Level reviews

"This beautiful game comes along with a customised Venice texture set that has snow on window sills amd snowy rooftops. Even the gondolas are covered by a thin layer of snow. Lara is exploring a prettier part of the city (this must be where the rich people reside - currently on vacation, it appears). I particularly liked the climbing parts and torch puzzle. Recommended!" - Sponge

"A sequel that's from a different author? Or perhaps it's not intended as a sequel but just wanted to use the same name? Well, it is a suitable one, as Lara rummages through several dwellings in Venice filled with the holiday spirit, to unlock the way to a copy of the Seraph. The level is a bit on the dark side, but dare I say still has more interesting lighting than its predecessor. However that advantage is brought down by the geometry which is a bit more blocky. The gameplay is very simple, Lara will climb about and find some keys and pull some switches. I saw two rather long tightropes which I imagined would be tedious, but I didn't end up using either of them. Perhaps the most interesting moment is the use of the torch to get the one secret that I found in this adventure. Either way, if the predecessor wasn't laid back enough for you, this level should fulfill your desires to raid amidst holiday decor. 44 minutes." - JesseG

"This is one of those levels that starts out promising but ends up not really fulfilling. There are some points that are well done. Venice with snow in the evening or at night creates its own atmosphere, and the Angel of Darkness background music does the rest. The textures and objects adjusted with snow give a unique touch to the level, which by the way also has a nice if not extraordinary architecture. Otherwise, there is classic gameplay with searching for keys and activating switches. The biggest challenge is to memorize the streets and canals, and the fact that only a few windows can be shot and a key can be seen behind them doesn't make things any easier. Unfortunately, the deserted and in many corners too dark Venice, which means there is also not a single enemy, is a bit dull with time. The Christmas decoration has also been used a bit sparsely, but it does exist. As always, I found the broken wall button sound, which also found its way into this level, irritating and annoying. After taking the artifact at the end, you are unfortunately not "rewarded" with any movie sequence or anything else. Good idea to visit Venice at Christmas, but the implementation is unfortunately only mediocre, but the visuals and atmosphere were pleasing." - vandit

"A very dark and gloomy christmas venice level that we have here. i did actually quite enjoy the first third of the level exploring around the areas and rooftops with tricky platforming jumps and flips etc and then the room with the torch puzzle and chandeliers was fun as well but after that things went downhill a bit with the gameplay purely revolving around finding switches and keys to open doors and areas around the maze of a level that it was beginning to feel like. i got very confused and lost so had to use a walkthrough for the rest of the level and while i commend the tricky jumps and platforming around rooftops and ledges this was all it had going for it and was becoming old-fast, when it came to the rest of the level there no enemies, traps, timed runs or interesting puzzles or tasks. the music and atmosphere is good if your looking for a dark and gloomy atmosphere in a christmas level but personally it wasnt my cup of tea and i finished the level feeling rather underwhelmed" - John

"Quite an overwhealmingly dark level here, with a kind of lighting that is too strong and especially in inside areas way too dark so that lighting flare after flare is the thing to do here. I think that at least a bit of colour and brightness diversity should've been possible at least, although the relay was a cute idea and well implemented. The progression is quite nicely designed in general, lots of 3D exploration and some decent platforming in between. But after some point this level ended up being the typical lever and key item hunt, with a lot of tedious backtracking (despite several shortcuts) and this is where it somewhat went downhill for me. No puzzles to solve either, except a very small pushable one, and there's not much variety in the tasks in general. What I really liked in this level was that the builder's style from his previous advent level and his later Late Summer level was somehow maintained (though lighting fires is thankfully reduced here), also the atmosphere is quite convincing, sound usage is bug-free and decent for a change and the three secrets are rather well hidden -one of them actually includes a nice puzzle -, although there's a potential stuck-for-good moment at the second one if you don't push the block in the corner. The texturing is clean but at times a bit cartoonish. Overall, atmospheric and pleasant for a while, but for me it lost its initial charm slightly. 25 minutes." - manarch2

"This was a pleasant change from the sunny Venetian levels usually rife with Mafia thugs (although they are enjoyable too!). The Venice in this level is completely deserted apart from Lara herself, and this made it a peaceful exploration level. You first need to find your way around the rooftops to enter inside the mansions themselves. No complex puzzles and the layout is quite huge, but the environments are attractive to look at (dark, but not annoyingly so) and I enjoyed the ease of gameplay and the nod to TR2. Worth a go." - Ryan

"Throughout the entirety of level I spotted no single flaw in texturing and this guy even dared to rotate the Fiama Nera logo, what's as impressive as frightening when you realize how few builders thought equally creative. Despite of Winter time showcased,lighting exists in millions of well cooperating colors, vibrant and lively. One secret requires climbing things twice and getting the relay is followed by retracing steps on the same path, but the quick route for that item is excellently and clearly prepared, as well as the main route of city exploration, unfolding bit by bit, explaining each part and keeping focus, so I was never lost and could easily enjoy the atmosphere. We solve a few minor puzzles and a big one I simply admire, lighting the whole city - I neither expected that to happen nor can I comprehend the size of flipmap it took. Very well done in bulk." - DJ Full

"The level was far less enjoyable from what i was expecting when i saw the average rating. The decoration is really good, but the lightning is bad. Making a level almost completely dark doesn't feel a good idea for me,but at least we are provided with enough flares throughout the game (not at the beginning though, exploring the dark level with only 3 flares doesn't help). The secrets were hard! I didn't find any, but yet again i didn't want to spend much time exploring every corner of this level. Overall the game play is pretty basic. The fact that it's a friendly level does makes things better. The sound effect from pressing a bottom was annoying, but on the contrast i loved the little music that we could play from now and then. In conclusion it was an average level, no big deal but also not that bad." - Zhyttya

"Well i think Lara will never be on a Christmas party on Venice again! No one there and she couldn't even open the presents. Was lovely to get back to Venice since i love TR2 but this was a bit to dark.. Even with the flares (which were not enough in the start of the level) it was a bit to dark.. some switches were almost impossible to see and the atmosphere was a bit to cold. Loved the music but the sound of buttons was a bit to annoying.. Gameplay and puzzles were simple and honestly a bit annoying... to much walk and not enough thinks to really solve.. Not the most fun level i ever play and has a lot to improve, hope to see more of this" - Leeth

"A Venice styled level which is kinda different to the others - this one is dark and there's no action in it. It's a Christmas level, but it doesn't really fell like it. Even if there are some nicely decorated rooms, the main tasks has nothing to do with Christmas. The level is complexly built, if you have a good memory you can remember the paths, but I have found myself running clueless a little bit too often. Gameplay is good, no hard puzzles, it's mainly focused on jumping and shimying - I like that. No enemies, it's a peaceful level. I found two out of three secrets, both nicely hidden. I saw the third one through a window, but didn't know how to get there. This is good - it's giving you a clue where is it, but you still don't know exactly how to reach it. Atmosphere was very dark, a little bit deppresing sometimes. Texturing is good, could've been rotated better. Lighting is nice too, but sometimes is too dark and I had to use a lot of flares. Luckily, there are lots of them." - misho98

"After playing countless sunny Venetian levels with all their accompanying Mafia baddies and ravenous dogs,it was rather a pleasant change to find Lara in a snowy and unpopulated Venice with no danger of being attacked around each and every corner. The lack of any enemies meant that this was a pure exploration level,where progression was often dependant on searching out shimmying possibilities and remembering the location of various keyholes (no mean feat within the somewhat labyrinthine environment).The attempt at plot development (the restoration of the city's electrical power) was rather sweet,as was the Seraph Finale. Lighting and texturing was creative and used with care (although having every single bookshelf climbable seemed a little pointless);cameras were generally helpful;and I missed all three of the secrets. Nonetheless,the Christmas theme was entirely coincidental (nothing at all was made of it) nor were any of the musical pieces even remotely seasonal.It's a very decent adventure;but the lack of festive cheer is rather noticeable." - Orbit Dream

"What a brilliant and beautifully designed level! Scores highly in so many ways. Not least is it's being based in Venice, and that it is playable on the mac. The load screen is so cute, and the snow covered streets, roofs, and icy tightrope show great attention to detail. Yes, there's a long tightrope above the canals. But it is not simply a window shooting/awning hopping session. We have to stop and think every now and then. Do we chance that long shimmy! that awkward route! Yes, we should. And also keep our eyes open for switches and tiny keys along the way. It is all beautifully designed and interconnected once we've opened all the gates and doorways. There are no enemies... all gone to sunnier climates I suppose, which leaves us to roam through this lovely level in peace. Excellent location of rose secrets and how to get to them. Interesting torch exercises, push blocks and chandelier hopping. A lovely level, very appropriate to the season, well-loved location and music. Highly recommended for sheer fun. Thank you nick for this lovely Christmas gift." - CC

"Although it is fun to roam around Venice in the snow, I am still a bit puzzled by this level. You need to turn on the electricity on so that the buttons you'll find will work, at least that is what I understood. I did find some buttons and I still don't know what some buttons did though. Also I am sure that there are still some doors that are closed. I found the keys that are needed and I hit the finishing trigger but for now, I am not going back. Bit too much back and fro for my taste. Only thing I didn't like was the tight rope walking (and that is a long walk) and it didn't serve a purpose so far I know." - Gerty

"Surprisingly short at just over half an hour, at least once you get your orientation and manage to go to the right places at the right time. This is classic Venice gameplay, unfortunately set in a fairly dark and gloomy atmosphere, with some good jumping, some unnecessarily long shimmy passages and backtracking and a fairly straightforward search for keys and switches along the way. 3 secrets." - MichaelP

"The classic Venice level isn't to my liking and because this one has some Christmas ornaments and trees but the base the classic one, I didn't like it very much. Imagine the old good Venice setting with keys to find, swimming and climbing as well as some moveable blocks. The jumps and climbs outside were interesting though but as soon as you get to the usual gameplay it becomes a little tedious. I found three secret roses. The players that are fond of the Venice setting will enjoy this level more." - Kristina

"What a great environment! Design and architecture are fantastic, and textures are exceptional. Another ride over the venecian roofs (snow in Venice?); not tricky tasks, I didn't need to use the horizontal poles (?); simple gameplay based only about pulling switches, finding some keys and Lara's movements. Too much dark for my taste (yes, I've read the history in the readme file) I didn't like to play always with a flare in hand. Two of the secrets are difficult to find, no enemies, no extra weapons and few cameras (really they are not needed). The level is very nice, but don't you expect fantastic features. Enjoyable anyway." - Jose

"This 40 minutes level in Venice with snow falling was quite interesting, with some enjoyable jumps and moves (there is also a long walk on the tight-rope), a torch puzzle , a few movable blocks or crates to spot in order to proceed and a couple of places when one is wondering : now what next ? 3 keys and a relay to find in order to find the Seraph. Good audio tracks that will remind of the good old days and a modified background audio loop which is quite suitable. The setting is solidly done, the lighting could be a bit better in my opinion. A nice level with a well thought out map, not to be missed." - eRIC

"This is a pleasant Christmas level that will take you the better part of an hour to play. There's a good bit of backtracking involved, but the builder is pretty good with camera shots that let you know where you need to be and what you need to do once you get there. There are no enemies, this being an Advent level, which is perhaps a shame because the Venetian enemies from TR2 are so endearing. But it's quite pleasant, and I enjoyed myself here. A nice change of pace from the BtB Peru levels that are dominating most of my playing time at the moment. Recommended." - Phil

"This is a very well done Venician level. Fantastic use of narrow streets, waterways, and balconies. Visually, this level is put together excellently. The author has said in the forums that the level is small, but it plays like a very large level; there seems to be so many turns and new areas to find that it's very difficult to get a mental conception of how the various areas are put together. But this actually heightened some of the gameplay-exploration-fun for me. And the author made an excellent use of space. A lot of levels seem full of "dead" non-gameplay relevant area to me, but not this one. i liked the attempt to use the various stereos placed throughout the level to bring different music into the atmosphere, but i felt that there needed to be something different that the default music track. The gameplay difficulty rates rather high i think, but not impossible, and not difficult to the point of harming the enjoyment of playing. Finding the seraph at the end wasn't quite the grand finale i was hoping for. But overall, this is a really fantastic level whether it was a Christmas level or not." - drguycrain

"Great Christmas raiding with the plus of it happening in Venice. The atmosphere is perfect and it's quite intriguing and leaves you wondering what to do next quite a few times. Very well designed too and with a good soundtrack. Enjoy it!" - Jorge22

"Christmas in Venice 2 was quite a fun Christmas adventure that requires you to balance precariously on an icy tightrope, leap around on snowy roofs and find a way to turn the power back on in the city. There were a few times where I was more than a bit confused, but the level was very well-designed and flowed brilliantly. I was hoping to see a loving lit Christmas scene in the end as a reward for all my hard work, but alas, that was not to be. I will live though. Even though Christmas is over, this is a must-play level." - Shandroid

"Beautiful level! Very dark, atmospheric, cold and great to revisit Venice from TR2 again! I loved that music could be altered (albeit temporarily) by using stereos in various houses - was nice to listen to the music while exploring the house. Gameplay was not quite straight forward as it wasn't always obvious to jump to a roof ledge and shimmy around the corner, which could be confusing to play and may have tripped up some inexperienced players, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and had no problems navigating my way around. Fabulous level - I look forward to next year's contribution to the Advent calendar." - Jenni

"Quite an intriguing level, this will have you wondering what to do next in a couple of moments. There's a wide selection of music that will play through the scattered stereos (funnily enough they will work before you activated the power in the city, but that's just a minor detail.) Putting the relay back and bringing light back to city felt good because you knew the search for keys was drawing to an end. There were also lots of shimmying in the rooftops, although I think I ended up doing a lot more than needed (found a secret this way, though.) One fun level you shouldn't miss. Happy holidays! 40 minutes, 3 secrets. 12/07" - Treeble

"I'm always glad to revisit Venice, especially at Christmas - you get to do all the usual fun Venice things, e.g. leaping about on awnings and balconies etc., with the bonus of doing it all IN THE SNOW. Yay. Plus, there are none of those annoying thugs and their dogs to get in the way of the sight seeing. I managed not to get too confused, although I did miss one of the secret roses, and had a lovely holiday rest cure exploring Venice by night." - Jay