Bridge Assault

Zhang Li's located the Graal buried under the African sands, and all that stands between Joanna and her target is one of the largest dataDyne contingents this side of the moon. Carrington's on deck with the troops for this final do-or-die mission, the success of which ultimately falls on Joanna's shoulders.

Escort Jonathan (Primary)

Right from the go you're in the action. For this mission you'll find the RCP-90 to be an invaluable starting weapon, along with either a Magnum or MagSec and the Hawk (there's foes in this mission with Plasma Rifles). Upon entering the temple ruins Jonathan's Hovercraft promptly becomes the victim of a nasty shelling, disabling the craft and sending him sprawling on the ground.

You'll start off on the turret of your own Hovercraft, stay exactly where you are and keep an eye ahead. Two Jetpacs eventually swoop in to finish off what they started, zoom in and don't let up until they blow (if you're lucky, setting one off will destroy the other if they're flying too close). Their strength increases with difficulty, so don't let them get too close or you'll start losing your own health.

With both Jetpacs down jump off the turret and run to Jonathan. He'll get up and follow you despite claiming a nasty injury from the fall (oddly he can still run at normal speed). If you backtrack down this first road you'll find the metro tunnel completely blocked by an avalanche, from here you can easily see the massive bridge spanning the river beyond (take in the gorgeous scenery). Escorting Jonathan to the bridge and crossing that span is your ultimate objective, but for now you'll need to move through the temple ruins up ahead.

Assist Institute squad (Support)

Ahead beyond your Hovercraft you'll find a huge open area with massive temples ahead and to both sides. That main temple up ahead is where you need to be, the blocked-up entrance to the temple structure on your left leads up to the main temple (you'll need the Demokit to get through the rubble - inside is where your Co-Op buddy begins - but watch out for Plasma Rifle-wielding security ladies hiding up the path inside), but for now you've got more pressing matters to attend to.

Among the rubble down here you'll find a squad of CI soldiers completely pinned down by sniper fire coming from up at the main temple. There's a number of soldiers up there toting Jackals and SuperDragons, for now cover is your best friend. Upon arriving one of the soldiers will call out that their marksman's down, you'll see him lying in the open next to his dropped Shockwave Rifle. Stay behind a stone wall and drop enough of your weapons to free up three slots. Run out and grab the Shockwave Rifle, do your best to avoid any sniper fire.

Take up cover behind a stone wall and draw your new toy. Switch on the X-Ray visor to spot your targets easier. Start by aiming over above the rocky slop on the left side of the temple, there's two soldiers there; one with a SuperDragon and the other carries a Jackal. Drop them both and take cover again. Don't fire the Shockwave too rapidly or it'll overheat and take around 10 seconds to cool down, time you don't have up your sleeve at this point.

There's three floors of the temple with soldiers, pinpoint the Jackal snipers and take them out quickly. Usually a single headshot from the Shockwave is all you'll need, but sometimes on Perfect Agent they'll take a second round. Deal with the remaining snipers and take down the SuperDragon-wielding soldiers on the top level. With the temple itself clear, you've got a pack of UGL-wielding soldiers storming your position from the ground. They'll be hiding among the ruined pillars and walls directly ahead, you should see them easily with your X-Ray.

Either use the Shockwave as they emerge or grab your P90 to finish them off. Make sure you're quick as your CI buddies might not last much longer after dealing with those pesky snipers. The P90 works wonders as they're all carrying SMG ammo so you'll have plenty to go around (you won't have much on Perfect Agent). Finish off every last soldier to clear your position and save the CI squad from a nasty end (here's something odd, take a look at all the faces of your CI buddies and the dataDyne soldiers around here - they're all the same!).

Now to move on through the temple. Keep the Shockwave Rifle with you, it'll come in handy as you move through the temple's innards. Stick with either the Magnum or Hawk as your second weapon (you can always leave the Hawk here and come back for it later, you don't need it now). By now you might be wondering what's inside the temple structure off on the right side of the canyon wall. Go inside if you're feeling adventurous (but watch out for the unwelcoming tenants inside), as the path through there eventually leads to the main road.

The road beside the main temple's littered with burning wreckage of jeeps and overturned trucks, so there's not much you can do to pass through there. Enter the main temple via the small open door on the right side of the ruined ramp (there's a door further up the sandy slope, but it's best to deal with all the goons inside from the ground floor up to avoid trouble). Switch on your X-Ray to see two soldiers guarding the large entry chamber inside, these fellas both carry Shotguns so you'll need to be quick. Jonathan should be following you by now (and is finally using his favourite weapon) so at least you've got backup. Sneak inside and drop the soldiers with either the Shockwave or Magnum, take the first one by surprise and be ready for the second.

Inside you'll find an exit where the soldiers were stationed, up the stairs is another chamber with three guards inside. One carries a Magnum, watch out for any Flashbangs he lobs. Deal with them all and grab some dropped ammo for your Magnum (try to line up two of them, a single Shockwave or Magnum blast can penetrate multiple targets). Exit the room and ascend the stairs beyond to find yourself in the main chamber of the temple where a massive statue resides. This entire area's crawling with CMP-150 Combat Shield-wielding soldiers, but their shields can't block either the Shockwave or Magnum so be sure to use them up.

Take cover at the door to the chamber and watch for three enemies inside. Wait for Jonathan to join you, he's handy at taking care of some of them. Deal with them from cover and emerge when you're clear (check with the X-Ray) before ascending the stairs in the corner. Watch out for more soldiers on the floors above, you'll need to climb up three floors before reaching the top. Keep your X-Ray switched on at the top floor, you'll see a staircase in the corner leading up to a chamber where three soldiers wait. Creep along the floor and crouch down, picking off each one when you've got a clear shot.

Watch out for the Magnum-wielding soldier and his nasty Flashbangs. Clear them all and head topside. Inside this chamber you'll find an exit ahead leading out to an open road along with another staircase on the side - up there is the top of the temple structure where your Co-Op buddy will be hanging out. That path up there leads back down to where you started. Emerge onto the road carefully and slowly, just as you pass outside a picture-in-picture of a Rocket Launcher-wielding soldier appears. He's positioned way up on a rocky ledge overlooking the road over on the right.

His rockets are incredibly accurate, so you'll need to deal with him from safety. Go back inside the temple and head back down to the top floor of the main chamber. Go outside on the balcony from here (where all the snipers were earlier) and head over to the left side. Switch your X-Ray on, from here you should be able to move around and get a clear shot of the soldier from under the ruined bridge. You'll see that he's not alone, deal with his SuperDragon-wielding buddy first as he has a tendency of running away to storm your position.

You'll need a few shots to drop the Rocket Launcher soldier, just make sure he doesn't launch anything at you. With both soldiers down you'll be graced with silence for a while. Before going back through the temple to the main road you might consider going back for your Hawk, but only if you want that extra protection for later in the mission.

Head to the main road, outside down the left end you'll see a blocked tunnel with a few parked trucks, that area's your ticket to the bridge. But if you haven't brought along the Loctopus, follow the road back down till you find an entrance on the left wall directly below the Rocket Launcher soldier's ledge. Climb up the tall hallways inside and swap your Shockwave Rifle for the Rocket Launcher - you'll see why you need it soon (keep in mind that sometimes the soldier drops his launcher down to the road if you're lucky).

With your kit ready cross the road into the tunnel to find a large steel door near the trucks. After giving a quick thanks Jonathan will open the door up. Go inside and proceed through the next few rooms to find another large steel door. Beyond here is the CI-fortified side of the bridge, and the man Daniel Carrington himself. Wait for Jonathan to open up the door and head inside.

Infiltrate coliseum (Primary)

Carrington's just inside on the right, Jonathan will stay here to nurse his wounds. In his ever-so-appropriate outfit Carrington will stress the urgency of the operation-inferno situation, but you might want to take a look outside the window ahead. Beyond is the massive bridge, and the scene there is easily the most action you'll see in the game. Two massive mortar launchers on the far side of the bridge will be shelling the CI troops down below (but not on Agent), you'll need to destroy both of them to secure the bridge.

Disable mortars (Support - SA, PA)

If that isn't enough of a challenge, you've got waves of dataDyne soldiers storming from their side of the bridge. For a while it might seem like your opposition just doesn't stop coming, rest assured their numbers do eventually dry up. On Perfect Agent you've got another problem, the mortars have setup explosive spiderbots on the only three possible areas to cross the bridge, and if those things go off you've failed the mission instantly.

Cross bridge (Primary - PA)

The center of the bridge is in ruins, there's only a small section still connecting the two halves and a lone pipe under the bridge remaining. See the massive superstructure above the bridge? It's possible to get up there, but you'll need the Loctopus to release an access ladder, something you don't have on Perfect Agent initially. All three access points are covered with spiderbots, so you'll need to deal with them very quickly to avoid failure.

Now it's time to break out the Rocket Launcher. Stand at the window and aim towards the bridge. Launch a remote rocket (Right Bumper) and direct it towards the bridge. You should be able to see the connecting section covered with around three spiderbots, home the rocket straight into the group of them to send them packing (oddly enough the blast doesn't affect the integrity of the bridge). Launch a second rocket and direct it down toward the spiderbot-covered pipe under the bridge to give yourself a backup access point.

Now you've only got two rockets left, one for each of the mortars down the other end. Leave Carrington and Jonathan where they are and exit the command bunker. Watch for a Jackal sitting atop a crate near the three CI snipers in the next room, drop your Rocket Launcher here and grab the Jackal. Go back to the command bunker and zoom in right across the other side of the bridge. You'll see two Jetpacs flying about, deal with them here and now to avoid major trouble later on.

With both vehicles out of the sky go back to your Rocket Launcher and try to deal with as many dataDyne troops down on the bridge as you can from here. Move on to the next room to find the motherload - an entire bunker filled with weaponry just waiting to be used. Follow the path around to find a roofless room with two snipers at the windows and two FACs sitting on the tables by the wall. Go up to the window and zoom right in to the other side of the bridge, see those two guards just standing around? Deal with them both here to avoid trouble later on.

Go down to the armoury below and grab the vest under the balcony if you need it. Look around the room, you've got DWs, FACs and Shotguns littered around. The locked weapons crate houses another Rocket Launcher (that's why you need the Rocket Launcher from earlier if you don't have the Loctopus). Exit this room and head around the corner to find the entrance to the bridge, and pure madness beyond.

At your end of the bridge you'll have a group of heavily-armed CI soldiers taking the fight to dataDyne, don't worry too much about them (just make sure they don't wander into your line of fire). There could be a soldier in the far corner carrying a Shockwave, keep an eye on him as if he falls dash for his gun. The attacking dataDyne soldiers carry all manner of weaponry from CMP-150s, Combat Shields, SuperDragons and P90s.

Keep in cover here as the dataDyne troops up ahead have abnormally accurate weapons, especially on Perfect Agent. Over on the right side of the bridge you'll spot an M60 turret atop a stairwell, dash for it if you want the extra firepower. Up above that same stairwell you'll also find the raised ladder leading up the to the platforms above the bridge. Climb up if you've got the Loctopus, then crouch down as you move down the platforms as the soldiers below seem to have more interest in picking shots off at you than the CI soldiers peppering them from across the bridge.

From way up there you can easily fire remote rockets down at the mortar launchers, then use the zipline to sneak down to dataDyne's side of the bridge (but Joanna will probably dance on her way down from all that drawn fire). But back to Perfect Agent, without the Loctopus you'll need to do this the hard way. Stick with your CI buddies down your end of the bridge and pick off as many foes as possible with the Jackal. When it runs dry head back to the armoury and grab a FAC. Use that up on the remaining waves and keep an eye on the Shockwave-wielding CI soldier in case he falls.

When the noise stops and your opposition drys up, move on down the bridge and grab any compatible dropped weaponry for extra ammo (swap your FAC for a SuperDragon if you find one). Take a P90 and SuperDragon down to your end of the bridge before the next wave of enemies appear. Near the center of the bridge you'll find stairwells on either side leading down under the bridge, you can sneak through there and inside the lone pipe connecting the two halves, but on Perfect Agent it'll be too dangerous so stick to the top.

By now the spiderbots positioned on the platforms above the bridge will go off, and seeing as you've dealt with the ones down on the bridge itself you'll be clear to cross. Holster your weapon and get ready for a mad sprint. Watch dataDyne's end of the bridge, just as you reach the connecting section a swarm of soldiers will appear all over their half, run back to your side as quickly as possible (you can always grab a dropped Combat Shield and reverse into cover with it raised).

Your CI buddies will be following you by now, let them deal with dataDyne's troops and again keep an eye out for the Shockwave-wielding CI soldier. If he falls and you score the rifle, use it now more than ever. Otherwise, if you managed to grab any dropped SuperDragons or P90s from before use them now, focusing on headshots. Don't leave yourself exposed for too long as their accuracy can't be matched. The FAC's manual fire when zoomed won't help you much here so make sure you've got a P90 or SuperDragon ready. Run back inside the armoury for extra ammo and the vest (if you haven't grabbed it already).

Once this second wave ends, get your weapons ready down the CI end and move to the center of the bridge. Just as you cross over to dataDyne's half (and clear this objective), the final wave of soldiers will appear ahead and storm your position. Watch the staircase over on the left side for movement. There's something real weird with these guys, as their weapons seem to be far stronger than normal and can finish you in a few shots at close range. Run back to the CI-protected side of the bridge and take cover behind anything strong enough to guard you.

This final wave of soldiers is far more persistent than the initial two (dataDyne must have that cloning machine churning out five soldiers a minute). Hold your position and watch out for any soldiers rushing right up to you. When the madness ends, it's finally time to deal with those pesky mortar launchers. Go back for your Rocket Launcher and cross to dataDyne's side of the bridge. With no hostiles left (and an eerily deserted bridge), look up and fire a remote rocket at each mortar (but don't waste your remaining two rockets). You'll need to be close to avoid running out of rocket fuel, across the damaged section of the bridge should be close enough - but do not ascend the staircase to the balcony above just yet.

With both mortars out you're nearly home. If you've still got your Hawk handy, now's the time to use it. Keep a firm hold on the shrapnel shield as you climb up to dataDyne's encampment. Go up the stairs and turn right. You'll find the remains of two soldiers you sniped earlier (they'd be a pain to deal with if still standing). Keep following the path around here and through the following cave. Don't be surprised if a Plasma Rifle blast harmlessly bounces off your shrapnel shield - up here you'll have endless waves of Plasma Rifle-wielding ladies swarming in as a last-ditch effort to stop you reaching the Graal. Best way to avoid them is to keep moving and don't give them a chance to multiply.

Keep your shield on and they can't do squat (well, unless you let them melee-attack you, which is probably a bad idea). You'll find one of the ruined mortar launchers, pass by it and go inside the tunnel behind. Upon reaching the second downed launcher, run up the stairs beyond it. In the next empty room overlooking the bridge outside you'll find an exit out the back (the command bunkers beyond this room link around to the balcony). Run through the exit and dash for the narrow rocky canyon outside to finally catch up to Zhang Li for the final ultimate showdown.

Next Mission: Arena Showdown

Datacore Demolition | Nightclub Stakeout | Subway Retrieval | Rooftops Escape
Mansion Infiltration | Laboratory Rescue | River Extraction
Trinity Infiltration | Trinity Escape | Jungle Storm | Temple Surveillance
Outpost Rescue | Bridge Assault | Arena Showdown