Level reviews

"This would have been a fairly standard tut1-esque level featuring TR1 Egypt textures if it weren't for a couple of tricky jumps. They might have been for secrets only, in hindsight, but a couple of tries should be enough to master them. I didn't have any issues with the medipack shortage and there's even a surplus of grenades to make short work of the ninjas and the annoying mummies, since most of the time you can simply outrun them. 45 minutes, 7 secrets. 10/24" - Treeble

"After a slew of EPs and singles, the builder tackles the long form and releases a full album. His signature beats are all there. Visually adequate (texturing serviceable, lighting inconsistent, room geometry predominantly functional but reasonably varied), it's mostly about platforming, and it's mostly well done. Early on, a delayed rollingball allows you to take some time to figure out that those hieroglyph tiles are the mark of concealed spikes, and that the greenery marks a climbable wall. You'll die anyway once or twice, but it's the thought that counts. There are one or two occasions on which you have to do a Hail Mary backflip into unknown territory, which typically lands you in deadly yellow water (representing molten gold, as deadly red water represents lava) before you figure out where to jump. This is otherwise mostly avoided, as you can more usually plan your moves in advance, or rely on helpful camera angles. Unlike some reviewers I didn't consider the ladders and monkeyswings in this level too long or too many. In the builder's Traps of the Pharaoh they were there for their own sake, but in this one they all serve a purpose.
The builder's pop-up ninjas return once more to serve as health drains (cover is available on only one or two occasions), which puts a strain on your medipack rations. One or the other of the secret weapons may effectively be required for finishing the level, especially since it also enforces health loss by long drop at one point (I got the grenade gun and finished with one small medipack left.) Otherwise, only a couple of mummies (ignore) and a few scorpions (to distract Lara's aim from the ninjas) stand in your way.
As in the builder's first two levels, this one comprises three distinct areas. The Golden Room is the toughest; the Blue Room - so called in the walkthrough to distinguish it from the former because some of its textures are partly greenish-blue, but it's still mostly golden - relents somewhat; and the final area is really only about finding the camouflaged exit. Thus the stress level peaks early, then goes gradually down and eventually fizzles out, with the finish trigger once again being located in some nondescript corridor. There is one excursion to the outside, which I thought was pretty pointless (it's a large area with not a lot to do in it other than retrieve one half of a Cartouche), and which could have been used instead to end the level in a more satisfying manner." - Mulf

"This is definitely the best and most enjoyable of Pascal's earlier efforts. Although the aesthetics are still quite plain, they have definitely had more effort put into them and they are smoother than before. The textures are very much old style and I liked the golden lighting of some of the deadly pools, but I didn't like the dark areas so much. Gameplay isn't puzzle-based, but I liked that the climbing and jumping sequences in the lava rooms required quick thinking and planning beforehand. Give it a try, it's actually pretty good." - Ryan

"The author surely loves platforming but not to the tiring extent, and if you can do some trickier parts you're rewarded with secrets, including bonus weapons and a special location - good, good. I foolishly left the revolver for last, and so I had to go for it during a permaquake - why, why? Also the final part with the guardian towers is good, and the fourth one later with the trampoline jump is the highlight - this is what I would normally call a sunlight relief if the tomb interior was lit properly, so the direction is right, just the lighting isn't - arrhhh, everything is yellow... that correctly shaded room with darts was a true blessing. In the end, the throne room is just a room - I know Lara would like to make such discoveries, but all in all it's me playing so some final pickup is always a good idea. Other pickups were well highlighted with sound, and we also got some nice flybys... flybies... (what's the real plural for that?) to spice things up. SUMMARY: This was worth to play, and I'm straight off into the updated version." - DJ Full

"Somehow I must have started this one when it was released, as I remember the beginning, but then never finsihed it for the review. As the other reviewers have said, this is Pascal's most coherent level, very solidly built and great fun if you enjoy Laras acrobatic moves and if you go hunt for the seven secrets as well. It took me about an hour and the only things I did not like were the occasional dark corner and the earthquake, but the former were few and the latter was short, so rather little to spoil my entertainment with this recommended level. A few ninjas and scorpions to kill and several hands to collect and maybe the ending was a bit abrupt after you are previously being treated to the occasional nice flyby." - MichaelP

"This level, in my opinion, has its great moments as well as some downsides, but it is definitely worth playing. The geometry of this level is rather simple, especially outside, where you can easily see the end of the world, but nevertheless, one forgets that quickly and easily during the play, as there are many interesting tasks to be done. The gameplay is linear and one cannot accidentally enter a new area before it is planned by the author, which can have its good sides as well. Puzzles are mostly based on climbing many ladders, some of them nicely concealed, with many climbable walls that are of no use (also a good moment imo). There are some key items to find and levers to pull along the way, but most of the time you know exactly what to do with these items and which door you have just opened. There are not so many enemies, and they are easy to beat (small scorpions and ninjas). Objects are maybe misplaced (red Roman style pillars in Egyptian surroundings). Secrets, on the other hand, are superbly added to the adventure as side- quests with many rewarding prizes to find (Revolver being one of them). Overall atmosphere, sound and camera hints and flybys are well made, including the mummies which add a special tone of foreboding to the level. Textures imo have been the weakest point of the level, as the author did not pay too much attention to divide the walls into sectors quite properly. But nevertheless, the level looks nice, bringing back some nice memories on TR1 Gold. Platforming is not underdone here, and there are some really tricky jumps for Lara to make, such as pretty tricky rope jump on your way to Revolver (secret), as well as many back flips from ladders when you are not sure where exactly to jump, and slope jumps etc. However, I immensely enjoyed playing this level and writing the walkthrough for it, and I would like to recommend it to all those raiders who like to play good old TR, not fancy at all, but nonetheless, extremely interesting and well thought of. Highly recommended!" - Nina Croft

"This is a competent, good old fashioned raid that could just as easily have been released ten years ago. The tasks presented in the first golden lava room made me fear that perhaps I was in store for a sustained Jedi Knight trapfest, but after getting out of there things eased up a bit. Net gaming time was just under an hour, and the player's interest is maintained at a high level throughout. The lighting is so good that I never had to light a flare, and I'm impressed with the improvement that this builder has shown. Recommended as a new level providing a look in the past." - Phil

"A challenge, that is what you face. Figuring out where to go and where to jump to is the main task here. On your way you might find some very handy secrets as well as artefacts. Not many enemies as such although there is always more than one you need to fight. Textures could use a bit more work but most of it was all right. I liked the choice of textures in here though. A bit less long ladders and monkey swings and a bit more puzzles and you are getting there, but no matter, this was fun to do." - Gerty

"I'll review this level as a good TR1 made with the TR4 machine. As such, I think that up to now it was a little downrated. No game where we have a lot of difficulty to devise how to arrive at a determined place, that seems to wink at us from far away, fails to appeal to me. And this one has good lighting, correct TR1 textures, and is very challenging in the sense mentioned above. It has no real puzzles, but a lot of unexpected enemies, and at least a beauty instance, when Lara emerges from the water in some kind of temple. Very well done, that. In short, I liked this simple, but satisfying, game." - Josey

"This traditional Egypt style level may not obviously impress initially, being competently but less than excitingly made. Stick with it however, as the gameplay is far more enjoyable than the somewhat lacklustre settings might lead you to expect. At not much more than an hour, this is certainly not a long level, but manages to pack in quite a lot of enjoyable action, mainly in the form of agility tests/route finding abilities, with a few enemies along the way (which I had fun blowing up with the grenade gun found early on in the proceedings). Not bad at all." - Jay

"Clearly the best level from this author. It notices the evolution, getting better than the previous ones. The level is longer and complete, but still a level full of jumps and gimnastycs with no real puzzles. Only white ninjas and scorpions as enemies and few pickups if you don't find the secrets (I even get out of medipacks at the end). Things to improve: don't let the players reach the end of the world, place some cameras when pulling switches so players can see what they're doing, the rooms are too empty with very few objects, again the stretched textures in many places... But the author is in the right way. Continue so. Good work!" - Jose

"With the author's new release , we have more of what a real level should be, and not only because the duration is longer at about 40 minutes , but also it is no more a simple concept level or a straightforward series of riddles to overcome ; the level being designed with a much more interesting progression. With no very difficult actions and it succeeds to remain always entertaining. In particular, the large and brighter room in the last section was a lot of fun to raid, I really love it. Expect a few acrobatics and traps , but nothing very difficult. With this dynamic gameplay, we will not insist too much on some flyby that goes into a wall , the end of the world easily reached in the outside area , the inconsistent lighting and the segmentation of the walls that make textures sometimes stretched. Even in the looks the author has made improvements, but it is the gameplay that was this time quite more immerging and satisfying. Finding the secrets is a real plus for the player, and it was fun to blow out white ninjas and mummies alike with the grenade gun." - eRIC

"I have not played the other levels of Pascal, but when you look at the screens we see that the author has made significant progress. There are still a lot of textures packed or stretched (especially over openings) The lighting very luminous is ok. And there is also a good gameplay like i like , Pascal love the rooms of lava and teeth spikes lol. I loved that level!" - Drakan

"Wow! Although the gameplay is almost entirely devoid of actual puzzles,the challenge in Pascal's latest level has been ramped up several notches and will really make you stop and think about how to perform all of the countless tricky jumps,and thus progress from one ingenious area to the next.The looks are distinctly old school(Goldcat),but texturing and lighting is reasonably accomplished;while enemy placement is entertaining,and fly-by's are plentiful.At the end of the day,this level will win no prizes for looks or atmosphere;but for acrobatics,it's a real winner." - Orbit Dream

"Finally, the first solid effort from this builder, being longer, with various gameplay elements and in most areas more decent looks. (Some areas are still looking poorly, especially because of the streched and misrotated golden stone textures.) There still was too much time spent in climbing long ladders and traversing long monkeyswings, but it's reduced versus the game's length and thus the tasks are more enjoyable than they were in the builder's earlier releases, though still a bit annoying at times. Cameras were put to rather good usage, enemy placement was decent and the seven secrets were fun to get, there are several real tough moments when you go from them all. All in all the best level of Pascal until now and showing promise for his future levels but he should still work on his texturing skills and on more flowing gameplay. 35 minutes." - manarch2