Level reviews

"My experience was quite similar to John's, in a sense I got myself softlocked in the final floor and the timer ran well beyond the 20 minute mark and nothing ever happened. Reading Nomad's review I guess I get it, I ended up reaching the flower shop much too soon so it would seem the crystals I left behind were crucial to triggering certain effects to finish the game. Still, for a first (and single) blind run I thought I fared rather well, by finding 17 of the 25 crystals. It definitely feels like a bonus mode - not an extra level for a lenghty series, but something different altogether - , a little unusual for classic TR but still an interesting concept. 25 minutes, 17 secrets. 01/23" - Treeble

"The idea and concept of this level with its objective to find 25 crystals within a certain time limit should of been an exciting and challenging escapade to complete but disappointingly it is badly executed in the fact that there isn't really a time limit! i mean yes you have the clock timer starting immediately and remaining throughout but ive read on the walk-through that you get 20 mins to find the crystals otherwise its a fail and you have to try again? well after trying my best i couldn't quite get there on the first go even with reloading and sprinting around etc but after the 20 min mark nothing happened! no voice over, no cut-scene, no death and no end of game!? erm OK! so i kept on searching etc and managed to find 24 of the 25 by the 30 minute mark and yet still nothing happened! i couldn't find the last crystal, i did use a walk-through but must of missed it somehow and i didn't want to start again and so ended up just quitting the level as there doesn't seem to be an end trigger? The game-play itself is just running around collecting crystals from rooms, shooting bad guys and items, finding keys/switches to open doors etc but with no puzzles, traps or much platforming tasks so personally quite underwhelming. However i did like the music track that was on repeat, there was good use of objects and the textures were done well but overall i have to say it was disappointing experience." - John

"This would be a much better level if it didn't have a two-story dead end. Making the level unbeatable (well, sort of) if you slide down a certain path without collecting every crystal in the area is a bad decision in my opinion. Sure, the game obviously expects you not to be able to complete the level perfectly in the first try, and the gameplay is figuring out how to make an ideal start and find the perfect order to do the necessary things, which is fine, but that was a bit too much. I also can't say I liked the tasks you need to do in the flower room and one of the libraries, they didn't make any sense. This doesn't mean I did not like the level though, I had fun, and I also liked the tension and the exciting music. The hotel is solidly designed and entertaining to explore. But the aforementioned issues harmed the game in my opinion. Can't say it will be everyone's cup of tea, so you should try it for yourself." - Nomad

"This entire level is basically one giant timed run, where Lara has to try and collect 25 gems scattered around this hotel. However, the ending doesn't seem to change regardless of whether you accomplish this or not, so it ended up being rather underwhelming for my taste. Using Dutchy's walkthrough and pausing intermittently to try and get my bearings, while also ignoring the majority of the enemies (a couple got in Lara's path though, so they got shot), I found the final one by the time the clock reached 18 minutes and 30 seconds, and Zip still chimed in with the same message (if she didn't find them all, then she had to try again), so it was a bit disappointing that nothing more congratulatory occurred. The construction and texturing was actually quite good insofar as I could see, but as a whole this wasn't at all to my liking." - Ryan

"This level in my honest opinion is so underrated, I think that the whole idea of a whole level being timed is a really good one. The time gives Lara a sense of urgency which is something I think is important to the storylines of the majority of adventures. The only issue I think the fake doors got annoying with the race against the clock." - JoeTheCrazyGamer

"Exploring a motel for 25 crystals provides a challenge but it would help orientate if all floors and entrances weren't similar, also I would throw out all the fake painted doors to reduce confusion. Audio track is good but might get annoying after a while. This level could do better if included as an all-secret reward in the full game of Costa Rica." - DJ Full

"This is a rather old one and I have been putting this off for a reason. Yup, timed runs, well......., not really, the whole level is one giant timed run. Not my cup of tea at all as you can imagine. Don't need to say that I had to replay several sequence more than once. Oh well, I did it and now I don't have to think about it anymore." - Gerty

"I suppose the concept of a level consisting entirely of a timed run is a novel one, but it's not really my cup of tea. I used Dutchy's walkthrough and his wonderfully detailed graphics, thinking I would have to rush frantically to make it through in time. By going exclusively for the green crystals and necessary keys, and ignoring just about everything else, and by saving frequently, I gathered up the 25th crystal with about five minutes to spare. I went back, picking up ammo and wasting the various enemies I'd run past earlier, just to make the time pass by more quickly, and when the time counter hit 20 minutes and a few seconds, some smart-ass voice from off screen asked me if I'd picked up all 25 secret crystals, and if not to go back and start over. I was expecting something a bit more momentous than that, so I left feeling less than overwhelmed. At least the lighting was good, and the only place you needed a flare was in the ducts." - Phil

"This is not an easy level to review,as the whole thing runs on a twenty minute timer which automatically terminates the level regardless of whether you've managed to collect the 25 available crystals or not.As nothing significant happens one way or the other,it doesn't really feel as though anything has actually been accomplished.I failed completely to collect them all,but as the ending remains the same no matter what you may or may not achieve,there seemed little point in going back and running through those repetitive corridors all over again - for that's all you actually do.The Timer concept is a good one;but surely punishment for failure should be death,rather than the level simply ending? Not that I especially enjoy the 'running down corridors shooting baddies' style of gameplay,but I actually began to resent the Timer as I feel the player should be allowed to explore such a large and decently built place at their leisure. Exploration is what Tomb Raider should fundamentally be about,after all;and having that option removed for the entire game (as opposed to a timed-run challenge) seemed a little cold hearted.Construction- wise,this was well put together;and the variety of enemies was fun,especially the athletically gifted homicidal chef.Texturing and lighting did what it was supposed to do,so the running around is entertaining for the twenty minutes the game (quite specifically) lasts.I suppose it has replay value for those who desperately want to acquire each and every crystal for no reward,but I can't say that the prospect particularly excites me." - Orbit Dream

"Reading the comments from another players I thought Lara could die if she was not able to find all the crystals in time, but I was mistaken. I don't know if there's enough time to find all crystals, pick up all items and shoot all enemies; either way there are two options to play this level: save a lot of times before exploring the areas and reload a lot of times when the area is explored and you know what to do, or follow the Dutchy's fantastic walkthrough and do the tasks in the correct order. In any case there's enough time to get all 25 crystals. It's your choice." - Jose

"You have just over 20 minutes to find 25 gems. There is no reward or recognition should you succeed, so only play the level for the challenge itself. While it is an entertaining concept, there are some flaws in the level structure. The biggest problem is that there is no way to backtrack once you slide down a slope in the vents...if the player goes that way first, too bad for them I guess? This challenge is basically impossible to do without memorizing the structure of the hotel and having a plan ahead of time. The doors get irritating and I wish they would just open up once and stay that way. Some crystals are hidden in rather obscure ways, such as an innocent light, that looks like any other but is somehow more fragile under your guns. You'll want the heavier weaponry as the hotel staff is not at all pleased with you - angry chefs and SAS baddies will appear around most corners to get in your way. If the level were structured better, and maybe left a hint or two for the more obscure "puzzles," I might have found this more engaging. Some recognition for finding all of the crystals would be even better. As it is, I do not feel I accomplished much apart from being able to read the author's mind (or if not, the walk-through) by getting through the level." - SSJ6Wolf

"This certainly is an original concept - a timed level. The clock starts the second the level loads. The player has twenty minutes to search this hotel high and low for 25 gems. Some you almost trip over as you dash around. Others need a bit of thinking about as they are well hidden. The prize goes to the person who figures out that a certain unmarked lamp has to be shot. And just to spice this challenge up a bit we have to kill a number of humans along the way, because if we don't we won't get their keys. It can be done, but I doubt if any single player would find all the gems the first time through. If you don't collect all the gems a silly voice tells you to try again, if you do then you are congratulated. But no reward is forthcoming, only the sense of achievement that you've done it, and the fact that you are trapped here forever gives this levels a slightly disturbing Groundhog Day feel to it." - CC

"Something different indeed. What you get here is basically a 25 minutes long timed run during which you explore the Motel trying to find all 25 gems scattered throughout. It is however only this timed element that actually turns it into an interesting level, because essentially you simply round around exploring room after room, battling a bunch of guards and kitchen guys along the way, finding a few keys and pushing a few buttons. Still a nice challenge to find them all and to make it in time." - MichaelP

"This is kind of an odd little bonus level. In a multi-storeyed hotel you have to collect 25 large gems but there is no dawdling to be done as the entire level is a timed run and you have 20 minutes to complete the task. There are guards and some majorly peed off chefs that you have to take care of, at least one has a key so you best take the time to give 'em a little bit of an ass wooping. Sadly when you collect all the gems you aren't treated to any kind of fanfare so it all felt a tad anticlimactic. For a tense pulse racing time though this will do you just fine." - Sash

"We have to get up to the 4th floor in a motel and pick up 25 crystals within 20 minutes. Watch out, because it's easy to fail. The enemies: above all the time, then soldiers and butchers, :) and the darkness. The doors that open automatically are especially evil, because they open slowly and close quickly, and they are noisy. Sometimes you don't know whether door closed we left behind or a new door opened somewhere. And the end, well, I think the author made a slap-dash work there. We can't get out of the building, and the cut-scene is also the same as we haven't completed the task. You can find a Hungarian walkthrough (as we don't have English version), savegames and pictures here: http://treditor.hu/15/costa_rica_episode3.htm" - Obig

Well, this is an interesting short level which must be played at a very fast pace in order for Lara to collect all the crystals scattered throughout the place, thus not having to listen to the whisky voice in the end telling her she should start all over again. It isn't boring. Since Lara must always be on the move, it isn't particularly fantastic to look at either nor does it contain any mind bending puzzles. It is what it is. I liked it. (June 19, 2005) - Jorge22

"Interesting notion - you get 20 minutes to run around the place like a mad thing, collecting 25 green gems and shooting the occasional baddie. I only managed to get 20 in that time but it was fun. No, I didn't have another go." - Jay

"This Bonus level was a bit disappointing for me, I expected more after those great levels Donald provided us with. The level is a continuing timed run (as a training for Lara) while looking for 25 Gems you have to collect while shooting Guards, standing lamps, collecting Ammo and one lamp in particular as it opened a door to the Revolver and a Gem I could never find... Was a bit too well hidden that trigger. The end is more disappointing as there is no end flyby, only a voice and you will be standing there with all those gems and noting to do anymore..." - Dutchy

"I wasn't sure how to rate this level so I might have been a bit generous. It is a timed level with different stores inside a hotel and your goal is to find all twenty five green crystals which are the secrets. There are enemies though to slow you down but they also carry, guns, ammo or keys so you better get rid of them before proceeding. I thought the trick to open the door in one of the libraries was sneaky because you need to find a lamp that is less bright than the others and it's very difficult to distinguish it. I never got the elevators to work and I still wonder if it was possible. Also at the opening flyby, we see a crystal outside that I never accessed. I was expecting, after acquiring all crystals which I did, we would be able to go outside to get a nice ending but instead we get the same voice telling us that if we failed to find all crystals we should start again. Nevertheless it was a nice closure but I am not sure everyone will want to play this bonus level. Don't let the timed sequence scare you off, it's not as bad as it sounds. Give it a try." - Kristina