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Level: Nethermore Castle back home search
Author(s): maxx
total rating:8.91 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Aims 9 8 10 10
bERT 9 9 9 10
CC 8 7 10 10
David 8 8 10 9
Dimpfelmoser 8 8 10 9
Duncan 8 8 10 9
eRIC 10 9 10 9
eTux 9 9 10 9
G.Croft 9 9 10 10
Gerty 8 8 9 7
Jose 5 7 9 9
JRaider66 7 7 10 10
Kristina 8 8 9 9
Lil Kid 10 9 10 10
Litepulsar 9 10 10 10
Loupar 9 8 9 9
MacRaider 9 9 10 10
Magnus 8 7 9 8
MichaelP 8 8 10 10
Momster 8 8 10 9
Navi 8 7 8 8
Orbit Dream 8 8 9 10
Pam 8 10 10 9
Phil 7 9 10 9
RaiderGirl 9 8 10 9
Samu 9 9 10 10
Treeble 10 9 10 10
category averages
(27 reviews)		 8.37 8.30 9.67 9.30

Reviewer's comments

"The castle is very well made, a real labyrinth with a lot of passages to cross and a lot of doors to open. For me too dark, but very well textured; rooms are not very big, no many enemies to shoot and professional flybies showing you where to go sometimes. There are some interesting puzzles, but the gameplay is generally bad: sometimes there are not cameras to show you a hidden trapdoor or changes in another places you'd know to continue playing; a lot of times you must walk very long distances to return to the same places and it's difficult to remember the way back, and so again and again running through the same small corridors and castle rooms a lot of times was tedious and bored. A builder who knows how to use the editor with good ideas, but not well applied." - Jose (03-Nov-2010)

"Here's one of those 'classics I never got around to playing before now'.I presume my reticence was caused by a general ennui toward castle textures,but this level proved how wrong my expectations actually were.It's beautifully constructed and supremely textured with loving care,and the overall result is heaps of mouldering-castle atmosphere.It's an expansive place,but rarely a confusing one;and the amount of detail in the environment is enough to keep players entertained. My only gripe is the occasional 'here-we-go-round-the-houses-again'nature of the Gameplay (you can absolutely guarantee that a puzzle receptical will open a door at the extreme opposite end of the Castle!)which helps to pad out the duration a little more than was necessary.But the Finale was rather fun and the variety of puzzles (including an absorbing multi-lever conundrum)keep you constantly on your toes. If you haven't yet played this venerable classic,give it a go today!" - Orbit Dream (25-Mar-2009)

"Wow, what a level. Before starting to play this I thought I wouldn't enjoy this level much because usually I dislike castle levels. However, this was something really especiall. The whole atmosphere is just gorgeus including extremely well used textures and lighting and I just loved the look of the areas. Both the dark lighting and background audio track have an spooky effect on the atmosphere and I really like it too. This level doesn't have only good looking areas and good atmosphere. The gameplay is very good too and this level has many good puzzles to solve. Well, that's all I can say about this level. I couldn't find any bad things but maybe this level could have been a bit more memorable. However, this level is worth replaying which I do very rarely." - Samu (08-Jan-2007)

"This Mac built level is quite an eye opener for a first release! Maxx has succeeded in making a very atmospheric level set in a castle at night, and there are some nice puzzles. The wonderfully realistic castle he's created is very compact, and quite different to those in other castle levels, so you don't feel as though you've been there before! In fact I think that anyone wanting to build a convincing castle should check this one out for some ideas as it does look great. The lighting and objects are very well done, and it's obvious that Maxx has some graphic design skills. I particularly liked the series of switches in the dungeons that have to be operated in a certain order, the majority more than once. You do get a clue for this puzzle, even though it's a little obscure, but it can be solved by trial and error by observing exactly what each lever does (which is how I did it), and that's the sort of puzzle I love - not too easy, but logical and solveable with a patient approach. At times the gameplay can be a bit confusing, and that switch in a dark corner was a bit evil, but the beautiful atmosphere throughout the level made up for any minor shortcomings. The cracked mirror was a great idea, as was the clearly visible cross that you should remember, but which most will have forgotten about by the time you actually need it ;) Enemies are appropriate and don't overwhelm the player, so the level is puzzle oriented which suited me fine. This may not be the spookiest level out there, but the eerie castle had lots of atmosphere and I absolutely loved every moment of it! If I have any criticism, it might be that I had a nagging feeling that more could have been done with the setting but that doesn't detract from this lovely level. It took me a little over an hour to complete and I enjoyed every moment, despite the occasional confusion. It's a largish download for a single level, but the included audio files are essential to set the mood. If you haven't already, download this now, and play it in a dark room!" - MacRaider (08-Nov-2005)

“What a nice and creepy level. Lara is on holiday in Scotland and during this time hears rumours of a castle hidden deep within the Nethermore Woods. The golden skull of the knight who once lived there still remains and will give the ultimate wisdom to whoever can reopen the crypt where he lays and obtain it. It is also guarded by the undead. So now starts your journey but as you arrive the clock strikes midnight...I enjoyed this level very much. It is very dark but in a good way as it adds to the creepy atmosphere. And the torches are limited. The background music adds to the creepy atmosphere very well the sounds of wolves howling as though you are really at a haunted castle. There are a fair few skeletons but of course you would expect that as they are the guards and if you are lucky enough to find the secret crossbow they'll be fine and some bats some of which are cleverly placed in the belfry. That is where you need to go so you can ring the bell and open the crypt. There are some clever ideas such as going through a cracked mirror to collect a gem from the outside it looks innocent until you get around the back... There is a room with two very nice stained glass windows and a creepy dungeon which is flooded that has cages and skeletons in. There’s also a live skellie in a cage (he has a key) which cleverly you get to blow up by lighting the floor beneath him. The sequence near the end is cool too when you get the skull I'm not going to tell you what happens or I'll spoil it – you’ll have to find out for yourself! You should play it in the dark really to get the most out of it but only if you have the guts... This was a great level and I recommend it to everyone well except those who are fainthearted of course. Don't waste time download it now!” – Aims (14-May-2004)

“If you are a fan of dark creepy levels then this is just the one for you. It was too dark for my taste and there was also too much back-tracking (How many times must one go through that mirror?). The level is extremely well put together and has some great bits (the switch puzzle cooking the skeleton...). An excellent piece of work and it's a shame it seems to be the author's only opus.” – Duncan (31-Mar-2004)

“It seems like all old castles are haunted and this one is no exception. The only thing missing is Lord Doomsday but unfortunately he doesn’t live in this castle. A shame really - he’s so fun to watch in his sad attempts to kill Lara. In this level there is someone else laughing in the background but we never get to see who it was. Probably a distant cousin to Lord Doomsday. Or his wife. Anyway the level starts out rather slow and stays that way most of the time actually. It’s not until the end the adrenaline starts pumping. What makes the level fun is the way there are some unique things to do. For example at one point you have to light a fire beneath a skeleton to make it explode and at another point you have to ring the bells in a tower to open a coffin. That may not seem so special and it certainly doesn’t make sense but it adds a lot to the atmosphere. The level although atmospheric is very dark. Yes it makes the level more atmospheric but I hate not being able to see just because the level has to feel spooky. At one point there is a lever on a wall hidden in shadows. There’s no indication that it’s there and if you’re unlucky you will run around for a long time wondering what you should do. Another thing I didn’t like about the level is that it’s filled with doors. Usually there’s nothing wrong with that but this level is so small that the many doors almost make the level into a labyrinth. The texturing is good and the end is done in a good way even though it’s impossible to know where to go (or was there a hint on the scroll?). The level ends after just over 30 minutes but it was fun to play while it lasted (and when it was possible to see anything).” – Magnus (29-Jan-2004)

“This is a somewhat difficult level to review because there are so many positive aspects to it. The dank foreboding atmosphere of a castle at night is close to perfect and the puzzles encountered along the way are challenging but do-able (the enemies being few and far between until the climactic section). I was having an absolutely wonderful time until near the end where I pulled a chain to trigger a cut scene showing a scroll I needed to pick up in a crypt near the beginning of the level. However I wasted nearly an hour trying without success to reach that area (although I'm sure it could be done probably through the mirror in the library--although I couldn't get back there either). I finally enabled the DOZY cheat and flew up through a trap-door hole in the ceiling through which I had dropped much earlier in the level and that solved the problem admirably. It would have been a simple matter for a climbable surface to have been provided here and it would have made the level close to perfect. Instead the frustrating lack of access from one part of the level to the other is a serious flaw that in my opinion affects gameplay substantially. I hope the level builder keeps this in mind in any future productions.” – Phil (08-Dec-2003)

”This is wonderful atmospheric stuff. Ok, it's a Scottish Castle, and look at the details: the mist, the views through all the windows, the patterned textured squares that give the impression of the light shining on the floor (excellent), the rats running across you're path, the cobwebs, the loud echo of Lara's footsteps. Very interesting switch puzzles. I ran around the first part like a lunatic thinking I need a torch, I need a trigger to raise that platform, I need a clue! And the solution was to climb! A slightly annoying thing was you'd come to a particular room and you just knew what you need to do but you had to go somewhere else and do loads of other stuff before you could come back and finish the room, resulting in confusion and trying to remember what you did or saw before. At least there wasn't a vast area to cover. I remember seeing that cross near the mirror at the start but you don't get chased by the 'ghost' 'til near the end and then there was trouble trying to remember where the cross was, so keep a note where it is. An excellent level.” – CC (25-Jun-2003)

“This level is very impressive by its atmosphere and the quality of sounds. It is as if the player is in the game. Subtle puzzles to solve in very well connected areas. If someone wants to play only one ‘Castle’ level Nethermore is the best choice.” – eRIC (04-May-2003)

“I really enjoyed playing this level which has to be one of the most atmospheric I have seen. Superb use of sound effects and music and also lighting and general appearance. I did have to turn down the volume on the FX though as Lara's footsteps made her sound as though she had high heels on. And the music towards the end (the 'chase' music with added howls and laughs) went on far too long and should have stopped I feel when Lara entered the final sealed courtyard. In places this was very tricky indeed and I suspect I may never have worked out how to do it if not for the clues on the forums. There's an early jump switch which is cunningly hidden in plain view and to get the torch takes a lot of effort with switches. Once you have the torch it's not apparent what you have to do (light the burner under the skeleton) but to get to the crossbow it's more obvious (light an unlit torch). There's a wonderful moment when skeletons and a knight are released but the knight seems a little superfluous - he doesn't do anything and is easy to avoid. And if you have the crossbow (if ...) then the skeletons are easily disposed of. If you don't have it though then I suspect you might be in trouble :-> Overall a great little level high on enemies ideas and atmosphere. Needs to be longer and bigger though and it ends quite abruptly as well - there was a side of me that likes levels to have 'plot' that wanted there to be some bigger point to the level and a more climactic and unexpected ending ...” – David (31-Mar-2003)

“Wow! I didn't play such enjoyable and complicated level in a while. Not many puzzles but enough puzzles to keep you wondering what to do next through one hour. The atmosphere was perfect with all the new sounds the dogs howling in the background matches exactly the setting but unfortunately you never get to see them. Most of the sound effects are different as well like Lara footsteps. Textures were simply great the effect of the windows on the floor was pretty cool too. Lighting was nice too even if sometimes Lara would look ‘flat’. There were a bunch of doors I couldn't open but I could finish the level anyway. Recommended.” – Treeble (14-Feb-2003)

“This work was my first custom level played and it will always be a favorite. The atmosphere and the castle setting are excellent and the new background ambience and new music really enhance it also. The texturing shows good attention to detail and some original effects are added in. It is small compared to most levels I’ve played but it doesn’t matter. Big thumbs up and I hope to see more work from this author.” – JRaider66 (28-Jan-2003)

“Though I have to admit to getting frustrated a few times because I couldn't remember where a certain room was (or the bird statue) it usually wasn't long before I found what I was looking for and was on my way again. The level is way too dark and I finally used the savegame editor to give myself more flares but everything else is so brilliant that for once the darkness didn't bother me too much. The puzzles are very clever - I've never seen switches used the way the author has used them here and the author has used music new sounds enemies and the perfect textures to create a truly spooky atmosphere and one that is exciting to explore. Your objective is to find two scrolls two gems and a key and then find your way outside the castle while dodging skeletons and an undead knight. It will take some careful searching and a little brain power and will take at least an hour to get through but that seems too short considering how good it is.” – RaiderGirl (28-Nov-2002)

“I just completed piega's Sanctuaries but coming here to Nethermore Castle now I have to say that the atmosphere the sound (echoing footsteps spooky ambience) the lighting and textures (the dungeons the catacombs the castle itself the library) are outranging everything I have seen/heard/played so far. Brilliant work indeed! That said I did not manage to get into the thinking process of the author as I more than once wandered around the castle covering lots of ground not knowing where to go or what to do next and spent almost two hours in this adventure which did spoil the overall fun a bit. But there are some truly ingenious gameplay ideas (the multi lever puzzle the burning of the caged skeleton and partial flooding later to extinguish the fire the climb to the crowbar the belltower the breaking mirror) I did find the one secret (crossbow) and enemies are actually only a few bats and near the end a fabulous flyby introduces some skeletons and a lonely knight. One key two gems a scroll to find and use and if you can overlook the sometimes a little enigmatic opening of doors and the fact that it is quite hard to find the actual exit this level will have you spellbound for some time.” – Michael (26-Nov-2002)

“Well I am glad I could finish this level. I seem to have a buggy version as I couldn’t get the torch but after a new download I had no problem. I love castles and this is no exception. What I did miss were some more flares as I have a splitting headache playing in the dark. And also some more camera work as I had a hard time getting to the end. Although the level sort of opens up it still means running miles before you can get from the ground floor to the first floor and visa versa. That I sure didn’t like as you do have to do that a couple of times. The added sounds were great and the burning of those skeletons is a novel idea. The cracking of the mirror had me jumping in my chair and I think I had the same rat as Pam what a scare. Got major stuck in the dungeon but that was my own fault as I didn’t see a crawlspace. The ending is what I would call a grand finale with all the skeletons on the loose and a knight or two dragging their swords.17-11-2002” – Gerty (25-Nov-2002)

“It's a very entertaining adventure with a great atmosphere. From the beginning you're completely involved in the sounds and shadows of a castle where you have to find your way. I hope that there will be a next level because I've enjoyed with the puzzles (the skeleton in the cage and the fire) the enemies (in the last scenes) and the final cut. I want to play more.” – Loupar (19-Nov-2002)

“It is hard to believe that this is someone’s first level (but I heard it really is!). The lighting shows that even in a dark level it is possible to have a great atmosphere. Actually if it was any brighter it would be no fun! The added sounds like Lara’s echoing footsteps or the evil laughter in a distance - everything creates a very realistic spooky castle. I had so much fun exploring this haunted place and taking many screenshots for Lara’s family-photo-album. The gameplay at first was very confusing there seemed nothing to do! It took a little of running around sometimes to figure the puzzles out but still they very well designed and not too hard to solve. Great effects on the torch-puzzle! In the beginning there are only bats to greet you and you expect some other enemies coming around the corner at any moment keeping you in suspense. I almost jumped off my chair because a rat crossed Lara’s path accompanied by a sudden sound. The gameplay takes you to the dungeon where you can see some skeletons behind bars and you step through a mirror that for a while is the only access to the other part of the castle. Later after retrieving the scroll Lara innocently tries to wander off with her trophy but suddenly doors close you hear evil laughter and Lara seems trapped. But since I happened to have the crossbow I had a ‘blast’ at the end playing ‘hide and seek’ with the skeletons now on the loose. Great fun!” – Pam (14-Nov-2002)

“What a wonderful level! An excellent use of the original textures and innovative way of gameplay/puzzles I'm going to be looking forward very much to more work from this designer. We have an authentic spooky Scottish castle with howling wolves sniggering laughter (think it's the imps again) and a flowing gameplay. Enemies are placed well you get quite a few skeletons as well as bats and you also get your usual creepy dead knight coming after you. I always think the little things like Lara's footsteps echoing the right sounds and effective music really add a lot to the atmosphere and ambience of a level and it's been added perfectly here. Some interesting puzzles here like the timed switch puzzle though the pushable puzzle could have lasted a bit longer. At the end of the timed switch puzzle you'll get the torch which features a bit in this level and is quite useful to light your way instead of wasting your flares you also have to find the crowbar to progress two Bell Tower Gems and two scrolls (called Rolls). I've downrated the puzzles and maybe the gameplay because I wish it could have gone on longer! And a bit more in depth involvement with the puzzles would have been good but otherwise I really thoroughly enjoyed the whole level. Cut scenes and flybys were excellent too. Also go back and check areas that weren't open to you earlier and sometimes it's not just one push of the switch that might open them! I was also impressed with the structure of the rooms and architecture and liked the way Lara had to climb to get to certain places. I certainly recommend this level you'll enjoy it.” – Litepulsar (11-Nov-2002)

“What a great level this is. Just a little difficult to get going as it’s quite dark as Lara’s footsteps echo loudly in the eerie (empty?) castle. Once you find the first switch you are on your way to be presented with 2 closed trap doors and the task of finding a jump switch in the darkness. The switch/doors puzzle was well done to acquire the torch and the lighting of the spot under the skeleton in the dangling cage lol another way to destroy a skeleton. You’ve got a flooding the area stage an emptying the water stage this has almost everything. Enemies are almost non-existent aside from a few bats (in the belfry) until the end. A great job with the cracked mirror and as Dimpf says you passed that bird statue so many times but when it comes right down to it try and find it! The piece de resistance was of course when you take the last scroll. The adrenaline starts flowing as doors slam shut you hear the sound of an undead knight and skeletons literally come out of the woodwork to the sound of maniacal laughter. I spent 1:45 and did not find the secret. Hope for a sequel.” – Momster (10-Nov-2002)

“There is a really great atmosphere in this level. Lara comes to a Scottish castle at night so it is a bit dark and gloomy and the wolves are howling in the background and her footsteps are echoing in the empty (?!) castle. (I must say that the audio does mean a LOT to the atmosphere and is worth a big download.) There are a lot of levers to pull but getting to them is the thing here there are also a lot of windows in the castle so you can get a glimpse of the levers before you actually get there. You also have to find two gem stones to open up the door to the bell tower so that you can ring the bell and........well play for yourself and find out!” – G.Croft (08-Nov-2002)

“The level takes place in Scotland. Lonely Castle. The task was to find a mysterious scroll whereby my Lara found two. The mysteries were relatively simple and monotonous. Predominantly levers were to be pulled. One on time. Lara finds two blue crystals and a crowbar which she also needs to use. And a torch. Opponents were skeletons bats and Knigth Templars who have to do nothing however. Lara found a secret the crossbow. The textures were usually well applied. Camera guidance not always but suitably. Sound was ok. On the whole a good level. Matter of taste.” – Navi (08-Nov-2002)

“There is an interesting level we have here. Quite dark for my taste but I got through it. It's not a maze but with all those hallways and doors it could be. The first thing you need to do is find a torch by solving a puzzle which requires you to pull up and down a few switches until you achieve the right combination. The next step is to make it through a timed door and pull another switch but here is the catch that switch doesn't open the door to the torch so don't go wondering if it's a bug you need to pull one more switch and then the door opens. Your only enemies at least at the beginning and close to the end are bats near the end though skeletons and a knight appear and will make your life hard. The puzzles are two gems and a lot of switches to pull along with drying a room at some point. Many trapdoors will help you in your quest to the one of the scrolls spikes will also be in your way and remember that some times the switches might have more than one use. The last scroll is supposed to lead you to the exit I think but I never got the hint so I was just running around helpless with those persistent skeletons wanting my skull. Finally I got to the end and I can say that this level has some difficulty and good atmosphere. Remember to play this at night.” – Kristina (07-Nov-2002)

“Wow what a fantastic level! Still is no match for the original Scotland castles in TLA since there ain't so many nice outside areas but with all the neat effects it's pretty close or even better gameplay-wise! The exploding skeleton the grand fall when getting the crowbar Lara walking through the mirror or the magnificent final sequence with the knight and skeletons all rushing to get Lara are good reasons for not missing this adventure! The level is not flawless since there is a lack of flares (yes it's dark!) and at times the end of the world bug appears (Lara bumps her head at the sky in the crowbar's room if she jumps around) but don't let this scare you away cause you'll miss a really good level! Can't wait to see the sequel or the next work of this author!” – eTux (07-Nov-2002)

“What a fantastic Debut. This is almost perfect in every respect; the only things I can complain about are that it is relatively short that the moving globe task was a bit simple and that there are too many crawls but everything else is just spot on. The castle is extremely well done but it's not a copy of Doomsday or something but a truly original and very spooky setting. The room with the caged skeleton the tower the chapel the crypt the library. It's all there and looking so real. The soundfiles support the atmosphere nicely so the big download is justified I guess. The logic of the course is brilliant and I found the gameplay quite fluent save one jump switch at the start that I missed (Thanks to FG for putting me out of my misery). You don't bump into many enemies at the start but the few elementals you encounter are placed extremely well. I particularly liked the ice wraith cause by the time it pops into existence (completely unexpected) you've ran past the bird statue many times but as you tend to panic in such a situation you have to calm down for a second and try to remember how to get there. Great. The cracked mirror is so marvelous and the bit where you burn the skeleton in the cage is a truly memorable TR moment. There are many impressive fly bys and especially the long one that you get when the skeleton are set on the loose was so spectacular as it seemed to move through the whole castle. There are quite a few levers to push but most of the time they are actually part of a task like the rather clever puzzle that will give access to the torch. I really hope there is a sequel to this in the works.” – Dimpfelmoser (07-Nov-2002)

“All the fans of the instant classic game series Resident Evil (RE) will have immediately recognised the music from the opening tune for this Nethermore Castle. And everyone who played RE will have been very careful every time they let Ms Croft pass a glass window because the dog bursting through the window in the first episode of RE made your heart pop out of your rib case. Alas no dog-through-window-action here though I believe it is possible to do. But let's be positive. Never thought I would enjoy an absolute dark TR-level so much. This author sure took a big risk in only giving you the minimum amount of torches but...have to admit it works out fine. This is a true example of a level with a real spooky feeling unlike for example the Ghost ship level. From the eerie music with the cheeky laughter to the great atmospheric lighting from the true entertaining seek-and-place missions (gems-scroll) to the imaginative settings (go-through mirror with the cracks) once again (like in that other fine example The Lost Valley) we have a realistic level with 100% pure gameplay. Enemies were placed sparsely but effectively (bats in the bell tower; for once not annoying wraiths if you remembered where the water and wraith-killing object was). Only found one secret that was well done. I think we have here yet another author who's able to create brilliance from only already existing textures objects and puzzles which makes him/her (?) someone to look out for. A must-play level!” – bERT (07-Nov-2002)

“What can I say? This has to be my favourite TRLE level ever! Everything was spot-on gameplay atmosphere lighting were all superb. The echoing footsteps of Lara’s feet was a nice touch added more to the realism that this level offers so well. To be honest most of the puzzles were not that hard; it is just figuring what part the castle you need to go next is the most time consuming. Until the end the level doesn’t have any enemies apart from the few bats and flying spirits. I thought that the ending was crafted brilliantly the fly-by sequences and the sudden release of skeletons was a adrenaline starter something that is hard to come across in other custom levels. A must download.” – Lil Kid (07-Nov-2002)
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