ETC 2 Walkthrough

Introduction

Thanks again to the author, Dave Johnston, for creating a great sequel to his ETC MOD series. To help out any others playing the game, I’ve put this walkthrough together, as I did with the first ETC mod. BTW, anywhere in this walkthrough where I mention the word ‘sneak’, it means to crouch and walk (use 3 keys at the same time: your ‘crouch’, ‘walk’ and ‘forward’ keys together). This allows you to move slowly in a crouched position, giving you more stealth in your approach.

As Dave relays in the ‘README’ file, in ETC II Gordon Freeman has been recaptured by the military and they are trying to invade Xen. This causes a battle between Xen creatures and the soldiers, who use air strikes throughout the game to try and defeat them. Gordon, as usual, is caught in the middle. Sooo, here we go….

Map: etc2a

The game starts with you being captured. You then wake up in a cell at an ‘Unknown location’. Wait a bit and you’ll hear/see the guard panic when he realizes they’re being attacked (an air strike hits). A scientist then runs over and lets you out. Careful now as things happen quickly: 2 Headcrabs teleport in and you are unarmed for the moment. Run around them quickly taking a wide berth (to the left and left again) then duck under the broken door past the dead soldier. Stop just past the door to collect yourself. Another Headcrab will crash through the window to the left when you go by, so run by quickly, then after he comes through run back and crouch-jump through the window (the door at the end doesn’t open). If you’re quick enough he won’t touch you. Now get the crowbar from the desk, and break the crates barring the broken security door (there’s also some bullets in one of the other crates). Once you exit through it, another strike will hit. Now there are 3 directions: to the left is a dead soldier with a gun and bullets (the crates hold some shotgun shells). To the right is a crate with health. Down the stairs are an empty crate and 2 steel doors. Once you go to the partially open one a Zombie teleports in. You can’t open either door, but you can smash the grate (can’t reach it yet). Go back to the 3-way intersection and open the door to the cage. Behind the boxes are some launch grenades (crouch to get them). Jump onto the boxes and smash the grate.

Heading through the vent, you’ll hear/see a shotgun soldier fighting a Zombie. Smash the grate and get rid of the soldier (you’ll probably get damaged in the process). Now you can pull the lever to completely open the partially opened door from before.

Both doors are locked so head back through the vent. When you come out of the gate a Zombie will beam in. Head left and down the stairs. You can now drag the box you saw past the steel door (which is now open) under the grate and smash it to get through.

Take the vent to the end and pick up a rocket and satchel in the right room (the dead soldier in the first room on the left has nothing). Exit the vent and smash the box you climbed onto to get a battery. Go through the steel door and get the Key Card from the dead soldier next to the other 2 doors. NOW mayhem ensues! 3 air strikes will hit so try to stay in the far-left corner until the first 2 are over to stay out of harm’s way.

A Headcrab and a Zombie will beam in for you to take out. 2 holes explode outwards on the wall with steam billowing out. On the right (could be your left, if facing the open door you came in) the stairway falls down giving you an exit. Only the door across the catwalk opens (notice the assassin behind the window on the left … hmmm… future battle in the works?). The door closes/locks behind you. The dead soldier has a gun/bullets and there are more in the box. The right door is broken so head left to the next map.

Map: etc2a2

You now hear a soldier fighting Zombies somewhere to the right. Get some bullets from the box under the stairs then creep up them and try to take out the soldier peeking around the corner in the hallway (if you shoot him he’ll run off and you can finish him upstairs past the 2 dead Zombies). To the left is a crouched Zombie and locked door (can ignore him). To the right is a box with bullets (on top of steel boxes) and right again is a barricade of steel boxes. Careful now, on the left a Zombie beams in and gets shot at by soldiers below left. Try to pick them off from around the corner (Zombie might kill one of them). In the box below left are a shotgun and grenades. The button lowers/raises the automobile lift (doesn’t seem to matter). Up the stairs and to the immediate left is a barred door. Smash the board and get lots of ammo.

Now you can take one of 2 paths to get to the same area in the ‘map: etc2a2 (part 2)’ section:

Path A

This path has 3 different exits:

Go right, down the hall and right again into a room with health and a battery on the shelf. To the right of the room is the barricade from before. Up the stairs is a radio with static (not important) and some launch grenades. To the left of the radio are some steel boxes. You can crouch/jump onto them and smash the ceiling to get to a vent opening. In the vent you can go left or right.

If you go left you can smash a grate and drop down to the area next to the ‘D-AL 300’ sign at the top of the stairs in the ‘map: etc2a2 (part 2)’ section.

If you go right (preferable) you can smash the first grate on the right and get into a small room with a battery in it. Then smash the box in that room and open the door to get to the same area with the ‘D-AL 300’ sign at the top of the stairs in the ‘map: etc2a2 (part 2)’ section.

If you keep going past the first grate on the right you would end up in a part of the ‘MAP etc2a3b’ section and then turning left would bring you to the ‘MAP etc2a2 (revisited)’ section.

Path B

Go to the door on the upper left (with the large box beside it). Once you reach the door, an assassin smashes through the door and waits behind it (be ready for her). Try a grenade, but huddle down. Now get shotgun ammo from the box to the left of the assassin door, then head through it. The left door is locked so head through the vent on the right to the next map (section ‘map: etc2a3b’).

Map: etc2a3b

You’ll hear another air strike and end up in a yard outside. You’ll see a blocked fence below with dead soldiers around a couple of army vehicles. Jump on the metal crates on the left to get up to yet another vent (jump-and-run a few times to get all the way up).

The stairs to the right lead to a locked door and both boxes are empty. Left brings you back to a different part of the previous map.

Map: etc2a2

Down the stairs 2 Houndeyes will appear. At this 3-way intersection: to the left is a locked door with a box and battery behind it. Straight to the small catwalk is health dispenser. Right, down the stairs, is a doorway block by tripmines. The door to the left goes back to an area you were at before with the crouching Zombie (take him out or he’ll attack later). Break the box on the right of the tripmines and get some grenades. You can shoot out the mines from the safety of the stairs above, then go through the doorway. Another air strike happens and a Headcrab teleports in. After dispatching it and trying to go through again a Bullsquid beams in. Best to run in and then back up the stairs and toss a grenade at it. Another air strike hits and blocks the way behind you. To the right are bullets, a machine gun and health on the rack. A dead soldier sits by the elevator that you take to the next map.

Map: etc2b2

Off the elevator is an empty box.

Now, there are 2 paths you can take from here to get to the ‘STEEL DOOR’ section of this map:

Path A

The right door takes you to a corridor with soldiers attacking from outside, so sneak or run through along the right side and through the next door for grenades and shotgun shells from the dead soldier. If you look up you can see an open grate leading into the vent.

Run/Jump/Crouch onto the grate, then climb up it and crouch again to get into the vent on the right side. Follow the vent and turn left at the intersection. Climb out of the open grate and crouch onto the pipe. Now, the soldiers below will most likely see you as you try to run over to the long pipes on the right side, that lead to the small building below (it’s locked from the outside). You can try to get them from up top with launch grenades or the machine gun. Then run along to the long pipe and walk over to the roof of the building on the other side. You can then drop onto the roof and smash the grate to get into the building.

In the building are 2 batteries and launch grenades. There is also a lever, but all it does is lower the wooden barrier outside. Exit through the door, pick up the 2 healths along the way, then turn left to the ‘STEEL DOOR’ section.

Path B

Go through the left door. A shotgun soldier is right around the corner (sneak a double-shotgun blast at him to dispose of him). Down and to the right is a tunnel. To the left is a dead soldier with 2 satchels. Right, down the tunnel, is a partially open steel door with 2 soldiers behind. Sneak up (but not too close or they’ll see you). Throw a satchel under the door from a distance and blow up the first soldier. Then run down a bit, crouching, and machine gun the furthest soldier until he drops (I only lost 2 armour points doing this). After going under the door, a bit further a Zombie and an Alien Slave beam in. Best to take out the Slave before it strikes, then come back and toast the Zombie. There’s an empty box to the right and 2 healths along the catwalk to the left. The door to the small building is locked. Continue to the ‘STEEL DOOR’ section.

Go through the partially opened steel door ahead (crouch-jump your way up the boxes). You’ll hear a firefight between soldiers and Bullsquids. Once they’re done, there should only be one soldier for you to pop off. Jump down from the boxes and use the steel drums on the right to get over the toxic waste to the stairs. To the left past the dead soldier, you’ll hear another firefight. Take care of whoever’s left over, from the balcony. Drop down and get a shotgun from the boxes on the left. Head to the end on the right and get more shotgun shells from the boxes. None of the doors open, so go to the vents next to the healths by the ‘B-MA19’ sign. Smash the lower one and go in.

Smash the left grate where you’ll see a Barnacle and hear a Headcrab, which is hiding up top. You can ignore both these by sneaking past the ladder to the left and then right, to the next ladder. Take out or sneak by the next Barnacle and head up. Drop to the top of the vent on the left and break open the bars on the window (they DO break, so keep trying). Go through and drop down to the TVs (boxes are empty). Around the corner is a Houndeye and another in the vent. Both doors are inaccessible, so head for the vent (there’s health on the rack just outside of it). Out the other side are 4 more Houndeyes. As you head up the slope, 2 soldiers repel down. If you run around to the middle of the slope you can shoot at them from behind the mid-section of it. Launch grenades are good, but watch it, those soldiers are quick! The boxes at the mid-point contain health. As you continue, an Alien Slave pops in right behind you. Continue on up. Since none of the doors open, at the top you have to jump onto the railing, then drop onto the vent, then the square stone part of the wall, then onto the floor of the room below. There are health and HEV units there. Take the corridor to the elevator and the next map.

Map: etc2c2

Now, let’s see if you could make the Olympics! Once the elevator stops, RUN LIKE HELL! Go to the left, the right and then to the right again (the Gargantua will chase you and then give up). At the dead ‘Freeman’ are health and battery. Turn left again after the second steel door towards the 2 stairways. The left door is locked and under the right stairway is a satchel. Go right and open the cage door, then head up the ladder. Up top you’ll hear the Gargantua milling about beneath you and some soldiers about (Eeeep!). Duck and jump under/through the fan onto the pipes. Go left to the next map.

Map: etc2c2b

Now, carefully crawl down the pipe slope. You now have to drop onto the small triangular ledges on alternate sides of the pipes (3 times to get to some pipes below).

Now you have to REALLY carefully crawl to the left of the pipe and drop onto a VERY thin ledge on the pipe below (tricky). Then move to the middle again and drop onto another triangular ledge. THEN drop onto the box below which breaks your fall (and itself). PHEW! You’re down. Check out the boxes for some bullets. To the right, drag the small box over to the large boxes to get to the 3 batteries. The boxes themselves are empty so leave them.

Up ahead, past the box and broken elevator, are 2 Alien Grunts. I scared them off with some grenades, then took them out with launch grenades from a stealthy crouching position (around corners). You can ignore the Barnacle. Under the water on the side, you can find health next to a dead ‘Freeman’. The door at the end is locked so you’ll have to swim to the end underneath and open the wheel all the way, then quickly swim through the now open grate (watch out for the pesky leaches in the water).

NOW, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! When you hit the surface (you’ll start losing health in the water because it’s cold, but you get it back on dry land), there are a bunch of Alien Slaves and Zombies (I counted 6 Slaves and 3 Zombies). At times, others beam in when you kill some of them off. Best bet is to swim to the end, pop out of the water at intervals and try to take out some with minimal damage to yourself. Once there are only a few left, take them out as you wish. You could have shot some of the explosive boxes to help you, but there is SO much chaos it’s not easy. There are 2 dead soldiers at the end next to the ladder that goes up (DUH! No kidding what with THAT menagerie you just offed all over the place!). You can ignore the Barnacle at the start. There is also a stairway in the middle that leads to a health unit but the door is locked and going under the walkway doesn’t help.

Head up the ladder where you can hear a Headcrab up top. I couldn’t kill it without damage: your best bet is the crowbar and luck. Through the door there are 3 Barnacles way up top and 2 Alien Slaves down below. Take out the Slaves at the bottom left by sneaking up and using your gun. Then when you cross to the other side, 2 Bullsquids beam in surrounding you! Best bet is to have your machine gun ready and go RAMBO on them! I caught some damage but not as much as I thought I would. DON’T take the ladder, it’s booby trapped with a tripmine. Smash either of the vents where the Bullsquids were and head on in and to the left. At the end shoot the Headcrab then press the ‘A’ button to stop the fan below.

Head down the ladder then through the door. To the left is the walkway where the Slaves and tripmine were (nothing much there). BUT when you return an Alien Grunt appears. Run to the end and around the corner (might take some damage). Then sneak out and launch a grenade at him. Back to the right you can visit the health unit you couldn’t reach before. Don’t go through the ‘Fan Unit 2’ doorway, the fan blocks your way up. Head to ‘Fan Unit 1’ again and up both ladders . Press the ‘B’ button to turn on the fan below you.

Through the small open vent is another ‘B’ button but it’s broken (the one with a dead Barney below) so it’s a dead end. From the first ‘B’ button, head up another ladder to a box and door. The door is locked so go through the small open vent (crouch-jump onto the box). In this section there’s a ‘C’ button, but it doesn’t work. Go into the vent back to a different section of a previous map.

Map: etc2c2 (part 2)

In this part, pull the box over from the alcove and into the fan, then press the button to start the fan that will then explode and create an exit.

To the left through the window in the steel door (doesn’t open) there’s a dead soldier. You can also see more soldiers and a tank advancing.

To the right then left again is a dead soldier and 3 sensors that don’t allow you to pass (wall blows up killing you). To the left at the same spot is a doorway and a door that doesn’t open (sign says ‘C-LF 2’). To the right is a room up a level and another further down. Go to the room at the end and enter it to head back to the first room with the HEV unit and health. Up the stairs are boxes with another health and a door at the end which doesn’t open (sign says ‘C-LF 1’). The main tunnel continues downwards to the right so go back that way. At the bottom you’ll see a scientist banging on the steel door pleading for you to let him through. Press the button to open the door, then you both high tail it over to door ‘C-LF 1’ to get away from Gargantua. The scientist will then open the door after a bungled attempt with numbers that aren’t even close (and THIS guy is a rocket scientist <chuckle>)!? Ok, Ok, to his credit the number WAS changed, but it sounded funny hearing him fumble with the code <g>.

In the first box past the door are bullets (others are empty). The scientist tells you to lead the monster into the explosives you saw earlier (lasers on the wall), but how? Go left into the main tunnel and get health from behind the steel boxes on the left and a battery in the box across the tunnel on the right. Open the door just to the left across the tunnel and head down. There are 3 Headcrabs, one in front and 2 behind the boxes. Smash all the boxes and go through the door that was closed earlier. Now run out and lead the Gargantua back to the dynamite on the walls and run back up the steps you just came down. The monster should mistakenly hit the sensors and get obliterated.

When you get back to the scientist he congratulates you but then he gets sucked into a teleport just as he tells you to go find the bomb. Bomb?? Which bomb?! As you go back out to the left again, a firefight starts above you to the left between a soldier and a Bullsquid. The catwalk falls down giving you a way up but be careful, the soldier’s still up there. Sneak up from the metal crates to the catwalk and hit him with a launch grenade. (I love when they call for a medic after they’ve been blown to smithereens!) If you want you can get a shotgun and shells by jumping onto the pipes up top on the right (from the railing) and running down to a small ledge (up the other pipes is a dead Barney). If you do, drop down after and come back up the catwalk again. At the end of the catwalk you’re back in a large tunnel.

On the right there’s a soldier behind the truck. So that he doesn’t see you, sneak down the right side and around the side of the truck then hit him with a double-shotgun blast to drop him. There are 2 healths in the back of the truck. The doors are locked so crouch under the pipe and then head through the short tunnel to the next map.

Map: etc2c3

Around the next corner is a Headcrab, and then to the right is another. When you head right you’ll hear a firefight between soldiers, Slaves, a Zombie and an Alien Grunt. If you peek out the opening on the left you can take out 2 soldiers that are reloading (one close and one far: machine gun is good). Drop down and peek around the box to the right. You can blow up the Alien Grunt facing the other way with a well-thrown grenade. Continue right to find a Zombie behind a box, but before you get there another Grunt will beam in behind you. You can sneak back and get him from behind the other box. Get a crossbow and arrows from the back of the truck and then go through the vent on the right (all the boxes are empty). Inside is a Headcrab around the corner. Drop down from the opening onto a box and get the Zombie just behind it. The elevator has batteries and grenades but they can’t be reached. Press the button to send it up (get them later).

Boxes are empty and you can ignore the Barnacle. Blow up the tripmines in the next room then go that way. Throw a grenade at the Bullsquid then head up the stairs and take care of the Slave in the room with the dead soldier. At the other end a Slave takes off. Go after him and dispose of him. As you run towards him an assassin down the left corridor will run off. Continue right and you’ll see a piece of equipment get beamed out and then a Slave and Headcrab beam in. Get rid of them and smash the box for some shotgun shells. Head back down to the area with the assassin with your crossbow ready. Sneak around the box on the right and zoom into the ledge up top across the corridor. The assassin will pop out and shoot but shouldn’t be able to hit you. You can hit her from behind the box. Then sneak out past the box and get the next assassin up top on the right, behind the railing. In the alcove a box contains grenades. Go up the stairs and to the left is a Slave in a room. If you continue on you’ll go past the assassins and to a locked door. Head back instead, and there is a room with a soldier.

DON’T go too close to the window yet, a turret will activate from below (bottom left hand corner) and shoot at you. At a distance from the window, use the crossbow zoom to get the soldier across the tunnel (in the other room with the health unit). Now, crouch over to the soldier and, if you aim it right, pop up and take out the turret at the bottom left. Get the grenades from the steel box then drop out the window to the tunnel and stay crouched on the right. You can blow up the other turret in the right corner with a well-placed grenade. Around the right corner is an Alien Grunt, a Headcrab and 2 Slaves. Get the Grunt with a launch grenade, then the others. After taking them out, another Slave will run down from up the slope where the teleport is. One of the boxes has shotgun shells, others are empty. Now, drag the steel drum over to the vent grate by the stairs (drum is in front of the broken wooden barrier), then crouch-jump onto it and break the grate, then the alien growth past it to get some Snarks.

Go back up the stairs to the room with the health unit and elevator (it doesn’t work). There are bullets on the steel box. If you pull the lever all it does is raise the broken barrier, so it’s of no consequence. Go back down the stairs and approach the teleport. It will disappear and another Grunt will appear. Destroy him then press the button to open the steel door and reveal the G-man in a room above. When you go to the door of that room it closes and through the window you can see him leave. Around the bend is an Alien Slave up at the top of the stairs. The box is empty and the other door blocked so go right to the next map.

Map: etc2c

In the next room is a locked door and a rack with bullets and launch grenades. Next is a room with windows and health (box is empty). Smash the grate, and drop down. To avoid being hurt, push all the explosive drums to the far fence then shoot them (blows open the gate).

Get the grenades from the steel crates, then get the batteries and grenades from the elevator that you sent up before in map ‘etc2c3’. The boxes contain health. Careful out here. There is a broken sign that reads that this is a MINEFIELD (yikes). Just make sure you run straight down the middle of it then jump onto the walkway at the end. Keep right until you are in the room with the dead soldier and an alien Slave. Shoot the Slave, but be mindful of the explosive drums. Get launch grenades from the panel then pull the lever to open the left steel door. Drop back and blow up the steel drums to break the window (right steel door closed blocking your path).

Drop down and go left. Once you go through the doorway, 3 Slaves beam in and soldiers start firing from the left. Best way is to run into the compound then back again and take cover. You can take out one of the Slaves to the right but let the soldiers do the rest. Once the fighting stops, sneak out and to the left, then snipe the soldiers with your crossbow: one on the left and then on the top right. Get 2 healths from the boxes, then go through the door. To the right you’ll activate a turret on the truck and 3 soldiers will come towards you. Back off and get the first one then run back to the door and crouch down. You can take the others out one by one as they appear. The turret will always pop-up so you can have different strategies here. I ran behind the boxes (there’s a tripmine near them that you can get later) then right up to the truck (turret couldn’t get to me). I then popped up on the right side and Slaves beamed in above. I ran back behind the truck and crouched and the turret got rid of them. Then I blasted the turret with the shotgun a few times from below. No damage to me whatsoever!

To the left of the truck are some breakable boxes on the back wall surrounded by steel crates. Break them in succession to get into the next part of the compound (you’ll get some arrows from them). On the other side is a dead soldier, empty boxes and 2 sets of tripmines blocking the way on either side. Jump over the left one and break the box for shotgun shells and there’s another health in the corner. Next, if you sneak into the right side of the open steel box (mind the tripmine) you can inch out and shoot out the turret above right with your machine gun before it activates. In the next area are 2 dead soldiers, 2 satchels and some launch grenades in a box. The steel door won’t open (it closed as you shot out the turret).

Note: Just for a kick, use NOCLIP to go past the door and read the writing on the wall to the left!

Head back to the truck (jump the tripmine again). In the boxes to the right of the truck are bullets and in the right tunnel are 2 healths, more bullets and launch grenades next to the radio. Up the stairs is a soldier and another health. This continues past the soldier you saw on the catwalk earlier from below. Go through the doors and turn left past the “Train Hub ‘D’” sign. There’s a dead soldier and some magnum shells. Shoot the Slave on the next left and climb over the steel boxes to the next map.

Map: etc2d3

Around to the right are empty boxes and barred windows. If you don’t crouch past them, soldiers below might spot you. You might want to try to snipe some of them but it could take a while for a good shot and you might get damaged. Further along there are Zombies on either side at the end of the corridor. A Slave hides behind steel boxes on the far right. Past him is a small flat tram on the track next to the dead soldier. In the boxes on either side are shotgun shells and health on a steel crate. Jump onto the crates and climb up to the window to the left of the tram. Smash it and enter the room with the dead Barney. Get the magnum and bullets for it from the boxes. Take the left door into the ‘Data Control Operations’ room (others don’t open). First smash the window, then press the button to open the gate below to let the tram through.

As you leave the room, 2 Alien Grunts will appear outside below. Go back into the room and sneak to the window but not too close. You can use the Magnum (a few shots) or launch grenades to take them out, but you have to pick them off without them seeing you. Head back down, jump onto the tram and ride it through the gate (press the ‘use’ key to get control of it, then ‘forward’ and backward' keys to move it).

Ride towards the dead soldier but watch out for the Slave to the right (if you want, you can stop the tram and get health from the box next to the Slave). Kill the 2 Barnacles above, smash through the stone barricade with the tram, then stop at the stairs on the left with the health. Climb the stairs and be ready to fight the soldiers in the next room. There are 3 on the left (one close and 2 across the way) and one on the right on a ledge. You can try to snipe them but they see you anyway. There are launch grenades and health on the other side where the soldiers were (boxes are empty). Now, on the side you came in, shoot out the tripmines below that block your way. Head back to the tram and go forward again and STOP just as you are in the middle of the circular track. Now jump off, run up the stairs to the left and pull the lever to turn the track.

Get back onto the tram and continue forward (i.e. to the right originally). To the right will be a turret (can shoot it from a crouched position with the shotgun as it activates). Continue on to the next map.

Map: etc2o0

To the left will be a turret, so you may want to get off and sneak over to blast it with your shotgun (crouch then pop-up over the barricade) or just be ready to shoot it. Continue with the tram and as you turn the corner Alien Grunts appear on both sides. If you’re quick enough you can use launch grenades to take them out (spin around after getting the first, but might take some damage). Stop and get some bullets and a battery at the boxes, then go on to the other side. The stairs on the other side have empty boxes and a turret. Just ride by it, it won’t activate while the boxes block it (boxes in the middle are empty, too). A Headcrab will beam in and drop from the ceiling. Oddly, something else tries to teleport in but doesn’t quite make it just up ahead. Stop and get some magnum bullets from the box then take the tram on through the steel boxes on the track and around the left corner.

There are a number of things you can try next. There are tripmines and soldiers up ahead. My strategy was to stop and snipe a soldier up top on the right, then get off and sneak under the tripmine and snipe another on the right in the alcove. I snuck under the next tripmine and jumped over to the alcove to get shotguns shells from the boxes. Then I snuck to the right and took out the soldier up top (careful, he launches grenades). You could let the tram barrel on through and pull a Rambo on them… up to you <g>. After you go up the ladder and around the corner, something tries to beam in again and fails. Then a soldier blows up the door at the end. Shoot him from afar, then walk to the blown door. Now turn around and run, then jump off the upper level onto the steel boxes blocking the door next to the ladder you just came up. You can climb over them to a ladder on the other side of the doorway.

Go partway down the ladder and throw a grenade to take out the Bullsquid in the short hallway (run/climb backwards up the ladder quickly to avoid damage). At the bottom you can lob another grenade at the 2nd Bullsquid. There are some launch grenades on the steel boxes and around in the left corner is a dead scientist and a gauss gun <yippee!>. As you return, 3 Headcrabs teleport in and attack immediately. You want to run past as fast as possible and try to take them out from the ladder and around corners (or just ignore them and head up after you get by them). Exit back up the ladder and up to the blown door again. Now, go through the next door. On the left is a room with an assassin. Best bet is to crouch and shoot out the window then sneak a bit and throw a grenade in. That’ll move her to the left and let you run to the right. Then you can launch a grenade in and take her out. The room has a locked door (nothing else). There are 2 batteries and another in a box in the corner you were in. Go down the stairs next and on the rack are a machine gun and crossbow. To the right in the back room you can see the G-man up top and there are assassins about. Sneak along the right wall then have your crossbow zoom ready to pick off an assassin just around the right corner. There is another on the right and one on the far left past the boxes. Zoom sniping is best, but you may take some damage. Break the many boxes for shotgun shells, bullets, magnum bullets, and a tripmine. The door behind the steel boxes leads to a room with grenades and a health unit.

Next, to the right is a turret. Sneak to the right and quickly blast it with your shotgun. As you head for the next door, something tries to unsuccessfully beam in YET again (boxes are empty along the way). To the right outside the door are 2 soldiers and up top above it is a turret. You can use the shotgun on them and throw a grenade onto the turret ledge. The boxes are all empty except for one in the far-left corner, which has shotgun shells. As you run down the incline, a tank will come out from the left. Run along the right side and grab some rockets, then into the far left corner behind the rock for the rocket launcher and more rockets. Now have fun trying to blow the tank to kingdom come. It’s tough… targeting the tank turret with the RPG and blasting it with rockets might help. Good Luck!

Once you destroy the tank, the door at the bottom of the tower unlocks so you can go to the top of it. An alien ship will then fly by and drop 2 Grunts. You can take one out with the heavy machine gun at the top of the tower and blow the other one up with a launch grenade (off to the right). Then pull the lever to open the steel door, which lets out 2 more Grunts.

Dispose of them with the heavy machine gun again (you’ll probably take damage). Head back down (there are 3 healths in the middle of the tower), then go through the steel door to get to yet more Grunts (4). Get rid of them with rockets or grenades. Now head through the small door. As you climb down the ladder, it breaks and you’ll fall into the next map.

Map: etc2q3

As you fall, you beam into another room. Head up the stairs and go through the door to the sarcastic scientist(s). Listen to what one of them has to say: He insults your goatee (thinks you are contaminated). <HA!> HOW INSULTING!

When the grey haired one tells you to follow him, do it right away (if you don’t he may get stuck later on and you may not be able to continue). When he opens the door then walk towards the other scientist, head through the doorway to the room with the health and HEV units. There are batteries by the HEV suits as well. In the left-hand corner get a power assist for long jumps.

Go back and pick up the arrows, launch grenades, rockets and bullets from the metal crates. Now, go to the scientists. They should both be in front of the first of 2 closed doorways. Listen to them talk for a bit, then one of them will walk through both doorways opening the doors as he goes. Let the other scientist finish talking, then follow him into the other room to the first scientist. They will talk some more, then tell you to let them know when you are ready (they tell you that you need to go to Xen to finish the job). If you have all the possessions you need, press your ‘use’ key on both of them and have them follow you to the initial door you came in by the stairs. They will open it for you and tell you to go through and wait. (You can also try to just go to the first door by yourself and go through it, then wait for them to talk to you through an intercom, but this didn’t always work for me). After the door closes behind you, they will talk a bit more and create a portal for you. Enter it to go to the next map.

Map: etc2f1

You are now on Xen. In front of you there is a path below leading to the right. On it will appear a Slave and a Grunt. From above you can sneak over and shoot the Slave from afar, then launch a grenade at the Grunt when his head comes into view. Now head down the path to your right. Be careful of the Spike Tree, it’ll attack if you get under the spikes (there are several in this map to watch out for). Not far along there is another path going into a tunnel on your right with a Bullsquid that you can get with a grenade (another small tunnel is blocked by alien growth to it’s right, but it’s empty, so you can ignore it). Not too far on the left is another tunnel with a Slave running out. You can crouch behind the Spike Tree (not too close) and shoot him when he comes by. Further to the right is another Slave and a Headcrab beams in behind you. Sneaking and shooting with the gun is best. Past the Slave is an island with a health pool. You have to jump to it for health then back again to continue (can be tricky, as you fall to your death if you miss). At that time a Headcrab beams in, but falls into oblivion on the left (oddly enough it floats in thin air way down below <heh>).

At this point you can take either of 2 paths to get to the same end spot. One is more strategy (path a) and the other has more enemies to blast (path b)! There’s no point in doing both because then more and more Slaves and Headcrabs teleport in when you run around the same areas again. Pick one path to get to your final destination. You’ll want to SAVE over here if you want to try both paths.

Path A

Head back to the first tunnel and you’ll come across 2 more Headcrabs. Just past them is another Headcrab. Past it is a Bullsquid to the right behind some growth and a Slave immediately to your left. Shoot the Slave then toss or launch a grenade at the Bullsquid. There’s a flying Controller above where the Bullsquid was and another above left. Using your magnum is helpful with them. If the growth is still there to the right, smash it to allow entry for later.

Head back and to the left past the pole and to the growth blocking the path into an open area. There’s a Slave behind it to the right and a Bullsquid to the left. Shoot out the growth then the Slave with your gun. Sneak to the left and double-shotgun the Bullsquid (mind the Spike Trees). Next to it by the dead ‘Freeman’ are bullets and launch grenades.

Now go back to the right path then sneak past the Spike Tree. On the path above to the left is a Grunt and a Headcrab and another Grunt on a ledge to the right. Get close enough to launch a grenade at the left Grunt, then shoot the Headcrab. On a path to the right are 3 Headcrabs just below eye level. Make sure the 2nd Grunt on the right is blocked by the pole in the middle of the canyon. Sneak towards the 2nd Grunt using the pole as cover until you can see a 3rd Grunt on the ledge just below you. Shoot the 3 Headcrabs sneaking towards you on the right, then double-shotgun blast the 3rd Grunt a couple of times. Sneak to the left just enough to launch a grenade at the 2nd Grunt up above right from behind the pole. Up top on the left path are 3 Slaves to take care of. As you sneak up to them 2 Headcrabs beam in behind you <ambush!>. Shoot the Headcrabs then the Slaves. As you head back to the path going down on the right where the 3 Headcrabs were another one teleports in for you to shoot. Go down the path and to the left. NOW, there’s no reason to go to the right because that goes to the other route (PATH B). Just jump into the pool (go to the ‘END SCENE: BLOW UP BOMB IN POOL’ section next).

Path B

Head into the second tunnel and you’ll see 2 Barnacles hanging in the distance. As you approach them a Slave and a Headcrab will spot you from a dip in the path ahead (if you crouch, you can sneak up on them). Past them is a Bullsquid and another Slave. You can get them both with a well-placed launch grenade (or you can shoot the Slave after blowing up the Bullsquid). As you approach where they were, another Slave pops in that you can easily shoot. Now comes the INSANE part! Walk up to the edge of a drop next to the pole. IF you sneak to the right, you can drop safely to the ground below.

Er… DID I say ‘safely’? OH NO!! Loads of Snarks start coming out of nowhere! RUN! RUN! RUN! AAAAA! Now there are Slaves and Headcrabs in your way!! Keep RUNNING!! And SHOOT! Ahead, Behind… Shoot, SHOOT!! AAA! … Watch out for the 2 Barnacles! (Scream! Shoot!) OK, once you’ve made a dent in the enemies and gotten ahead far enough away from the Snarks, turn around and shoot any of the aliens left that may still be attacking from far or close. Chances are you’ve taken more serious damage than you wanted to, but those Snarks make it tough to plan a strategy. Once you’ve cleaned up the tunnel you just came from, you can sneak over to the entrance of the cavern. In some cases, another Headcrab will pop in behind you just to be a nuisance. Take it out before checking out the situation in the cavern. If you want and the tunnel is definitely safe (all are dead), you can go back to where you dropped down for a Snark weapon/ammo (probably not worth it).

Now, at the cavern entrance there’s a Grunt right across the way up top (a bit to the right). If he doesn’t see you (crouch), you can take him out with a long-range weapon. NOW, there’s no reason to go to the left because that goes to the other route (PATH A). Just sneak straight ahead and down into the pool (go to the ‘END SCENE: BLOW UP BOMB IN POOL’ section next).

Get into the pool below then go to the bomb covered by the alien growth. Smash the growth with the crowbar then ‘use’ the bomb and get ready for ULTIMATE PANDEMONIUM!

You hear a deep, creepy voice bellow an unknown alien language and EVERY type of monstrosity known to Xen starts to teleport in from everywhere! All that’s left to do is to stay alive long enough for the bomb to go off (running around shrieking and flailing your arms might help at this point <GUFFAW!>). Even if you use the ‘bounce crater’ to get up to the path and run through the tunnel, you get blocked by a giant rising pole at the top. Once the bomb explodes you flash into the final map and cutscene (if you die before, you have to try again and stay alive longer).

Map: etc2cine

In conclusion, watch the final cutscene for the epilogue.