Levels listed...
TR5 - 33
TR4 - 3176
TR3 - 179
TR2 - 138
TR1 - 65
73281 reviews (20.4/level)
3578 (99.6%) walkthroughs
453 Hall of Fame levels
1252 levels rated >= 8
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release date: |
15-Apr-2017 |
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# of downloads: |
333 |
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average rating: |
9.36 |
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review count: |
27 |
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review this level |
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file size: |
98.00 MB |
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file type: |
TR4 |
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class: |
Persia |
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| Reviewer's comments |
"(8) Gameplay & Puzzles: A challenging, heavily-trap focused adventure that took me
1.5 hours. It is interesting from start to finish, and my favorite aspect was the problem
solving required for the scimitar timed run. Even though I am a trap lover, I do think
that the gameplay flow could be better, with more peaceful/slower tasks inserted in
between all of the 293482934 trap corridors. Also, I really did not like the 4 animals
puzzle and the clue "the weakest first, the king last". With scorpion, bear, eagle and
fish, one can assume that the fish is the weakest animal out of the 4, but which of the
other 3 is "king" is a pretty subjective matter. I personally would reach the conclusion
"HELL YEAH EAGLE KING MURICAAA" but other people may consider the bear to be the most
"kingly" animal, or even the scorpion if they happen to be Dwayne Johnson fan. It's just
an awfully subjective clue, and was my only very negative experience with the gameplay.
(10) Enemies, Objects & Secrets: Many thrilling, tricky traps. While generally TR4
combat is dull, I never felt that here, as the builder utilizes engaging melee combat in
cramped quarters. Nice object decor. (8) Atmosphere, Sound & Cameras: Both static
cameras and cutscenes are perfect, with the builder creating an eerie atmosphere with the
NPC lady and accompanying camerawork. Good music and sound cues. The atmosphere isn't bad
however I think it is weaker relative to the builder's other levels I have played, e.g.
Hope of Meridian, Aqua Sanctuary, Sunken. There's just so many underground trap corridors
-- I think that the atmosphere would be better if the builder had mixed in more outdoor
settings (aside from the very brief outdoors at the start and finish). (10) Lighting &
Textures: A visual treat. Even though much of the game is underground, I never felt
like an area was too dark. 8/10/8/10" - nerdfury (18-May-2024) |
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| "Well the first play-through this level had me cursing in anger I must say, not because of the multiple and very
challenging timed tasks and traps no! I actually found them a lot of fun despite the many times I had to retry! No it was
the fact that after a long time of gradually progressing and persisting through that I got trapped in the level with no way
to progress due to missing a hidden disc key I needed later on and there was no way back to get it! The door was shut
and none of my previous save points went back that far. A few days later I restarted the level again got past that point
and decided to use a walkthrough from there onwards and it's a good job because the second disc key is so obscurely
hidden it's ridiculous lol ! So yeah if you hadn't already guessed it this level is just riddled with timed trap sequence
after timed trap sequence with some great challenges and surprises and don't get me wrong they were all enjoyable but
a little more down time with some more exploring, more puzzles (as I can only remember one with switches) and
platforming would of been appreciated. Enemies consisted of mostly leopards, a ghost and a couple of boss fights with
monsters so not too excessive thank god lol. I especially enjoyed playing in the outside areas with all that lovely golden
sand as apposed to the many underground cave areas and the aspect of returning to a previous area which was
previously daytime but now nighttime was also a treat visually. So overall a very enjoyable, well made and engaging level
and if you have a thing for timed traps this is right up your street but just make sure you have a walkthrough close at
hand!" - John (16-Jul-2023) |
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| "Many tough challenges, especially traps and time runs, and other situations that require you to be quick. Some time runs can be done only if you open up other doors in preparation. At least one of the time runs requires getting through deadly traps of the kind that always seems to cause some damage to Lara no matter what you try. Visually it's really pretty. If you can deal with these potentially frustrating tough parts, then don't hesitate to give it a try." - tuxraider (30-Jun-2023) |
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"This is an extremely dangerous adventure in Persia, it's so exciting and full of
action, where every moment contains a trap sequence, a difficult timed run or a a puzzle.
As usual from Mr XY, the architecture and the gameplay design are very professional and
creative. The music is so good and helps to make a great and engaging atmosphere, I really
loved every track in this level.
The only downside for me was that some places were too dark and could be lighted better.
This is a very challenging and a very enjoyable level, highly recommended for expert
raiders. It took me 1:25 (10/10/10/9)" - Mouayad (19-Jan-2022) |
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| "Excellent game all the way! If you're looking for action, than don't miss out.
The only thing I disliked in this level was the excessive use of concentrated enemies. Lighting could have been slightly more cinematic. But this is just so I can point out something less awesome.
In all, this is a good game, with and interesting story and great battles. Definitely recommended!" - MigMarado (23-Oct-2019) |
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| "It's always great when a builder lets you learn a timed run (which is also the case with 40 Thieves), and the usage of NPCs without using NPCs is different - that's two ways to keep suspense which makes especially the prologue, even though twice too long, not lag as much as usually. Then it's only better - expert challenges, objects the other builders barely thought of using (sometimes too much a trap fest but not unbearable), usage of real NPCs (rare for other builders, a standard for this one), secondary plot twist with a secondary getaway, weather change, then main quest, climax, primary plot twist and primary getaway... which appears as true secondary when you eventually discover the true primary one. This game really gives you as much as a level of the contest class can, and somehow does it without overdoing much - even though fitting under a traditional hour of gameplay, it doesn't feels squeezed too much, so if you have some time you can try it, and if you don't, it won't take much either. The only bad thing is the ending cut so awfully short it doesn't even let the solution music play - I guess some trap triggers could be sacrificed for a concluding flyby pointed at the oriental moon." - DJ Full (08-Jul-2019) |
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| "Excellent. I really love the style from this builder. The best is the absence of backtracking even when some areas are half lineal; you'll soon find the right way and there's always something to do or where to go. This time perhaps there's an abuse of the traps, but there are also some interesting puzzles to solve. The timed run with the teleporters to get the scimitar is a bit tight, but doable for me. Of course I never tried the expert challenges, but there is enough gameplay to take an entertaining time. Definitely a level to please everybody, expert and normal players like me. Thank you, Mr XY, for this time of big fun. Highly recommended." - Jose (26-Oct-2017) |
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| "The main secret of this lost city is that they must have made their living out of building a massive amount of spike traps. The majority of this adventure you do spend avoiding them in one opr another shape or form and I felt this really so much overused that I took down the gameplay score for it - it just stopped being funny about half way into the game. Now with that gripe put of the way, this level is a quite a feast for the seasoned raider. It has clever and good looking architecture, it has a few scenes that you could call cinematic, it has three optional expert challenges instead of lame secrets lying around in a dark corner and a few timed runs with a twist, ie with prework you need to go do before even being able to attempt them. Enemies are few but generally rather well set in scene, especially the final boss with the shield that needs to be deactivated first. So, all in all, it is absolutely the high caliber level you would expect from this builder, but going a bit over the top with the constant traps, which makes the level not very accessible and enjoyable for the more humble and less experienced raiders out there. [75 min, 3 secrets]" - MichaelP (30-Jul-2017) |
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| "As expected, heavyweight builder provided us with a heavyweight level. Maybe not as beautiful and cinematic as "To Atlantis", but surely a masterpiece in many ways. At first, you might get the impression that you are going for a casual raid, as you find yourself in a nice desert area with some closed temples. Then all of a sudden, you are thrown into a series of deadly traps that just go on and on. Lara just gets bounced and thrown all over the place and you better get used to that because it doesn't get any easier. Fortunately, the traps are really cleverly designed and very well thought, so there is a lot of satisfaction as you pass them. There are also some "false" traps where Lara gets trapped above the trapdoor with spikes-sound around her, so you just wait for your death until you are suddenly thrown into a harmless water. What I like the most about the level (apart from brilliant visuals, which are expected from MrXY) is the objects usage. You can literally follow a story thanks to them and I'm amazed how much imagination is put into this. I can only wonder what Kevin would be capable of without BtB limitations. Gameplay is hard to describe and rate because it really is like 85% trap&agility based, but tasks are really cool and elaborate so it really makes you "forgive" the occasional frustration they give you. Enemies are well placed, there are mostly leopards in first part, but later you get trapped and "sacrificed" (another great idea which I won't spoil here) by palace hosts. You also have to face some innocent-looking woman which turns out to be something else, while the boss fight is also based more around jumping than pure fighting. Overall, the gameplay might have been a little more player friendly. Cameras and audio tunes are well used, but I have to say that I felt some epic boss tunes were unnecessary used for some casual fights near the beginning. All in all, another must-play level, but be warned - it's not for casual players." - Tolle87 (03-Jul-2017) |
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| "Secrets of a Lost City is a pretty generic name for a level, but for some reason, I still had a good feeling about this level from the moment I booted it up. I'm not sure why, because the beginning is pretty unassuming. You begin outside a temple, and while it looks nice enough, there's not much to this area. Things pick up after a few minutes, though, as Lara tries to make her way into the temple and instead falls into a trap. The whole level is very focused on action and traps. It's honestly really refreshing to have a level that feels so focused, and the author does a good job at mixing things up. So within the action-heavy focus of the level, you'll get plenty of traps, platforming, timed runs and well-designed combat encounters - usually mixed up in interesting ways. The story is about Lara exploring the ancient temple of Ahriman where there's an evil cult, and this story comes across really well in the level. It'd be easy to just throw some human enemies at Lara and be like, "see, that's the evil cult right there!", but the level goes a step further, with Lara being captured and sacrificed by the cult, a woman transforming into a monster and eventually Lara fighting Ahriman himself. Within the limited means of Back to Basics, it's pretty impressive how well all of this comes across. There are three secrets in the level. They're surprisingly easy to find, but instead they offer additional challenges, so that's fun. The third secret requires you to have found the previous two secrets, and gives different rewards depending on whether or not you manage to finish the challenge it presents. After around fifty minutes, you return to area at the beginning of the level - except now the weather has changed, and water is pouring down the temple walls. It's a really neat effect, and suddenly the area doesn't look so unassuming anymore. There's a lesson here about not judging a book by its cover and how you should go with your gut. It's not often you learn life lessons from custom levels, but there you go." - Magnus (26-Jun-2017) |
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| "This was the first level i picked out of all the entries and i'm feeling that this may be the winner but we will see later on.
Gameplay is very varied with many inspired tasks, timed run to the sword was a highlight for me, first i thought i had to use the poles to get back up to the sword but then it turned out to be much more simple using the portals to get back up again (very creative). The timed shoot with the lasersight was also a really nice moment and not too hard either, the gameplay as a whole is very near perfect, quite straightforward knowing where to go next but not too much. Puzzles are very creative and you do have to think a little before you act which i really like. Music is used well to alert you of dangers and to give you a feeling of tension. There were not many enemies in this level but those you meet along the way are well placed. I'm a fan of platforming and this level sure delivers that in spades. Texturing is well done but lighting could have been better in some areas but overall it's nicely done.
To sum things up a level for those who love a challenging level, maybe not the best for beginners though. Highly Recommended!!!" - totizedger (26-Jun-2017) |
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| "The visuals here are extremely well-executed. Lighting,
object use and room design are great and varied throughout.
There's also some complex use of flipmaps that change some
parts a lot. Gameplay here is relatively challenging with
multiple trap sequences and timed sections, with some nice
puzzle sections as well. There's also original ideas like
some more complex scripted traps, and good implementation
of the story into the level which comes together and ends
in a good climax. As I mentioned earlier there are also
major flipmap changes that bring it all together. I haven't
played many levels of this BTB so far, but this could
easily be my favourite of this set, and I have a hard time
thinking of anything this level does wrong with what it's
going for." - Mman (13-Jun-2017) |
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| "I loved this level and really liked the usage of traps
here. Everything can be found here. Beautiful Surroundings,
Creative gameplay, good camera usage etc. and it just
really felt like an adventure. The one with the spikes and
the targets to shoot with the Magnum was one of my
favourites here or in the night where the looks got even
better. I never really got stuck except at the time run
with the pole rope and the teleporters which took me a
while until i understood. Recommended for everyone,
especially for those who love action." - Mert (05-Jun-2017) |
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| "The last level I chose for the competition, as I already had the feeling this might be one of my favourites – it definately was! The gameplay is just extremely... dense and filled with inspired tasks from start to finish. Never a dull moment yet also immersive at the same time, where you are able to stop and explore the scenery for their atmosphere – the builder has really hit a point where the mix feels quite perfect. There are indeed many traps to overcome in this game, but most of them require some more thought instead of running in without thinking first. It's really not a too difficult game this way. Puzzles are truly inventive here, and I really like that often several elements like timed runs or traps are used to even create larger puzzles. A four lever and four block puzzle is used to prepare a timed run, a large room with a lot of platforming and some traps has to be navigated first in order to find a quick way for another timed run that seems impossible at first. And I didn't even speak about the imprisonment scene, the timed shoots, the animal puzzle, the amazing finale, the fantastic secrets... really the only very minor thing I can complain about is that at the start it's possible to escape from the trapdoors that open after using the jumpswitch above, but the door that is supposed to be open can't be passed as the builder put an invisible block in front of it, as if he was aware of that – a slightly more refined solution would've been nice here. But everything else is really stellar. The object design is very nice as well, the atmosphere is quite nice despite not as fantasticly designed areas as in two or so other levels of the contest – although I really can't fault texturing and lighting for that, as they indeed feel quite faultless and really are very, very well done. This game took me „only" 45 minutes to finish, but it's indeed so action-packed that it offers more as some 5 hour long epic. Not by far, but this only means there are many excellent entries: My personal favourite of the contest." - manarch2 (29-May-2017) |
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| "Very good level with greatly crafted twists and turns
although encountering so many traps along the way isn't
exactly my tomb raiding cup of tea. Not beautiful nor ugly
or uninteresting but definitely effective. Still, I have to
recognize it may be one of the most solid entries in this
year's contest, certainly the work of a more seasoned
builder (or a really, really good debut) and a must play." - Jorge22 (28-May-2017) |
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| "Well, this is IT. Brilliant! A level for experts, full of
traps, acrobatics and challenges, superbly done. It is
not exactly my kind of level, but one can only admire the
talent, creativity and expertise of the author, and I'll
confess that it was good fun even for me, and that I
overjoyed with every success in a challenge. Not a single
minute of boredom, perfect light, perfect camera, a very
smart animal puzzle, interesting and scaring movie
sequences, a lot of thinking needed to find paths
sneakily hidden, and a lot of adrenaline everywhere. One
more outstanding characteristic is that even if the main
action happens in a cave environment, there are also
beautiful areas to enjoy. Those who love action and
difficult challenges will certainly love this level, and
the others certainly must try it to perfect their skills.
Congratulations to the author!" - Josey (25-May-2017) |
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| "Lara goes toe to toe with a cult to bring down the God of
Darkness. This was a great length of gameplay and it
concluded satisfactorily at the right time. The gameplay
is heavily skewed toward trap sequences and timed runs,
but some puzzles help balance out the pace. I
particularly enjoyed the area with the four lever
switches and timed switches - it was a timed run and a
puzzle wrapped together and I don't get to see that
often. I got stuck in one part because I didn't think to
shoot a golden crystal. The spike traps with a monkey
swing above was impossible to use for backtracking so I
had to reload. The animals puzzle was a bit odd (I mean,
bears live in caves, but they also can be seen in
forests, so which habitat is for the bear?) but it can
still be cleared with some trial and error. Combat is
used effectively, particularly toward the end, where you
can't do the usual "crouch under the flying god to avoid
his shots" gag and instead have to keep an eye out for
him as you battle his cult followers, until you break his
shield. Decorative objects are used well in some places,
but other places looked just a bit barren. The
architecture is well built, and the way the level changes
time of day (and floods) after you break free from the
cult is a great touch. The audio is used effectively and
goes well with the "scare moments" and cutscenes - and
those were effectively used to tell the story, and that
kept me immersed during the whole adventure. The
texturing is great and my only comment would be to
increase variety in outdoor textures a bit. The lighting
could have used some more variety of colors but is
otherwise good. Overall a strong entry in the competition
that plays very well and should appease raiders looking
for a bit of adrenaline. 1 hour 6 minutes." - JesseG (22-May-2017) |
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| "Very long level with many traps and enemies. Maybe a little more ammo and care kits would have been helpful. I did not like the place to open the 4 doors lol but otherwise the rest is super well done with a very good finish. I had no secret though I found 1 without being able to take it. Excellent." - Drakan (19-May-2017) |
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| "This has been the first entry I've decided to play after
having had a look at the reviews already posted by other
players, and that's what made me accept to dive into the
Persian adventure. And I can't be more proud of this
decision, because it's a level that I've thoroughly
enjoyed, and it's a good contender for this year. Speaking
of the gameplay, it's probably one of the most consistent
from this event, given the fact I've already played 8
entried up to date. I've managed, not only to find, but
also claim the three challenging secrets that the author
has put on the tray. They all were cleverly thought, but I
especially found more difficult to achieve the second one,
given the tight timed-run. Visually, it's a truthful
pleasure to my eye to have played through this level where
the author has put lots of effort into every single detail
to enhance the atmosphere with a desertic feel.
Briefly, a must-play of this Persian challenge that is
likely to be a winner. Huge congratulations to the builder
and thanks for having offered such a pleasant time." - MrJavi94 (02-May-2017) |
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| "Another winner in this contest and one that,
for me, ties with Lara Croft and the Forty
Thieves. Although there were a few frustrating
parts, I can do no less than award a 10 for
Gameplay and puzzles, due to the sheer variety
of activities on offer. Challenging trap
sequences (particularly travelling up a room
with deactivated traps and then later with
activated traps), the opportunity to go for
some Expert Challenge secrets (I accomplished
one in a different method to that explained in
the walkthrough), devilish yet enjoyable timed
runs, approaching a section of the level, only
to fall into the depths, a boss battle... I
really was impressed. The beginning sunny parts
of the level contrast well with the rainy,
moonlit ending sections. Overall, brilliant
work." - Ryan (30-Apr-2017) |
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| "It's probably too early to be calling favorites (I'm playing them in order so this is just my 4th BtB-Persia raid), but it's hard not to. This level doesn't resort to exaggerated areas or effects, but rather focuses on smaller but carefully crafted areas littered with traps. Gameplaywise it's pretty straightforward, generally speaking, so while the next goal might not be exactly in front of you it doesn't take too long to figure out and there are some nice highlights here, such as the timed run for the scimitar sword (which at first I thought would involve pole climbing and whatnot but turns out the solution was a lot more elegant) and the timed run across four levers. Halfway through the level it starts to pour and a number of areas change -- and for the better, suprisingly -- so you continue on with your quest. As an added bonus, you do get a few nice 'cutscenes' of a supernatural force at work setting Lara in peril and even capturing Lara in a very nicely put together sequence. 70 minutes, 1 secret. 04/17" - Treeble (29-Apr-2017) |
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| "So far, the level with the most interesting gameplay.
It's not only interesting, it's also very innovative with
some new ideas I haven't come across in levels played
before. Just for an example, running through a long
corridor where you see at the end the object you need the
pickup, right before reaching it the door closes. You run
back because the floor will collapse and the other door
closes too. What now ? The floor collapses and Lara
reaches a new area. So it's actually not a real trap,
mora like a scripted event. Another thing that I liked
about this one is the difference between the prior levels
I've played from BtB. This time there are no real huge
areas to explore. I mean, they are still kind of big, but
in a different way. There were many hard parts but still
it was fun to figure them out. I had some real problems
with the timed run around the four raising blocks. I
actually got stuck right at the beginning for several
days where Lara is supposed to do a back jump while
hanging from an edge. I already prepared to write a
devilish review, but I was just stupid for not knowing
the jump is possible. The author did a really good job in
designing his traps. As this levels actually concentrated
mostly only on traps, everything else suffers a little
bit. It feels more like an arcade game and not like an
exploration. Comparing it to Lara of arabia, forty
thieves or lost brothers, it's clear that this levels
can't compete in other categories. It is greatly designed
in many parts with interesting architecture, but in this
one you won't find some ¨wowË rooms that steal your
breathe. I remember that I, while playing other BtB2016
entries, often just admired the rooms how good they
looked. That didn't' happened in this level. As an
example, the cave design is far worse than the
magnificent looking caves in Lara in arabia. Another
example, some outside parts are not even close to the
beauty of forty thieves. I also noticed that many rooms
did really look monotone with just flat lighting.
Something like that was never the case in the other
levels I mentioned. Flyby sequences are really good.
Another thing I noticed is that some objects had wrong
applied light. As a conclusion, this level has
extraordinary gameplay based mostly on traps, but doesn't
do the job for me in other categories based on comparison
with other levels from this year's BtB. Still an above
average game, probably for hall of fame. Not to make some
wrong conclusion about my ratings, but I feel the need to
compare all levels from the same competition. Overall,
recommended !" - Gorty (27-Apr-2017) |
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| "This is one of the levels that had everything to be one of
the best in this BtB. If it was not for the excess traps.
The game starts okay, but then it becomes trap followed by
trap. Whenever you exit a section of traps and arrive in a
new area, is there, another section of traps and the
journey becomes annoying and exhausting.
Other than that, it's all well done but a friendly gameplay
would have been the best option for me.
Anyway, congratulations to author." - Thiago (26-Apr-2017) |
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| "This is an extraordinarily intricate level. I would categorize it as a trapfest, as there are relatively few tranquil stretches in the nearly two hours it took me to complete it. It also has a cramped feel to it, as most of the action takes place in close quarters set in underground or indoor areas. On the other hand, the surroundings are quite pleasing to the eye, especially in those occasional open and well lighted areas where they can be viewed to full advantage. The several timed runs along the way were challenging but fair to the player. I was able to conquer only one of the Expert Challenges (the first one, although I may go back later and try again for the second one) and thus was unable to play a small portion of this level. But what I did play bore the stamp of an accomplished builder, and I suspect that this level will place high in the final rankings. I do hope, however, that future levels in this BtB competition will have more player-friendly lighting as well as tasks that are to be tackled in outdoor, daytime settings." - Phil (24-Apr-2017) |
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| "This builder has chosen the austerity end of the B2B textures, setting much of the action in cave like areas rather than lavish palaces and temples, so, although well made, visually this may seem less glamorous than some of the other entries in the competition. However, the atmosphere is wonderful and the gameplay incredibly good. The ingenious traps, timed runs etc., are beautifully crafted and provide quite a challenge. It's not one for a novice player, but all very achievable for those with a bit of experience. Highly recommended." - Jay (22-Apr-2017) |
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| "Oh my... What a ride this level was ! This one is definitely nasty, with its diverse challenges and traps, which made the level very fun to play I got to say. The setting was absolutely gorgeous, and the atmosphere perfectly on point with the events. The 'plot' was very intriguing as well, and the camera work serving it was brilliant. Flawless level, in a nutshell. *applaudes the builder*
I managed to get all 3 expert challenges, not without dozens of tries and almost heart attacks, though :p" - Revenge (19-Apr-2017) |
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"This is probably the kind of level that some players will love and others will hate, given the heavy focus on traps and timed runs. Luckily, I am one of those who love this kind of challenging gameplay. My favourite part is the traps-and-timed run sequence in caves to get the sword. The timed target shooting is also fun. The builder really knows how to create tension: a prime example is a trap-filled room which you first have to traverse while the traps are deactivated, worrying all the while that they will activate any second, and then again once they do get activated.
Enemies are well used, especially the multiple supernatural enemies towards the end. The three secrets are in the form of - experts' challenges', with the third one accessible only if you find the first two. (I found only one on my first playthrough, but replayed earlier parts to get the other two.)
The visuals and atmosphere are nearly flawless: the daytime section in the first half is beautiful enough, but once night falls, the looks are simply spectacular. The room with the boss fight and the flooded caves at night are my particular favourites.
Overall: A fantastic level in terms of both gameplay and looks, and quite likely to be one of the winners of BtB 2016. Highly recommended." - Mytly (17-Apr-2017) |
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