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Alexander's Tomb II by Miss Kroft

Bene 9 8 9 10
Bigfoot 10 10 10 10
DJ Full 8 9 10 9
Duncan 8 8 9 9
Engelchen Lara 9 10 10 10
eRIC 9 9 8 8
Gerty 8 9 9 10
Jay 9 9 10 10
Jez 9 9 9 9
Jose 8 9 10 10
Josi 9 8 9 9
Kristina 9 9 9 9
Loupar 8 8 9 9
MichaelP 8 9 9 9
Orbit Dream 8 8 10 10
Phil 10 9 9 10
QRS 9 9 10 10
Ryan 9 9 10 10
Samu 9 9 9 9
Sash 8 8 10 10
Scottie 9 9 10 10
Selene 10 10 10 10
Sethian 6 8 7 9
Shandroid 10 9 10 10
Sutekh 8 9 10 10
Treeble 8 8 8 8
Zhyttya 8 9 10 10
 
release date: 21-Jun-2005
# of downloads: 293

average rating: 9.08
review count: 27
 
review this level

file size: 82.70 MB
file type: TR4
class: Egypt
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
moneek@hemikro.com

Reviewer's comments
"I don't know if it's somewhat chaotic but permissive, or really planned to give you a chance with illusion of chaos - but somehow I was able to not use the walkthrough for main gameplay here, even though sometimes the things I did seemed random. Same for material selection, they seem eclectic yet somehow belonging together. Uniqueness? I can agree to that either. Overall a level which screams retro but in good ways. Recommended a lot." - DJ Full (18-Jun-2023)
"Miss Kroft's levels have a certain quality that's hard to describe, they're "uniquely" hers and these are no exception, they feel and play exactly as you'd expect from her. lara's shoes sort of bothered me though. lots of going back and forth as you slowly proceed forwards. I've played this in shorter sessions over the span of three days but I have to admit halfway through the third level I found my interest waning fast. Don't get me wrong, the levels are beautiful and the new textures blend in very well with the classic textures (some of the TR1 Egyptian ones felt slightly out of place though), and there's a great audio selection to go with the grand environments. The constant back and forth gets a bit tiresome though. The third level has some elaborate timed run sequences over burning tiles and one combining timed levers with raising blocks and pushable blocks as well, those were fun to clear. When you make your leave you're graced with a cute short cutscene of Lara relaxing by a pool. All in all, definitely good levels, but perhaps some streamlining would have worked well here. 3 hours, 5 secrets. 01/23" - Treeble (22-Jan-2023)
"6879 It's been many years since I played the first part of this - Alexander's Tomb' duo created by Miss Kroft, so I'm a little bit out of the loop as to the continuity with this one – but it seems the author is confused with their own story, since both the info page and readme refer to Lara searching for - Alexander's Scroll', and it was only by the time I got to the final level - The Sword is near' that I realized Lara must be hunting for a sword. Anyway, it's not a good Miss Kroft level if it doesn't open up to a stunningly crafted camera flyby sequence, paired of course with some kitschy music, and an outfit worn by Lara that looks more suited to spending the day sunning oneself on the beach rather than a raid (put some boots on girl!). But, the tacky blue shorts, blue shoes, blue earrings, and even blue eyes that Miss Croft sports here in Miss Kroft's level set, do actually end up fitting the environments as we progress: Monica has used lots of light blue colors everywhere, and this creates quite pretty visuals.

Gameplay & Puzzles: For me, this category was the worst aspect about the experience. Of course, it isn't bad per se, but as is usually now with Miss Kroft's levels, they become senseless, meaningless, and redundant, in the drawn-out tasks you are forced to perform. Endless, running back and forth, flicking switches, placing puzzle items, and no logic to any of the environments – in fact, a switch right next to a door will instead open a door far away, and you'll have to find a way to open up the first door elsewhere. This becomes so continuous it shows the author was just mindlessly dragging out everything as much as one could. I'm aware the level description, walkthrough, and other reviewers refer to this level-set as challenging. How? How is it challenging though? I personally suck at timed runs or banana jumps, and all of those were beyond easy to complete in this level-set. The only way in which these levels are a - challenge' is that 80% of the time you have NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING. You just pull a bunch of switches and hope it did something and that you can somehow someway keep progressing – never actually having a sense of space or idea of where this is all leading. About 2 hours into each level, you're also meant to remember randomly locked doors from the very very beginning. There really is only one interesting puzzle of raising two push-able burners up higher in a multi-stacked room, involving timed raising blocks. It sounds like hell, but all the pushing and timed switches weren't even so bad – it was the lack of knowing which switch did what and what the point of any of this was. Another - challenge' the author tries to include is placing lever switches rotated diagonally in a small alcove – sure, it's a real challenge to try to get Lara into the right position so she'll actually flick the darn thing. Tying into this issue, collision boxes on badly rotated objects (mainly trees) also become part of the - challenges' you'll be facing during some of these - puzzles'.

Enemies, Objects, Secrets: Finally, a better category. Miss Kroft was always great at providing a mix of diverse enemies that will keep one on their toes. The only downside in this level-set is, she seems to have included everything possible from the Multiculti- Diversity-Catalogue. Lions, Gladiators, Skeletons, Spiders, Crocodiles, Sharks – it all works for the Greco-Roman Alexandrian setting we are in. But the two random Atlantean demi-gods are out of place, as are the constant demonic-winged-skeletons flying around pretty blue Greek temples. The pinnacle of all this randomness is reached when we encounter two bird-headed Guardians from TR2 Gold. Pickups are also a complete mess this time around – you are given an overabundance of Crossbow bolts since in standard Miss Kroft fashion, shooting targets is of course the only unique puzzle element. But then, when you get the nice reward of the Uzis, the author provides absolutely NO AMMO for this gun. A bit of a game-stopping bug that at first really concerned me cause I thought I was going to have to replay it all, was an incident where I had to keep re-loading to an earlier save, where an Atlantean was meant to drop a Ruby Key for me, but never did until I went back far enough in my savegame files. At another time, I picked up a Pharos Knot and ran past a Pharos Pillar puzzle hole and thought "Great, now I need to find that too?" but it turns out I was meant to use the Knot item on the Pillar hole. Strange. Architecture objects however are placed in an extremely pleasing fashion, and I particularly liked the author's adaptations of Greek pillars, but with blue textures. Secrets are also extremely well hidden, and one was cool in that you need to pick up a key which a Crocodile leaves behind for you – I guess it swallowed that key. Nice idea.

Atmosphere, Sound, Cameras: Atmosphere is on point at least, and it really does give off a beautiful Mediterranean feeling. The music is good whenever Miss Kroft uses some slightly adapted tracks from the original Tomb Raider games; but atrocious when she feels the need to bring in her own - bossa nova' music tracks. Camera work is again where the score splits itself: Miss Kroft is super talented at creating smooth, fluid, and mood-setting flyby sequences… however, there are almost virtually no helpful cameras throughout the entre level-set letting you know what you just triggered. All the flybys, whilst pretty, are virtually useless and don't help the player. I would've preferred for her to cut those down and place some more helpful cameras letting us know that switch No. 387 opened door No. 243.

Lighting & Textures: Apart from the first two levels, where Miss Kroft uses some rather ambiguous textures as climbable walls, only to use them decoratively elsewhere, this is the best aspect about the game. Environments, whilst confusing and illogical, have been crafted beautifully. The mixing of TR4 Alexandrian, TR5 Roman, and TR1 Greek textures actually works really well, and at not time did the environment or colors ever feel visually jarring or out of place as in some of her previous work." - Sethian (10-Nov-2020)
"Phew, this is one enjoyable but extremely challenging game. Although it only consists of three levels, I felt like I have been through a war and returned. All three levels are actually pretty extensive and you get a lot more gameplay than you'd initially suspect. The first two levels are easier than the third, where you have to be on guard and keep your wits about you at all times. As can be expected from Monika, the scenery is gorgeous to look at and the music choices were a nice touch here and there. Highly recommended if you want a difficult (at times) but rewarding raid." - Ryan (16-Nov-2016)
"Fantastic game. The levels are really amazing and intriguing. One thing that stood out was its colours. A fantastic combination of the textures used, resulted in an amazing view in most scenarios, really beautiful scenes and music too. There wasn't a lot of secrets and enemies, but the difficulty of the game was still challenging because of the game play. Not sure if it was challenging in a good way though. ---- Oh, why is that?---- you might ask. Well what irritated me the most was the super lack of trigger cameras, although sometimes the solution is pretty strait forward, but more trigger cameras wouldn't hurt. Also i found myself too many times in the situation of 'reloading a previous save because it was impossible to progress' either due to using a key in the wrong keyhole or finding myself in situations of 'one way path'. Combining these points and my result is 8/9/10/10. The game is definitely a bless but it needed sharpening on the gameplay." - Zhyttya (13-Sep-2016)
"This is the final 3 levels to search Alexander's Sword. Amazing adventure. The author has built her owns objects (the sword, keys ...) and the final result is great. The gameplay is also very exellent, not too hard and not too easy. Beautiful news audios and textures. And in the end we have a wonderful cut scene to conclude this Alexander's saga. A perfect level, maybe it's good to start with the part 1 if someone want to play this saga. A very big thanks for this great adventure. BigFoot" - BigFoot (26-Nov-2011)
"This level set is a dream for players who like classic raising with high quality. There are many tasks , including quite a few which are timed , including timed traps. The progression is fair most of the time, only a couple of situations were a bit obscure to me with a couple of objects hard to spot ( a key on the ground , and a too much hidden brass ball ) so the game is always moving, despite not too many cameras. The looks and other ingredients are pretty good, I like much some of the objects like the new movable objects. A level set with a high degree of entertainment." - eRIC (01-Jan-2010)
"This level belongs quite clearly to the best whom there are in the Tomb Raider scene. There are here so many ah-moments which one can grasp everything not at all properly. I am sure that if I would play through this level once more, I would experience even more astonishing moments. There is the winged sentence in the movie business which one should start with a big explosion and should continuously increase afterwards. Miss Kroft has made this different. She has started first quietly, to the player has thrown down now and again a few fat lumps and then has increased, however, fast. The first level is on the first metres rather quite a normal catacomb level. Though he is well built, but, actually, nothing special. nevertheless, this changes, as soon as it goes outward. Here one can admire because immediately one of the big strengths of Miss Kroft, namely the sky. In all three parts one can admire thus a really nice sky. As the next strikes which the inside areas, as well as the undeveloped outskirt areas have really succeeded. There are level builder who can build great inside worlds, but as soon as it goes outward, they completely fail. Miss Kroft has with it no problems. Another highlight are the beams of light which one can see in the ceiling openings. The only what has disturbed me something was the place with the little beetles. Though they were to be found only in a rather small inner courtyard which was formed, besides, so which they were able to do there not away, but this inner courtyard was filled so high with water which one could go only slowly and not in the normal tempo. In the other both levels strikes which Miss Kroft has a predilection for water, because Lara is here on the move a lot in the wet element. Also have succeeded many well thought-out riddles, but I must also say, however that there was a few places where I have asked myself what I should make then now. If a wall opening has the same colour like the wall, one can walk around already very long without thinking any solution how it goes on then now. However, such places seldom exist. The Flybys were very good. To groups with great music it was a real pleasure to take simply sometimes the fingers of the keys and to follow the camera. Playing time was just 5 hours Result: Excellent level which one should miss by no means P.S.: Why is this level actuallly not in the Hall of Fame? There he belongs because anyway!" - Scottie (15-Jul-2009)
"I just loved this level, even better the second time around. The rooms are exquisitely beautiful with rich texturing and beautiful lighting. The puzzles are challenging but never frustrating. I had a lot of great fun playing this older but almost perfect level. Even with the TREP that many builders use today, few levels can even come close to the quality of this Miss Kroft level. I just can't think of any negative aspects of the level, except for some backtracking in some areas. Nothing really could begin to tarnish my experience. There are very few Greek levels to play, and if you enjoy this kind of atmosphere, this is a must-play." - Shandroid (03-Oct-2008)
"Here's another gem that somehow slipped by me after its initial release. After all the dreary and depressing levels I've played lately, this three-level release was a sheer delight. The surroundings are absolutely gorgeous and amply lighted, and if the gameplay had been merely average I still would have had a good time. But the tasks and challenges are of the same high quality as the graphics, and with Selene's meticulously detailed walkthrough close at hand I never reached a point of frustration, even with the more difficult moves near the end. I spent nearly five hours of net gaming time here and enjoyed every minute of it. If anyone else out there is as weary of dark levels as I am, download this one for some instant relief. Highest recommendations." - Phil (25-Apr-2008)
"This is wonderful set of three levels where your task is to find the sword of Alexander. The environment looks very good containing many beutiful inside areas and outside areas. I noticed also that there are many different kind of plants in these levels and they decorate levels very well. Indeed the environment would be perfect if lighting in some areas had been done a little bit better and some textures putted together better. The atmosphere is also wonderful including many fly by cameras and nice music tracks. I liked also puzzles despite they were quite easy for me and I didn't have to think a lot. I don't know what else I could say about this game so play it and find out yourself." - Samu (06-May-2006)
"Okay, I'll put my hand up to not playing this wonderful set of 3 levels as when I read the reviews all I took in was that there was a catacomb flavour involved, this was enough to put me off. But now that I have taken the plunge and actually played them I could kick myself. Miss Kroft could not have built more beautiful levels with not a hint at the cloying claustrophobic dark settings I had let my mind conjure, instead she has used some of the old textures and added some new ones to make such fresh looking temples where it felt most of the time I was actually playing in large open aired gardens and courtyards, how wrong was I. The gaming for the most part was also very fun with a lot of exploring your environment to find some well hidden switches and towards the end some really great puzzling but there was also an aspect of having quite a bit of back and forth progression that isn't really my favourite thing, however it was a small price to pay for on the whole a great, fun and gorgeous experience. Now if all catacomb levels could look like this I'd be a very happy girl. Excellent job Miss Kroft. 3.5 hours, 5 secrets." - Sash (26-Mar-2006)
"Alexander's tomb is another great Monika's level. Classic settings for a classic story with nice touches everywhere. She always knows how to use the textures and the music, and this time she makes a beautiful set of levels each one with its own atmosphere. There are many difficult timed runs and not too much enemies but after all this is a kind of levels that I always enjoy." - Loupar (17-Oct-2005)
"What can I say? It's a beautiful and very enjoyable set of levels and I was sad to see the end, a nice happy end btw. The first part starts in catacombs and you have to find your way to the second part (my favorite) through all kind of puzzles and traps. Ofcourse there are some enemies around like poisongreen beetles, but nothing you can't handle. Like I said, the second part, Aquarius, is my favorite. Gorgeous looking and great to play. The third part is also very good and has a tricky timed sequence, but not tricky enough to be frustrating. Sometimes it's a bit confusing when it is not so obvious what happens when you flick a (timed) lever, a camera shot would have been nice there. A great set of levels that kept me raiding every free minute, play it! 23-8-2005" - Josi (19-Sep-2005)
"Another great adventure from Miss Kroft! I have no idea how she manage to keep building these great levels. This time it is a classic environment but she is so skilled that it feels like something new anyway :) The atmosphere and cameras are just amazing..the lighting and textures are perfect. The only thing that prevents me from giving here a full score is the secrets and puzzles. Although the puzzles are good and some of the secrets are tricky to find, it doesn't reach up to the 10 mark in my opinion. Although very close ;) Everything else is perfect and I did not expect anything else from one of my favorite builders! More please! 2005-08-14" - QRS (15-Aug-2005)
"I never played a level so many times as this one as Monika released it just before the Lage Meeting. Quite a few computers were playing it and as I already finished it at home I could help out some of the others. I was very glad to see that I wasn't the only one that got stuck in it several times. The three levels have a nice build up here, from quite easy to rather tricky. As always Monika makes beautiful looking levels, eye candy. Do remember where you have seen a door or a gate as there is some backtracking to do and just a bit more camera work would suit me fine. The timed runs are luckily not frustrating hard to do. Overall there are nice puzzles in all three levels. The last level, The Sword is Near; is the hardest of them all. I did like the complex puzzle but the game came to an almost grinding halt there compared with the fast pace it had throughout. It is still on my PC and now I have to hunt down all the secrets. 22-06-2005" - Gerty (12-Aug-2005)
"What a great set of levels! This levels made me remember the marvellous Luis Martins gothic levels (Legacy of the Gods and bonuspacks), good design and gameplay, good puzzles, great scenes,... But I've found a "bug" so I had to read the walkthrough (I hate read walkthroughs): in the second level (Aquarius) you have to kill a demon demi-god so he drops the Ruby Key; well, I entered into the room, climb the raised pedestal and go up the upper ledge to kill the demon from there; the demon was able to climb the raised pedestal too (but not the upper floor) so I shoot him without danger from my high position and he died over the raised pedestal and the Ruby Key didn't appear!?! Moments after this I arrived to the keyhole where I should have to use that key but I couldn't do it, so I walked much time along the entire level and I couldn't continue playing, and had to read the walkthrough; then I reloaded an old savegame and kill the demon in ground floor and the key appeared. Finally I almost couldn't use the uzis, 'cause there were very few bullets for it (less than 100). In spite of this I love this kind of levels." - Jose (09-Aug-2005)
"I have just finished this level and I just have to say 'Brilliant'. Gameplay moves well and puzzles are well thought out and not too difficult. Not many enemies but they were well placed and unusual. Atmosphere has a bit of everything with some well lit indoor and outdoor areas as well as more darker, sinister looking parts. The whole thing was bigger than I expected as the game keeps opening up into yet more beautifully crafted rooms. Also great to hear some old classic sounds." - Jez (28-Jul-2005)
"The Greek, Alexander the Great inspired Monika once again so here we have the sequel. The goal is to find Alexander's Sword after facing flying skeletons, huge bird like creatures and of course after finding a number of keys to open the way. The surroundings remind something from catacombs but at the same time it's something new with beautiful gardens. I liked the occasional challenge in this game and I was pleased to see a level continue, right about when I thought it would end. One of the timed sequences involves pushing objects on certain tiles which could have been avoided because I thought it was too much after the four timed switches in the same area. Monika knows how to satisfy the players and this game is definitely one of her best. I found three secrets and the ending was great with Lara in her swimsuit, enjoying the day near her pool in the mansion. I am also pleased to see that she respected my country's history and kept everything in a general form so nothing was twisted around or depicted falsely. Thank you for that Monika and for a very enjoyable level." - Kristina (27-Jul-2005)
One of the things I really like about Monika's levels is that they always seem so 'real'. I suppose that's simply another way of saying 'bloody good builder'. I just love her levels and this one is no exception. Gorgeous settings, nice timed runs and puzzles (not too hard, just challenging enough to be jolly good fun without excluding the less experienced players) and a lovely flow and rhythm to the gameplay. I'm always sorry to finish a level by this particular builder and equally greedy for the next adventure. Thanks Monika, I had a wonderful time as always. - Jay (18-Jul-2005)
This just kept getting better and better. By the beginning of the last part, The Sword Is Near, I was completely immersed in the gameplay and storyline. From Lara's blue outfit with matching earrings, tie-back and shoes to the great use of color and beautiful graphics, the attention to detail is impressive. Puzzles are well thought out and it all flows to a great ending. Timed runs that are fun and not frustrating add to the over-all enjoyment. Some back and forth to contend with; it helps to have a good memory but in no way did this detract from game play for me. Highly recommended for all. Thanks for another great, memorable, satisfying Raid, Monika. You never disappoint. - Bene (17-Jul-2005)
When being told that we can expect a new level from Monika we are not likely to be disappointed and the wait will without a doubt be more than worth it. AT2 is a true star style gem. Lara returns to Alexandria once more, this time to search for the legendary sword that once belonged to Alexander the Great himself. And what a journey the curious level player has ahead of him/herself. There are three levels that must be played through in order to succeed in finding the sword. The first level provides a quality start to a great adventure, of typical Tomb Raider character....there are high climbs, underwater navigation, switches and levers to pull and a few timed runs (these DO become more and more abundant during the course of the game, but there's nothing that can't be done with a few tries) while exploring a temple-style building and the gorgeous gardens surrounding it. In my opinion the timed runs only brought the gameplay up to an even higher level. Although I normally detest timed runs those presented here were pure pleasure and provided not only challenges, but great fun as well. The puzzles were a bit complex at times, with quite a lot of backtracking and it was often hard to remember where you had spotted THAT exact keyhole three quarters of a level ago. Most of the time consisted of trying to figure out the next place to go, but a wonderful experience it was nonetheless. I'm not particularly into enemies that come in flocks around every cover, but here they became too few even to my liking. The final enemies in the last level were a great surprise though and I really enjoyed dealing with the winged skeletons. Traps were a bit more abundant and consisted in everything from electrical floors, burners and pools of molten lava to spiked boulders, blades and spike pits. In other words everything a proper temple/tomb/catacomb should have ...and plenty of it too. There were many pickups, but none of them were too hard to find and Lara would have to locate lots of keys and gemstones plus some other objects fit for opening previously inaccessible areas or shutting off traps. There are 5 secrets in total: 2 each in the first two levels and one in the last. Some of them were very cleverly hidden and not always so easy to find, but I did manage to get them all. The textures, lightning, atmosphere and sound were all so perfect for a level of its kind and the oriental music really hit it home with me, as did the G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S textures. A few glitches and disappearing textures here and there, but nothing to scream out about. This level in itself is a brilliant journey and I almost find it hard to believe the talent of the level builder at times. A top ace in my book and definitely recommendable to everyone! - Selene (14-Jul-2005)
This one is three separate levels built at different times, and boy does it show. The first is a stereotypical catacombs level (I'm afraid I am really tired of these textures and it put me off). The gameplay is not hard, but requires too much back and forth. The second, Aquarius, is far more attractive, but it requires Lara to come all the way back to the beginning in order to finish, and I found the lack of a shortcut a significant flaw. Throughout all three the author shows a fetish for spike traps that is redundant and annoying. The absolute star is the third part, The Sword is Near, which is on par with the author's best work. Visually it is by far the most beautiful and original of the three, and the gameplay is intricate and delightful. It also ends extremely well. Frankly, I think the author should have left the first part out and released just the second and third. The Sword is Near is a must play and I could not recommend it more highly. - Duncan (11-Jul-2005)
What I really loved about this one is the perfect use of colors. Beautiful not only by themselves but by the way they are put together. For that reason, this is one of the most pleasant to the eyes levels I've ever played, which added a lot to my enjoyment. Not that it was really needed, though, since the gameplay - while not perfect - is also quite good. Sometimes hard on Lara, health-wise, but never frustrating. There are a couple of really inventive and devious push blocks puzzles - long time no see one that good, the secrets aren't generally too easy to spot and the agility department is solid too, while being maybe the easiest part. Add to that a really nice and original music - the romantic one at the start is a great moment, especially considering what follows - and you'd have a near-to-perfect level if it weren't for a bit too much backtracking for my taste at times, timed-run that are given too much time and a couple of glitches that had me stuck in walls. No big deal, though. This is a really, really, really good set of levels, one which shouldn't be missed, and I thank Monika from the bottom of my heart for giving us this gem. - Sutekh (09-Jul-2005)
Alexander's Tomb II (8/9/8/9, 60 min., 2 secrets): Part one of the series was apparently built already two years ago and it starts out with a nice flyby and some classic and fairly straightforward raiding in a Catacombs environment that later turns more into Coastal Style. Despite the rather low level of difficulty I would often have preferred one or the other camera hint to avoid a lot of pointless back and forth running. Enemies are around in wide variety but in low numbers (spiders,dogs, wasps, crocodiles, gladiators, warthogs, skeletons and beetles). Plenty of puzzle items to collect (trident, gem, knot, portal guardian, star and several keys). There are spikes, boulder traps and burners but it is all quite harmless and you will move along at a steady pace. The highlight is definitely the timed sequence including sliding and jumping with a target shoot. Aquarius (8/9/9/9, 60 min., 2 secrets): As the name implies you will find a lot of water around this part and it is nicely set in scene. The decor is a little more fancy than in part one and in your quest for a star, three keys, two tridents and finally a gem you do need a good memory as you will have to backtrack quite a bit. I liked the mix between inside and outside and the overall flow worked well, even though it can become quite confusing if you miss certain areas. Enemies get a little tougher here with Atlantean demigods, a shark, skeletons and skeleton harpies and guardians. You have to push a few pots around, manage spike traps and an interesting time sequence involving four buttons. Despite the hint in the readme, the reset of the lever never worked in my game, so I had to reload a save there. The Sword is Near (9/8/9/10, 70 min., 1 secret): Definitely the best level of the set and quite difficult compared to Monika's usual standards, which of course suited me just fine. It starts out in more of a Castle setting and has a bit darker kind of atmosphere. Great use of objects throughout and quite a few short timed runs right near the start. Enemies are again very few (skeleton harpies, lions, warthogs and those hilarious big stomping birds later on). You need a keen eye occasionally to spot the shootable brass balls (and a beehive). Again you collect several keys as you progress. I really enjoyed the complex puzzle with pushable objects and raising blocks and also the occasional jump more on the tricky side. The electricity room was impressive too and the flyby of the sword a nice introduction to the final section. All in all, I got much more than I expected here, with more than three hours of net gaming. It is a level set that keeps you busy most of the time and only on occasion you might wish that you would not have to run around all that much. But it is a lot of fun, quite relaxing with the occasional sneaky moment, so just the right balance for decent entertainment. Don't miss it! - Michael (05-Jul-2005)
I love Monika's levels and her style of building, as they all carry her distinctive, and highly appealing, voice; (perhaps the clearest voice in the levelbuilding community?). Consequently, I find it hard to review this level without sounding mean-spirited; but I shall do my best anyhow. Levels 1 and 2 are the usual beautifully constructed and slightly quirky adventures we've come to expect from this builder, where careful observation and recognition of the significance of unique-looking objects is key to successful progression. They are also both much longer than would be expected, and consequently involve perhaps a little too much backtracking for their own good. However, it's Level 3 which poses the biggest problem. I'm all for gameplay which makes you stop and think; and for gameplay which presents a few tough acrobatic moves. I'm also rather partial to timed challenges. However, gameplay which combines all three, in their toughest form, in one go (a moving-object puzzle which would easily stump the intellectually-challenged player - i.e me; a series of pixel-precise moves that severely challenge the player of average ability; all combined with a timed element which entails starting again if you take too long) really is too much, and would deter all but the experts. Placing this challenge near the end of the three adventures is also a little harsh, as most players would be able to reach this point only to find themselves unable to progress any further without great difficulty. Which would be a pity, as the ending is quite charming. As a result, I can only really recommend this to hardened players. However, those who love (and have completed) all of Monika's previous levels will undoubtedly relish this one also. - Orbit Dream (29-Jun-2005)
The sequel to Alexander's Tomb turns out really great :-). It is very diverse. The puzzles are well thought out; you need to find many keys and other puzzle items. Quite a few timed sequences as well, but all manageable without frustration. Levers and switches to push. Atmosphere and sound are brilliant and enemies were well placed. All in all Miss Kroft has invested a lot of work here with lovely textures and suitable objects and I liked the architecture. Thank you, Miss Kroft - this sequel was a small masterpiece by itself :-) - Engelchen Lara (27-Jun-2005)