Public Commander Keen Forum

I recently did a full galaxy run of CK4 and CK5 to finish both games on hard without saving and without taking a Lifewater Flask or Keg O' Vitalin more than once (e.g. if you die mid-game, you cannot take it again). I was able to finish CK4 (w/o Pyramid of the Forbidden) and CK5, both with only two lives remaining, but I cannot seem to accomplish it when I have to complete Pyramid of the Forbidden.

Top three hardest levels throughout CK4 and CK5 for me were:
1. Pyramid of the Forbidden
2. Isle of Fire
3. Gravitational Damping Hub

Close tie between #2 and #3.

Has anyone been able to complete Pyramid of the Forbidden without saving?

The worst part for me is the slug right at the start of the second section, where you have to get off the moving platform onto the ground and very quickly shoot it. If I load right after it, I can finish the rest of the level in a couple tries. Unfortunately it took dozens of tries to get that savepoint, so a full run without saving would be very hard...

JackDaniels^ wrote: ↑Sun Mar 26, 2023 20:38 Has anyone been able to complete Pyramid of the Forbidden without saving?

I did on Hard, many years ago. I even did something of a speedrun by making it in pace of a certain high-beat music track. It took me something between 50 and 100 tries.

I had it recorded and uploaded on YouTube. Then I went stupid and deleted the video, and now it's gone forever

There are others who've speedran the level on Hard since.

I could do it with enough practice. Maybe I should attempt

I got the platinum relic on Stormy Ascent in the Crash remakes, so I'm sure with enough persistence I could do this. Whether I want to or not is another matter... As is how many attempts it would take.

As a Keener who tries to complete levels without in-level saving Pyramid of the Forbidden is one of the very few levels that I was never able to do that.