Level reviews

"Quite a nice looking cleopal-style level with nothing too demanding to accomplish. I had to consult the walkthrough a couple of times, just to remember where to go as there is quite a bit of backtracking and I still haven't managed to develop a sense of direction. It won't blow your socks off, but it's pleasant enough whilst it lasts." - Jay

"A rather standard release from the early days of TRLE'ing. Most of the reviews state how there's a lot of backtracking involved, so I decided to follow Harry's walkthrough closely to keep it down to a minimum. A few of the areas that you keep going back and forth are really just a sprint apart, so it's no big deal, but it does take it's toll as you end up going through some of the areas four or five times. Lighting and texturing are pretty basic, so not much else to state, really. 35 minutes, 3 secrets. 10/20" - Treeble

"Although this isn't badly made, I didn't really have a satisfying experience with this older level. The sole reason for this is the irritating backtracking from one end of the level to the other which probably padded out my playing time to close to an hour. Added to this, overwhelming skeletons and demigods with no explosive weapon and you have a level that should have been good but regrettably, wasn't." - Ryan

"This is an older level that's rated about where it should be. Other reviewers have consistently noted the basic flaw here -- the backtracking. There's plenty of light, so you don't have any trouble finding your way around, but the constant back and forth does get on one's nerves. Harry Laudie has provided a walkthrough that kept my playing time under an hour, although I can't really say it was a fun-filled hour. The enemies are pretty formidable for the provided weaponry -- skeletons, demigods and one harpy, not to mention the beetles that can't be killed under any circumstances. Much thought has gone into the gameplay itself, but unfortunately too little consideration has been given to the intangible "fun factor." Near the end you get scads of unnecessary pickups. Your long range quest is to find the mechanical scarab and the winding key, as suggested by the title, so you can make your way to the finish trigger. Playable but not particularly memorable." - Phil

"The starting area was promising with that antitriggers for the doors, but once you advance and left behind many closed doors everywhere you go, you know that the level wont be very funny. I never liked the phantom walls, and I never saw a hint for the safe tiles in the room where I placed the Pharos. There are a lot of skeletons chasing you in all rooms you can't blast until the very end when you get the grenade gun so, what is the crossbow or the uzi pickups for? The entire level is not so large, but you'll need to endure the constant backtracking all the time and repeat all the same movements a lot of times. The best, the texturization, but not an entertaining level." - Jose

"This was a good level through and through. Succinct room design, crafty trigger placement, and decent texturing distinguishes this adventure from many of the others that use this same setting. The backtracking, of which this level has plenty of, never got to the point of bothering me, as the level is not really that big. Just make sure your skeleton-avoiding skills are up to snuff! This is a relatively fun level that may tax your patience here and there, but I certainly enjoyed it overall." - Xela

"First off - someone has re-written the Title script from the Author's intended "Scarab" (good title;quite sharp and punchy)to "Beetle" (rather twee and harmless).Things dont really improve from there as,although the map itself is not as large as first appearances suggest,the amount of backtracking is ludicrous and infuriating.It's the old 'pull a lever,door on the other side of the level opens;inside which is a lever for a door at the opposite end of the level' style of gameplay,which is rarely satisfying.Added to this a host of skeletons which can only be destroyed at the very end (presumably intended to provide an adrenaline rush with which to enliven the countless backtracks)and several tedious demi-gods.Indeed,the scarabs of the title only make a short cameo appearance;so perhaps "Skeleton" would have been a more suitable title? Everything else is fine.Textures and lighting are entirely serviceable,and the level at least avoids many of the conventions of the Cleopal wad.Play only if you enjoy being surrounded by the undead." - Orbit Dream

"An Egyptian Cleopatra level that offers some challenge mainly with the enemies (you get the shotgun only at the middle and the grenade gun at the end against pesky skeletons) , there is also some good ideas through the course , the enjoyment being 'slow downed' by too much backtracking and some redoing, and there is not many cameras to help you but I think it's intentional , the map being not that big, the setting is rather well done, while the lighting is not always consistant. [ 49 minutes ]" - eRIC

"Kind of a cleopal level not so hard as I thought but a lot of running everywhere; need to be careful about spike traps and many skeletons. Hmm jump switch and lever opens some doors try to remember where gem knot and mechanical beetle need to be found. Not my favorite level sorry." - Yoav

"Run run run chased by a bunch of skeletons. You have to find the mechanical scarabee and the winding key to be able to escape from this palace of the dead. And the trick is to get them both. The gameplay isn't very hard if it wasn't for all those skeletons and no way to shoot them until the end.....but that is what makes this level." - G.Croft

"Afterwards I can say that this was enjoyable. Maybe because luck was with me but I never got stuck although I have to admit I had a good think about that timed door and a bit further on couldn't do anything anymore. In that case I will go in search of a wall one has to walkthrough or a hidden crawlspace in the few dark corners. Some flybys will give you hints where to go next and although I couldn't get the beetle first time around it became all clear later on. There are some spike traps and those nasty skeletons had me running like a mad woman. Still wonder what that statue of Lara was doing there. Found 3 secrets. 19-02-2003" - Gerty

"I spent an enjoyable half hour in this brightly lit and nicely textured Egyptian level. Your main objective is to find both the winding key and mechanical beetle with the side adventures finding the crowbar gem and Pharaoh's pillar as well as finding the necessary jump switches and pullable ropes running from beetles and harpies shooting skeletons and demigods and looking out for some spike traps. I really could have used some explosive crossbow ammo in this level. There is some backtracking to do and a door that closes when you step on a certain tile so watch out for it overall an entertaining adventure but nothing really difficult. After using the mechanical beetle the level ends as you slide down into what hopefully is our next adventure by this author." - RaiderGirl

"The level starts off with a couple of timed door runs that need a little thinking about before an easy passage through them. The level itself involves a few tricks and traps and is well lit and colorful throughout. It slowly turns into a memory teaser as you try to remember where all the doors are. There are a couple of long swims where Lara has to hold her breath for a long time. Quite an enjoyable level on the whole." - Doug E

"Thirty minutes for this level and although it doesn't have much difficulty I got stuck twice. One time because I missed a jump switch in a dark corner and one time with that walkthrough wall. I found three secrets and a pharo's knot the mechanical scarab and a gem in a cleopal environment. Not many objects inside the rooms if any and skeletons chasing you. It was very annoying to have the crossbow but not any explosive arrows or the laser-sight to at least decapitate them. Close the end you get the grenade gun and I have to admit I went and blasted all the skeletons to take my revenge for all that health lose throughout the level. Demigods a harpy and some beetles are the other enemies that will bug you throughout your tasks. It's a nice one with not many puzzles or exotic places to see but it can give you some fun." - Kristina

"Sometimes you come across a level that is quite bland to look at has lighting that is bright throughout with no subtle nuances to give the feel of realism and with gameplay that is fairly straightforward but for some reason you still find it somewhat compelling to play and that is just how this one was for me. In this 40 minute level you get a lot of back and forth play in a tomb like environment with a lot of skeletons some of which you can decide to trigger awake when you are ready and have the necessary weaponry a few demigods and just one set of beetles which was surprising as I assumed by the name I would be running from then at every turn. There's not much more to say about it other than I found 3 secrets and wish that I could have rated it higher as I enjoyed it more than my scoring shows." - Sash

"It's been a while since I roamed around in a Cleopal setting so I did enjoy myself quite a bit here. Until I got quickly stuck though not because of the walkthrough wall but because I failed to look up and spot the next path. Once that was overcome though the flow of the game is quite nice - never to hard but always something to do with quite a bit of going back and forth especially if you miss completing all the actions in a certain area. You need a gem a knot and the mechanical beetle and winding key to make your way to the exit safe after 45 minutes. A few helpful cut scenes three not too hard to find secrets and the cleopal enemies (demigods harpy beetles many skeletons) round up the picture. One to play in between all the tough levels out there." - Michael

"It starts very harmless in a Cleopatra setting that has a distinctive Tutorial quality to it. Oh well I thought it's one of them debut quickies with the standard first beginners mistakes accompanied by an easy and straightforward gameplay. Not quite. Although there are a few things which I hate like the walkthrough wall (smelled that right away though) the dark corners and the many pop up spikes when I slid down towards the finishing trigger after 45 minutes I felt a great sense of accomplishment and had to admit that I enjoyed the fast pace of this Egypt adventure immensely. Thing is most of the time a gang of skeletons is in hot pursuit and the grenade launcher is placed near the very end of the level. Ahh but you have to backtrack one more time and never was it so much fun to use the explosives. There are not that many puzzles or tricky jumps. It's more about noticing things in the dark and trying not to panic when another skeleton materializes beside you. The setting is a rather charmless Cleo tomb and lighting and textures won't leave you awestruck but the whole place is cleverly constructed the fly by is ok and helpful cutscenes are always appreciated." - Dimpfelmoser

"Lara starts in a temple. Textures are standard but cleanly applied. Lara has the task to find the scarab and it is not easy as there are a few devious traps ;-) The puzzles were nice a few jump combinations and dives were in there as well. Enemies were a demigod and especially pesky skeletons. I found three secrets and the crossbow but no explosive arrows. Maybe the author forgot to add them. At the end you find the grenade gun but that was too late ;-( Please add more ammo next time ;-)" - Engelchen Lara