The Hive in Level 14

By Nathaniel Krell, August 28th 1999.

At the End of Level Teleporter at the end of Level 14, blast upward and to the left. The wall will at some point explode.

Now, get that Energy Rifle ready; you'll need it to take out the Missile Ants that will emerge in force when you enter the breach. Kill things and pick up some missiles.

Now, ready the grenade launcher. Why? It works well in this next section, trust me. Go through the door and you'll be in the so-called "Secret Alien Stage", which is actually an "inner sanctum" beneath most of the level; you are after all still in Level 14.

Note the rather disturbing decor. It's a pretty obvious reference to the original plot (you were breaking into an alien base built in the ruins of a city after an invasion).

AFAIK, only the dark-red laser firing Ants are here, but there are *lots* of them. Grenades and Rockets (area damage) can often take out Ants on the ceiling below your feet, or on the ledge above your head, and the Ants won't be able to hit back. Failing that, grenade anything that moves (grenades appear to move faster than rockets).

Kill *everything*. Oh, one more thing: At some point, you may fall down and pass a ledge containing (from left to right):

• Flash Speed
• Cloak (the manual lied)
• Antigrav Boots

Make absolutely certain that you get those Antigrav Boots in any way you can; ignore the other two.

Got the boots? Good, now if you didn't fall down onto a ledge with rockets at some point, fly around until you do. I seem to recall it was facing that door you had come through earlier.

Now, fly up to the ceiling, and move along it, toward the right. At some point there will be a tile under the ceiling that looks a little different. At this point you should be able to fly *into* the ceiling. When you hit ceiling again, move right. Secret passage, barely visible, keep flying for now, untill you're certain you have something to stand on.

When you can't go any further to the right, fly up, through the hearts. Let us assume that you are now fully powered up. Keep going. When you hit the ceiling of the new opening, run all the way to the left. Now walk back to the right while paying close attention to the shapes made by the Hearts. What does that spell? Well, if you've lasted this long, it's probably true!

Finished right?

Let me quote the Terminator:

"Wrong."

Go back the way you came, and make sure to keep the Antigrav Boots.

Pass the End of Level Teleporter and drop back down the the Jump Pad at the beginnning of that little gauntlet you ran earlier. Activate the Pad. You're back in the tall room with the other Pad above you. Fly to this pad, activate, and you're back at the save terminal. You can now save your game if you wish.

Oh, look! You can reach the passage to the left now.

Fly up into the passage, go around and shoot the switchball. I don't recall if anything jumps out at you, but be prepared for it just in case. Then head back to that save term.

GAH, the floor exploded!!!! Oooh, a jump pad...

Take the pad, make sure nothing jumps out at you, and avoid any explosive devices (it's been a while since I played this level, and I don't recall).

I wonder what kind of ammo that could be? Targeted Frisbees anyone?

By the time you leave the room, you should have at least 25 Nova Spheres (AKA Death Frisbees). Don't use them now, save them; this is one of your more powerful weapons, right up there with the Napalm and the Death Saber. You now have all 7.

Leave by pad, save your game (you know you want to), take the Jump Pad to your right, drop down, Pad, fly up, and to the left.

And now you can finally leave this level, your bodycount higher, and your arsenal improved, content that you have found the rumored "Secret Alien Stage" and some other goodies.