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LB Advent Calendar 2009 - The Search for the Gifts by Scottie

DJ Full 4 5 5 5
dmdibl 6 6 8 8
Gerty 4 4 5 6
jawi 5 4 5 6
Jay 6 8 8 8
Jez 8 8 8 8
Jose 7 6 7 8
manarch2 6 5 5 6
MichaelP 4 4 5 6
Orbit Dream 5 7 8 9
rtrger 7 5 4 4
Ryan 5 6 6 7
sharnilal 8 8 9 8
Treeble 5 5 5 5
 
release date: 10-Dec-2009
# of downloads: 83

average rating: 6.13
review count: 14
 
review this level

file size: 40.16 MB
file type: TR4
class: Xmas
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
nachteule1@googlemail.com

Reviewer's comments
"The sole offering from this author given out as a Christmas treat. It's not a bad debut level, but shows beginner's signs and a few questionable decisions. The mirror hardly looks like a mirror, it took me a while to realize it (and thanks to the diagram in the walkthrough I didn't need to bother pulling out the binoculars to figure out the safe path). The glass maze was simple so fortunately nowhere as frustrating as it could have been. I liked the switching platforms though, took a few reloads because it's not always a fixed distance (only a couple of jumps require a run up, so I found myself overshooting now and then). The Guardian Key is virtually useless as the door it might have opened gets opened automatically on the way back, and there's no finish trigger or load camera (no crash to desktop though), plus the flare bug obviously kicks in when a flyby shows you about 30 flames setting off at the same time. I can certainly think of worse ways to spend 15 minutes on. 15 minutes. 03/23" - Treeble (26-Mar-2023)
"Although the surroundings were well crafted in this level, I didn't enjoy myself very much here. For one thing, the gameplay is too frustrating, even for a festive level, particularly that mirror room and the alternating platforms, where progression was rather slow and tedious. One flyby was rather too long for its own good and there was no finish trigger. It just failed to enthuse me, but I'm sure better things will come." - Ryan (17-Oct-2017)
"So, Scottie has made a level. I never knew until today so how did I find it? Can't remember already, but most likely via the GTSS game and I'm glad it happened. The readme says the truth about simplicity of this small adventure, yet not totally true - I didn't expect too much as the author wished, but behind the apparent randomness I can read there lies a really creative mind which can handle the Editor pretty well, only a disarranged madness which was obviously the point of this game may mask it to those who only search for epic stuff. Here we won't experience organic sceneries put in ambitious structural integrity or filled with sophisticated puzzle layout - the only good looking room is the cave entrance and since then everything looks boxier and boxier as we follow a sole linear path towards two unmissable Ureuses - but the platforming part is quite challenging and the snowmen warming themselves at the fireplace are hilarious. Also the fire flyby is particularly intriguing, and there's a reason for it in form of a trap mirror room (a bit too large for me, I had to use binoculars all the time). But when it's already clear death is more likely to occur in this level than it seemed to be, the hiphopping reindeers relieve all unusual non-Xmas tension, however I cannot understand the words of their or any other song for they're all sung in a different lang, not even sure if German. An evil gift bottomline calls for an answer if it wasn't in fact Jean-Yves but the title Grinch behind it all. There's a flare bug and loads of missing sounds, but not enough to disperse the seasonal mood even when a Christmas tree of failed magenta comes in to aid them. SUMMARY: Messy and buggy yet enjoyable." - DJ Full (15-Apr-2015)
"What stands out is the one of the two things I really hate and in here they are those flipping platforms (that of course for me was way too long). Then of course that glass maze. So I left this level on my HD but now with the new Advent coming I better get rid of some"older" levels to make some room for the new ones. I got the impression that this was not really mend for a Xmas release. So Scottie makes us a"normal" level or a nice Advent one, you can do it." - Gerty (23-Nov-2010)
"A not christmassy but nice little level with a very hard but doable jump puzzle (I saved on every tile to get on), a mirror trap and an interesting labyrinth. Atmoshere was OK and textures were placed good. But apart from the robot in one room just cruising around one square and the funny dancing velociraptors there wasn't a thing that spiced the level up. No finish trigger here but I think the present room means to be the end." - manarch2 (18-Aug-2010)
"This level is quite short (it took me 15 minutes to finish), but I enjoyed it. I was surprised by the gameplay which was good as for such small level. I found very challenging jumping on the platforms which appear and disappear regularly. The big flyby in the mirror room was very dynamic but the music during it… ah, it was bad to hear. Strange custom really. Even if it’s so small, it’s hard to review it. Short level = short review. And enough talking." - jawi (24-Feb-2010)
"I was quite dissapointed with this level. I mean come on: It has very good ideas. The story, the puzzles, the glass labyrinth. These things are just simply awesome. But the texturing is rushed a bit, and the fustrating jump puzzle doesn't fit to a Christmassy adventure. But, that's a fairly good level which is finishable in 20-30 minutes." - rtrger (30-Dec-2009)
"A short-ish level and not without it's tricky moments. You gotta be quick to do those jumps, but once over that obstacle gameplay is fairly straightforward and shows an interesting imagination at work behind this. Enjoyed the mirror room immensely even though progress through it was slow because of stopping to use the binoculars all the time - hope I'm not giving too much away here. Overall, looking forward to more offerings from this builder." - sharnilal (26-Dec-2009)
"I certainly appreciate that this was a bit of a rushed effort to be included in the Advent Calendar, which is not necessarily the most healthy approach towards releasing a debut level, but despite the typical Christmas level bonus, I cannot quite follow my fellow reviewers here. To begin with, I think this level would have worked better had it not desperately been turned into a Christmas level, by placing a series of Christmas objects that for the most part are totally out of place. Ok, it is a tad bit short at 15 minutes of playtime, but I was actually grateful for that, as I found the main tasks in the level rather tedious, dying plenty of times on the (technically competently built) flipping platforms room, struggling to see the path with binoculars in the mirror room and a maze is a maze is a maze - and I just don't like them, sorry. And then these three areas are connected with lengthy uneventful corridors to make it all hang together. There are no enemies or secrets and object placement is a bit odd, with the notable exception of the 'dancing raptors' - the single biggest highlight of the level, as they at least are good for a chuckle. I also found the choice of audios a bit strange and incoherent. So, bottomline, I need to say that this was not a very appealing short adventure for me and I am sure Scottie can do better than this with the right amount of time taken before his next release." - MichaelP (22-Dec-2009)
"A debut level with a series of ideas, well crafted and attractively done. Lara jumps over a large lava pool using squares that blink in and out of existence. These are awkwardly placed, so it is hard to quickly position Lara for the next jump. Working through this is like feeling one's way through a maze. Next there is a mirror room with fire tiles. If Lara jumps ahead she always catches fire, so even leaping well above the tiles is deadly. She has to painstakingly follow the mirror route, even though this is hard to see in the binoculars. Basically she is picking her way through a maze. Then Lara comes to a lovely glass maze enclosed in water and fish. One can't really see the route, so this is like Lara picking her way through a ma....well, this is a maze. There is an inappropriate appearance by R2D2, and some two-stepping raptors. (I was hoping for a chorus line of tap dancing raptors doing "Putting on the Ritz," but then this is a debut level.) Everything is built well, but now I look forward to serious levels." - dmdibl (15-Dec-2009)
"I think the next year will be very entertaining for all those who like TR custom levels. If all the beginnerts this year build more levels next year, we can be prepared for a lot of hours of fun. About the puzzles, I think they're good, but the flipped tiles one was a bit long, and the mirror room was a bit big, looking often with the binoculars approaching the view makes the game more slow. I don't know why not a finish trigger, perhaps to admire the textures and hear the final music? I'm sure that Scottie can build better levels in the future (of course, if he wants, who knows?). Once you begin, the editor can be vicious if people have good ideas..." - Jose (14-Dec-2009)
"As per the readme, this may well be a short level, but Scottie has certainly managed to pack a bit into it - a rather challenging disappearing/reappearing tile run (love those) a mirror room and some very unusual 'reindeer' among other things. There isn't a finishing trigger so I should just admire the beautifully wrapped presents for a while. Considering how very new to level building Scottie is, I think he made a pretty good job of this debut level and it certainly entertained me well enough whilst it lasted." - Jay (12-Dec-2009)
"I don't know how many more first time levels we are going to encounter this year but the quality so far has been high and this is no exception. Difficult to score this for enemies and secrets because there are none but I did like the dancing 'reindeer'. I am not normally a fan of flip map rooms, though, but the one her had a nice balance between challenging and not too difficult. I did like the mirror room and the maze too - both very well textured. Keep 'em coming, Scottie." - Jez (11-Dec-2009)
"This is a fun and quirky little level,well built with a highly individualistic touch - nontheless,there are really only three gameplay elements to speak of:a tricky flipped-room jumping challenge,a mirror puzzle and a perspex maze (I gave 3 points to the jumping challenge alone,due to its deviousness).Everything else is highly entertaining eye candy(those dancing raptors are a very good touch),impeccably assembled and lit;and you'll be through in no more than fifteen minutes." - Orbit Dream (11-Dec-2009)