| Reviewer's comments |
"Well, Phil—it was precisely this game’s catchy title that caused me to avoid it until now. I preferred to enjoy the title on its own, fearing that, like Petra-fied, the game wouldn’t live up to it; and indeed it doesn’t—in the sense that the quirk ends there and then. The game itself is straightforward and clearly structured. Focusing on puzzles, it is fairly entertaining and occasionally inventive, though it comes with stretches of tedium caused by a number of pushables, two (manageable) mazes and few too many crawlspaces. One of the puzzles (pick the one Golden Star that’s not a dummy) is suspiciously similar to the one in Bibi Croft’s later Crystal of Life, also in that it’s actually a trial-and-error procedure rather than a puzzle. (Some reviews also mention a bug that may render collecting any other Golden Stars redundant; I didn’t encounter it, even though I duly pressed CTRL in front of each and every one of them, just to be on the safe side). The Room of a Thousand Scrolls makes for an excellent effect when you first enter it, but the task you have to perform there is, again, a trial-and-error procedure—and a rather tedious one at that, at least for players who have no levelbuilding experience themselves (pick the one whose colour best matches the lighting).
In addition to the puzzles, there is a bit of platforming to do—none of it too taxing, but including an awkward jump from a rope to a jumpswitch in a narrow shaft—, while enemies play a minor role, as there are only three tinmen to defeat: two right at the start, and a little later, another one that comes complete with horse. Apparently one of the former drops the crowbar, which I noticed lying on the ground only later when I had already cleared the way to three of the four Golden Stars.
Design is functional; stretched textures greet you in the very first room, and it seems that if walls are segmented at all, it’s due to coincidental consequences of the building process rather than the builder’s intention. An epic struggle between intense placed lights and big fat dollops of shadowbulbs (often causing animated objects to appear plain black) pervades much of the level. Add to this a bunch of wafer-thin walls and flickering textures due to overlaps on the numerous Raising Blocks while they’re not raised, and you get the typical scrappy custom level look of the day, amateurish and not infrequently plain ugly. So, with all due respect, Dimpf—nobody needs to go out of their way in order to spot design errors in this level, and the Room of a Thousand Scrolls is its sole visual flourish.
At the end, you may claim your prize (a Pharos Knot), but have you beat the game? The Knot, obviously unwilling to be dragged out in the open and put on display in a glass case, registers its anger by starting an earthquake and seals off the exit. Now what, Lara Croft?" - Mulf (23-Jun-2021) |
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| "This is actually quite an entertaining level that has aged well and boasts some quite complex gameplay. A few texture bugs and dimly lit dark corridors didn't detract from my pleasant experience with this. The surroundings are otherwise pleasant enough, but the gameplay is, as mentioned, very enjoyable. You begin in a hub room with many doors that require some good puzzling (I liked the brief timed run and the globe puzzles) and not even the mazes could spoil the fun factor here. Once that's done, you can flip the room and thus begin your quest for two gems, which involves some swimming and trying to find the one scroll that's different from the others (the difference is minimal, mind you). Nothing too difficult, but it'll keep you enjoyably occupied." - Ryan (26-Mar-2018) |
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| "As the story says there are various puzzles in this level.
There are 4 different puzzles to get 4 stars, they consist
in moving pushables, some labyrinths, raising blocks, and a
timed door. It was fun to find every puzzle item and
watching the flybys. There could be more enemies as I only
shot some knights. Textures are well placed though
sometimes stretched. It'll keep you entertained for an hour
or so." - alan (03-Feb-2018) |
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| "This is a well-done early level, and I'm surprised the scores weren't higher back then. Granted, it hasn't been played and reviewed much lately, but it deserves to be, if for no other reason than the catchy title. You get the crowbar early so you can hunt a quartet of golden stars and pry them off the wall. After that, you go on a quest for two gems so you can finish the level. Along the way you're faced with a rope swing of perhaps two feet to a jump switch. If you overshoot it, which is easy to do, you find yourself stuck in the wall and will have to reload. Nothing fancy, nothing particularly innovative, but a fun raid, and that's all I ask of any level. Harry Laudie has provided a typically reliable walkthrough." - Phil (26-Oct-2016) |
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| "A quite a good library level in which your main quest is to
get the Pharo's Knot. Gameplay was straightforward with
some good puzzles. Enemies just some knights but easy to
take care of. Atmosphere and textures could have been
better." - Gonxii (17-Nov-2015) |
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| "Well, that's different - I don't recall an enemy (tinman in this case) ever leaving behind a crowbar. I could do with more of that actually, given how adept I seem to be at overlooking the damn things. This is a smashing level for its age. The library setting is pleasant enough, but where this really has aged well is the gameplay. There are four stars to find in different settings off the hub room and each involves enjoyable tasks, with some good puzzles in particular. Finding two horseman's gems also involves some interesting raiding and getting on to a rope in the water maze would have been a challenging manoeuvre all those years ago. Apart from the aforementioned tinmen, there's a horseman to defeat, which also used to fill me with dread in my early raiding days. Actually, this would be a perfect level for newish players wanting a bit more of a challenge. Most enjoyable and a crying shame this builder never made another level." - Jay (07-Oct-2015) |
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| "Entertaining level with some interesting puzzles, even when the puzzle in the room with two moveable globes is not very clear. The first you notice is that the author doesn't know or doesn't want to properly divide the large wall panels to correctly apply the textures on the walls. There are few enemies to shoot, secrets easy to find, good atmosphere and lighting, the UW maze is not very nasty. Worth to play." - Jose (04-Jun-2015) |
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| "To spare Dimpf's ire I will refrain from criticizing the textures (stretched though they often were) because the gameplay of this level is fantastic. 6 quests for the elusive diamonds 5 of which were quite original and 4 were extremely clever and genuine puzzles (as opposed to the 'pull lever look for opened door' gameplay which is often mistaken for a 'puzzle'.) I actually had to think long and hard over some of the challenges and was all the more satisfied therefore when I solved them. A good rewarding adventure and really tremendous 'value' for the tiny download. An object lesson in what you can do with some thought (and no fancy extras)." - Orbit Dream (02-Dec-2003) |
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| "A very clever library level. All the old familiars are there horseman knights big wheels gems. You have to collect four stars and how you do it is solve one puzzle after another. Loved the blue room with all the stars the globe pushing puzzle and the raising and lowering of blocks. Having placed these stars there's a great flyby of all exits sealing up and the whole area being flooded. Now you need to get two gems. One by way of a slope/rope/pulldown switch in an underwater maze I've never seen before and another with shimmying to turn off the fire around the gem. It held my attention from start to finish the finish being getting the knot. All the 'angry spirit' could do was cause a little earthquake. Great stuff highly recommended." - CC (09-Oct-2003) |
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| "Considering the name of this level I figured it would be a difficult one with lots of enemies - I wasn't really expecting a library with just a few horsemen. The puzzles are very clever and include pushable planets raising and lowering blocks a small maze etc as you search for four golden stars two gems and a scroll. This is a fun attractive level for when you're in the mood for something that won't have you thinking too hard." - RaiderGirl (19-Feb-2003) |
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| "This level is hard to describe. I would classify it as Catacomb. But it is not easy on the puzzles. Lara needs to swim a lot run around a lot - especially in the labyrinth - finds different artifacts among them 20 (!) stars of which she only needs four. Textures were not always cleanly applied and the rooms seemed rather empty at times. Sounds were added when Lara found or triggered something. Not many enemies but it took a while to beat those that were there. More a puzzle based level. Lara found two secrets and the second was well thought out and not easy to find. It is a matter of taste not too easy and I thought it was a good level." - Navi (14-Feb-2003) |
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| "A level with good ideas but realising them is not perfect yet. The textures on the floor for example there where later come up the raisings disturbing the ambience. One floor door opens in a wall - only making the room one square larger would have fit the problem. An enemy comes through a door that opens a little bit later - paperthin walls ..But now a few words to the story itself - you have to collect 4 stars. They will set the main room under water. You have to move some pushable objects to the right place; an underwater labyrinth and some good jumps they're really okay. Later you have to use 2 gems to go on raiding. I was waiting to get in touch with that Angry Spirit... but it didn't come. But when I finished I was thrown out to the desktop - maybe that was the angry spirit....;-)) Bit more than one hour of gameplay. With a little more effort the designer would have built a really enjoyable level but his work is not perfect sorry! Sounds and Cameras are okay; light/shadow could be better. Not enough enemies for me." - Miguel (22-Dec-2002) |
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| "This is a puzzler's paradise! About 60 minutes to battle 3 tinmen one of them on a horse and find first 4 golden stars and later 2 blue gems with one blue gem thrown in the middle. Acquiring said goodies require some very decent puzzle solving on Lara's part. For one she needs to move some globes around. There's a pretty blue maze for another which also holds a secret. A clever switch/raising block and trapdoor puzzle with another moving globe thrown in. Obtaining 2 blue gems also requires some work including one irritating water maze but still cleverly done with a rope and jump switch. After using your gems you'll go after a music scroll which was not terribly easy as you are swimming and trying to find the one out of many that you can pick up. Placing your scroll leads you to the angry knot an earthquake and escape. The author makes excellent use of cameras and twice you see all your exits close off. I quite enjoyed this one" - Momster (01-Dec-2002) |
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| "First off I'd like to say that I really enjoyed this level. Within seconds of starting you are set upon by two horsemen and later on you will meet their mate on the horse lol. To release the Angry Spirit you need to solve a variety of puzzles and in so doing locate four stars (although there is a way to get many many more) three horsemen's gems and a scroll which nests amongst dozens of others (nice touch I thought). The puzzles themselves were pretty simple all said and done but not obvious. Textures were a bit stretched and paperthin walls appeared every so often but this did not detract from the fun you will have here. The level lasts just on an hour and I can heartily recommend it after a hard day at the office." - Torry (17-Oct-2002) |
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| "Whenever there will be another level by this author and it would have some similar novel ideas for a puzzles I would definitively play it. Getting four stars in four different ways was great especially the one where you need to let two globes change place. After the four stars you have to find two blue gems. The rope and pull lever was a bit overdone as Lara disappeared through a stone wall and then you have to jump to a lever. Well that takes some practice as I found out. Then you're off to get a scroll what will lead you finally to the Angry Knot. Some places were a bit too dark but flares were provided. There are three (did I count that right?) horsemen and I found two secrets an uzi and some flares.28-08-2002" - Gerty (01-Sep-2002) |
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| "This is really weird; in the last four days I played no less than five library adventures. Is the good lord trying to tell me something?! Like that I should read more and play less. The level in hand has the well known setting and enemies (well we could have done with a fire wraith or two there is enough water around). You come to a room find 4 slots for the stars upstairs and four doors downstairs that lead to four different tasks. You get the iron horseman of course (good) a maze (bad) and two moving globe puzzles (solid). After that you flood the room (complete with illustrating fly by) and find your way to a room were you need two gems. Shall I go on? Are you taking notes? Do you care? To cut a long story short. A library level without any big surprises but a fluent and clever gameplay. Nothing too taxing or spectacular but all quite entertaining in it's own right. I mean I despise the kind of reviewer who walks through a level hoping to spot a paperthin wall or a missing texture so that he can complain about it in the review. I'm certainly not one of them. Instead I'm going to tell you that the underwater room with all them music scroll looks dead cool. To find the right one is rather tedious though. Go there for some jolly reading............ errrr raiding." - Dimpfelmoser (11-Aug-2002) |
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| "There are some good moments in this game. The idea to collect masses of Golden Stars when you just need 4 is one. The moving of the globes is another one. Swimming around underwater till you find a rope and using this one was a little tricky. If you swing too much it can happen that Lara stands in the wall and can't move. Enemies are metal knights and a horseman. In the end when Lara picks the Pharos Knot there is no exit and most probably she is still there holding it. I played about 50 minutes and it was not a waste of time." - Monika (01-Aug-2002) |
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| "This level starts out a little like some of the other library levels with an initial large main room flanked on both sides by blue doors with puzzles some extremely devious awaiting behind them. In this level there are also a couple of secrets a nice battle with a horseman an interesting watery scroll area and a wonderfully grand feeling to the end which finally explains the cryptic name of this level. Sadly although it took around 50 minutes to play the level felt small and the lighting in quite a few areas was just too dark." - Sash (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "For a first Level this one has a real interesting gameplay with differing types of puzzles to deal with along the way and a few surprises. Unfortunately there are a few disturbing bugs that could have been avoided and sometimes the layout is a bit artificial and does not seem to fit together. But certainly good fun playing very entertaining and with a decent piece of raiding to accomplish." - Michael (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "Well this level was a bit fun but a bit boring too. While you were on your quest for the 4 golden stars it was funny getting each one in a different way like elevating blocks to move pushable spheres. The second part in a quest for 2 gems. The underwater maze was boring :(. In the end after getting a music scroll among hundreds of scrolls in an underwater room (that was cool!) Lara was booby trapped and the level finished after she got the pharos knot. I wonder how did she get out of there." - Treeble (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "I was pleasantly surprised by this one given its marks. It's an entertaining 50 minute level with some nice little puzzles - nothing terribly taxing but enough to make a nice diversion. The first objective is to collect 4 stars in 4 different areas off the main room. One major flaw though is that Lara can actually pick up 16 stars right away (without a crowbar) due to a bug of some kind. Some nice touches include a couple flybys the flooding of the main room and an earthquake at the end (the "Angry Spirit" presumably). I found the lighting to be quite good and atmospheric but there were too many stretched textures and thin walls to rate any higher in this category. Still it's a fun level if you have an hour to kill." - Tombaholic (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "There is something really interesting. I loved some of things this level has first you start in a room similar to the original library level but only because of the blue doors left and right. I laughed with the stars you get a crowbar to pry the first one but then not long after you come to a room with many many stars in the walls. At first I found only one that I could take with the crowbar but something bothered me so don't ask me why I pressed action then Lara started to pick up the stars from the floor one by one and the same time they would disappear from the wall well that's quite clever hilarious. There was the snakes or should I say snake with the switch you had to lower a block and go around and down through a trapdoor pull the switch again and another block raises after a couple of more actions you get to pry another star not too difficult but gave a nice feeling when accomplished. The same lower block puzzle but not quite is used in another room further along with the planet pushable. There are also gems you either fight with our friend the horseman to get or use the jump switches to get the fire out and get hold one more. The textures were ordinary but nice and the atmosphere a little gloomy but convincing and with shadows inside the rooms. The level ends after a small underwater maze with another jump switch and when you acquire the scroll. You get to a large room with water and you have to find which scroll you can pick up among many. The cameras and flybys were good and enough to give you a clue when needed so in the last room you get one more I guess the small earthquake represents the wrath of the spirit because Lara finally gets her hands on it so it comes to an end and that justifies the name as well." - Kristina (21-Jun-2002) |
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