Level reviews

"The walkthrough for this level is deceptively longer than the actual level itself, but it's still a good reference to follow to ensure you don't waste any single second of your precious little spare time. Despite being a relatively short level, it's a bit of a maze-like environment on a first glance and some of the tasks are a bit obscure. The expert medal sequence takes a few tries to get the proper alignment for the running jump but otherwise it's not particularly difficult. As usual with the levels in the UUB series, the custom objects and animations make this another unique release from this builder, so definitely worthy of your time. 30 minutes. 10/24" - Treeble

"One of those levels you revisit for immense nostalgia as they show what custom games are about. Next time you boil an egg in real life, you might smile at memories from here. You could think Richard was working on this design while wearing the same thinking cap Lara is going for, as it sports creativity greater than a dozen standard releases. Of course it's not, and can't be another UUB4, but who doesn't want a DLC? Absolutely recommended." - DJ Full

"A spectacular and hilarious finale for the Underworld series! Richard's sense of humor is very quirky and unmistakable. Excellent puzzles. It's just a shame it was so short, but I enjoyed my time in this one!! Found 3 secrets in about one hour of gameplay. Highly recommended! Thanks Richard!! (39/40)" - CalrOsario

"Well, I admit I started this level ages ago but couldn't get past the initial sinking platforms room. But I've missed playing Richard's style of level. So I thought I would give it another try so here I am. What I like about the level: 1) Well of course, the pudgy little marshmallow men especially the construction workers with their jack hammers and the floor polishers cleaning the floor. (And no, I do not agree with Spike. I say, milk away!) 2) I actually like the maze setup of the museum because it's not boring and must have taken a fair bit of building brain power to make it all work. 3) Ok, I had a WOW moment with those parallel bars that pulled Lara across the pool (and like the geek I am, I used them several times just for the fun of it). 4) The "chicken out" spot midway through the Expert Challenge for those of us (like me) who think they're experts but are not, lol. But one important thing I learned by accident was that Lara can inch backwards while jumping (alt, wait a second, then back or down key). So if you want to attempt the challenge, then this move will come in very handy. 5) The ending of course, but you're going to have to play it to see it! As for the things I didn't like, there are none. I loved everything about this level and even though it was very challenging I gave full marks because you just don't get to play this kind of level every day. Richard's levels are in an upper class all their own. So if you don't mind playing a challenging level requiring at least for me lots of saving, reloading and patience, then you'll enjoy this level but it is not for beginners." - Lizard Queen

"While not directly related, since this has the same characters and mood it could be considered an epilogue for the Underworld series. Most of the design is a semi- remade version of the Museum in UUB1, although there are a few extra parts and others made inaccessible. While it has some improvements, overall, the general detail is more like the simpler first couple of Underworld sets than the last couple, however the object use is more elaborate and the new areas in particular have some great effects. Said object use is as great as the main series, and the ending manages to be on-par or better than the stuff in the later parts of UUB. There are some nice puzzles and challenging platforming sequences (especially for the secret), but overall this is more about exploring for objects and enjoying the cool sequences they trigger; it's a step back but it's not really trying to be an intense UUB follow-up in that regard, and it does it's job of providing interest between the scripted sequences and following the Richard Lawther style of unorthodox solutions. While more focused on interesting scripting than being an involved level in itself it's a great wrap- up of the humour and style of UUB and sends the series off with one of the best scripted sequences made in the engine." - Mman

"A hilarious epilogue to the Underworld series, with Richard's quirky sense of humour and good puzzles. It is quite short, but I enjoyed my time here and got the Expert's Platinum Medal after numerous tries. By the way, the end cutscene is... Well, find out for yourself." - Ryan

"And once again I am impressed by Richard's incredible ability to create astonishing objects and throughout fun gameplay - even if this was an only half an hour long level. Lara once again visits the museum from UUB1 to produce a thinking cap (in the truest sense of the word) for Demon Smalls. The architecture is more or less the same but I still love the setting and everything was decently but not perfectly textured - a little greater variety would have been good but that was also a complaint from the original level. The most beautiful place in the museum was the millinery, both in object usage and also in texturing, so Richard obviously has left the best for last. The multiple puzzles were as unique as you may expect from Richard - I won't mention them all to not spoil the fun, but be prepared for something special. There are also some tricky agility tests in form of sinking platforms (this time the sequences are very hard), timed runs and some banana jumps, but not the Japanese version. The expert challenge was a very nice extra and one of the three negative points about this level is that the secret actually did not register. The second one - there is actually a little too much exploration in this setting and it is easy to get lost. And my last complaint is maybe the biggest - this level ended way too early, but in such a unique way no-one can redo. For the different components in the broiling sequence this level rather earns a 20 in the second category; the very exact camera work is also memorable. An outrageous finale of the underworld saga." - manarch2

"You have to admire Richard, I do, as I love his sense of humour. The only puzzle I didn't get were the four pushables as I haven't found a hint for that one. Although I did get stuck at some points, the solution was rather simple. I had a good laugh and I loved the ending, LOL Kept a save at the end to go for the expert challenge, glad I did it afterwards though, as a challenge it is. This museum got chuckles almost around every corner, not so much fun was the back and fro as I (as always) got lost big time and ran around as a chicken without a head." - Gerty

"A new Richard Lawther game, complete with Demon Smalls and all his cuddly demon friends - what could be better? Unfortunately, the answer to that is: the old Richard Lawther games. Don't get me wrong - I thoroughly enjoyed Heath Robinson Solutions. But it's just not quite as great as the rest of the UUB saga. Maybe part of the problem is that the location is the same museum as in UUB1 (ok, it's been remodelled a bit, but it's still familiar enough). And while the museum's exhibits are fantastic, the place itself is very dull: lots of running around back and forth in lots of grey, featureless corridors. Only the millinery is visually interesting (it's quite pretty, in fact).
Oh well, it's not like I play Richard Lawther's games for the scenery, anyway - I play them for the brilliant gameplay, thought-provoking puzzles, and his zany sense of humour. The sense of humour is there in full force in HRS - indeed, he may even have outdone himself with the adorably wacky mechanisms that fill up the museum, and not to mention the utterly brilliant and hilarious final cutscene.
The puzzles are pretty good too - my favourite one is the one in which you have to pry off the puzzle receptacle from the wall and stick it on the adjacent wall. Simple yet ingenious!
And of course, there's the good old tricky jumps and timed runs. Even apart from the 'Expert's Challenge' (for getting the sole secret, the Platinum Medal), there's plenty of jumping, especially in the form of timed runs over sinking tiles in lava. And if you do decide to go in for the Expert's Challenge, there's a lot more of that. I enjoyed this challenge so much that I did it four times, just for the sheer fun of it.
So is this a fitting epilogue to the great UUB saga? Not quite. It's a good game, and very, very funny. But it somehow lacks that certain something that the rest of the UUB games have, a certain spark. But even in spite of that, it's still a must-play for any Richard Lawther fan." - Mytly

"If you've played another levels from this peculiar author, you can imagine what to expect: strange and original artefacts, objects you don't know what to place, new features... Gameplay was confused, 'cause the level is no-lineal and sometimes you can get disoriented if you miss something in some room. There are interesting tasks, but I missed some enemies. I was able to do the first part of the secret challenge, but the second part requires a lot of tries and I finally abandoned. The best I liked were the nice textures and the extraordinary effects and animations. The final scene was simply impressive, something never seen. Great!" - Jose

"Wow! Richard Lawther has shown his talent again. This level is very cool. We're going back to Demon Smalls's museum again - it's extended now. We have to get that thinking cap for Demon Smalls. But we can't go into the millinery if we don't collect the shapes from the museum. And we can't collect the shapes if we don't activate the mechanisms - these mechanisms are very intresting - around, so the gameplay is complex. There is no enemy in this level, and the level isn't so hard. (but getting the platinum medal isn't easy) Sometimes, a bit annoying level, but really beautiful." - rtrger

"Ah, a short and snappy Richard Lawther level. And yes, this takes us back to jolly old times with Demon Smalls, whose castle-like abode is being remodeled. The half of a pig is gone to be replaced with a demon on a treadmill, providing power, though many of the wall paintings have remained. One has a lot of fun playing through this, amused at the demon antics, and the author's imaginative mechanical inventions. There is a five minute ending scene involving a boiled egg and a parody of televised golf that is inspired. It was only later that I realized that half the brief game had been spent hunting for a concealed jump switch. And much of the searching through this house is awfully familiar for those who have been here before. So maybe the game play is abbreviated, but it is still a pleasure to see what Demon Smalls is up to these days. A must play." - dmdibl

"As with Richard's previous levels, this is a guarantee for a creativity beyond words, mesmerizing gameplay, amazing surroundings, a stunning display of skills in terms of texturing and lighting and cutscenes that will make you laugh and marvel all at the same time. In this unique tribute to William Heath Robinson we once more find Lara back at the Demon Heights museum. Here she needs to solve mind-boggling puzzles in order to collect four underworld shapes. These will unlock the millinery, where she'll find a thinking cap to aid Demon Smalls in understanding one of the museum's complex inventions. There are no enemies around to pester Lara and virtually no traps at all to compromise her health, but knowing Richard's former offerings this is not bound to be a walk on fluffy clouds and rose petals. The sheer size and complexity of the museum is a major challenge in itself and there are still plenty of brilliant puzzles and some tricky jump sequences to keep you busy. If that shouldn't be enough you can always brace yourself for the expert's challenge, a gruelling sequence that will reward you with the Expert's Platinum Medal(which also happens to be this level's only secret). In my opinion it was a brilliant move to leave this as a voluntary task that is not required to complete the level. Furthermore it turns this level into something manageable even for the less experienced raiders, a good thing as this is one adventure no one would want to miss out on." - Selene

"A small Demon Small's game to keep us entertained while nothing "bigger" comes along. I hold no grudges against the fact that we're kind of revisiting somewhere we've already been to. In fact, the overall quality remains high, as was to be expected, and some of the solutions are very welcome innovations. Not a lot of thought seems to have been given to the music and sounds, but that's ok. It ends with a nice and imaginative final cut scene but it leaves us with a feeling of it all not being enough. Go figure! Still highly recommended, of course." - Jorge22

"This was a fun-filled romp, typical of the builder's previous releases, that for me didn't quite capture the charm and eye-appealing surroundings of the UB series. With the complete absence of enemies I managed to get through everything in a legal manner with the help of Selene's detailed walkthrough, although I had to spend a good amount of time in that lava room with the sinking tiles. Perhaps because of that, and because the walkthrough suggested that this segment was a walk in the park compared with the Expert's Challenge, I decided to eschew the latter. I still spent nearly an hour of net gaming time here, and anyone familiar with the earlier levels will not want to miss this one. Recommended." - Phil

"You just cannot go wrong with a level featuring Demon Smalls and his gang. As always the creative and original ideas brought to life here are numerous and if they do not put a smile on your face you are probably already dead or something close to that anyway. The final scene is utterly hilarious and will forever be a classic moment in custom level history. That said, the gameplay of just above 45 minutes is maybe not quite as inspiring because it is by and large built around the creative ideas and scenes and it often feels like you are running in circles a bit (despite a few good moments where the author guides your path) and the rooms look a bit same-ish throughout. Also, I never figured out the logic of the four demons with gems to push and ended up lucky in eventually picking the right combination - not sure if and where I may have missed a clue there. The expert challenges is a nice one, not too frustratingly hard, but will take a few attempts to master and thus provides a good sense of achievement when accomplished. All in all, another wonderful little gem here that is not to be missed!" - MichaelP

"I alaways loved the Underworld series, but this level(set) is a bit boring for the other UB levels. OK, I know its not a nice thing to comparate a level for another level, but Richard, you can do make far better levels, like this. :-) Its a great level for a museum category, but a little frustrating, when you run around and around on the level, for puzzles and keyholes, that is way I give 8 marks :-P. The atmosphere is very nice, I've just look like this in the mirror room: O.O !!! :-D Now this is your talent! :-P The final cutscene is awesome, you are made a great job with it! :-)" - Roli

"Honestly, what could possibly be better than coming home from a fortnight's holiday to find a new Richard Lawther level waiting to be downloaded? (well, OK, winning a million on the lottery might just top it, but you know what I mean). Suffice it to say that I totally neglected my unpacking, sorting out my e-mails/post etc., and dived straight in. What a treat to be back in the wonderful, quirky world of Demon Smalls, where Heath Robinson would indeed have felt right at home. It's worth playing this level for the egg boiling sequence alone. Inspired stuff. In some ways it's a bit redundant even bothering to write a review for this level - if you've played Richard's other levels then you don't need a recommendation from anyone, you're already playing it, and if you've never played one of his levels it's extremely hard for anyone else to get across just how special they are - you need to see for yourself. Let's just there are master builders, builders who think outside the box, sneaky builders, all round brilliant builders, incredibly inventive builders and then there's Richard Lawther all by himself in a very small class indeed. Right, I'm off to finish my unpacking now." - Jay

"Unfortunately, i somewhat agree with Spike, i think these games are being milked and bit and i would like to see some more adventorous types of games. For this game, i thought the geometry was fairly horrible with some rooms just being petite squares and there wasnt really much structure to them. Lighting and Textures were mostly perfect, like other games by this builder, all the objects sutied the map, some look like they come with the map, they just look perfect with the level. Gameplay is good as are the puzzles. I'm not sure i like the costume or the strange shaped backpacks. The last 10-15 mins of the game very is i might say, spectacular, other than that though, it was just like playing any other ordinary game. Grade = A-" - herothing

"This year we player get the Christmas present already in September. Nevertheless, there has Richard Lawther on the quiet and without somebody to say a new level built. And once again the player's municipality must take off all hats. There are only a few which have as absurd as, however, also at the same time brilliant inspirations like Richard.
Level construction, sound, textures: Nothing occurs to me what I could write, because, actually, one single word is enough: Perfectly! What would probably happen if everybody as well as Richard built? Then I as a Reviewer would have no more work. There would be nothing more to criticise. There would be no more hairs in the soup. I would write only praise hymns. Be honest, how dull would this be then? Then I would write reviews without any effort. I had simply a few phrases on the hard disk and copy this then according to demand in the Review. Nevertheless, this would be extremely dull. Hence, I hope that this will never happen.
Gameplay, riddle: I ask myself over and over again how Richard on his inspirations comes. They are sometimes out of touch with the real world. Other level builder would be glad if they could insert sometimes one or two highlights. But with Richard one runs from highlight to the other and does not come out from the amazement at all. A good example is an insert point for a precious stone. Here one must shift a figure which holds two precious stones in the hands in her outstretched arms. But how should one push a precious stone in the insert point if the insert point is in the wrong wall? Clearly, simply break out and put it into the right wall! A big challenge were the lava rooms. In these lava rooms were distributed a few plates. The problem is that these plates sink down, as soon as Lara stands on them. So one must jump fast and quickly. But this is easier said than done, because the course is not quite easy. Really jocularly it becomes always then when one must move the small little fellows, whom one already knows from former levels, to make something. Thus one must put, for example, to a little fellow on a run tape an rancid piece of meat before the nose, with it he starts to run. Very amusing was a room with shining floor and a few mirrors on the walls. Before these mirrors had stood these small little fellows and were trying hats. If one saw in the mirror, one could see, for example, John Wayne. Actually, I could enumerate all riddles, because all are anyhow unique. But this would break the mold.
Result: So a miraculous level could I play every day. Well, almost every day. Since it cannot be every day christmas." - Scottie

"Personally, I'm hoping that"A Demon Smalls Epilogue," is not"THE Demon Smalls epilogue." What an unexpected treat to have the opportunity to hook up with him again back at his museum/gallery home; but the best part was getting to help him work on building his hilarious exhibits. This was my introduction to an unfamiliar genius English gentleman akin to Rube Goldberg; and Lawther, as always, continues hitting seven iron hole-in-ones taking us along on his wacked-out visionary mad way. There are joyous echoes of past adventures waiting inside charming, and affectionate surprises (hello my favorite DJ!) throughout ingeniously crafted new challenges at every turn in this short, but delightful journey. Don't pass up the Expert's Medal, as the solution to this finger-bleeding and mind-boggling challenge will suddenly come to you in an awesomely rewarding moment; when you are upside down, in the air, flipping around in wild uncertainty. (How many remember the promised bonus level when we started collecting these medals?) I laughed till I cried, enjoyed every challenge, blown away by this mad hatters escapade." - Mezcal

"well . .. not much to add here ..... i must say that i am a fan off richard lawther games ..... and i belive that UB unfinished business is still top 3 but man this game was par below expectations wich i was wait from Richard .. is some interesting puzzles ........ agree ...... some tuff jumps agree again ......... but too claustrofobic game far from all his masterpiece games builded untill now ...... i agree this time with Spike ........ but from respect i dont get down him ........ but honestly . spike marks reflect the best this game ............ sorry richard .... but from a top builder like u i was expected more ........" - Jack&

"After being quite surprised by this release by Richard Lawther, I decided to give it a go. After running around for 10 minutes, not getting anywhere, I binned it. However, I picked it up again and eventually found a way to progress. This seemingly maze-like level has some very good points of gameplay, the sinking tiles (especially for the expert medal, which I achieved). These were sadly few and far between. I still don't know how I was supposed to do the pushable block puzzle. The texturing was decent until I arrived at the millinary, which was a stunning room, definately the most aesthetically-pleasing room in the level. The moment that really made my day though, was the ending fly-by, which was great fun to watch. Overall, a very nice offering from this expert builder, that could have been a little bit more adventurous. 1 hour (though it should have been less if I hadn't got so lost)" - Cory

"Let's say we have a cow. One day, a certain young man (or lady, if you like) comes along and milks the cow, eventually producing an end product that everyone loves, partially due to it's uniqueness amongst the usual everyday dairy products. After some time, the cow grows weary from being milked just a little too much, and produces yet another product. This product is soon after known as Heath Robinson Solutions. Yes, it probably sounds like I'm going a little too in-depth here, but I suppose it's just something of an elaborate way of saying that this level could have done with a bit more "pizazz", since compared to previous parts of the series it all feels a bit...cookie-cutter. That said, it's not something I'm marking down for (after all, if we all marked down for unoriginal levels, I'm sure there'd be a whole lot more unhappy builders around here), and there are some great moments in the level - the last 5 minutes for example, are probably best described as "absolute genius". A number of other scenes in the level are also pretty entertaining, with the residents of the Underworld once again stealing the show. Sadly, the care and attention seen here doesn't particularly extend too well into other aspects of the level. The museum itself feels rather structureless, with a number of identical (and sparse) hallways dotted around creating an annoyingly maze-like feel (and getting lost every 2 minutes wasn't too pleasant either). The majority of the gameplay involves heading from room to room, taking and using items, which then triggers a usually humourous scene and opens a door to the next item. While there are some challenging (though short) jumping sequences here and there, and a nice puzzle or two, they don't crop up often enough to make the gameplay more impressive. Visuals as a whole were mostly decent, though a number of areas really needed spicing up somewhat. I suppose as a whole, this level really does fit the museum theme - interesting to look at, but not that much to do otherwise." - Spike

"I was really surprised to see this level released today. I can say that it made my day actually! Being a fan of Dick's levels and have played many of them, all I can say is that this is a real gem! It might be me but I have never laughed so much when playing a custom level before. Not going to spoil anything but all the things these poor small demons have to go through to make things work...it is just horrible. But in a very funny way!! As usual the game play and puzzles are as good as it can be. Dick once again shows us yet another bunch of amazing challenges and puzzles. I really would like to look inside the authors head for a while...as it might help me a lot with my own building :):) Again, I will not spoil anything as there are a few moments I went "Ehhr what the.." and a trong feeling of admiration to the author came upon me. "How did he think of that?!!?" etc. There are no enemies in the level but the objects are probably the best looking and weirdest I have ever seen! (Especially in the ending sequence!) All of it fits the environment, that's for sure hehe. Also the optional expert challenge as a secret is a good idea. I went for it and did not find it so hard actually. But if you dislike burning tiles and flames etc you might want to skip it ;) The atmosphere is just fantastic. Especially with the use of the cameras to create the small cut scenes here and there. I highly recommend saving before using keys or puzzle items as it is really fun to watch these scenes. I watched them all a few times and have not laughed so hard since I saw the small demons trying to destroy the bridge in UB4 ;) I guess the only part that is not outstanding (but still great!) is the last category. It is more than enough for a top score for me though. Why? Because the textures fits the game so much and the objects are placed so well that you don't pay much attention to the sometimes flat lighting and slightly repetitive textures. Overall this is not to be missed. No idea why but for some reason I can't explain, I find this to be one of the best levels from this author. Prepare yourself for a very funny hour! Oh and the ending is Dick's best. That is for sure :) All tens from me and please continue with these games, Dick. Epilogues, prologues, it doesn't matter. We all love them!" - QRS

"I suppose Dick gets tired of perfect scores, but what can he expect from games that he has so meticulously composed ? My feeble brain boggles at the amount of creativity that Dick puts into each game, whether or not it is an epic adventure or a brief side-trip. Dick's games simply are not to be missed. Yes, there is usually some degree of difficulty (God knows I love a good challenge!), but Dick has provided an alternative gameplay for the toughest bit. So no excuses not to play! You will be in search of objects to activate each of the displays in the museum - and what fun it is collecting them - and that leads to four "keys" to open the hat shop. It's all brilliant and John Wayne would be proud (hey-yooooooo).You'll love it, I promise." - Mugs

"Once Demon Heights has re-opened , lots of friendly demon tourist folk come rushing through its doors , eagerly clicking on newly bought japanese cameras ! Lara also joins in only to find her good old companion D. Smalls being lost in a room with workers operating high pressure drills . So it is Lara again who has to do the job . And again the TRLE player encounters the fine art of Richard Lawthers levelbuilding . Give food to the hungry red demon and it will run , shoot the 16 tons from a demons head and you can move it ,break a receptable from the wall and place into another position , slide over a deadly pond on double pipes ! Others can do it , why not you ? There is an expert challenge like in The Plain of Jars ,keep a savegame before you start you will definetely come back one day for it ! The Master is back , this time only with a short but wonderful add-on to his phenomenous UB Underworld Series , to show once again : a little bit Dickie Lawther can be a lot more fun than most of the other boring stuff out there ! Go for it !!!" - Ruben

"While Spike's dairy farm analogy is ... interesting enough, I generally see no harm in revisiting previous settings in new colours, since any level by Dick is still original and interesting enough to stand out among the majority of the releases and this one didn't let down. That said, I would, of course, prefer something new over a retread somewhere down the line. But as this is - you revisit the galleries from the Unfinished Business series for a handful of laughs in form of its demonic inhabitants and their activities. The gameplay is basically a matter of getting the right item and getting from point A to B, but the clever moments like the interaction with the gemholder and the sinking-tile jump-a-thlon are a few of the highlights that made this a pleasure to play. The platinum medal was a worthy secret task, pity only that it didn't register as such. If there are things I didn't care about - then the mazelike feel of the area made this more confusing than necessary, and I didn't care about the hidden jumpswitches - I believe Dick can do better than that. But after the final cutscene plays - all grievances that may have gathered over the 40 minutes of play time are forgotten, so start this up and let it put a smile on your face." - eTux