Level reviews

"Bugs/Functional Issues

• There is a potential softlock if you fail to pick up the revolver + lasersight, as eventually Lara will reach a turret that she cannot get past without it (in the room with the timed trapdoor switch).

Disliked

• The "teeth spikes" lasers are visually misleading and will probably lead players to unexpected deaths, until they realise that the laser kills everything on its square.
• A handful of switches are missing camera cues, and I'm still not entirely sure what they did.

Neutral

• The combat does challenge Lara to make use of her arsenal against a variety of enemies (guards and aliens), but the enemies have a little too much health for my taste.
• The visuals do their job, but outdoor areas tend to be boxy and wallpapered.

Liked

• The turrets can be challenging to deal with, but they are satisfying to take down once Lara figures out the correct positioning.
• There are a few traps to avoid, including lasers and a barrel that takes down an enemy in its wake.

Time: 1 hour 37 minutes | Difficulty: Hard | Rating: 7.5/10" - JesseG

"The final offering from one of the most prolific authors in our community was released well over a decade ago. This starts off quite reminiscent of the High Security Compound level in TR3, what with you having to sneak out of your cell and release other inmates to dispatch guards for you until you regain your weapons (and this is all done in the TR4 engine and it works just like you'd expect it to), but it slowly turns into something new altogether. The cave-like areas house some enemies which definitely took me by surprise. Gameplay doesn't stray too far away from the base archetype, with a few stealth-ish bits thrown in for good measure, but as a whole I thought it was a solid and enjoyable raid. There was only one room, with a timed button no less, which was far too cumbersome to navigate which required you to jump at an angle through triangular gaps to get to a slope, ultimately I just took advantage of one of the oldest glitches in the book and jumped right through the corner to make it in time. 85 minutes, 11 secrets. 08/22" - Treeble

"(8) Gameplay & Puzzles: This medium difficulty duo-level adventure (1 hr 40 min) started off super thrilling, with clever ways to avoid sentry guns, and trick baddies into running into lasers. The stealth aspect was so much fun and the gameplay felt fresh and unique. That said, the 2nd level began to drag for me. It was certainly neat to see an alien environment in level 2, but the same problem-solving principles were repeated over and over and it became predictable. I think that at least 25% of the gameplay could have been cut with no issue. (9) Enemies, Objects & Secrets: This is the strongest category in my opinion; there is a wide variety of engaging interactive/trap objects, and static decor is spot on. It was weird that there was a sentry gun that magically appeared out of thin air, though. I'm always pleased as punch whenever I see the High Security Compound friendly guys, and it's worth noting that only the black-outfitted MPs are baddies -- other MPs, with red stripes on their outfits, won't harm Lara (perhaps they realize that the black-outfitted MPs are crooked scumbags?) . I thought it was a bit weird that only some snipers were aggressive towards Lara, though, while a couple of other snipers just stood there. The aliens were super cool, however there's always a ledge near Lara when they are triggered, so you can just stand on the ledge and shoot the Aliens safely, as unlike the MPs they can't climb ledges. So, I think enemy engagements are generally good, but could have used more care with regards to the aliens. (7) Atmosphere, Sound & Cameras: The indoors base atmosphere was superbly crafted. On the flip side, the rocky caverns, both outdoors and underground, were too boxy looking. I consider the awesome electro background music to be the highlight of the game, and the flybys are done very well also. There were adequate static camera hints, although I wasn't a raving fan of the occasional fixed or wonky cameras (for example, the wonky camera when performing a timed platforming sequence moving upwards in level 2). This is a minor issue, though. Also, the level would have been more polished if tense sound cues played whenever a timed run commenced. (6) Lighting & Textures: The interiors generally looked polished, with a few misshapen textures here or there, or a few dark shadowy blobs which seem unfitting given available light sources. No big deal, though. Unfortunately the texturing outdoors was just ghastly and really detracted from the overall polish of the adventure. If you look at the 3rd level info screenshot, it's surprising that it's from the same level as the 2nd screenshot, given the vast difference in quality. Overall, this was a creative, interesting level, but the fun factor started to wear out for me in level 2. I think it would have been a stellar level if bloated gameplay tasks had been cut, and if there was more care regarding outdoor aesthetics. 8/9/7/6." - nerdfury

"This level is challenging and quite tiring but it managed to grab me much more efficiently than I thought. What stands out is intensive usage of props, AI and excellent soundtrack. I would do with less of forced health loss, less of those lazers, less of those sentries, there's really no need to repeat them so often. Also I would love to give more for texturing and atmosphere since the "outside" rooms were too often obnoxious papered cubes." - DJ Full

"Definitely the best level from this Author. It starts once again without weapons. Gameplay is mostly about stealth in the first level but it does turn in a shooter in the second. The areas inside are better designed than the outside area's which have weird and repetitive texturing. Some Rooms still look pretty though with good use of Fog. Nice CD Tracks for the right situations (especially the one when you get to fight two aliens at the same time). I managed to find all secrets, not too well hidden. If you liked High Security Compound from TR3, then you'll like this one too." - Mert

"This level was recommended to me as maximal medium difficulty and no hard timed runs; well that turned out to be somewhat false information! I was warned that there would be plenty of enemies but I don't mind that so I gave it a try. I do love breakouts from bases so I was happy to find myself in a cell; however, soon I was quite disappointed, for the first part seemed copypasted straight out of the TR3 High Security Compound level. What kept me going was the soundtrack which is outstanding, and kept me on my toes throughout. G/P: After said first segment the level really takes off. Countless puzzles that get harder and harder to do. Cleverly thought-out routes, intelligent backtracking, laser traps galore and plenty of platforming made this levelset an amazing experience, had me cursing and pulling my hair, but I have to say I haven't played a level this exciting in a long time. I even managed the timed runs, and that's saying something. Enemies were a-plenty; soon I had used up all but one medipack and was therefore forced to play it safe and dispose of most enemies from safe spots which the builder had graciously provided, probably foreseeing my predicament. I found that some of the Aliens were easy to outrun or to avoid altogether. Objects were what was to be expected from this WAD, cleverly used. I found probably 6 secrets, I forgot to do an end check. Secrets were rewarding with medpacks or ammo. The atmosphere was nothing short of thrilling. I only give 9 instead of 10 because as per usual, the soundtrack looped and that is something I do not enjoy. Still, the quality of the music was so good that I'll forgive that :) Camera was helpful and on point. Lighting/Textures: While everything was as it should be in a base/area 51 level, the overall look of things is average, I did not stop to take in my lovely surroundings much. But this level does not need pretty to be cool. I have one particular gripe with the textures, there was a celtic floor tile used in the first level that was totally out of place. All in all, an amazing adventure that took me exactly 3 hours to finish. I am still trying to figure out how poor innocent Lara can try to escape for having allegedly murdered a MP, and then proceed to kill around 80 more people to get out and presumably prove her innnocence. ;) High replay value." - Manymee

"I thoroughly enjoyed this TR3 "escape from prison" style adventure. In the first level, you have to find ways to eliminate guards standing in your path, using lasers or enlisting help. In level two, you have your weapons back and you can wreak revenge for your suffering and also meet aliens. Spooky and fun." - Ryan

"I loved this game! Inspired in the Nevada section from TR3, it was an amazing journey to the past. In the beginning the game resembled too much one of the levels in TR3, i was disappointed for a moment. Thought that the author didn't had much creativity. As soon i as started to go deep into the level i realize that it i was wrong. Brilliant puzzles overall, amazing surroundings and the music was fantastic! However there are a few things that made me give a score 6 in the 2nd topic and a 8 on the first one. The lack of medipacks makes the game harder to deal with, the aliens are extremely tanky, which can be annoying and generally the guards are buggy, as they most of the times ignore you completely and Lara's voice is creepy. The first quad bike can be a bummer if you decide to take it. It seems that the author wanted to prank the player, since the vehicle is from TR3 engine working on the TR4 engine, it's buggy. As you can not go back with it. So if you decided to save the game in the quad bike, it might block your way to progress the level. Other than that it was an amazing experience and quite challenging, totally recommend it!" - Zhyttya

"Did you like Tomb Raider 3? Did you love the Nevada zone? Do you want to play a level with great atmosphere? If so, this is the TRLE for you! If you don't want silly secrets, bugged IA from enemies (cops don't care about you) and Lara with a very unpleasant voice then look somewhere else. In general both levels are great, they have great mechanics even if i hated one switch in special, the only time you have a jump-switch... That switch its a bit to strange and counter-intuitive. Other thing is that you really have to take damage to get keys or on passages, what makes you think that you should do something else first! But no, you are in the right way, you just have to take some ammo in the head. Still, highly recommended to play for an hour or two of gameplay!" - Leeth

"This was a great and enjoyable level. I enjoyed the Nevada section in tomb raider 3, and I was glad to have a nice nostalgia attack while playing this level. I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere during some parts of this game. Killing the guards was fun and entertaining, and the textures were realistic. If anyone would like a good nostalgia attack, this is a good level for you. If not, then play the level anyway! It's still very enjoyable!" - MegaGamer

"For me the start of this level was very good, the whole escape is very fun and the ways to avoid or kill the guards and machine guns without weapons were really clever. The only problem is that despite the fast-paced gameplay I found the tasks and setting to be a bit monotonous - after avoiding the x-th enemy in rather sameish looking rooms there should have been something else for a change. The second level starts and ends nice, but the whole middle part is a bit uninspired with too many buttons to pull and rather dull progression. While rather decent throughout, I found the outside areas to be rather poorly textured with all those wallpaper effects, and there are a couple of misplaced textures inside as well. The visuals are slightly better in this second level, with some cool textures in the alien realm, maybe a bit dark but nothing too bad. However, I found some parts in this level to be rather stressy. The vibrant background audio which got on my nerves after a while, enemies around nearly every corner, the (too) fast gameplay - I think this is not a level to calm down or enjoy leisurely. The adrenaline rush might be enjoyable for other players, but I personally didn't like it. At the end it was a rather well built level with a great TR 3 charm, but I must admit that it didn't quite serve my expectations after the fantastic start. Found 11 secrets in 1:15 hours of playtime." - manarch2

"Nevada - Military Prison (8/8/9/10)A very good level which strongly reminded me to the classic High Security Compound from TR3. I enjoyed it a lot so for me, the gameplay in general is very good, thought it can still improve; the enemies & objects are highly good too, but improvable anyway; Atmosphere, sound & cameras almost reached the perfection for and as for the texturing & lighting, that's the main reasonf ro which I couldn't stop playing this level till I finished. Nevada - Division of Alien (9/10/9/10)I even enjoyed much more this level than the previous one, mainly cause I could consider it as she's already outside the prison. The gameplay for me is a bit better than in the previous level, so that's why I added a point to it; the enemies are mostly aliens and they're very well built in my opinion ( apart from the classic guards); I have to say the same for the sound & cameras and the lighting & texturing is perfect for me in this level too. Overall rating (8/9/9/10). Highly recommened, overall for those of you who have nostalgia of when you played the classic High Security Compound and for those who love the Base/Laboratory style, like I do" - MrJavi94

"Usually I'm not a big fan of Nevada levels, set in prison, but this one is very good. The atmosphere is very TR3-ish, the music is scary at moments, especially when you're on the second level and you don't know from where a alien will come up. I only didn't liked the outside textures and architecture. Recommended!" - misho98

"What we have here is something refreshing from LukazCroft. Set in Nevada using mostly TR3 textures & objects this a military base level with the opening echoing Lara's gun less imprisonment from Tomb Raider III too. To progress however you'll still have to kill guards to get hold of the items they are carrying. I have to say I liked the idea of triggering traps and lasers allot throughout this, but I was very happy to get my dual pistols back towards the end of the first level and deal with them the normal way. As with the last of LukaszCroft's levels that I reviewed the gameplay in this has a very addictive quality. This is especially true of the first half where almost everything is behind locked doors always making you want to push to the next step to see what lies beyond. Lighting is excellent, as is the choice of music and how effectively it is blended in to create a sense of ambience. Less effective unfortunately is some of the texturing, which for the larger outdoor areas of the Nevada rock-faces (as also seen on the title screen) suffers from wall-papering. All in all I got 2 hours 28 mins of gameplay from Prison In Neveda. If you loved the Nevada levels in Tomb Raider III then these are definitely for you, but be aware...those aliens actually come and get you this time!!!. Recommended, Stiggy." - TheStig

"Military Prison (10/9/9/8, 55 min, 5 of 6 secrets): Every once in a while a level really exceeds my expectations and this first part of the adventure is such an example. It was totally immersive and kept me on my toes all the time with its rather unique style of gameplay tied with the storyline of escaping from a prison. Lara has no weapons and needs to leverage a variety of ways to get those guards killed. There are lasers and sentry guns to avoid, many buttons to find and a few short timed sequences to master. Nothing is ever too difficult or obscure, just nicely fitting into the whole setting and constantly moving you forward. A remarkable achievement indeed!
Division of Alien (9/9/8/8, 65 min, 4 of 5 secrets): Still a very solid level, this second part did not quite have the magic of the first. But id does flow nicely with a lot of the same elements: lasers, guards, dogs, rats and of course those big Aliens to be battled along the way. Usually you branch out for a key or a disc or a card and then backtrack a little to use it and move on. There are two quad bikes which are totally underused, as you ride them only very briefly and the end is a bit sudden, but it still is a very satisfying raid." - MichaelP

"Although I don't like base levels that much, Lukasz did a good piece of work here. Lara starts in a prison and she has no guns. That comes much, much later. You better put on your thinking cap as you have to figure out how to get rid of some of the guards that will chase Lara. Be aware that the medipacks are not in abundance; so be careful then you can make it. Nice use of deadly lasers and remember where you saw a key lock or door, as a bit of backtracking is needed. There are however some things that did bother me, what is that with no binoculars, come on... Then there is a timed run that is a bit hard to do at the start of the second level, due to lots of collision by the objects Lukasz used. Another timed run I had to use a saved game, what is a pity though, also a nasty jump through a tiny opening with collision of a pipe behind it, so you either are lucky or not. Textures could use some TLC but as gameplay goes, think how to outsmart apart from some guards also the traps." - Gerty

"This is definitely the best game ever built by Lukasz so far. Lara must escape a prison (a homage to TR3; in fact the entire game reminds me of TR3 despite the TR4 engine) in Nevada and so she does, through a whole series of hardships, tough paths and loads of fortunately easy lasers and rough enemies. Not that anybody's yet been able to fully recapture what we had in the Nevada levels and neither has Lukasz, but it's a worthwhile effort and the adventure speaks for itself. There's never a dull moment and I was afraid I might not be able to end it due to the relative lack of medipacks, but in the end I managed. A praise to Lukasz for being able to realize how to use the entire armies of enemies (his trademark) without totally overdoing it. This escape had me hooked and that's something I can't say for every level that comes out these days. Well done!" - Jorge22

"Lukasz Croft just keeps getting better and better, as his steadily increasing review scores attest, and this latest release falls within the general pattern. The action in this two-parter begins with Lara's escape - weaponless, naturally - from her cell, the subsequent release of her fellow prisoners on the cell block, who help her vanquish the bad guys, and her ultimate discovery of an arsenal that enables her to wreak her own vengeance. Along the way she discovers how to activate deadly laser beams to kill the enemy, and how to evade or neutralize those dreaded sentry machine guns. There are nice timed runs and boulder traps thrown in for good measure. We've seen most of this before in other levels, but it's put together in a way that's fresh and delightfully spooky, and I enjoyed myself immensely for the two and a half hours that I spent here. Highly recommended." - Phil

"I always look forward to a Lucasz level. I know it'll be entertaining (the most important part of any Tomb Raider game). I also know that it'll be challenging without being frustratingly difficult. This one ticks all the boxes. Sneaky running about, to begin with, as you try to avoid the guards whilst luring them into the prisoners delicate embraces. Then, joy of joys, you get your guns! Revenge! Testing (but not too testing) laser traps, sentry guns, timed runs and unfriendly aliens all await you. Best of all, you get to do my favourite hobby, blowing up sentry guns - so satisfying. A good romp!" - Diz

"One knows what one will get with a Lukasz game - lots of action and he delivers this time, as well. It begins with the classic 'get out of prison escape' with, of course, no weapons. Leading to many prisoners escaping, helping Lara to flee. There's one particular spot that marred gameplay for me and that was getting the laser sight. I had the key and the Desert Eagle but the sight needed a lot more luck and a bit more quickness. Further along, there's a series of tricky jumps to get to the top of a timed open door which reminds me, most didn't have a problem with medipacks but I did. I had no patience to replay certain sections and I guess I was just too reckless - that doesn't pay off in an action game where medipacks are as important as ammo. The grenade gun is always an 'equaliser' but, for me, sooner would have been better. Making the end run was a disappointment as I was having such a good time, I didn't want it to end. Really nicely done, Lukasz." - Bene

"Very good levels for few hours nice playing and relaxing. I really enjoyed when played long levels in prison, some military constructions and alien parts. Atmosphere are good, maybe little more hidden parts for searching and exploring, and maybe little more riddle for brain. Its best level from author Lukasz Croft. At beginning use prisoners for guards and few times when not found switch for deadly rays, back to cell for escape from guard. After with automatic machine gun was experience with crouch for laser sight and desert eagle, and a lot of combination for right moves to took weapons ;) Brilliant game levels for playing!" - Ivan

"I really enjoyed this level by a very hardworking builder who has learned so much since he first started building. The Nevada prison and desert was one of my favorite TR3 levels to play so it was nice to see this major upgrade to the prison. There are many challenges here including traps and puzzles and tough jumping sequences. The atmosphere and music were great and added to the tension that one would feel trying to break out of military prison and THEN a top secret Area 51 type facility. I found only 8 of the 10 secrets, but 6 in the first level when there were only supposed to be 5, so I really don't know how many total secrets there really were. Anyway, if you enjoy base type levels with lasers and guards and turrets, then you will just LOVE this level. Great job Lukasz!" - Shandroid

"The best levels I've played from this author till this date. Always with his classic style: many traps, easy puzzles, plenty of enemies, dangerous areas and a lot of action. In first level Lara will have to escape from a TR3-style prison without guns (she'll get it at the end) and think how to solve the problems she'll find along the way without firing a single shot; fortunately there are some friends in the beginning to help her and another traps to take off the guards on her way. Second level is in a kind of base-lab in the desert, with aliens included, but she'll be armed this time. Lineal gameplay but sometimes you'll have to go back to use some items; there are some very tricky tasks, but not impossible if you know the rules of the game and think a bit. Enough ammo, but near the end I almost get out of medipacks; and I couldn't give enough use to the grenade launcher near the end. Classic scenarios, very good atmosphere with some TR3 musics and good lights and texturing. Recommended, but not for beginners." - Jose

"This is a classic "Escape from Prison TR3 style" level. Gameplay & Puzzles: The game play is pretty much action packed throughout this 2 level adventures. It is somewhat linear, but includes back tracking a few times and consists mainly of avoiding or eliminating sentry guns (sometimes with a lot of health loss), dodging lasers, pulling levers and finding keys/cards to progress. A couple of timed runs that take a few attempts and a couple tricky jumps, but everything was manageable after a few attempts. There were plenty of health packs and weapons/ammo pickups. Enemies, Objects & Secrets: The enemies are mainly guards (some of them harmless), and dogs. Also a couple of unfriendly aliens, some of which are easy to kill, but there were two, which seemed invincible so you just have to run around in circles, trying to avoid them while pushing buttons and feeding medi-packs. Atmosphere, Sound & Cameras: Nicely done atmosphere with good camera work but I do have mixed feelings about the sounds. Mostly really nice and well matched to the level, but there were segments where I had to turn the speakers way down, because I just couldn't handle the never-ending disco/techno style background music anymore. I think less would have been more here, but I'd it really comes down personal taste. Lighting & Textures: Definitely a well textured level, textures look clean, lighting is good, a little on the dark side and there are plenty of flares for the really ark corners. Conclusion: Definitely well done from a technical standpoint. A very good level, especially if you like cramped spaces with lots of action and excitement. If you are more the peaceful exploratory type, who wants a relaxing game play, this level might be not for you." - Blue43

"I had a good time playing this fast paced, base-style adventure. Stealth is the order of the day as it begins, since Lara has no guns and has to rely on other ways of dealing with the guards. It makes for interesting gameplay, but I must admit I was glad to find the pistols and shotgun. I was even more pleased to get the revolver and laser sight to exact revenge on some of those sentry guns - outwitting and blowing up sentry guns is always satisfying as far as I'm concerned. In the second section things takes on a more surreal aspect as Lara encounters aliens and you can ditch all thoughts of ET - these guys are (surprise, surprise) not a bit friendly. Between the guards, dogs, sentry guns and laser traps, there are a lot of ways for Lara to lose health, but pickups are generously supplied so you really shouldn't have any problem if you're not careless with resources. You'll certainly have to be nimble to negotiate some of the laser traps and there's a tightish timed run in part two, but it's all readily achievable with care, a bit of experience and a dash of luck, which I suppose just about sums up raiding in general. Enjoy." - Jay

"Nevada Military Prison: As the first the interesting and well used sound strikes. Moreover, I ask myself whether Lukasz is a fan of TR3, because this prison looks almost thus like the original prison in TR3. This was one of my favorite level in TR3 and I had been angry very much that one had after the jump with the Quadbike over the fence no more weapons and also no ammunition any more. This prison shows once again how versatile Lukasz is. He can build almost everything. Indeed, he also has quite a lot of slips of the pen in his Levels. And sometimes they are too long. The Sentry Gun in the way to the room with the yellow Fuse is placed a little bit unfair. One cannot destroy it and the Gun can cause some damage. Otherwise this is a really good level with many great riddles and some tricky places.
Nevada Division of Aliens: In the first level one had to fight only against the attendants, but here the aliens still come. And as it is simply with aliens in such a way, can they endure of course substantially more than the attendants. But Lara has luckily enough weapons, ammunition and Medipacks in the luggage. Also in this level there are great riddles and a very good sound again.
Result: In contrast to former Levels the Gameplay was substantially better here. It was not so viscous any more and had more diversity. Moreover, more care was laid on the textures. All together a level with which every player get one's money's worth and which nobody should miss." - Scottie

"Lukasz,who has been building TRLE levels for the community since 2004 ,keeps getting better all the time. It is understood he likes to build action-packed levels much more than beautiful to look upon scenarioes but that may not be considered as neither a reward nor a punishment to us players but he just fulfills his own way of TRLE ideas . Some may like it , some may not. In his latest issue he has taken one more step ahead on the ladder . Although the opening sequence looks very much like a copy of TR3 he brings in his own ideas as the game continues .Unfortunately in his readme he describes the crawlspace roll forwards by using the jump button . It is of course the "sprint" button plus arrow up with Lara kneeling(not crawling) that makes things happen. Custom music sounds very well to accompany Lara on her secret ways to escape. As Lara slides down the hill to meet the appointment with her truck driver the game suddenly ends. Thumbs up for Lukasz this time !" - Ruben

"A surprisingly good level set from this author. I wouldn't exactly describe this as a breakthrough, as Lukasz has long produced good levels. His accomplishments with the level editor has never been in doubt. But in the past there has sometimes been a sort of carelessness in places, which marred the good parts. Here the quality is consistent. In these two levels we find Lara falsely imprisoned in Nevada, reminiscent of the TR3 episode. The author sometimes likes to work in close quarters, so the confining prison is believable. Lara is without weapons initially. In TR3 the other prisoners attacked guards. They do so here, but because of differences in AI it is more reliable as Lara progresses to use laser traps to dispose of guards. The escape sequence is effective, and Lara has to deftly avoid automatic machine guns and rotating lasers, while not losing too many medipacks. Near the end of the first level is an automatic machine gun surrounded by key, Desert Eagle, and laser sight, so Lara is flamed whenever she gets near the items. Players will have a good time figuring that one out. Lara is now fully armed. The second level moves along briskly, with alien encounters. In my game, Lara used up most of the good ammo, picked up the grenade gun near the end, and wielded that to finish. For the last half of the second level Lara was usually at three or four percent health, so the occasional find of a large or small medipack was a real treasure. The vanishing health turns even an attack by dogs into a tense moment, and there are also lots of guard attacks. Lara can finish the game that way, and players may feel they have accomplished something. A fun romp." - dmdibl