trle.net ::: Level Reviews

Level:	London - The City
Author(s):	deskj

total rating:	5.83	Gameplay & Puzzles	Enemies, Objects & Secrets	Atmosphere, Sound & Cameras	Lighting & Textures
	Anurag	7	8	6	6
	CC	4	4	6	6
	eTux	3	4	5	4
	Gerty	4	6	6	6
	Jay	4	4	7	7
	Kristina	6	7	7	7
	MichaelP	6	8	5	6
	Orbit Dream	3	6	6	7
	Sash	6	6	7	6
	Yoav	6	6	7	8
	category averages (10 reviews)	4.90	5.90	6.20	6.30

Reviewer's comments

"Well, I don't recall ever playing a London level set in winter, so I'll give as much credit to the author (which may or may not have only been an excuse to use the nice outfit Lara is wearing), but apart from that this has beginner's level written all over it, despite this being the second level of the author I've played. The rooms are large and underutilized, textures at times are stretched, at times compressed, at times missing altogether, the tasks don't really make a lot of sense - basically revolving around killing SAS, dogs, and activating levers - and you might actually have a better time if you set out to deliberately look for the level's secrets. At least I liked the one that was hidden behind the fake wall you have to drive through with the motorbike. While the bikes you encounter seem to be redundant from the point of view of gameplay, you'll sorely miss them once you start covering the huge rooms on foot. The final guess-the-deadly-tile puzzle was ok, but the place I was stumbled the most was the beginning, considering that the spot where you have to climb on top of the middle section of a limousine to jump over deadly floor tiles did not seem obvious at all. Other things characteristic to this level are the nice colour of sky and the awfully long climbing walls. I suppose you could do much worse, but if you don't have any high expectations, you might do fine in this one too." - eTux (13-Sep-2011)

"A good level with some good objects and a neat bike wall secret and some bike riding will also take place." - Anurag (24-Jul-2005)

“After an initial climb Lara steps out onto an outstretching girder overlooking the cold snow dusted streets of London and thinks to herself ‘I wouldn’t mind spending about half an hour shooting some dogs and their owners and going in search of well nothing maybe instead of having a look inside any of these large buildings I might just take a detour through the sewers after all it’s probably warmer and more sweet smelling down there this being London and all’ so off she goes and she also mentally apologises to all the Londoners that may be reading this for that little tongue in cheek jab at their wonderful city. Although there seems to be a plethora of ‘hmmm why what’ moments like being given a bike when you find the first secret all gold roses but there really isn’t anywhere to go with it climbing a wall covered in vines the wall suddenly ends but you can still climb against nothing but the distant red horizon (which actually looks quite pretty) to shoot a too high grill so you can enter a crawlspace you need to use the revolver and scope and what do you find inside the crawlspace a scope the fact you can lower a cage that guards a jump switch by merely standing on a crate when it seems the intended route involves a limo ladder climb button push different cage lowering and different jump switch to pull once in the sewers there is a climbable wall that takes you nowhere at all but to the ceiling that after you get rewarded for finding the second secret with a crossbow and explosive arrows you then just get given them again seconds later for doing absolutely nothing when you pull a jump switch to open a set of large metal gates one actually opens up on Lara when she drops from the switch and would in real life have crushed every bone in her body and finally the last and for me fourth secret gives you shotgun ammo but no shotgun and no shotgun found throughout (maybe I missed a secret) and anyway at this point you should have killed every enemy and finish only seconds later this was still a nicely involving level and I enjoyed it quite a bit though I would have liked it to have been longer and had some time spent inside some buildings.” – Sash (24-Jan-2004)

“Ok so there are quite a few thin walls and stretched textures you can see the black void from above and because of the sheer size of the place the horizon disappears and later there is a deathtrap without a clue but that all aside this is a charming (if short at 30 minutes) raid in a city setting with many jumpswitches to pull bats SAS and dogs to kill and many things that come in pairs: two lasersights two secrets two bikes two desert eagles. Those sewers are huge. Worth noting the very nice outfit. Try it.” – Michael (06-Jan-2004)

“Two laser sights? It's not as though you could possibly miss the first one. However. Starting on the rooftops of the city you soon make your way down to ground level pick up some fire power and a motorbike. The bike doesn't serve any practical purpose it just saves your legs when exploring the large area. From this rather attractive city setting you descend into the sewers and huge sterile industrial looking sewers they are too. Shoot a guard and a couple of bats and make your way into another outside area where a second motorbike awaits you. This one is a bit more useful as you need it to access a secret and it certainly comes in handy for running over dogs and guards. One final area with a couple of switches to pull and you can make your escape. Thirty minutes of simple straightforward raiding that would be most suitable for a new raider.” – Jay (04-Jan-2004)

“I suspect that this is a first from this author. Climbing on that structure you could see a lot of texture was missing also the so called horizon disappeared. It might be a city but London it isn't. The first jump was rather fiendish and it looks like the author was afraid that you might miss a pick up as I found two sights and two crossbows. The secrets are there in plain sight you even stumble over them. Oh and I even got the use of two bikes how friendly. You don't need them as you could do everything on foot but give it a go anyway. Enemies are dogs some bats and guards. Finding buttons and levers so you can open some huge gates. You even travel through some sewers with nasty looking water. Don't be too hasty to dive into the water although it is fun to do. This one does have a lot potential but it didn't pan out. 07-12-2003” – Gerty (23-Dec-2003)

“Lara is in a new comfy jumper and hat and orange trousers. I thought the buildings balconys streets and sky at the beginning were well done the high plain walls were a bit boring but further into the level it starts to become very odd altogether. A couple of end of worlds huge rooms (I can’t call them streets) and peculiar architecture. Gameplay is very easy with pull-down switches and a short bike ride (that bike looks great). I did like that block hopping over the burning floor although that was easy too. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how to get to that last rose on top of the odd buildings at the end. Apart from the under-enthusiasm I had for this and I’ve played Home Sweet Home I believe Francesco is a level builder to keep an eye on for the future. Well done.” – CC (10-Dec-2003)

“I don’t if it snows in London but in the level there is ice everywhere. Lara in a warm very nice outfit has to face dogs and SAS open gates and push buttons to reach the end. There are fire traps and four secret golden roses to find from which I found three and the fourth with help. I would like to be able to explore the inside of the buildings as well but there is only access to some of the balconies and a cut off bridge. There isn’t much really I would even dare to say that finding the secrets hide more challenge than the gameplay itself. It’s a pity the large areas with the water around weren’t taken advantage to the maximum and served only a passing point. Nevertheless it’s an enjoyable level and worth a try.” – Kristina (09-Dec-2003)

“This is another one of those levels which left me with more questions than answers at its end. It begins rather well in a quite effectively realised London square and involves some target shooting and switch pulling before relocating to a large metallic sewer; at which point it becomes silly and rather aimless. The gameplay practically disappears and the level comes to an abrupt halt shortly thereafter leaving many unanswered questions. There were several places I never got to visit; the whole environment (although constructed with some degree of personal vision) was too surreal to convey much atmosphere; and everywhere the draw-distance limitations were made uncomfortably obvious. An interesting and worthy first effort but unfortunately rather unsatisfying nonetheless.” – Orbit Dream (08-Dec-2003)

“The gameplay is in London city you need to find some switches to opening gates and of course there will be SAS men trying to stop you Also some dogs and motorbikes yes there are two nice city level.” – Yoav (08-Dec-2003)