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Level: Bowman's Folly 2 - Imitation of Life back home search
Author(s): trguru
total rating:5.96 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
CC 6 4 5 5
Dimpfelmoser 6 3 5 5
Doug E 6 6 6 5
Freeman Porter 7 7 7 7
Gerty 7 5 6 7
Kristina 7 4 7 8
MichaelP 6 6 7 7
Orbit Dream 6 4 5 6
RaiderGirl 7 6 7 8
Sash 6 4 5 6
Torry 8 7 7 8
Treeble 6 5 4 4
category averages
(12 reviews)		 6.50 5.08 5.92 6.33

Reviewer's comments

"Having played the first level recently, I still remember that it was pretty bad. This, on the other hand, is rather decent and has a couple of memorable moments, such as the slide jump traps over spikes and one over deadly water that'll you go through twice. They are not really hard, the spikes ones are dead easy, but on the water slopes you'll have to time your jumps right to take the correct paths. The mechanical scarab has an important role here and can be misused if you take the wrong path, thus having it explode when you actually realize where it's needed. Textures are still misapplied, however, with often stretched and compressed textures and the starry settings are rather weird (especially on the final rooms). 20 minutes. 08/07" - Treeble (12-Aug-2007)

“If I'm not mistaken 'Imitation of Life' was an old weepy black and white film I saw on TV. This however is a very straight forward and basic cleopal level. Huge almost empty rooms apart from a coffin four Lara statues that a golden harpy attacks a few demigods a very long monkeyswing and most impressive of all were two long slopes with spike traps embedded that you have to jump over on the way down. There was also a room over toxic water with lots of slopes to jump on in two different directions. Take my advice and do the left one first. And you have to find a mechanical beetle for some spikey corridors. Two rooms also had ceilings with flashing stars that was unusual to look at.” – CC (13-Aug-2004)

“When the annals of Custom TR building are fully written and compiled I am confident that the 'double jumping-room over the deadly water' will go down as the toughest jump sequence ever. In its own strange intensely frustrating way it was rather exhilarating (with a very cheeky 'dropping you back in it' red-herring tunnel immediately after). As for the rest it's all pretty standard Cleopal stuff (although the accidentally exploding Mechanical Scarab was funny). This was one of the first custom levels I ever played but I'd completely forgotten the name of the adventure (and the author) and so was unable to review this until today when I downloaded it and had this sneaky feeling of deja-vu all the way through. Especially over the jumping bit. For the size of the download and the small number of rooms this is brilliant value for money and could easily keep you frustratingly occupied for most of an afternoon (although my net playing time was 26 minutes. Tchah!) One of those levels that will never score highly but which is absolutely worth a look.” – Orbit Dream (24-May-2003)

“This level let start Lara standing beside a statue of herself. Finding the revolver and a lot of ammo made me a bit wary of things to come and sure enough they did. There even were more Lara statues getting pestered by a harpy so be quick or else you’re dead. You need to find the crowbar mechanical beetle a knot and a blue gem to finish this level. Enemies are the fiercest ones like the harpy and demigods. The long slide with the spikes had me reloading quite a few times. Also the other jumps over the deadly water was a great experience as you had to do that almost twice. Searching for the knot requires some excellent swimming. All in all not a difficult level as such but the traps made it sure very exciting. Very memorable is the starry sky. 01-11-2002” – Gerty (09-Nov-2002)

“This is a much better version than the first Bowman's Folly and it is one tough mother to get through. It comprises some tough angled jumps on long slides and what must be the toughest jump sequence I have ever come across. You jump onto a sliding block and jump again 4 times till you arrive at a set of blocks left and right that are offset so you must angle a jump to them. Go left the first time as this leads to a horseman's gem. Why you ask? Because you need to come back to the start of this and do it all over again but this time head right at that offset pair of blocks. I thought that was even tougher than the left hand route. A real bastard lol. Took me over 100 attempts to get through this. Also earlier you must use a mechanical beetle to get through some spikes and mine blew up! That's the first time I had seen that. Lastly after placing the gem you have another long slide and jumps over some spike pits and you exit the level with the sound of Don McLean's ‘Starry Starry Night’ echoing in your head.” – Torry (20-Aug-2002)

“Imitation of life. Excuse me please what is this supposed to mean? This cute little cleo exercise is memorable for two things: a tricky jumping sequence near the end (it's easier the second time around) and the starry sky Saturday Night Fever style. Two slopes with spikes/ burning tiles to jump over and some swimming through underwater rooms were quite entertaining. Everything else doesn't really set your pulse racing and the rooms are a bit on the plain side; and boxy at that. But you don't spend too much time there so I won't complain. Go there for the jumps and to look at the stars.” – Dimpfelmoser (11-Aug-2002)

“This is another Egyptian styled linear quite simple level from Robert that only lasted 25 minutes but I actually rated it a little higher for game play because there is an extremely difficult sloping block jump that when you actually complete it and can finally take a breath you then realise you will have to do it all over again there are also a handful of mean enemies to deal with along the way but as you have loads of revolver ammo they go down very quickly. I actually thought this was a cute level it just needed to have been longer and although there seems to have been some thought put into the look the rooms still looked a little boxy.” – Sash (21-Jun-2002)

“This is a rather quick level which will not have you think a lot about your next move but still has a few nice touches and certainly the best texturing of Robert’s levels (the starry sky is hilarious). There are demigods and a harpy to fight the Cleopal WAD objects are nicely placed and there are two rather well designed flybys. You get to use the mechanical scarab and find and place a Pharos Knot and a gem. The fun elements is a room with a tricky jumping sequence which you have to master at least twice (hint: take the left exit first).” – Michael (21-Jun-2002)

“Although this thirty minute level starts out a bit slow the action really picks up in the second half and turns out to be very enjoyable. The first fifteen minutes are spent killing a few demigods and a harpy opening a few doors going through a long monkey swing and pulling a jump switch or two. Then you get to the good parts. First there's an amazing slide down a cliff into some water - the cliff has many rows of spikes and large sections of it are missing so you find yourself changing direction midair many times to avoid the next hazard. So much fun I had to do it twice! After a little swim you’re off to the next task which is one of the hardest slide jump puzzles I've ever seen and took a few tries to get through. Then you get to do it again and go on to the last slide over more spikes and you land outside with a sky full of disco stars and it's on to your next adventure. I like Robert’s levels as he seems to be like me and prefers good jumps and puzzles over a lot of enemies.” – RaiderGirl (21-Jun-2002)

“I found this level lacking in excitement. It was all a little too predictable. The rooms were over large and not very exciting. On the plus side the textures were quite good and I did enjoy the long jumping bit over the methelated spirit lake. I've played one of this guy’s levels before and it was many times better than this. Perhaps this was an earlier piece of work?” – Doug E (21-Jun-2002)

“A short level but in some parts very tricky. In the beginning you will find immediately the revolver and lots of ammo in the next room you will need it first you fight against 2 demigods then you have to protect 2 Lara-doubles against a harpy. Later on there is one of the hardest jump combinations I have ever seen in a custom level and you have to do it twice! After half an hour the game is finished give it a try it’s a short but good level.” – Freeman Porter (21-Jun-2002)

“It's an improvement from the previous level. There are still no puzzles though except the pillar and a gem and the rooms remain big and empty. A couple of harpies and demigods for enemies with the only challenge one difficult jump again that made me spend most of the time there trying. Images of Lara the golden Lara are in front of you as you start fighting some enemies and you get to the next room picking up the mechanical scarab. Getting through the spikes and into a large water area with the first puzzle waiting in a small maze and not long after the gem. The difficult part was to angle a jump to the right in an area with the slopes and burning water that took me ten minutes the other ten was the rest of the level place the gem and end the level after taking a look to the sky with some stars shining.” – Kristina (21-Jun-2002)
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