Level reviews

"I guess it is very fair to provide the Bonus Demo levels that were not easy to get to in the original VR release for the general public. And with this builder, a level that is labeled a demo will typically surpass full level releases by others in both quality, difficulty and duration, which is exactly the case here too. This separate release will give you easily 2 hours of net gaming split in two levels that will later on feature within an even larger project (at least presumably so). And yes, I am very partial to the Steampunk assets used, which made me enjoy my time, searching for buttons and levers high and low, but as I do have a tendency to get a little lost in the builder's levels, there were also moments of frustration for me, where I then resorted to the walkthrough to move along. Still, of course, top quality raiding here in fantastic visuals, so don't miss out." - MichaelP

"wow i wasn't expecting a new demo of this project that i've been waiting for for years, since the 2015 demo (which is possibly out of date or completely changed). this project is really ambitious but has some problems and could be revised by the author, let's start. the gameplay has a huge problem because you get stuck every 2s. it's kind of hard to find your way around or where things are and i kept looking for a door to open for hours and then found out it was in another room with another locked door. another thing, the geometry buries you all the time jumping here, there and it starts to annoy you a lot, the gameplay is pretty dull with unbearable backtracking, 24/7 of the map and going there to use a switch, platforming there opens a rasing_block use a switch, platforming, button and so on without real puzzles. the puzzle of using the platforms to your advantage was clever but I missed puzzles with logic or that you need to do something more, level design is perfect but has a slight lag (at least for me) lacks a fog in the scene to make it natural, the lighting is flat, that puzzle where you have to step on certain blocks (which is a very subtle hint) got me stuck, there's no way of knowing that it's a puzzle, there's a lack of feeling of progress in all 2 levels and the LOOP track stressed me out to the point of making me switch to 2 from AOD which matched much better. the snakes when you fill them up with water are buggy, and the donkey kong music doesn't suit TR, let alone a steampunk style. Apart from that and the project is very promising as it's going to be a giant HUB, it needs a balance in the gameplay so that it doesn't become boring, too difficult or too repetitive...I finished everything in 3 hours...optional....." - PedroCroft_

"It's great that these levels have finally been put up for general release, as they provide a tantalising glimpse into what the potential full version will look like. Lara's extended moveset gets quite the workout, although the sprint jump sequences were a bit too finicky. Aside from that (and a couple of instances where camera clues would have been handy), these are eminently enjoyable levels in tastefully crafted surroundings. A joy to play and I eagerly await the full version." - Ryan

"I'm glad that these demo levels were separated from the non-Tomb Raider mission exercises bundled with the download at trcustoms.org. Both are excellent, and the first one would qualify as a stand-alone level in its own right. Some relatively new animation is introduced here, such as standing on vertical poles and climbing onto horizontal poles. I was stumped for a while near the end of the second level until Mulf explained that a sprint jump can be performed in close quarters without first taking the obligatory three hops back. Ammo is provided for a crossbow that never makes an appearance, and this will presumably be dealt with in the full version. Lighting was ample throughout and the environs are tastefully rendered. The looping music became rather annoying in the second level, but I fixed that by deleting a couple of sound files. All in all, a very satisfying effort, and I'm looking forward to the release of the full version." - Phil

"Glad it got its own release, as it was hard to access for the majority. Audiovisually and immersely close to perfect. Big, but possible to handle bit by bit. The downside is repetition which evens the slow pace everywhere, and the lag which made me extra tired - so maybe it should become a TombEngine project? Still one of the most solid demos, and I'm sure with some extra care the full version will be shabazing." - DJ Full