Level reviews

"I liked the original 'palace of Midas', this one with a lot of resemblance is very interesting. It lacks some textures that should have been repaired, A swarm of dogs or guards appeared suddenly are the only places a little difficult." - Drakan

"Here is an early Tomb Raider 3 level emulating the classic Palace Midas from Tomb Raider 1 and for its time quite an achievement. Of course it has been overshadowed now but where would the level editing scene be without these creative fore runners of the late 1990's? So I have scored it with that in mind. Turbo changes things up a little in this one as you need to search out binary codes, written in stone for the switches to gain access to the individual quests. Nice touch I thought. No secrets in this one so stop looking for them." - Torry

"Another TR1 level remade in the TR3 engine, but this one spices things up a bit. In your quest for the three Midas's Keys (replacing the lead bars), you have to actually find the lever combinations spread out in the level. Ultimately, this made the experience a tad more linear. There were quite a few untextured spots, which probably existed in the source level as well but are more evident here due to the blue skybox, and lighting was a bit odd as in some areas Lara's thigh and face would look more "healthy" than the rest of her body. Some of the objects are notably out of place, but Turbo made do with what he had at his disposal. I enjoyed the use of speech bits from Lara's home as she made progress and, all in all, this level was a nice throwback, but others might not like it as much. 35 minutes. 09/19" - Treeble

"This is a Remake of Turbo Pascal's and also my favorite level from Tomb Raider 1: Palace Midas. At first, this level didn't seem very exciting for me, like it was just the same level in TR3 engine, plus many objects like pillars that decorated the environment, were missing (two big palms have been placed though). But afterwards I noticed the new way that Turbo Pascal built in to open the gates with the 5 switches. So gameplay has been changed a little, which I like." - Nuri

"A similar level or an exact replica of Palace Midas from TR1, only this one has been adapted to the TR3 engine. The soundtracks are well placed, and sometimes Lara will comment something in some parts of the level. There are guards, tigers, wolves and crocodiles as enemies. The Midas statue isn't there, so there are keys instead of bars. It's fun, and if you remember this level from TR1 then you won't have much difficulty to complete it." - alan

"I hadn't played a TR3 level for quite a while, so this was a pleasant diversion of about 30 minutes. This builder was quite prolific in the early days, but strangely enough not one of his 11 releases was a TR4 level. Anyway, Palace Midas is fairly straightforward, using a hub room to which you repeatedly return so you can change the position of five wall switches to open various doors. In the process you need to find three keys so you can finish the level. Nothing flashy or out of the ordinary, but an enjoyable raid nevertheless. Harry Laudie has provided his typically reliable walkthrough." - Phil

"Great and fast playable level from year 2001. I liked Greece-style and there is also hints for orders of switches. Enemies are OK but totally there could be more spieces of enemies. Levels atmosphere is very nice and textures are good. Recommendable level." - vienna

"It has been a while since since I played the original Palace Midas level, so this was a fun and pleasant return to old haunts. The switch puzzle is there, only you have to look for the combinations in the tasks themselves. The spike room had a slight alteration: breakaway tiles. The layout looked nice enough, but there were a few noticeable missing textures, which was a shame. Still worth a look if you are a nostalgic." - Ryan

"What a nostalgia fest. I've always been very fond of the original Palace Midas level and this recreates the look and feel very well indeed. The gameplay is not a slavish copy of the original however. Yes, the lever sequences to open various doors are certainly present and correct, but the activities involved in each area are not the same as the original. There's a decent variety of tasks to achieve, with some fun timed stuff going on and a few enemies dotted about. Undemanding but a pleasant look at an old, familiar setting." - Jay

"It's always a pleasure to play Turbo Pascal's levels, not 'cause they're masterpieces, but they always bring a lot of good memories. This time the architecture I think is the same from the old TR1 level, but there are some changes in the gameplay, entertaining but with certain backtracking. Enemies are not well balanced, few in the first parts of the game and too many in the last part; there were some items I couldn't pick up in the room with the small pool. Correct cameras and sounds, I found some missing textures in small triangles. Worth to play for all those TR1 lovers." - Jose

"While there is a slightly original story at the forefront here(if you bother to check out the readme before playing), this is still more or less the exact same level from TR1 at its core(outside of an admittedly rather bland lighting scheme, a number of missing/lazily-applied textures, understandably different yet still incredibly out-of-place opponents/objects, clever binary code scavenging and removal of the gold bar puzzle for traditional key collecting). So if you've played the original version of this level via TR1 fairly recently, then this interpretation isn't really going to offer anything drastically different enough to warrant a serious playthrough. But if you're desperate to play through Palace Midas again and not willing to get out your original PS1/Saturn disk or try and setup DOSBox in order to play the PC version on modern computers, then this is the next best thing." - Ceamonks890

"I might never have even touched the level because of its remake character (and it has enough reviews), but I recently noticed there are only a couple of TR 3 levels I haven't finished yet and thus I decided to play them all. Luckily, the remade level is one of the more fun official levels out there, and this is the main adventage of the level, though I don't know if transferring the TR 1 files was a large work from the builder's side. If you have played it - apart from turning the bars into gold everything you've already seen in Palace Midas is there - the fire pillar run, the collapsing hall, the lever puzzle - and, though not very hard, all tasks are interesting enough. At the start I was a bit bored with all those long corridors though, but I liked the way the codes were implemented (the one using a missing texture is dubious though). The enemies didn't fit quite well into this game, and often appeared out of thin air or previously empty corridors; it's already the second time I met tigers in a Greece setting... Objects are few and secrets were completely missing, so I couldn't quite give a higher score here. The looks also worsened in comparison, with really plain looking rooms and some missing or misplaced textures. The lighting, though mostly bland, was partially rather nicely applied, although a bit more colour would have been nice too. All in all a 25 minute game that might get you into a nostalgic mood, but I'd say better get a savegame, use DOS-box and play the original level instead." - manarch2

"An awesome and precise tribute, this level works wonders at recreating the majesty of the original Palace Midas. The addition of TR3 music and enemies, as well as a scavenge hunt for binary codes, keeps the level fresh enough for returning players, while still having the exact feel of the same level from all of those years ago. If you want to reminisce on the good old times of TR1, with a slightly updated version, this delight is a worthy choice." - Xela

"I'm not really the go-to-person for anything TR1 related, so it took a while for the deja vu feeling to kick in with this incarnation of the Palace Midas. But as I played the separate parts came back to me, and although some adjustments have been made for the level to translate into TR3 engine (you gather keys instead of lead bars, confront tigers, wolves and gunmen instead of gorillas, etc) it still plays in a manner that's faithful to the original. There are some missing and carelessly applied textures that spoil the appearance somewhat, and the hunt for the combinations doesn't seem necessary since you can pretty much guess the combinations if you're so inclined. More a level for the die-hard TR1 fans, but enjoyable all the same for the 30+ minutes it lasts if your memory of the said game is on the fuzzy side." - eTux

"It's an Palace Midas level. I"ve missed a lot of things from this level, 'til the sliding at the end. But this is why it's the name of the level. Where we can find King Midas here? For this reason we have to find three keys. Enemies aren't the same, in TR3 there aren't gorillas. Very old level, somewhere we'll find missing textures too, but it was good adventuring in TR1 enviroment." - Obig

"I have never been a big fan of playing remakes, but returning to the world of Midas was fun, despite the very pedestrian nature of the gameplay as you go back and forth between rooms quite a bit. Lots of cracks in the textures and some missing parts spoiled the overall look and feel a bit, but the timed fire run, the breaktile run and a battle with many guards, wolves and tigers more than make up for it. I liked the idea with the binary codes and the use of the standard Lara voice audios throughout. An enjoyable 40 minute run down memory lane." - MichaelP

"This story is AWESOME! The level itself is a copy of Palace Midas, with minor changes. Despite the level has some flaws(with the texturing), it's absolutely nice to play. If you played with TR1, the level will be a short, relaxing raid, but if you don't, you'll surely spend some time with searching for the switch combinations. I missed the gorillas from the level.:-) Recommended for everyone." - rtrger

"A "remake" with a few twists. I like the general atmosphere and sounds, although I think it could have been a bit brighter. Some minor graphic flaws but nothing really bad. Interesting change on how the codes for the switches are revealed, I enjoyed that part, very intuitive. The enemies are different also, but not necessarily better. Specially didn't really care for the part where a horde of heavily armed gunmen with bulletproof vest are suddenly in every corner. The are easy to beat, but I somehow thought they were a little out of place. All in all it is a very enjoyable raid, that should not be missed by classic style TR fans! If you are familiar with the original, this one is easy to play and something nice for in between." - Blue43

"I was reluctant to play a remake which might spoil a fondly remembered level, but Turbo Pascal has faithfully reproduced the layout of the original. Most of the texturing is good, but there are obvious high triangular patches with no texturing, upper areas in columns with a window to the sky, so it seems these should have been fixed. Except for the crocodiles, the enemies are different, so instead of wild apes Lara encounters soldiers, and instead of lions there are tigers and wolves. There are minor differences in game play, though it is easy for a player to adapt. One good addition was to have Lara discover codes for the five levers as each new switch combination was needed. There were a few places where I missed something from the original: when Lara pulls out a block underpinning a column, there is no thump and shaking ground to tell us what has happened; and one misses the transformation of lead bars into gold. Playable for its curiosity value." - dmdibl

"A remake of the TR1 level but with differences, mainly in the objects/enemies department for obvious reasons. Therefore some enemies are a bit out of place in the setting but that's not really important ; they appear generally in packs, that's a good thing. I miss some of the static objects for the decor , the columns and the little trees , the garden of Midas for example is bare and a lot less atmospheric than in the original. Objects obliged, some puzzles are different , there is no more the Midas ' main puzzle and the hints for the combinations of switches in the main area are different; actually this new turn is the main interest of the level ; i.e. finding the four various hints in different areas of the level that help opening the 4 doors. The main drawback of the level gameplay wise is the backtracking , but it was also the case in the original. The looks in this remake are not better, you even have missing textures; you also have a pickup impossible to grab and (breakable ?) tiles non functioning. Another particularity of this remake are the audio files ,there is some typical TR3 tunes in an otherwise TR1 background atmospheric loop, and there is some tracks where Lara is speaking. [53 minutes]" - eRIC

"Everyone who played TR1 will feel at home here although some things were slightly changed, e.g. you have to collect keys instead of iron bars and you will encounter wolves and tigers instead of gorillas. Also you will meet a dozen of shooting guys (who I found a bit out of place here). Measured against the number of enemies there is far too little medipacks to be found, so don't waste them. What a pity that one big medi and some uzi ammo was lying in the air and couldn't be picked up. Prepare for running around a lot with only little tasks to do like pulling some switches, avoid a moving spike wall, do a jumping sequence over breakable tiles and a timed one over fire tiles. I always liked TR1, but regarding the rather tame gameplay and the old graphics I am not sure if releasing remakes like this do make sense these days." - Jerry

"It's been so long since I played the original (12 years,I fear!) that only parts of this looked familiar - although that was undoubtedly intentional on the part of the builder,as this is a sequal after all.The only sequence that I vividly recalled was the burning-column room,which was timed in the original but disapontingly benign here.A few missing textures here and there also spoilt the atmosphere somewhat,but this was a fine and entertaining adventure nonetheless.The various challenges were straightforward but enjoyable;a few coded clues helped spice things up;one lever was sneakily hidden;enemies were far more copious and varied than in the original;progression was often fascinating;and the lighting achieved that fine balance of being atmospherically dark without ever spoiling the gameplay. According to the Finish Stats,I missed all of the 6 secrets.That being so,there seems good enough reason to return and retrace my steps! This is a well-built and quite substantial (70 minutes,for me) Unnoficial level,and well worth playing for all those who want to remind themselves of the earliest days of classic TombRaiding." - Orbit Dream