Level reviews

"Minimal but it would be hard, if not counter-effective, to execute this style with more effort invested. Recommended mostly for good platforming but mind a potential softlock at the bottom of the hub pit." - DJ Full

"Certainly a bit of a unique premise, having Lara raid a digital world of sorts. The visuals are not great, with very wallpapered textures and flat lighting. That might seem like a strange critique since it's supposed to look like a computerized grid, but there are definitely more immersive ways to visualize a digital atmosphere. But what the textures lack in visual appeal they gain in functionality, clearly marking which tiles are safe and which ones will kill Lara, and there's even numerical tiles to guide you, and tiles telling you when you should save, so this adventure is a friendly one for players. In terms of gameplay it is mostly swimming, jumping and climbing around, including some spring pads. No combat or puzzles, and there is a single trap which I avoided by shimmying around it. The most interesting part is driving a boat onto land at the right angle so you can jump from it to reach some safe tiles. Recommended for raiders who are in the mood for a short and straightforward level. 22 minutes." - JesseG

"Interesting concept on this hunt for three keys and the warnings of "DIE" everywhere. At least you instantly know which tiles are safe and which......well, you know. Only trouble I had was with the boat until I realized you had to get out of it whilst it was moving. Platforming was nice although you had to look carefully with tiles all looking the same." - Torry

"Now this is a nice improvement over the author's previous effort, in my opinion. I rather liked the theme here, so the "one texture" approach wasn't as aggravating as it was in Great Wall Madness. You set off on a quest for a few keys and the tasks are usually rather simple, mostly about platforming sequences with the odd trap here and there. There was an interesting use for the boat, though it could get stuck in the wrong place so you'd have to revert to a previous save to try jumping off at the right moment again. 15 minutes, 1 secret. 05/17" - Treeble

"I suppose this is a different and novel concept, but I have a feeling it's been better done. The gameplay isn't bad as such, making a few jumps, using bounce pads and riding the good old TR2 speedboat, but there were two parts I did not like at all: the long jump that forced Lara to deplete about 95% of her health and the sequence where you had to stop the boat correctly required far too much precision for my liking. Textures were repeated throughout and enemies were nonexistent." - Ryan

"Taking place in what I assume to be a designer's test level, we find ourselves having to run through rooms that may offer a refreshing artstyle and a few entertaining gameplay sections at its core, but fails to make the most of its intriguing premise in other categories. Lighting is non-existent, texturing and general atmosphere is monotonous, objects feel out-of-place, level design seems lazily built and with no enemies to encounter whatsoever by the end of it all, you'll find yourself left wondering about what this release could have been like, had the builder bothered to put more effort into it. While I wouldn't mind seeing someone try and expand upon the groundwork laid out here by TanteiSakana with hopefully a lot more depth under TRNG nowadays, this still gets the job done and serves as a nice little distraction with a few fun moments thrown in for good measure. Overall, if you're looking to play something that takes a departure from the usual raid for once, then give it a go. But don't dive in expecting too much and you shouldn't feel too disappointed upon proper completion." - Ceamonks890

"Novel, that word did come to my mind when I started this. I even liked the little boat ride one had to do although getting out of that thing to get onto a safe tile was another story. I still love the bouncing pads. But I have to say it was all rather simple which is a pity as the unofficial editor can do much more." - Gerty

"This is a very curious and original level and reminds me of the movie 'TRON' in some ways, I feel it could only work in a TR2 environment as it's quite clunky. The gameplay is purely run and jump challenges, and the textures are all grid like in appearance, there is variety in them textures, e.g. smaller ones and those for ladders. Lighting is monochromatic all the way through, so darkness isn't a worry here. There are traps to avoid such as spinning wheels and glass shards, and several keys must be collected. The jumps and slopes are not particularly challenging but some are over quite steep drops so watch out. The keys opens doors, one door leads to an area with a boat which you must land on dry land perfectly as certain spots are deadly, and find a key and secret, this key opens the next door, which leads to some fun spring boards and a zipline, then you appear at the start of the level but at the very bottom, collect another key and secret, then open a final door, and negotiate a kind of an underwater maze (although it's more of a timed run) but textures are see through here and it's almost like glass, then a final climb to the end. Camera angles are used well when you need to see where you're going. There's no music but sound fx are all present. 30 minutes net gameplay. Found 2 secrets." - sonnyd83

"No much effort with the textures in this level. It's really an original one, made in base of square rooms textured the same way. I've got a problem when using the boat so Lara could jump off onto a safe tile, but rest of the level was not so hard. Environment was very monotonous, with all those black and green textures; runs and jumps with no puzzles to get the three keys you need to finish the level and no much more, except the secrets. No enemies, no cameras, the same lights in all rooms... Only for players who have not more to do and want to play everything. Nothing interesting." - Jose

"Having at some point considered a similar premise for a level, this one got me curious, despite the initial response not being so favorable towards it. At about 13 minutes of net gaming it was not a very long level, but it had some creative moments. I enjoyed shimmying past deadly tile to get to a crucial key, the fun bounce-pad sequence, and I even thought the time-your-jump-out-of-the-speeedboat motion was nicely done and not utilized nearly enough in TR2 levels. The room geometry, use of textures and lighting can at best be described as spartan and maybe even a somewhat lazy approach to setting up the level's visuals, but nonetheless are strangely effective. I cannot say it convinced me entirely - while I appreciated the creativity of the premise - the live/die tiles could've been handled more inventively, the objects stand out oddly in this setting, and the whole level geometry is completely functional without as much as using a chance (if you don't count the see-through water passage) to create some good looking areas, which I dare say is not impossible even with the total of 5 or 6 textures used in here. All that said - it is a very enjoyable departure from the norm, and being as brief as it is, a nice distraction with a handful of shining moments in it." - eTux

"After a long break from playing TRLE levels I thought I might play a few more. This level was very fun for me and I thought it was very original and interesting to play. The gameplay was easy but the part where you have to make the boat go fast and land on a live tile was very annoying and I had to try it about 7 times. It was pretty straightforward just finding 3 keys for each place. A pretty fun level and recommended for a little raid." - afzalmiah

"This level was difficult for me to review because, although I liked and enjoyed it, I can see that many players wouldn't. The lack of textures and highlighted squares reminded me of the original Tron film, a revelation when it first came out. It's just a shame this feeling wasn't carried over onto Lara and the other objects which seemed fairly standard. The two just didn't go together. Fairly easy gameplay, although getting the speedboat to stop in just the right place took a bit of doing. The lighting appeared to be the same throughout which added to the bland look which, I think, most players won't like. An interesting idea that needed to be taken further." - Diz

"Not an uninteresting premise here, with a simplistic, but still effective texturing approach and a little bit of platforming, boat riding and (way not enough) bounce pad jumping. Alas, it is all a bit short at about 20 minutes max if you go for the three secrets and the only thing that really seemed memorable to me were a few smart choices on camera angles and the slightly annoying moment when you had to get out of that boat alive. A nice little experiment - not more, not less." - MichaelP

"Its a sneaky idea, isn't it, build a level where, due to the story, it barely needs to be textured or lit. Any builder willing to do this must brace themselves for a low score from me, and this is no exception. Gameplay was mainly jumping from platform to platform, which was a shame, because with the chosen story, so much more could have been done, for example, the inclusion of puzzles. This level was made worse by the 'Die' and 'Live' textures placed through-out the level, and though the former were needed, the latter were not necessary, and somehow made the level worse. Finally, a few objects and 3 secrets (though I only found 2) were added, with no inclusion of sounds or cameras (other than a camera near to the end, which seemed to cause Lara to fall from the sky). A below- average level, which, with a bit more time and effort, could have been quite a bit better. Not recommended." - Cory

"A small level without any special things, indeed during its short playing we find seen and seen parts again, but the setting is particular, made exclusively of black and green floor, walls and ceilings on which is written Live or Live, clear indications of where the player should proceed, and other ones (Save) suggesting to save the game. The gameplay is quite funny and sliding: a few jumps from the slopes, avoiding the rotating blades, rather than the use of the triangle on the wire, and in particular the use of the boat (in a context such as this I consider it entirely inappropriate, but as we know the author's intention was to create a surreal level) which in itself is used very little, but arrived where the water ends, Lara will proceed with the boat by rubbing on the ground and in this room we'll find nearly all Die tiles and very few Live ones; therefore the difficulty consists in the jumping-landing on the right tiles at the right time (perhaps the most interesting part in terms of gameplay). As real puzzles we have very few ones, since there are few levers to pull and the keys are to fill in the same area at the end of each objective. I speak more positively about the secrets (the 3 dragons of TR2) which are neither too difficult nor too simple: The first time I found only the gold one that you could see where he was at the beginning of the level, but replaying and watching with more attention I've had no problems to find the other 2 ones. I do not think there are enemies or perhaps a couple of eagles (I don't really remember); as weapons only the 2 pistols and a few pickups around. According to the atmosphere, the fact of seeing everything green and black makes it flat, although personally they are my 2 favorite colors, along with the red (so I have nothing to complain); but I still say that, based on the small plot and context, the result is something surreal, crazy, just like the title of the level suggests, therefore, positive. I cannot speak in the same way about light-texture, whereas it is absolutely useless to light a flare as the "enlightened" area remains in the same opaque way. In conclusion, a mini- level, pretty easy and relaxing enough that in itself is nothing new, if not for the particular and original atmosphere able to attract the player. Surely I suggest to try it, but only once." - Steven Svorticher

"Is the level builder a genius? Or is it only a lazy bone who makes fun of us? Who knows who knows. The truth is out there somewhere and at night all cats are grey. You want to know what I talk about? If I only knew, because currently I am confused a little bit from this level. How should I value the textures if there are only two different textures? Namely black with green edging. And black with green edging and a green cross. I have not to agonize over everything else my poor brain , because Digitally Insanity is a really good level. Above all the trampolining has made a lot of fun. Just as funny was, that one had to drive with the motorboat on shore so that one is to be able to jump on a safe field. And the level builder was so nice to pointing out us simple-minded players which fields are sure, which are deadly and when we must save. Well what should I say? I love this level. He differs from most other Levels and I always like such a thing. Highly recommended." - Scottie

"I have to admit I really liked this level a lot. Maybe because it was so different or because it was a nice change to not get stuck in a level once in a while. Either way it was fun and easy to play. Lara had to move between safe and death tiles, take a boat ride over invisible water, manage some nice bouncing pad action and take a log dive in order to pick up several keys and progress through the level. The green/black grid texturing was simple but effective for this type of level. The lighting was flat but because of the texturing it really didn't matter. The only thing I found out of place was the rusty gate, the wooden doors and some other items that would have fit better into the surroundings, if they had been a little more" hi-tech" looking. If you want to play something out of the ordinary, give this one a try. Recommended! (20 minutes, 2/3 secrets found)" - Blue43

"This is quite an interesting premise, although admittedly neither unique nor indeed the best example of the genre. Nevertheless, it is quite well done and the juxtaposition of the stark computer interior and more mundane objects such as wooden doors, speedboat and zip line I found to be effective. Unusual setting aside, it's a pretty straightforward level, involving mainly climbing, with a bit of swimming (at one point through an underwater maze, which was rather pretty and mercifully short so drowning wasn't really a threat) and three keys to find. There are a few pickups and secrets to find and no enemies at all. The highlight for me was a brief but exhilarating bounce pad run - you really should give it a go just for that bit." - Jay

"The level has the makings of something better, but as presented it also feels childish or unfinished. Lara does get to do a series of three bounce pads, and ride an invisible zipline, and drive a boat in invisible water. Despite my resistance to this level, I did enjoy parts. Finding all three secrets to finish takes less than 30 minutes. But really, I am just not a fan of total non-texturing, where everything is solid black with neon green lines outlining squares, and rooms are basic black cubes with green grids. The level map, where Lara sees the third key and the third secret right at the start, has its moments. The secrets are the best part as there are no enemies at all." - dmdibl

"After playing the last level from this author, this one was surprisingly funnier and more interesting. I liked the idea of making a Level with such textures, but it could have been made better. Let's start with the music: first question, why? Why is in the background playing the same annoying music from the last level? I think something else or nothing playing in the background would be much better than this. If this is supposed to be something like a computer world, then I must say that the object didn't fit in. Wooden doors, rusty keys, K3...they should have been retextured! The lighting is impossible to rate. The gameplay was pretty good. It was kinda new to me... I liked few of the ideas. That's the best part of the game  ... This is actually a very simple level with not much complicated structures or architecture...gameplay is straight-forward...but the textures and the whole Idea of a digital world made it to something new and very interesting. I finished it in 18 minutes, so it's a bit short, and probably made in just a few days. There were no texturing errors...using the same textures for every corner of the level is actually a nice way to hide the imperfections and bad skills of the author... I hope that the next project is going to be something bigger, longer and something with more complex gameplay and architecture of the environments. I'm not saying I didn't liked this level, it was funny..I enjoyed playing it :P... I liked especially the part after placing the K3 key, where Lara suddenly swims in an outdoor place surrounded by water. There could have been done so much more with this Idea...you could make a part 2 :D" - MpGrill

"Digital Insanity... this level's texturing could drive some players into insanity, but this level also was pretty fun. The 30 minutes it lasts, you get a green and black textured area reminiscent of games like Meeting Speed Raiding or the first room of The Wolf 2, enhanced with quite a few tasks and also a quite innovative usage of the boat (or wasn't driving it onto the floor and jumping out sidewards intended?). Sometimes (e.g. in the room with the very easily hidden Golden Dragon) there were some missing textures which was very confusing due to the complete absence of lighting. The numbering of the rooms for better navigation through the level and also the save tips were really nice, the bouncing pad task and the load/safe rooms were very much fun to do. A clear improvement in terms of gameplay over the builder's debut level, but - as said - the special textures made this game confusing at times." - manarch2

"It's a little hard to rate a level of this caliber.Although the concept is in no way completely original,the builder has undoubtedly exercised a degree of creativity and come up with some surprisingly fun gameplay moments (the bounce pads;the motorboat;the glass labyrinth) with which to fill the green and black environment. Texturing (such as it is) shows that the builder has a definite sense of fun;and there are even a few novel camera tricks. You really can't do anything with atmosphere or lighting,but you don't really miss them in this particular context. A fun 20 minutes for those in the mood for unorthodox adventuring;but it's been done better elsewhere." - Orbit Dream