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
|
|
|
 |
|
| |
|
release date: |
19-Jul-2006 |
|
# of downloads: |
119 |
|
|
average rating: |
8.01 |
|
review count: |
34 |
|
|
|
review this level |
|
|
file size: |
54.89 MB |
|
file type: |
TR4 |
|
class: |
nc |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Reviewer's comments |
"This level came just a month or so after Legend was released (hard to believe it's been that long) and as such there are quite a few remarkable similarities; level design is rather linear and the general layout feels like it could have worked just as well on that game, plus it's got that globe-trotting approach with a couple of short levels in different locations. The main course is a lovely place in a snowy mountain temple as you gather five gems. Nothing particularly taxing and all in all it's a good and fun raid. Pity the levels need to be launched individually though. Visually it holds up well in my opinion (but of course I say this while constantly knee-deep in 20~ year old custom levels) and I loved the subtle but neat effect of wet pavement under the rain in the first level. 65 minutes. 10/23" - Treeble (08-Oct-2023) |
|
"This is four levels with quite different themes; you start in some Paris streets, then go to a Cambodian Temple, an Ice Temple and a final boss map. After being the main strength of the original Symbol, the visual design starts off pretty disappointing; the first couple of maps in particular don't have much of a sense of place and are pretty flatly lit and repetitive in texturing. The last two maps improve quite a bit and look quite decent, but it never really matches the cathedral of the original. Architecture is also mostly more boxy and confined, but there's some better looking stuff later. Object use is improved as there are more of them and they generally fit better (and the start actually conveys a story quite well), but this is the only thing that felt universally improved.
Unfortunately the four levels aren't actually connected, so you just get dumped back to the menu and have to choose the next one with your inventory reset each time. There are some textures and scripting that vaguely hint at a story progression, but overall the levels feel unconnected. Gameplay starts off pretty basic, with the first level being mostly combat and a little platforming, then Cambodia level was the one I liked least, with quite a bit of backtracking and the confined and maze-like structure making it feel more complicated than it actually is. The Icy Temple is the highlight, with a decent range of challenges and plenty of exploration, with the only major issue being that you need to take a specific way first for the Desert Eagle+Lasersight or else face a lot of backtracking, but I managed to bypass this by just using the Shotgun aim exploit. The final level is just a boss-fight and a few minutes long, but it works okay enough, although it ends quite anti-climatically with it just cutting to the menu. All the levels are very short except the Icy Temple (which is still quite short, but has a bit more meat) so the length doesn't end up feeling too much more than the original despite having three more levels. There's also a persistent issue with "death pits" being very easy to survive.
A little disappointing after the first Symbol of the World; the theme execution was the highlight there and the main appeal, but here only the last couple of levels come close, and the first couple have little sense of place beyond the texture choice and a nice intro set-piece. The gameplay is longer and more varied but, again, only the third map really improves on what the original was doing. The third map is the saving grace here, and I still wouldn't call it especially great, and overall I think the first Symbol of the World was a more memorable experience for what it is." - Mman (29-Jul-2023) |
|
"A definite improvement from the last level, but I still ran
into so many problems that made the experience somewhat
awkward, and I feel its things that could have been easily
fixed had the builder used some beta testers. The story
seems to be rather intriguing, however it makes little
sense, although the author does what he can to try to
convey it to us in primitive terms for the time, and in
this I commend him.
Gameplay & Puzzles: Definitely the biggest downside of the
whole experience for me. The first level starts off
alright, and is fairly linear with some creative and
exciting combat setups. The second level however ends up
making very little logistical sense, and is reminiscent of
the author’s debut level. Lot’s of creative platforming,
however little thought is given to the reality of the
environment. Some of the room geometry makes everything
feel more like an alien spaceship, rather then a temple in
Colombia. Plus, the level is badly structured, in that you
need to play it in the order the author intended, otherwise
you’ll traverse a whole series of traps and tricky jumps,
only to end up at a closed door. So, you need to return to
the main ‘hub’ and go down another route, hoping it may
lead you to a switch. The third level is better than the
first when it comes to this, however the order in which you
need to trigger certain events, and how and where you find
the 5 wind crystals is also, once again, a bit awkward,
lacking symmetry and logic. In every single level, there
are also multiple holes Lara can drop into that are meant
to be ‘deadly endless pits’, but actually she survives the
fall with just a sliver of health left. And then you’re
stuck down there, with no way to commit suicide other than
starve to death or reload. This bug almost becomes an on-
going joke and after a while one wonders if it’s
intentional.
Enemies, Objects, Secrets: No secrets, like the last level.
Objects are placed more creatively this time and there is a
strong attempt at storytelling – particularly with the
opening of the first level, how the scroll is on the
counter and we can see Lara’s friend Bowen (mentioned in
the Readme storyline) pacing about, and a wall of notes and
maps hinting at the search for this ‘Symbol of the World’.
Each level also seems to end with Lara finding some sort of
hidden library within these lost temples, however this also
becomes a bit strange and defying logic at one point.
Fantasy and mysticism, I guess. The random mix of objects
becomes strange too – Piega sundials placed underground and
everywhere simply because they are pretty; same with the
harps; and a few other TR-search showrunners. It’s cool how
at one point we can see a puzzle item we need to get
through a barred off area. Then, when we do get it, journey
all the way back to the place where we need to use it, have
a long boring shootout with Demi-god Sophia, after all that
hard work, the entire act simply raises a rather anti-
climactic off-center Raising Block in the starting area to
which we need to then head back to. With all the drama the
author is going for with this project, I thought this was a
bit of a let-down. Enemies, however, are used excellently
in the first level, creating a strong feeling of tension
and suspense, but this then all dwindles again as we
progress in the following levels.
Atmosphere, Sound, Cameras: The atmosphere is quite good
due to the music the author has used. The first level has
the strongest atmosphere due to the dark ambience, rain,
and audio. The cameras in that level are also set up in an
interesting way to tell the story and scare us a bit when
exploring houses and getting stalked by the bad guys.
Reminded me a bit of Resident Evil. Also, the audio early
on that implies that the room below us was attacked, the
glass shattered, and that evil laughter we hear letting us
know Sophia stole the scroll, was a great and simple way to
tell the story. As mentioned, a lot of the audio adds good
atmosphere to the levels, but oftentimes it becomes a
little too over the top and dramatic for my liking. It’s
especially strange in the third level – we begin with a
beautiful audio track, paired with a nice flyby camera,
only then the audio on loop for the whole level is an
endless silence… that eventually breaks into a brief bit of
music, only to become complete silence again. This annoyed
me so much after a while that I swapped out the track in my
folder for something else so I could enjoy the level a bit
more, and I’m thankful for it because the 3rd level is the
strongest, even with its faults. Camera placement however
dwindles as the levels progress. There are a few helpful
moments where we finally know which switch opened which
door, but more often than not you will be left somewhat
clueless and at the mercy of the confusing level design.
The Lighting and Texturing is the best thing about this
level-set and the author creates some interesting and good-
looking environments with all of this. The only downside is
that a lot of the textures are applied a bit illogically…
Roman mosaics are mixed with Incan murals; brickwork that
in one room was used for walls, becomes the floor in
another; a climbable wall texture simply becomes decoration
in another room; then elsewhere a texture that doesn’t make
much sense as being climbable suddenly is climbable. As
already mentioned, a lot of the geometry is very
fantastical and isn’t based much in reality. I found this
odd since at certain times the author does seem to make an
effort at realism, such as in the Paris level and in the
second level when we see chain textures suspending cages
that we can climb on. In the third level, a frozen ice
texture is also used to designate water. This didn’t stump
me for long because when I tried to walk over it, I
obviously fell in. But I do think aesthetically a different
way to convey ‘water’ could have been found." - Sethian (05-Sep-2020) |
|
| "Well, quite different from Max’s first installment. I was
really hoping for a true continuation of the same type of
level building as the first part but I still enjoyed
playing it. It’s too bad the levels were not connected.
This really ruined the whole effect for me.
What I liked: 1) Colombia level is a much better level than
the Paris one. Hardly any enemies, which is to my liking. I
LOVED the sloped blocks and jump, twisting into areas is so
much fun. 2) Temple of North Wind in the area where you
jump and shimmy to different slopes going higher and higher
to finally reach your destination. I love sequences like
that.
What I didn’t like: 1) Not fond of the first level Paris.
Too many enemies and not enough gameplay. 2) Unconnected
levels made it rather pointless to collect items that
didn’t accumulate for you. 3) Not having the Revolver in
the Temple of North Wind after surviving many underwater
spike traps only to have to backtrack or reload to go find
it. A simple barrier to prevent progress is all that is
needed in what I would consider good building design.
I still think Max is a wonderful builder and I’m hoping his
next level has level jumps connecting all the parts
together." - Lizard Queen (15-Dec-2019) |
|
| "The main problem I have with this levelset is that there
are a lot of big, quite good constructed rooms where
sadly there is not much to do. The first level has
interesting design and ideas supporting it, I wish it was
a big longer, but pretty much all sections are like this.
The third level offers some non-linear gameplay - you
have to find like five puzzle pieces in order to
continue. It may get confusing but it's really not too
hard if you explore and keep your eyes open. It's
entertaining but still quite short. The final level is
the shortest of all - basically a quick boss fight, an
easy one especially with the shotgun. I had a problem
with the sound in one of the levels, the same one kept
looping at random parts of the game, not sure why.
Lighting and texturing is good, the author definitely
offers quality surroundings most of the time. Not a bad
adventure if you're looking for something not too
engaging, it just could've been a lot better with some
more puzzles and action here and there." - misho98 (28-Mar-2018) |
|
| "This is a four level set which has no
continuous link between them, so all must be
played separately.
Paris Street: A short opening level with
Sophia stealing the scroll off a shop counter.
It ended before I knew it. On the way you kill
a few guards and open a couple of doors.
Colombia: A change of scenery to a
brighter setting. A few fun slope jumps, teeth
doors to avoid and a few rope swings. Still
fairly short, but better than the previous.
Temple of North Wind: My definite
favourite of the game. An extremely enjoyable
hub level, which sends Lara on search of five
gems. Hanging balls to shoot, chains and spike
traps to avoid, a couple of mazes, all taking
place in a beautiful environment.
Temple of Symbol: A short finale, mainly
to tie the storyline up. No real gameplay, just
an easy boss fight with Sophia.
As a whole, this level excels from an aesthetic
perspective. Each level manages to visually
please (although the Paris level was a bit dark
for me). Gameplay could have been a little less
simplistic and there could have been some
secrets in the middle two levels, at least." - Ryan (10-Nov-2016) |
|
| "What started as a really promising level just when downhill. With some lovely details like the guy in the desk and the car action scene from the start, it ended after an easy fight in a random trigger, with level three in the middle having a really annoying bug with the music just randomly triggering out of nowhere. Another thing that annoyed a bit was the fact that you have to do a new game to change level! So if you have something from one, you can't progress with that. Going back to the sound department, the music was repetitive and it wasn't on the same volume from one level to the other. For example, the music on level 4 was louder than the level three music. The level design was great, I really have to give an applause to Max on that, but it was really empty and it has a lot of back and forward. I recommend this level, and I HIGHLY recommend everyone to see the newer levels from this author, he is someone that really made some progress over the time" - Leeth (10-Mar-2016) |
|
| "You can clearly see the early stages of the magnificent level
design of Max. I really enjoyed these four levels, each one
with it's own type of game play. Of course that flaws exist
in a good amount and lacks creativity, but it's still a very
fun game to play. I loved the action on the first level, but
it was too short; the second level lacked action and had a
lot of platforming, but the lightening could have been
better; the third level also lacked action, but i had a good
puzzle overall, but was too simple, not to mention the buggy
background music; and the last level was short with no real
purpose...Lara just got there and killed Sophia and nothing
else...what a cold person she is. Anyway, if you want to
experience the "behind the scenes" of the making of the
genius that Max became, this is perfect example for it." - Zhyttya (10-Mar-2016) |
|
| "this one is better.the first level was great with the rain effects, the break in,the enemies.the second level was ok.
the third one was entertaining.the fourth level is short but its worth it for the horizon alone." - janachorider (28-Sep-2015) |
|
| "If you play these levels, prepare to travel around the
world. Remember to pack umbrella, flares and a warm
sweater.
Paris Street. A short introduction warmup level.
Quite dark. Gave me Resident Evil/TRAoD feels. Nice rain
textures and cool cameras are worth mentioning. I liked
the music. As a fan of night city rainy levels I would
give it a solid 7/10.
Colombia. Lara changes clothes to something
lighter. What we have here? We are reminded how a true
archeologist must feel like. Dirty textures, spider webs,
ropes and well designed ruins. This level is harder. You
have to explore, use your memory and some logic. For me
it's a big plus. There was really rewarding time event
which brought me lots of joy. Slightly exotic, very
grungy and dark - perfect recepture for a tasty level.
Good use of music which changes depending on events.
Helps you concentrate and suits the atmosphere. Around
one hour of gameplay. 9-/10.
North Wind. Dang it. I am not the biggest 'cold
level' fan and rarely play them. But knowing I can expect
good things from this creator, I completed it anyway. I
recommend to make some warm tea before playing. This
level really feels cold and unforgiving. Frozen water.
Frosty ancient writings. Lonely skeletons of dead
adventurers here and there. Soon you'll learn why they
died and pray you don't end up like them. Even music gave
me a cool feeling. Level is slightly harder than
Colombian one. Tricky jumps, some collecting. I like the
overall design and the idea of coming back to the 'main
room'.
Final level. I treat this one not as a separate
level, but a continuation of the North Wind. We are
welcomed by beautiful architecture and egyptian-like
music. It takes Lara to the cosmic boss fight. You will
feel small, very small. Thrown into some far away corner
of the Universe. 8/10
Complete rating: 8/10. Around 2-3 hours of
gameplay. Variety guarantees you won't feel bored even
for a moment. All of them are well thought and nicely
designed. Good quality of textures and enjoyable music." - Alien Autopsy (12-Sep-2015) |
|
| "This second SotW release fits quite to the climate of the first part, with rather sterile but beautiful looking areas, not overly taxing but solid efforts in the gameplay section and not overly much care for objects or secrets. The first level set in Paris starts really great with Sophia stealing the scroll Lara found in her previous adventure supported by great sound effects and a nice flipmap of the starting room. The atmosphere in this level is really well done with the rain effects, the sound and the fixed cameras, but the gameplay is not very diverse for the ten minutes it lasts only, with a straightforward course through the courtyards killing the occasional enemy and nearly nothing else to do. The second level was a bit better in that regard - a large temple needs to be explored with great texturing and lighting and the builder added a few managable agility tests and you also need to revisit previous places. Still, I felt this level was pretty uneventful for the twenty minutes it lasts and there were a few paths that lead to "dead ends" so that you need to backtrack quite a long way to the point where the path divides. Boring. The third level (lasting also twenty minutes) was gameplaywise certainly the best even with some faults. You need to explore the next temple for five gemstones and while the tasks within the five different paths were quite interesting with good use of swinging chains, slopes and spikes, I think it was not a good idea to place some of the triggers in other paths so that you need to explore some paths earlier than others to find the respective gems, because that makes up for a lot of stuck momenst and when I play through a level with a certain number of paths I don't expect to have a certain (and unhinted) order in which I have to go through them. The fourth level was a shortish level with the boss fight against Sophia (already nicely introduced in the previous level) and two ahmets, but with a nice horizon surrounding the boss fight area. All in all I found this hour-long level to be quite a mix between atmospheric but somewhat barren rooms with nice graphics, but with not much care for the gameplay as it was rather basic and also partly player-unfriendly, and rather boring enemy placement except for the first level, no secrets to find and only sparse object usage. So, to sum it up: Visually nice, but boring." - manarch2 (12-Sep-2012) |
|
| "This is a disjointed (because each level must be started from scratch) four-part release that nevertheless provided ample gaming pleasure. I enjoy reading Selene's walkthoughs nearly as much as I enjoy playing the levels she's writing about, and this one is no exception. You get two levels of about standard length sandwiched in between a short introduction and a concluding boss level. Although the gameplay is fairly straightforward, I found everything to be much too dark, and my enjoyment of the series was therefore diminished accordingly. Still, you get a combined total of about an hour and a half in net gaming time, so you could do worse than to download this one and give it a try." - Phil (20-Aug-2011) |
|
| "This fairly short 4-part level starts in the streets of Paris from where Lara has to work her way through Colombia and the Temple of the North Wind to end up in the Temple of the Symbol. The levels are not connected with a script, so the player has to play each of them separately, but when played in the correct order it really doesn't hurt game play that much at all. The only disadvantage is that one will lose all collected weapons and ammo, but this never turns into a problem here, as there aren't any shortages anywhere. The game play is easy and there are no challenging parts to it at all. Experienced players might call it boring, but I think it is kind of relaxing, especially since there is a great atmosphere throughout the game with well chosen background sounds and good camera work. There are also beautiful, perfectly applied textures and great room architecture to look at. There are lots of details in the room design from the floors to the ceilings. The light is probably realistic, but I think a bit more 3D look would have made it more pleasing. This can be mainly noticed in the Colombia level where the lighting is a bit dreary and flat. If it weren't for that I would have given a perfect rating in this category. I really enjoyed playing through this one and found it nice for once to not get stuck or have to check in the walk through a lot. I would definitely recommend this highly if you look for a beautifully designed game with awesome atmosphere and if game play is not your priority." - Blue43 (05-Nov-2010) |
|
| "That was perfect. Shame, that we must choose levels separately, but for luck, we don't need so many ammos or medipacks. All levels are very easy and beautiful. I liked Paris street, snowy views or very nice "star" room in last level." - Andzia9 (27-Apr-2010) |
|
"In this level set the builder shows that he has a knack for level design and texturing. And unlike his previous level this one offers a lot more interesting exploration.
The first level is very short, about 12 minutes only, leading the player through rain-wet streets and some buildings to fight some guys, so it seems to be kind of a warmup. Very nice rain effect.
The 2nd level demands jumping skills in the first place, but not asking too much of the player, except for a good memory because of some backtracking in a rather confusing area. I experienced one strange thing here: One door that should have opened by pulling a lever, closed down instead. I had already been there before using the lever, and it already opened just by stepping in front of it, so I don't really know what the lever action was good for, maybe it triggered something additional, I don't know.
Level #3 then leads Lara into a cold and snowy setting. 5 gems have to be found, and again it is not too challenging with its jumping action and some chain traps. I liked this level most as it was less confusing and quite straightforward.
Level #4 is very short, about 3 minutes, containing only a fight against some ahmets and Sophia who drops the needed key to leave this place.
Altogether this set of levels is very well made. Level design is very good, texturing very carefully done, but lighting could have been a little more atmospheric as it was rather monotonous, and there could have been some more various audio files. It's a pity that the levels were not linked together. Highly recommended!" - Jerry (01-Aug-2009) |
|
| "This is great, I'm a fan of his work and I love this one, I can't wait to play Anicent Artifact after Jade Empire. This is amazing, he continues to amaze us with the level design and atmostphere, and the music choices were great!! I recommand this to everyone. This is a wonderful set of levels, and you do need to have the level jumps but other than that it was great!!" - dantheraider (29-Nov-2007) |
|
| "A pity that those 4 levels are not linked together with level jumps. Yet, individually these levels were rather pleasant to play and beautiful to look at. My favourite from the author is still his first level Symbol of the world 1.
Paris street 4 6 9 8
An easy level , a bit disappointing as it ended after 13 minutes. You start in a bar and explore a few streets and warehouses after a shooting happened in the bar (well put in scene with the adequate sounds, you even hear a car stopping and Sophia laughing). The atmosphere is pretty good , the author has used good audio tracks , fixed cameras , and the effect of the rain to give to his level a touch of drama. Some of the gunmen are well placed. Well done but way too short.
Columbia 7 6 7 10
A well designed level very well textured , with an interesting progression. It lasts only 30 minutes , it is quite pleasant and easy , a pity that the background audio track is a bit dull and no other enemies than a few small scorpions , a lonely werewolf and the appearance of Sophia that Lara will kill once , before a come back later. Maybe my favourite level of the set.
Temple of the north wind 7 5 7 10
The gameplay is also rather satisfying in this temple of the snow where you have to find fifth gems , and for that 4 quests need to be achieved involving jumps , chains and spikes underwater. Two of these quests are really easy , the two others with traps and brass balls to shoot are not too challenging and not very long either. And the"quests" must be done preferably in a certain order. Still, a pleasant level to play, the beautiful textures and the rather fluent flow help a lot. I am really impressed by the beauty of these textures. I enjoyed the slopes room and the current in the water is well mastered. Again not many enemies here , only a few wild boars which are a bit out of place , and the level is also not very long about 35 minutes. We can see while Lara is sliding to the end of the level that Sophia seems to go better.
Temple of the symbol (not rated)
3 minutes to pickup shotgun and ammos , kill 2 werewolfs and get rid of Sophia once for all. Good setting set on a platform in the middle of the cosmos and good audio track. I am not sure what the storyline was all about though." - eRIC (11-Aug-2007) |
|
| "From the very start, this levelset has bucketloads of atmosphere. The falling rain in night-time Paris and dark skies give a spooky feeling to the level, and the brilliant texturing enhances this greatly. Sadly, however, the gameplay mostly consists of running around shooting people, with hardly any element of exploration whatsoever. The second level is better, with pretty texturing and good atmosphere. This level also contains some 'classic' TR gameplay, with a few traps and jumps in your path. The third level is undoubtedly the best, and it's central 'hub' area looks amazing. The gameplay here is also of a 'classic' style, although it was a shame that despite having several paths coming off the central area, we still had to complete them in the order the author intended us to. The fourth level was particularly short, with some nice, tall rooms to run through at the start and then a short battle with Sophia. Personally, I think it would have been better to link this part with the previous level rather being stand-alone, but that seems to be a problem with all four levels, as you have to access each one seperately from the main menu each time. In conclusion, then, a very good-looking and atmospheric adventure, but one that occasionally has some letdowns in terms of gameplay." - Spike (02-Jul-2007) |
|
| "The first level, Parisian Streets, is very dark but fortunately there are a lot of flares. You have to deal with many SAS guys and rooms that are filled only with boxes. The things that you encounter the most in this level are the jumps and much shooting. At the beginning it looks like you can go back and to the right but there's an invisible wall that won't allow it. It lasted ten minutes. The second level, Colombia, has two places where you can't get out again so be careful where you drop. The first of these areas is where you have to use the rope to jump on a block and the second area is where the slopes are and you have to jump back and forth onto them to go to the other side. This one lasted thirty minutes and has wolves, scorpions and Sophia. Also you have to use a cartouche and levers but it's quite dark like the first level. There is one moveable object and many jumps as well. The third level, Temple of the North Wind, has you searching for five gems through rooms with chains, it has wild boars and spikes underwater plus there is some swimming and jumps onto slopes. It lasted thirty minutes and again there are areas where if you drop you can't get back up again. The fourth and last level, Temple of Symbol, is not even a level considering that it lasted three minutes and has the shotgun, ammo to pick up since you have lost all of your weapons except the pistols and two wolves plus Sophia. You get a guardian key from killing your old enemy and leave the level the way you came which means it ends abruptly. It's a medium level with many dead ends unfortunately so if you decide to play it keep your eyes open and save often on different slots." - Kristina (09-Apr-2007) |
|
| "A game made of four short and well builded levels. The Paris level is very dark, and the pack of flares I found was not enough for me and neither the ammo for so many thugs; the best was the rain in the outside areas. Second level is very dark too; in the room with the rope you can drop to the bottom but you can't go back; the flares were not enough for me in this dark level too, and I couldn't find interesting tasks. Third level is most complete and you have to pass some dangerous situations to get 5 gems; could be a camera in the tiles you have to step on to open the door for the last gem. Last level is only to deal with Lara's eternal enemie: Sophia, and it's not hard to defeat. In general levels are good, but it's a pain that they're not interlaced to maintain the items in your inventory and give a sensation of continuity." - Jose (25-Sep-2006) |
|
| "I really enjoyed these levels,these levels are playable for everyone (even beginners) - Like i did, you could be surprised in level 3 (of four), i didn't have the lasersight and you have to get it to get access to a couple of gems so i had to go back (almost to the beginning of the level) to find the lasersight. The music is good and last but not least, the camera-vieuw really is stunning, looking forward to another "symbol of the world" Max" - huif (05-Sep-2006) |
|
| "This level was so beautiful and well done if only it lasted longer. Even though the levels were much too dark for my liking, they looked as good as a professionally done game, so much so that oftentimes I felt like I was playing TR Legend. Had there been a story and some cutscenes and of course longer levels, Symbol of the World 2 could have been magical.
It's obvious this level builder knows what he is doing. Atmosphere and textures were topnotch and the music really set the mood. Where he stumbled a bit were the lack of enemies and secrets; at times I felt a bit bored. It's a good thing though that the enemies were few because the builder made four independent levels as opposed to linking them together. I really hate it when I lose all my weapons and ammo I gathered from the preceding levels. A glitch with Sophia made it a snap to beat her the first time I encountered her, so sadly, that was underwhelming. I really liked her appearance right at the end of The Temple of the North Wind, that was great!
All in all, this level is highly recommended. Max, I hope you use your skills to create an epic adventure next because you definitely have it in you!" - Shandroid (03-Sep-2006) |
|
| "The excellent work we saw in part1, environment-wise, is continued here
in this collection of four levels. Great atmosphere, texturing, lighting, but
unfortunately little in the way of gameplay, except for the third level. The
author asks us to play these four levels in a particular order. OK, will do.
But why not join them together before releasing them? So in order...
Paris Street: Loved the wet cobblestone streets in the pouring rain, and
the cameras. We start in a hotel of sorts and see a scroll on the counter
that we can't pick up. Searching the storeroom upstairs we hear a
commotion downstairs, Sophia laughing and breaking glass. We come
back down to find the scroll is gone and the windows broken. Some
gunmen are still outside shooting at Lara. I suppose our aim now is to
follow the power crazed blonde one and retrieve that scroll. So it's
searching once more in warehouses, and dealing with what's left of the
gang...
Colombia: Things have moved further afield, and we see Lara sliding into
a green valley. Soon we are in a huge temple where we must negotiate
some interesting climbing, jumping, ropeswings, slides, shimmys, and
spiders...
Temple of North Wind: Absoluely beautiful level. A temple in the snowy
mountains with gorgeous background scenery. This is the longest level
gameplay-wise as we search for gems in many different rooms. All of
them with interesting tasks to perform and numerous structures to make
our way around. Enemies here are warthogs. We place these gems in an
impressive room (that acts as the hub we come back to each time), and
what looks like the Ark of the Covenant standing proud in the centre. This
would have been an excellent stand alone level. The only strange
occurrance was finding the lasersight long after I used the shotgun to
shoot the balls. This, I guess, is not what the author intended. From here
we slide into a dark tunnel, and arrive at...
Temple of Symbol: A structure that seems to be floating in mid air. High
columns, and lovely view of a colourful night sky with lots of galaxies and
stars. An ahmet attacks, and Sophia has materialised on top of a high
column to shoot at us. A climb up to kill her and claim her key opens the
previous door and back through a stargate to, where....?
The environments are stunning, with good atmosphere and music. If
gameplay improves too, then I believe we are looking at the beginnings of
one of our greatest level builders. All of this could be played in half an
hour. It took me a lot longer as I spent some time looking around at the
wonderful scenery." - CC (01-Sep-2006) |
|
| "To start I enjoyed the first Symbol of the world, and I definitely enjoyed #2.
Lara's in Paris and she is dressed for cold weather. You find the shotgun and uzies to battle Natla's men who have their face covered by a ski mask. You make your way through the buildings in the pouring rain very quickly.
Level 2 is Colombia; Lara has changed her clothes to suit the weather conditions. Lara doesn't take the weapons she found in the first level, so all you have is the pistols to shoot the red scorpions and amulets. Lara has to find the Ba Cartouch and fight Natla to make it through to the next level. I liked the old moldy bookcases at the end of this level.
On to level 3, a quick change of clothes again for cold weather in the Temple of North wind. This being the longest level it is also the best, much more raiding to do as you are searching for 5 gems.
Level 4 you slide into a large area where you can gather goodies and prepare to do battle, in a room with a fantastic view of outer space. I enjoyed the music from Legend as Lara travels through the game. Very enjoyable raiding, great work Max" - Elsa (25-Aug-2006) |
|
| "This is a series of four levels that have to be played independently and take you from Paris to Columbia, and thence to a couple of temples. The first and last levels are very short - really just vignettes - but the whole experience in most enjoyable and all the areas look superb. The rain soaked streets of Paris, the magnificent temple areas - you need to play these levels just to admire the view. I liked the temple of the north winds section best - it was the longest and most interesting part - but really it's all worth playing. Try it and see." - Jay (18-Aug-2006) |
|
"What you get here is a series of four levels that are unfortunately not connected, ie you need to select each of them individually from the menu. They are connected losely with a story though.
Paris Street (5/6/10/9, 10 min.): A short intro level with great street atmosphere, very realistic looking rain with the animated floor textures outside, great audio choices and a few guards to kill. Not sure about some of those camera angles, especially the one that hides the ceiling exit a bit.
Colombia (7/7/10/9, 30 min.): Gameplay picks up here a bit in a jungle setting with more acrobatics, some jumps to master, some blade traps and a fight with Sophia. The red scorpions and the one ahmet seemed oddly out of place as enemies, as was the Ba Cartouche, but still this was a nice step up from Part 1
Temple of North Wind (9/7/10/9, 40 min.): Clearly the highlight of the series, this is a fun adventure in and around a temple in a snowy landscape. You search high and low for five wind gems, avoiding a few traps (swinging chains and spikes) and mastering a few fun jumps. I actually found revolver and lasersight when I did not need them anymore as all brass balls can be shot with pistols and one with shotgun and manual targeting. Again enemies are rather out of place (a few warthogs) and the underwater spikes were a bit annoying because there were too many of them, but overall this is a fun level and in terms of looks and atmosphere just as accomplished as the others.
Temple of Symbol (not rated, 5 min): The short and crisp finale with another fight with Sophia but more importantly a stunning horizon to look at.
Overall, I found this to be a wonderful set of levels in terms of how they look and feel. Gameplay starts slow but picks up over time and makes for an enjoyable though not very challenging raid. More please..." - MichaelP (16-Aug-2006) |
|
| "This second offering from Max looks and feels great for most parts. Unfortunately there are a few things that draw it down, which is a pity as it could have been a really good adventure with some more work. Lara travels through four different locations and here my greatest complaint is that there are no level jumps, so after each location the player must select the next level manually. Max has provided us with information on the correct order to play the levels, but since you keep going in and out of the game to get to the next part it feels a bit disorganized and it does disrupt the connection to a certain degree. The gameplay is better than the previous installment though: it starts out well with a stolen scroll and some exploring of dark Parisian streets while avoiding gunfire from masked thugs. Then it fizzles out completely with looking around a few buildings with very little to do in them apart from shooting a thug here and there and retrieving an occasional pickup and ends after about 20 minutes at a quite surprising point. The second level taking place in Colombia feels a bit like drinking a luke-warm Coke where the fizzle has died out completely. Rather slow-going and little to do apart from some jumping and climbing plus a few scattered enemies, the pickups are even fewer here than in the previous level. Colombia is longer and it does pick up the pace a bit towards the end with finding a Ba Cartouche(which doesn't have any place in a South American temple, but that's just nitpicking) and battling Lara's old enemy Sophia. The third level called Temple Of North Wind was the best by far and the temple in the snowy mountains was, though not directly breathtaking, very beautifully made(especially the outer courtyard). The music has been good throughout the entire adventure, but the one in this level was my absolute favourite, haunting and beautiful and with an occasional sound of wind chimes....this level alone is worth playing the adventure for. The gameplay in the third level is the best you'll find here, with some traps and tasks to go through in order to retrieve 5 Wind Gems. The fourth level is done in 6 minutes or less, with only one battle done and it isn't particularly challenging either so I don't see the need for the shotgun and ammo or the large medipack I found there. The final room with the nebulas in the background was lovely and well worth noticing. The lights are skillfully applied for most parts, although it was a bit too dark in places, and this creates a solid and at times suspenseful atmosphere. My main complaints apart from the lack of level jumps and the at times slow-going gameplay would be that there are no secrets(that I could find at least), way too few enemies, too many unnecessary pickups at certain points and in general a lack of real puzzles. An easy adventure suitable also for beginners and for most parts there are no real stuck points. Well worth seeing!!!" - Selene (15-Aug-2006) |
|
| "First off, what did I like about this Symbol of the World 2? The architecture, Max is a grand designer. The combination of sounds and music. The two of them, generating a greatly achieved ambiance. I could bet Max is a fan of both TR1 and, am I wrong? (I could be, because I only played the demo), Legend. Anyway, what did I like less? Well, the levels, four of them, can be played independently, there isn't any passage between levels: a little bad. Secondly, they're all very small (the third, Temple of North Wind, less so)and not at all challenging (again, a little more for the third): bad. It seems like the whole gameplay has been scarificed to Sophia, so she's a whinner, after all. Finally, I'd like to say that the third level (the third again, but it's the only one you can really name a level) is confusing regarding the way you must collect the fifth gem. At first, I placed one of the gems on the central structure - as a result, the grate to the final gem wouldn't open. So, there I had to go back all the way to the start just to do it right. Now, is there any kind of indication, a hint, a clue, that you shouldn't place any of the first four gems on the central structure. I don't think so: bad. Anyhow, the great, solid building together with the sounds make a up a little for all this. It could have been better and I hope it will the next time, for I believe Max's got a lot of potential." - Jorge22 (10-Aug-2006) |
|
| "My first review, so I hope I get it all right. Max's second level (-series) is a great pleasure to play. To get the bad points out of the way, level 1 and 4 are extremely short, there is *a* missing texture that I noticed, and perhaps, for the hardcore TR player, not enough enemies. Well that suited me fine, since I like the exploring aspect of TR more than the shooting. Level 1 is set in Paris, I really liked the beginning scene where with lovely audio-editing you can hear Sophia nicking the scroll. There's plenty of ammo to get rid of the enemies and whoops you are in level 2, Columbia. This temple is very well constructed, in best TR fashion, and not once was I stuck badly or got frustrated. The third level has got to be my favourite. The music spooked me right out, the temple was again beautifully constructed, the puzzles and jumps, none of them brain-crunchingly tricky, rather a quick enter-the-room-figure-out-what-to-do and away I was. Level four again very short yet beautiful, I wish there had been a bit more to explore before the great show down. All in all, this series has a distinct TR1 feel to it, and that's saying something! I loved the manacles on the walls which I haven't seen before. What was that empty room for though, the one off the room with lots of swinging chains? Oh yes, and I shot the first balls with pistols since I didn't find revolver and lasersight at first, but that's ok. Gerty's point that it was too dark I can not share since my monitor is quite bright these days (thanks to a utility called Powerstrip). Nice work, Max, I'm really looking forward to your next level! - p.s. I gave gameplay + puzzles an 8 simply because level 1 and 4 are too short in my opinion, but I like manageable puzzles and jump combos, so privately it's a 10 for me :)" - Manymee (31-Jul-2006) |
|
| "Playing these four very different kind of levels was a real pleasure for me.
Level designing is very good and the environment looks marvellous as it
looks in the previous part. The bad thing is that there aren't good puzzles,
challenging jumps or other things that would make the tasks more
interesting. If there were more challenges and interesting tasks in this
level I could rate this over nine because everything else is near the
perfection." - Samu (27-Jul-2006) |
|
| "As you can read in other reviews this is a 4 level game and it is a shame that there is no level jumping. I
liked the idea of rain in the Paris level but found an invisible wall in one of the alleys. The second levels
was also over before I knew it and the third was much longer as the search of 5 gems takes you all over
the place. Never found the Revolver but the shotgun will do just fine and that is a weapon you get at the
start of every level. The last level is very short, apart from shooting Sophia (and some beasts) or else
you'll be stuck forever. Overall I found the level way too dark and my settings were way up, as that is a
pity as the textures that are used sure looked pretty enough but one needed a flare to see" - Gerty (27-Jul-2006) |
|
| "The author manages to improve upon his previous level, while at the same time doing the complete opposite. What I'm trying to say is that this is a mixed bag. The first level, which barely lasts five minutes, seems only to exist so that Sophia can steal the scroll Lara found in the previous level. Gameplay is pretty non-existent, and except for killing a few enemies, there's not a lot to do in the level. The second level is more fun, and I thought it was quite okay. It looks decent, and the gameplay, though not particularly challenging, is alright. The third level was probably the best one in this short adventure. The hub structure works rather well, though I was surprised to see that I couldn't take the different routes in the order of my choice. Aesthetically it is also the most impressive level, with the main room looking quite impressive. The fourth level is the reason I decided not to rate the levels separately, as it's just the final showdown with Sophia and would have got all zeros from me. As the grand finale in a larger level, it would have been okay, but making it a separate level seems very unnecessary. Since you're forced to choose the next level from the main menu every time you've finished a level, none of the levels feel connected. This really doesn't help the last level - or the first one, for that matter. So to sum up: first level - boring, second level - okay, third level - better, fourth level - disappointing. In general, there are a few illegal slopes and the possibility of surviving drops which should be deadly (though it's possible I just missed a climbable wall somewhere). There are also some flybys which seemed completely unnecessary. Considering that this adventure consists of four levels, it's very short - clocking in at less than thirty-five minutes. Next time, I'd like to see the author put gameplay before story. Because as nice as the idea of telling a story in the levels rather than just in the readme is, the gameplay in this level has suffered from it. Of course, because of the way this adventure is set up, it's easy to just play the levels you want to play. Hint, hint." - Magnus (24-Jul-2006) |
|
| "Part Two of this notable series is a satisfying,yet slightly underwhelming,adventure.This is mainly due to the Gameplay of all four levels,which is a rather mixed bag.Level One (set in Paris) is so very short that it can barely breath,and appears to have no great relevance to the storyline (except to highlight what a little Minx that naughty Sofia is - she actually has the rudeness to break a couple of windows!).Level Two is a smart little outing in South America,with satisfying adventuring;but,once again,a little on the short side (it ends just as it was happily warming up).However,Level Three is where it's at.A very well-structured 'hub' level,where you need to complete 4 and-a-half separate tasks in order to acquire 5 diamonds (the 'half' is due to a rather cheeky flipped-room scenario). Although I was utterly unable to lay my hands on the apparently necessary Revolver and Lasersight it is,in fact,perfectly possible to complete these quests without either(Manual Targeting is a blessing in disguise),and a very balanced series of quests they were too,in an extremely well put-together and beautifully lit environment.
The fourth and final level,although containing something of the majesty of 'Symbol of the World,Part One' was far too brief and unchallenging (you were absolutely loaded down with heavy ammunition for the rather paltry 3 enemies on offer)to be completely successful.
This is a polished and superbly crafted series,and I enjoyed it very much.It was just a pity that of the four levels,three were a little too underdone." - Orbit Dream (23-Jul-2006) |
|
| "Max is back with a set of 4 levels as the sequels of his highly successful (in my opinion at least) debut. The levels are very short with the first one that takes place in Paris' streets lasting a little below 10 minutes, the following in an atmospheric temple in Colombia taking about 15 minutes to finish, the third, which was probably my favourite of the lot - with taking place in a chilly mountain temple takes a little over 20 minutes to finish and the last one which was intended as a grand finale to this part of the series (I assume (hope) there's more coming) even less than 5 minutes. The levels this time have more enemies - with the first even being a little shooter like, while the rest have the occasional scorpion, werewolf, boar or Sophia to keep you occupied. The atmosphere is great, enhanced by the wonderful audio tracks supplied with the level. The tasks are pretty much standard, and while the search for the 5 gems in level 3 resulted in more varied and creative tasks, the author managed to put a maze in too, which was not my favourite part, but actually was fairly simple, so I didn't mind. And while I thoroughly enjoyed this offering of Max, I have some complaints this time too. Firstly, there are a few shortcuts, which allow you to neglect some tasks during the level - like going to the big hall with the werewolf in level 2, because the door that's opened when you complete the task here can be opened by simply approaching it, due to a trigger the author forgot to delete I guess. In level 3 you can use the shotgun to shoot the brass balls instead of looking for the revolver and lasersight, but all these mentioned, along with the unmentioned ones were actually not so bad in my book and didn't spoil the level too much - but I guess the author still should be more careful with things like these. Secondly - the author asked in the readme to play the levels just in the order they are in the script. That's because every time you finish a level you're taken back to the title level - I wondered if it wouldn't have been easier to simply link the levels via level jumps to avoid misunderstandings? Thirdly - while the use of cameras, especially the fly-by sequences are great (the impressive area for the final battle with Sophia, the cage with a view in the third level), I would've appreciated if they had been used more to show opening doors and ways to go. While some of them do, I for example am not sure what half of the pads or levers did in level 3, and only found the 5th gem because I decided to backtrack to the beginning of the level after getting the other 4 in the main hall. Overall - though some things may need more work and attention, this is still a great effort - beautiful, atmospheric, fun and relatively easy - so fitting for everyone! Definitely worth to play it!" - eTux (20-Jul-2006) |
|
|
|
