Level Briefing: Kurt

Dr. Hawkins is unhappy that the ship is such a mess after the BFB was (temporarily) defeated in Level 3, so the Doc gets his computer to locate Kurt Hectic and “beam” him back to the ship. Kurt is left standing vulnerable in his skivvies, without his coil suit, but Dr. Hawkins swiftly supplies a new one. Armed only with his flashy suit and his wits, Kurt is transported to the Alien Orbiter far above Earth, charged with the task of recovering Max from Shwang.

• Enemies: Bottrock, Bifs, Coneheads, a Grunt, Samsmites, Ultra Bottrock.
• Boss: Shwang
• New Weapons/Items: Bouncing Sniper Bullets, Sniper Shield

Level 4 Strategy Contents:

• Area 1: In the Orbiter
• Area 2: Generator Room
• Area 3: The Spheres of Death
• Area 4: The Vortex
• Area 5: More Bifs and Punch Walls
• Area 6: Off Broadway
• Area 7: Bunker Action
• Area 8: The Fire Pit
• Area 9: The Chasm
• Area 10: Shwang!

Area 1: In the Orbiter

• Pick up the Sniper Shield in this room, and then shoot out the large window to the right.
• Enter sniper mode and activate the Sniper Shield. You’re after the three Bifs that are patrolling the area beyond the window.
• The Sniper Shield prevents you from taking damage from the Bifs’ missile attacks, but the Shield doesn’t last forever. It wears down as it takes hits, so work quickly.
• Take each Bif out with a Sniper Bullet. Remember—a single shot into the vulnerable eye in a Bif’s belt buckle, and he’s toast.
• The Bif in the corner may be more difficult to eliminate because you have to move into the open to get him. The good news is that this open space affords you plenty of room to dodge his missiles.
• Pick up the Super Chain gun and 50% Health power-up after you’ve butchered the Bifs.
• You can avoid the Bif’s missiles by sidestepping the second before the missile hits you. With this technique the missile not only misses you on the first pass, but on its second pass as well.
• Once you’ve cleared Area 1, shoot out the circular glass on the other end and jump up through the opening to Area 2.

Area 2: Generator Room

• Head down this tube-but be sure to activate your parachute before you reach the end or you’ll take damage when you hit the ground. Also, the Chute will help you get to a hidden room of power-ups.
• Secret - Blimp Bonuses: As you drift down the tubelike Blimp structure into Area 2, activate your Ribbon Chute as you pass into the room. It is possible to reach the Sniper Grenade, the Cloak, and the treasure trove inside of the blimp, if they are visited in that order.
• Getting from the ledge with the Sniper Grenade room to the Cloak requires a carefully positioned jump to a blimp, then walking across it to reach the Cloak.
• After you’ve picked up the extra goodies in and around the Blimp, drop down to the floor where you’ll see two Ultra Bottrocks, a Generator, and some Samsmites.
• One of the best ways to deal with the nasty Ultra Bottrock is to turn on sniper mode and go for head shots. You’ll be even more successful if you still have some Sniper Shield left.
• After you’ve sent the Ultra Bottrock to ultra death, use your Chain Gun to take out the Generator and any Samsmites that may come after you.
• You’ll see a Sniper Ball embedded in the floor. Shoot it to open the door to Area 3. And watch it here, cool Kurt—proceed with caution.

Area 3: The Spheres of Death

• As you move into this cavernous room, you’ll see the task ahead: the many Spheres of Death (SODs) hovering high above you. They’ll have to be eliminated before you can safely continue.
• Enter sniper mode and destroy the Spheres one by one. They’ll occasionally shoot at you, so be sure to sidestep.
• The Spheres of Death in this area do not lead your movement, so you can avoid their fire by simply moving from side to side.
• There are valuable Sniper Shields in the alcoves on both sides of the entrance to this area. Be sure to pick them up!
• After you’ve thwarted the SODs, move forward and pop the Sniper Ball that’s underneath this fan.
• Ride the fan’s air current up to the second level and jump off. You’ll notice four Sniper Balls in a row. Get ready for a challenge to your timing skills.
• When you shoot each of these Sniper Balls, a platform will temporarily appear above them. Your task is to shoot the four balls, then immediately jump on the platforms, eventually hopping up to the last ball.
• Timing is everything with the platform Sniper Balls. Each platform lasts only for brief interval, so you have to move and shoot quickly in order to complete the series of jumps necessary in the required time. Some folks like to shoot all four balls and go for it; some prefer to shoot, hop, shoot, hop, etc.
• When you reach the fourth ball and its platform, another ball under the fan will activate. Shoot this ball, and then jump with your Chute to the fan and ride the air current up.
• At the top of the fan’s uplift current, you’ll get a good look at the next three balls you’ll have to hit in order to activate their platforms. But don’t shoot yet—drop back down to the fan below.
• From the base of the fan, use sniper mode to shoot the middle of the three Sniper Balls. Then open your parachute, ride the fan up, and jump to the platform.
• Shoot the next (third) Sniper Ball and move to its platform. Aim at the ball underneath the fan, shoot it, and ride the current up once again.
• Had enough Sniper Balls? Let’s get outta here! At the top of this last fan ride, leap down and move toward the exit from this area.
• Before you head out, grab the Health power-ups on both sides of the exit. The exit leads into a twisting hallway; follow it to Area 4.

Area 4: The Vortex

• As you enter the Vortex, run and jump (using your parachute) so that you drift to the area on the other side of the room. It’s from this point that you’ll work to get out of this room.
• Vortex Balls are equipped with air currents (see Hectic Hint 2.1). Use sniper mode to shoot and stop these Balls in just the right spots. Line up the first two to achieve enough lift to make it to the ledge above.
• Hectic Hint 2.1: The Vortex Sniper Balls
  The Vortex Sniper Balls are unique because they have their own air currents that you can ride. The three balls in this area move up and down the Vortex chamber on their own, but you can bring them to a halt with a sniper shot. The key to getting out of this area is to snipe the balls and stop them at just the right spots, positioning them so that you can jump to them and ride their air currents up the shaft! This is tricky, and there’s no secret to getting it done. You just have to freeze the balls at the right point and then make your jumps properly.
• If the Vortex Balls are not exactly where you need them to be, simply shoot them again to start them moving, then shoot ’em again to stop them. You have unlimited chances to arrange the balls, even though you have to wait around a lot for them to move into position.
• Hidden Cloak
  You can capture a Cloak in here if you play your cards right. To get to it, enter each alcove all the way up to the top of the Vortex chamber, and then return to the bottom alcove. The Cloak will be waiting for you at the bottom.
• Continue shooting the Vortex Balls and moving up the chamber, rising from ledge to ledge.
• When you reach the upper ledge, you’ll find a Sphere of Death blocking your way. Use either your Chain Gun or Sniper Bullets to zap the SOD so you can continue.
• ly by positioning all of the Vortex Balls correctly and blowing away the SOD.
• The hallway out of Area 4 is laden with Sentry Guns. You can use your Sniper Bullets to take each Gun in one shot, or simply dodge their fire as you run by—it’s up to you.

Area 5: More Bifs and Punch Walls

• Enter Sniper Mode and take out the two Bifs in this area. There’s one above to your left and one below you. Important: Do not jump off the ledge you’re on untilthe Bifs are dead.
• Now jump off the ledge and use the Ribbon Chute to glide to the fan that’s immediately to your right.
• Ride the fan up and drift over to this corner hallway. Down the passage is a special area with some great loot.
• You don’t have to visit this corner hallway if you don’t want to, but it does hold some goodies and power-ups.
• Snatch the two Sniper Shields and the 25% Health power-ups before turning around and heading back the way you came.
• Of the two exit doors, the door on the right leads you to these Punch Walls. There is no real reason to visit this punch wall. All of the doors except the exit always have punching gloves behind them, never goodies.
• Now that you’re all plumped up with power-ups, you can venture into Area 6. Move to the exits and take the one furthest to the left.

Area 6: Off Broadway

• As you round the corner, pull up short when you see a red-curtained stage with a Bif, a Grunt, a Bottrock’s, and a Conehead. Don’t let them know you’re there; rather than charging into the room, just peek around the corner.
• Now get ’em—go into sniper mode and show these bad guys their Final Act. After all, whoever said “the show must go on” probably wasn’t an alien invader.
• One shot to the head will kill the creepy Grunt. The green goo contained by his helmet spills out into the air. Yeowza!
• Move to the stage and into the spotlight. “Dance” from side-to-side to entice the Bottrock’s in the balcony to break the glass in front of you.
• Your dance brings the Bottrock’s down from the balcony. Busted! When you take ’em out, the wall behind you breaks away, revealing a passage to the next area.

Area 7: Bunker Action

• This open area has three bunkers, and each bunker contains a Generator. The Generators are your goal; you have to put them out of commission in order to move on.
• Poopsies, Bottrock’s, and Mantas are buzzing around you, so keep moving to avoid getting hit.
• When you’ve knocked out all three Generators, the door opens so you can leave this bunker area.
• Follow the hallway to Area 8, where some Bifs will be waiting to say “hello” to you in their own special way. Slow down, oh stealthy one.

Area 8: The Fire Pit

• Here again, peek carefully around the corner rather than rushing into the fray. There’s a big fire pit in here, with three Bifs just waiting to wax you.
• Time to use the Sniper Shield! Try to hit the Bifs in their eyes. Remember, one hit to the eye will kill a Bif in one shot.
• Riding the Fire:
  Above the middle of the fire pit is another secret room. To get to it, use your Ribbon Chute. Get right in the middle of the fire to catch the air current there and ride it up. But beware—that air current exists only in the exact center of the fire pit! If you’re slightly off center one way or another, you’ll burn.
• Inside the secret room, Health, a Cloak, and Grenades are your rewards for a successful ride on this fiery blast.
• If you can get right in the exact middle of the fire pit, you can ride the hot air current to a concealed room and its considerable goodies.
• Pick up the booty you find in this secret area, and then drift back down to move ahead in Level 4.
• Head down the hallway toward the next room, and be ready to fight when you arrive.
• A battery of Sentries threatens you from the four main pipes in this room, as well as two Bifs at the bottom of the chamber. If you can, take ’em all out from the ledge before you jump down.
• If you don’t want to fight the Bifs and Sentries here, you can use a Cloak to hide yourself as you make your way through the chamber—a nifty way to stay safe if you’re low on Health.
• The exit from the area 8 room with the fan is in the pipe to the left of the entrance pipe.
• Activate the fan by shooting the Sniper Ball beneath it, then jump up on the fan and ride its airflow up the chamber.
• When the fan carries you up to this exit point, drift over and head out. There’s a checkpoint at the end of the hallway.

Area 9: The Chasm

• A deep and dark abyss lies between you and where you need to go. To get across, you’ll have to hit some Sniper Balls with special Bouncing Sniper Bullets.
• To get the Bouncing Bullets, jump off the ledge and ’Chute to the right until you see this power-up. Grab it.
• Turn back and look for the fan (you’ll be able to see the air rising). Use it to gain altitude.
• Glide into this “cave-like” area that’s set into the wall. From this passage you can just barely spy the Generator on the other side of the Chasm.
• Use sniper mode to take out the Generator. From your position, you can only see the very edge of your target, but that’s enough. Knock out the Generator and then toast the Bottrock's.
• From the “cave” you can zoom in with your Sniper Helmet. Focus on the purple target, and fire at this with your new Bouncing Bullets. You’ll be halfway to getting the bridge activated.
• Sniping the purple targets is much easier when standing on the small ledge at the opening of each "cave".
• Jump back to the main area at the edge of the Chasm. Then jump out and to the left, where you’ll find another cave.
• Focus on the power-up that’s floating in midair; just above and beyond is another purple target. Shoot it with a Bouncing Bullet to activate the bridge. You can now run, jump across the Chasm, and glide to the next area.

Area 10: Shwang!

• Head on into this central area to find good ol’ Max. A cut-scene awaits.
• Cocky Max isn’t looking very confident. You’ll need to cut him down from his strings. And when you do, you’ll find out firsthand the size and scope of your evil enemy, Shwang.
• Shwang will hang over the side of the room you’re in and try to swat you with his hand. He’ll also zing a fire-bolt at you out of his eyes. All of these moves are to be avoided!
• You have to snipe Shwang in the eye three times in order to defeat him in this first area. Use a Sniper Shield (you should still have one) to make this easier. (see hectic hint 2.2)
• Hectic Hint 2.2: Outshooting Shwang
  To get Max free and back into action, you’ll have to outduel Shwang in three areas. Two of these three battles require you to be in sniper mode, so be ready to do some dancing and aiming with the hood down if you want to be successful.
• In the first room, he’ll be hanging over the edge of the walls trying to swat you with his hands.
• The second confrontation has you trying to fire at his hand so he’ll drop Max outright.
• After shooting Max out of Shwang's hands, he can not be finished off by using Kurt's Chain Gun. It requires sniping the switches on the walls as Shwang gets close to them to cause a big laser to shoot him. Continue doing this until he is dead.
• By the way—now is the time to use any extra Sniper Shields you may have saved, because you won’t be able to carry them forward to Kurt’s next level in Act III.
• After you’ve landed three dead-on sniper hits to Shwang’s eyes, the walls of the room will crumble away. and you’ll be facing the evil one across a circular pit.
• Shoot Shwang’s hand several times to free Max. This is a tough shot, but stay in sniper mode and keep moving. You’ll get it.
• Max is free! Now you can simply open up the old guns and let ’er rip! Lay some pain on Shwang, but watch out for the Flaming Samsmites that’ll come rolling at you in pairs.
• Shwang will leap around and try to jump you; it’s not hard to avoid these feeble threats, so just keep moving. Fire on Shwang until you’ve worn him down to end the level.