Temple of Lahkesis

Having survived the crash landing, Kratos is left clinging perilously to the side of a precipice. Climb up and around the grip-wall to the upper deck. On that deck is a giant statue head that is looking off to the sea. Head to the left side of the balcony to get some treasures and to the right to find a save.

From the save, climb the nearby Mega Man ladder to reach the next platform. Fight off the attackers and then head left to the next ladder. At the top are some ravaging dogs. When defeated, go to the right and kill all the skeletons; well, not kill them, but attack them so they are even more dead than they were before you got there. Further to the right and in front of the chests is a dead body. Pick it up with R1.

Take it to the left and drop it next to the lever so that Kratos can have his hands free to pull it. The lift will descend. The surrounding terrain is quite beautiful and I think that may be Fireball Island down there. Pick up the body again and drop it on the pressure plate. Just in front of the plate is a lever. Drag that lever along the track and quickly run through the next two doors before they fall again.

Continue down the next corridor. The music is unnecessarily moan-y and sorrowful. I think this place is quite pretty and the music should match it. I am think...ing....samba. Kick down the drawbridge.

CUT SCENE:
Kratos looks off into the sky and yells for Gaia. Considering she is the Earth Titan, he should really be yelling down at the ground to talk to her. He questions why she helps him and she launches into voiceover. Cronos (who has a happy trail that is more like a happy super highway) was told that his children would rise up against him. To head off this prophesy, Cronos ate his babies. However, Zeus’s mother (who should be commended for surviving a conception that was initiated by Cronos) used a decoy and gave her child away. Gaia raised Zeus. While her actions were well intentioned, Zeus grew up and turned his hatred for Cronos against all titans. Now, the titans are having to deal with a zealous Zeus. So, Gaia is helping Kratos so that he will also help them deal with him. Kratos seems to be ok with being a complete tool for the titans (seems a little out of character for him.)

Go back a little bit from edge of the bridge and shuffle left along the path on the left. It will crumble so flick the left stick and double jump across. At the dead end, jump across the broken barrier.

In the next room, kill all the dogs then go the upper right corner of the room and destroy the four statues. Behind one of them is a moveable stone. Kratos need a step up to get to the next area so drag that stone to the left. Pull Kratos up to the next platform, fight the dogs, and then save.

Head left and out from under the porch and slide your way down the hand rails. Head up the ladder between the two chests and up along the roof. Destroy the shiny arch. Catching a motif here... shinny = destructible. Much better than having a big red arrow to telegraph it. Continue out past this overhang (it is like that gaudy sky walk they are building over the Grand Canyon .) Continue across it and fight off the dogs. Shoot the archers across the gap with your bow and then double jump across. Jump up to the next level, work your way past the guys and over to the lever that lowers Kratos into the next room.

In the shinny floor room, fight off the woman with the half open bodice. I can only hope that with the universal popularity of this game, eye-patch-blouses become the new fashion statement. Attack these peek-a-boo fiends until they get that circle over their head to have Kratos rape hug them. I am a little uncomfortable with that. They scream and the wall crumbles. Do this four times to get through. Save at the spot on the other side of the door.

Run down the massive, massive chains that lead to the equally massive horses. This scene is fondling the brain cells that contain my fond memories of Super Mario 3’s Big World.