Secret 2 to jump into the lava vat and find Secret 3. If you've eliminated all enemies but one in this area, take the lift up from the floor where the lava vat is and head for the exit, just steps away. The Torture Chambers area exit door is clearly marked, but is guarded by a Tank. Destroy him and move through the airlock to the Security Complex. This finally gives you access to the catwalk that you saw earlier and leads to the mezzanine that overlooks the entrance to the Guard House. (If the mezzanine lift isn't working, it means you missed a trigger event in the Torture Chambers. You can return and attempt to push various buttons, or just jump to the ground.)  If you've already retrieved the Pyramid Key from the Guard House area, you can proceed to the Pyramid; otherwise, enter the ../Guard House/.

Secrets
This level has three (3) secrets:
 * 1) Right at the start of the level, you encounter a Tank in a large hangar.  The far end is open to an outdoor area, but be careful of the gap at the end of the floor.  Turn to the right and double back along the outside of the hangar.  You will find a HyperBlaster and a pack of Cells sitting there is plain sight.  Take the weapon to receive the message "You have found a secret".  If only all secrets were this easy.
 * 2) In Cell Block A, use the console to drop the force field blocking the door of the second prison cell from the left.  Inside, you will find a protruding block in the bottom course of the rear wall.  Shoot it away and crawl through the resulting hole into a hidden chamber containing a secret Invulnerability item.  You will receive the message "You found a secret item!".  You will probably have to kill the Marine first.
 * 3) If you explore the level fully, you will encounter a large rectangular vat filled with molten lava.  Make sure that you have an Invulnerability item in your inventory and drop onto the edge of the vat.  Peering through the moving surface of the lava, you should be able to make out a cache of ammunition, including a Backpack, and also a Quad Damage.  Activate the Invulnerability, dive in and swim down to collect them.  You will receive the message "You found a secret area!".  Swim back up to the surface and get back out onto the edge of the vat.  There is no easy way down, but if the Invulnerability has not run out you can of course just drop to the floor.  Otherwise, go to a corner and slide down one of the tapered buttresses on the side of the vat, hoping not to take any fall damage when you hit bottom.  If you stay under the lava for a while, you will start making the gagging sounds that indicate that you're drowning, but don't worry, the Invulnerability is preventing that from causing damage as well.  If you didn't take the Invulnerability from the hidden chamber (see above), go back for it before leaving the level.