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Level: Lara's First Try back home search
Author(s): The Kenster
total rating:7.13 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Andi Croft 8 7 7 8
CC 7 7 7 7
Dimpfelmoser 7 6 7 7
eTux 5 4 4 5
Gerty 8 7 8 8
Kristina 9 7 9 9
LaraFan 7 6 8 7
MichaelP 6 6 8 7
Orbit Dream 6 6 6 6
RaiderGirl 8 7 8 8
Sash 8 7 7 7
Scottie 8 7 8 8
Torry 7 7 8 8
Treeble 8 7 8 8
category averages
(14 reviews)		 7.29 6.50 7.36 7.36

Reviewer's comments

"This first attempt is absolutely succeeded. The level builder has taken the tutorial level as an example to himself. But there is not a lot to be seen any more. Merely the beginning room still reminds of it, then the level builder has gone his own ways. And these own ways looking really good. Up to quite a small undeveloped outskirt area. This area looks a little bit bad. But all other is worthy of notice, because he has avoided the typical beginner's mistakes. The rooms are well built and attractively textured. The lighting is good. The same one is valid for the sound. But sometimes he has a little bit exaggerated with the sound. Thus warning hints already sound sometimes at places, where no danger threatens. There are enough camera hints for the levers. Well are also the tracking shots. Exactly here it often happens, that the camera drives so wild through the area, that one could mean, that she is completely sloshed. Opponents are Baddies and mummies. But Lara finds enough weapons, ammunition and Medipacks. Result: Successful first attempt, which one should play anyway" - Scottie (09-May-2009)

"Despite being everywhere competant and reasonably entertaining,this was undeniably as average as it gets.In fact I was convinced,to begin with,that I'd loaded it up incorrectly as the first room is identical to the Tutorial level's equivalent,with the exception of a hole in the ceiling.After that it goes off in a reasonably entertaining Tut1 direction and,indeed,there are moments of originality (particularly the quite cunningly conceiled hiding place for one of the cartouche pieces) occasionally intermixed with undeniably poor ideas (the appalling rope-swing through walls,for example)resulting in an adventure which wasn't really anything more than 'acceptable'. But,if you're in an undemanding mood and feeling egyptian,you could do a lot worse." - Orbit Dream (07-Jul-2008)

"For a first try for Lara this might be quite challenging, for a first try for the author - well done - but overall this makes up a quite solid tutorial adventure with some interesting gameplay twists thrown in. Many things indicate that the author was merely experimenting what truly can be done with the editor, like for example hearing the secret chimes (but this not registering as a secret) when picking up one of the cartouches - or reaching a place vital for gameplay (after the 2 quite challenging rope swings) but it registering as a secret. The enemies also are thrown in listlessly, and the rooms usually are big, uninspired, full of pickups, but empty in general. But that doesn't mean this is not a fun raid, and especially better since this is an older level, so if you're not tired of the Egyptian themes yet - worth a look!" - eTux (21-Feb-2005)

“This starts out and for a long time you think it's going to be one of those easy peasy levels based on the tutorial tut1 wad. In fact the first room is almost identical to the tutorial level but you notice that there are differences. And from there on it has a style all its own. We’re obviously inside a pyramid and we discover numerous rooms and connecting corridors and waterways on the lookout for hands and cartouche pieces with the eponymous ninjas mummys and scorpions along the way. I won't say it gets more and more difficult but it certainly needs a bit of head scratching. Especially that first half-cartouche. I had to look up the old thread I couldn't find it. So that has to go down in history as one of the best hidden pieces ever. And I’m not going to tell where. Why should I be the only one to suffer :-D. I liked all the rope and monkeyswinging that's near the end and the earthquake wasn't too bad. A very good level especially as it's heading for nearly three and a half years old.” – CC (13-Aug-2004)

“This sure was my lucky day as I was prepared to run around a lot for the warnings some reviewers gave about finding that second part of the Cartouche. No problem at this end as I found it right away. Don’t know if the clue (at least that’s how my interpretation was seeing the electric lights it made my climb) was meant that way. Back at the game you’ll get loads of armor and there is a way to get the grenade launcher before burning Lara. But you don’t even need it. There is even a scorpion that leaves a nice present behind after being shot. Further down the game it was very daunting to stand eye to eye with a spiked ball as you’ll know its out to get Lara. The gameplay is fluent some climbing crawling rope swinging and pole climbing. Enemies are ninjas the sneaky stealing kind scorpions and mummies. Two cartouches to find and two hands some levers to pull and that is it. Still not sure about the earthquakes though. Found 2 secrets. 18-08-2002” – Gerty (19-Aug-2002)

“This was a good Level. The atmosphere was nice and the textures fine. There were some movable objects and some artefacts to find. Enemies were skeletons. The puzzles were easy and I found the guns I need. There is a lot of swimming and no difficult jumps. I was playing 30 minutes for this level but I found no secrets. In some rooms I found textures from Tomb Raider 2-- Wreck of Maria Doria. That was fine.” – Andi Croft (11-Aug-2002)

“This level is so much better than the name implies and is definitely worth the download. Taking me almost an hour to get through the objective is to collect a few hands and pieces of the cartouche and that's much more of a journey than it sounds. It took me forever to find that second half of the cartouche (you'll know which one) and when I got to the place where you place the second hand I realized I didn't have that one yet so it was off on another journey. None of the puzzles are hard it's mainly just a good exploration level with a few good jumps traps and very few enemies thrown in.” – RaiderGirl (26-Jul-2002)

“I am not sure if - like the name seems to indicate - this is the creator’s first try at level building but if so it is a great debut. Set in an endless series of rooms some very interesting some not so this level moves at quite a fast pace never letting it get boring. Some of the nice touches were the use of openings in the ceilings of some rooms plus the quick stop outside to break up the interior gameplay very nice use of sometimes seemingly impossible rope swings and a great way of connecting a lot of rooms by either crawlspaces or water tunnels. This is a medium sized level with about 50 minutes of game time and each of those minutes was well occupied.” – Sash (21-Jun-2002)

“Ok it is really quite your 'run of the mill' standard Egyptian adventure but it is nicely done and keeps you entertained for about 40 minutes. There are the obligatory scorpions ninjas and mummies around as well as a few rolling balls and many many pickups (like I think all weapons although the grenade gun is only a red herring) and gameplay is mainly around running swimming finding crawlspaces rope swings (one very much through walls L) and finding two cartouches and two hands. I needed some help from Brazil (Thanks Treeble!) to find one of the cartouche pieces so be advised to look around carefully. Camera work is also worth mentioning so give this one a 'first try' if you haven't yet.” – Michael (21-Jun-2002)

“This is a fairly standard type of level offering no real challenges but the interconnecting passageways (both crawl spaces and underwater tunnels) made it an enjoyable 45 minutes or so away from the world.” – Torry (21-Jun-2002)

“This level is very impressive and it has been overlooked for so long. This level is one year old but it's still very better than a lot of current levels. Set in an Egyptian environment Lara simply has to find her way out finding cartouches and hands to progress. There was some items weirdly placed such as the tiny red scorpion turning into an arrows pack so I rated that with a 7. Atmosphere and textures fit fine lighting effects are a bit simple but they are good enough and at last the gameplay through its 45 minutes was never boring. Surely worth a download!” – Treeble (21-Jun-2002)

“At first glance you think its this tutorial level again but you will soon realize that this level is totally different! In this level you get all the hints you need that makes it quite easy. Also you get a lot of extras but you will need only your good old guns. Perhaps for these mummies you can use explosive arrows but it isn’t really necessary. I couldn’t find out how to get the burning grenade launcher but it wasn’t needed anyway. A very straightforward level where your next move is always clear. Few enemies and almost no puzzles make this level a good play just for fun; but the real experts will find it boring.” – LaraFan (21-Jun-2002)

“This is a very good level I enjoyed it. It's nicely build and the rooms are quite good the textures are always well placed and I loved the dark corners with the crawlspaces hidden. The player has to find two cartouche pieces and two hands with one of them leading to the exit. You get a chance to explore one outside area with a little swimming and a cartouche half out there. The truth is that there are baddies and mummies with the second easily avoided so the revolver crossbow basically all the guns aren't that much needed. There are a few underwater paths which you need to pass and access the next area and the puzzle items. One half of the cartouche was cleverly hidden but not hard to get. Another trap is the spike balls coming down in two cases at least and with a delay in one of them so it is a surprise if you are not careful. This level also contains rope swinging with fires under polls and a few levers to push. I do have a question though as to what was the purpose of the small earthquakes as the change was not obvious. The only thing I want to add is that it might not be much of an apocalypse but having to do with a classic level I'd say I had a lot of fun playing it.” – Kristina (21-Jun-2002)

“Well I liked this I have to say. It's a pretty standard tutorial level but for the 50 minutes it lasts it provides good entertainment with a fairly fast gameplay. There is one piece of the cartouche that is easily overlooked but courtesy of RaiderGirl's review I was particularly careful not to miss anything. You get far too many (useless) weapons and ammo while the enemies seem to be placed without any concept but otherwise it's a good mix of all those TR actions like swimming monkey swinging rope swinging climbing jumping etc etc. Actually the jumps could have been a bit more challenging and the traps are rather obvious in fact I don't think I died a single time in this one. Add the nice fly bys and some good camera angles and you have your solid Tomb Raiding experience.” – Dimpfelmoser (21-Jun-2002)
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