Stuck on the sand trap (spoiler) -- is it somehow skippable?

[oedipus]

An older gamer here -- the reflexes ain't what they used to me. But I figured with combat turned down to 'light'/easy, I'd be able to manage, especially since I'm perfectly happy to plan things out and sneak around.

And mostly I've succeeded, though the fight with the blind giant almost did me in. But there doesn't seem to be a way for me to complete the next sand trap puzzle: I keep hitting jump, make it to the ledge, leap, slide, and exactly *once* was able to grapple (but still died anyway). Who's idea was it to include a timed platforming sequence? To me, it's brutal. Is there any way to reduce its difficulty? It's driving me nuts that I can't continue through a puzzle that's unlike anything before (except perhaps the opening tutorial, and that was *way* easier). I'm so frustrated!

[Hampster-Style]

When it starts filling up look up for the exit and spam jump towards it. This should keep you on top of sand until the height level reaches it to leave.
Stay awesome!

[oedipus]

Sorry, I was unclear -- I can make it to the ledge, it's the sequence afterwards that I can't manage (it's leap, slide, rappel?) In any case, the sand always gets me before I escape out the tunnel.

[Hampster-Style]

There's a whip swing at the end of run/jump part during sand trap sequence of "Idol of Ra."

[halfmonkey]

I failed this a few times (well...maybe five or more...) and I think this is one of those AAA games that will deliberately gimp difficulty after numerous failures.
By the sixth or seventh try, it seemed to get a little slower with more generous prompts.

The airplane dogfight/chase is most certainly made easier after failing too often. By the umpteenth try, the last enemy went down in a single, loosely aimed shot...

[joridiculous]

Originally posted by oedipus:

Sorry, I was unclear -- I can make it to the ledge, it's the sequence afterwards that I can't manage (it's leap, slide, rappel?) In any case, the sand always gets me before I escape out the tunnel.

That one was glitching for me, the prompt, for the swing disappeared as fast as it appeared.

Sequence, is run/slide, swing -jump(careful to not move to much right before swing or you get stuck in a hole) and you're out

[oedipus]

A follow-up: I think I was also glitching -- the prompt was only there for a nano-second. So I put the game down for a few days, picked it up again, and this time I didn't have to swing at *all*. I fell in the hole, took some damage, and then scrambled out. Maybe the game gets 'easier' after reloading from a save? A baffling sequence. Am now happily in the next section of the game!