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Level: Excavation/Temple of Icheb back home search
Author(s): Snap125
total rating:7.91 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Andi Croft 9 8 8 8
Dimpfelmoser 8 9 8 8
eTux 7 6 8 6
Freeman Porter 8 10 8 8
Gerty 8 9 8 9
Jez 8 8 9 9
Kristina 7 7 7 7
MichaelP 8 9 8 7
Orbit Dream 9 8 7 7
Phil 8 8 7 7
Qwendo 9 10 9 8
RaiderGirl 8 8 8 8
Sash 8 10 8 9
Tombaholic 9 9 8 7
Treeble 6 7 8 7
Xxenofex 6 8 6 6
category averages
(16 reviews)		 7.88 8.38 7.81 7.56

Reviewer's comments

"This two-part adventure would have been much more fun had it not been for the unremitting darkness. Dark levels never fail to rob me of much of the joy that would otherwise have been mine in navigating my way through a raid that offers much in its engaging tasks. I would never have found the ladder that enabled me to climb up and over an impassable cave pit had not Dutchy's walkthrough informed me that it was there. And that Jeep ride at the end was made in complete blackness, because for some reason the headlights weren't working, and the terrain was such that you couldn't simply get out and make your way on foot with the help of flares. Although I was able to appreciate the builder's craft for the fifty minutes that I spent here, this is a level that will soon be forgotten and will never make my replay list." - Phil (11-Apr-2012)

"What a fun double level this is. The first part has a major fog effect on the huge shaft, so it had me killed one time before realizing the proper way down to the ground floor. From there on, it's a pretty straightforward adventure with the exception of the underwater maze, but the walkthrough mention on it makes it clearly a simple one. It blends perfectly ancient and modern textures and the chase in the end makes it a grand finale for this otherwise short adventure. 30 minutes, 4 secrets. 08/07" - Treeble (10-Aug-2007)

“The level starts in a heavily guarded excavation site which Lara must make her way through. Then she travels down a lift to emerge in a temple that presumably is being researched. The gameplay is not always linear with not many puzzles. The enemies are well placed being soldiers bugs and a welcome appearance by the bull and the dragon from The Last Revelation. Atmosphere was very appropriate for an underground level with a variety of textures both from the tut1 level and some original ones too. Well worth a play.” – Jez (15-Aug-2004)

“It’s a dark level with good element thought. You start outside in caves and by going down you meet SAS guards and then you work your way to the house avoiding a few traps with balls that pop out blades. You push some buttons and there is a vraeus to get. I hated the locusts at the second level not to mention the dragon that was setting Lara on fire all the time; it took me forever to push the levers and finish with that room. There are bulls and a jeep ride with the level ending after forty minutes with four secrets. It’s a nice level do give it a try.” – Kristina (03-Sep-2003)

“Although the Statistics declared that I had taken around 45 minutes to complete this in total it must have been closer to 2 hours. There's so much to do here that it seems churlish to complain about the awful underwater maze or the somewhat obscure key-hole. The first level involves rather dark exploration but is enjoyable all the same; while the 2nd is absolutely action packed and a real thrill. You name it it's in there and provides the adventure with a marvelous fast-moving finale. Some of the consequences of button activation (or earthquakes) could have been shown a little more implicitly but there's nothing that a thorough search can't uncover (including quite a few well-placed secrets). All in all this is a lovely 'mini-epic' and I would recommend it to anyone.” – Orbit Dream (18-May-2003)

“These two levels reminded me of a cross between the Settomb levels and the city levels and had both caves and a base to explore for a Golden Vreaus and two sets of keys. I went back and forth between the levels as it wasn't always apparent what to do next - I couldn't figure out where to use the gate keys that led to the jeep till I read in someone else's review about an invisible keyhole and finally found it on the top floor of the base. There are some dramatic moments along the way as when you pick up the jeep keys it wakes up a fire/locust breathing dragon and then when you make it to the next room there are two bulls to deal with. My favorite was definitely the jeep ride at the end though - there are some soldiers to run over and another jeep to chase. Unfortunately just as you catch up to it the level ends.” – RaiderGirl (02-Jan-2003)

“What a great game this was and thanks to Torry I could play it. You start way up in a cave and you have to find your way down. Getting the crowbar and finding already some extra weapons (did get at least 3 shotguns) now you need to find your way into the compound. SAS men are the enemy here. Opening doors and getting the revolver and laser sight should be a tip off so remember…target shooting. Do get the vraeus as you need it in the Icheb level. Very well done the sprinklers I have to say. The dragon made me jump in my chair as it suddenly lowered his head over Lara and she was ‘stuck’ in its mouth. And if that is not enough there is also a bull. Other enemies you encounter are bees and more SAS men. The locust kept coming and I was glad I found those medpacks though. Then there is an earthquake not a long one and you have to go back to the first level to ride that jeep. I found 5 secrets on the way. 22-12-2002” – Gerty (29-Dec-2002)

“I think this is the only level I know of where you have to face the two most dreaded enemies -the fire and locusts spitting dragon and the raging bull- in a quick succession. It's a great thrill and definitely the highpoint of this exiting adventure. I was really surprised to reach the end after only 50 minutes bearing in mind that this is a double feature and I would have liked to raid some more in Icheb. You start out in gloomy Karnak caverns but once you spot the wrought iron hut and get shot at by SAS guards you know that this is not your typical Karnak quest. I think the odd mix of settings tasks and enemies works very well and it goes to show that you can combine almost every element if you bother to throw in a storyline as well. You get a bit of everything and at the end there's even a jolly ride with the jeep. Secrets are fairly easy to find and rather useless while the gameplay is not that difficult either. But the atmosphere is really gripping and for me the most exiting thing was that you could never be sure what awaited you behind the next door. Great fun.” – Dimpfelmoser (06-Sep-2002)

“Wonderfully set in a military base residing inside an enclosed cavern of a mountain this double-leveled game is a whole lot of fun to play. This 50 minutes level has some really great aspects including a drivable jeep a terrifyingly unexpected giant serpent a couple of bulls deadly traps 6 secrets and so much more. The progression although kind of linear was sometimes downright stupefying for me and twice I had to wonder what my next move was one of those times was very early in the game where I thought I would just give up but perseverance and a lot of nosing around got me through. If you’re looking for a good mix of puzzling and action then I recommend this highly.” - Sash (21-Jun-2002)

“A real fun adventure which nicely opens up in the course of the gameplay. Starting out in a Settomb WAD style with a brownish excavation site and lots of cobwebs you have to find a way down through the fog and then make your way through a little underwater maze some slicers and blade traps to reach a building with nice objects and furniture where some precise shooting is required. I found some of the texturing a little repetitive but the atmosphere created is very nice. I reached the second level 'Icheb' after 15 minutes for the first time (nice elevator effect) but had to go back to fetch the vraeus. Icheb is where the action is: wasps a brilliant appearance of the fire and locust-spitting dragon when you pick up the jeep keys and two bulls cross your way. One of the wasps actually drops an Uzi when dying (weird!). You then come back find the jeep and make your escape actually following that other jeep running over a few more SAS after having killed a dozen already throughout the level and jump to the end after about 45 minutes. I found 4 secrets and sadly could not ride any of the two motorbikes.” – Michael (21-Jun-2002)

“This is a very fun level with some good puzzles and traps (and a jeep to drive! although it would have been nice to drive it a little longer). Some new enemies really liven things up and I would have given it a 10 for enemies except for the wave after wave (perhaps 20 swarms) of locusts that kept attacking at one point (perhaps a problem with a trigger - if not it's just extremely annoying). The other thing that detracted greatly from enjoyment of the level is the poor lighting with virtually no ambient lighting or nuance. Otherwise an excellent and fun level.” – Tombaholic (21-Jun-2002)

“10 points for that fire spitting dragon! This level (or rather these two levels) has a lot to offer: great atmosphere nice enemies the already mentioned dragon bulls a jeep and lots of SAS soldiers. Difficulty is more on the medium side but the traps are not as boring as in many other levels. I got stuck once with 2 keys but no lock for them. It is a little dark in places but there are flares around. Bottomline a fun hour to play.” - Qwendo (21-Jun-2002)

“Brilliant double level with some specials never seen in a custom level the big dragon is brilliant. Always spitting swarms of locusts or even fire there is no time for standing still. Also nice the jeep-driving at the end a must-have-played level.” – Freeman Porter (21-Jun-2002)

“This is a nice small-double-game. The first part in the graves and the second part in the basis. The textures are fine and the dragon is very nice. There are some tricky boulder traps and some enemies (guards grasshoppers). What I didn’t like was the invisible keyhole. But when you know this you can think where it is. I found 5 secrets and all weapons. I was playing one hour and I had a lot of fun.” – Andi Croft (21-Jun-2002)

“In both levels a beautiful atmosphere is to be sensed. Partly it plays in caves which are a little bit dark by nature partly in rather technical surroundings. For my taste the rooms were illuminated appropriately I had to use almost no flares. The puzzles were not particularly difficult normally. There were no new sounds but the existing ones were not used badly. If the dragon had not been with the opponents I would also have given away for it few points. One should consider that the builder did not dispose yet of the whole objects which are used today.” – Xxenofex (21-Jun-2002)

“When I read the reviews for this level I really expected a lot of it but I'll say that I was quite disappointed. The hardest place in these levels really was the underwater maze that cost me a few medpacks to pass and the dragon cost me the rest of the medpacks I had. I understand that it probably was a big thing - a dragon at that time but as it's hard to impress me and I've seen better use for the dragon I can't give this level extra points for that. There are more things I don't like about the objects like the 'invisible' key hole to access the jeep area keys were named 'load' that is really easy to fix. The pit in the jeep ride was too shallow so the jeep didn't explode when it fell into it but just got stuck there. Some textures were stretched also and the most could've been applied more interestingly. Sorry to rate this level 'so' low but in my opinion it doesn't deserve much more.” – eTux (21-Jun-2002)
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