Levels listed...
TR5 - 31
TR4 - 3141
TR3 - 177
TR2 - 133
TR1 - 61
72376 reviews (20.4/level)
3532 (99.7%) walkthroughs
445 Hall of Fame levels
1221 levels rated >= 8
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release date: |
31-Dec-2003 |
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# of downloads: |
90 |
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average rating: |
5.38 |
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review count: |
17 |
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review this level |
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file size: |
21.80 MB |
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file type: |
TR4 |
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class: |
Castle |
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| Reviewer's comments |
"The most elaborate of the author's early set and this time it feels too simple, to the extent I'm not sure what I've just explored (I guess we're somewhere in Rome). Also, we never did anything with that twin keyhole, did we?" - DJ Full (23-Mar-2023) |
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| "This level is simplistic in several ways. Gameplay is a straightforward run with a simple pushblock puzzle, some enemies to gun down, some jumps between platforms, and swimming (or rather, watching Lara being taken by a long current). Textures are wallpapered and stretched, the rooms tend to be big and empty, there is some dark/light variety in lighting but more contrast + colors would have been great. The flybys are arguably the strongest attribute of this adventure, even if there isn't too much for them to show off they still ramp up a sense of interest at the very least. 22 minutes." - JesseG (29-Oct-2021) |
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"The path from short form to full-length proved to be a bumpy ride for this builder, especially since he was still reeling from wrapping his head around custom wads. When it was released, this was the builder’s longest, but also his least consequential level. It’s the longest only because it introduces padding in the form of huge rooms and rooms without function, a beginner’s mistake that the earlier shorts successfully avoided (contra Treeble, who seems to think of padding only in terms of backtracking; although there’s that, too).
Once again the location is unidentifiable. The TR5 Rome textures are used indiscriminately, and the map is a sequence of random rooms that are basically green (occasionally pink) rather than a fortress or a castle (filename: ‘castle2’). For this reason, a few attempts at visual flourishes fall flat (a metal bridge, a giant pink hourglass structure, a translucent floor; all experiments in room geometry that never had any function assigned to them). A humongous room with five gigantic columns contains but one switch (at its far end, obviously) and a pushblock. eRIC considers it ‘architecturally impressive’; I’d say it’s too simple for that. It’s just very big.
Gameplay is further reduced to pushing switches that open doors and occasionally shooting some SAS (I didn’t like at all that you have to start the killing simply because one of them happens to carry a crucial key). Otherwise, there’s only a tedious pushable chore involving five pushblocks (more padding) and a simple sequence of basic jumps across the tops of some pillars. Rehashing a scene from Palace 1, the builder has you harassed by two skeletons you while you’re pushing more levers. One door opens before Lara has time to finish her key animation, so I’m not convinced that key was even necessary. The three-tiered structure at the beginning looks the most interesting in terms of gameplay, but there’s really nothing to it; you simply climb it (ignoring the redundant pole) in order to reach a door. The level also contains Richard Ba’s most excruciatingly pointless flybys yet (one takes forever meandering its way through the three-tiered structure you’ve climbed before, lingering on inexplicably blurry textures and using up two different audio tracks in the process; the other, at the end, circles a random, unappealingly textured tall structure in an empty courtyard). At least the fixed cameras are gone.
The game refuses to ever go to title screen, and it crashes at the end. There are other reasons why the level appears to be unfinished (as most reviewers have pointed out)—or rather, it appears to have been made up as the builder went along and then arbitrarily abandoned. Just like there never was a Palace 2, no Fortress 2 ever came to be; but I doubt that a sequel would have made the thing more coherent, as with this level, if not already with Palace 1, Richard Ba seems to have embarked on a journey that took him ever farther out there." - Mulf (24-Feb-2021) |
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| "I'm not entirely convinced this was a fortress, but otherwise this is a pretty standard and straightforward level using TR5 Rome assets. Gameplay narrows down to finding buttons and keys, but it's not too taxing and there's hardly any padding so that's a plus. Some of the objects looked "new", but I'm not sure whether it's just because they don't get used often or if they've been retextured. Other than that, not much else to say, really. Oh, the ending seemed to come rather abruptly. 20 minutes. 09/20" - Treeble (20-Sep-2020) |
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| "This started out quite well, but at the
end of the 25 minute duration, I felt that
with a little more work it could have been
so much better than it is now. The Roman
environments aren't too badly put together
(although a few of the rooms are a bit too
bare) and the enemy attacks are quite well
placed, but as a whole, I thought this was
unfinished. There was a locked door
requiring two keys that I never managed to
open, a disconcerting swimming sequence,
an unreachable Golden Rose in an empty
courtyard and an odd room near the end
where either a door will open for you, or
it won't. In my case, it didn't but there
was a crawlspace nearby so I just used
that instead. All in all, I felt more than
a little want after playing this level." - Ryan (17-Jun-2018) |
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| "It's the first time I suffer such an issue in a custom level. No way to go back to the title screen (the game starts again) and even when Lara dies, the game starts again and never goes to the title screen. It seems it's an unfinished level from this author, I left a closed door (two keys to open it) near the beginning, a huge room with a golden rose I never could get, the last huge courtyard where the level ends when entering... (the level crashes here, it's the only way to go back to Windows desktop without using the administrator tasks or shut off the PC). Few SAS to shoot, some flybys to create atmosphere, an easy puzzle with moveable blocks and some switches to pull. Many rooms are too huge and empty, except for the columns, but it notices an effort taking care with the new textures. Not very interesting but playable." - Jose (10-Nov-2016) |
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| "Despite a lot of the aspects within this TR5-styled Rome level being fairly adequate for the most part, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this to players(due to the clearly unfinished nature of the experience, with dodgy texturing from time to time alongside plenty of lifeless empty rooms and an irritating glitch that prevents you from exiting to the title screen, not really leading to a good lasting impression.)
So best to just skip this one." - Ceamonks890 (18-Jul-2015) |
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| "A level with mostly Roman textures , mixed with others giving to it a bit of surrealist touch. There are some blurred textures as well and it's not very pretty. I like the metallic bridge though , and the big room with white and red tiles is rather impressive architecturally. The level is quite simple and you hit the finish trigger without the feeling of having achieved something, maybe it is because some of the places were unreachable , or was it because there was not enough action ? I quite liked the long journey when Lara is carried away by water current. A user-friendly level." - eRIC (03-Jun-2008) |
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| "This is not a bad level but I think there would have been much more produced out of this level. You have to collect 2 Fortress Key and 2 Pieces while fighting with armed men. The block-pushing is also quite simple. The only place where you have to be a bit quick is next to the 2 skeletons pulling the lever. The textures are great but the huge chambers are a bit empty. The added sounds are great. Thought it was a good adventure.:)" - Obig (02-Mar-2004) |
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| "This is a short simple not unattractive level that didn't quite live up to its potential. Push a few levers/buttons solve a very easy block puzzle shoot a few guards (you get an uzi an HK AND a revolver) pick up a moon and sun piece and basically that's it. A very abrupt ending and there were definitely things left undone. Perhaps part 2 will be a little more rewarding in the gameplay department." - Jay (26-Jan-2004) |
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| "As others have stated this seems to be an unfinished half of a two part intermingled set of Rome inspired levels at the moment and will only really open up and make full sense once Fortress 2 comes along. This said you still get a few nice elements a multi movable block puzzle a fun currented maze of water tunnels you get whisked through and a column jumping room but at only 25 minutes and with a couple of things left undone a rose on a large building uncollected some keys to open a door at the start of the level not yet included this should really be left to play once it's future half has been released." - Sash (24-Jan-2004) |
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| "The start of this game is rather nice and you even see some rain. Enemies just some guards and skeletons and although Lara could walk and even chat with the guards you have to shoot them as one of them has something the girl needs. There is some block pushing and finding keys is her goal. There are lots of nice flybys that could use some tuning and aaaaaaaaah butts four of them. Haven't seen those around for a long long time. There was a door that opened before Lara could turn the key and that is the end. Found the same rose as the other reviewers and although I did my best there is no way to get it. 03-02-2004" - Gerty (14-Jan-2004) |
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| "I found this level rather boring short and far too many very large rooms with little in them. Five SAS to kill and a couple of skeletons to avoid and that constitutes the enemies. Objects non to frequent either. A long and to me pointless swimming in currents with no real control session did not endear me to this level either. The textures and lighting were average and nothing spectacular. The flybys I found jerky (not my machine) and unnecessary. A short level - one to miss in its present state although I feel it is a level yet to be finished." - Whistle (11-Jan-2004) |
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| "Sometimes lovely atmosphere and textures giving to the level good feeling. It's an easy level. Simple Puzzles and you can play to the end with not getting stuck at all. Enjoyed to play it. " - Yoav (03-Jan-2004) |
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| "A comparatively large download size for a 25 minute gameplay-lite piece of raiding methinks. Ricardo's previous levels were all rather short so when I downloaded this and saw 155 rooms in the converter I settled in for an epic raid.And to be fair it starts rather well with interesting use of architecture; but after ten minutes or so you start getting that familiar 'This is not especially interesting is it? I think I'll sprint'-feeling coming on. Sure enough after a particularly bizarre water-sink sequence (which must have accounted for at least 20 of the total number of rooms) and an annoying 'take the wrong route and you get irreversibly stuck' moment the level comes to an abrupt end in a large Courtyard with nothing particularly interesting within. There were also several rooms which appeared to have no point to them. Ultimately this was a pretty pointless 25 minutes which (taking into account the download size) it would be hard to recommend. Nice textures though." - Orbit Dream (02-Jan-2004) |
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| "One of my favourite settings Rome is presented here. Lara in a black cat suit with wanders in huge basically empty rooms looking for keys and a two piece object taken from the original level 'Colosseum' in TRC. Although the textures seem a little mixed with what looks like different tiles on some sides of the walls it is a pleasant environment to play in. After a few buttons a rather very easy moving blocks puzzle and some swimming Lara finds herself looking down in a huge room that has a tall column in the middle and a rose on top of it but it looks like there is no way to get it. Going down again and around the corner after a long hallway the level ends rather sudden crashing to the desktop. There was a feeling of non accomplishment in the end; I didn't find two keys which had to be used right at the start in a door with two key holes and one door opened before Lara inserts the key in the key hole just by starting the animation. Since the title is 'Fortress 1' I believe there will a sequel which justifies in a way the ending although there is another level of this author indicating the same thing but to that day we haven't had the pleasure of seeing a second part. If there were more puzzles and enemies other than the SAS and skeletons I believe it would have been enjoyable." - Kristina (02-Jan-2004) |
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| "This starts out so promising with Lara in her black catsuit and headset a great use of music and sounds solidly crafted setting and fairly straightforward and linear but still fun gameplay. Not to forget the HK gun always a nice to have weapon. A few buttons and levers to push a few SAS to kill two skeletons to avoid keys and a Moon and a Sun piece are being used. But then there are tedious gameplay elements added such as an obvious push five blocks into place puzzle the rooms get bigger and bigger but are still quite empty the texturing is a bit mixed and patchy and despite a few nice effects more could be done with lighting. And then very sudden it just ended for me after a flyby in the outside area after only 25 minutes with a crash to the desktop? Not sure if that was really the end and/or if that has anything to do with the four 'Lara butts' encountered near were the skeletons were. Also I did see the huge room with the golden rose near the end but have no clue how to get it (presumably a secret). Will be happy to replay this if there was any bug in it that needed fixing and change my review then." - Michael (01-Jan-2004) |
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