The Die Is Cast

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The Die Is Cast
General information
Location	Rome, Italy
Date	May 22, 2112
Objective	Main Find Carter and Father Mikhail. Proceed to the ruins to get to the Colosseum. Optional Neutralize the enemy portal for Professor Kiesel.
Game information
Par time	40 minutes
Secrets	7
Previous level	Gates of Hell
Next level	Morituri Te Salutant

 

"Sometimes you get lucky. And sometimes your team gets trapped in the catacombs."

―NETRICSA mission quote

"The Die Is Cast" is the fifth level of Serious Sam 4.

Plot

With the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the HAARP Mission a success, all enemy air traffic in the region has been effectively grounded. However, the mission was of course without its risks; the Alien Artifact Acquisition team barely escape with their lives, and also lose one of their soldiers and a good friend, Jones, in the process.

Meanwhile, Carter and Father Mikhail make it back into Rome, but Quinn soon loses contact with them due to the seismic activity that occurred in the area after Vesuvius erupted. Quinn speculates that they are hiding in the catacombs beneath the Colosseum. General Brand orders Sam and Rodriguez to go into Rome to rescue them.

Side objectives

"Portal Kombat"

Halfway through the level, there is an archway leading to a large open area with some ruins. When the player heads there, Professor Kiesel will inform Sam of an enemy portal which is being used to transport Lord Achriman's troops into Rome. The professor gives Sam instructions on deactivate its transdimensional anchors with the use of five switches. Completing this side objective will award the player with three Black Hole gadgets.

S.A.M. locations

1. There are no S.A.M. eggs in this level.

Secrets

1. At the beginning of the level, jump on the wall and walk along the building until you get to a balcony. Jump over the railing to reach an ammo depot.
2. When you arrive in the garage area, get on the white van and jump on the roof nearby. Jump on the pipe of the building and approach the edge to find some sniper ammo.
3. After the big fight in the area where you obtain the grenade launcher, you will soon come across some ruins. Go through the hole in the wall, then climb the wall and jump to reach a secret depot containing health, ammo and armor.
4. Back on the path to the main objective, stand on the small raised area against the wall and jump over the metal fencing to get some ammo and armor.
5. Just after the previous secret, pass the grid and destroy one of the two pillars (which will spawn a Sirian Werebull) and have the Werebull ram you onto the ledge. Collect the time warp there to register the secret.
6. In the ruins where the optional side quest is, climb on the sandbags, then go through hole in the wall. Once inside, you'll see some rockets in the shape of an arrow pointing towards a pill bottle. Pick up the bottle and then immediately leave the hole, as picking up the bottle will spawn 3 Major Bio-mechanoids.
7. Still in the area of the secondary objective, take the path to a dead end and shoot the orb behind the wall to register the companion orb secret.

Related achievements

	Hard Science Fiction 15
	Get a weaponized black hole, using science.

	All Roads Lead To Rome 10
	Head into Rome. Ditch Rodriguez.

Trivia

• The name of this level is a reference to Julius Caesar's famous quote, Alea iacta est, which means the "point of no return".
• The name of the side objective, "Portal Kombat", is a play on the popular American media franchise of fighting video games Mortal Kombat.