Level reviews

"Perhaps my mistake was believing adulthood would let me power through this on a single sitting in a Saturday morning. Of course not. A million small breaks had to be done until the shower pipe simply blew out of nothing for no good reason. Still, while it took me the span of nearly four hours I saw this through and I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's a massive leap in comparison to the author's previous level although I have to say in general I don't really like levels on such massive scale. There was a clever puzzling for the water scales near the end, and I don't recall any other occasion when you'd have to use the elements more than once in a single level to proceed. Definitely keep the walkthrough at hand, at least one secret is way out of your usual hunt (the grenade launcher), and the final level running on a measly 2 minute timer had me pulling out my hair towards the end because I refused to do it over, was always coming up short of a second because either the skeleton or the debree would bring my parade to a halt. Eventually I got lucky as the skeleton actually pushed me towards the jump I had been trying to land and then I was home free (after dispatching the minotaur in the bonus room). Good fun here though, perhaps real life will be kinder to you when you sit down to play it than it was to me but that's hardly down to any of us. 1h40min, 11 secrets. 02/26" - Treeble

"I first played this set way after I started reviewing and I realised there somehow isn't a review here, I'm not sure if it got lost, or I forgot to do it back then, but this is a great set, and not especially long, so replaying it isn't an issue. This is a five level (although two are very short extras) set with settings based on a mix of Lost Library and Karnak designs. Despite various new elements it's very classic feeling without much flashiness; sometimes it's a little flat looking but it's generally interesting and varied, and there's some creative geometry like the sloping corridors in the third level. The newer elements fit well, and there's a nice storyline implementation as you solve the mystery of what happened to this place.
The gameplay mixes things up well, with a nice balance between the exploration, puzzles and action. The puzzles are nicely done and vary without overstaying their welcome. Enemies are also modified so immortal ones can be beaten in combat, and there's some nice use of new ones too (I now remember where a certain idea for my Veiled Monastery map came from now...). The challenge isn't especially high, but there are a few tricky moments, and the end gets pretty unforgiving if you go for the "extra" ending segment (which is worth it for some payback on a certain foe). A great set with a lot of creativity, and it's a shame we haven't seen more from the author." - Mman

"This multi-level somehow manages to strike the perfect balance of gameplay throughout the entire duration, without offering up any sharp difficulty spikes or excessively frustrating sections. It begins quite deceptively simple in the first level (Silent Library) but as you progress, the gameplay increases in difficulty, complexity and ingenuity and the builder's creativity shines through, despite the game only utilising mainly classical element. There's a wonderful little bit of torch work, multiple element puzzles, timed runs, nicely placed trap sequences, pushable puzzles and a hectic ending with Seth as the building caves in around you. If you manage to beat the timer at the end of the fourth level (which took me an inordinate number of tries to do so) you get another little battle with a hammergod and two harpies. Apart from the irritating earthquakes, this should really be played and enjoyed by everyone." - Ryan

"I had a great time doing this adventure up onto where the earthquake began. The music accompanying it also didn't do it any favours, so I had to shut that down. The level starts somewhat easy and draws you into the adventure, then the pace speeds up and the tasks are getting more challenging. Don't forget the enemies, they also get harder and harder to slay. I could do with more flares though. This one will not be on my re-play list, due to that earthquake as those are still making me very very queasy" - Gerty

"Every now and then I run into a Level and it just clicks with me and I wonder why other players did not quite experience the same... this Level set is a case in point. I just absolutely loved the playing experience here! The author got it all right for me - a fairly fast paced and easy start in the Silent Library Level (40 mins), all rather classic and solid without anything remarkably original, but then already as of the second level The Sound of Drums (55 mins) you get pulled in deeper and deeper into the story and the tasks become more intense and more challenging. You will face multiple use of the elements puzzle, an undead dog, a fight with two horsemen on horse, a hammergod and plenty of 'hard work' to find and place three tridents. The third level, Temple of the Usurper (50 min) then takes things up another notch, with the hunt for four beetles, more traps and even a dragon and good old Seth that you both can - and have to - kill. And finally it all culminates into a truly grand and cinematic timed escape run (and an optional bonus fight) that is really rather uniquely designed. All in all, I think this level set is actually underrated, despite its solid scores received to date, and in my book deserves a place in the Hall of Fame one day..." - MichaelP

"The game has one of those modest titles which don't announce anything significant coming - how wrong! Here we get four nice levels, maybe not of the longest possible runtime, but each one built solidly and flowing without a break, as we go deeper and deeper into a realm of the unknown mystery, fighting stronger and stronger opponents as we progress, staring with bats and ending with the mortal variant of TR4 boss himseth. The "library", apart from being built of wad+tga sharing the same name, also includes para-Karnak settings. Added new generation objects might look weird considering geometry is painted just with classic 64x64 textures, however those tiles are applied so creatively that I quickly accepted this unusual blend. Sometimes these settings are constructed and decorated so well that I even wondered about giving a 10 for graphics - but unfortunately too flat lighting prevented me. Hopefully the lights are fixed in the next level and I'll be able to put a mark I was tempted to this time. SUMMARY: This levelset successfully inclined me towards exploring more of this author's creations. I already know I'm going to play the next product of this builder no matter of its sort. Recommended." - DJ Full

"This is a very enjoyable, highly recommended level, up to the last part: that mad timed run, with debris falling and earthquake, was too much for me - but I will not deny the fun I had elsewhere, with only three exceptions: the maze with the immortal hellhound; the two knights in horses (very boring, this fight); the combat with Seth. But I generally hate mazes and those kind of enemies. Don't let my tastes discourage you. Good raiding!" - Josey

"This is a very enjoyable package of levels using new tools to provide old-school elements. There's even a beetle quest to open one of those four-sided pyramids, something I haven't seen in a while. Then there's the old waterskin puzzle in three phases, where you have to pour four, then two, then three liters into the scales bowl. Unless you use the walkthrough you're likely to think the game is over after you've finished the short fourth level. However, there's a secret off the timed path, which if you locate and then beat the two-minute clock to finish the level, rewards you with a boss fight in a fifth "level." Sad to say, while I got the secret I was impeded by a skeleton and a collapsing ceiling in the final room, so I was never able to reach the exit tunnel in time. Anyway, I gleaned a total of two and three-quarter net gaming hours in this adventure, which I can recommend without reservation for a fun time." - Phil

"I see something special in this levelset. This is the proof that standard settings like catacombs and Egypt can still be original and actually fun nowadays. The settings itself is not even architecturally incredible, but convincing and good-looking. Textures are good, while lighting is pretty flat, a bit better in the first level, which i like more for the athmosphere. The second and third level are well crafted, and the fourth is adrenalinic enough for a end. The bonus level you get if you pick the Artefact as a secret in this level is a nice surprise, as you need to defeat an old friend, I always like when you re-encounter an enemy after you think he is dead. Talking about enemies, there aren't many of them but they are extremely well placed, making a boss almost for all of them, like the hellound in the maze (in the upcoming flyby you can hear him dying, maybe punished for not stopping Lara) or even the skeletons in the second level. In fact, only the bats in the first level and the skeletons in the fourth are not a boss in my opinion, as every other enemy is seen only one time and is powerful or it is placed in a dangerous setting. Seth is not difficult to fight, if you keep shooting with the shotgun at him he simply continues hopping away, beign harmless huntil you kill him, it is much more difficult to kill the Hammergod in the bonus round. I like how a nice enemy like the hammergod is used in a creative way. I spent much words on enemies as i think they are a very important part of this levelset's gameplay, making it even more original. Play it if you lost interest in old TR4 settings, as this will simply make you want to play them again." - Topixtor

"First level is not so hard, but harder challenges are waiting for the players in next levels. Half lineal, no impossible tasks, I liked this gameplay with no much backtracking. I missed some more enemies (or more variety) and traps, but the levels are not bored in any way, based about exploration and gymnastics with some puzzles. Also I missed some more cameras when pulling switches, but it's not difficult to imagine where to go back. All big bosses can surprisingly be defeated here and I used almost all the ammo with them. The bonus level is not funny: only a room where you can shoot some hard enemies. Really an entertaining levels playable for many players. Recommended." - Jose

"I started playing and actually enjoying this level set. The first two levels were nice and quite fun, I'm particularly fond of the first. Towards the end the fun kinda drifted away because of the puzzles, I was reminded of TR4 again and again. The atmosphere was great and I like the adventure type, Egypt can be fun to raid, especially the library was beautifully done, congrats for that. At the end, I did not like the race against time that much, my vision was wobbly after the final cutscene, so be careful on that!" - young Lara Croft

"Don't be lulled into a false sense of security by the comparatively gentle manner in which this level set begins. As it progresses, you will find plenty to challenge along the way, culminating in a pretty good boss ending and frantic escape as the whole place collapses about your ears. Granted, I could have done without the accompanying earthquake (I can ALWAYS do without an earthquake actually), but it was quite an adrenalin rush all the same. I think the best section from my viewpoint was the one involving a search for four beetles and using the always popular mechanical beetle, but I'd say there's something for everyone in this enjoyable offering. Try it." - Jay

"A good 2 hours multi-levels adventure. The first level is set in a Library , the following ones are more Egyptian. The author has made lots of improvements in all categories, including the incorporation of some of the new possibilities giving the game some fresh touches and a dose of unpredictability. While the setting is quite standard , some enemies use and scenery are quite special. One thing that also is noticeable is the fact that the game starts as an easy one, but becomes more demanding until the end (the final boss was not very long or tough though) and then a great timed escape. The author has managed well all these new ingredients , if the player does not succeed to escape in time not much is missed , and if not only succeeding but also getting an extra secret , a little bonus can be played although very short and not that exciting. Aside from the atmosphere which could be better , the lighting being still a bit poor, and the fire room emitters that did not seemed to make full sense , a recommended game with areas well connected , good sounds in general , good variety of tasks and the right balance of difficulty, not too hard in the end , and not too easy." - eRIC

"When a builder cares for the critisisms of his earlier levels and actually takes the time to embed his creative ideas into a cohesive storyline and setting, his new levels will most likely have success, even in a standard Egypt environment like this one. Ankhrae has taken a large step forward with this level that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. Even if the gameplay seems to be fairly classic, there are plenty of smaller and larger ideas in this level that felt entirely new to me, and the way the areas and levels are connected is masterfully done. In the first level everything starts rather mundane with a couple of well hidden trapdoors and levers and it's likely possible to get stuck often in this level, despite of the rather small map, but I liked the globe puzzle and the non-linear exploration was not without its moments. Things pick up more in the second level which already starts great with a tricky secret (you don't use the torch from the lower floor to get it), an actually fun maze with an immortal hellhound chasing you and afterwards fun platforming and puzzle solving throughout a high hall for the element puzzle. While doing the same tasks several times might be creating tedium in this level it's actually possible to reduce that by clever planning. The third level was perhaps my favourite gameplaywise, very nice quests have to be done to find the four quest items and the ideas in this level are most unique and fun, like the timed run, the dragon fight, the multiple usage of a single push block and the libra puzzles. But the thing I liked most about these levels were that their overall construction might be rather complex as well as the gameplay but it's interrupted by a few good fast-paced and challenging moments so that I never felt a sense of boredom in here. And even if the first three levels felt like being too much focused on exploration and puzzles, the action moment dramatically raises after having fought Seth with the fourth level being a single challenging timed run even harder when going for the secret, and the fifth level that loads when having found said secret being an adrenaline-packed boss fight against the hammergod that was invincible in the second level, but lost that somehow (maybe because his armour was damaged because of the crumbling temple?). Textures are very solidly placed with hardly any faults being visible, and all levels are rather atmospheric, but I found the looks and the room construction aren't always that creative and some rooms looked rather boring as a result. Most of the secret hideouts are heavily inspired and it's very much fun to find them all; the enemies few custom objects do a good job in this level but there's nothing overly creative about them - they're just nicely placed. All in all I would deem this an highly recommended classic raid with especially good gameplay, and pleasant yet a bit less elaborate looks. Spent 1:50 hours in here and found all 11 secrets." - manarch2

"Starting this level I thought he would be fairly easy. The first level is actually easy but after it thickens a bit, with some pretty beefy boss. The final battle is long enough if you do not have sufficient ammunition, it must therefore collect all the items. And it ends with a long race against the clock with earthquakes, to the end of the adventure. This is an Egyptian adventure that is well constructed and enjoyable. Congratulations to the author." - Drakan