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Restless in Paris - Dawn in the Backyards by Miss Kroft

Aims 9 10 9 9
AlexCroft 10 10 10 10
Andzia9 10 10 10 10
Bene 8 9 9 8
Bigfoot 10 10 10 10
CC 8 8 9 8
Duncan 9 8 10 9
eRIC 9 9 9 9
eTux 9 9 9 9
Gerty 8 9 9 9
Gill 8 8 9 9
High Priestess 10 9 9 10
Jay 8 9 10 9
John 5 7 7 7
Jorge22 10 9 10 9
Jose 8 10 10 9
Kristina 8 8 9 9
Loupar 8 9 9 9
manarch2 8 9 8 9
MichaelP 8 8 10 10
mugs 8 9 9 9
Mytly 8 10 9 10
Obig 9 9 10 9
Phil 8 8 9 9
QRS 10 10 10 10
Ravenwen 10 10 10 10
Relic Hunter 9 9 10 9
Ruben 10 9 9 10
Ryan 9 9 10 9
Samu 9 9 9 9
Sash 8 8 9 9
Scottie 9 9 10 10
Selene 9 8 10 10
Sethian 6 6 7 7
Shandroid 9 9 10 10
Sutekh 8 8 9 8
Treeble 7 7 8 7
 
release date: 05-Feb-2005
# of downloads: 149

average rating: 8.93
review count: 37
 
review this level

file size: 45.00 MB
file type: TR4
class: City
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
moneek@hemikro.com

Reviewer's comments
"While i appreciated the variety of areas to explore, the platforming around the rooftops and into buildings and the amount of detail and work put into the level i unfortunately did not care for the red herring areas, completely obscure item finds, tedious backtracking and dull and repetitive textures. I can see and appreciate the amount of tasks and gameplay put in here but i just found myself in areas i couldnt progress in yet and had to keep backtracking to find more switches or items which i found quite boring really, i did eventually have to use a walkthrough and i hoped using that would curb my irritation and boredom but i was disappointed as i just feel this level lacked anything fun to do or anything pleasing to the eye" - John (08-Mar-2022)
"Gameplay & Puzzles: This is an overtly confusing and drawn out level. One of the major issues is that you find the torch way too soon, need to toss it, and then must remember where exactly you tossed it once you have a fire to light it from, and some flammable tanks to ignite. This puzzle in itself was cool of course, but the entire level’s gameplay was just so badly structured. Furthermore, the CD key is one you find very early on, and you only use it at the very end, to the point I had forgotten I had it. Sure, there’s lots of exploration here, and the drive with the little car is sort of fun too, but I honestly thought the author did a poor job at making a coherent level that flowed. Sure, in the end all the pieces come together, but I still think it could’ve been structured better since while the level pretends to be ‘open-world’ and ‘non-linear’, you still need to follow a specified route in order to make it work.

Enemies, Objects, Secrets: For once, Secrets are actually well hidden by Miss Kroft, and I only found them due to checking the walkthrough – since the main gameplay was so harrowing and messy. Some object placement was a bit unrealistic, but I sure am happy that CDs can survive underwater in sewers. Then there is the idea of using the Piece of Wire as a pick- lock to open a door – this is brilliant of course but simply way too obscure and unclear that it serves as a key replacement. And when it comes to the traps, it got a bit annoying how the only way to circumvent the barbed wire was to run through it and take lots of damage. At least Enemies were a good mix and placed in an interesting fashion throughout the map.

Atmosphere, Sound, Cameras: The atmosphere is greatly enhanced by the AOD music that always works, especially for a Paris setting such as this. However, that aside, there was hardly any atmospheric lighting in this level – everything bland and monotone. Cameras were helpful at times, and non-existent at other times when I really needed them – for example, when we pick up the Piece of Wire, a simple camera showing us the lock we are meant to use it on would have made all the difference. The opening cutscene was cool at least, and a great way to set the stage for the story… a story which however seems to go nowhere since the level abruptly ends and no sequel was ever made.

Lighting & Textures: As already mentioned, the lighting really falls short and could’ve been greatly improved. Texturing is good at least, as is the architecture and room geometry used to create authentic Parisian backstreets. There was one instance where monkey swings are obscurely textured as lights along the ceiling – this was silly. At another instance the author used a climb-wall texture that wasn’t climbable but lead to where I needed to go… so instead I had to get there by jumping up onto a different platform. So, while there were some very odd design choices I didn’t agree with, sure, the whole thing passes for a ‘city’ level – Miss Kroft just needs to figure out how to structure her gameplay areas better." - Sethian (22-Oct-2020)
"A very beautiful Parisian level I play again. A lovely adventure through the backyards of Paris with a nice atmosphere and a very good use of textures and lighting. The level is quite easy and take to me 1 hour to finih it. I really loved visit buildings, sewers and streets. Another good entry by Miss Kroft and I can just recommended the game for everyone. Congratulations!!" - Bigfoot (14-May-2020)
"This is an astounding bit of gameplay here set in a lovely Parisian environment. Be warned there can be a lot of back- tracking but nothing too taxing once you become familiar with the surroundings. There is not an inordinate amount of enemies so you can explore without too many interuptions. I completed this level a long way back but for some reason, neglected to review it - possibly because the site was temporarily down at the time and then I thereafter forgot. I had to return this time with the aid of the video walkthrough because I had neglected to pick up the car keys from a balcony and you'll need the car in order to drive up some steep slopes near the level's end. Don't neglect to check the yellow post boxes either - I thought I was supposed to post letters but there are items within. Highly recommended - especially for urban/city enthusiasts like myself. It was a pleasure to revisit." - High Priestess (07-Jan-2018)
"Nice and hilarious opening scene with Lara belting out a tune on the piano; who knew that she knew so many chords?. I'm a big fan if Monika's levels, so was glad to come across this one as she doesn't seem to be interested in building do far. Lara gets to explore a very spacious and nonlinear Parisian town in search of a torch (situated in a mailbox), a CD and the garage keys to be able to liberate a red car to end the level. The AOD background wasn't too annoying; on the contrary, it set a peaceful mood. If you're a fan of exploration- based levels, this is one for you." - Ryan (18-Oct-2016)
"This is one of the most beautiful custom level ever played; the atmosphere, those ambients and circumstances songs, recall me so much Tomb Raider 6: Angel of Darkness. Urban Parisien landscapes are setted perfectly, right quality of gameplay, that is barely enough difficult specially at the beginning but, once time someone has been in gear in the whole game system, it flows straightforwardly. This level deserves the top, I'll wait for a sequel of this level. Congratulations, Miss Kroft!!! Great work!!!" - AlexCroft (08-May-2016)
"This is a very pretty level. I must say that the starting cutscene is rather impressive and draws you in the game. The gameplay is pretty non-linear but if you are observant enough you can avoid most of the backtracking. I found the little hints along the way to be pretty ingenious, especially the ones giving information on what to do much later in the level. So, not much confusion for me, but I still was missing something in the gameplay, mainly because there's too much exploration and not enough puzzles or traps. Sure, the roof jumps were enjoyable, but they are just a very small part of the whole level. The enemies (from TR 2 and TR 3 Gold) were very well put into scene and there are quite a few nice object usages, like the mailboxes, several new pushable items and a rotating ladder, and the two secrets were rather fun to find, although I could imagine a few more secret places at several points. The atmosphere in this level is really lovely, and in general the streets are well crafted, though I really disliked that most buildings have no roofs and are just cut off at the top, sometimes I couldn't quite connect to the architecture which felt a bit to simplistic in parts. Texturing and lighting are fairly strong, the only gripe I had was that textures could be a bit more consistent on the buildings. Overall, this is a nicely flowing and beautiful 50 minute level you shouldn't miss. Too bad there's no contuation." - manarch2 (08-Mar-2014)
"This review is quite a few years late, I'll admit, but as I've been in a very nostalgic mood lately (after going through all the main TR games and my own custom levels), I remembered I did a voiceover for Miss Kroft and never played the level to its finish trigger. I will not lie - it took me nearly three days to actually complete my expedition here, and switching between this level and other games didn't do me any favors. It's a vast map, plenty of key areas and its non linear aspect can slow down the pace, but eventually you start fiding the pieces and putting them together. While I can't say it feels like Paris, I can't deny the town aspect is very crafitly designed, Lara doesn't look half bad sporting a pink variant of her outfit, and there are a few cool touches here there, such as the 'new' objects - mind how late I'm to the party here - and the use of Parisian AOD themes. Be warned, however, that you may be stuck every now and then wondering where you're supposed to go to next. 80 minutes, 2 secrets. 08/12" - Treeble (11-Aug-2012)
"This level is very non-linear - as befits a large, open city area, of course. But it can get quite confusing when you keep reaching places without the necessary items to continue - for example, the sewers without the crowbar, or the garage without the car keys. Of course, once you do reach a place, you can often open up shortcuts, but there is still a considerable amount of backtracking involved in running around in the city itself. The overall purpose of your actions doesn't start to become clear until nearly the very end, when it all comes together satisfactorily. There are some cool moments, like blowing up barrels to clear a path, clambering up on the rooftops, and breaking into various apartments (naughty Lara!)
The textures and lighting are great, and the lovely dawn sky is the icing on the cake. There are a lot of beautiful objects, like the lovely lampposts, and the cute little half-gate that Lara can open, and not to mention the adorable red car. There are also a lot of shatterable objects - in fact, a general rule of thumb in this level is: when in doubt, shoot everything! The city feels almost real, and is extremely beautiful. Unfortunately, the sense of 'reality' is sometimes broken by things like reaching the end of the world (or to be more precise, the top of the world). Fog, which could have added to the atmosphere, is used rather badly: it appears in random ball-like clumps all over the place. The cutscene at the beginning is superb, with great animations and good voice acting. A pity this level was never continued, so poor Jean-Yves remains un-rescued. Overall: A very enjoyable and different kind of city raid (hey, it's Paris after all - even the sewers are pretty!) Definitely recommended, but keep the walkthrough handy." - Mytly (29-May-2011)
"Do look thus the intestines of Paris? Nice to see that the saying "there are two sides to every question" also valid for Paris is. And sometimes I have asked myself whether Miss Kroft has illustrated the reality, or whether everything has arisen from her imagination. Everything looked so great and realistic, that I'd loved to drive to Paris to look for the scenes. But the level is built not only well, also the riddles are worthy of notice. However, it is a pity that Miss Kroft has not built the continuation. Thus I will probably never find out whether Lara could free her friend Jean-Yves from the claws of Bartoli, because this was the reason, why she has come to Paris." - Scottie (06-Jul-2009)
"Very beautiful level. I liked Paris plazas and streets very much. And I really enjoyed music from Angel of Darkness. But will be second part?" - Andzia9 (02-Mar-2009)
"A wonderful issue by Monika ! Oh how I wished it would have been enhanced by some beautiful custom music in true french style to accompany Lara on her Quest instead of using the ordinary TRLE audio files ! I my game I have replaced some of the audio wavesounds by inserting some Francoise Hardy songs and the game went up another ten points !!! Monika has created a beautiful game for us which is very entertaining but not linear, the player has many options what to achieve first (like in real life) . And Bielefeld is not so far away ... Thank You Monika for all your troubles and work." - Ruben (30-Aug-2008)
"I am fairly ashamed that I call myself "Miss Kroft's #1 fan" minus the crazy stalker aspect, and have never bothered to review any of her levels, well except for the South Pacific level, but that doesn't count because I had no idea she made that one. I played this level when it came out and remember loving the beautiful Paris streets and tough gameplay. I am sad to say that I got confused more than a few times, but that may be because some of the puzzles were a bit, well, confusing. There was a lot of backtracking, but that could have been due to my confusion. There's a great deal to do here, and it took me quite awhile. I was however, able to skip one small part of the level that MK set up. In one part, you are supposed to turn a fire on in a kitchen in order to light a torch, but where the switch was to turn that fire on was fire. So I lit it there and never went to that kitchen. That only saved me about 2 minutes of the 2 hours, 20 minutes that it took me to finish this level, so whoopity doo! I was pretty bummed that MK never made a Part Two, but this is very awesome by itself." - Shandroid (24-Aug-2008)
"A very good city level with plenty to do and very good puzzles. The gameplay is mainly based on exploration where the player has to observe carefully and also think, which is a good thing. Another plus is that this exploration is not linear. There can be too much backtracking though , and the use of the car does not help much to reduce the backtracking when it comes to the torch puzzle. Good atmosphere and design. Enemies , gunmen , workers, bats and dogs , are conveniently used and I've found two good secrets. Not too much action , but a very good level for the variety of the puzzles and the use of objects." - eRIC (15-Jun-2008)
"Here's another gem that I missed the first time around. It has quite a bit of variety in the early going, and the scenery throughout is quite appealing. I found the constant backtracking near the end rather tedious, however, although this was offset to some extent by the extended trek in the French sports car. You get about an hour and a half of net gaming time in this rather "busy" level, and I would have been hopelessly lost without the walkthrough provided by the late and lamented Sutekh (at least late from these parts). A pleasing raid well worth its high ratings. Highly recommended." - Phil (13-Jun-2008)
"This level surely won't let you down. The game starts with an interesting cut scene which includes well made custom animations. The actual level is planned also very well it's one of the most realistic looking city levels I've ever played. Textures and lighting are done with care and there are also many well chosen objects in this level. Gameplay is one of the best Monica has created and you have to think a lot to solve the game. I liked especially the idea that you have to light the oil on the ground to explode the barrels. Driving the red car was very fun too and there's also many other interesting things to experience in this level. Make sure you don't miss playing this great level." - Samu (14-Aug-2007)
"Now this is one of the kind of levels that I enjoy playing most of all. A colourful suburb environment with tasteful, solid architecture, lovely cobblestone streets and greenery, rich interior settings and a fair amount of action in the sewers. This is the first part of an upcoming series, produced by the talented Miss Kroft who always manages to reward the players of her levels with amazing gameplay, clever and fast puzzles and wonderful ambience. The level begins with a very well-made cutscene showing Lara playing the piano and Winston telling some bad news to her about Jean Yves, and then the game itself starts, with Lara ready to begin adventuring in the beautiful backyards of Paris early in the morning. The main part of the action takes place in the streets, but you get the chance to explore the (beautifully set and textured) interior of a couple of houses too, where there are also very important things to do, and of course the sewers. There's some rooftop jumping as well, and at some point you get to drive a cute red car along the city streets. There are several baddies (henchmen and workers) waiting for you at crucial points of the adventure. Puzzles involve timed fires protecting jumpswitches, lighting a fire, finding a torch, causing an explosion so as to open up the way close to the end and many more. Nice use of the environment and objects, good and atmospherical choice of music. Definitely a must-play; and I'm looking forward to the next part of this so promising level series." - Ravenwen (13-Feb-2007)
"Miss Kroft has made yet another stunningly brilliant level. With her being one of my favourite level builders I was thrilled to get to play this one. "Restless In Paris" is the first contribution to a new level series and I can't wait for the continuation of this top ace level. In the gorgeous intro we get to see Lara receive a letter. It is from the son of Marco Bartoli. His brutes have kidnapped Jean-Yves and now he wants the artifact that Lara stole from his father. So Lara instantly goes off to Paris to find and save her friend. The textures and scenery of the Parisian streets; from sewers, avenues, garages and "misty morning" areas and up to the balconies and rooftops are absolutely gorgeous and my overall favourite part of the level. I found the atmosphere to be a bit dark and gloomy and it often sent chills down my spine while playing. For a city level it's perfect, the combination of green trees lining the avenues, beautifully constructed buildings, lovely plazas and foggy alleys make up a level so beautiful in its scenery that it's worth downloading it just for the pleasure of enjoying that in itself. The sound is also very well distributed. You start the level to the tones of "The Doors", something that I enjoyed a lot. For the rest there is music from AOD which helps in contributing to the slightly gloomy atmosphere and the sound of crickets creates the perfect sensation of a city still asleep. There are few enemies in this level, but they were all located in the right places. Here Lara had to take down TR2 baddies with guns and clubs, stray dogs, bats and orange-clad workers. There could have been more of them though and, with exception of the workers, they weren't hard to kill at all, but I still feel that it was enough for my taste. They would often rush out at places one does not expect them to be and so there was a great suspense throughout the entire level never knowing whether Lara would be ambushed or not. The level is non-linear and this made it a bit difficult for me at first. There are some things that need to be done, like finding a CD key and the torch in order to be able to exit the level. One also needs the nice, little red car and one must also find a way into the garage to get to the car. And the car keys must be located too of course. There are also some other keys that must be found as well as the crowbar. A lot of the level consists in finding switches, both cleverly hidden behind ducts and pipes and others more easily spotted, and finding crawlspaces hidden behind grates to be able to get to other areas. There is also a timed run, but this wasn't too hard to do. Thanks to the non-linear structure, it should take 1-3 hours to play. I completely loved this level and would definetely recommend it to anyone, beginners as well as more advanced players." - Selene (07-Feb-2006)
"What a wonderfully and beautifully intricate Parisian city with so many streets to play in as well as the surrounding buildings. The way this game is set up is really well done as you aren't really set on one set path but can do certain things in your own order, though all things in the end join so that what seems like a non linear level really in retrospect has linearity to it. If there are any weaknesses here then it has to be that as a city level you have some of the normal city things to do but it is the progress through, be it with the car, using the roofs to get around, or whatever, that makes this a really fun experience and I recommend it highly. 80 minutes, 2 secrets." - Sash (26-May-2005)
"Monika has become one of my favorite level builders. This level holds the same class as her previous levels. What I like most is her touch for layout and beautifully textured environment. The atmosphere in this level is stunning. You really get the feeling you are in Paris..and that you are restless! I have no complains at all about this level..except that I want a sequel:) Great gameplay, hard to find secrets, amazing lighting, fog and textures, great music (the doors I think) and a really cool intro which adds to the story. Please make a sequel Monica! Full Score from me. 2005-04-29" - QRS (01-May-2005)
"Wow - I was really blown away by several things in this opening level for what presumably will become a series: The rather unique intro which reveals the story line, the impeccable choice of textures and the way they are applied and how the overall city and sewer settings are lit and the absolutely brilliant choice of ambience music throughout, which supports a dense atmosphere. For all that alone this is an adventure not to miss. Gameplay-wise my feelings are a bit mixed. On my second go, it kind of worked ok because I knew roughly where to go and in which sequence, but the first time round you can easily run from one corner of the city to the other several times due to the non-linear construction and it becomes rather tedious. Also, some of the jump switches are quite deviously hidden and had me searching quite a bit. All in all there is actually not so much to do, although towards the end the fun increases with a fun ride in a car and a clever torch puzzle and generally the jumping around roofs and balconies was fun, too. Found two secrets and very much look forward to the continuation of the series." - Michael (01-Apr-2005)
"Another good level from Miss Kroft. Intro is spectacular! This level has a hard work I think: new objects, new enemies, new sounds,... and all well implemented, details are exquisite, geometry is very good, well applied textures, no bugs, good puzzles,... It has almost all ingredients to be a 'Hall of Fame' level. It seems professional, yes! Congratulations Monika, and many thanks for this great work; I'm sure that you have spent a lot of time in this work. Only one aspect I think is not very good: the gameplay. The level is too much non-linear. The builder must think that players don't know the paths to follow, and has to explore a lot before getting advance a little in the game. Sometimes you arrive to a place and you can't solve the puzzles or complete the tasks 'cause you've miss some item which is in a remote place of the level; so you have to cross through same places a lot of times, and this could be bored. Sometimes after an action is done, you have to go to the other far end of the map to can continue and I think this is not very good. In spite of this, I have to appreciate the hard work and give a high mark." - Jose (08-Mar-2005)
"I was delighted to learn that Lady Croft can play Chopin. It's nice to know she has chops other than with firearms :-) This is an immaculately constructed and attractive level. Like Paris itself, it is lovely to look at, and rather hostile to visitors. The gameplay is intricate and non-linear, so there are many ways to go - which I like - and Lara can always get back to previous areas. Getting medi packs and torches in the mail is fun, and driving the little red car was great. This level is a joy to play and I could not recommend it more highly." - Duncan (03-Mar-2005)
"We are adventuring in Paris on this wonderful level. Our task is to rescue our old buddy, Jean-Yves. I guess this will come true in the next part; and the younger Bartoli can follow his father into death. :) Especially because he doesn't know that the Dragon Dagger is not in China, but in the Croft Manor. :) The gameplay is not linear at all, and if we don't know the logic sequence of doing things, we may run helter-skelter in the two districts and the drainage. It's interesting that I found Revolver ammo, but the Revolver itself can not be found on the level. Maybe we'll get it in the next episode. :) Important things on the level are the torch from the post-office, and the CD Key. We also have to collect some keys, and moreover the crank opens doors too. There are air-ducts and switch-boxes that can be shot off, covering levers for getting on. The enemies: gunmen and bats. Hurry through the barbed-wire entanglements, and they won't hurt you so much. I found two secrets on the level, each one on a balcony. The textures are very beautiful, and the added sounds raised the experience of the game effectively. It is a good adventure, I can only advice it to everyone. You can find a Hungarian walkthrough (as we don't have English version), savegames and pictures here: http://www.treditor.hu/15/restless_in_paris.htm " - Obig (27-Feb-2005)
"This one is the first of a series of levels that will be soon released. There is a wonderful beginning with Lara playing the piano in her home; then she receives a letter from the son of Bartoli, she must go to Paris. The next scene shows Lara in the streets of Paris (the final scene of the flyby shows the Tour Eiffel). This level is darker than the others from the same author, is very well done and nice to play. It's not difficult and has beautiful settings; there are many keys to find, new objects like the piece of wire and one useless timed run because the torch can be lighted without pulling the switch. I'm waiting the next levels of the game, great work." - Loupar (21-Feb-2005)
"This level starts with a big fly by explaining what Lara needs to find to free Jean Yves. I take it that the so needed Dagger is in the second part. Like I always do in city levels, I ran around a lot. But that is OK with me. You do that anyway as this is a non linear level, that means, back and fro quite a bit. Was it me or was the fog very, very thick? Finding all kinds of items to progress, there is quite a bit of thinking to do as well. Remember doors and ladders as you will come back to certain places. All in all this level looked smashing, but then again, that is Monika. The added sound effect fit right in with the atmosphere, it sure gave me a foreboding feeling. The hunt for secrets is nice as they are not that obvious to find but if you are of the exploring persuasion like me, you'll find them, no worries. 11-02-2005" - Gerty (21-Feb-2005)
"A delightful romp in Paris, other than some enemies who pack a ferocious punch. Do look out for them - they're not too abundant but downright mean. You'll soon see Lara on rooftops and beneath the city in its (fairly clean) sewers. Also in and around apartments, some of which would come under the heading of 'Breaking and Entering' but that won't stop any raider and certainly not Lara. Lots of crawl spaces and shootable objects - if you're stuck, whip out those trusty pistols. It's a town search at dawn for keys, a CD, crowbar and a torch evidently mailed to a Parisian. A special delight is the little red auto taking Lara places that were previously inaccessible. Music is a big plus and so is seeing and listening to Lara playing the piano in the opening sequence. Lots of fun with novel touches and I'm looking forward to the next in the series. Well done, Monika and I'm hoping to drive that little red car again." - Bene (18-Feb-2005)
"This is one more beautiful level from Monika. She has a good eye for textures and knows how to create a nice environment for the player to wander around with Lara. I just loved the buildings and the sewer but I have the feeling that we she could have made a couple of puzzles more to take advantage of such wonderful areas. The post office's booths give something extra to the level and I admit I smirked when I saw that they deliver torches this days. There are some keys to find and some walking on the roofs and balconies to access. The enemies are workers and bats, there's also a timed run to extinguish a fire nearby. I found three secrets. This level was fun for me, be sure you give it a try." - Kristina (15-Feb-2005)
"Mazelike cities usually are not my type of thing, but despite myself I enjoyed my time in Paris immensely. There's a storyline, which makes it all worthwhile, though you don't achieve any foreseeable goals yet. Nevertheless it's quite fun - I don't remember having so much fun in a level lately - this could be one of my favourite levels among Monika's, and generally in the last few weeks I've played. You get to explore the extremely well crafted city, enhanced by the good use of custom objects and AoD textures. You even get to slip your hands into mailboxes in order to steal the medipacks and torches some have sent to their friends and relatives in the city! Yes - the attention to detail at times is awesome - for example there's a picture of Lara and Kurtis in a frame in one of the apartments - how many builders pay attention to details like those? Not many I'll tell ya! The small red car is quite cute and useful, as you can travel through the considerably vast city area faster than on foot, and thus save a lot of time. There aren't many enemies or troublesome tasks, so the difficulty level should be acceptable for anyone. Having mentioned the good things, I'll say there are some flaws as well, but nothing that spoils your gaming fun generally. For example - you need to put out a fire burner in order to activate a fire somewhere in the kitchen of a nearby apartment in order to light your torch, while I could do it directly from the burner - so maybe in here, guarding fire with fire wasn't such a successful idea, though this doesn't really spoil much, maybe another minute of gameplay. I already mentioned the author's great attention to detail, yet I think some things could've been done better in the texturing part - for example a building would look better if all walls of the facade would look the same, and not different, but that really doesn't spoil much here anyway, so maybe something for the author to ponder about if she wishes. Nevermind all that - I had a great time in this level, and hope Monika will carry on with this promising series, I'll be keeping me savegames meanwhile! Highly recom... no - must play!" - eTux (12-Feb-2005)
"Everyone knows at this stage I love city levels, so I dived on this as soon as it was released. And what a surprise. A beautifully created level. Well, that's no surprise really because Miss Kroft makes excellent levels. We are treated to a brilliant opening flyby, scanning the Croft mansion, past a little pond with swans swimming in it; we hear piano music, and find Lara playing the piano in the front hall of the mansion with good old Jeeves sweeping the floor. She receives a letter telling her Jean Yves is held captive in a basement in Paris, and is told to return a stolen artifact or she won't see him alive again. That's the kind of challenge our girl likes. Great to hear the voices of Aims, Jackie and Lucas. The level itself starts with Lara in a side street of Paris, the morning sky scene shows the Eiffel Tower, and now the fun starts as she must search everywhere. Miss Kroft has provided some excellent retextured objects and a wonderful route around this part of the city, with tree lined streets, balconies, houses, and the eponymous sewers. It's not just a find and place exercise, on a couple of occasions I was totally stuck as to what to do next. But with a little thought, and a hint to y'all to shoot everything in sight, or push something, it all works out in the end. Lots of shimmying, crawling, jumping, climbing, and some monkey swinging. I just loved it when Lara opened a little gate to a small garden. Because I didn't reload savegames unless Lara died my stats showed just over two hours. Lara eventually finds a great little red car to use on those slopes, and someone has conveniently left a torch in a postbox, lol, the use of which is very interesting at the end. Enemies are dogs, bats, and a good few goons. My only moan was, apart from the excellent other sounds in the level, Lara's footsteps were silent. This seemed strange as she was running through the deserted early morning streets. I was able to go through this level using only pistols, and never used the uzis and ammo provided. Finally we see Lara sliding into what I presume is the basement, to rescue Jean Yves. A great entertaining level and I can't wait to see what the next level is in this new series." - CC (11-Feb-2005)
"This is a wonderful level, mainly puzzle based but with several baddies to shoot as well. Lara must find keys, an interestingly hidden torch, a crowbar, a CD and visit the sewers, houses (the stairs reminded me of AoD - Paris, naturally), a garage where she'll get a nice small car, rooftops and balconies. Quite a lot to do in an always intriguing atmosphere. The sounds and the music are very well applied and there's even a cut scene at the beginning where Lara's playing the piano while faithful old Winston cleans the mansion. Loved the beginning with 'When the Music's Over' by the Doors - quite atmospheric since Jim Morrison died in Paris and is buried at the Père Lachaise. As far as I know there will be a continuation and I'm very much looking forward to playing it. (February, 9 2005)" - Jorge22 (10-Feb-2005)
"I enjoyed this level quite a lot; it was a lot of fun with some nice game-play. Even though I was running around a fair amount in the beginning, trying to figure out in where to go and what to do next, but once I got myself orientated with all the streets and buildings, everything started to flow smoothly. You start your adventure in the lovely streets of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the horizon and you have many things to do and find before accomplishing your mission, working your way up some buildings, shimmering across some roof-tops, going down into the sewers, flooding some areas and lighting some interesting objects to help you to proceed and completing this wonderful Paris adventure. Your mission here is in search of some keys, the crowbar, a piece of wire, circuit board, CD and the torch, with all this in hand you will be able to take a nice ride in a lovely red car to complete your mission here in this adventure. There are some nicely hidden jump-switches to find, so by shooting some objects, you will be surprised what you will come across. In general, everything was perfectly placed, extremely well laid out, it all looked so realistic as you were wondering through all these lovely laid out streets and looking up at these wonderful buildings, but beware as there are some enemies around, like workshop mechanics, some real tough baddies with guns and some bats. The textures, music and lighting was excellently done, which gave you a lovely atmosphere as you were completing your mission. In my opinion, this is a lovely game, and well worth the d/load. 08/02/2005" - Gill (10-Feb-2005)
"Here is another great level from Monika. This time the story is the son of Bartoli from TR2, has kidnapped Jean Yves and will kill him unless Lara exchanges the dragon dagger (also from TR2) for his life. You find out the objective via a very cool beginning cut-scene of Lara playing the piano in her home and then reading the letter from Bartoli. You are then in the streets of Paris with a nice fly-by to start you off, you get to see the horizon with the Eiffel Tower in it, and a tune by The Doors in the background. The level looks great, with some new objects such as a postbox which you can take things from, the re-textured jeep into a nice little red car, signposts and Monika's little bedroom set and trees. You will be all around the level, up on the rooftops, down in the sewers, in flats and of course around the streets. Most of the level is spent doing tasks to reach the car so you can get to the places Lara can't quite reach on foot. The music is mainly from AOD, and goes perfectly, the tune from the Parisian ghetto plays when you wander the streets, and the tune from the sewers plays when you are underground! The enemies looked cool too, you had TR2 style bat holding goons and gunners and some mechanics in orange uniforms wielding spanners from TR3. The level isn't too difficult, there are a few timed runs which aren't bad at all but just challenging enough for big fans of them. All in all a great looking level and a lot of fun. I recommend it to everyone, play now!" - Aims (10-Feb-2005)
"On a beautiful day at Croft Manor, Lara receives a letter whilst playing the piano and it's signed from the son of TR2's Marco Bartoli. He says that he has kidnapped Jean-Yves to get revenge for his father's death, and he tells Lara that he is in Paris, and so a new adventure begins. The city looks very well, and the level has a very nice AOD theme to it, in a way. This is a pretty big level, and it can be easy to get disoriented, but once you figure out how to proceed, the level isn't that hard. Here we have to look for switches to get to new areas, a crowbar to pry a fuse so it can be used to get a CD that's needed to complete the level, and keys which are used to get to a source of fire, so you may light the torch that's also needed to complete the level. The level has also some nice touches to it, which include a new vehicle to ride in, using the previously mentioned torch to light gasoline, which destroys some barrels blocking the exit, and the mailboxes which I never guessed that Lara can put her hand in them to grab an item. The atmosphere of the level is very good, as it has you doing all sorts of things on the rooftops, and in the sewers, and the buildings of this city. Overall, this level isn't that difficult, and I have completed it in an hour and half, but I was a tad disappointed at the end. At least there will be a follow-up, so I shall eagerly wait for the next installment of this series." - Relic Hunter (10-Feb-2005)
"What a fun and different game! The setting is a quaint suburb of Paris and I loved the motif. As you wander the town you are drawn into exploring and soon enough you're trespassing on balconies, breaking and entering. This game made marvelous and innovative use of objects - bravo! In no time, you have figured out the task at hand....find the fuse! I thought the quest was well thought-out, and at times had me completely stumped. Take it from me - slow down - you might miss something important! Thank you, Miss Kroft (Monika), for a great game!" - Mugs (08-Feb-2005)
"I don't profess to know the tiniest thing about level building, but first impressions of this super level were how incredibly professional it looked. The opening cinematic scene finally fulfilled a wish for me - we actually get to see Lara playing her piano. I've been waiting for years for her to sit down and give us a tune. The wonderfully atmospheric streets of Paris at dawn were almost empty, except for the occasional villain, but wouldn't you know it, it was hardly any time at all before I found myself in the sewers. There's quite a lot of exploring to be done and it's easy to miss levers - if in doubt, try shooting things. I had a very good time searching the houses, balconies and rooftops and driving the cute little red car (a Citroen I think). Nice gameplay, wonderful setting, excellent audio - don't hesitate, download it right now. I just can't wait for the next instalment." - Jay (08-Feb-2005)
"Lara's in Paris to snatch her old pal Jean-Yves from the clutches of no-one but Bartoli's son (remember TR2?). Those are the infos we are given while watching a very nice intro where we get to see Ms Croft playing piano. Soon we find ourselves in the streets of the City of Lights, with an excellent, clever, enjoyable level ahead of us. Gameplay-wise, I found it rather easy, although it involves a bit of research and a keen eye, and most enemies proved to be quite tough (but there isn't that many of them). The architecture is fine. A good city setting it is, although, apart from the mailboxes and a nice horizon, it doesn't feel much like Paris, being way too cosy in my opinion. All in all, an excellent level, obviously leaving Lara with unfinished business at the end, but, hey, the author said it's the first of a new series, so that's rather good news. Can only and eagerly wait for the continuation now." - Sutekh (07-Feb-2005)