Level reviews

"Oh lol. I wish Turbo took this one day he had taken to light his previous map - as here's more complex gameplay but only that - every bit of the environment is unbearably, hediously, excruciatingly flat and I have no idea why so if the author already knew how to prevent it. But the game is still interesting, it has nice twists, it didn't feel like wasted time and I see the next episode is in TR2 so I expect some Turbo boost in all kinds of craft. Let's see what that key opens..." - DJ Full

"A worthy continuation to the first part. This one however seems to shift focus on traps and combat in lieu of puzzles. Fortunately the gauntlets are definitely executed well enough to keep your interest until the end. Texturing and atmosphere has also improved by quite a bit in comparison to the first part, now including more decorations and impressive architecture to make the level appear less arcade-y. The level flows quite nicely and naturally allows you to revisit areas through the use of shortcuts. The level utilizes the use of teleport crystals, which I found pretty rare in most maps, making them a unique touch. A have a small gripe with the final room which challenges you to fight 6 centaurs at once in a very cramped room. You can close the door behind you to apparently make it easier on yourself, but I could not do this without getting absolutely minced by explosions. It took a few reloads to simply escape the room and fight the bastards normally. Regardless, I had a fun time with this one and I would recommend a play to anyone that likes some good ol' fashioned TR1 fun." - LuxQSD

"A decent adventure and a certain improvement over the previous installment, even though this may not be quite so awe-inspiring nowadays as it was twenty years ago. The gameplay is varied enough to keep one's interest all the way along, and features a bit of everything: platforming, traps, combat, swimming, etc. There are also some mechanics that are still impressive now despite their presentation being perhaps a little inelegant, like the teleportation crystals and the collapsible tile onto the pressure pad. To top this all off is a sudden and delightfully chaotic fight with centaurs guarding the key that will end the level, which you can make a little easier for yourself by luring some of them out into the hall and closing the door with a lever. Some critiques I have are that the rooms are huge and boxy, with a lot of empty space, which makes the lack of variation in the textures a lot more noticeable than otherwise. The secrets could be harder to find, and two of them are the same concept (a room hidden underneath a tile) which is disappointing. I also feel that there could have been more puzzles, possibly in lieu of the combat sequences with four or five of the same enemy at once, which does get tedious pretty quickly. However, the overall experience is great for its time and still holds up to a certain point, so I recommend that everybody gives this a go!" - Ejecta

"Turbo Pascal has done a great job here. This level is extremely creative and makes use of some mystical elements like transporter/warp triggers, physics defying suspended water and invisible floor tiles. Some of the puzzles were just nicely done. I liked the floor tile that was used to hold open a set of doors, as well as the option to lock out all of the centaur Atlanteans at the level's climax. I had to shoot them all to bits, but that's just me! Very well done! I recommend to anyone looking for a solid old-school raid. Some of the ported over textures did some odd transparency things where they should have been opaque, but that's a relatively minor quibble." - Chel

"Another perfect debut from the author himself, nothing to complain. This level is way more better than the previous Fenician Temple. Well done! Top recommended TR1 level and another enjoyable level that brings memories to our minds from the past of TR game series. Thank you!" - Mehrbod

"This must have seemed really fresh back when it was released, even for a TR1 level. The textures are still rather pixelated and rough around the edges, but the gameplay managed to keep me entertained for around 35 minutes net time. There's some good uses of pressure pads and even transporters, which are quite a rare occurrence in the custom level world, some enjoyable acrobatic sequences, traps and collapsing tile runs, which always provide a bit of an adrenaline rush. There's also a neat idea of being able to lock the last set of centaurs out to be able to grab the key undeterred (I could never hit on the method to conventionally kill them) and you even get four secrets to look out for. Enjoyable gaming." - Ryan

"All I can say is WOW. For when this was released and the engine it is built on this is a marvelous TR1 level with all that made you fall in love with the original back in 1996. Turbo Pascal incorporated so many elements into this that would only appear years later. The transportation crystals, the suspended water room, collapsing tiles that fall on triggers, my oh my. Sure the enemies are the standard fare from that period and Pierre seems to get involved a lot in these unofficial TR1 levels but the game play more than makes up for that. Decent raiding without becoming tiresome and always something to do or thing through. Other reviewers keep mentioning the 4 centaurs at the end? I had 8 of the buggers and just fought them all off using all 300 Uzi rounds, 200 Magnum rounds and finally resorting to the pistols before they fell to Lara's wrath. (Did not realize you could simply lock them out by luring them out of the room) but it certainly was more entertaining and satisfying killing the buggers. This level lasts around 50 minutes and textures were brilliant (albeit thin) using the tombati.exe." - Torry

"This author knows how to create good custom levels with good gameplay. Another entertaining release with creative puzzles, even some unrealistic ones such as the teleporting diamond. No wonder that I enjoyed this one more than the first part of the series. The end room was a little bit challenging, but luckily you can avoid fighting all the centaurs. Good level, recommended!" - Nuri

"Second part of the Fenician Temple by Turbo Pascal. The best part of this level is the clever gameplay. Many nice ideas were put into it. Though in some places it was quite surreal, like the water wall and ceiling. The final room was a great challenge. I was able to kill all the centaurs one by one. I jumped sideways while spending my uzi ammo and medipacks. It was fun, recommended by the different tasks you have to complete here. Found 3 secrets." - alan

"There is lot to do and also avoid. Great timed run and traps. The finalroom was quite fine solution - lure horses out of room and back to room and close doors. Great level from year 2000, very recommendable." - vienna

"I haven't played many TR1 levels since the commercial release (and I replayed that one a number of times before I stumbled across this site), but this is a good one. Someone who uses the handle of Virus Inside has provided a well-written walkthrough that explains everything. My game kept crashing every time I opened the door to let a centaur inside at the end, so I stopped there. Whoever has done the work of setting up the Dosbox installation in the level download has done us all a huge favor, as you need only click on one of the batch files in the Dosbox folder to get started. There are some interesting concepts used here that I don't remember from the commercial release, so give it a try for a nostalgia trip mixed with some innovative gameplay." - Phil

"Wow, this was rather a surprise. Lots to do and to avoid, nice timed run and traps to figure out how to overcome them. Was a bit baffled at that leap of faith and I like it that you can lock the centaurs out so you can easily then get the last Key." - Gerty

"It's amazing how many ideas this level has that would many years later on be incorporated into routine TRLE custom levels, such as the teleport tiles and using collapsing tiles to activate triggers (though truth be said I haven't seen many of the latter). As with the first part of this series, textures are incredible and gameplay is fast paced so you're always onto the next task. The final room was a neat touch, being able to simply lure out the many enemies and lock them outside. 30 minutes, 4 secrets. 12/15" - Treeble

"There's not much atmosphere to be found here.Textures and lighting are never more than functional,hence there's little in the way of aesthetics - but the gameplay is not only inventive,but enormous fun.Aside from an absence of pushable object puzzles,you get a wide variety of tasks and puzzles.There are timed runs;fun gauntlets;quirky jumping challenges;entertaining rolling boulder traps;creative transporting effects;and a really neat swimming sequence.The secrets have been creatively placed,and enemies are prodigious and really keep you on your toes.This is far and away Turbo Pascal's best TR1 level;and a highly entertaining experience.Recommended." - Orbit Dream

"It's all about the gameplay. The best thing about this level is the gameplay which is very varied including a very original collapsible tile trick to keep a door open, a nice timed run, a run over collapsible tiles while avoiding the swinging blades and the invisible collapsible tiles room which is one of the highlights in this level. There were also teleporters which i never thought i would see in a TR1 custom level shaped like save crystals. Textures are well applied but has a monotonous look to it and the rooms are a bit boxy but the gameplay makes up for much of it. The ending was terrifying where you can choose to kill the four centaurs or lock them out of the room. One of the best TR1 custom levels and if you don't mind playing in a low resolution then GO FOR IT!!!." - totizedger

"For TR1 nostalgics with all the old taste: giant rats, Pierre appearing and disappearing, centaurs, rolling balls, breakable tiles, lions, gorillas, trigger pad tiles, teeth doors... Even a couple of teleporters. Architecture is simple and the rooms are too empty without objects to decorate; the level is specially based about Lara's habilities and movements; I think there's only a switch in the final room and only a key to use. Textures are well applied, but the low resolution gives a poor aspect; also the huge rooms always with the same texture don't help to create a good environment. But for TR1 lovers this level will be a nice gift." - Jose

"OK, this seems very dated now and the graphics are less than stellar (certainly not helped by having to play in DOSBox), but in its day it must have seemed quite sophisticated. I mean, there are even transporters! Of necessity, the gameplay is fairly simple, but it's quite well rounded for all that, with some interesting traps, a variety of enemies (including Pierre, yay) and good use of anti trigger tiles. Definitely one of the better TR1 offerings out there." - Jay

"For this sequel, what's on offer here is done well, though not to a greatly noticeable degree. For one thing, we're still completing challenges involving the collection of specific keys(although I doubt that I'll ever manage to complete the game properly, due to all those damned Atlantean centaurs spawning in when attempting to grab the final key.) There's also some pretty clever tricks shown off, such as teleporting to a different room when getting close to an untextured crystal, a water wall(despite not being too overly realistic) and some invisible crumbling platforms, which serve as the main highlights of this level for me. Outside of that, texturing is a mix of TR5 textures and traditional TR1 textures this time around(with a rather monotonous result), level design is still pretty boxy, enemies include the aforementioned centaurs, lions, gorillas and Pierre himself and atmosphere is decent by TR1 standards. Overall, this is another level that is worth at least a look, if only to see some of the cool gameplay gimmicks alone and not necessarily to experience a technical marvel." - Ceamonks890

"An amazing level with some nice textures. The last room was challenging and it's definitely worth to play. Way better than the first Fenician Temple." - Athukraz

"I give the author credit for causing me to literally fly out of my seat at the end of the level...twice. I had to get someone to declaw me from the ceiling after that frightful encounter. This level is a vast improvement over the first Fenician Temple, and I appreciate the author's commitment to the first TR engine. This level really shines in the gameplay department, providing interesting, if easily worked out, puzzles, as well as a few group enemy fights. Like most TR1 levels, the enemies are as dumb as bricks, but they can be dangerous in a swarm. I did not care for the overuse of cubical rooms, and the long, mundane corridors. Thankfully the rest of the level makes up for it. Definitely one of the better TR1 custom levels I've played." - Xela

"It was really fun TR1 level with amazing (as for such old level and for TR1 level) textures. Gameplay was rather smooth and interesting though difficulty level was strange chosen, especially that harsh end comparing to whole level. Although level has really interesting elements like portal crystals, invisible tiles and water pool-wall." - Casual Raider

"I wasn't so enthused about the first of the "Fenician Temple" levels, but this one overall feels just a few blocks away from the cool alley where "Fenician Temple 3" and "4" reside. The looks are Spartan and entirely functional as you would expect in a level of the author, but work reasonably well and every now and then I did get the feeling (although a fleeting one) that this could be genuine temple as we know them in our TR universe. As usual with the author, the game shines most in the gameplay department, and I thought moments like remains of a collapsible tile providing the weight for a pressure tile to work, the leap of faith (a bit too mind-read-y for my taste, though) and outsmarting the pack of centaurs near the end, so you can claim your prize make this a level worth looking into. My favourite moment of the level, for which the author unfortunately can't take much credit for is when I had Lara evading a boulder trap, and she ended up falling through a false floor into a secret area I would not have found otherwise. I managed to find all 4 secrets, and I liked how the author included a small air pocket for the uzi secret so you don't have to calculate how you can make it there and back to your closest air supply within one breath. Though not without its fair share of faults, still one of the better TR1 levels out there, so give it a chance." - eTux

"This is for sure one of the better customs out there using the TR 1 engine, though that's not saying overly much. The gameplay is better than in the first installment of the series, with a couple of unique puzzles such as the water wall (though not very realistic), the teleporter, the invisible crumbling platforms or - what I liked best - a very clever way to keep a trigger on a door using another of these crumbling platforms. I thought this was highly original. I found the visuals to still be rather crude and there were a couple of wall textures on the floor (especially in the rat maze) but they are doing their job well in creating a nice temple setting in which the gameplay is embed in. I was not too fond of all the fights but they were really well planned and there are enough health kits and weapons like the Magnums or the Uzis if you go on search for the well hidden secrets, of which I found three, but it's possible to finish the level without, as the builder leaves the player the option to simply close the doors for not having to kill the four centaurs, which I found very gracious and fair - I tried killing them and never managed it. Finished this level in 35 minutes - recommended for some really interesting touches, not so much for a beautiful setting to explore." - manarch2

"The is a fine example of TR1 style gaming at it's best. The architecture is incredibly blocky but I think this adds to it's originality, and I like how everything is so geometric. The texturing is not stretched or jelly like in any way, and are only moderatly pixelated, and changes from room to room, although a little more variety in each room would be better. The main features of this level are fighting some chimps, leopards, many rats (which I quite enjoyed!), and Pierre from TR1/5, quite a few perfectly timed, timed runs, and you have to use your brain a little e.g. finding a way to climb up to a certain place, stepping on certain blocks, or standing on collapsable floor so it heavy triggers a door - work of pure genius. The ending requires a bit of lateral thinking too, unfortunately it crashed at the end. There's only a small number of traps so you won't be reloading every 30 seconds. There's some really nice camera hints for when doors open or one where it shows you the way across a few blocks. Sound is standard but at least you can hear it. Highly recommended TR1 level." - sonnyd83

"The second part of Fenician Temple series. It's not as straightforward as the first installment, but that's absolutely good. The intresting gameplay ideas moved the series to a better way, like the rushing-through on collapsing platforms while swinging blades are trying to slay Lara. It also has some fancy ideas, like the invisible blocks to get to the other side of a hole, (Indiana Jones feeling...:) ) or the teleporter. Texturing is simple but it looks very nice. Better than the first one, though the gameplay is a bit slow." - rtrger

"A lot more interesting than Fencian Temple 1. Has tasks like a long run over collapsible tiles to get by two separate swinging blades--Lara has to get the timing right at the start of the run, as she can't pause. And there is an inventive use of collapsible tiles landing on top a trigger square. Nice secret areas, and an ending that becomes a bit surreal with Lara transported to other rooms, and a showdown with half a dozen centaurs (this part is frantic, so I didn't actually have Lara stand there and count them). Lara closed the double doors on them, but when she went for the final key on a pillar, which is supposed to end the game anyway, the level crashed. Maybe it always ends that way. Good entertainment." - dmdibl

"It's a much bigger adventure, than the previous part. Reminds me of TR1's Cistern level, but there are Colosseum level textures too from the TR5. Interesting level, I just can suggest for everyone." - Obig

"This is a fun adventure of 30-40 minutes, fairly linear, but with a great variety of tasks to work through, including a spike/dart room, a timed run, pillar jumping, collapsible tiles, boulder traps and more. The rats nest was kind of fun too and you even get a transporter to jump to another room. I did not like the leap of faith room although it is well executed. All four secrets have their own room and are worth getting and you can either battle it out with the four centaurs or simply outsmart them and lock them out of the room. All in all, a well rounded and entertaining level." - MichaelP