Date: January 2004
Author: LM
Copyright info: This document may be freely copied and reproduced
NOTES:
1. An interactive walkthrough is installed together with the game and can be
found in the folder WillRock\Black Box\Will Rock. Locate the file named
launch.html and open it. Then press on the arrows next to “Enter the Black Box”
and voila.
2. The word “map,” as used below, designates an area in the game, which, when
you finish it, ends with the messages “Loading…” and “Game saved.” It also
becomes inaccessible after that (a door closes shut, you are transferred to a
different location, etc.), but so do some other subsections of the game that
are not “maps” proper. Unlike missions and levels, new maps are not introduced
by name onscreen.
3. The levels are subdivided into maps in this FAQ for easier reference. The
game does not provide you right away with the total number of secrets for the
level you are in; their number increases in your HUD with each new map that
actually has secrets. For example, if you check the Statistics display at the
start of map 1.1., the secrets tally will say “Secrets: 0/2;” after you find
them, it’ll say, “2/2;” when you enter map 1.2, it’ll still say “2/2” because
that map doesn’t have secrets; when you start map 1.3, it’ll say “2/4;” etc.
4. Some of the maps listed below have more than one name. The name taken from
the Black Box interactive walkthrough is shown first, in uppercase; the one
used in the folder WillRock\levels—whenever it is different from the first
one—is shown second, in parentheses and in lowercase.
FIRST MISSION. THE LAIR OF THE CYCLOPS
LEVEL 1. KNOSSOS—THE MINOS PALACE. 7 secrets total
MAP 1.1. CAMP (Outdoor). 2 secrets:
1. There is some gold on top of the scaffold by the tent. You can reach it by
jumping onto the scaffold from the nearby rocks.
2. Walk just past the four-column area and, facing the temple entrance, look at
the rocks on your left. There is a hidden passage between two boulders, through
which you’ll have to crouch in order to reach a couple of armor pieces.
MAP 1.2. VASE TEMPLE. No secrets
MAP 1.3. ROTUNDA and CORRIDORS (these two maps in the Black Box walkthrough
correspond to one map in the actual game: Rotunda). 3 secrets:
3. When you cross the circular, domed area and reach the top of either
staircase on its other side, turn around and jump onto the ledge that runs
along the outermost wall. There are health and armor power-ups sitting on the
platform above the arch-framed panel.
4. On the balcony that encircles the rotunda, activate (“Use”) either winch to
lower the two chandeliers. Then activate it again, and jump onto the chandelier
closest to you while it is going up. When it stops, you can jump onto the ledge
above the balcony and reach some power-ups.
5. In the corridor with exploding walls, which you enter after emerging from
the water tunnel, break the fifth section of the wall on the left side (it may
break accidentally, in the shootout). Be sure to get through the hole to find
some goodies, which will make the secret register.
MAP 1.4. MINOTAUR HALL (Corridors). No secrets
MAP 1.5. ATRIUM. 2 secrets:
6. On the balcony in the atrium, locate a room with a power-up altar. As you
are leaving that room, walk straight and drop onto the ledge above one of the
three lower-level portals. You should find several armor pieces there.
7. The ledge that mirrors the one in #6 houses some health power-ups.
LEVEL 2. THE ANCIENT CITY OF CORINTH. 2 secrets total
MAP 2.1. AMPHITHEATER (Amph). No secrets
MAP 2.2. CITY. 1 secret:
1. In the lower section of the city, where you push two levers to open the gate
to a new part of the city, there is a secret room. It is the room behind a red
wooden door. You are facing that door when you are going down the last
staircase leading to this part of the map. The room is filled with exploding
barrels, so shoot them from a distance. I don’t know what is so secret about
it; maybe it is inaccessible until you do something in an earlier section.
MAP 2.3. GALLERY. No secrets.
MAP 2.4. CAGES. 1 secret:
2. After you fall through a collapsing floor and pass a couple of caged
animals, there will be a spiral staircase. It will lead you deeper down, where,
right at the foot of the staircase, you’ll find some exploding barrels. Shoot
them to reveal a secret area with some gold.
MAP 2.5. COLOSSEUM (Coliseum)
SECOND MISSION. THE DOMAIN OF HEPHAESTUS
LEVEL 3. THE THOLOS TEMPLE. 3 secrets total
MAP 3.1. PLATEAU. 1 secret.
1. Shortly after the map loads, step into the stream and head right. You’ll
have to kill a couple of crocodiles on your way to a fence across the stream,
with several gold pieces nearby.
MAP 3.2. ALTAR. 2 secrets:
2. In the starting chamber, the first time you get into the basement is through
a broken coffin. When that happens, rather than going straight through the hole
in the wall, climb over the pile of debris and crawl into the right corner of
the cell, where a piece of gold is waiting.
3. Same as #2, in the left corner of the cell.
MAP 3.3. COURTYARD. No secrets.
LEVEL 4. THE HEPHAESTEUM. 3 secrets total
MAP 4.1. STONE MINE. 1 secret:
1. At some point during your journey through the quarry, you’ll reach a
fissure, on the other side of which you see a single cubic stone block. Jump
into the chasm and go left to find a gold trove. You get back to the surface
through a flaming teleport, which is located on the opposite side of the bottom
of the chasm.
MAP 4.2. PLATEAU. 1 secret:
2. When you enter the second valley that doubles as a battlefield, walk left,
hugging the wall. You’ll reach a corner of sorts, where one stone wall ends and
another begins. Between those two walls is a pocket of secrecy with some gold.
MAP 4.3. HEPHAESTUS. 1 secret:
3. When Hephaestus is dead, visit the room from which he emerged, i.e., his
shop. Use the trampoline on the floor to get to another one, on Hephaestus’
anvil, and from that to a secret area with gold.
THIRD MISSION. MEDUSA’S NEST
LEVEL 5. THE PALATIAL TEMPLE OF ARGOS. 4 secrets total
MAP 5.1. TROJAN HORSE (Plateau). 1 secret:
1. After you get on top of the temple walls using the Trojan horse, use the
scaffolding to get down, get inside the tower, and go down the staircase.
You’ll notice some explosive barrels sitting at the foot of the staircase.
Shoot them from a safe distance, and a secret area with gold will be revealed.
Alternatively, if you fall or decide to jump down as soon as you reach the
temple walls, the area with the barrels can be found behind the door that is on
your right if you stand facing the caged temple entrance (which you would have
used if the drawbridge hadn’t been raised), with your back to the power-up
altar.
MAP 5.2. CITADEL. 2 secrets
2. After you use the winch on the fifth level of the temple (at least I think
it’s the fifth one), the spiral staircase via which you reached that level will
be again covered with a lid. As a reward, however, that will clear the way to a
wooden board leading to the sixth level. When you get to that level and reach a
hole in the inner wall, you’ll notice that there’s a ledge encircling the inner
cylinder of the temple. You might also notice something twinkling there. Crawl
onto the ledge from the right side of the opening; when you get to the
twinkling part, you’ll discover some much-needed armor.
3. While you were scouting the second circular level surrounding the inner
cylinder of the temple, you might have stumbled upon a outer-wall door that was
locked, unlike other doors that led into rooms filled with amphorae, explosive
barrels, and sometimes useful items. Well, at some point that door becomes
unlocked, probably around the time when you use the winch. Before you exit this
map, you might want to return to that door, if not to use the power-up altar
that it contains, then just to get the secret registered.
MAP 5.3. PILLARS & LAVA (Underground). 1 secret:
4. Soon after the map starts, you fall through a hole in the floor. The outer
corridor that encircles the balcony above the central chamber ends in a down
staircase. Rather than going downstairs right away, follow either one of the
side ledges above it until you see several gold pieces sitting on a smaller
ledge above the doorway into the chamber. Jump onto it to get the secret
registered.
LEVEL 6. THE UNDERWORLD OF TARTARUS. 3 secrets total
MAP 6.1. UNDERWORLD CAVE (Cave). 1 secret:
1. When you reach the lava stream, look for a broken bridge adorned with female
statues. From the bridge, you should be able to jump onto the trampoline that
is located among the rubble on the other side. You’ll be catapulted to a secret
area with some gold. Use the trampoline there to get back. An alternative way
to reach the secret area would be to cross the lava stream first and then
proceed past the exit door, which will be on your right as you do it. When you
reach the female statues, which mirror the ones on the other side, look down
and locate the trampoline below. Carefully jump onto it, etc.
MAP 6.2. COURTYARD. 2 secrets:
2. After the first door in this area is unlocked, you’ll reach a stairwell that
is located inside one of the towers that stand in the center of the courtyard.
Shoot the exploding barrel at the bottom, and a secret area will be revealed
down there.
3. Similar to #2, only inside the other tower.
MAP 6.3. TEMPLE. No secrets
MAP 6.4. RATS FROM HELL (Rat Room). No secrets
LEVEL 7. THE LAIR OF THE GORGONS. 2 secrets total
MAP 7.1. SWINGING BRIDGE (Swings). No secrets
MAP 7.2. FOREST. 1 secret:
1. The castle with three gates (two are closed; the one on the left leads to a
room with a power-up altar) on the far end of the forest has this secret: there
is a gold piece sitting between the castle wall on the right and the parapet.
MAP 7.3. RIVER. No secrets.
MAP 7.4. CITY RUINS (City). 1 secret:
2. After the first door is unlocked, you’ll get into an area with at least a
couple of pools. Whichever one you choose, you’ll be passing an underwater
section where the pipe you are about to swim out of and the one you are about
to enter are perfectly aligned, with just a little space between them. When
this suspicious interruption occurs, look down: there is another pipe below,
which leads to a secret room with gold.
MAP 7.5. CASTLE COURTYARD and MEDUSA (these two maps in the Black Box
walkthrough correspond to one map in the actual game: Medusa). No secrets
FOURTH MISSION. ZEUS’ LAIR
LEVEL 8. THE LABYRINTH. 3 secrets total
MAP 8.1. TEMPLE ALTAR (Altar). No secrets
MAP 8.2. CAGES. 2 secrets:
1. When you reach the first spiral staircase, shoot the exploding barrels to
reveal a secret niche.
2. Same as #1 (see Map 8.2 above), at the second staircase.
MAP 8.3. LAVA LIFT (Lift). No secrets
MAP 8.4. AMPHITHEATER (Amph). No secrets
MAP 8.5. PRESSES (Press). No secrets
MAP 8.6. LAVA TOWER (Cyl). 1 secret:
3. Same as #1, at the bottom of the first staircase in this map.
LEVEL 9. THE RUINS OF ELEUSIS. 6 secrets total
MAP 9.1. PLAINS (Plateau). 1 secret:
1. On the far end of the plateau, get under the small bridge that leads to the
locked gate in the town wall.
MAP 9.2. TOWN RUINS (Ruins). 1 secret:
2. In the section where you get by climbing the fallen column, one of the
raised-level rooms that you’ll encounter counts as a secret for some reason.
Maybe I’d caused an explosion or some other effect before I reached it, but I
found it just as easily as any other in this map. Anyway, this room contains
some gold and can be found shortly before the door to the next section is
unlocked.
MAP 9.3. SUNKEN TEMPLE (Underwater). 1 secret:
3. One of the two elongated rooms underwater has a hole in the wall, near the
floor. Swim through it and then through the hole in the ceiling in the next
room, to reach yet another, secret room.
MAP 9.4. TROJAN HORSE’S RETURN (Courtyard). 3 secrets:
4. This one is found right after you start here. It is basically similar to the
three-pipe setup described above, in Map 7.4 (secret 2).
5. After the underwater tunnels, you’ll emerge in a small canal. If you follow
it to the gate that blocks further progress, there will be a room above the
canal and to your right, which contains some gold and armor. You will be able
to reach it later in this courtyard, by jumping there across the canal—right
before going up a stone staircase leading into the next courtyard.
6. As you enter the courtyard with a Trojan horse and a battering ram, you will
see a bunch of barrels straight ahead, in the far left corner of the perimeter.
When you shoot them, the explosion will create a hole in the wall, allowing you
to reach a larger-than-usual (for this game) secret area with a power-up altar
as well as some gold and armor.
LEVEL 10. MT. OLYMPUS. 3 secrets total
MAP 10.1. LAVA FIELD (Lava). 1 secret:
1. When you return to the first lava cave after the second one, the last tower
there will have a series of ramps. You won’t miss that tower because it leads
to the bridge that ends in an entrance inside the mountain shaped into Zeus’
(?) face. As you reach the bottom of the first ramp, don’t miss the gold pieces
on your left, in a depression in the floor.
MAP 10.2. MEDUSA, PART 2 (Battle). 1 secret:
2. In the first section of this map, i.e., before the moving platform takes you
up, you’ll notice two stairway-shaped brick outgrowths on the wall to the left
and to the right of the exit. The left one has a trampoline right at its foot.
If you use that trampoline, you’ll bounce high enough to collect all the gold
pieces that sit on the structure. However, to get the secret registered, you
must set your foot onto its highest step, and that is achieved in the following
manner: Use the lone trampoline in one of the far corners of this area to reach
the top of one of the viaducts. Go to the semicircular ledge on the wall and
turn left. Carefully get on top of the ruined brick wall and proceed to collect
the gold pieces from all the steps below.
MAP 10.3. STAIRWAY TO OLYMPUS (Stairs). 1 secret:
3. While dodging the spheres hurled at you by Atlases, don’t miss a round
opening on the left side of the “stairway.” Go through it in order to find a
secret room inside the mountain, with some coffins and gold pieces. This
passage comes early in your ascent; there will be a similar one later on, on
the right side, but it won’t count as a secret.
