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Rubicon Secrets Guide
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Rubicon Secrets Guide
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So, you think you've mastered Marathon Rubicon. Maybe you've vidded all the levels. Maybe you've found a secret or two along the way. But do you really know Rubicon? Have you thoroughly explored every nook and cranny? Did you find that 3X shield recharger hidden in the plasma pool? Or the secret level 28, The White Room? Did you know that there are 2 different "Frog" levels in the Pfhor Plank? Well, this is the place to find what you missed!
First of all, this is not a replacement for the Rubicon Spoiler Guide - not even the new one. Although we started work on the Secrets Guide before the Spoiler Guide contained information on secrets, our guide serves a different purpose. We did not seek to provide a complete walk-through of all of the levels - what would be the fun in playing if there is nothing left to explore? What you have here is what we hope is a comprehensive list of all of the secrets and near-secrets in Marathon Rubicon, and where to look for them. In some cases, the instructions are fairly detailed but in no case do we lead the player right up to the secret - it's still up to you to find it. Also, our guide covers a number of things that aren't even in the Spoiler Guide, such as secret terminals and the two secret "vidmaster" levels. Further, we tell you about some alternatives to regular game play, including shortcuts to look for, and we do it all with humor. To put it another way, if you want a cookbook approach to playing Rubicon or to cheat, use the Spoiler Guide. If you want some clues about secrets and other fun things to do while playing Rubicon, then this is the guide for you. If you want to know the right level numbers so you can vid them, this guide is also for you, as the Spoiler Guide starts numbering levels from zero rather than 1, the way the marathon engine does.
If you're wondering how we defined a secret, we felt that a secret is basically anything that the player would not normally encounter through normal play, and that gives the player some sort of reward. This excludes many secret areas that reward the player with nothing but a slew of aliens or a trap from which the only escape is suicide. We doubted that many people wanted to know how to find these. In other words, a true secret
A few may question some of the secrets listed, especially if they are evident in map mode or can be encountered in regular game play. We have chosen to err on the side of comprehensiveness, listing things that might otherwise easily be missed.
If you're wondering how we found the secrets, be sure to check out our tips for finding secrets, located at the end of the Guide.
I would like to thank the other members of the Rubicon Secrets Team who helped me to ferret out all the secrets and who wrote the instructions for some of the levels, as noted:
Except where noted, all instructions and sarcastic comments were written by me. If you have any questions, bug reports or have found secrets that we missed, please send your correspondence to me at:
The Rubicon Secrets Guide is organized sequentially by plank and by order of encounter in normal game play. Level numbers are also listed, for those wishing to vid. We have divided the levels further into those without secrets, which may have comments as indicated by the links below, those with secrets and those which are secret levels:
This is a great first level with lots to do and lots of places to explore. There are many secrets here:
In a locker on the first floor, near the save term, there is a 1X power-up. In a locker in the basement, under water, there is a 1X power-up and an oxygen power-up. On the second floor to the east, there is a room with extra magnums and magnum ammo. Near there, a pair of blast doors can be opened by switches that are nearly concealed in the adjacent wall. One of these reveals an elevator shaft that is inaccessible from here but, in map mode, shows a good portion of the secret path needed to access the large ammo stash at the back of the ship.
There is a spot where one can jump down to an alcove overlooking the west basement area with a 1X power-up. Near the ledge that Durandal mentions, there is an alcove with a secret door, disguised as a light. Behind the door is a transporter and behind that is another secret door with an elevator. Opening the second door is virtually impossible without being transported to a ledge with a 2X power-up and troopers. The elevator leads to a secret passageway that ultimately leads to the room with all the ammo. An elevator shaft (mentioned in Area 1) and a series of boxes must be crossed and there are exploding PCM's, not to mention a hunter and a trooper. There is an alcove along the path with extra ammo and a 2X power-up.
In a room near the comm center is a utility locker with some shotgun ammo and a 1X power-up.
There are a couple of rooms with lots of ammo that can only be reached by going outside the ship and taking a swim through the caves. One requires a prolonged swim under water, and the second requires a lot of ledge jumping. Doors from these rooms can be locked open, providing return access from other areas inside the ship. Multiple other ammo stashes can be found throughout the level, but these can be found with only a little exploration.
Thorough exploration of the level will yield multiple small ammo stashes, but there are a few secrets worth mentioning:
On teleporting in, a nice ammo stash is immediately available. Simply leaving the starting point and returning brings a quick additional load of ammo. Also visible from the starting point is an ammo stash that is unreachable. When returning to the air vents, however, it is possible to jump from one of the fan exits to another that leads to this stash. In the Pfhor "spawning" area by the rocky bluffs, there is a ledge where a fusion rifle can be found. This can be reached without a grenade jump, by the way. This is behind the blast door that closes when hitting the nearby destructible wires. In the upper maze, there is a large ledge that can be reached by grenade-hopping. Around the corner is a shotgun and some ammo. Some of the ammo in the area is self-renewing, so it's worth going back to re-explore.
Once Haller's chip is in hand, returning to the point of entry to the core, there is a terminal that is visible from a window. Activating it reveals a rather amusing message that the authors clearly didn't think would be found through normal game play. Hopefully, this secret won't disappear in future revisions.
I've tasted lutfisk - it's pretty awful. If you manage to get to the secret level 32, Cow Pushing, and actually survive, you'll come across a recipe for lutfisk - it doesn't sound any better than it tastes. In any case, this level is one big secret. Nothing special to find here, though. Just figuring out how to get out is the challenge!
Several of the buildings contain oxygen and 2X power-ups. A few contain ammo. No real secrets, though.
This is a great level for exploration. The amount of detail is extraordinary and secrets abound. Unfortunately, there is no way to explore the level and shut down the reactor in one trip. The wise approach, then, is to run to the end of the level to shut down the reactor, then return to the other areas to explore for fun. If the goal is to deliberately fail to shut down the reactor, so as to enter the Pfhor plank here, then by all means, explore first. All areas are interconnected by transporters.
Ironically, you start near your destination, but you can't get to the shutdown switch without going through the rest of the level. Once you do return, for a bit of Durandal's sarcasm, be sure to read the term next to the shut down switch before shutting down the reactor. There is some ammo in the basement that can be reached by taking a transporter on the backside of one of the others in Area 3. Alternatively, it can be reached by rocket-hopping up to an air vent and dropping down.
There are multiple rooms with lots of ammo that are very tempting, but these can always be returned to safely at the end. Unfortunately, the room with the rocket launcher and 2X recharger is inaccessible - the doors will never open. There is another 2X recharger in this general area, however. The room with the accessible 2X recharger has a term with a secret message that appears only after the reactor has been shut down.
Surviving here is tough, but there's a lot to explore once the reactor has been shut down. A 2X power-up in a locker where first transporting in helps to make it through. One of the terminals near the beginning of this area has a secret message that is revealed only after the reactor has been disabled - and be sure to send in your money ;-)
Four chip slots and 4 chips - simple enough. But wait - there's a fifth chip slot! Getting that chip is the most important secret on this level, and the key to getting to the secret level 28, The White Room. Some of the most fun, however, relates to how the player approaches this level. The order in which you insert the chips affects everything, so this is one level that is worth playing multiple times.
Once you make it inside from the entry point, there is a room with a pattern buffer and shield recharger, as well as the four chip slots that you need to fill. Look for a couple of additional switches in an out-of-the-way location here. These will activate the fifth chip slot, in area 3, that is needed to get access to the final, secret room and level 28, The White Room. The order in which you insert the chips is important, as this affects the way that you get around, what you can access and, most importantly, what you see on the terminals. You can try it different ways, but it is the third slot from the left that hands the terminals over to Lysander, so if you want to be able to read both sets of terminal text, including a secret one, leave this slot for last.
One of the chips you need is in a very large room behind a large blast door, just off the central hub. You'll note that there is a rather inviting ledge in this room as well, and just above that another ledge that looks to be reachable, but not with only 1X shields! Once you finish the level and have access to a 2X shield regenerator, you will be able to get up there with a double rocket jump. This puts you in a HUGE, empty room. Why would you want to go there? Because you can. Why did the authors put this huge room here? Supposedly to fill out the level, and because they never thought that someone would try to go there, which is reason enough to try it. Maybe we can talk them into putting some goodies up there in the next version ;-)
One of the chips is located at the bottom of one of the circular pools. If you want a good laugh, when I was first trying to find the secret 5th chip, I thought that one of the lab mice that scurry around in the sewers might be carrying it. I knew that a grenade would obliterate the chip, but the mice are so small that a grenade is just about the only thing that will kill them. So I spent hours trying to kill the mice using my Magnum.
The remaining 2 chips are in this area, but you may need to be creative to get to them, depending on the order in which you insert the chips into the slots. Under some circumstances, the only way to get to one of them is to ride the elevator up from the large room in Area 1, but the switch to lower it may not be active. Look carefully and you'll see another switch that you can hit with your fusion rifle. If you leave the chip in slot three for last, you'll be able to get all the way to the final terminal without having to fill all four slots. Doing this will reveal a secret message on this terminal - telling you something that you probably already know. There is a fifth chip slot up here. No matter how tempting it may be, don't insert the 4th chip in this slot! If you can't find the 5th chip and insert the 4th one here, you'll be trapped and unable to leave the level. If you absolutely have to know how to get the 5th chip, read the spoiler guide. If you'd like the challenge of finding it yourself, think back to the Infinity level "You Think You're Big Time - You're Gonna Die Big Time." The chip is hidden in the same way. Once you've inserted the 5th chip, you'll be able to access the circular room in this area, which includes a pattern buffer, a 2X recharger and a secret terminal that'll take you off to level 28, The White Room.
This is a very straightforward level. After reading the terminal, ride the platform up to the White Room and run like hell for 2 minutes. It's actually fairly easy to survive, even for the relative novice - the only issue is how much risk to take and, therefore, how much ammo to pick up. There are 6 mortar shells available for the taking, as well as magnum ammo from the bobs who get killed. Sticking to the periphery and running in a large circle provides minimal risk, but minimal ammo. Dodging into the center when there is a break in the action can pay off handsomely. Many players survive the 2 minutes only to die trying to exit the White Room. When the time is up, a rift will open in the floor into which the player must jump. It is a narrow rift that is much more easily jumped over than into - the best approach is probably to run to the center and then run back along the rift. Congratulations on winning your prize!
This is an extensive level with lots to explore and lots to kill, but no real secrets. As noted, there are some ammo stores near the first save buffer. These are located on the east side of the map. There is an error in the Spoiler Guide. There are multiple terminals that will take the player to level 23, 10001 Nordic Nerds via level 53, Rozinante IV. Only 2 that I've found tell the player to return to the transporter platforms. Doing so takes the player to level 55, Rozinante V, in the Pfhor Plank. One of these is the one that the S'Pht stands (do S'Pht really stand?) in front of at the beginning of the level, and the other is one of the ones on the upper level in the eastern portion of the map.
Secrets revealed by John.
Be careful throughout this level as there are bobs around every corner! Be sure and check every room on both floors. You will find a pattern buffer in one of the small rooms on the second floor. There is a pair of Magnum clips in the small room at the bottom of the stairs where you begin this level. This is the only ammo available on the level, other than the ammo you get from dead bobs. There is a 2x recharger on the second floor near where you begin the level. Although you will need to find a destructible switch to finish the level, you can get early access to the 2X recharger by grenade hopping and then rocket jumping up to the second level. Watch out for maser bobs!!
There are no secrets here - just be sure not to miss the shield recharger, pattern buffer and terminal that can be found up a flight of stairs.
What a weird level. It is actually possible to escape from fish-eye view by waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and by treading carefully. The player starts out on top of an extravision power-up, which is what initiates the level in fish-eye view. There are additional extravision power-ups scattered throughout the level to help maintain fish-eye view. Carefully avoiding these after fish-eye view wears off will prevent the player from returning to this state. There are a couple of 2X shield rechargers and pattern buffers that will help to restore the player's health. Once you have flipped the two switches necessary to gain access to the exit terminal, you can avoid a direct confrontation with the maser bobs by heading back around and through the room with all of the specimens.
This level contains more secrets than any other level in Rubicon. There's a lot here to explore, with rewards ranging from cool things to see (and some enemies to deal with) to ample ammo and a 3X shield recharger. It's a good thing, too, as the player starts with virtually no shields and no weapons other than your fists.
You start the level in the brig behind a force field. There is a guard outside your cell, and one outside the cell next door. You may still have infravision from Comfortably Numb, so be careful - objects are much closer than they seem! Guess what - you can hit the guard through the force field. So while you're waiting for Durandal to let you out, go ahead and punch away. Eventually, he'll leave and go to attack the guard next door, saving you from having to fist him yourself.
There are a couple of trash compactors that are clearly visible and filled with plasma and ammo. The spoiler guide instructs the player to enter these as part of normal play, but it is quite possible to finish the level without doing so, as I did on my first try, seeing these as a potential trap. The ammo that is visible as well as that hidden in the plasma is well worth the effort, but be sure to take the stairs out of the plasma - heading straight really does trap the player! At one point you'll enter a room with a green wall. If you pass through the wall, you'll find yourself in a long green corridor. Note, you can pass through the walls of this corridor at a couple of additional places. Toward the stern is a small room with ammo, a 2X power-up and a switch. The switch, if flipped twice, opens a normally closed door to a part of Area 5 that contains a 3X shield regenerator (and a lot of enemies). Toward the bow is a ledge overlooking a room with a second green wall, visible across the way. A rocket launch will take you through that wall into a second long green corridor. Run to the stern, then to the port and an elevator will lower to take you up to a secret room with some ammo and a 2X shield regenerator. Return to the first green corridor via a second rocket launch. Be careful - if you fall off either ledge and if you haven't taken care of the troopers in Area 4, be prepared for an ambush. If you do fall in or choose to jump down into the room between the green corridors, a door to the north takes you to a really cool part of Area 5.
Area 3 is U-shaped and surrounds Area 2. It includes the port and starboard sides of the ship, as well as a connecting area of the bow that is just behind the bridge. You'll probably reach it from Area 2 on the port side, where you'll find a pattern buffer to save your game. Just next to the door leading to the room with the pattern buffer is a door that remains closed. A secret switch on the bridge opens it, revealing a skeleton in a closet, as well as a very special offer ;-) In the bow area is a vertical shaft up which one can rocket jump to a small secret room. C'mon Rubicon Team - this would have been a great place to hide some ammo! What good is a secret without a reward? The starboard side provides access to Area 4 and Area 5, but there are no secrets, here.
Smashing a set of wires completes the mission for the level. There is a console here that contains two switches that are easily missed because they are horizontal. Flipping one of these, twice, opens the door to the skeleton in the closet in Area 3. The other one closes the blast doors on the bridge windows.
This is a really cool part of the ship with 3 rooms stacked on top of each other that can be reached in various ways as outlined above. These rooms are filled with enemies, so watch out. The top room is the easiest to reach and the most boring, filled with nothing more than regular S'Pht. It is reached directly off of Area 2, as well as via an elevator from the starboard side of Area 3. The middle room is filled by troopers and major fighters, but it contains the most important reward - a 3X shield regenerator that is accessible via a door directly from Area 2, once the appropriate secret switch has been double-flipped. Access is also available from Area 3, depending on which other switches have been flipped, but the 3X shield regenerator is up on a ledge that is nearly unreachable. The bottom room is dark and cool looking, and filled with invisible S'Pht. It is most easily reached from the room between the two green corridors in Area 2. Exit from here is to the middle or top rooms via elevators.
Hmmm . . . There are lots of secret areas, but few rewards for the effort with one major exception. Do you want to collect a lot of ammo? Do you want to grab the biggest secret pile of ammo in all of Rubicon? Would you like to get it with the use of only modest hang-time abilities (and a lot of patience)? Then forget about the objective, here. You want to get to secret level 22, Hell Pfhor You. If you wish, go ahead, find the switch, smash the circuit and make way for the bow, where Durandal will rescue you, but don't say we didn't tell you about the unbelievable riches on the next level.
This is where you start out. On the lower level, where you start, if you move around to the windows and then back to the door, you'll be assaulted by a group of troopers. Force your way past them and you can get back inside the ship. It's kind of neat, but there are no rewards to be had other than self-satisfaction. On one of the upper decks on the port side is what appears to be runway lights. these point the way to an invisible pier into space, from which a secret alcove can be reached. There is a secret terminal here that takes the player to Hell Pfhor You. Once you enter the alcove, a door will close behind you. If you chicken out, you can return to the rest of the level via a transporter, but you won't be able to get back in.
As on the port side, there are a couple of doors where you will be attacked by troopers, through which you can force your way back inside the ship. A pattern buffer is your reward. Note that you can lock the inner doors open so as to allow return access to the pattern buffer. Toward the stern on this side, there is a ledge with a bunch of ammo. Watch out for a major PCM, though.
Secrets revealed by John.
You begin this level on a raised platform surrounded by a ton of ammo. Unfortunately, only part of it is accessible at this time. Grab what ammo is available, recharge your shields, and read the terminal. Take a good look at the pattern buffer as you save your game. It is the only one on this level. Be careful, as there is a PCM that attacks almost immediately. In fact, be on guard throughout the level as there are exploding PCM's that teleport in at random. They have a nasty habit of sneaking up from behind!
Hopping down off the platform leads to a large room filled with Hunters and a ton of Troopers. Also within this room is a 1x recharger on a raised platform and a large door. Although the recharger is accessible at this time with a grenade jump, it is ill-advised as this will activate another swarm of Troopers. Taking the path to the left away from the Hunters leads to another group of Hunters and a switch that opens the aforementioned door. Going through this door or taking the path to the right of the Hunters leads to
Following along the path from Area 2 leads to another large group of Troopers, two large rooms each containing a Juggernaut, and a large door that is locked. The two Jugg rooms are inter-connected by a series of long, snaky, narrow passageways. There are many vantage points along the passageways from which the Juggs may be fought. Look for Troopers as well! One of the passageways leads back to Area 2 and the 1x recharger. Be careful of teleporting Troopers. Another passageway leads to a large ammo cache and a 2x recharger. Yet another passageway leads back to an area near the beginning of the level and a switch that opens the previously mentioned locked door, granting access to Area 4.
There is a series of three rooms to navigate, each containing many Enforcers. The first room actually can be seen (but not entered) from another one of the passageways mentioned in Area 3. The second room contains two plasma pools. These plasma pools can be reached from another passageway from Area 3, though it requires a grenade jump. The third room contains a small plasma pool, two encircling stairways, and two raised openings in the wall. Be careful as there are several Enforcers that will fire from within the openings. After dealing with all the Enforcers, you can either proceed directly to Area 5, or hunt for a secret switch that is accessible only by means of a grenade jump or rocket launch, or by swimming through some plasma. A small cache of mortar ammo is located near this switch.
Approaching the exit terminal lowers a wall platform and reveals a small cadre of exploding PCM's. If you found and flipped the secret switch in Area 4, behind this wall you will also find the switch that lowers the ammo-laden platform, finally granting access to all the goodies and a 3X shield regenerator. Be careful, however, as entering the room behind the wall will also lower another wall platform and reveal two mother of all hunters. The exit terminal leads to the level 57, Rozinante VII.
There is a secret alternative path that the player can take that avoids most of the level. Near the opening platform there is a narrow stream of plasma on the floor below. By grenade-blasting up a plasma fall in this stream, it is possible to reach the other side of the ammo-laden platform. The exit terminal is accessible from here, so you can teleport out now if you wish. But wouldn't you really like to collect all of that ammo? Just enter the Enforcer rooms in reverse order and continue as discussed in Area 4 above.
The Rozinante is under attack! There are no secrets here, but this is the player's best chance to explore the full extent of the Rozinante.
OH NO!!! Remember your first experience inside a Pfhor ship in the original Marathon level, "Pfhor Your Eyes Only"? Remember going through it again in the Marathon 2 level "Sorry Don't Make it So"? Remember breathing a sigh of relief when it didn't appear in Marathon Infinity? Well guess what - it's baaack! And not only that - it's badder than ever. If you thought that M2 added a lot of new areas to explore, wait till you try this one. Better practice your hunk killing or evading techniques, though, as there are more of them here than in any other level. But if you're looking for secrets, you won't be disappointed. And in spite of what the Spoiler Guide says, it is possible to kill everything on the level, if you're so inclined. If you don't believe us, be sure to write John for a vidmaster film of him clearing out most of the level. On the other hand, once you know where you're going, it's equally possible to complete the level in under 60 seconds - no secrets found, but no ammo wasted, either.
This is the corridor where you start out and all of the rooms located entirely on the inside of it. Just like old times - there is a room near where you begin that contains some enforcers. It'll take you to the other side of the area, but the terminal there isn't Tyco's this time. There is an alcove off of this room with some more baddies and a 1X recharger. A switch near your starting location will cause a pillar to raise out of the plasma that leads to a transporter that will take you to another part of the level. As in M2, there's some ammo high up on a ledge where you teleport in, but you'll come under heavy fire. In the room off the start of the corridor, there is a ledge that you can't easily reach from here, but that you can easily jump to from Area 5, which we'll get to later. When you set foot on this ledge, a 3X power-up will teleport in. In the room with the open door at the end of the main corridor, there's a 3X shield recharger located in one of the plasma pools.
What's this? There are some doors on the outside of the main promenade that weren't there in M2. There are some mean mothers here, but it's definitely worth the trip for the secret and not so secret stashes of ammo that can be found here. In one place if you look down through an open window, you'll see some mortar ammo in a shallow plasma pool. Go for it - it's easy to wade to safety. Further to the south, there is a large, deep plasma pool that's great for a swim. At one end is a ledge that leads to a room with lots of shotgun ammo, a 3X power up and a pattern buffer. Across the way is a room with a secret term with a nice little poem.
Lots of places to explore, but the only real secret is the ledge that you teleport into from Area 1. You're reward is a 1X power-up and some assault rifle ammo. There is a 2X shield recharger here as well, however, that is easy to miss. It is reached by jumping over a couple of chasms. Alternatively, it can be reached from Area 4 by riding a platform up out of the plasma - if you can find it!
This is contiguous with areas 1 and 2, and underlies areas 3 and 5. There is a plasma tide in the lower reaches of the area, but you can usually avoid it with careful timing. There are no secrets here, but the stairs leading out take the player to many of the areas where the secrets can be found.
Reached by a stairway with a switch-back from the room with the open door off the main promenade, this is an extensive area with lots of enemies and lots of places to explore, but no secrets. It is easy to jump from the switch-back to the ledge in Area 1, however, where the 3X power-up can be found.
No secrets here - just some bad guys to kill, a shield recharger, a pattern buffer, ammo and those circuits that need to be destroyed.
Some shotgun ammo in a corner behind some boxes is easily missed. There are some weird extensions in the map in the Spoiler Guide, but these are completely inaccessible to the player.
If you destroy the wrong set of wires first, this is the only way to access the outer rooms. Throughout the level, a brown river is evident running between the inner core and the outer rooms. You cannot actually access this river until power has been cut, however. It is then possible to drop down into the ring and follow it between the outer rooms, but beware, there are some nasty drones down there. In the southwest part of the area, there is a room with a 3X recharger and a transporter that are easily missed. In the northwest is a secret room behind a hidden door, but there doesn't appear to be anything of value inside.
Since the entire level is played in vacuum, the first priority is to clear the way to the oxygen regenerator, 2X shield regenerator and pattern buffer. There is some ammo that teleports into a small alcove off one of the rooms that is easily missed.
Perhaps it's a bit of a misnomer to speak of air vents when there is no air, but in any case, there are no secrets. Destroying the first set of wires opens access to Area 3. Destroying the second set, reached by going up a set of stairs, opens a door at the top of a flight of stairs elsewhere on the level. It is possible to proceed without destroying either set of wires by dropping down directly from the air vents to Area 3, but this cuts off your escape route and access to the oxygen regenerator until you find and open the door between Areas 1 and 3.
There's a lot of action here, but access to secrets makes it fairly easy to get the chip and survive. After chasm jumping, the player enters an area that surrounds a large inaccessible open area. There are 3 alcoves overlooking this area, 2 of which the player can get to easily. Each of these has a switch that opens a set of blast doors, letting some sunlight in, making the 3rd alcove visible. This alcove contains oxygen, 3X and invincibility power-ups, along with a nice stash of ammo. To gain access, you need to head as far east as you can and pass through the door to the south. Look for a hidden switch very near this door, which will open a hidden door back in the area from which you just came. You should have little difficulty finding the alcove and a transporter that will bring you back to the southwestern part of the map.
At the extreme southern end of the map is an alcove with a 2X recharger. Off of this alcove is a locked door. You can't see it, but behind the door and visible on the map in the spoiler guide are a couple of rooms that look interesting. According to the author, these rooms are permanently closed, but they certainly look like they have potential, perhaps as the entrance to a new secret level. Perhaps some map makers out there might want to provide the Rubicon Team with an offer they can't refuse ;-)
The end terminal speaks of a choice between two equal fates. Jumping into the rift from there and heading out into space takes the player on to level 61, Rozinante XI, in the Salinger Plank. Jumping into the rift and retracing your steps back to the beginning of the level and accessing the terminal there takes the player to level 55, Rozinante V, in the Pfhor Plank, which leads to level 17, Hex Level 73. Just watch out for cannon fire!
No secrets - just don't miss picking up the rocket launcher in the third room. I don't know how Durandal would react if you refused to give him the chip, but if you don't, your Rubicon experience ends here.
Secrets revealed by Sidoh.
This is another complex level with lots to explore, but the map is rather compact with everything located off of a central core. There are 3 major secrets on this level. First, there is a door to one of the rooms that is activated by a switch. The player can get on top of the door when it is open and ride it up to the top of the outer wall of the room. From here, it is easy to drop down into a secret room that contains a lot of ammo and 2X and invincibility power-ups. From this general area, you can see a switch located high up on a wall. This switch opens a door to a room with lots of ammo and a 3X power-up, located in the southeast portion of the map. Finally, there is a bunch of ammo located in a hidden compartment in the side wall of one of the elevators on this level. It's hard to find, and even harder to get into. One final minor secret - there is an invincibility power-up located in one of the lockers on the ground floor. Also, click on some of the fan vents for a chance to find alternate passages to explore.
Secrets revealed by John.
Bobs, Bobs, and more Bobs! They're everywhere on this level. Many of them are Maser Bobs, so caution is advised. Be sure and thoroughly check every area of the complex. There are Pattern Buffers and 2x recharge stations liberally placed throughout the level. One room near the beginning also contains a 2x canister. A small cache of Magnum clips teleports into the large central courtyard. In the central part of the complex, one of the rooms contains a small ammo cache and a very useful Invincibility power-up. It is on the lower level, but reached from above. There is another Invincibility power-up in a locker in one of the shower rooms. There is a secret door connecting the shower rooms, but nothing for peeping Toms to look at, here. One of the larger rooms within this same area contains a 3x recharge station, but requires getting through a locked door.
Secrets revealed by John.
There are a large cache of shotgun shells, two shotguns and a 3x power-up in some side rooms off this floor. In one of the side rooms, there is a secret terminal that can only be reached with a rocket or grenade jump. This terminal provides credits for the game. Reading it opens a locked door at the end of the level that contains a secret exit terminal.
Don't forget to grab the ammo off to the side of the main lab.
There are shield power-ups scattered about in the side rooms that can be easily missed. Some may consider this cheating, but there is an easy way to complete the level. Instead of riding the elevator up to the final room, rocket jump your way up the elevator shaft and take care of the bad guys you find in the vicinity. Eventually, you'll need to enter the first side room to trigger the full procession of monsters and collect a 2X power-up that'll help you to rocket or mortar jump your way back to the ledge, from which you can jump back down that elevator shaft to safety. You can then recharge your shields, save your game and wait until the fighting dies down. You can then easily clear out the remaining bad guys, collect their ammo and head back down to the exit. Around the corner from the normal exit terminal is the secret exit terminal mentioned in Area 1. Reading the secret terminal teleports the player to the secret level 65, Drinking Vitriol. Reading the normal exit terminal before finishing the level will teleport the player back to the lower floors.
Secrets revealed by John.
This level is identical to level 20, Wading in Vitriol, but with many more enemies to fight. Completing the level takes the player back to level 36, Hard Vacuum.
No secrets here, other than a pattern buffer in an alcove that's easily missed.
Lots of enemies here so watch out, and be prepared for the arrival of reinforcements. Be sure to grab the mortar ammo that isn't present in level 20. There is a secret room that can be reached only by swimming and going through a set of doors. There's a very large ammo stash, a 3X power-up and an invincibility power-up to help with the rest of this area.
No secrets here - just lots of action. Be sure to read the terminal to get to the next area.
Again, lots of action. There is an ammo cache, a 3X power-up and an invincibility power-up reached by going through one of the plasma pools.
There is a secret terminal here that requires a rocket jump. Nothing special here - just a little cold fusion.
The player starts this level on the shores of a couple of "slime" lakes, surrounded by Bob's and under assault by a hunter and PCM's. There are no secrets in the north lake, which is where the player usually begins. The west lake, however, contains a couple of secrets of note. One is a clearly visible cache of mortar ammo. It is located on the lower level of the watch tower and can be reached by jumping from the adjacent bluffs, which are reached from within Area 3. There is also a path along the bluffs that leads to a secret part of Area 3, which can also be reached from inside. Along the east end of the lake there is a rocky bluff that is covered with dense vegetation. Stepping onto the bluff reveals a 2X power-up and some ammo - the challenge is getting to it and getting back out.
No secrets here - just make your way to the building and get inside.
There's a lot of action here, but also some great secrets including the entrance to the secret level, Cow Pushing. From multiple points, the secret areas are visible and tantalizing, but seemingly out of reach. Look for a wall panel on the upper level that is really a secret door or, alternatively, make your way across the gangway to the watch tower and crawl over the bluffs in Area 1 to a hidden entrance. Once inside, there are multiple areas to explore and exits to areas that were previously inaccessible. Find a terminal with a switch next to it. The switch opens a door to a very large ammo cache and 2X power-up on the lower level, but the door will undoubtedly have closed by the time you get down there - unless you flip the switch a second time. Reading the terminal takes the player to the secret level 32, Cow Pushing, but heed the warning, Cow Pushing is not a level for the novice.
You, too, can make delicious, nutritious lutfisk - just follow the easy instructions. And while you're at it, head on over to Ruby's diner to sample their own special version. This secret level can be a challenge to survive, but it entertains with tongue and cheek messages interspersed with continuous action.
The player teleports into one of several spots in an open area filled with monsters. It is fortunate that death is quick and merciful, provided you have a saved game! Once the monsters have been dispatched and the lutfisk has been made, proceed up inside the covered walkway and find a switch near the 1X power-up that is visible in a window. This switch opens access to Area 2. Watch out for the exploding PCM's! Be sure not to miss picking up the mortar ammo from the northwest corner of the main plaza. Also, there is some mortar ammo up on a ledge on the outside of the covered walkway. Although easily reached with a grenade jump, it can be reached with a running start up some stairs, sparing the player loss of shielding. Also, picking up this ammo opens a door in Area 4 that makes it much easier to complete the level.
After flipping the switch, there is much more to explore, but there are also many monsters, including an ambush in a large open area. Be careful! Also, watch out for PCM's, as they are extremely numerous on this level. There is a shortcut to Area 4, near where the 2X power-up can be seen. It is possible to get there with a grenade hop without taking any damage, but watch out for stray shots from the monsters in Area 3.
Going through a door off the large, open area leads to a covered walkway that skirts around the southern edge of the tar wading pool. Upon going through a door to the pool itself, the player is assaulted by major fighters that must be eliminated. If you fall in, there is a stairway leading out of the pool at the west end. Once the fighters have been cleared, returning to the east end brings another assault by fighters, but once they have been cleared, searching for an alcove where they had been hiding will reveal some nice assault rifle ammo. Passing through a couple of doors at the west end of the tar wading pool brings the player to the tar swimming pool, and attack by fighters, hunters and PCM's. Getting around the pool is one of the most difficult maneuvers in Rubicon, in which the player needs to run along a narrow ledge on the outside of the pool while skirting around numerous pillars, while constantly under fire. If you fall in, there is a stairway leading out of the pool at the east end - if you have any shield strength left and can get by the fighters! Once you reach the south end of the pool and eliminate the fighters there, proceed up the stairs and through the door to enter Area 4. Alternatively, skip the pools and take the shortcut mentioned earlier.
Unless you managed to take out the hunters from the pool area, watch out for hunter fire and, if you took the shortcut, fighter fire, when you first enter the area. Proceed through the door to the south and deal with the trooper and fighter nearby, picking up the 2X power-up as you go. To the west, if you followed the instructions for Area 1, is an alcove with a 1X power-up, an invincibility power-up and some mortar ammo. North from here are all of the hunters that have been firing at you. Take them out, but when you reach the end, be prepared to deal with a mother of all hunters. To the south from the 2X power-up is an alcove with some ammo, but there are 3 invisible S'pht'Wr ready to pounce on you. If you can get by the troopers, there is also a pattern buffer. You can leave the level from a terminal at the end of the hall of hunters, after eating a healthy portion of lard. Yum, yum - almost as delicious as lutfisk!
Secrets revealed by Sidoh.
Molten Dihydrogen Oxide - i.e. H2O, or water - has only a couple of secrets that aren't visible. The seasoned Marathoner will have little difficulty getting to them.
The player starts out in the open and immediately under attack. A rocket launcher and ammo teleport in, but on a ledge that's seemingly out of reach. One way of getting up on the ledge is to simply let the looker that comes after you explode, sending you flying onto the ledge. A 2X power-up awaits you to restore your shields. If you'd rather save that power-up for later, you can get up onto the ledge from the side by punching down some of the shrubbery. A second set of ammo and a 2X power-up will appear when the player reaches a ledge overlooking a large open area with a couple of hulks. Although it is tempting to grenade-jump up to this cache, it is easily reached by jumping out the window directly across from the ledge, once inside the complex.
There are basically 5 was to get inside the complex - 3 of which the player should encounter in ordinary game play. The simplest involves swimming through the water in one of the caves to enter Area 2. The two others, which involve heading through the caves, can be very difficult if one takes the most direct approach, triggering an ambush by troopers. There is an alternative, however, that involves a grenade hop up to a ledge from which one can jump across a chasm to another ledge that leads to a door to Area 3. A fourth approach, however, is much easier, but involves a rocket jump or launch up to a second door to Area 3, but a quick encounter with some bad guys. The easiest way in is to simply rocket-launch from the entry point to a ledge that is across from the one with the rocket launcher. You can then jump directly to one of the open terraces in Area 3. Be prepared to deal with a swarm of troopers, however!
Regardless of whether one enters the main complex through Area 2 or directly using one of the entrances from Area 1, the player will definitely want to explore the underground passages of Area 2. There are 2 things of importance down here - a Tyco term that is worth reading and, next to it, a 2X shield regenerator. Yes, there are troopers and a hulk down here as well, but after dealing with these, the extra shielding makes the rest of the level much easier. There is also a very nice secret down here - a pillar rising out of the water that can be reached with a grenade jump. Landing on this pillar transports the player to a hidden alcove high up in Area 4. One can also rocket-jump up to this alcove directly from Area 4, but it is considerably more difficult. Inside are mortar ammo, a 3X power-up and an oxygen power-up. One can get from Area 2 to Area 3 by taking a couple of elevators. A third elevator, directly behind the Tyco term and 2X shield regenerator, leads directly to Area 4, but this is of little use until the blast door has been lowered.
This is where the main action is. The primary object of the level is to destroy a set of wires, lowering the blast door that serves as the boundary between Areas 1 and 4. But there is a major secret in Area 4 that can only be reached just after destroying those wires! All right, it can be reached later, but only with a very difficult rocket jump. The key is to run across the top of the blast door as it begins to lower. More on this in Area 4, below. There is also a secret shortcut, if you are willing to forego the other goodies. Although the terminals near the circuits will shut down after the circuits have been destroyed, they remain active for a short second. The player can electively exit the level by reading the term by the circuits before it goes dead. Be sure not to miss the two open terraces reachable only from inside the main complex (or in the case of one of these, via a rocket launch from Area 1). A lot of nice ammo will teleport into these when the player steps onto the terraces, as will a lot of enemies to fight. Finally, remember that cache of ammo and 2X power-up that teleports into Area 1, high above the open area with the hulks? You can reach it very easily from Area 3 by simply jumping out a window directly across from it.
Opening up access to Area 4 is the primary objective of the level. Two of the most significant secrets are here as well, in the form of a couple of alcoves high up at the eastern end of the blast door. These each contain mortar ammo and a 3X power-up and, in the case of the southern one, an oxygen power-up. Reaching them directly from Area 4, however, is very difficult to impossible, and requires a couple of triple rocket-jumps. The northern one is more easily reached from Area 3 by running across the top of the blast door as it lowers. It is still necessary to use a grenade jump or hop, or similar hang-time maneuver, to get into the alcove, but that's a lot easier than a triple rocket jump. The southern alcove is more easily reached from Area 2 by grenade-jumping onto a solitary pillar, which transports the player directly to the alcove.
It can get confusing talking about levels within a level, but what else would you call the different levels within a mine? Not counting the drop point, there are 3 levels within the mine that comprises Deep in the Aardvarks. The player starts up higher still, but has no place to go but to drop down to the "top" level, Area 1. Once you have completed your mission, however, if you rocket jump back to the starting point, you will find a secret terminal message from the Rubicon Team.
There is a secret before you even get to main part of Area 1. As you jump down, turn and head to the right and you will land in a large alcove that contains an infravision power-up. The Spoiler Guide is less than clear on this, but you need to run to the right as you jump down, or you will bypass the alcove and be unable to get back to it short of using a rocket jump. With your infravision power-up in hand, you can start in living infra-Technicolor, for what that's worth. Too bad it doesn't last long enough to actually benefit from it. Once you jump down to the main part of Area 1, hulks, hunters, fighters and compilers are all here to greet you. Be sure not to miss the pattern buffer and 2x shield regenerator, which are easily missed. Eventually you will come to a couple of side passages, one of which leads to Area 2 and the other to Area 3.
There really is no reason to go to the lowest depths of Area 2 other than for exploration. There are no secrets here and there is no ammo or anything else of use. Should you take a wrong turn and land here, an elevator will take you up to the upper part of the area. There is a lot of ammo at one end, but there are 2 hulks and lots of other monsters to keep you busy. You need to pass through here briefly to get from one part of Area 3 to the final part of Area 3, but there is no reason to fight it out if you don't want or need to. Should you end up here before you have opened the door to the oar crusher, there is a hidden passageway that is easily missed that will take you back to Area 1.
There are a limited number of secrets here, but they can make finishing the level easier. After entering the main building and dealing with some bad guys, you'll come to a point where you can see the admiral being guarded by an enforcer, behind a grid. You can save yourself a lot of trouble later by taking out the enforcer now. The only weapon that you have that will penetrate the grid is the magnum, but be careful, as the enforcers bolts will penetrate the grid, too. In the room with 4 compartments and lots of enforcers, one of the yellow panels is a secret door. Reached by a grenade hop or jumping down from the ledge above, there is an invincibility power-up behind it. In a room at the opposite end from here are the tops of the crusher doors. If you can get through these (invincibility helps), you'll find a 3X power-up and some mortar ammo - well worth the effort. You'll need to pass briefly through Area 3 to get to the entrance to the oar crusher, which should be open if you have read all the terminals. Once through the oar crusher, you'll need to move quickly if you want to save the admiral. If you reach the end terminal before you find any wires to destroy, you'll receive a message from Tyco and get to watch the admiral's demise.
Secrets revealed by Sidoh.
This is a truly amazing level - not unlike level 13, Beg, Borrow, and Steal - with a phenomenal world to explore. Unfortunately, there are no real secrets - just an occasional 2X power-up that teleports in at a few strategic locations, including in front of the pattern buffer on the main floor. These do renew themselves on an infrequent basis, so be sure to check back if your shields are low. This level can be completed in under a minute if you know the route well. There is so much worth exploring, however, but be forewarned that this will cost you ammo and there is none to be found other than by killing the occasional enforcer. Note to the Rubicon Team - this level begs for secrets.
Secrets revealed by John.
At the end of the raised walkway that encircles the complex, there is a terminal, pattern buffer, and a 1x recharge canister hidden in the nearby brush. There are two different entrances into the complex. Each requires several jumps through a series of raised pillars. The entrances also serve as the exits from the complex.
There are no secrets here - just the switch that must be hit to lower the large pillar outside that is blocking the exit platform.
Secrets revealed by John.
There are two teleporting ammo caches along the encircling trail. The ammo regenerates infrequently, but it is worthwhile checking back on occasion. In case you fall into the slime, there are several stairways along the way that allow access back onto the trail. At one point along the trail, there is a doorway hidden by brush and guarded by a Trooper. Finding this door is necessary to completing the level.
Accessed through the slime, there are no secrets - just the breakable wires that need to be destroyed to complete the level. Remember not to kill the S'Pht!
The cabins contain pattern buffers, shield recharges and terminals. The exit terms, however, are located behind force fields that must be disabled to gain access. The terminal in the main cabin teleports the player to level 25. Frog Blasting. One of the other two cabins contains a terminal that teleports the player to the alternative level, 46, Blasted Frogs.
Secrets revealed by John.
This and level 46, Blasted Frogs, are very similar levels in terms of goals, secrets and difficulty. Historically, 25 was finished first, but the Rubicon team couldn't decide which was better and decided to include both. The Spoiler Guide is rather spartan on these levels - there are many things to explore, and there are a couple of much easier ways to get to the secret exit.
Lots of places to explore. There are no secrets - just a switch to throw to gain access to Area 2. Be careful, as PCM's and drones become increasingly abundant as the game progresses.
In the southern part of the level, there is a small ammo cache in one of the large pools, and along one of the higher walkways. A switch near a save terminal opens a shortcut between Areas 1 and 2, facilitating access to that 1X recharger. A switch near Tyco's terminal lowers a set of stairs, permitting access to Area 3. Too bad one has to face a swarm of hunters to reach the switch. There is also a secret door off the upper walkway on the east side of the southern pool that leads to a back entrance to Area 3. Although a rocket jump is required to reach the high terraces from here, it's in many ways a lot easier than the conventional route.
The high terraces, as well as the ammo contained therein, are tantalizingly visible from all parts of the level, but seemingly out of reach. Flipping a switch in Area 2, however, lowers a set of stairs, making it possible to climb out of the water toward the north end of the map. There are many monsters to contend with, but an elevator ride followed by fighting and a jump into an open window will get the player inside, making it totally unnecessary to jump from pillar to pillar as described in the Spoiler Guide. In the northern area there is a small round pool containing a missile pack, an oxygen power-up, and a 2x power-up. One of the raised terraces in this same area contains a large ammo cache and a terminal leading to the secret level 48, Breathing Nothing At All. The player can spend a lot more time and ammo exploring this area and find numerous hidden places, including access to the fighters that protect Tyco's chip.
Secrets revealed by John.
This an alternative level to level 25, Frog Blasting, being very similar in terms of goals, secrets and difficulty. Historically, 25 was finished first, but the Rubicon team couldn't decide which was better and decided to include both. The player will more commonly end up on level 25, as it's entry terminal is closer to where most players finish level 27. The Spoiler Guide is rather spartan on these levels - there are many things to explore, and there are a couple of much easier ways to get to the secret exit.
Lots of places to explore. The player needs to find a bluff to the east that leads to an area of buildings guarded by a hulk. There is a raised terrace here that can only be reached with a grenade jump. Inside there is a small ammo cache, 2x power-up, a terminal, and a pattern buffer. Once inside the main building, find a set of stairs leading down to the water and an elevator up to a high ledge. There are troopers on an adjacent ledge, so watch out. Go through a door to a patio with some ammo, a terminal and a switch that opens access to Area 2. A ledge just off the patio is easy to miss, but at the end is a bunch of shotgun ammo and a shortcut back. Be careful, as PCM's and drones become increasingly abundant as the game progresses.
This area is nearly identical to Area 2 in level 25, except that there is no shortcut back to Area 1. In the southern part of the level, there is a small ammo cache in one of the large pools, and along one of the higher walkways. A switch near Tyco's terminal lowers a set of stairs, permitting access to Area 3. Too bad one has to face a swarm of hunters to reach the switch. There is also a secret door off the upper walkway on the east side of the southern pool that leads to a back entrance to Area 3. Although a rocket jump is required to reach the high terraces from here, it's in many ways a lot easier than the conventional route.
Access to this area requires a swim to the stairs that are lowered by the switch in Area 2, followed by an elevator ride, some fighting and a jump into an open window, making it totally unnecessary to jump from pillar to pillar as described in the Spoiler Guide. One of the raised terraces in this area contains a large ammo cache and a terminal leading to the secret level 48, Breathing Nothing At All. The player can spend a lot more time and ammo exploring this area and find numerous hidden places, including access to the fighters that protect Tyco's chip.
This is an exploration level played in hard vacuum. A few oxygen power-ups teleport in, so be on the lookout for them. The player needs to find 7 terminals that tell part of the story of the Achilles virus. If you can't seem to find an exit, go back and look for a terminal you might have missed or a place you haven't explored. One of the other terminals will then take you to level 49, Canned Air.
This secret level is an accompaniment to level 48, Breathing Nothing At All. It had to be separated from level 48 because the Marathon engine does not permit mixing vacuum with non-vacuum (is that redundant?) in a single level. Be sure to pick up the mortar and mortar ammo before reading the exit terminal and heading off to level 14, Sodding the Logs.
Nothing here but lookers and hunters, not to mention the troopers and fighters firing on you from above. Just make your way to the center and up into the high terrace.
There are no secrets until you get to the north end of the map, where the chip slot and exit terminal await. If you make your way along a narrow ledge, you'll see a series of ledges that can only be reached with the aid of rocket, grenade or mortar fire. The last of these holds a 3X recharger and a terminal. Reading the message on the terminal, which is in hex, takes the player to a secret room with a bunch of hunters, some mortar ammo and an invincibility power-up that makes completing the level much, much easier Return by reading another hex terminal. Be sure to save some ammo to get back up to that 3X recharger before leaving the level. BTW - does anyone have an inkling of what's contained in the hex messages on the two secret terminals?
There are no secrets here, but this is the player's best chance to explore the full extent of the Rozinante. Just grab your ammo and find the chip, then get ready to bump and grind.
Yikes! Hunters, troopers, fighters, lookers and wasps are all here to greet you. There aren't any secrets here, other than a nice load of ammo that teleports in on the deck immediately below the bridge. The first objective is to get away from the onslaught and get to the shield regenerator and pattern buffer nearby.
Although the Spoiler Guide suggests that you need to clear out the bridge in order to leave the level, this isn't the case. You need only visit the bridge, but there's an important secret here that makes finishing the level much easier, and it isn't even discussed in the Spoiler Guide. There are two sets of stairs leading to the bridge. At the top of each set there is what would appear to be a wall, but is really a door (the same texture is used for both walls and doors throughout Rubicon). On one side it's locked, but on the other, it isn't. Be careful, as you'll be under fire the entire time, but there are some good stashes of ammo to be had once you clear things out. More importantly, there is a stairway that leads down to that 2X shield regenerator in Area 1 that you couldn't seem to reach without a grenade jump.
The chip insertion slot and Tycho's terminal are here, once you have cleared out the area. There is an alcove behind a secret door over one of the plasma flows. It contains a 3X power-up that can make it a lot easier to survive The Ascension Factor.
If you manage to make it to the top of the level, returning to the starting point and reading the terminal will take you to the Salinger Plank level 53, Rozinante IV, which leads to level 23, 10001 Nordic Nerds.
This is a fairly complex level in which the player starts out with no weapons and only 1X shields available. In addition to the stuff that is readily apparent, however, there are a couple of secrets that can leave the player in decent shape by the time they leave.
This is the area where the player starts. Be sure to read Durandal's terminal and pick up your ammo. An alcove off of one of the plasma pools in this area contains a 3X power-up that can make survival during the initial part of the level much easier. It requires a swim through the plasma, however.
There is a pattern buffer here, and be sure not to miss the 2X shield recharger, which is nicely camouflaged in one of the walls and easily missed. There are no secrets here, however.
This area is around the corner from Area 2. There is a lot of ammo here, but no secrets other than providing direct access to Area 5, as well as indirect access to the upper terrace in Area 4 by swimming through plasma.
There are no secrets here, either, but you will definitely find yourself here if you access a terminal before you have adequately explored the level. This is a very elaborate area with terraces, a plasma lake and a plasma river. Direct access is available from here to all 4 of the other areas.
Across a large lava lake in Area 3 is a room to the north that connects with Area 4. An alcove off of this that can be reached with a grenade jump contains a rocket launcher and ammo, as well as a 3X shield recharger and a pattern buffer. The alcove can also be reached from the upper terrace of Area 4, but this requires a swim through plasma. You will come back here often, but be prepared to do battle on the first visit.
One of the rooms that is inaccessible in all of the other Rozinante levels is open, here. It contains a 3X recharger, but you should already have 3X shields from level 47 if you found all the secrets there.
Secrets revealed in part by Sidoh.
This level has a lot in common with level 17, Hex Level 73. Although it can't be completed in under a minute, as in level 17, the objective is straight-forward and the most difficult task is getting back to the starting point to teleport out. There are no weapons available and, although there is much to explore, this can only come at the expense of using ammo to fight the extremely numerous enemies here. Should the player choose to explore, or get lost, however, there are a couple of 2X recharges with pattern buffers located nearby. These are located in large rooms to the north and south which are difficult to access on the levels where these goodies are located. There is also a secret 3X recharger located off an out of the way corridor off one of the large rooms. Listen for the characteristic sound of an unidentified elevator, and you should have little difficulty finding it. There is also a pattern buffer located in the very central core on one of the lower levels.
This level is the lead-in to the final battle level, 20, Wading in Vitriol. Durandal tells us that the stuff we're wading in is related to Pfhor physiology, that it's disgusting and smells awful. But we've been used to swimming in Pfhor sewage since Infinity, so what is this liquid, which the Rubicon Team refers to as "tar", that slowly depletes our shields without killing us? In any case, get used to it, as you'll be swimming in a lot of it in this level and the next.
The player starts out in this area, but most of it is inaccessible when you first teleport in. Your first priority is to get to the elevator at the western part of the map which will take you out of the tar and to the first pattern buffer and shield recharger. There is a pair of doors, however, that will close as soon as you enter the save/recharge room. These doors provide access to a room with a 3X shield recharger. The Spoiler Guide describes a way to get there that only a vidmaster could manage. There is an easier way - if you can get out of the tar and past the first few enemies with at least 1X shields. After getting out of the tar, head right and take out the enforcer on the ledge above you. Grenade jump onto that ledge and you will have access to that 3X recharger - and a bunch of lookers. Watch out for the enforcer on the other side! If you can make it here intact and charge up, you may wish to leave the first save/recharge room with it's cache of ammo for later and proceed directly to Area 2. You'll then be able to use this 3X recharger to help get through the early part of Area 2. Later on you will have the opportunity to return to the sewers, either by plan or by accident from falling from the high ledges in Area 2. There are a couple of entrances back into the sewers, but you will need to flip a couple of switches to gain full access. A nice ammo cache teleports in when you enter the northeastern most portion. Watch out for lookers, however - they're everywhere!
There is much to explore here, but the sole purpose seems to be gaining access to a room in the northeastern portion which will serve as the jumping off point for the next level. The 3X shield generator located there, however, can make accessing the secrets on this level much easier. There is a very nice little secret alcove located on a high ledge that contains a secret term, a pattern buffer and 2X and invincibility power-ups. There are 2 ways to get there, as noted on the secret term. One involves maximum shields and a difficult double-rocket jump from below. The other "cleaver way" involves simply walking through a normally closed door that you will undoubtedly pass many times. Look for a switch elsewhere that doesn't seem to do anything. Flip it twice to keep the door open.
Secrets revealed by John.
No secrets here, other than a pattern buffer in an alcove that's easily missed.
Lots of enemies here so watch out, and be prepared for the arrival of reinforcements. There is a secret room that can be reached only by swimming and going through a set of doors. There's a very large ammo stash, a 3X power-up and an invincibility power-up to help with the rest of this area. Grabbing the ammo also reveals a hidden switch elsewhere in the area - be sure to look up. This switch, not mentioned in the Spoiler Guide, reveals a secret terminal later in the level.
No secrets here - just lots of action. Be sure to read the terminal to get to the next area.
Again, lots of action. There is an ammo cache, a 3X power-up and an invincibility power-up reached by going through one of the plasma pools.
This is it - the final chapter. There are 2 secret terminals here, both of which provide credits for the game and entry into the secret level 64, Blasting Cherries. One is clearly visible, but requires a rocket jump. The other can't be reached until killing most of the enemies, and then only if you hit the switch in Area 2.
Secrets revealed by John.
This level is virtually identical to level 45, Sucking Cherries, except that there are many more enemies to fight. Completing the level takes the player to level 37, Toadstools.
There are a large cache of shotgun shells, two shotguns and a 3x power-up in some side rooms off this floor. In one of the side rooms, there is a secret terminal that can only be reached with a rocket or grenade jump. Nothing special here, just a little cold fusion.
Don't forget to grab the ammo off to the side of the main lab.
There are shield power-ups scattered about in the side rooms that can be easily missed. Some may consider this cheating, but there is an easy way to complete the level. Instead of riding the elevator up to the final room, rocket jump your way up the elevator shaft and take care of the bad guys you find in the vicinity. Eventually, you'll need to enter the first side room to trigger the full procession of monsters and collect a 2X power-up that'll help you to rocket or mortar jump your way back to the ledge, from which you can jump back down that elevator shaft to safety. You can then recharge your shields, save your game and wait until the fighting dies down. You can then easily clear out the remaining bad guys, collect their ammo and head back down to the exit. Reading the exit terminal before finishing the level will teleport the player back to the lower floors.
It's easy to find secrets in a Marathon scenario when you have the Spoiler Guide or our Secrets Guide to go by, but how can you find secrets on your own? What about the many other 3rd party maps and scenarios for which there are no Spoiler Guides available? Actually, the more you play Marathon, the more you'll notice the common patterns that most secrets share. While the approach outlined here doesn't cover all secrets out there, most well-designed secrets can be found using this method. The Rubicon Secrets Team was able to find all but 3 secrets in this manner (it would have been 100% had we followed rule #1 fully). Any secrets that can't be found in this way aren't worth finding. After all, what good is a secret if you have to tab on every single wall or object to find it, or rely on someone else who's already found it.
In Honk if You're an Underpaid Cyborg, there is a room located at the "back" of the ship that contains a lot of ammo and a 2X power-up. It is clearly visible, but unreachable at the beginning of the level. Sometimes rooms, such as the one with the rocket launcher in Hairy Legs can't be reached at all no matter what you do, but the credo of the secrets finder is that you are obligated to try. This means looking for hidden doors or switches, hidden passages, hidden transporters or any other means of getting inside. If there is a distant ledge, especially one with a visible terminal or other goodies, use whatever hang-time maneuvers you need to to get there. Good examples are the secret terminals in Sucking Cherries and Wading in Vitriol. Even if you don't see anything there, every reachable place must be explored - you never know what you might find. Don't give up until you've exhausted every possibility. Cheat only when you are about to go insane, and even then, only to verify that the area is truly unreachable.
The surest sign of a secret is a texture that just doesn't look right. If a wall appears lighter or darker than it should, then it's probably not a wall at all, but rather a secret door that will open with a press of the action key. If a wall flickers, this is usually a dead giveaway. Sometimes a light source seems out of place, like the hidden door on Honk if You're an Underpaid Cyborg. Sometimes you can see the faint outline of a hidden switch. The bottom line is, if it looks strange, tab it.
Look for secret passages. It's easy to go through a level without ever resorting to looking in map mode, but some of the best secrets are only evident by looking in map mode. Very often you will notice hidden passages that begin out of your line of sight. Even if you see only the start of a passageway, this is significant and often indicates where you need to go to access a secret. A great example of this is in Honk if You're an Underpaid Cyborg, where you can see most of the secret path to the back room if you take the time to wander upstairs and open a closed door (following rule #1). Looking for the beginning of the passage takes you to secret a teleporter, but this appears to be a dead end. As a seasoned secret finder, you should know better. Tabbing on the back wall of the transporter as you're transported away reveals the hidden elevator that you need to take.
Look for voids. Blank spots on the map are often just that - blank spots. But they are also favorite places for map makers to hide secret rooms. If you come across a busy map with a prominent hole in it, chances are that there is a secret room located in that void. Your task, then, is to search the perimeter for a hidden entrance.
And the rockets and the energy weapons. Sometimes access to a secret requires an extra chip. A good example of this is on Blasted Vent Cores. If you can't find the extra chip(s) hidden somewhere, chances are that someone or something is carrying it, and you'll have to kill them to get it. But the explosions from grenades, rockets or energy weapons will destroy the chip, so think twice before indiscriminately using your weapons. Flipping every switch is a true Marathon vidmaster's credo. Occasionally a mapmaker will use a switch to create a trap. The closing blast doors in Five Finger Discount that prevent you from reaching the fusion rifle are a good example. Shame on the Rubicon Team for that one! More often than not, every switch does something. That switch in Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, for example, doesn't seem to do anything, but if you flip it twice, the door to a secret room will be propped open. Thus if at first you can't figure out the function of a switch, flip it twice, but keep your ears open and be careful! There are a number of examples of other 3rd party scenarios where flipping a switch before a door has fully opened will make the level impassable. I don't know of any case of this in Rubicon, but Marathon Evil and Marathon Fell both have dangerous examples of this. Sometimes a switch may be visible in the distance as, for example, in Core Wars. Hitting the switch with a fusion bolt opens the door to a secret room with lots of ammo. Sometimes a switch may be in an out of the way location, as in Blasted Vent Cores, or hidden, as in Iwannavacuum. If you can't get something to happen or can't get to some place you want to go, look carefully for a hidden switch. Try to get inside of the mapmaker's mind - where would you hide a switch.
Most of us know of the existence of secret levels before we can place them into the overall flow of a scenario. It's a simple matter to command-option-begin game and enter any level by inputting its number. Doing this with all available levels allows you to find all secret levels before you even begin. Finding them in ordinary play is another matter, however. If you know of a secret level but haven't been able to find out how to get to it, you may have no choice but to try vidding it. In other words, try playing it as a vidmaster, using only your magnum your fists, 1X shields and whatever ammunition you find on the level. If you can succeed in completing the level (The White Room is a good example of one that's doable), you can discover which level comes after it and, hence, which level probably provides the entrance to the secret level. Knowing that The White Room leads to The Gators of NY, for example, it's easy to deduce that the entrance to The White Room is on Blasted Vent Cores.
Why in the world would you ever go back to explore Hairy Legs once you've shut down the reactor? To find secrets, of course! Many of Rubicon's secrets are in places the player would never be expected to go or are available only after the goals of the level have been completed. Why in the world would you insert all chips on Blasted Vent Cores except chip 3? It's the only way to read the secret term at the end! The bottom line is that you need to explore everywhere. Try everything. Do things that don't make any sense. If you're lucky, you may even find a bug, such as the one on Five Finger Discount.
I don't condone cheating, but I have to admit that it's probably preferable to insanity. As the author of the Secrets Guide, I had an obligation to be sure that I didn't miss any secrets. Therefore, after finding all of the secrets that I could in any level, I took a look at the level in Forge just to be sure. This was the only way that I could verify the inaccessibility of the rocket launcher in Hairy Legs. Unfortunately, I must confess that this was the only way I was able to find the entrance to Hell Pfhor You on A Long Walk on a Short Pier - not that there weren't enough clues, with running lights pointing the way and even the name of the level - but who would have ever thought of walking out into space, particularly when under fire with a limited oxygen supply and only one non-secret pattern buffer! I guess I'll have to plead insanity on that one. Peaking in Forge is the most obvious way to cheat, but there are others that might also come in handy when desperate. Durandal Terminal Browser (DTB) let's you read all of the terminals on a level, so you can find the existence of secret terminals easily, although you may not be able to figure out where they are. Using a saved game editor can be a way to make yourself invincible and fully armed, so that you can get to places quickly that you might never otherwise be able to reach at your skill level. And, of course, you can always play below your skill level. Finding secrets is still fun, but you'll never receive the satisfaction of really finding a secret on your own for the first time if you do it by cheating.
Last Modified July 29, 2002