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Level: Palace 1 back home search
Author(s): Richard Ba
total rating:5.48 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Bene 8 6 7 7
bERT 5 6 6 6
eRIC 3 5 6 5
eTux 3 3 5 3
Gerty 5 5 6 5
Jay 5 4 6 7
Kristina 5 6 6 6
MichaelP 6 5 6 5
Moonpooka 6 6 7 7
Obig 6 6 7 7
Orbit Dream 5 6 5 5
RaiderGirl 6 5 6 6
Sash 4 4 5 4
category averages
(13 reviews)		 5.15 5.15 6.00 5.62

Reviewer's comments

"Among Ricardo’s first levels , this one was a bit longer with 15 minutes but it is mainly because I spent much of the time searching for the invisible key holes. The best worst idea I’ve seen in level for a long time ! SAS and skeletons in this eclectic level which is a mix of army base and underground basements with Egyptian objects. The flipmaps are very well made and the long flyby is particularly well executed." - eRIC (03-Feb-2008)

“This is my favorite of this authors levels so far and hopefully only the beginning of many as he learns new tricks with the level editor and branches out into longer levels with more challenging puzzles. Don’t expect a fancy palace here as the name implies. The building isn't too fancy but there are some cool effects a neat water room lots of puzzle pieces to find and at least one secret though you have only one chance to get it. Perfect if you're looking for a short easy fifteen minute level.” – RaiderGirl (28-Oct-2003)

“Firstly I have no idea why this is called palace anything as it seems to be a mix of base/house textures. Secondly I thought the invisible keyhole at the start was a bit naughty - I only found it by accident. I liked the water effect in the nice tile puzzle room and the flyby for the timeless sands was rather spectacular. Basically you need to find a key a gem two cartouches the timeless sands and another key (blow me another invisible keyhole). For such a short level it managed to pack quite a lot in. A good little coffee break diversion. 21.09.2003” – Jay (22-Sep-2003)

“It maybe would have been a better solution if the author had edited together the 4 self-contained levels. He maybe would have got a far better appreciation. So this is a very short level although I preferred it mostly amongst the 4 levels. You have to collect 2 Palace Keys 2 Holy Scriptions the Blue Gem and The Time Artifact. Meanwhile Soldiers a Dog and 2 Skeletons try to stop Lara but you have weapon if you have found the only secret: the Uzi The ShotgunAK and the Revolver. The textures are nice and there are also some added sounds. It’s good for some relaxation.” – Obig (18-Sep-2003)

“I may be in the minority here but I liked this short level very much. There is a mix of textures and rooms that don't seem to match very well but interesting game play. I particularly liked the placing of the gem and the animated falling through to a swimming area. Nothing very difficult here (although I did not get the secret) and maybe that's why I enjoyed it - makes a nice change. The disappearing demigod (after a save) was strange and the missing key hole had me running around in circles trying to figure it out..........but I'm sure that was unintentional on the builder's part and a bit funny in retrospect.” – Bene (17-Sep-2003)

“Very short level that was better called 'Water the palace' because basically that's what you do flooding the lower part of a building (not much of palace me thinks...). This was not that bad for the level includes a little tile puzzle a good fly-by (the flooding of the lower section) and good static camera views (for example with the Timeless sands statue). Textures are a bit weirdly mixed but in a weird kind a way they work nevertheless. Enemies include one dog soldiers and skeletons. One drop down in the water could have been done better as far as the camera work is concerned. Not boring but over quick.” - bERT (15-Sep-2003)

“Well another short level from this author but I must say an enjoyable one. There was a nice mixture with the textures and although the skellies couldn't be killed this time they weren't too much of a problem. There was a nice intro to the level but I was waiting for some music to happen here. You have to find a key to get a gem to open a trap door below you then enter another area there's a small trap puzzle to do and the water effects were nice. Collect the sands of time and two Ba cartouches to get the final key to leave all the pickups were set out nicely. I had a weird carry on with my key holes and Egyptian statues disappearing and two things left me wondering as to what their purpose was one was the swinging balls to shoot after replay and not shooting them it made no difference to the level and also the bones in the skellie area had no purpose other than to add to the decoration but that's not a complaint as they looked well here. Hmmmm wonder what the swinging balls did though? But all in all I did enjoy the level it's clear the author has some great ideas and building skills and sometimes the shorter levels do make a nice break.” – Moonpooka (15-Sep-2003)

“Of all four recently released levels by this author this was the longest but at just over 15 minutes that isn’t saying a great deal. In this one you find yourself in a bit of a mish mesh of areas there is the starting area that looks a little like a dungeon then you are in an area that is industrial and finally in a church like area with mansion textures. There are a handful of objects to find and place like usual but when you collect two different keys the locks disappear I’m not even sure if there was a second lock to start with so you have to just place the keys where you think they should be. You’ll find a couple of skeletons SAS a dog a misleading tile jump puzzle and one secret that is only accessible for a small period of time. Probably my favourite so far but still as you can tell by my scores not a great level by any means.” – Sash (14-Sep-2003)

“A totally different level with Lara in her catsuit now and fifteen minutes of game play. At first it looks like a high tech level then something like a house with Egyptian and custom objects. You need a blue gem two cartouches and the Timeless Sands plus two keys. The puzzle with the tiles was nice although too easy and one torch to light is what you have to do. There is a problem though; the lock for the second Palace key is invisible so just use it on the brown texture at the right side of the door. I didn’t get the secret with the guns at the beginning. This time we have SAS and a dog to kill.” – Kristina (14-Sep-2003)

“Yet another short level - as others from the author - the fly-by that showed how the timeless sands arrived near it's receptacle was nice am wondering why there was a gunshot sound included as the only way you could get any extra firearms was by cheating. The looks are not very pleasant for the eye since this is a mix of Lara's house VCI base and castle and not a very successful one in my opinion. Try this if you're interested.” – eTux (14-Sep-2003)

“This is again rather short at about 15 minutes and also a weird mix of rooms and textures with Castle Base and Home influence. As known by now from this author the flybys are a little different to the norm some interesting fixed camera angles are added here as well. Enemies are SAS and a dog and a few skeletons that destroy bones for you but I am not sure if that did anything. Two keys two cartouches timeless sands and a gem to collect and use. Again interesting use of flipmaps although it was strange that suddenly the demigod statues disappeared and with them the lock for the final key – ah well you can unlock the door even without the lock being there.” – Michael (13-Sep-2003)

“My download only worked with renaming the castle.tr4 into tut1.tr4 and using the original dat files. But I didn't get the download Michael provided. Starting off in a room with a closed door in need of a key and a gem. I saw the gem but where was the key? Going through this castle I found a key got the gem and after placing that I found myself swimming. Getting up in a room there it started to get a bit strange as the first time around gave me two demigods and two skeletons a reload gave me only two skeletons so I went with those. Find that torch which is rather well hidden that opens a door. There are tiles you have to jump to look in that room for the solution although the last tile you can figure out. Finding 2 Cartouche and the timeless sands will give you another key. In the whole game there is no key hole so go back to the room where those skeletons are/were and place it on the wooden thing. That is the end of this level. 12-09-2003” – Gerty (13-Sep-2003)

“A very strange location; part mansion part VCI part Tomb. I WOULD have been able to solve the puzzle with the torch with or without Gerty's help but do you know what? She'd never believe me! Anyway there were a few bugs with the use of saved games which could hamper a players progress but I've added a point for the secret room which (although possibly only a deception) I was unable to open.” – Orbit Dream (13-Sep-2003)
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