NyLeve's Falls

NyLeve's Falls is the second map in Unreal's single player game.
 * Author: Juan Pancho Eekels
 * Description
 * The player emerges from the crashed Vortex Rikers onto a grassy plateau overlooking a stunning waterfall. Amidst the sight and sounds of the native wildlife and humble Nali huts, an alien bunker beckons. Within, the Brutes lie in wait.

Walkthrough
A striking contrast to the dark confines of the tortured Vortex Rikers as you step out into a sunny day on this strangely beautiful planet on which the ship has crash-landed. It is here in this open area with its striking waterfall that you must start your quest to get off this planet, for things are not all as pleasant as they seem.

You start off at the bottom of the escape chute you dropped down at the end of the last level, so head along to the exit, collecting two Flares and a Clip along the way. Step outside and take a look around. The suns are shining, birds are calling and wheeling overhead, while Nali Rabbits hop along the ground. Beautiful yes, but things are unlikely to stay that way for long so make the most of it while you can.

Start your exploration by climbing the mud ramp to the right, the route which a Nali Rabbit has already taken if you've been out here for any length of time. Follow it along the earth cast up by the ship, and it will have led you to a Clip. Try not to step on the Nali Rabbit as you collect the Clip, then return to the bottom of the ramp. Head off to the right where there is a hut, some equipment boxes evidently from the crashed ship, and a small pool.

A little way from the hut there is a corpse of a crew member from the Vortex Rikers, evidently killed fighting. It has a log [1].

Evidently something is not right, so in search of answers head for another crew member corpse lying in front of the house. While there, collect the Clip and the Automag gun, which is a useful alternative to your Dispersion Pistol. The corpse has a log [2].

Inside the abandoned hut you will find 3 Flares and a Health Pack should you need it. Another corpse, this time looking more like a prisoner than a crew member, has a log [3].

Skaarj? Who are they? All will be clear in due course. Now stroll over to the lake and take a look. There is a Clip on the floor of the pool, but if you want it you'll have to swim. Take a dive, grab it, and climb out via the rock. But watch out for the Biterfish swimming in the water who are more than likely to take a nip here and there. When you're done, walk over to the cliff edge at the other end of the grass area. Take a look at the waterfall but don't jump off because it's a long way down and you'll mince yourself. Instead, cross the mud trench left by Vortex Rikers and use one of the two planks on the other side to climb out. The wooden crate on the way can be shot open to reveal a Health Pack, useful if you had an encounter with the Biterfish.

Go to the left now. There is an entrance in the cliff to a strangely out of place hi-tech mining bunker, which seems odd after the simple hut you were in a moment ago. Head to the entrance but watch out, because your first combat is imminent.

As you enter the mining bunker, crates on the left contain a Clip and Bandages. A prisoner's corpse by a locked metal barrier provides a log [4].

You can gib the corpse to retrieve a Clip. Then, continuing down the corridor, there will be a yell and a corpse will be hurled from round a corner. Your first real opponent will emerge in the form of a LesserBrute armed with rocket launchers. Back off and use your Automag to take him out. As he dies another LesserBrute will emerge from the previously closed metal barrier so beware.

After they are dead, take a detour down though the metal barrier that was locked. Head for the lift shaft at the end of the corridor, on the way taking out crates containing a Health Pack and a Flare, and press the red button to call the lift. When it arrives, step aboard and it will automatically descend again.

At the bottom, the tunnel goes two ways. If you want some health go left, and you will emerge from the cliff and cross a small bridge. Along to the left of here is a crop of three Nali Healing Fruit, each of which when full grown gives you a +29 health boost (very occasionally +30). Return now to the tunnel and go the other way from the bottom of the lift. A LesserBrute will be on guard round the corner. When he is dead, go through the exit he was guarding (collect the nearby Nali Healing Fruit if you need to) and across the bridge onto a new stretch of land with the waterfall on your left.

Head for the hut at the far end - try not to step on any Nali Rabbits as you go. This hut is occupied but don't shoot the occupant as it is a friendly Nali praying over a dead crew member. You can take his stuff though - there is a Clip on the fireplace mantelpiece which the Nali is hardly likely to use, Bandages on the table, and if you shoot open the vases you can get Bandages and a very useful Flashlight. The Nali's diary can be translated [5].

Leave the Nali to his prayer now. Emerge from his hut and head round to the back of the modest homestead, where a tunnel leads into the cliff. Enter it, but watch out for ceiling-hugging Tentacle creatures best taken out with your Automag. Crates in the tunnel before you reach a cave will reveal a Clip and a Flare.

Whilst in this tunnel, although there is plenty of light to see by, it is a good time to try out the Flare effect if you are playing for the first time. Use your inventory select keys so that the Flare icon is highlighted (you should have several by now; the quantity is represented as a number on the icon), and press your inventory use key. You will toss a Flare to the floor, where it will act as a temporary source of light to the surrounding area until it blows up after a certain time period. Having tested this, proceed to the cave.

The cave has a couple of Tentacles, so shoot them down with your Automag or Dispersion Pistol. Before shooting any containers open, climb the stack of wooden crates by one of the large equipment boxes and get up on top. On top of the boxes can be found a Health Pack, a Flare, 40 Tarydium Shards (Stinger ammo) and an Assault Vest armor item.

Get back down from the boxes now and shoot open any wooden crates or vases in the room. You will find further Flares, Clips, Tarydium Shards, Health Packs and Bandages.

If you want you can go down the other tunnel. There is not much to see, but if you drop down to the water climb-out platform when you emerge at the other end there is another Automag and a crew member's corpse [6].

To get back up from the water climb-out, step on the raised area of the platform. It will lift you back up to the tunnel entrance. Now, return through the cave and back up to the entrance to the mining bunker, via the elevator you used before.

If at this point you require a health boost, you can pop back out to near the Vortex Rikers where you can go either side of the bunker entrance to pick up Nali Healing Fruit. Otherwise, head on deeper into the bunker. You will arrive at a lift upwards, so press the red button to call it and step aboard.

In the next room there is a Clip on the floor and another lift, plus an Assault Vest on a large box. Use the lift to ride to the balcony above, and drop downwards on to the doorframe below where there is a Clip. From that location you can easily hop to the Assault Vest. Now ride back up to the balcony and follow the corridor. There will be a LesserBrute guarding the exit, so dispose of him. A crate reveals a useful Health Pack.

Go out now into another open area, but watch out for the prowling Manta which will swoop around you attacking. The log of a nearby prisoner's corpse with an Automag describes the Manta [7].

Ahead is the entrance to Rrajigar Mine, but don't go there quite yet. Go instead to the entrance on the left (look out for the Tentacle) where there is a Clip and a crew member's corpse with a log [8].

Collect the Nali Healing Fruit nearby if you need to then enter the complex. The room at the end of the corridor has several boxes. Watching out at all times for LesserBrutes lurking in the storage room and behind boxes, go round to the left and climb the wooden crates to reach the top of the boxes, where you can get hold of a Health Pack, a Clip and a box of 50 Bullets (Automag / Minigun ammo). After jumping back down you can blast the crates you climbed to get Tarydium Shards.

Now take the other corridor out of this room. Watch out for Tentacles on the way; eventually you come out directly above the mine entrance.

You are ready to access the mine now. But first, grab the Nali Healing Fruit up here then collect the Clip from the ledge on the right of the entrance (drop down from above), and also shoot open the containers for Health Packs and the Flare. Go through the door and down the corridor to enter level 3.

Translator Messages
[1] "Log: Guard R. Bijl. The situation is critical, last night large, extremely powerful alien forces penetrated our camp. Fired small missiles from hand launchers. We lost 5 men."

[2] "Log: Cook J. Strang: No reply to distress signal. Vortex Rikers' hull is too unstable to use as shelter. We found an abandoned house to use as our base camp. Maybe the native population can help us."

[3] "Log: N. Vos: Contact with members of ISV Kran! (Presumed lost in this area 3 months ago) They have seen a Skaarj vessel in operation. We may need to gain control of it to escape this system."

[4] "Log: I have no damn luck. First I'm locked up for two years for a murder I did not commit, then on my way to yet another prison colony we crash on this god forsaken ball of rock. This sucks!"

[5] "My burden does not end. More minions have been cast down by the angry Gods. I will pray for their souls but I fear my prayers are not heard. I must travel to the Temple of Chizra to seek balance."

[6] "Log: Guard M. v. Wely: I should have stayed with the others, I think my leg is broken in several places. My brother went looking for help 8 hours ago."

[7] "Log P. v. Heel: I was attacked by a flying beast, it uses its tail as a weapon! I was able to kill it, but not without taking a beating. I discovered that the orange berries have a healing effect on me. I feel strong enough to proceed."

[8] "Log: Guard B. v. Wely: I can't get past the 'Brutes' to go back and help my brother. My ammo is almost out. There are 'Brutes' patrolling around at all times."

Trivia

 * The map's name, NyLeve, is the level designer's Juan Pancho Eekels wife's name, Evelyn, spelled backwards.
 * All the names of the people you read the logs of are friends of Eekels.

Next (Rrajigar Mine) Previous (Vortex Rikers)