Level reviews

"Actually a full mini-adventure with prologue, exploration puzzle, infiltration puzzle, guardian bossfight and the final prize. The only missing thing is the escape sequence. Recommended as a short and easy appetizer before something greater, with a note to avoid if you're allergic to messed up sound." - DJ Full

"I had the longest Monday this week, just like every other numbered day actually (I need to win the lottery really bad), so when I sat in front of my computer I wasn't in the mood for a long session so I skimmed through the list until I stumbled upon something short, Turns out this isn't half bad, I was particularly pleased with the enemy sound effects, I know that used to be one major problemo I always struggled with when I used to build. Otherwise it's pretty bare bones, big and boxy rooms with a few platforming bits peppered all around. I like the TR1 aesthetics overall though so I'm glad this took my mind off reality for a little while. 15 minutes, 1 secret. 01/24" - Treeble

"Another short and simple offering from this builder, but this isn't without its enjoyable moments as you get quite a few tense enemy confrontations with centaurs and mummies, a small hub room to locate four keys from and a nice little sequence that's reminiscent of TR1. The rooms might be a bit empty and square (although solidly textured) and it'll be over before you know, but overall not a bad raid." - Ryan

"A simple, if rather dull, level, where the main objective is to hunt for, in total, 7 key items. Puzzles are short and simple, while you are given plenty of ammo to deal with enemies. Very little atmosphere is created, due to the sloppy texturing and the lighting which consists of scattering shadow bulbs randomly throughout the level. Overall, a level for people who want something quick and easy, while also looking pretty average. 18 minutes, 1 secret." - Cory

"Looks are pleasant in this level with some TR1 enemies and textures ; fair progression if a bit uneventful. Did not noticed any bug aside strange sound when Lara is swimming. The black panthers are not very aggressive to say the least and they can all be shot from safe distance. The mummies and the centaurs are more threatening , but are quickly killed with 1 or 3 shotgun shots respectively, and I think that was good the way it was. Gameplay is very simple, rooms are a bit empty , I like the last outside area with the pyramid where we have an action that reminds a puzzle in TR1. Quite recommended if you like your levels easy and not very long. [19 minutes]" - eRIC

"When you consider that this level, and the author's other recent level Qualocpec's Scion were released within a month of one another there really is a marked difference in the quality between the two. By setting out to create something original rather than recreating familiar locations in their own vision Townsieboy delivers his strongest level so far in terms of gameplay, presentation and style. Lighting is balanced well, texturing looks good and the room structure is much much better. Thankful for the shot-gun as those pesky atlan's cant be taken down with regular pistols it seems! All in all I netted 34 minutes from Desert Secrets. Definitely puts the author back on track and a worthy effort. Stiggy." - TheStig

"The forth level in a row, turned out in a very short time and although this took me about 20 minutes, it is a nice little adventure. As far as the title goes, I found one secret and I was glad for the shotgun because those Atlantis mummies are not may favourite kind of enemy." - Gerty

"Another short level from this builder. This one is a TR1-Egypt style, very easy to play even the only secret was too easy. Suitable for beginners, it notices an advance in the design from this author; the use of shadows and lights to create ambience, the flipmaps or the use of the cameras (perhaps abuse of fixed cameras). In my honest opinion, there are still some features to get better: architecture is very simple, only square and rectangle rooms connected; textures are good, except some defects in the pyramid area, but the same textures for walls, floors and ceilings in all rooms are very monotonous for the player; where are the flares for the dark areas?; it could be good to add some traps to increase the danger, like rolling balls when jumping in the flat tiles in the pyramid or so; also I missed some puzzles to make players think a little; rooms are very empty, with no furniture or static objects; finally, I couldn't hear the background music. But it seems that this prolific builder is going in the correct direction. Continue so." - Jose

"Thie level was a short level which I decided to play because it was a little raid. The gameplay of this level was pretty good. You just are mainly in a room with three corridors (A bit like the oblisk of khamoon level). You have to place three puzzles pieces in the oblisk to open the last door. Enemies were mummies and centuars. There were also tigers (or was it panthers?). I don't know why but I couldnt kill any of the mummies and centuars so I had to try and dodge them. It was really hard trying to to that but after a few tries I finished it. The level is really short and easy unless you can't kill the mummies like me then it will be pretty hard. If you want a small raid then try this level out." - afzalmiah

"After two weeks on vacation in Ireland this level was the first to be played by me afterwards and I think this was a nice re-start. The builder clearly did more for this level than the one before (if you only count the new of the two levels he released then) as the camera work was very good, TR 1 texturing was quite fitting. The enemies were lovely but they were too easy to shoot down. Gameplay was quite boring as the tasks were not a bit of hard and it was all about running and exploring, but a few flipmaps did their job well and I liked the climbing of the pyramid in the end. All in all a little bit reminding on the original Khamoon levels, but not really a remake, quite calm and easy play the 15 minutes it lasts." - manarch2

"I rather enjoyed this level. I found the distant rumbling of the nearby panthers very eerie. It's a fairly straightforward level but in no way is that a bad thing (just don't set off without finding the shotgun which you will need to tackle the "Mummies" but you can easily back track if you miss it). A few manageable jump sequences and all of the Guardian Keys are easy to find. I look forward to more levels from this builder and any level I can complete without being fried, eaten, run over or breaking my neck 600 times is, in my opinion, a pleasing level. Not all of us want overly challenging levels all of the time, just a comparatively gentle adventure, which this definitely was." - High Priestess

"Well, it's really Desert Secret because there is only one. I found pleasure in the small details, such as an early section where there is shallow water for Lara to run through, and over the shallow water a series of metal gratings only a hand's breadth above the water. This seemed an unusual detail. Once again I think the level is too dark in spots, where lighting suddenly goes from normal to pitch black in corners and alcoves. As there aren't many flares, this means that Lara has to stop dead, get out the binoculars, and use the light function to check the darkness (and never finds anything hidden). Play felt simpler than the author's last level--sort of a fine distinction--although I got tricked for a few minutes hunting for two Golden Vraeus, not realizing that one was already in its receptacle. Maybe about 20 minutes." - dmdibl

"This is a simple level, simple gameplay, simple killing of the baddies (atlanteans and panthers - simple if you've not managed to miss the shotgun), simple agility and simple secret. Twenty minutes of very straight-forward playing will see this level off. There's nothing much wrong with it but there's nothing much to praise either. It's just a bit bland." - Diz

"Very short and not too difficult. Showing some promise in geometry and texturing although on the whole it is vastly unpolished with a high amount of unfitting textures and poor lighting." - herothing

"This is probably the best level from this builder (and certainly very typical of his style) in that it's solidly (but not exceptionally) built;efficiently (though not creatively) lit;appropriately (but not imaginatively)textured;and contains straightforward (but not particularly inspired) gameplay. The best features are the varied enemies and the lung-busting swim.It's over after twenty minutes,and you'll almost certainly get through without dying.Not at all bad,in a predictable sort of way." - Orbit Dream

"As usual with the short, uncomplicated levels from this builder, this would make an excellent starting point for anyone wishing to sample the joys of raiding for the first time. It's a TR1 style Egypt setting, quite nicely built, with the traditional enemies - panthers and those mummified creatures that seem so fierce unless you have a shotgun, whereupon they become easy to deal with. There's a bit of basic climbing, jumping and swimming in search of guardian keys and uraeuses, with a final ankh to pick up and end the game. There's only one secret and you really would have to try very hard to miss it. As I say, a perfect level for beginners and a not unpleasant way for the more experienced raider to while away 20 minutes." - Jay

"As in other mini-levels of this author, this one has some nice elements too, but once again we won't find more elaborated parts or in general a longer and more consistent level. Lara finds herself in the centre of Egypt, with rooms very similar to those of the Obelisk of Khamoon of TR1 and the main purpose will be to visit some rooms in which you will need to find some objects in order to open doors and move on. The gameplay is very simple and rather boring after a while, considering there are no traps, time trials, or jump on slopes or on fire and so on; one point more for the puzzles, although the place where the various objects were placed doesn't require much effort, considering they are always too simple. I found a secret so very easy and not at all hidden. As enemies we find panthers, centaurs, mummies (the classic enemies of TR1 Egypt), while as weapons weìve the 2 pistols and the shotgun (ammo and pickups placed in an almost sufficient number). We find some soundtracks by TR last revelation, TR1 and TR anniversary, although the basic one lacks (or at least to me), presence of 2 flyby; always almost lower than the sufficience for the atmosphere and lights-textures. In conclusion, a small level with some enemy, but with simple objectives and static gameplay: if you want just play it once." - Steven Svorticher

"Here we have another TR1 homage level by townsieboy and this time the level has lots of elements from City of Khamoon. The game play is extremely simple as in the builder's previous levels, which can be good or bad depending on how you see it. I personally would have preferred a couple of traps or maybe a timed run here or there, but all you have to do in here is pick up a few keys and do a couple of simple jumps. On the enemy side we run into black panthers, panther mummies and a couple of centaurs. The atmosphere isn't bad and there are a few nicely made flybys and some interesting camera work. The texturing, again simple but solid, seems to come all from TR1 and I think the builder did do a great job of capturing the TR1 look and feel if that was intended. If you liked TR1, you will most like enjoy this short and easy raid. (20 minutes, 1 secret)" - Blue43

"Compared with the previous works from townsieboy is this level a progress. The rooms, for example, are not big and not empty any more. No, now they are (predominantly) small and (almost) empty. You ask, where should there be the progress? Large empty rooms looks pretty bleak, what one cannot necessarily maintain of small empty rooms. The textures are better anyway than in his previous works. Though now and again one can see a texture mistake, but they are so unobtrusive which they do not affect the good overall impression. However, the strengths from townsieboy are quite unambiguously the camera work and the sound. The Flybys looked very good and were tied together with a nice small melody. I do not like it basically if I hear during a Flyby nothing. Actually, it makes no difference which melody is played, as long as there is feed for the ears.
Summary: Nice small level with a few well placed opponents. If the level builder continues to build, we player will have certainly still a lot of fun, because a positive trend can be seen in any case." - Scottie

"Allegedly the last level to be released by this author and he stays true to his style here with a simple 20 minute adventure, this time set in Karnak/Egypt style. You get to search a few guardian keys and vraeus, kill a series of panthers, centaurs and Atlantis mummies along the way and the architecture is generally a bit too 'bare and square', but nevertheless it flows smoothly and is fun to quickly make your way through - including a few easy hops on the side of the pyramid. One secret found, which is indeed hard to miss." - MichaelP

"Another creation of TownsieBoy with not many improvements since his last level. Desert Secrets is an Egypt style level with many enemies inside. The gameplay is very simple and it includes collecting keys, simple jump parts and killing annoying enemies. In one word, kind of boring ! The jumping parts are very simple and they consist mostly of jumping form one box shaped stone to another. There are also too many enemies (Black panthers and some mummy creatures ) and it's not funny to kill 3-4 of them in one room....it was not difficult, but just boring. The lighting was terrible and the only light elements were shadow bulbs that made many parts of the level too dark...and yes, there were not enough flares!!! Placing a sun in each room, or making the shadow bulbs not so dark would have made everything much better. I remember writing this same thing about the shadow bulbs and the terrible lighting in my review of ˝Temple of Qualopec˝....is townsieboy even reading the reviews? The architecture of the rooms is totally the same like in his other levels with no improvements...big rooms with not much imagination. The rooms look mostly empty and too dark! Music is trle-standard. While swimming underwater there was a weird popcorn sound ? It could be just my computer  , I really hope that in the next level of Townsieboy I won't see simple rooms with shadow bulbs inside !!!" - MpGrill