So I picked up this a couple of days ago, and it seems pretty cool. I've never played the original Escape from Butcher Bay, so I figured this was an excellent opportunity. Thing is, the game is sort of frustrating me.

The part I'm stuck on has me crawling through a gap in the wall, turning a valve to stop fumes to impeding my progress, and fight a couple of patrol goons.

I only have a single block of health left, due to some very bad play in the earlier parts of this stage, but I can get around the guards by shooting them all in the face as they're turning the corner.

But then I'm ambushed and this robot comes down with an elevator, and always proceeds to destroy me.

I've already checked walkthroughs, and they tell me that I can avoid the robot by getting him to come after me and then dashing for the elevator, but I can't get it to work. I've tried luring him into one of the alcoves and then going for it, but he always manages to spot me in time, and for some bleeping reason, pressing the Y button in front of the elevator console, like the game is telling me to, doesn't freakin' work. Riddick doesn't do anything when I hit Y, and the damn robot is pelting me with gatling gun fire as I'm standing around in front of these stupid elevator controls. With only a single block of health, I can't afford to stand around either, because it degenerates extremely fast.

Am I simply bad at this game? I can't get the hang of the stealth either. Having watched Pitch Black, I was assuming Riddick could see in the dark. However, when I crouch in the shadows, the blue haze gives me ever so slight improvements to my vision, but I can still only barely see a couple of feet in front of me. Furthermore, the guards always seem to spot me, even when I'm not moving, the blue tint tells me I should be hidden, and they're not shining their flashlights on me.

Can anyone offer some tips? Should I simply keep playing and attempt to kill the stupid robot? Will I get better at being stealthy by just playing, or am I missing something key to getting around guards without having to resort to shooting them in the face, a rather unsubtle tactic.
 
Any help would be much appreciated.

yo dude, everyone has trouble on this level.  
you should immediately go right when you enter the room.  
climb over the block and kil that guy, then hide under the platform and wait for another guy to walk over and check on him, walk up and snap his neck. the just play cat and mouse killing the next two guy, remaining behind cover as much as possible. after they are dead, the robot enters, so as soon as you kill the last guy you need to climb up onto the platform you were just hiding behind. the robot cannot shoot you up there. shoot the "heavy guard", as its referred to, in the back about 4 times and it should die. you cant operate that elevator until it is killed. 
 
and if you haven't noticed, in the beginning of the game riddick doesnt have the shades on. its because he didn't recieve the eye shine yet.  
if you rewatch pitch black, you'll learn thathe recieved that ability while at butcher bay. you'll get the eye shine about midway through the game i believe. the blue tint is to show you that you are hidden and cant be seen.  if the guards spot you and see you run to a shadow they most likely will keep shooting you though. 
 
its a game that, if you are sharp, there is always a quick and clever way to beat every situation, be it conveniently placed barrels or high up platforms to hide on. remember to always shoot out the lights too.