Quake II/Lower Mines

Your field computer gives the secondary objective for this level as "Unstable conditions ahead. Proceed with caution". This turns out to be good advice, and what you actually need to accomplish is just to get to the level exit. Once you move beyond the starting area, you will not be able to go back.

Strategy[edit]

You'll easily find your way to the goal in this level and the combat is of no particular difficulty so any strategy will work. There are lots of Technicians, some Guards and one Tank to kill. Ammunition is a little sparse, so use Grenades when possible as there are plenty of them. However, it is very tempting to take the wrong route or to do things in the wrong order and you cannot go back and recover from these bad decisions. If you don't care about the absolute best route, you won't need the Walkthrough, otherwise, read on.

Walkthrough[edit]

Keep a lookout for Technicians as you use the bridge to cross the lava-filled canyon and activate the mine rail system with the lever. Cross back, step into a cart as it rises and ride it to the next area. Leave the cart as soon as it comes up out of the shaft to avoid taking damage and look out for more Technicians. In fact, explore the area for them and take them all out, plus a Guard, to get a bit of space to think. Do not, however, rush for the Combat Armor, recalling instead your field computer's advice about "Unstable conditions ...". If you need the Armor, approach slowly along the left-hand side of the cave until the floor collapses. What remains along the very edges is what you'll now have to use, but at least you didn't fall (see below for what happens if you do). It's not too hard to run and jump from the narrow ledge to the goodies at the far end and then run / jump back, again using the ledge.

In your exploration, you will have found the second lava-filled canyon with the passage into the rock patrolled by a Guard. Go back there and drop some Grenades on the Guard's head. Crouch and fall to the platform where he stood, taking the Grenade Launcher there. Follow the passage to a wide platform where you will need to kill another Guard. There is a Tank below. If you absolutely must, you can drop down and fight him, but it's easier to operate the lever and release the huge rock under which he is incautiously standing. OK, now drop down, press the button on the end of the drilling laser and watch it open the way to a tunnel. If you had fallen through the floor near the Combat Armor, you would have landed in the lake and been forced to swim to shore under fire from the Tank, so you can see why caution was advised.

Take a careful look into the tunnel. At the right is a Rocket Launcher. Like the Armor, resist the urge to just grab it. Or, what the heck, save the game and grab it to see what happens. After that, reload the game and look to the left. In the distance, you'll see an adrenaline. Go and get it, noting the opening on the right near the end of the tunnel and dealing now with the Technicians that are out there. Go back to the Rocket Launcher. Take it and immediately run to the other end of the tunnel and duck just into the opening. The mining machine will stop behind you and you can pick up a couple of StimPacks from the back. The "Unstable conditions ..." now result in a lot of shaking. You can make your way across the bridge over another lava-filled canyon if you are careful (jumping helps) or you can wait until the shaking stops.

Fight your way through the passage on the other side of the canyon to a room with a lift platform in the center and lava all around. Before taking the lift up, look up and to your right and you'll see a Guard on the grid floor above. Take him out now with the HyperBlaster, then go up and face just the one remaining Guard. Take the exit, which will bring you to a part of the Drilling Area that you could not otherwise reach.