Level reviews

"A shooter in opera, not bad. Can do without meds, but the fish is the first and final boss. I remember when it was added to custom levels, and to my doom pasted into many. The stock version should be slowed down as builders don't know how to reduce the speed then we get unnecessary pain. Still, even the fish can be beaten no meds, and everything else is quite good here, so I can recommend it to everyone. Revolver bullets could have some use, unless they were the reward artifact - but no, that title must go to the pistol ammo." - DJ Full

"The level's description certainly lets you know what to expect, and so the gameplay is almost pure combat, against many rats, dogs, and armed goons. I kind of which I could have seen the kill count just out of curiosity. The only other tasks include dodging some flames, pushing a crate, using a key, and pressing a bunch of buttons. Due to the lack of camera cues it almost seemed like the sole purpose of those buttons was to spawn more enemies for you, but I can't say for sure. More care could have gone into the surroundings; there are paper-thin walls, boxy rooms inside and out, wallpapered textures, and a bizarre lens flare despite the nighttime setting. If you're in the mood for shooting a high amount of moving targets in a short amount of time, then this level has you covered, but that's pretty much it. 23 minutes." - JesseG

"This isn't really a straight up remake of the official Opera House level, although similar textures are used, and it doesn't really give the atmosphere of one either considering all of the rooms are quite plain and empty. This is another shooter, which will probably never be my favourite genre due to the general lack of variation (although there are a couple timed runs added in for good measure), but taken on its own, it's not badly made (aside from a rather buggy timed run against an invisible door and if you fancy a spot of gratuitous slaughtering, then this'll be right up your street." - Ryan

"This level is actually better than some of the builder's later ones. You get both a compass and a finish trigger, both of which are in short supply in the subsequent levels. Enemies are profuse, mainly thugs, mafiosi, dogs and rats. There's even a killer fish thrown in for good measure. And as usual, you get plenty of armament and ammunition to deal with all of them comfortably. I spent about 35 minutes here and was greatly assisted by Harry Laudie's walkthrough in that large room with all the pushbuttons. Timed sequences are found near the beginning and again near the end. Harry's tip for managing the first one was very helpful. A time filler that has moderate entertainment value." - Phil

"This level is better than the previous, but still there's an abuse of numerous enemies in all rooms. Anyway, you'll find plenty of ammo for the shotgun and the uzis, and enough medipacks too; the secrets are not difficult to find. I noticed an advance applying textures, and the TR2 musics are well triggered in appropriate places, but still the rooms are not well ornated, the architecture is simple and the puzzles are poor. If you like the shooter levels, this one will be entertaining for you." - Jose

"It was over before I could comprehend what had happened, and I'm not sure I was anywhere in the proximity of an actual opera house. As promised - you massacre a considerable amount of thugs and dogs before all is said and done, but get to push a few boxes, activate a plethora of buttons and master one timed run just for the sake of diversity. With the exception of a number of squashed textures, the settings are textured and lit somewhat ok, but as already mentioned don't feel terribly authentic, more like a sequence of barely interrelated rooms. The TR2 sounds and Lara's retro outfit give it a nice touch, but if you'll start this up, it probably won't be for the looks, but more for the action." - eTux

"This level felt very familiar to me, until I finally understood what it was all about. This is actually a trlemake of a custom TR2 level! Most of the areas are the same, but the number of enemies, I'd think, is much larger. The pushblock puzzle to open a door has been downscaled to just one block (it was a total of 7 blocks conceiling the location of the door, a lever, and a secret IIRC) and a few things are different, but generally it is pretty much the same. It was a good trip down the memory lane though. 20 minutes, 4 secrets. 04/09" - Treeble

"A simple 'shooter' level with a variety of enemies to gun down, as well as some switches to push and swimming to do. The texturing and lighting was average, and the objects were well chosen, although the secrets were way too easy to find. The audio and sounds were nice, taken directly from TR2, and this led to a nice atmosphere. However, there is nothing particularly special here." - Spike

"This is a quick half hour romp through a TR2 style Opera House setting. The game is more of a shooter style with an onslaught of dobermans, Thugs and masked snipers. Gameplay is generally a simple progression of buttons levers and blocks. If you feel like letting a bit of steam off and fancy a bit of enemy blasting then this will provide you with a bit of fun. The atmosphere is suitably portrayed with good use of lighting and TR2 texturing. TR2 sound samples are well used as well and everything worked as it should. There's a gate early in the level which Lara collides with an invisible barrier but you just need to be a little quicker to get past it. Although only 30 minutes long the level is about the right length for a shooter and you'll need a little rest after all the villains that attack. Nice light fun." - EssGee

"This level is already stated as a shooter level so don't expect too much. You blow up enemies like thugs, dogs, rats, fish and Venice gunmen. The start isn't overwhelming but the game gets better when going on and I have to say it's a nice one. Actually there aren't any puzzles, you can find 4 well hidden secrets and you press buttons that release even more baddies. In my opinion the textures aren't very well applied and chosen. That's why I didn't feel like being in a backstage area of an opera house. The starry sky is nice and the horizon as well but seeing the sunlight in the middle of the night is a tad confusing though. There are also some wafer thin walls and that's a pity as the author shows so many skills in this level. Anyway, I enjoyed playing this level and it took me about 40 minutes. 15-04-05" - Tinka

"As I couldn't get through the first timed door (I thought it was a bug) I binned this one. But the trick is side flip and DO NOT run but jump through the door so now I could finish this level. As for the buttons one has to push when in doubt press them again. This is a level where there are many enemies so keep your guns drawn. All in all there is plenty of action too plenty for my taste in this rather short level but hey.. each its own. 16-12-2004" - Gerty

"After an extremely unsatisfactory start (running through a timed invisible door which is unfair on the player as they would believe it to be a bug) this quickly develops into a manic shooter with packs of thugs gunmen and dogs; but also plenty of ammo and medipacks so the threat is actually rather negligible. A room with many buttons seemed entirely pointless the Opera location never seemed authentic there was sunlight pouring from a black sky the ending was frightfully abrupt and Lara appeared to have no purpose to her mission. But if you like frantically shooting everything that moves then this will probably entertain." - Orbit Dream

"Obviously it's an effort to redesign the Opera level and a good one in my opinion. We have the same puzzles and areas with dogs and goons as enemies so expect some serious shooting. It's almost fifteen minutes long but I wish it was longer I liked it even though I've seen this before. I found one secrets and would encourage the players to take a look at it." - Kristina

"This has a really good TR2 atmosphere - right down to the 'aha's'. It does have a look of backstage at the opera house but it's primarily a shooter so don't expect puzzles or difficult moves. However if you fancy spending a fun half an hour seeing off hordes of dogs thugs and gunmen this could be just the level for you." - Jay

"Opera is a big download for a very short level. It uses Opera House textures but it's basically a warehouse. This one is basically a shooter as Lara runs around pushing many many switches and fighting dozens of enemies. Some of the switches seemed buggy to me. Lots of action in a short while and there's never a dull moment if your looking for something to blow away." - Duncan

"While the level is called 'Opera' there isn't a stage to be found anywhere nor is there a backstage either. The textures come from Opera House in TRII so maybe that's where the name came from. The sounds are also borrowed from TRII which is okay since those were good sounds to begin with! There's really no rhythm to the enemies they all just come out en masse and it's a free for all. Medipacks are few and far between so it takes some TR-Hard Core type planning to figure out what is the best way to survive the melee. I'm not sure what's going on with the fish they are super energized and zip around like lightning. A little different but it makes a relatively simple level slightly more challenging." - Celli

"I really love the feel of opera levels there's something ominous about them and this is no different. Unfortunately the gaming is held to quite a small gaming area and the level itself only lasted 25 minutes. I will say though that if you like action levels then you will like this as there are so many enemies men dogs and rats and sometimes in huge packs that you can barely make a move without having to watch your back. I collected 4 secrets." - Sash

"This is a fairly quick run through an Opera house interior. It was good to be back in a Venice environment. The first room had a timed run through a gate that for me was the most peculiar situation I've experienced in custom levels. Inside the gate is another invisible gate and for a long time I was convinced it was an invisible wall until I found out it's an invisible timed door. So the solution is to push the switch sideflip right and immediately jump forward with action. Running through the gate just doesn't work. This first room and the underwater area beyond remind me of an unofficial test level I've seen. Further on is a large area that looks like the back of the stage of the opera with high gates and fences columns and a little side stage. I was able to get to the end by going through the trapdoors but I haven't a clue what all the switches did in this room. I pushed them all anyway. Very short level with plenty of gunmen thugs and doberman dogs." - CC

"The tip off that this is a shooter is the ammo and weapon pickups in the beginning and it works well as a shooter. Yes lots of enemies but not so many as to be overwhelming. I encountered a bug(?) that left the gate to the water area closed and had to go to an earlier savegame. Ends abruptly and I would have liked to see more of an opera setting in a level so named but all in all for a (short) shooter it was entertaining. I think there is a lot of potential here." - Bene

"The second offering by Lukasz and yet again there are quite a few battles to fight with the Venice gunmen and thugs and a few rather fierce dogs and speedy fish. There is a short timed door near the start and some of the many buttons seemed to behave in a rather enigmatic way but when in doubt just press them again. Not all that much to do here and after 25 minutes it's already over. Found only one secret - the Uzi." - Michael

"Well this was definitely a shooter level and I usually don't mind those. My favourite things about the level were for one the enemies. There was a great number of 'em but not so many that you become overwhelmed. They come in big packs but there aren't hoards more with every step Lara takes. Being the raider that I am I decided that I had to kill everybody including Dobermans big muscle guys with sticks and the Italian gangster guys with rifles solely with pistols. Plenty of Uzis Shotguns and medipacks were found in very easy secret locations (considering I of all people found them and I wasn't even looking). Secondly the level was completely Tomb Raider 2-ified. In a Venice Opera House environment everything is original. Every noise Lara makes as well as her hair (a bit longer) and even her entire body is exactly as it is in TR2. It was a very noisy level everything made a noise. Even the bullets hitting the floor made a noise. And I liked the misty outdoor pool. However apart from these two aspects the level didn't have much appeal. There were so many switches! It was rather short and the ending well you are on the other side of a door you saw earlier you walk up to a bad-guy van and the level ends. *sniff*. But anyway it's fun if you enjoy shooters like I do." - Capt. Abbey