Level reviews

"The original level in TR3 Gold was among my favorites (that whole expansion pack is a gem though), and this one takes that as a starting point and makes it just so much larger. Fortunately the author was considerate enough to include an aqua lung at some point, otherwise this would have been very tiresome to play due to the massive underwater spaces where you're looking for a number of hidden pathways or the many levers you need to find. Mulf's walkthrough won't keep you guessing so you can focus on enjoying the ride, although the amount of swimming will probably put off some people. There are a couple of tight timed runs you can manage by breaking into shorter and more manageable bits (quicksaving ftw), and the occasional backtracking, but all in all I enjoyed my stay here. 75 minutes, 4 secrets. 06/26" - Treeble

"Good atmosphere and a nice and interesting map, but also a lot of backtracking and the gameplay only entertained me at times, sometimes it was also exhausting. Recommended for players looking for a challenge, those looking for a level to relax should look elsewhere." - Crofti

"Pretty good reimagination of the original TR3 Gold level. The gameplay is a rather mixed bag, the timed runs were all enjoyable, particularly enjoyed those of the fire puzzle and the one during the cavern to get a fuse. The exploration was also really nicely done and was rewarding. On the other hand, some areas last for too long, for example the quest to retrieve the four fuses could have been reduced to only two (the puzzle and the fire timed run) for example, the other two fuses are pretty much just going from switch to switch without much else (issue that the previous underwater area has too). Same issue for the ending part when getting the two last puzzle items, the key task just seemed unecessary. Another thing is that when getting to the main cavern area there might be two scenarios: 1st that the player doesn't see the fuse therefore takes longer to acquire the aqua lung (although unlikely because of the dialogue), 2nd is that the player might not want to do the backtracking at that point and decides to go later to that area, but then gets stuck when doing the fuse tasks or uses medipacks. Speaking of backtracking it was quite heavy by the end of the level. Another issue is that the collision box of certain objects was too big, the underwater-plants for example should've had their collision removed as most of the time they were just in the way. The puzzle with the valves was also a bit confusing as you have no way to know what valve has been used and which hasnt. The atmosphere is perfectly done, no complaints there; this level masterfully did the theming of the level, the cameras were all well done and showed clearly what each switch or key had done. The lighting and texturing is also really well made, the texturing specially was flawless and so was the lighting. Definitely recommended to fans of the original." - Neltharion

"i have mixed feelings about this level,it totally has the sleeping with the fishes vibe without a doubt! in fact one of the best to date,but we swim 24/7 of the time and there are some tight timings and puzzles without hints that will leave you stuck for a considerable time and get to be stressful,the gameplay was perhaps well thought out,because it's that same formula use switch open door use another switch swim there in the fifth of hell and back again, kill a crocodile here, kill an enemy here, get an item and swim again, in the middle of the game I got tired of just swimming all the time, the original has an excellent balance but this one managed to be unbearable, the level is good, it's more tiring. Still recommended....''" - PedroCroft_

"Good underwater level, located in some kind of modern under water station and its surroundings. There is lots of diving and some underwater caves to explore. After you acquire a certain item, you even get infinite air supply (don't know if the game makes getting it mandatory, but it's mandatory to avoid frustration). Some of the timeruns were pretty tough: very tight, with no visible countdown, annoying obstacles, first need to figure out where to run. Most parts of the level remain reachable, and you can get lost or you need to backtrack. I found it annoying that some valves were usable, while others were not (or were just flat textures). Enemies: no need to save ammo. In summary, it's enjoyable and can be recommended." - tuxraider

"This is a masterpiece, at least for me. You can't get the classic TR3 atmosphere any more perfect than this. Is the level challenging, yes! Are there tricky timeruns, yes! Can you get lost on the map, yes! BUT there is enough ammo, the timeruns are tight but doable (just like in TR3) and I love it when the author focuses on exploration and that's exactly what this TRLE delivers. So I also took my time and explored every corner in the 2 hours and 30 minutes. Also, you get the Aqua Lung-item for the large water cave, which only makes that spot stressful at first, but then not anymore. I also liked the fact that it's actually a completely new level, but still incorporates the TR3 Gold original from Core Design, and there are always familiar rooms, items, architecture, puzzles, or enemies. The fourth secret, LOL! Definitely recommended for those who have no problem with timeruns, large maps and water in general, must play for TR3 Gold fans!" - vandit

"This one is a bit tricky for me to review. Objectively this is a very good level of almost 90 minutes duration. It has a lot going for it in the setting under water and quite a bit of combat with dozens of frogmen, workers, guards, fish, sharks, even two rocket shooting submarines that you can blow up with explosive harpoon arrows. Well, and then a rather underwhelming mutant boss at the end that drops from a mere few shotgun shots. It also has a few timed runs that I enjoyed because they do not work right away, for one you need to do quite a bit of prep work, but after a limited amount of attempts everyone should be able to master them. And in princple, I even liked the concept of having to acquire the aqualung before seriously being able to manage all the tasks in the huge underwater cave. Which brings me to my problems with this level: Underwater, Cave, Huge.... It is a big pet peeve of mine, having to search for that one little relevant triangle opening somewhere in some huge cave. It is a tedious and dull task. And here you even get to repeat it a few times. And when you finally, with a deep sigh of relief, placed the four plugs to make your way out of that one - well, you enter the next big underwater cave and get some more dull and tedious searching for the next little triangular opening. Sorry, just not my kind of fun. I also thought there were a few too many valves to turn overall and really falt the level should maybe have ended prior to that last cave and would have left a slightly better impression for me then - well, except of course, that secret number 4 in that areas which I thought was very funny. So again, all in all a great level for many, I am sure, just not quite as exciting for me to play..." - MichaelP

"Eleventh of the Create a Classic 2019 competition that I actually played, this level was amazing.
This level is some kind of a reimagination of the homonym level from Tomb Raider 3 Gold, and I was really excited to play this one as I consider the original Sleeping with the Fishes one of the best levels ever created.
What to say about this level? Graphically, it is really amazing: inner areas are well decorated, and the cave areas(especially the giant main cave with the submarines) are stunning!
I really loved the colour and the textures, to the point that every single corner was asking to be explored.
Talking about atmosphere, it is also top-notch: I really could feel "inside" this underwater cave and base, and the sounds really enhanced the level.
If we talk about the gameplay though, I have to be honest, it is totally great and fun for the most part(the explosive harpoons are a nice touch!).
But there is only one problem with the level: timed runs. But let me explain.
I enjoy timed runs, especially when they are difficult and require quick thinking and skill to be completed. But the ones in this level were very tight, and even doing everything perfectly, you could end up not having been fast enough.
Even 1 second extra could have been better, because those timed runs were really unforgiving and punishing.

Overall though, this is one of the best Create a Classic 2019 levels, and surely one of the best Sleeping with the Fishes themed levels! Good job!

Recommended? Must-Play, especially if you are a fan of Sleeping with the Fishes or underwater levels.

Difficulty? Challenging.

Duration? Approx. 1h40m-2h30m" - TombExplorer

"I had a blast completing this level. I loved the atmosphere, the different musics that were played, etc … Unfortunately, I hate timed doors and they already were three of them, FML ;) But otherwise, this level was filled with interesting rooms to visit, it was very creative and I loved swimming endlessly thanks to the aqua lung. The gigantic underwater diving area was absolutely stunning, even though I got lost a couple times :))) I rarely finish TRLE levels because I either get bored, or I'm just stuck at some point ; but if I ever manage to reach the end of a level, than it genuinely demonstrates how much I enjoyed said level. Congrats, you managed to satisfy me!" - Fabio

"A wonderful level for TR3 Gold lovers. Aesthetic-wise I can't report any significant flaw, the level is beautiful and atmospheric, buildings are nice and the textures are applied nicely. I appreciated a lot the central yellow structure with the "arms", I found that original. Some stretched textures are present but this is due to NGLE limitations. The only main unpolished flaw that stands out for me is the wrongly pitched sounds. But I gave 10 anyway in that field instead of 9, because I don't agree in any possible way with the low votes from Jose and Torry so I try to lift it up with this small help that doesn't differ much from the 9 I'd have given. Gameplay-wise, I gave 8 because some aspects could've been better than that: the repetition of the puzzle with the 4 doors to open (adding 2 of them seems uninspired); many areas are enough recognizable with some key elements that make the player orient easily but the big underwater area isn't like that, everything seems the same in any direction and considering the size and the number of quests there it's probably the place that needed it the most, also considering the backtracking for the aqualung (that wouldn't have been that noticeable if the area was easily orientable); some timed runs are too tight but overall doable and while for me this isn't a flaw (because I like challenges), I can see why for others some of these could be frustrating; there's an incredible overload of harpoon ammo while there aren't so many enemies to kill them with (with this load I expected a boss or waves of something); also I think that with this asset (base/tech) there was much more space to create new ideas about gameplay through scripting, while there's a lot of "lever/key/door" repeated gameplay. But I won't count this last aspect in the final rating.And last but not least, I'm aware I'm talking from the wrong side because my CaC level -has- the same (if not worse) flaws I listed here, but at the moment I think I've got enough experience to recognize them in my level too. That being said, the gameplay have anyways a nice flow because it lets you complete old areas without having to think about them again anymore, secrets are nice and not easy, exploration is present and the non-linearity is just enough, not linear and not much dispersive. Totally recommended if you like the genre and location!" - dinne

"A revisit to a classic Lost Artifact level, with quite a few timed runs, puzzles, and naturally a lot of underwater exploration. Thankfully Lara can grab the aqua lung upgrade to make swimming easier. The gameplay is a bit on the more difficult side, and overall I quite enjoyed it. My main critique is that there are just a few too many underwater switches to hunt down, and I would have found the swimming less tiresome if those were curtailed slightly. A very immersive and engaging remake that doesn't lose sight of the original premise. 1 hour 33 minutes." - JesseG

"Again, a level with an impressive architecture and a very good design from this expert builder. Excellent. But this was not a very funny level for me. Explore very huge areas looking for hidden openings and hidden levers, a continuous backtracking, and evenmore, with some tight timed runs and a lot of levers to pull was not a good gameplay for me. The remaining features were quite good, but I never enjoyed this level, always stucked and checking the walkthrough. Sorry. If you like the pure exploration, perhaps this level could be good for you. Take a try." - Jose

"I really enjoyed this level. I thought it was really well built, the atmosphere is just like in TR3, although I wished there was more of a supernatural/mystical vibe. It felt just like a remake to be honest. I did think that there were too many switches, and it was sometimes hard to know which door it opened. But, it is still a very nice level that I would recommend!" - TRaider1996

"I wish there was some kind of a blueprint to this place. While it was built beautifully, it was as confusing as it was stunning visually! Few times I ended up swimming endlessly as I lost track of which switches I used and which ones I did not. That's one of the things I didn't like, it was full of many underwater switches that end up opening some door that aren't that close, thus here's me wondering how this place was built to make that all possible! This level truly captured the feel of TR3 LA's Sleeping with the fishes, it was enjoyable, offered many things one classic inspired level needs and it also gave us something beautiful to look at from any part of the level. I noticed some minor sound issues with pushables, other than that I don't remember anything major that could've annoyed me. This level offers huge level of immersion to that extent I felt so relieved once I reached the surface, being underwater felt tense and calm at the same time which kept me engaged throughout the whole playthrough, thus, I recommend this to any underwater levels or TR3 LA fans!" - Raider99

"Was it hard? Looking back, just hard-ish, even the timed runs. But the action was plenty, it was varied, everything seemed to fit well within the theme, I loved the atmosphere and the general architecture (honestly, this is all you can ask from Sleeping with the Fishes - and damn well made) and it was a relief - and an invitation to underwater adventuring - when the aqualung was finally put to use. The sound of the push/pull cages was slightly off but, in the grand scheme of the event, it's just the oddity that makes the global work feel even better. It was doable, it was nice to look at, it was challenging and it was very rewarding. Thank you." - Jorge22

"Here we have another one of those overly complex levels that has the player running and swimming about looking for the location of yet another unknown open door and it just becomes a chore and no fun at all. So get out the walk through right at the start folks. Then don't get me started on the underwater crevices that you MUST locate in order to proceed. These are generally tiny and oh so easy to miss. Things do get a little easier once you have the aqualung although how that works is a mystery as Lara never actually wears the damn thing. There are too many avenues to explore, too many doors to open, too many switches to find and then, just to add insult to injury, some of those underwater switches need to be pulled in a certain order "sigh". The explosive harpoons are a godsend BUT if you attack something from a distance it takes around half a dozen hits to explode your opponent yet if you are up close only one or two? Why? Can you actually shoot those submersibles that constantly fire torpedoes at Lara? Secrets? What secrets I ask? Then some sound affects are out of sync with the animations. Not all, just one or two. Textures on the other hand were grand. So we have another level that tests your sanity and patience and I just do not understand why this seems to be the norm with today's levels. Tomb Raider does not need to be this hard guys. It should be enjoyable and this level was not. Sorry." - Torry

"A better title for this level would be Bustin' Your Arse With the Fishes, as there's little time for sleeping here and Lara is in busy mode from start to finish. It's still early for me, but this one is my favorite thus far in the CaC competition. It's colorful and brightly lit throughout, in stark contrast to Puna's Revenge. There's an appropriate balance between tasks done indoors and out in the ocean, backtracking is kept to a minimum and the scenery is nothing short of breathtaking. Mulf has provided a walkthrough so masterful that he's earned a place at the top of my nag list when next we are blessed with such a deluge of fine levels. Much has been said about the timed exercises. There's a fine line, I suppose, between a task that's challenging and invigorating, and one that's simply unfair to the player. The builder has come close to that line here, but in my opinion has not crossed it. I found the shorter timed swim for the secret to be even more difficult than the longer run that's required for progression. The former would have been made more manageable had the cut scene not repeated each time the lever was pulled. It also helps to swim a longer distance so you won't have to run as far when you pull out. As for the timed run, it takes several tries to master the route and decide how you wish to tackle it, but I found it necessary to save only once along the way, and that was in the long corridor before making the turn to jump the second stacking of crates. I've long forgotten the original level on which this adventure is based, but everything here is fresh and original. My net time was just less than two hours, and in my estimation this is Hall of Fame material." - Phil

"As the name suggests this is a level themed after the same-named level in TR3 Gold. It takes a step further beyond just being a homage though, as it becomes clear as you make progress that it intentionally poses itself as a full-on expanded remake of the original level, with new story elements building on from what's implied in The Lost Artefact, and similar progression (A base/diving area, a large underwater section and a final lab area). There's even some subtle thematic extras like adding some elements from the Catacombs in the final level of Lost Artefact. The visual execution is great and builds on the original perfectly (especially as this is a rarely explored theme) with good use of the original objects and some new ones to spice it up further.

The gameplay has some challenging exploration, with various entryways that can be easy to miss if you aren't thorough, and some multilayered switch puzzles. It does generally have some clues to point you towards things, like objects that catch your attention. There is one needed backtracking trek, but it kind of works as it's for an aqualung that changes the pacing of the level, as the time pressure of the earlier sections is gone and there's a sort of Metroidvania aspect to looking over earlier areas more freely. There's also a small bit of spice to the combat, as the added messages nudge you towards switching Harpoon types to take out specific enemies. The amount of searching for random entryways and backtracking for air in the first half can get a bit repetitive, but the second half removes the second issue at least, and there's enough other challenges along the way (although a certain switch puzzle getting repeated felt a bit unnecessary). The secrets are slightly disappointing given the nature of the TR3 Gold ones; one of them does follow that style of giving an extra set-piece, but the rest are pretty standard, and the "big" secret of the original level doesn't seem to be present (although I guess the set-piece I mentioned is supposed to be a replacement). A great level and remake with a rarely used theme, although the base nature of the level it's following does cause some occasional frustration." - Mman

"What a complicated adventure indeed. On the positive side, the atmosphere and textures are truly breathtaking, object and enemy placements are excellent, the flybys are impressive and the "classic" theme is very well carried out. But on the other side, it is a very difficult raid, in the exploratory manner and in the sense that the timed runs contained herein are pretty brutal at times. If you practice enough, you can conquer them in not very many attempts, but most of the time there's no margin for error so frustration can set in pretty quickly. Scouring the immense (but undoubtedly beautiful) underwater depths for the next switch or pickup can also get tedious in a pretty short time. Had these been streamlined a little more, it probably would have been more accessible to a larger group of players. As it is, it's an adventure with striking construction, but may be a little too aggravating for some." - Ryan

"Lovely remake of the TR III Gold level. This level features some of the most difficult timed runs I've ever encountered in any TR level, official or otherwise. For some there is literally NO room for error. Zero wiggle room. Those runs have to be pixel perfect, and even then the doors are shutting on Lara's pretty ankles. I was doing exactly what another reviewer mentioned: saving during pull-ups and mid-jump after executing near-flawless segments of each timed run in order to spare myself the frustration of restarting from ground zero/in front of the trigger switch. Level design was tight, very reminiscent of the 20X20X20 challenges, with the exception of the underwater areas. The section of map with the circuit fuses was very jarring in comparison to the rest of the level. We went from small rooms and cramped hallways to being completely overwhelmed. Extremely large underwater rooms also tend to be frustrating as a general rule and this one was no exception. When it's dark with a lot of shadows and fish moving about, finding that necessary crevasse leading to the next key item becomes 10x harder and very frustrating. I logged approximately 90 minutes with this level, and a good 30 of those were spent in that underwater cavern swimming about scrutinizing each and every nook in search of the last fuse. On the plus side I loved blowing up the underwater propulsion units with the explosive harpoons. Combat was on the mild side and never overwhelming, which was good considering the limited arsenal. Also had fun getting stuck and un-stuck in the room with the locked door that requires assistance to open. Nice touch. I enjoyed pretty much everything about this level, with the exception of the overwhelming underwater room. Found 3 of 4 secrets. The last one was great with the 'easter egg' cameo. Again, those explosive harpoons. Bwa ha ha! At the end of the day, this is well worth playing through, and it's a solid addition to this year's wonderful CaC competition. TRXII has done a really phenomenal job of capturing the atmosphere and overall 'feel' of TR III Gold, and I have to give them serious props for that. To create something fresh that still manages to evoke the same experience as the 21 years old original level is, well, awesome. That's what the competition is all about right? Well done, mate. Well done." - Chel

"Lara visits SLInc's underwater base once again, this time with considerably increased difficulty, but equally improved atmosphere. The level begins by gradually unlocking the interior of the base, graduating to some difficult timed-run sequences to get to the upper levels, and then launches Lara into a giant grotto with an impressively sized second base and research lab, filled with sharks, hostile submarines, and a few creepy mutant alligators, all of which were fun to fight. Reading other reviews, I was prepared for the timed sequences to be difficult, and while they were tight (especially the very first one to open a trapdoor), I found I could accomplish them in five tries or fewer, helped along by saving every time I managed an especially tricky move. Late in the level, Lara acquires an aqualung (after a short backtrack) that significantly enhances the later stages of the game, since you no longer need to be concerned about air. This turned the exploration for switches in the cavern into a much more peaceful adventure, and I enjoyed the atmospheric ambient sounds, the colorful Lost Artifact texture set, and the creepy textures drawn from Reunion with the piles of bones. The architecture of this second base area was impressive, with giant metal supports anchoring the area to the ocean floor. It all added up to a pleasant adventure! The two gameplay mechanics I did not enjoy were the distance or obscurity of switch locations compared to what they actually opened, and the multiple instances of logical switch puzzles. While the logic puzzles can be accomplished by writing down which switch does what, I (and many other players) simply use trial and error, since this is the only way to find out what the switches do at first without other guidance. If there were some texture or note indicating the logic, these would have been much more enjoyable. I liked the final boss fight, especially the camera angle. The level took me two hours, although some of this involved backtracking or exploration when I became lost, and I only found one secret: the much-appreciated explosive harpoons which helped do away with the submarines." - Cbl

"Not for the faint-hearted, this one! The timed runs/swims are tight and, yes, I had to get some - in house' help. The underwater areas are absolutely stunning, albeit rather confusing as to where to go at times and, surprise surprise, the denizens of the deep are not at all friendly. Apart from sharks and divers, there are those submersibles firing at poor Lara as well, but at least she gets diving gear before doing too much swimming." - Jay

"As I Am a big fan of the TR gold levels, I enjoyed this level a lot! There is a strong resemblance to areas of the original TR3 gold level with the same name, but the author still managed to implement new ideas. Unfortunately the gameplay had its flaws, especially the nasty timeruns (one of them for a secret) were absolutely not to my taste. The valve puzzle was nice, but I wished there were some hints or tips for solving it, rather than trial and error (the camera hint showing the flames was not too helpful, except I would have drawn it to a paper, which valve activates what flame). Objects and environment were also fitting, even if I thought that the divers might have been a little bit too strong. An absolutely stunning part was the underwater cave section, where a lot of exploring was demanded. The level took me 1 and a half hour and I found 3 of 4 secrets. Recommended and especially for TR3 lovers." - MarlenaCrystal

"A level you should play in the middle of the competition pack since it suffers from "middle episode syndrome" with no strong ending or beginning - but as for such, it really stands strong: it's faithful to TR3 Gold which we rarely get remade, contains all the cramped twisted glass foreshadowing I would expect, yet still provides elements of surprise I didn't predict, therefore ticking all the boxes you need in a "new but classic" mission. I needed some time to get used to omnidirectional gameplay, and even more to find the fourth vial, but since I played this game on one of my stupid days (IQ -15 or lower), you might not even have that trouble. Good thing." - DJ Full

"On the one side an absolutely brilliantly set up level with masterful architecture, very careful texturing, decent lighting, customized objects, a lot of tricky timed runs and interesting exploration - on the other side too much of a good thing. The underwater caverns are fun to explore the first time around, but when you have to find yet another lever somewhere in the open and/or backtrack through the entire swimming area (as you have to do if you want to have the air lung), it becomes somewhat strenuous and quickly tedious. Also when there are repetitive setups with puzzles and parts where you pull a lever to open a door to find another lever. But still this level is not entirely boring, it really gives a good mix of everything otherwisely and the views are spectacular, with wide open spaces that are a feast at least for the eyes. The four secrets are very nicely hidden and the enemies are both well placed and diverse, with some nice fights underwater against sharks or mini U-boats. Also noteworthy was a scene where you have to lure a soldier somewhere to open a door, even if it is a bit obscure. A good level that can get an exercise in perseverance towards the end, but there are enough good moments to make it recommendable. 50 minutes." - manarch2

"So before playing this level I actually was not aware that it existed before in a directors cut of Tomb Raider 3, and that this TRLE would be a bit of remake of that level. Nontheless it was very fun to do overall as I'm the kind of person that enjoys water levels quite a bit. And in that it hit the atmosphere on the head. Ocean Floors, underwater caves, diving bells, fish - this level has it all, making it a stark contrast from either the Ship or Cister-type water levels I am more used to. And that is very much appreciated. Everything works well in that themeing, even the oddly viscious chaingun divers.
The gameplay however is a bit hit and miss. This specific level has a lot timed parts, both in pressing switching and having to get somewhere quickly and in swimming due to the nature of the Air Meter. And the timed puzzles in this level are sooooo damn tight. And counter what one might think with my nickname, tightness isn't always great. At various points I would save-scum the perfect movement to just barely make it. Especially for the secrets. Secrets that in the end weren't actually that useful. One of them awarded me with explosive bolts that I did not use once. There is even a boss fight-esque situation in this level, where explosive weapons turn out to be completely useless. On the flipside, the game equips you with plenty of poison arrows, which - even more than the original TR4 - are so powerful that more often than not you could spent one arrow on an enemy and then just move away from them, and in about 6 seconds they would be defeated. And there is more than ample supply of them too. So most of the pickups seemed to stay underused. Same goes for what felt like a forest of normal harpoon arrows I never used. Additionally, some the caves and places to go were extremely hard to find, since everything is kind of a coral-cave of sorts. But that might just be an extension of very well done textures and lighting. There is however quite a bit of back and forth where you would enter a room to push a switch that would open access to a switch in another room that felt a tard bit arbitrary. But all in all I very much enjoyed playing this level, especially with it's rare colorful visuals and endearing underwater caves! The Atmosphere is truely great." - The Snarky Lesbian