Level reviews

"Picking up exactly where we left off in the first level, gameplay continues outside to another new area with lots of buildings, living spaces, courtyards and rooftops to explore for items and keys etc with some Ninjas, guards and aggressive dogs for company. After a while it looked like maybe this was just gonna be another carbon copy of the first level but luckily I was wrong because about halfway through after we've found the components to activate a lift, the environment changes to VCI style sky scraper! with offices, ventilation shafts, and lift shafts to explore this time. Unfortunately gameplay doesn't change in the second half with no puzzles, traps or timed sequences or runs but overall they say a change is as good as a rest so I did appreciate and enjoy this element and of course that zip-line from sky scraper to sky scraper near the end that was pretty cool !" - John

"As in the first part of this adventure, I found the somewhat cartoon-like graphics of the city oddly endearing. Just as well really, as there's a lot of exploring to do. There's nothing particularly challenging, but it entertains well enough and there are some enjoyable moments too. I shot the first ninja I encountered, but subsequently realised that they weren't any threat so really it was just a matter of shooting a few dogs. I also thought some of the camera angles were effectively and artistically presented." - Jay

"This pretty much carries on where the first Peaceful City level ended. The patchwork textures are again probably a matter of taste but personally I thought the look of the place was quite pleasing. At least the gameplay is improved over the first one. The tasks are more varied and involving, there's a lesser feeling of just wandering around without a clue and you do feel more of a sense of accomplishment upon reaching the final flyby (loved the final zip line too), although the gameplay is never particularly challenging and you're mostly sure what your next step is going to be. I did wonder about the significance of those ninjas that never posed a threat (granted, they did go into a defensive stance when Lara drew a weapon) and whether, like in the first part, those unopened doors even hid anything. But, quite good fun for those not expecting a too tough experience." - Ryan

"Peaceful? Well, not so peaceful 'cause the dogs attack Lara, but you can avoid shooting ninjas and soldiers though. It was not good for me to look for a moveable block through the entire city with only three flares and no hints, but once I found it, the gameplay was fluid and tasks were not very tedious except in the ducts, where I got out of flares and the lonely pack I found was near the end. There is also a situation to get players disoriented, in the corridor where you can open a door even when it has a nearby keyhole. Only a simple puzzle with the moveable in the ducts, the remaining tasks are pull switches and search for items to use in receptacles. There are new textures, and the lights are well worked too. Playable, but not very entertaining." - Jose

"I replayed the first level in the series to gain a sense of continuity, having reviewed in back in my formative years when I was giving top scores to everything. For some reason I was rather scathing in my review of this one, perhaps in an effort to achieve some balance. My review today would be a bit more mellow, and my scores perhaps a bit higher. In any event, this second level marks a dramatic improvement over the first one. The tasks here are not so apparently aimless, everything flows along smoothly and there's a real sense of accomplishment when the 54-minute adventure is over. The suburban city environs differ only slightly from the first level and have the same crude appearance as before, but this time we're definitely treated to a fun raid. Yoav has provided a compact walkthrough that covers all the bases clearly and concisely. I got tired of all those assassins who would hunker down in their defensive positions behind the safety of an office desk, so I manufactured a grenade gun and blew them away without ceremony. Looking forward to the third and final adventure." - Phil

"This is quirky and fun,and very rarely difficult to follow.Nonetheless,it's something of an aquired taste;partly because of the exclusive use of custom textures (somewhat bright and cartoonish),and partly because of the lack of aggressive enemies - most simply stand or run around and ignore you completely.The latter half of the level also contains a somewhat irritating back-and-forth quest for keys,with a little too much crawling through small air-ducts;but there are enough funny and inventive moments to keep you happily entertained - especially the wonderful zip-line Finale,which is probably the most creative use of this particular device I've ever encountered.The secret is hardly worth the effort of going after,but the combination of creativity and entertainment ensures that you'll spend a pleasing hour here." - Orbit Dream

"This level was a lot more difficult than the first. I spent an hour running around wondering where to go. Once I found a pushable block, I could progress. There are hidden obsticles in your way and I liked this as it adds to the gameplay. The scenery was much like that last and I loved the camera work in this level. This was a much better level to play but I was a little frustrated at the start, not knowing where to go. And I found out that the story was to find a lost doggie. Awww! :)" - Necro

"It continues where the first part left off, too bad we can't go on with a savegame of that, because we won't get any flares till the much later part of the level. And since it's quite dark, that was unconvenient, although at the end where really needed we were given enough. The same cartoonlike textures as in the first part, also the enemies are only dogs, humans were peaceful, except the two guards on the 26th floor. When they were shooting, it came with the sound of water flowing, perhaps they had waterguns? Apart from that error the author handled sounds very well, the clinking of shatterable objects, the alarm sound when going into a house was a nice touch. I liked the cameras too, specially the one with the elevator going up, that was brilliant. Finding the way in the town, and zip lining from building to building was rather exciting and fun, although the space could have been used even more. Unfortunately gameplay in the tower fell into boredom, as we go back and fro in dark corridors and crawlspaces. The long zip line and finding the dog, again left good things to the end." - Akcy

"Only just finishing this level recently I was frustrated by this level. I must have spent at least a week finding the fuses for this map only to find out there is a trick to opening the steel cupboards. I didn't like the level layout at all because buildings were placed obscurely and not much thought went into the design of the areas. I happened to like all the cut scenes as they are of a good quality. I am going to give some more marks for the original texturing. I think there should have been some more flares to help earlier on because I was using the muzzles flare to get around in the dark a lot. This is not a bad level but certain elements detract from the game and give it a negative feel to it. Still not a bad level though. If I had to give this level a grade I would give it a C+ high pass mark." - The Aussie Adventurer

"That Level acts strange in me. At the beginning I cannot find where to go and there is not so much fun; but then step by step I can go on and at least it captures my attention. Homemade Textures - really hard work on this side - little errors of being not so exactly. Nice office rooms - and a good Elevator. Cameras - I liked them very much. The enemies for me have no sense; Rest is enough to play. But you have to find the dog (like Level 1) Sounds ok. That Level is not usual but creative Work should be honored. I liked the elevator scene and the good look you had being upstairs near the office entrance...A little idea for the Builder - Learn to change the Names of Artefakts in the Script and you will give more Reality to your Games...." - Miguel

"The architecture of this level is fine a nice town/cityscape and well laid-out offices but the texturing is so naive you'd think a child had coloured it in with crayons or poster paint. There are posters on the walls with a dog picture and the words 'Gesucht 50€'. I don't understand the language but I'm guessing that it means 'wanted' or 'lost' dog. So is Lara's mission to find the dog? There's a cleverly hidden moveable block behind a door. There's ninjas and red-eyed dogs about but they just ignored me. So it is a peaceful city a child's world and maybe it's a level created for a child to play! I particularly liked the view through the windows of the city at night across the river and the camera shots as you go through the air vents between offices the lift(elevator) and a terrific zipline ride. I did find the 'red key' to open that door at the end but I couldn't figure out how to get back out again so I had to go back to the savegame before the zipline. In the end Lara sees the dog I presume the one she's looking for but when she tries to get at it the level ends so we'll have to see what happens in the next level. I'm just annoyed about that key I couldn't use. Very enjoyable and highly recommend level - for all age groups." - CC

"Textures resemble comic books -- flat and boring. The areas are much too dark with NO FLARES. There are no challenges. Don't know why the designer redid Peaceful City and made it worse. And what is with the ninjas who don't fight back? Where is the challenge in killing an enemy that doesn't fight back." - Dougsan

"This one starts right where Peaceful City 1 left Lara. And she's still looking for that dog but this time the posters show a reward of 50€. In the very end I discovered WHICH dog she was looking for this one is lovely not aggressive as the others. In fact the dogs are the unique hostile unities here you don't have to kill anything else - although I killed one Night Vision Goggle soldier by accident. But the gameplay is as great as the previous one a little better in my opinion and the textures on this one are just awesome. But the best part was the zipline camera angles in the end they were great! All in all this is a fun level that every raider might enjoy." - Treeble

"I always like the style and looks of this author's levels - with all the new textures they are interesting and fun to play and have a look all their own. Apparently the objective of this level is to find the author's long lost dog by exploring a small city and finding some gems hands and fuses to get into all the buildings. Fairly simple but I got stuck a few times at the beginning because I missed a pushable block and didn't think to drop backwards out of a window in order to shimmy to an area that I couldn't even see. From then on though it was pretty straightforward and had some cool things to see like the well-done elevator sequence. When you reach the third zip line you can drop backwards and shimmy to the left and eventually reach the key that leads to the secret door after the zip line but as it's only some flares and the level ends right after you may not want to waste your time." - RaiderGirl

"By starting this level I saw the posters still on the wall so the dog hasn't been found yet. This level has more in it than his first and I was glad that I wasn't the only one stuck in the beginning as I completely missed that pushable block. It is sort of straight forward from that point on and I also overlooked that first closet thanks Fairy Godfather and Kris. There are Hands and Gems to find later 2 fuses and a key. Do look everywhere as there are cracks in the wall you have to use. There are also some zip lines some crawling and even a blue ball to shoot. I only shot the dogs and not one of the other enemies apart from the last dog as I found the long lost pet. Found 1 secret. 10-12-2002" - Gerty

"Two gems two hands two fuses two keys (one Golden and one Red for the one secret I found). Then a bunch of dogs and the occasional tricky movable block to spot. Three zip lines that are fun and many blue doors. Still I did like the cartoon atmosphere that carried over from part 1 and thought the VCI elements seemed out of place although the elevator was really well done. Mission accomplished - lost dog found and luckily it was not any of those I had shot." - Michael

"Let me just tell you that this level has the first real depiction of an elevator ride that I have seen in any level up to now it's brilliant in fact what this level did excel in was some great camera work but unfortunately there was a lot that it suffered with. There are thin walls enemies of the human variety that all acted strangely in one way or another some oddly placed doors doors and door receptacles (for gems and Hands) that looked very out of place in the environment some sounds that just didn't match and a section of elevator shaft with climbing and crawling that you seemed to do over and over and when you thought you had left it behind once and for all you then find yourself there one more time. I did however still enjoy the 50 minutes I spent in this peaceful city especially with the 3 zip lines but there's no doubt with some more diversity in tasks and a little fine tuning in the look this would have been a much more enjoyable level." - Sash

"It looks the same and generally is the same. You start where you left off by the pool those who played the first part know what I mean with the same thin walls everywhere and the dark atmosphere. I needed help to finish it thanks to FG not exactly because it's very difficult but because it has a weird gameplay if you ask me I don't know how to describe it. Two hands two gems two fuses are the items needed to reach the end with a few ninjas just standing there not bothering you unless you shoot at them but still they will not attack. The dogs on the other hand will attack but the friendly soldiers will not help you with your enemies so don't rely on them they keep still at times. The zip lines are something interesting here and the way the level ends. You see Lara high up going across to the next building although when you land there is a key needed to open a door which I didn't find but if you slide forward after killing the dog you can finish. I suppose there will be a sequel judging from the end but if it looks like this I will pass." - Kristina

"I find it hard to believe that this uneventful level comes from the same author who brought us the rather entertaining Cold Winter Nights. All right this continues where the first part of Peaceful City ends and settingwise you get the same clean unreal environment. The pushable block at the start is not that easy to spot (thanks to FG for pointing it out to me) but from then on the gameplay is rather easy with some backtracking that involves a few long climbs and too much crawling. There are a number of rooms that have no purpose whatsoever but that's life for you I guess. However there are no puzzles in this level nor any jumps or traps which makes the gameplay extremely tedious. As the title suggests even the people you meet are all kinda nice so it's up to the occasional dog to provide all the excitement. I reached the end after 55 minutes and was relieved that the mission was over and that Lara had finally found the lost dog. The best part for me was the elevator ride as this has been somewhat of a problem in the past. I mean in most of the levels Lara just pushes a button and nothing happens for 10 seconds and then the door opens again and you step out onto another floor without feeling that the cabin has actually moved one inch. Now here it is cleverly done as you get a cut-scene of the lift moving up as soon as Lara pushes the button (or is it a lever?); then the camera cuts back to Lara just as the elevator comes to a rumbling halt and the doors zazoong open. I wish everything else would have made as much sense but the hands and gems seemed out of place and the shooting sphere task was so contrived. I hope the author continues his efforts with where he left it with Cold Winter Nights rather than building another level in this vein." - Dimpfelmoser