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Level: The Mystery of the Catacombs back home search
Author(s): dantheraider
total rating:2.87 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Bene 5 5 4 5
Duncan 3 3 2 2
eRIC 2 3 3 3
Gerty 2 3 2 2
Jay 3 3 2 2
Jose 2 5 1 2
Kristina 2 2 2 2
MichaelP 3 3 2 2
Mugs 4 4 3 3
Orbit Dream 3 3 3 2
QRS 5 4 3 2
Sash 2 1 3 3
Scottie 3 4 4 3
category averages
(13 reviews)		 3.00 3.31 2.62 2.54

Reviewer's comments

"This level is really very mysterious. Why is it so monotonously bright about wide distances? Why are animations faulty? Why are there still so many closed doors? Why is there the Flarebug? Why does one crash to the desktop if one wants to use the binoculars? Questions about questions which only the level builder can answer. But, at least, there are no stretched textures. Though this is not a lot, but, at least, something. The duties are quite easy. One must find only two Horsemen-Gem, two stars, two music roles and half of the Portal Guardian. Opponents are mummies and skeletons. But one finds the crossbow and enough explosive ammunition, hence, the opponents are no problem. Playing time was about 15 minutes." - Scottie (05-Jun-2009)

"It's simplistic and appears quite bland,but I found it all rather endearing. For a start,you have a rather charming mis-use of rolling boulders: the first just sits there on the ceiling as you run down a long sloping corridor,expecting to hear that familiar "it's coming after you!" rumbling sound at any moment;but it does nothing at all until after you've pulled yourself up into a higher room,wherapon it pointlessly trundles away.A little later on,two more boulders sit on either side of a gangway and do absolutely nothing at all,unless you're silly enough to stand directly in front of them.Skeletons and mummies prowl around everywhere but pose no threat as you're loaded down with explosive ammo. Spikes pop up in a corridor only after you've run to the exit at the other end. The catacombs are glaringly bright at the beginning,oppresively dark at the end;and the puzzle pieces just sit around in otherwise bare rooms,waiting to be easily collected. Nonetheless,this is enjoyable fun (blowing up dozens of skeletons and mummies couldn't be anything less),the texturing isn't bad and the adventure moves quickly along.A fun little blast." - Orbit Dream (25-Mar-2008)

"Actually there isn’t much mystery about this 15 minute catacomb level, apart from maybe what was behind the two unopened gates half way through the level, possibly the base of the Hathor Effigy as I only found the head and took that with me. As others have said, this is a run through level with nothing to stop or hamper your progress as there are no puzzles and no threat to life or liberty as you have plenty of explosives to deal with the mummies and skeletons, even crucial pick ups are pretty much impossible to miss. Ironically the flare bug raises its ugly head at probably the only time you actually need to use the flares, and I was a little perplexed at the placement and actions of the spiked boulders as they seemed to be designed to do absolutely no harm to Lara. I found one secret." - Sash (09-Nov-2005)

"A nice and short little debut level. No lighting and no real puzzles but it seems that the author knows what his doing and I could not spot any bugs or classic beginners thingies like thin walls, stretched textures etc. I got the feeling that this level was far from ready though. No lighting and a lot of pickups to weapons never found. Still I enjoyed the 6 minutes it took me to finish this level - 2005-10-08" - QRS (08-Oct-2005)

"Well, I think the author have to study something of architecture before trying to build another level, only square and rectangle rooms is not a good idea. Only go though the rooms picking up items and pushing buttons and levers is not my idea about good puzzles. Is the trigger for the first spiked ball in the correct place? The first secret is too much easy to find, very innocent. What's the danger of the second and third spiked balls? I've never ever seen a catacombs so well iluminated! Movement of Lara to get the stars is not appropiate. Dark areas are not well made, you use the flares but it don't give light and when you want to use the light of the binocs the game crashes. I'm sorry but I have to give a low punctuation." - José (22-Aug-2005)

"A very brightly lit catacomb that gets darker in the end, but when you need some light, the flare bug kicks in. Finding all kind of weapons; the crossbow is the only handy one as there are skeleton on the loose. Finding Gems, Stars and even the Hathor Effigy (Lara took that with her in her backpack) I still wondered about two other doors I never opened. The author also didn't used the revised WAD so Lara had the wrong animation prying loose the Star. 19-06-2005" - Gerty (03-Aug-2005)

"From the title, one can imagine what sort of level this is. The rooms are empty and big with nothing special to do in them, just levers to use, skeletons and mummies to shoot and find two stars, two gems and two scrolls. There is some jumping, running and swimming but it’s really a boring level. Lara does the wrong animation when she’s prying off the stars and there is the flare bug as well. The spike ball in the room with the crowbar doesn’t fall until Lara passes that room which is really pointless and the other spike balls have no chance of hurting Lara as she can simply just walk in the middle of the room. One secret found and looks like the ‘big’ prize is the head of the portal guardian. I think this level needed much more work from every aspect in order to be a decent level." - Kristina (27-Jul-2005)

There really isn’t much mystery going on with this level; it’s actually very simple and linear. The builder obviously had fun playing around with the level editor, but doesn’t really seem to have given a great deal of thought to rational gameplay. It just gives the feel of things having been thrown in at random and having the flare bug turn up is just adding insult to injury. I really don’t enjoy having to give a bad review to a first time level because I admire anyone who can even begin to understand the workings of the level editor, so let’s just hope for a steep learning curve. - Jay (20-Jul-2005)

A short and very easy Catacomb level where you run through monotonously textured rooms, find pickups and blow out skeletons and mummies. I was marvelled by the harmless spike balls. One secret very easy to get. Some small bugs (flares bug, invisible block before a door) that do not hinder the game No thin walls nor missing textures. No puzzles either. So this is a first try in levelbuilding and frankly we have seen many first levels who were worse. Keep on building, Daniel. - eRIC (29-Jun-2005)

Yes, it's evidently a first level, with all the usual telltale signs: empty rooms, lots of goodies without all the work and the dreaded flare/binocular bug. Nonetheless, if you are looking for a short, hassle-free romp between more complex playing levels, this is for you. And it is funny to see Lara on her knees when getting the Stars. The animation is wrong but she still manages to get them while giving us a laugh. I enjoyed this, especially getting the crossbow early on. I do so like something easy once in awhile. I'm hoping Daniel continues to build and I look forward to his next effort. - Bene (27-Jun-2005)

Welcome Daniel! Your first effort as a level builder - bravo! You are a man after my own heart - I do love all those pickups and you provided our Lara with lots of them. Of course, there was no short supply of the enemies either! I would imagine that a first-effort level should incorporate as many different objects, triggers, and enemies as possible just to get the hang of things. You did a great job. For those of you who will play this fun romp, your quest is to find 2 music scrolls, 2 gems, 2 stars, and the Hathor Effigy. There is also one secret that I was able to find. We look forward to your next game! - Mugs (22-Jun-2005)

Well, I certainly would hate to be a new developer presenting a first work to a jaded reviewer such as myself. This is a brand new author, and one who made a decent attempt at a first level. It's a shame the author hadn't played more custom levels to know what to avoid. Good luck on the next venture. - Duncan (22-Jun-2005)

"Well yes - it is a beginner's level and it shows the usual troubles with stretched textures, too huge and square rooms with nothing in them, no real lighting to speak of (try to place a sun in each room next time) and it is very linear and quite boring at the beginning. However, it does pick up a bit when you then get to find and use the gems, scrolls and stars and it shows the author has learned the basics of level building well. Found one secret in a dark room. Towards the end you also have the flare bug (because of more than 32 flame emitters active in the level) and if you are stupid enough to miss the crowbar along the way you are basically 'toast'. Another small issue is that the tr4 file was compiled with the original WAD rather than the revised one, so the Lara animation when getting the stars off the wall with the crowbar is wrong. But still - a good first practice effort and let's hope Daniel continues to learn and offer us more of his work in the future." - Michael (17-Jun-2005)
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