Level reviews

"Another level that promises its title: it's a shopping center people, and your locked up in it so it is your quest to find that key. Let's be honest, shopping centers are boring. But Fabio makes it the ultimate shopping center and includes two cinema theaters, fish tanks and a piano shop next to the regular shops you will always find in those surroundings. Within the limits of the TR2 Editor I quite liked the atmosphere. There's not really much to do, no enemies so no guards neither guarding dogs to face. I didn't mind the cinema did not play Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga as I'm about to go and watch it for the second time in about an hour. And I quite like the modern take of Fabio regarding bathrooms: the doors just open while you pass by so no danger of catching a cold because someone who entered before you sneezed in his hands and touched the door handle. For as 'little' in all aspects this level is, I had a few minutes of a nice stroll in it before escaping back to the outside." - bERT

"This level is one of its kind, as malls are rarely done in TRLE at all. I can tell you this is quite a nice effort even with the glaring problem of this being an early TRLE level, which shows through many of the small issues that arise and the overall blocky room design, with some textures messed up. Enjoyable despite it though." - OblivionJaw

"A short romp through a mall made with base assets and textures. There isn't much in the way of actual gameplay or challenge here. You will just be running around admiring the sights and unlocking some doors. The author has done an admirable job using only base assets, but the mall is a bit too big to house them all properly, so there are a lot of repeating textures. There is also texture tearing, visual glitches and objects clipping into the wall, but nothing gamebreaking. Overall a pretty lukewarm experience. If the level was longer it would have overstayed it's welcome due to the walking sim nature of it. Not recommended unless you're hardcore completionist." - LuxQSD

"This is a very interesting concept. Where else you can find Lara strolling around a shopping center? Nice touch on the kiosks, decorations, and even through restrooms and 2 movie theaters. What I think lacking is probably the level can be made a bit longer by having the 3rd floor, looking for 2 more secrets (this level only has 1 tho). When you and Lara are tired after trying intense adventures, this level is a must-play for some relaxing experience." - Charles Kane

"One of the first "slice-of-life" levels featuring a light, fun jaunt through a deserted shopping centre dubbed "The 3 Kings Convention". Lara appears to have trapped herself inside as our objective is to find our way out of it! There is also one simple secret to find." - griffabee

"Another early Tomb Raider 2 level done with the unofficial editor and whist it is not all that spectacular in game play one has to admire the creativeness of these pioneers of the editing scene long before the official editor was available. As usual we are plagued with paper thin walls and this allows objects to be seen through the walls at the right angle. I do remember seeing this particular level years later done in the TR4 engine and it played out much the same." - Torry

"One of the most amazing TR2 levels I have ever played. I must say that I didn't lose the motivation to continue the game at all! Everything was alright except one thing, and that was the problem with going back and forth between various rooms of the level. It consumed a lot of time to find the proper place to go due to the enormous atmosphere. Thank you!" - Mehrbod

"In this mall, Lara is not going to buy something, but only find the way to escape. To do this she only needs to press a couple of buttons, pull a switch and find an use two keys. Really short this level with nothing to do or enemies to shoot; only a couple of pickups and the easy secret. Not really worth to play." - Jose

"In this level Lara's only objective is to abandon the mall by finding some keys and pushing levers. The mall has a parking lot, 2 cinemas, a statue with a pool, a little zoo with fishes and sleeping wolves (those explode!), restrooms, among others. There are posters of movies on the walls, and textures of various stores. There is not too much to do in this level, but it's fine to see a different one set in another place that is not Egypt ;)" - alan

"Lara is locked inside an empty mall and has to find her way out. Another simple and straightforward quest for buttons and keys, but I suppose the great highlight of this level is that it has imported into the TR2 engine objects (and enemies: check out the exploding wolves, lol) from other games, mostly from The Lost Artifact. For the most part it feels like a weird home level, right down to Lara's outfit - except for the lipstick, of course. Ah, another nice touch is the movie theatre. There are two rooms and each has a different track attached to it. Yes, nothing impressive, but the way this level was designed was pretty standard in the early TRLE days when customization wasn't as flexible as when it eventually became the norm. 10 minutes, 1 secret. 04/17" - Treeble

"Not much to do here save pushing a few switches and finding two keys. I appeared to be getting fired at when in the fountain getting the skull (this level's only secret), but never encountered an enemy which was rather odd. However, it's a quirky set-up and my first level played in a shopping mall which was part of its charm. Never required a medpack and it was all over in less than ten minutes unless I missed something. I could hear what sounded like a hawk or something in the car park but when I opened the exit gate the level ended. Fun but short." - High Priestess

"Nothing to do here but this shopping centre is charming with well used objects." - Ryan

"A casual getaway level with Lara trapped inside a shopping mall and despite of the primitive TR2 capabilities the place resembles one unusually well. Everything begins and ends in an underground car parking. Above, encircling the central fountain, loads of textures have been customized into stalls and animating aquaria, while rows of specific objects stand for respective sold goodies (pianos, TV sets). There is even a lounge and a cinema, but especially in these places there are still not enough objects to avoid the level feeling empty - I would throw in some plants, bins, tables, groceries, laundry machines and stuff. I was also missing some chatting customers and employees who would attack Lara with brushes or buckets. Yes, I didn't forget it's TR2 but you could still have it all. SUMMARY: Worth seeing though not much to do." - DJ Full

"This level is a short visit to a shopping center with one secret, which is easy to find. Nothing more special..." - Nuri

"There's always quite a strong nostalgia factor pull for me with a TR2 level and this must have seemed fairly innovative in 2001, being set in a shopping centre. It doesn't entirely work and the gameplay is a brief ten minutes of key finding, with nothing much to do and no enemies, but you have to give it credit for trying something very different at the time. It has a certain charm." - Jay

"A rather simple premise here, where Lara has somehow managed to get herself into a pickle, becoming trapped in the aforementioned shopping center alluded to in the level title and forced to explore this rather empty center, hopefully for a way out. And for all its worth, the builder accomplishes this basic design rather decently. The level design is convincing enough to make you feel like you're exploring the location in question(with well-chosen objects helping to go a long way), texturing is done competently and the overall atmosphere is passable, in terms of quality. Disappointingly however, there is very little to actually do here in the gameplay department, as you just need to pull two switches and pick up two keys respectively, with your escape route quickly within your grasp at only seven minutes long. And with literally nothing standing in your way throughout, that just makes for a very unchallenging experience on the whole. Would I still recommend that you give this a shot? Sure. If you've got a couple of minutes to spare and don't want to have your brain tested for a change, this is well worth a quick playthrough, at the very least. But nothing more than that." - Ceamonks890

"Really nice looking level with simple gameplay (task is to find 2 keys) and no enemies. But some objects and textures are unique and level itself is very nice done. Not much for gameplay though beside some exploring." - Casual Raider

"I like the idea of this game. It takes place at a shopping mall which is different from most TR games. But there is no enemies in this level. It sounds like there are some but there isn't. If a level doesn't have enemies (Some), then it's just worthless. I like Fabio's games, but if he put some enemies in this, it would make my rating higher." - Kyle

"This brief 10 minute level consists of what looks like a shopping centre but most likely not been redecorated in the last 50 years or so. Your task if you choose to accept, is to press a couple of buttons and use a couple of keys to eventually exit the building. On the way you will pass through 2 cinema screens, both with working projectors, a room with a few too many pianos, and a shop selling fishtanks which actually have animating textures, as well toilets and car park. It's special in it's own special way, would've been nice to see a working escalator too but never mind." - sonnyd83

"A beautifully designed shopping center with rather little to do. The secrets were easy to find but gameplay wasn't exactly linear: You had to search quite long to find the next key or lever. I can recommand it as a little break between other levels." - manarch2

"Want to have a stroll through a mall, here you can and that is all there is. Finding two keys and pushing some buttons you are free to leave. The idea to be cooped up in a mall is somewhat strange though. There are no enemies and don't shoot the sleeping dogs, please." - Gerty

"As you can see in the title, we are shopping. But the main goal is the exit from the plaza. For the exit, you have to collect two keys. You don't have to use weapon. Textures are nice, worth to seeing it." - Obig

"A simplistic shopping center, finding a couple of keys. I was hoping for flesh-eating zombies clawing to get at Lara, and a huge body count, but nope, when the title says "Shopping Center" it means a variously textured giant room mall, the obligatory multiplex, and a few dogs in a pet store. Very short." - dmdibl

"It lasts for less than 10 minutes and all you do is push a few switches and use two keys to get out, but you cannot deny that this has a certain charm to it with the many objects placed, the garage, the main shopping area and especially the simply yet effectively designed cinemas." - MichaelP

"Although the location is commendably original (plush but strangely empty shopping Mall complete with multiplex) absolutely nothing at all happens aside from a short hunt for two keys.There are no enemies to shoot (although you could be really mean and pick off 3 dogs inside a Pet Shop)and only one spectacularly obvious Secret. The atmosphere is alright as far as it goes,and textures have been applaid competantly; but this level exists for no other reason than to provide a peaceful and uneventful 10 minutes for stressed-out players." - Orbit Dream