Level reviews

"I enjoyed the cold setting in this level, enhanced even further with the use of thick fog, and the author has done a great job in creating a TR2 style level within the TR4 engine, but for some reason the gameplay didn't quite click with me and I cannot tell you why. There's a lot of exploring to be done, with the occasional enemies popping in as you search for a handful of keys and navigate traps, plus a boat ride along the way. The manor bonus level was not entirely unnecessary, as Phil claims in the walkthrough, as the massive dioramas in the basement make it a worthwhile visit and that's pretty much where the finish trigger is. It's an interesting idea to consider that Lara would take all of these souvenirs from her several trips around the globe, but soon she'll have to move on to a bigger manor... 80 minutes, 7 secrets. 06/26" - Treeble

"Nice TR2 atmosphere mixed with TR3 parts and TR4 distance fog. The gameplay is fun and makes you really nostalgic. Hardest to fight are the 4 stone statues, I also had the bug with the first statue that disappeared after a few seconds - reload required. But there are also other challenging tasks to do. Some corners are a bit dark, but the flares should be enough. I missed the torch for melting the icicles several times, that was a bit annoying to run in circles. Not the best classic level I think but a good one." - vandit

"This was the designated competition winner back in 2016, so I had saved it for last as I went through these levels 5 years too late. And without a doubt it is a very well deserved winner, albeit would not have been my personal top pick. What you get here is at least 90 minutes of relatively fluid progression in cold and snowy caves. And while that sounds a bit mundane, I really enjoyed that element a lot, because you do have a great sense of progression as you go deeper and deeper inside, because the builder takes you from bare caves to a nice deserted underground village to a camp site and eventually a temple - and you even get to do a bit of boat riding. I also enjoyed finding the seven secrets which require a keen eye and the final fight with the four warriors is a worthy boss ending. Now, I maybe did not enjoy as much the groups of enemies in between, which are more a nuisance than being really interesting or a challenge. About a dozen bad guys, snow leopards and a few yetis. The early area with the chains and timed trap doors is cleverly done and kind of the only real puzzle in the game. Overall it is maybe a bit too dark and gloomy, but there are tons of flares provided, so not really a problem there. The biggest pain point if probably finding the torch and using it, as both is so easily overlooked or obscure that I take my hat off to everyone who figured this out without the walkthrough. It is quite logical - once you know that this is what you were supposed to be doing. So overall, an engaging and interesting raid, accessible to all sorts of players." - MichaelP

"It's very rare that a level comes along that is so amazing, so enjoyable, and so close to perfect, as Search for the Sun-Seraph – and it manages to do this by keeping things simple and not over-inundating us with the latest flashy new outfit, animations, or objects. Instead, we really go back to basics with this, and it couldn't be better. Kaufi gives us an experience that combines the best of TR2's snowy Tibet location with the best of TR3's snowy Antarctic location, and he even gives us a new take on the usual Tomb Raider exploration formula. Normally, Lara would start off in some mountainous environment and cross paths with some baddies, maybe uncover a hidden base of operations they have, then eventually she'd make her way into some dark icy caves, and finally she'd find the lost monastery, solve some puzzles, and claim the artifact. This level does something a little different: we begin with Lara finding a lost monastery and solving some puzzles, to then end up in some icy caves fighting some beasts, and eventually we find a frozen settlement and some bad guys who have setup camp, guardian the final temple and way to the artifact. It's refreshing and new, and a well-structured and well-paced experience all around.

The first puzzle you encounter might be a bit tedious for some and normally I myself don't like it when I have to excel at a timed run sequence so early on in a level and so many times over. However, I think this was very well executed and wasn't too much of a challenge. It felt like a great way to begin the level actually since it draws one in feeling one is doing something classic for Tomb Raider, rather than waiting until later to have an immersive puzzle like this. We continue on through massive icy caves with great atmosphere, and then we find the frozen village and face off with the bad guys who have set up camp here. The boat is back – and much better than it was in Kaufi's previous Venice level. No buggy or missing sounds this time, and no awkward jumps onto ledges from the boat, and no super-tight timed run… instead, just a relaxing boat ride and exploration through some icy caves to avoid some water currents that will lead to Lara's death. Entering the final temple and claiming the Sun-Seraph artifact is also a great moment, as is the ending with the elevator that takes us to the surface and the way to the helicopter. All in all, just a super-fun gameplay experience – and actually a really HUGE level, that almost feels like it could be two levels (with the Croft Manor bonus as the third).

Enemies are pretty good this time, and fit to all their respective environments. The Jade Warriors we fight after taking the Sun-Seraph are a little annoying – the effect with which they trigger is great, and thankfully they only trigger one at time. However, it is a bit of a pain that they seem to injure and even kill Lara simply by grazing her, without actually attacking her. So, just get ready to keep your distance and use lots of medipacks whilst fighting them. As someone already mentioned, yes, the last Yeti that pops up later does feel a little out of place and unnecessary, and yes, maybe it would've been nice to just keep the Yetis to the earlier ice caves. Speaking of which, another great form of subtle storytelling is when we find the Rusty Key which was left by some skeletons who were probably previous Tomb Raiders who fell and broke their bones when the ladder above them ripped. Also, the note the Tibetan villager leaves is a nice way to flesh out the story, and the fact that his skeleton is spooning the skeleton of his deceased wife is just priceless.

Pickups are everywhere and very generously given this time around. The level really encourages you to use the Uzis since you get so much Uzi ammo (which is awesome!) and the supply of medipacks is also good, particularly for the boss fight as mentioned. However, this is just the thing: you NEED to make sure you find the Uzis, and they can only be found as part of a secret. So, if you don't get all secrets, I can see this level being quite challenging because you'll only have pistols and a Shotgun which doesn't have as much ammo provided for you. Having said that though, the Secrets in this level are a MUST. More on this shortly.

Back to Objects: The Crowbar this time gets excellent treatment, as a major step up from - Trouble in Venice'. Not only is it clearly visible on the white snow, but the process to get to it is hard to miss, and you even pick it up in a small fenced off area that you cannot exit without using the Crowbar. This is excellent level design, because it also tells players exactly which types of doors are Crowbar Doors! I also happen to love the Crowbar Door in this level, and the sign that is on it. Whilst the Crowbar gets celebrity treatment this time, the Torch sadly doesn't fair as well. Yes, it is hard to spot, and simply placing that flame emitter closer, or adding a brighter light where the torch is would've helped players to find it. The puzzle one uses the torch for is a cool one though.

Now back to Secrets: I'm beginning to think Kaufi may be the Master of Secrets. His previous level and this one both have extremely well-hidden Secrets, and I don't think I've completed either one of them and found all Secrets the first time around. Luckily, the re-playability value for this one is excellent, and it was fun to go back (a few times now) to find all the well-hidden Secrets. And, let me tell you: do it, it's worth it. Not only because of the Uzis, Grenade Launcher, and all the extra ammo you'll have. But also, because the final rooms it unlocks in the Croft Manor bonus level are a real treat, and probably the best thing he could've come up with as a gift to the player for Tomb Raider's 20th Anniversary.

Camera placement and Audio tracks used are also great; and the Atmosphere is perfect all around. The icy blue distance fog certainly helps to enhance this, although there was one pool of water early on where it was just a bit too much and became hard to see. The final effect when we take the Sun- Seraph, combining cameras, audio, and a texture and atmosphere change is also great and a cool way of showing without any boring exposition that Lara has just taken the source of warmth and sunlight in the temple.

Lighting and Texturing is flawless of course, and captures the original Tibet aesthetic from TR2, building upon that though. The change in textures when we get to the frozen village is also interesting – the textures are actually the same, but the warm-beige-rock has now become a cold-icy- blue. We experience a similar change like this again with the flip-map effect just mentioned when we take the artifact and the warm chamber becomes cold.

A really great achievement from start to finish. A fun level, beautifully crafted, and a major hit of dopamine due to the nostalgia it gives you – particularly the final visit to Lara's Home. This was a well-deserved winner for the Create a Classic Competition; a well-deserved spot in the Hall of Fame; and also, a well-deserved spot in my own personal Hall of Favorites. Well done Kaufi!" - Sethian

"Atmosphere and aesthetic here is so good and pleasant..this is my first trle on fullscreen, i just wanted to feel and admire more..Really loved the mix tr2 mostly,tr3 or tr4 engine..Love the sound 'aha' when it picks an object, love the enemy when they die yelling ' hubiga'..normal difficulty,very amazing 1st secret and last also..My complaint here is about the second half of the game , beautiful but empty..And the bonus level is all about feels" - Petaludas

"This initially seems like a traditional Catacombs of the Talion type level, but as it goes on it gets more adventurous, and the latter half gives an entirely new twist on the theme (including some TR3 elements) as it suddenly goes in a different direction. It looks great in general, but I did feel it got more visually interesting as it went along, with the more traditional Catacomb theme giving away to unique large scale areas in the latter half along with a lot of thematic variety and clever theme mixing.

The gameplay also goes through a progression and shifts from relatively linear challenges to more open design later on. I did find the difficulty progression a little odd; the combat gradually ramps up, but the most dangerous traps and obstacles are in the first half, and mostly went away to be replaced by more passive exploration later, it fits the theme changes somewhat, but feels a little odd pacing-wise. Despite the slightly uneven difficulty progression the way the linear first half gives way to the open later parts helps convey the story as you near your goal. In particular there's a cool idea in the setup to the final encounters, and even a small bonus level that expands with some extra visuals (including a sort of alternative ending, even if it's just triggering the same cutscene in a different way) depending on how many secrets you've found. A level that would be good with just traditional materials, but really elevates itself with the tweaked aspects that add a freshness to the theme and convey the story. Easily one of the best of this contest." - Mman

"I found this absolutely enchanting and a very grand way to celebrate Lara's 20 years of raiding. This is classic raiding at it's best and with careful exploration there is no need to consult the walk through which is always a sign of good level design in my opinion. Some reviewers mention that this is too dark but I never had need of a flare so disagree on that point. There is one tough battle where I found myself out of health packs but I could have done that better on reflection. I absolutely loved this. The bonus level was a bit of a let down. Could have used a little more imagination or even left out entirely as it added nothing to the experience but I can see why it was included." - Torry

"Nice level. The Tibetan atmosphere was really cool (no pun intended) and felt nostalgic, the level also had some elements from "Temple of Xian" and the Antarctica levels later on. I just wish it was a little longer, since it is somewhat short, other thing to complain about is that some secrets are missable for the playthrough (so you have to restart if you want to get all of them), which is something that I normally disagree. Overall it was a faithful rendition of TR2's Tibetan levels with some extra elements and inspirations from other settings. *HINT*: There are actually 8 secrets, one of them is in the bonus level outside, on the maze, you need to find a way to skip the end trigger and then go to the place where is supposed to be a switch." - SeniorBlitz

"A level that tries to blend TR2's Tibet levels and TR3's Antarctica levels? Sounds good in theory. But in practice, this level was not as much fun as I expected. It starts off great, with Lara exploring a Tibetan monastery. The multi-stage puzzle plus timed run in the monastery is fun, and as is opening up a way into a deep underground canyon. Navigating the caves around the canyon can be a little tedious at times, but not too bad. The problem really starts when Lara finally reaches the underground city and the enemies' camp. Multiple large non-linear areas, low visibility and a lot of combat – that's like all three of my biggest pet peeves mixed together. The only time I really enjoyed myself in this area is while navigating through the underground river in the rubber dinghy. The final section inside the temple is not bad either – even fighting the four supernatural bosses is easier than fighting all the human enemies before that. Apart from the darkness, the visuals of this level are pretty good. The monastery is nicely built, though the lighting is a bit flat there. The canyon and underground city are pretty impressive – at least when it's possible to see them properly. The thick blue-green fog is a little too all pervasive; I generally like fog, but it got on my nerves by the end of the level. There's a lovely contrast within the temple at the end, with the Sun Seraph providing warmth and light, which then abruptly changes when Lara picks it up. There's a tiny bonus level, in the form of the classic manor, which you can explore to find memories of Lara's old adventures, including Midas's hand that turns Lara into gold." - Mytly

"Universally acclaimed TR2 Tibet/TR3 Antarctica hybrid based on exploration and combat and as such very much up my alley, although after a promising beginning it comes to a grinding halt at the 3-switches, 4- (actually 5-) pulleys puzzle, on which I spent way too much time; but the level picks up pace thereafter and doesn't let up, quite possibly because it doesn't have that many puzzles in it. The two that it has are in fact its weakest sequences: other than the one just mentioned, there is the - melt-the-icicles' bit, which had me resort to the walkthrough (the steaming pipe simply isn't enough of a hint, given that the icicles used to be so very keen to drop on your head on the many occasions where you had previously encountered them, and that the torch can be so easily overlooked). Very well constructed; a sizeable map in which you don't get lost; bug-free, no glitches that I noticed; enemies and other objects worked fine, everything had its proper sounds (and how depressing is it that this needs to be explicitly pointed out?). The level is also muchly atmospheric, although the fog is a bit overdone (especially in the ice canyon and in an early underwater sequence), and combined with dim lighting and low-resolution textures (which appear rather less distinctive here than in the original Core levels), results in a somewhat flat, dullish 2-D look; on some occasions I found it actually difficult to see whether there was a ledge, a corner or an opening, or whether that wall was in fact completely flat. Enemies are placed well; while they have a tendency to attack in sets of three, and usually after you used a switch or made an Important Pickup, which does become a tad predictable, they certainly give you a run for your money. You are provided with the necessary pickups, though, if not much more besides (the grenade launcher sadly wasn't among the four secrets I found). Yet I could have done without the yetis, which seem to have been inserted merely for the sake of variety, and pop up rather randomly on 2½ occasions (so beating your chest makes you impervious to bullets, huh? Who would've thunk). The part I liked best was the exploration among the ruins in search of the two Masks, but all things considered, the whole level must have kept me well entertained for 2½ hours, or else I wouldn't have persevered, and I can certainly imagine replaying this level at a later date. Such gripes as I listed above therefore appear fairly minor, and I can thoroughly recommend this one to those favourably inclined towards classic TR2/3-style exploraction." - Mulf

"The only difficulty in this level is the battle against the 4 bosses. The hunt for secrets was also interesting. The whole seemed a little dull but not dark (I hardly ever lit a flare). This is a classic level to do." - Minox

"Excellent level. Aesthetically pleasant and consistent, very atmospheric, the gameplay is accessible and intuitive without being too easy, and it is also challenging without being impossibly hard for the more casual players. Even the hardest The puzzles were engaging and weren't something that only makes sense in the builder's head as a lot of builders do. The sound design makes the game even more immersive, intriguing and suspenseful. There's a lot to explore, and the builder really makes us look for places beyond the obvious path to progress. And the number of enemies provided a healthy dose of action while providing us plenty of opportunity to take our time to explore each environment. Just before ending this review, I need to mention my favorite thing about this level: the lost Tibetan city indeed seemed like a place where people lived, and suffered a painful fate. Often in the TR universe we can't connect emotionally with the people that inhabited the place we're exploring, but in this game, we can (I honestly felt a lump in my throat when I read the letter with the skeletons). And it pulls at your heartstrings in a way which isn't cheap or corny. You can really feel the pain of a whole opressed people, the melancholy of those facing the loss of their loved ones and contemplating their own certain death. That said, congratulations to the builder!" - KBoaz

"Excellent. Really a classic-classic level with a TR2 taste. Not hard tasks, incredible architecture recreating natural environments, well balanced enemies, good atmosphere with the old CD tracks... Perhaps a bit dark in some places, but never too dark. I had to reload in the final room and lure the samurais 'cause the first one began to run and trespassed the raised blocks so I couldn't kill him. I missed some puzzles to make me think too, but the gameplay is good with no much backtracking. A jewel highly recommended for everybody, not only for the TR2 lovers." - Jose

"This level is a very worthy finale pick in the contest. The atmosphere of TR 2 and TR 3 is very neatly implemented here, sounds and cameras are well done, the texturing is decent (not totally bar of mistakes but effective and rather clean most of the time) and the lighting works fine, even if a tad more contrast might help in a few area. The gameplay is quite classic most of the time, but quite enjoyable nevertheless and there are several nice features like the timed gates near the start and mostly the melting sequence. It also includes one of the most touching moments in TR history (not mentioning details here). Enemies are really well placed and the ammo is carefully provided here. Inside the temple where you find the seraph a bit more could've happened, you basically enter, kill some warriors and leave. Anyway the finale is quite decent and even if quite a change to the worse in terms of pace the house level worked okay as a conclusion, especially if you found all the seven nicely hidden secrets. I spent an hour in here and at the end of the day, despite some others having done this or that better, I think this game is my favourite of the bunch. Well done." - manarch2

"Sun Seraph 8/9/10/9 This certainly hits all the right nostalgia buttons and what could be better than enjoying the atmosphere of TR2 and TR3 with none of the constraints of those original engines. This is very well put together indeed, with varied and fluid gameplay, a good choice of enemies and some innovative touches. There's a second 'bonus' level involving a visit to Lara's mansion, which may or may not take your fancy, but there's not a lot to do there in any case. Just don't miss out on the main body of the game - it's classic raiding." - Jay

"I can't enthuse as much as some over this level. Yes the map was well put together, but I found the lighting a little too dark and the texturing & atmosphere rather dull. I think the temple was a large area sorely underused as essentially a long corridor to reach the 4 bosses who were quite easily defeated by the grenades. The gameplay was straightforward and linear, but the secrets were well placed." - Adrian

"Any level that yanks four 10s from Ian certainly gets my undivided attention. I was greatly assisted by MrJavi94 in writing the walkthrough, as he gave me the locations of the seven secrets before I even got started. I found the gameplay to be everything it was billed to be, but I was a bit disappointed in the sparse lighting. To be sure, underground settings aren't usually accompanied by pomp and splendor, and I was able to see my way around without having to worry about running out of flares, but I would have preferred more ambient light. The house level at the end was a bad idea and should have been left out. It was almost like giving a hungry fat man carte blanche at the cafeteria line, only to present him with a piece of horse dung for dessert. It's a wonderful two-hour raid, worthy of high praise, but in my mind it falls a bit short of the highest tier." - Phil

"Amazingly crafted in the TR2 style and fashion but using the TR4 engine to make it much better. I must say I played a few other games in between as I wasn't enjoying the first half nearly as much despite the obvious astonishing looks and atmosphere of it all. I once read a novel just like that: if I hadn't put up with the first part I couldn't have enjoyed the rest of it so much. And it's like that for this level too: once it actually gains momentum you start feeling like you can't stop until the end, with a great final battle, is near. The bonus level is in a different league: so small, yet so nice as a 20th anniversary hommage. Nothing special to do but worth watching and a fit reward for having conquered the adventure. Obviously recommended." - Jorge22

"After having completed this level for a first time, where on one hand I only managed to find 2 secrets, I decided to replay it again to try finding the rest of the secrets (something I still couldn't get) and to also the enjoy the splendid atmosphere created here. I personally admired the fog effect throughout the level and the way it fit within it. While this level lacked from puzzles, gameplay in general had some platforming and some challenging parts like the swinging spiked bags to get one of Guardian's masks. The author did a great job to create a very TR2- atmospheric level and also with a very good use of textures combined with objects which were also magnificiently used. On the matter of secrets, they are indeed pretty hard to find and I can only say the builder definitely wanted players to look to places they wouldn't look at firsthand, so if you want your reward you have to be focused on finding them at everytime not to miss a beat. This is in my humble opinion the best level of this event and I'm glad to have enjoyed it a lot. Very highly recommended, if you're looking for a very good-looking classic reminiscent game mostly, but of course to everyone, including old and new Tomb Raider fans." - MrJavi94

"This is undoubtedly one of the most atmospheric levels I ever played. From the starting room, I was immersed in the TR2 reminiscent atmosphere of this level, thanks in no small part to the music, the background audio and the beautiful lighting and texturing. I found the gameplay to click with me real well, with some devious timed runs, traps, puzzles, exploration, use of the boat, items to find and a boss battle. When Lara approached her helicopter, I felt really proud and felt like I had accomplished something. Took me 2 hours 11 minutes and found 4 of 7 secrets. One of the best levels I have ever played." - Ryan

"Fantastic! This is a fascinating game to celebrate 20 years of TR. Though having the aspect of a TR2 game, it still has a varied gameplay with puzzles, difficult jumps, deadly traps, riding a boat and so much fun. Enemies are varied as well, as you don't only kill leopards, but mad mercenaries, and evil knights too! Atmosphere is stunning, especially the long, wooden bridge overlooking the long way down! I loved the blue fog in certain areas, and the slight darkening in some of them. It really looks like that place is so cold. Secrets are very well-hidden, I only found 3 of 7. I had no idea how to get the greande launcher behind the door, I had to leave it behind and fight the knights with other weapons after picking up the Sun Seraph. This was a fun 2 hours raid, highly recommended!" - alan

"This adventure really defined what "20 Years of TR" is all about. I truly felt like I was playing an extension of TR2/TR3 while playing this level. The feeling of nostalgia is amazing - I didn't put the game down until I beat it! This author did an incredible job of creating an environment that feels and plays very authentic. The gameplay is a perfect mixture of TR2/TR3 elements. There is lots of platforming, exploring of large, believable areas, and combat with both animals and humans. There is a boat segment as well. I kept wondering to myself how this could all fit into one level! There were times that I lamented a few gameplay elements (a frustrating rope slide with a carefully timed jump near the end of the level is one example) but overall it was great to play. I felt that the enemies were well done and corresponded to their original in-game likeness (some, like the yeti, have newer, better features). The puzzle objects are believable and in-line with the level theme. The secrets are very hard to find. I discovered two with careful searching. I spotted areas that I now realize I did not explore by the end, but am not sure how I will access them in replay. The atmosphere is incredible. It is exactly like TR2 (particularly the Golden Mask) would play. The heavy blue fog was too intense at times (in one early underwater segment in particular) but, overall, I think it added to the impressive atmosphere. I especially liked how, at the end when Lara claims the Seraph, the room goes from warm and "sunny" to cold and icy. I disliked that multiple audio tracks would play at once (background and situational music) and I think a few more songs would have been enjoyed. The lighting was done well and in a consistent manner. I think the level could have benefited from a few stronger sun bulbs (ironic in this level) to give the level more of a "glow." As it is, most of the level is somewhat flat. I only noticed a few textures that were stretched (because of an angled wall) and took no issue with texturing otherwise. I thought it was brilliantly done and combined textures from multiple games. Overall I spent 2 hours on this romp and plan to replay so I can see the other rooms in the bonus level that I missed out on. What a great contribution to 20 Years of TR. Many thanks to this author!!" - phms2010

"I really like the style of this game. It manages to combine my favourite settinges from TR2 and TR3! The gameplay is rather good for a classic one - sometimes even challenging, especially the fights if you missed one or two medipacks. I didn't enjoy the distance fog color and there are some wrong placed textures to find. But alltogehter a game to recommend if you like the classic TR ... well I guess we all love them. Play it!" - The Boo

"I've loved the cold theme and it's a very good and well made level. It combines the essence of TR2 and TR3's atmosphere in a big way. I didn't like that much in the beginning, but it gets way better as the level goes, since it flows really nice. By the way, the secrets were very well hidden since I couldn't find any of them!" - Gian Carlo

"As soon as I collected the Sun seraph, sadly, I knew it's going to end eventually, especially as I hoped to uncover more areas and obtain more weapons, I ended up having only pistols and shotgun without ammo, haha! Apparently I'm not that good at finding secrets also meaning they were really well hidden! Gameplay felt really classic, it was flowing nicely until the very end with nice puzzles, traps and lots of jumping. There was a nice choice of enemies, and each of them worked correctly with no error, both AI and sounds. However, I think music could have been added in few more sequences, just to make fights more enjoyable. The design of rooms, textures and lighting were really nice, however, lighting did seem repetitive at some point, especially with quite thick fog, but it did work together with the atmosphere of level, dark and cold. Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy the bonus level that much as I missed 5 secrets, yeah, I'm bad at it, but from what I've seen, it was a really nice touch, so faithful to classics, kudos to the builder for this idea! Highly recommended!" - Raider99

"The overall design of the game is great, but I have to say that there were enormous many texture errors everywhere, so the texturing seemed done without much care or in a rush. I don't think there is a single room with clear texturing. The gameplay, as the other reviews said, feels classic. I hated ( like in some other games of this competition ), that many switches don't show what they activated, which is very annoying. I also agree that some passages were maybe a little bit too good hidden. The lighting ( and texturing ) could be a bit more diverse. Few parts seemed very epic ( like the bridge crossing ). The distance fog was ok for me. Some flyby scenes were a bit ˝clumsy˝. In general, it was a great experience playing this game and I did like it, but it seemed, as I said, in some parts a bit rushed, unfinished and repetitive." - Gorty

"A camera hint on the torch would be great, just like wider fog range instead of constantly disturbing thick wall. Other than that it's a masterclass in making sense all the time. Play and understand." - DJ Full

"My second favorite map of this contest. Very nice visually and excellent tribute to Tomb Raider 2 . The tasks and gameplay are a bit generic. A lot of fun final combat. Some trap-section would have been great in that temple. Recommended." - requiemsoul

"It's the third level I play of this 20 years competition and I just can say it's certainly one of the best. In this adventure Lara is searching a Seraph hidden deep in the underground. The gameplay is classic and we feel very well the tr2 tibet atmosphere. The game is also not very hard but some objects and passages are sometimes very well hidden. Like tr2, we can find tr2 enemies like baddys, yetis and also leopars very well placed through the map. The adventure is divided in 2 aeras, the first one with the canyon and the 2 bridges and the second one in the underground with the hidden monastery and the river with boat. And my personnal favorite is the second because I have just loved how the builder build the entire giant cave with the monastery, the lost camp and the facilities near the river ... IMPRESSIVE :D . I have also very enjoyed the great battle with the four statues after taking the Seraph and the escape with the elevator to find an helicopter in the end ... End who remember tr3 ending ;) . The final surprise is the "bonus" level and the various hidden place we can discovered if we obtain all secrets. Unfortunelly I just find 6 secrets of 7. So I suppose I will replay the level when a walktrough will be release to obtain the last hidden places in the bonus. I can just congratulate the author for this game. A jewel of tr2 atmosphere and also one of the best level of 2016." - Bigfoot

"What a simply majestic level.It's staggering how much the builder managed to cram into this - from engaging puzzles (particularly the stalactite melting sequence);the fun boat navigation;the excellent placement and variety of enemies;and the huge and stunningly well crafted (and well connected) areas.The whole adventure simply oozes atmosphere,and the ways for progression have been superbly devised.It's exploration of the highest order;but,in addition,there is a degree of palpable suspense which builds as the adventure progresses - until the Finale;which,although straightforward,is brilliantly set in scene - and then,just when you think it's all over... Objects are incorporated with great attention to detail (extending even to the inclusion of a poignant letter);secrets are so well hidden that,despite apparently investigating every nook and cranny,I only discovered one;and the textures,skillfully applied. I clocked up over 2 1/2 hours (not including the bonus level),but was absorbed from first moment to last.One of the best custom adventures I've yet played." - Orbit Dream

"Search for the Sun Seraph First of all, what a fantastic level. The level felt so authentic that at moments I forgot I was playing a TRLE game and thought I was playing TR2. The main level was so well designed I felt that it was actually a complete level set. I will try not to spoil anything in the below review. In relations to the 'Create a Classic' theme, this level really stands out. The gameplay elements employs aspects from TR2 to TR4 incredibly well and the puzzles and traps vary in difficultly as the level progresses. The puzzle containing the pulleys to lower the platform was very well done by combining different jumps in order to reach the four pulleys. In turn, the puzzles to light the four flames was equally as enjoyable with absolutely no faults there. As the level progressed, the difficulty increases with the stalactites falling and boulder traps that keep you on edge. The final parts of the level when trying to find the Guardian's Masks was brilliant - at first I struggled to find one of them until exploring further to find it cleverly concealed in an area that I originally overlooked. I enjoyed the rubber boat section of the level and thought the puzzle to get the key to reopen the gates was genius! The final battle was amazing and really brought back the nostalgia before reliving an area that brought back memories of TR3. The enemies were classic TR, some with a new twist being retextured and modified for the TRLE engine but all worked perfectly - the sounds with the enemies worked perfectly, especially when you initially hear the footsteps of an enemy around the corner and the suspense builds until you find out what it is. I especially thought the way the setup with two enemies in particular were very clever, one using it in the Baddy 2 slot to utilise the temporary invisibility animation to make it harder to defeat and the enemies towards the end of the game were even better than when they made their first appearance in the TR series! The lighting and textures were classic TR and I felt captured the essence of the Create a Classic theme. The classic design, both visual and audio made it feel that this level could have easily slotted into TR2 and I would even say this individual level stands out more than TR2 Gold. I found the secrets incredibly difficult to find, only noticing one towards the end of my gameplay - but this is how it should be, it could have been caused due to my lack of fully investigating the area or not noticing specific things that would lead to the secrets. I wish I had found more secrets as the bonus level that is accessed after completing the main game is the perfect way to celebrate 20 Years of Tomb Raider. Overall, the level was a complete pleasure to play and I congratulate the builder on creating such a detailed well-built level. I would definitely recommend this game to old and new fans of the TR series." - smcandrew