trle.net ::: Level Reviews

Level:	Poor Wiwi
Author(s):	Marcos

total rating:	8.75	Gameplay & Puzzles	Enemies, Objects & Secrets	Atmosphere, Sound & Cameras	Lighting & Textures
	Blue43	8	9	9	8
	eRIC	6	9	9	9
	eTux	9	9	10	8
	Ivan	10	8	9	10
	Jay	9	9	9	9
	Jorge22	9	10	10	9
	Jose	8	9	9	8
	Kristina	7	7	7	8
	manarch2	8	9	10	9
	MichaelP	8	9	10	8
	Phil	9	9	9	8
	Treeble	8	10	10	9
	category averages (12 reviews)	8.25	8.92	9.25	8.58

Reviewer's comments

"I have just finished the latest masterpiece of Marcos, and decided to play the beginning of the Wiwi saga. I really enjoyed this part too, but hands down it can't be compared to his newer releases. Although gameplay was good throughout the level, the clever target shoots I will mention for example, I somehow got enerved by the long block maze that lasted a third of the entire level, nearly. Objects and texturing was good, but just good here, not with another "wow" effect I often had in "Black Harpy Returns". The dragon appearance when monkeyswinging reminded me on an old game whose name I have forgotten. Still, it was a very atmospheric level, with nice sound choice and two very nice to find secrets, one with a clever mirror room. The ideas in this level are typical for a Marcos level and I had great fun playing through, it ended way too soon after just 35 minutes. A solid level." - manarch2 (04-Apr-2011)

"This level has nice game play and a cute story line. As most Marcos levels, it is really different from what one expects in a Tomb Raider game. The level is full of unusual textures, objects, sounds, characters and it is definitely not a real easy one to play either. There are a couple of boulder traps that seem almost impossible at first, but once you know the trick they are actually quite easy. Game play can also get confusing at times and even with the walkthrough things didn’t happen they way they were supposed to (the dragon didn’t show up, but a reload from a save game fixed that). The atmosphere is spooky, yet entertaining, as there are fewer enemies than one would expect, but there are funny sequences to watch like a Chinese warrior chasing a clown. There were also interesting cut scenes and a nice movie at the beginning and at the end. The final enemy was a bit tough and Lara had only limited pistol ammo and a Crossbow with poisonous darts, which didn’t seem very effective. The texturing and lighting was well done and the whole room architecture looked very cool and was definitely different that seen normally in a level – very surreal with floating island character surrounded by black water. I did enjoy this a lot and will definitely play more Marcos level in the near future. If you want something unusual for a change, don’t miss this level!" - Blue43 (24-Jan-2011)

"I'm surprised this level has such a low review count after more than three years following its release, because it's a good one. I remember when it came out thinking that it dealt with some sort of sexual dysfunction, but it's really a surreal adventure with some nice touches along the way. The things that stand out most in my mind are the invisible sword-wielding skeletons and the chase after Wiwi as he waddles across a bridge to the boss battle site. (If you wait too long, the bridge disappears behind Wiwi and you're stuck.) The opening sequence with the boulders took me a number of tries to conquer, and Yoav's walkthrough was a big help here and in other places. The outdoor environs shown in the ending cut scene was to me more attractive than the indoor appointments encountered during the level. Maybe the builder plans to use the outdoor layout in a subsequent adventure. Let's hope so." - Phil (18-Jan-2011)

"Unique. That's the best word to describe this adventure. Starting out in a Floating Islands like environment, as soon as you manage the boulders you warp into another setting, where you'll be questing for a few items before you finally get to where Wiwi is being held. There were so many things I had never seen before (such as the previously mentioned warp and the other warp in the octopus room), and some also surprising sights (the swords room being the most remarkable one). I had to check the walkthrough on a couple of occasions, but usually I had missed a sneakily hidden crawlspace. This is definitely one level you will not want to miss, and you also get a very sweet ending animation after rescuing Wiwi. 35 minutes, 1 secret. 11/08" - Treeble (02-Nov-2008)

"Very original and well made, that’s for sure ! The setting is quite unique too with a floating islands flavour. It has impressive flyby and flipmaps , the level is sprinkled here and there with special effects and a bit of poetry. Very special indeed. Alas it was not so enjoyable due to some trickiness and there was no real good moments in the gameplay I can recall I'm afraid. The author has a lot of skill and imagination to tell a story, but it would be better if the gameplay was more interesting, also not interrupted by so many Lara’s deaths and glimpses to the walkthrough. As it is , this was far being an enjoyable experience." - eRIC (22-Dec-2007)

"Right from the first glimpse at the title screen you are taken into this story and want to rescue poor Wiwi and the 45 minute trip to do so is full of fun and surprise moments. The 'special effects' are cool and not too obscure this time, so they really help provide some kind of magical atmosphere. The enemies fit in real well, especially the swords and the dragon and the squish blocks with a twist were interesting. The boss fight with the black harpy became a bit tedious though, but it is all made up by the very enchanting scene at the end when you have accomplished your mission. A must play to see something completely different." - MichaelP (02-Dec-2007)

"Beautiful levels and very good lights and texturing in amazing wolrld where you must looking for at first and finnaly save little Wiwi :) In ages fight against black and dark side of mistical wolrds and beasts are continues in this epic voyage for little dwarf. You have flying beasts, invinsible too and some parts when brain must works 200 km/h :) beautifful lights and textures with fogs and hidden traps and shooting parts. Expecialy when its need to shoot before drop down in hells greens:) Interesting is weh nis pistol empty no way too shoot anything :) One of my favorite levels last years. Great job! Recomended for playing when you have time for good level to play. This one is first class!" - Ivan (14-Nov-2007)

"This time Lara has to help weak "persons", the innocent, victim of the dark forces. It notices the progress of this author building levels, with some special effects with the cameras and the lights, transporting Lara to strange and malefic worlds. For some reason I couldn't hear any background music in my game. Personally I prefer more classic levels and not so fantastic, but this is a good work anyway. If you don't take care exploring the areas it's easy that you have to go back to get a necessary item so, be careful. There are some tetric and sadistic scenes as usual in this author and much magic. If you like this kind of fantastic levels this one could be a good option. I couldn't see the credits at the end (Radeon graphics card)." - José (13-Nov-2007)

"This is a strange level with tasks to complete and basically no enemies. I didn’t like it much, especially the atmosphere and surroundings not to mention that green pulsing light that seemed to last for hours near the start. Lara finds herself in a setting with statues and black deadly water down. The first obstacle is the dragon-balls you have to avoid and it needs perfect timing. That was exciting and I thought everything will be like that but as I was getting further I realized that that most of the level was about a few objects and jumps. In the forty minutes I spent I had to guide Lara to find two beetle objects and two gems. I am sorry to say that I got bored with this level and that black harpy took forever to die. The concept is interesting but the surrounding disappointing and so is the gameplay with the exception of two areas maybe. The end though was what I liked best in this level after of course I had lifted the cage to free Wiwi. That castle with all the little dwarves and the waters around was beautiful and I wonder why the builder didn’t spend more time to build better areas in the main part of the part. I found one of the two secrets and was hard to miss anyway. Give this a try but don’t expect to play a conventional level." - Kristina (05-Nov-2007)

"Heaven knows what Marcos has been smoking, but this is one seriously weird trip, er sorry I mean level. It’s a quirky, innovative and original level that is utterly impossible to categorise. There’s nothing intrinsically difficult about the gameplay, but it will still have you stumped in several places simply because it is so different. Initially, you have nothing in your inventory but a limited amount of pistol ammo but that shouldn’t really cause you any problems and once you access the garden area you get to pick several magic apples (medipacks). It’s all rather charming and magical and the ending is sure to make you smile, although it has to be said that Poor Wiwi probably looses a little in translation – in English it does tend to sound a bit like an unfortunate prostate condition." - Jay (18-Oct-2007)

"Judging how little I progressed in the author's previous two levels, I assumed all his levels are a new shade of extra-hard difficulty in the Tomb Raider realm, so was a bit wary about starting this up as well. But when you see poor Wiwi trapped in the cage in the title fly-by with the sad music playing in the background, you can't help and go like "Aww!" and decide that you'll at least try to rescue the poor thing. With persistence I got through and was happy to find that the level as such is not really that difficult, maybe more unconventional in its method. True, it seems like the gameplay will be unforgiving when you start out on ground that crumbles below you, are given a limited amount of pistols' ammunition and have absolutely no health packs at all, but if you keep in mind that until the very end you don't meet any opponents you actually have a chance against with your weapons - shooting around just for the sake of it doesn't make a whole lot of sense anymore and if you're careful (actually - even if you're not too and are lingering on the last millimeter of health very early on) you can easily make it to the magic garden where you get all the magic apples (equivalent of medipacks in this game) without needing any additional help in the first place. The gameplay requires you to be observant most of all - because even if things are not all that obvious initially the author throws in the odd hint in the shape of a flying red critter. But as unconventional the gameplay is - I think the atmosphere is probably the most memorable thing about the whole experience here. Be it the demonic laughter, the dark deadly tar pits, the skeletons, the flying swords, whimpering demons that are stabbed by them, the clown guy and its Xian-guardian-look-a-like pursuers you see phasing in and out of walls all add to the overall spooky and creepy feel of the adventure immensely. I don't think it will be suited for everyone's taste, but I found it to be great for my liking. If there's anything not so great about this adventure then it's the at least one place where you could get stuck for good from my experience - namely the area with the mirror and burner. It's of course quite plausible that I just missed the whole point of what I was supposed to do in that area, but in any case - I recommend the players to keep at least a number of savegames at hand to avoid replaying the level entirely if you do get stuck. Overall - a great level with a difference from what you can find out there that will take you on a memorable 40 to 60 minute adventure in these distinctive environments. Found 1 of the 2 secrets." - eTux (17-Oct-2007)

"This is a most unique experience certainly unlike any level you've played to date. I must say the game has its relatively down moments, such as the boulders run right at the start and getting the crowbar (for both of which I had the precious help of saves - I admit! - by Guss and by the author himself) but that's about it. The fact that Lara starts without medipacks (apples from some twisted garden of Eden) and only gets a lot of them after almost losing all her health and that pistols ammo are most limited are more like interesting features once you get used to the idea... It's a surreal Wiwi's universe the one we dive into and a rather mind boggling too, where the ways to go and the puzzle solutions aren't always immediately obvious. In the end, Lara escorts Wiwi to his homeland where he is welcomed by a whole host of "Wiwis" that keep screaming "Wiwi!" in joy. Most beautiful!" - Jorge22 (17-Oct-2007)