Level reviews

"A very impressive castle level with lots of climbing and plenty to explore (even if you can do without the outer frame of the castle, which the builder also humorously conveys in the level, but it's still fun). I made the mistake of not using the horse because I thought it was only for quick movement. So my advice is to USE IT! I really liked the general design of the first level, especially the atmosphere. However, I was surprised at how huge some of the enemies were. When it came to level 2, it was exciting throughout, but I thought the rooms were a bit too big for my taste and wondered whether it was necessary to make them so big. Textures were a good choice, but in level 2 they seemed to be used a bit too often, as if walls, floors and ceilings had been plastered with the same texture. Nevertheless, I didn't lose my desire to play. I was a little confused by the design of a few secrets, keyword Rebecca Block. But a bit of unusual, atypical things for the level wouldn't hurt. :) If you fancy a cheerful atmosphere in a castle, I can highly recommend this level, but anyone else too, of course. Good work. BTW if the builder ever seeks an additional voice actor for his projects, I'll be ready. :) Play time: 2 hours 8 minutes Found all secrets." - Astraf

"DJ Full blessed this masterpiece with his fun touch and I loved it. The gameplay on the outside of the castle complex was very fun; jumping on roofs, climbing towers... Great showcase of the Complex Simplicity 2010 tho! Atmosphere was somehow paceful. I enjoyed watching the horizon while I was at the very top of the bell tower. Now I need to talk about the bad points, which were mostly the whole second level called "Below" ...an empty, huge place with repetitive textures. This part felt somehow rushed compared with the first level (Above) but I also enjoyed it. Oh, and the black ghost was really funny haha I hope to see him again in another TRLE adventure from the talented DJ Full =)" - Jason L

"Pandemic pasttime... this is the level to play on a day inside when it's cold outside and you are craving for a nostalgic feel of the favorite custom levels that TRLE.COM has to offer. Picked this by Dj Full on a whim, it just appeared randomly when browsing and I saw that the title had Castle in it so I gave it a shot. I loved this build very much , it was enjoyable, with funny and ironic comments from a mysterious character who interacts with Lara. The Above part was for me more fun than the Below. If you consider giving this a try please do , it will have good puzzles and a few unexpected enemies to discard your arsenal on." - young Lara Croft

"Really good and short TRLE (took me 1.5 hours). The castle is big but not overly expansive that you feel lost in it and the textures and lighting is very well done. The difficulty of this one I'd say it's easy to medium. I only got stuck in one part but I'd chuck that one up more to my fault for not thinking that I can use a certain item in a specific location (I'm being vague so that to not give any spoilers :P). What I enjoyed the most is the humour and atmosphere. I'd describe this TRLE as a light hearted comedy. Too bad you can't put a TRLE in 2 categories at the same time because this one could fit well into the Joke category aswell. The fight with a certain knight whose name I won't spoil was the funniest moment for me. In conclusion, I highly recommend this TRLE, even to veteran Tomb Raiders which might find this too easy, because it's just very well made as a whole and heartwarmingly funny." - Cruzader

"I thought this 90 minute raid was well constructed and thought out. Even the more eclectic tasks had sufficient on screen hints so that the raider would be able to find their way and I only had to consult the walk through once which is always good design in my opinion. Secrets are numerous and I located 10, I believe there are 11 but you really don't need the pickups as enemies are few and far between. Talking of enemies they are HUGE. Monster sized crows, spiders and fish that almost eat Lara whole. Atmosphere was good and graphics superb. What was the Rebecca block all about?" - Torry

"Undoubtely, the best levels from this author, and one of the best adventures I've played lately. It seems that Maciej taked in account all the reviews from previous levels and created a more classic level, without psichedelic or strange features. Good! The best for me was the impressive architecture in the first level; I take my hat. No much backtracking and a huge dose of exploration is what you'll find; well ornated rooms, good atmosphere, usually a good care with the texturization... Really an adventure very worth to play. Recommended!" - Jose

"Very nice level. A lot of great ideas, some parts of the game very creative and artistic. A mix of humor and challenge. I really liked a lot. A couple of times I was close to look for waythrough, but I was able to find the way to solve it before looking for help. I love this kind of levels where you only need to think in logical ways and, that is enough to solve them. Thank you very much for this level." - Juan Carlos

"I don't normally toss 10s around with abandon these days, but this one deserves it. There are two areas of exploration, one outside the castle (by far the longer one) and the other inside. So much attention to detail has been paid here that I marvel at the creative genius that must have gone into its production. The outdoor ambiance is nothing short of stunning, and I would often find myself pausing to enjoy the scenery before attempting to perform a given task. Plenty of flares are provided, but the lighting is so perfect that I rarely had to use one (and besides, you get to take a lighted torch about everywhere you need to go). While there are moments of frivolity, things unfold more seriously than in DJ's previous offerings. Just for the hell of it I swam into the maw of the giant fish and felt like I was watching Pinocchio all over again. And the accompanying burst from the New World Symphony reminded me of the Lone Ranger record I would play over and over as a kid, where they used the same strand to signal that "the Injuns are comin'." Some of the tasks, while certainly clever, are offbeat enough that I was glad to have Dutchy's walkthrough close by to supplement my dearth of intuition. In all I spent about an hour and a half here and enjoyed every minute of it. This is what Tomb Raider is all about." - Phil

"WOW. What a brilliant game. DJ has created a masterpiece. There's a lot to enjoy from this game from the horse at the start of the game to swimming away from a giant fish and to exploring the spooky underground parts of the castle. DJs added humour as well really adds to how fun this game is to play. This game is a must play for everyone." - TheWorldlyGamer

"What a pleasant surprise to see a level built using the Complex Simplicity objects and textures for a change. DJ Full's latest offering is a bit of a departure from his previous levels in that it's not as wacky, but in no way is it less humorous or enjoyable. The cutscenes of the giant crows, the giant fish and the) admittedly not giant) phantom antagonist are incredibly well executed and the dialogue alongside those is also brilliant, while the surreal atmosphere is also depicted quite nicely, with music choices that aren't too intrusive. You may think it appears rather calm to begin with, but it gets more intense the further you progress. Progression may seem a bit confusing at first glance as the layout is intertwining through out, but observance is key. Great fun to play. Recommended." - Ryan

"Now here's a builder who really understands that the main thing most players want from a level is to have fun. This is hugely enjoyable with its quirky humour such as the ghost and the knight who most definitely - liked to say ni'. There's inventive action – I especially liked the somewhat unusual use Lara made of her horse! The enemies are well used and certainly a bit different (giant fish anyone?) and the music is memorable. Last, but not least, the castle and its surroundings are absolutely stunning. Highly entertaining from start to finish." - Jay

"As you probably may have seen in the credits, I was part of the betatesting team for this game, AND as you may not know we helped DJ Full achieving the best atmosphere and texturing for his game. Because yes, this game is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous. Let's get to the real review now, Castle Rotenherringstein offers two levels build around a castle of the same name in two different but connected location. The gameplay isn't exactly too complicated it's a laid back exploring game, that I actually found quite complicated the first time I played it, but this is actually related to my great TR skills not to the game. The usage of quite a lot of shatterable objects in the "above" section was quite unique, you could almost literally destroy DJ Full's game ... and the secrets were very, very clever, I must say that sometimes I thought I had reached an area not supposed to be reached, but then goodies appeared together with secrets and I discovered that DJ Full is cleverer than every speedrunner. Lighting and texturing have never been so good in a DJ Full game, I was pleasantly surprised! The second level provides pretty much the same good experience the first level had with improved lighting and an absurdly big underground area, unfortunately I spent very few time in there, as the gameplay is quite short BUT I also didn't search for all the secrets so that's one of the reason why it didn't felt so short, I must say I found an Easter egg ... that put me in the front seat of laughs, or maybe the back seat? Gotta make my mind ... which seat should I take? Actually, forget that, it doesn't matter. I played this game twice for testing reasons and I must say it's a short and sweet level that provides some nice exploring! I spent a nice Friday with it. Give it a try on Friday! You won't regret it! Wolfy Regards." - Wolf7

"This is the stardust dreams are made of... When it comes to great imagination (together with solid design, a perfect atmosphere and whatnot) DJ's the man. But this time he also made me laugh and live an adventure somewhere in cartoon land. The ghost appearances, the secret one wouldn't be supposed to reach, the spider (well, it appears even if Lara moves slowly, so why move slowly?), the gigantic fish with Dvorak's menacing music and riding the horse to the sound of some Disney-esque carroussel's tune are all unforgettable. According to my statistics, I found 6 secrets out of 8 - I think another might have been found by somehow reaching a building I could nver find again and burning the floor there and yet another maybe over in some tower where there was a skeleton. I could be wrong... Excellent and fun by any means. Something to mark a grand difference (again)." - Jorge22

"Very enjoyable adventure , not too long , nor difficult , with a storyline incredibly well put in scene. And the gameplay does not disappoint as it was enjoyable and fluent yet not predictable. In particular the ascending of the high tower in the first level , and also the descending with the torch were excellent moments. Objects and animations play also a big role in the game course and we can appreciate many interesting details or things different like the oblique walls , the faster animation for crawling , igniting wooden floors from below...even if everything is not perfect (Lara died on the spot if she burns the 2nd square of the burning floor instead of the first). Not many enemies , some of them ridiculously big and that was great (funny to see for one second Lara inside that big fish). Flybys well done and excellent atmosphere with some background audios made of mix of well known loops. And of course some moments of good humour were appreciated. Very refreshing and clever adventure that gives great satisfaction, for the things to do , to hear or to see." - eRIC

"Lara schedules a meetup with a guy she met online at a castle landmark, only to find out that he lied about his age by about 800 years. Gameplay is mainly exploration, with a few spikes to avoid and things to set on fire along the way. More traps and puzzles would have sealed the deal for me. There is a nice variety of enemy encounters. There is some very nice castle architecture - climbing to the top of the tallest tower was quite enjoyable. The cutscenes are immersive and enjoyable. Texturing is great, particularly in the first level. The second level has a few large and empty hallways that also felt a bit wallpapered, perhaps scaling down the size of these areas would have helped negate that feeling. Lighting is good, although some more color variation would make it pop more. Don't let my nitpicks fool you, I quite enjoyed this adventure and would recommend it for all raiders. It took me 1 hour and 17 minutes to help Lara impress her date with a golden trophy." - JesseG

"I get the feeling this level was not made for us, but for a very special person in DJ_Full's life, someone who will truely appreciate a certain gift left for them in a very special place.
Anyway, this pack contains two levels, that outside of making for some funny trolls, and quick spookes actually manage to build an atmosphere almost unheard of. The main level is a big fortress with a large tower in the middle and curious places to visit all around the place (also packed to the brim with sectrets), and later on you move down into the depths beneath the castle. And man do those depths pack a very potent atmosphere. Giant halls, creepy corners and ghastly crawlers. It should also be said that this level is one of the rare ones that made me really panic and get scared. Only downside is that the actual gameplay and how quickly you find certain places is a bit clunky and for the most part you will run around like a headless chicken. Still, I appreciate how much we could explore and how many things were hidden. Every nook and cranny in this level has something in it, something that will come in handy as well. Except for the wideshot ammo, those blue shells will never receive the love they crave." - The Snarky Lesbian

"I loved this level,beautifully textured plenty of pickups. I also found this game very funny various things throughout that were just hilarious. But this is DJ King of the OMG! Great Level. 10/10" - Lady_Wise

"Certainly the best level of djfull. I particularly liked the 1st with this big tower to climb. there are many funny annotations, even me who has trouble with English I smiled several times. I found a total of 8 secrets but in the 2nd level, it was mentioned 11 (??). The 2nd level is quite fast, because as soon as we have found the underwaterswitch and how to get out of the water, everything is connected quite simply despite the large rooms. The huge fish (mackerel lol) is surprising. The music is beautifully placed and go well with the ensemble. There are many torches but they are almost useless because the level is sufficiently enlightened. The placement of the cameras is very well done also and I particularly liked the one that showed the trapdoor (2nd level) after having activated the underwater switch and when one left the water. Recommended." - Drakan