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BtB2010 - Sunken Venice by illyaine

afzalmiah 8 9 10 10
Bene 9 8 8 9
Christian 9 9 8 8
Cory 8 9 9 9
Cosmos 9 7 8 9
Dick 8 9 8 9
DJ Full 9 8 9 9
dmdibl 9 9 9 9
Dutchy 8 8 8 8
eRIC 7 7 8 9
eTux 7 8 7 9
Eva 9 9 10 9
Gerty 8 8 9 9
Jack& 8 8 8 9
jawi 7 7 8 8
Jay 9 8 9 9
JesseG 6 8 8 9
John 8 7 8 9
Jorge22 10 10 10 10
Jose 7 8 8 10
Josey 10 10 8 8
Magnus 6 7 7 6
manarch2 7 7 8 8
masha 9 9 10 10
MichaelP 8 8 9 9
Minox 10 9 9 10
Mman 7 9 9 9
Mytly 9 9 8 10
nerdfury 7 8 8 9
Orbit Dream 9 7 9 9
Phil 9 9 9 9
Relic Hunter 8 9 9 10
repley 9 8 9 9
rtrger 8 9 10 10
Ruben 9 10 10 10
Ryan 9 9 9 9
Scottie 8 9 10 9
sharnilal 10 10 10 10
TheStig 9 8 9 9
Treeble 7 9 10 10
 
release date: 01-Jan-2010
# of downloads: 105

average rating: 8.63
review count: 40
 
review this level

file size: 45.37 MB
file type: TR4
class: Venice
 


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Reviewer's comments
"I keep seeing the Btb2010 levels and thinking "yeah, I played all of those back in the day"...turns out I was mistaken, so here we go completing the rest of them. Flooding and unflooding areas is the theme of this entry, but unfortunately that contributes to its biggest drawback, which is the large amount of backtracking needed. The chamber with the elements puzzle must be flooded and unflooded several times (especially if the player, like me, overlooks something) and the return route includes not only a very long monkeyswing, but also a repeated rope sequence or timed trapdoor sequence. On the plus side there are a couple of traps to engage the player, alongside a timed run, but the level is still on the easy side since there is not much emphasis on combat. The stronger aspect of this level is the visuals, including a couple of good architectural moments and especially the colorful lighting which I adored. 1 hour 8 minutes." - JesseG (16-Jun-2022)
"With a bit more music, a bit less backtracking and a bit more camera clues this stunning venice level would of been perfect in every way as the gameplay and setting was just to die for. you start off underwater and then have to navigate yourself through several outside areas and buildings, draining and filling rooms with water in order to reach different areas and switches that were previous inaccessible. its got great platforming puzzles, nasty traps, timed runs, pushable object puzzles, ropes, timed platforms, a great torch puzzle, some nasty villains and a boss fight and list just goes on and on. there is so much variety here in the tasks and to top it off: the areas and their textures are just gorgeous and a joy to explore around, the only downfalls was the amount of secrets, the silence in long periods and the backtracking got a bit irritating as did sometimes no knowing where to go or what has happened after youve completed task was disappointing as i dont like to use walkthroughs unless i have to but apart from that it was just fantastic a classic venice level that i'll definitely play again" - John (25-Sep-2021)
"(7) Gameplay & Puzzles: While I enjoyed the elemental puzzles in this medium-difficulty level, beyond that I think there's a lot of bloated gameplay in which the player is pulling levers here, pressing buttons there, etc. It just never really felt like great fun. A very sneaky hidden crawlspace, leading to a lever that activates 2 ropes, didn't help, and I think this extent of sneakiness would be better fitting for a secret. Also, if a player doesn't follow a walkthrough, it is likely they will go through that awful long monkeyswing more than twice, and that's just not good design. I think what separates this entry from other high-rated BTB2010 entries is, in my opinion, less thought from this builder regarding how the player will feel if they don't do things or discover items in the exact order that the builder intended. While the flooding/draining Venice concept is a neat one, gameplay wise there's so much potential for backtracking and running around in circles if the player doesn't follow a walkthrough step by step. (8) Enemies, Objects & Secrets: Enemy placement is done well, as is the final boss fight, although I would have liked to have found a different weapon(s) at some point. There are a few traps, but they're not set up in a very thrilling manner (e.g. the uninspired placement of the blade traps before the golden key pond). Object decor is of a very high standard. (8) Atmosphere, Sound & Cameras: Architecturally, this level is a real treat, and the builder did a wonderful job of incorporating diagonals to make rooms with visual interest. I would say the architecture is the strongest aspect of the level. On the flip side, a detractor to the atmosphere for me was how silly some events were (e.g. boulders, roses and jump switches appearing out of thin air). Sounds were nice, although cameras were a mixed bag. The flyblys were executed with great polish, but I would have liked to have seen more, as well as more camera guidance in general. I think the biggest camera culprit is the lack of feedback when the player turns a valve within the sunken theater. This action drains a totally separate area that the player likely hasn't been to yet (the area with the 3 element altars). It's very confusing and counter-intuitive, because it seems logical to the player that the valve would drain something nearby. (9) Lighting & Textures: This level looks lovely, and the builder demonstrated great skill in this category. There are however some overly-dark shadowy blobs that look out of place. Overall, it's a good level, but in my opinion the aesthetics are significantly stronger than the gameplay, and I just didn't find it very fun, I'm sorry to say. 7/8/8/9." - nerdfury (16-Mar-2021)
"I liked this concept very much and overall this also looked pretty good. There was some backtracking and at a certain point I ran out of ideas what or where to go. I could have used a tad more camera work to guide me through. In hindsight there weren't that many enemies and I was glad that shooting the wraith at the end, did work as I ran out of health pretty quick. The level itself is about draining the area and flooding it again so you can find the items you need. There are some puzzles to solve and a timed run to do as well as timed trapdoors to jump (I still hate them). Some pushing to do and triggering some boulders as well as a long, long monkey climb which I (by sheer chance) had to do only twice." - Gerty (15-Nov-2016)
"Quite a different take on the Venice theme here, taking place in a waterlogged environment. Nice puzzles, full of atmosphere, good lighting and textures. Another great entry." - Ryan (14-Mar-2016)
"The start of the level is great - the first part of the town is beautifully constructed, with great texturing and lighting, the draining and flooding is nicely set up and I had the feeling to have entered another strong level in the contest, but somehow the game loses parts of its charm along the way. Make no mistake there are still lots of nice looking areas, with a kind of lighting that is pretty unique to the competition, but the gameplay becomes extremely tedious, involving a lot of needless backtracking (especially the endless monkeyswing which has to be traversed twice is a fun killer), and while there are still intriguing tasks (like bringing the torch up to the element puzzle), it just wasn't very fun anymore. The sole secret also was hidden rather strangely, in a place you'd never expect in a non-Japanese game, and it wasn't very rewarding either. Everything felt solidly constructed, yet sometimes I felt there were too many long hallways connecting the various areas, which didn't help the atmosphere, but nevertheless everything feels very competently made, may it be flybys, sound tracks or texturing. There's a severe lack of camera clues though, which makes this game even more confusing, and the lighting at points felt a bit overdone, being way too strong in some of the rooms. The final fight against a demigod and a wraith felt a little too much especially since you cannot get rid of the latter (or have to backtrack quite a bit) except by shooting it, and there's not enough ammo left for the first. Overall it's a solid level, it is actually better than my review might sound, but maybe not a very well-rounded offering in the package. 40 minutes." - manarch2 (29-Apr-2014)
"As I start my "wrap up" run through BtB-Venice, finishing the levels I'd ditched and skipped the first time around, I came to realize that both times I went into this level with a certain prejudice. I am not entirely convinced anyone enjoys underwater levels and with a level titled as this one is you might be slightly worried there'll be a lot of swimming and desperate searches for air pockets. Thankfully, that's not the case. I, however, don't think I'd hit the finish trigger without the walkthrough, so while the environments may look warm and pretty, gameplay is rather obscure at times and there far more backtracking than I would ideally wish for (ie zero). All in all, definitely not a bad level - far from it -, but I didn't find it as enjoyable as illyaine's other levels (or other BtB-Venice entries, for that matter). 50 minutes. 02/14" - Treeble (01-Mar-2014)
"This level was beautifully crafted, challenging and varied, however, the level does not come without a few moments of frustration. It actually took me two attempts to complete this level. The first go, it took me a few hours to get through the first section, and I got really stuck when trying to activate two of the three ropes hanging from the swimming pool area. I will say that the lever that activates the ropes is well hidden, too well hidden. It's very miss- able. The same can be said about the first sand bag. Once getting past this point, I encountered a bug in the level. Upon putting the sand and water and wine in the three bowls towards the end, I left this area to grab the torch. Upon returning, all the elements had disappeared from the bowls, and hence the level was unfinishable. So I speed ran through the level a second time, and finally finished it. Ok, that was my only concern about the level, the rest is pretty positive. I thought the gameplay was very interesting, and the puzzles (when the worked) were very cleverly thought out. Though it was a relatively short level, it felt very compact, and there was only one or two moments (mentioned above) that I got completely lost and wasn't making any progress, at all other times, I felt as though I was progressing though quite swiftly. The design and texturing for the level was simply astonishing to look at. It's definitely one of the best for the Venice btb levels I have played so far. I thought that medi-packs were sparse, but also needed more than I usually do. It would have been nice to have a secondary weapon, and perhaps a few more enemies to test them on. Regardless, I had no problems with the number of enemies present in the level (really, less is more in TR sense) In summary, I would say that the puzzles and level design was a definite strength of this level. It was (mostly) a very fun level." - Cosmos (27-Feb-2014)
"I like sinking or already sunken things, this is why I got this one. Everything is flowing through the rather complex structure. Multi-path exploration reveals various items, including quite unique double usage of Bag of Sand element. I couldn't manage to deduce where all those lights come from when there's not even a lens flare applied, but overall graphic impression is warm, pleasant and friendly (despite of certain enemies used). One place lacks a hint camera and might be confusing for beginner players, however for me it wasn't, so my impression remains undamaged in this field. After all we get a classic slide-down getaway ending after a nice climax battle riddle, and I need nothing more to feel the game properly closed. SUMMARY: One of better Venice propositions I checked. Highly recommended." - DJ Full (25-Oct-2013)
"I played this level quite a long time ago but forgot to review it. I love a lot of Illyaine's levels so I thought why not give this one a go? I really liked this level because it wasn't too hard and the textures were flawless. I was pretty sad that the level was night but it doesn't matter because the level was amazing and Illyaine had perfect lighting. Getting the first secret was very hard but eventually I got it. Enemies were gangsters, wraiths and demigirl at the end. The end was epic! It didi kind of scare me but it was fun. Really nice level and if you like Illyaine's levels you will want to play this level. Recommdended." - afzalmiah (06-Sep-2011)
"Very large and very nice level. I found magnifique it. The lighting is perfect and I liked the gameplay. The end is difficult with the demigod and the flame that we brule.Congratulations to the author." - Minox (25-Feb-2011)
"I suppose I might have set my self up for disappointment with entering this level half-expecting there to be one big conundrum, at the end of which Venice will be saved from the watery peril it is in. Instead, you solve the problem within the first 5 minutes merely by turning a valve and flushing the gallons of excess water away (why exactly did anyone need Lara for this?) and then set off on a seemingly unrelated fetch quest for 3 roses. In addition to that, you come across a similar valve later on that floods and drains another part of the city at will (much to the delight of the city's inhabitants, I'm sure). I get it that in the end this is just a game and it's all about finding reasons to put in some exciting gameplay, but for me there was something quite off-putting about using the Oh no! Venice is sinking! sentiment as an excuse for a flooding/draining puzzle and abandoning common sense along the way. Switches that for whatever reason are able to trigger events in a different building are almost like a TRLE trope, but here they seem omnipotent with manifesting quest items out of thin air and setting off exploding palm trees when you would just expect them open the door they were placed next to, thus giving this level an unintentionally surreal feel to it. As far as looks go, there's only one bizarre construction, where a seemingly massive stone element is being balanced by 2 columns and the long monkey-swing section. The rest seems fairly agreeable with a nice use of textures, lighting and fog, and doesn't actually feel all that much like Venice, which after the number of more typical Venice ventures is not such an unwelcome change of pace. The gameplay highlights for me were the entire section involving lighting the torch and getting the harp down, though a few spike traps and timed runs kept it exciting as well. A few more cameras would've been nice, and the author could've made the way the items are involved in the gameplay more structured - as in - where it is not possible to get far into the game and find out you're missing something (i.e. golden key). Play it for the nice looks and some of the more exciting tasks. If you manage to avoid excess backtracking, I imagine your gaming experience will be that much better. Found no secrets." - eTux (28-Jan-2011)
"Here illyaine presents his building style, showing Venice without canals, but city flooded with water. The first thing I thought about this level was that there will be a lot of flooding/drying rooms. And I was right. I don’t know why, but for me all of the illyaine’s locations aren’t very beautiful. I have no idea what could be added there (maybe some more objects?) to make them looking better. It’s strange even for me, but these are my feelings about the areas. Gameplay is fluent, but there are some places in which you have to repeat some actions a few times (like when you light a torch, or flood the big area with element puzzles) what was a bit frustrating. I haven’t got such fun playing this level like I had had for example in ‘Heart of Venice’. It was easy, but not enjoyable – it’s another strange feeling that I got from this level. One thing I found annoying - there is a sneakily hidden switch at the beginning which made me a little bit angry. Additionally, in my case two bandits and a fire wraith appeared a bit too early (I discovered it after comparing my play with walkthrough). Lighting is pretty well done as well as texturing, but unfortunately there weren’t any ‘jaw-dropping’ locations. One thing is very evident – there is really small number of enemies and that’s why there aren’t any weapons given despite of normal pistols, of course. Overall, I don’t recommend this level but it’s still a good one." - jawi (09-Aug-2010)
"I'm almost at the end of my back to basics reviews now with one additional level to actually play and a few to submit reviews for that I have completed. There's definately a fair bit of back tracking involved in Sunken Venice, though I'm glad to say that it doesnt detract from the excellent gameplay. A few of the key pickups are well hidden and take a fair bit of searching to find, which will keep the experienced raiders happy. One bit that baffled me was the sequence where I had to push the harp down on a moving platform. I'm reasonably proficient with jumps in tomb raider now, but I took so many initial attempts at this jump to get up there that I concluded I must be doing something wrong and tried to play on. Bizzarely when I revisited the jump the next day I did it on my first attempt. I'm sure 90% of the fault here lies with myself as the player, but where a jump is key to progression I'm always keen on a clear line of sight for the sake of making good progress. As it was I the detour wasnt wasted as I got a good picture of what I would have to do in the final section of the game, though it probably caused me to back-track a few more times than I needed to. Graphics and lighting are excellent as are the selected music cues. Highly enjoyable and recommended. Completed in 1 hour 31 minutes." - TheStig (06-Aug-2010)
"Another very good creation from this BtB. Architecture and textures are professional, as another details like the fog or the ambience. I found some errors in the gameplay design. The author lets you advance even if you don't have the necessary items (ex: I thought the courtyard with the small pool was only to fill the waterskin, and I missed the golden key. When I reached the room with the moveable harp and I found the golden keyhole, I needed to backtracking a lot and explore huge areas to find the key wasting a lot of time. Perhaps a bug only in my game?). Even so I liked the good puzzles and innovative ideas, although I missed some cameras when triggering things (the wheel which drains/fills the room with the bowls and others). Good work but confusing gameplay." - Jose (01-Mar-2010)
"Well, this level actually gets better when you play it a second time. It is very well constructed and the draining and flooding of large areas is cleverly designed. Lighting and texturing is impeccable done, except for maybe a few corners which seemed unnecessarily dark, but the whole level has a great sense of place. It starts fairly easy and then gradually becomes more challenging around the tasks for the element puzzle that eventually gets you the third rose that you need, which includes a timed run, timed trapdoor jumps with torch and a push object puzzle. The main gameplay issue is the long monkey swing above the element puzzle area. On replay I only had to do it twice and that was kind of ok, but the first time around it must have easily been five times making the trip and thus was really a frustrating element. The finale initially seemed a little unfair, but with a bit of thought is actually easily mastered. (50 mins, 1 secret)." - MichaelP (01-Mar-2010)
"I can just imagine how the citizens of Venice must react to Lara's attempt to 'help' them. "Oh, look - the water is gone! Let's all go out into the streets to celebrate and- *GLBRBLRB* -we all just drowned and now we're dead!" Raising and lowering the water level is an important part of this level and is the solution to several of its puzzles. Other than puzzles, there are very few enemies and there's not much action to speak of. The layout of the level is fairly non-linear, but things have to be done in the correct order if you want to make it to the end. There are some pretty clever puzzles, but they're not quite enough to hold up the level. Too much of the gameplay consists of just running from room to room pulling levers to open doors to new rooms with new levers. It can also be a fairly confusing level, especially since it's not always completely clear which lever does what (at least it wasn't to me). Architecturally, the level could have used some work. It's fairly well-textured and mostly well-lit, but most rooms feel a bit boxy and it never feels like you're really in Venice. All in all, this is a decent forty-five-minute level for people who put thinking over action." - Magnus (28-Feb-2010)
"Venice is flooded, at least large parts of the city are under water... Lara needs to first drain the water and then proceed further into the adjacent areas. Here you will find more rooms full of water and some tasks can only be solved in flooded rooms and then you need to come back after draining them again... so you go back and forth a few times. Eventually, Lara will find three roses and can leave the level with a mask. Gameplay was nicely done, even though some of the distances were a little too far for my taste and you had to maybe run along some of the rooms a few too many times. There are nice puzzles however. Graphics are also very accomplished. All rooms and areas have been well designed, textured and lit - very playable!" - Eva (24-Feb-2010)
"An interesting setup paves way for another nice adventure. I liked the idea of having to navigate through a sunken modern city, and I felt that this idea was implemented well overall. There isn't going to be too much swimming to do as the water gets drained, but this well made level promises to keep one entertained. You are taken through a variety of places in the level, from several town squares to a large partially-flooded theatre, a few sewers, and more flooded, ornate rooms. The initial moment of draining the main square is a fun one, along with a few timed runs, rope swings, a little pushing puzzle, and some water manipulation all provide an interesting mix of tasks. The standout feature here though is the setting. Venice is graced with a lovely setting sky and very nice use of fog bulbs, lighting, and textures to create a wonderful atmosphere. Every environment is also nicely crafted in each of the level's areas. What holds the level back is a great amount of backtracking, a bit too much to keep the player from losing interest. Some extra cameras would have came in handy too; I got stuck at a point because I didn't realize that a certain valve manipulates the water level in a different area of the level than the one I was in. That aside though, it is a solidly crafted level that entertains, and takes its place among high quality levels." - Relic Hunter (20-Feb-2010)
"Tedious long monkeyclimb you have to use at least twice, a shortcut here would have been nice. I sometimes had the feeling the gameplay was unnecessary extended by backtracking No remarks on textures, lighting and the rest, as it was all ok for me." - Dutchy (13-Feb-2010)
"Lots of branching corridors, occasional missing cameras, sneaky hiding places for important pickups and a lot of backtracking. That basically sums up the game playing experience - mostly exasperating but still just about doable with lots of patience. Nice setting, although the fog seemed a tad overdone in places." - Dick (10-Feb-2010)
"There's a beautiful feeling of Sunset in the outside areas and really sneaky use of light and dark to hide some crawlspaces - all nicely done. The timed run was enjoyable and easily accomplished with much thanks to the builder. Even knowing the where and how of the secret I was still not able to get it but it did trigger an early showing of one of the goons and a dog. Enjoyed the torch puzzle and the use of the picture. There's a bit of to and fro-ing but all throughout there is a 'crisp' look and the feel of classic Raiding. A bit more camera work and more medipacks would have made this even more of a pleasure but even so, highly recommended." - Bene (05-Feb-2010)
"Sunken rooms, sunken streets...mostly you can see this throughout this level. You have to collect wine, water and sand, and a torch to kill a demonic creature, then rush out of the level. Gameplay has some challenging elements, like the timed trapdoors, but it's not hard. Lighting is a very good point of this level. I liked it, because it's a bit dark, but not much. Secret is hard to spot, and also hard to collect. Overally, a great level to play, don't miss it!" - rtrger (04-Feb-2010)
"This level is let down a lot by the sheer amount of backtracking, frankly, when I realised I would have to go across an excessively long monkey swing another three times I just cornerbugged up to the place I was supposed to access by flooding an area first, lowering it to one more trip. There are also other areas where missing one thing can result in checking other areas. There was also a block puzzle (and torch puzzle too) that involved a frustrating jump that could have been avoided simply by making a window breakable. The gameplay in between those issues is good though, with some nice ideas and good use of flooding/draining rooms.
The visuals are excellent, and there's a bright, "clean" look to the texturing and atmosphere that I really liked, along with some interestingly shaped areas. Objects were also well used for detail. Some rooms felt a bit plain and had somewhat flat lighting though. This could have been one of my favorites if the gameplay had been tweaked a bit." - Mman (02-Feb-2010)
"One more excellent level in this series. Your purpose is to find three roses in three parts of the level to finally get access to the end of the level. A well known concept. But the way through the different areas is tricky and elaborate - the author shows a lot of creativity: So some running to and fro, draining and re-flooding Venice several times don't become annoying. One timed run isn't really challenging, there are no hard jumps to do. Nice atmosphere, lightning is sometimes a bit unreal. Altogether: A very good work." - Christian (01-Feb-2010)
"A stunningly good game ! Another fine entry in this years BtB . Excellent story , tough enemies ,brilliant use of both sound and cameras ,beautifully designed architecture in all locations plus a really Grand Finale, its all there waiting for you to test your brain and abilities in a wonderful BtB adventure. This game does in no way fall behind my other two or three favourites . Its just top notch work and should finally make it to the top ranks !" - Ruben (01-Feb-2010)
"I don't have to check any other reviews to grant this great level a perfect score. Thrilling, with great puzzles and not too many mafiosi, very nice looking, solid and well balanced, a bit cryptic at times (finding the missing wine bottle, the somewhat mysterious ending) but in a way that it only adds up to the fun. I won't enter into technical details (because I can't) or tell what it's about (because usually a lot of people will), but I'll praise it from the gamer's pont of view. Very highly reccomended." - Jorge22 (31-Jan-2010)
"When the level began, I heaved a sigh and tried to resign myself to a long trip to the sewers, since that's where you need to head first. Fortunately, the sewer trip lasts only 5 minutes, and the rest of the level takes place mostly outdoors/semi-outdoors under a gorgeous sunset sky. The level is mostly quite bright and colourful, though there are a few dark spots. The architecture is lovely, especially the main flooded building (a theatre?) around which most of the level revolves.
Gameplay is mostly enjoyable, as the 'sunken' theme plays out quite well - several of the puzzles involve flooding/draining rooms. There are other intriguing puzzles as well, like the various methods of getting the torch from place to place. The final showdown is also fun. Getting the sole secret is rather tricky, yet enjoyable. The only negative things I can say about the gameplay are: the large amount of backtracking involved at times; and the slight overuse of hidden crawlspaces (including one which leads only to a switch to release two extra ropes in the theatre, which are completely unnecessary).
Camera hints are also rather lacking - for example, in one case you have to turn a wheel to drain the water in an area you probably haven't even visited yet - so there's no way to tell what you just achieved by turning the wheel. This is particularly annoying since you need to flood that area again a while later.
But the above issues are all comparatively minor ones. Overall, this level is a joy to play. Recommended." - Mytly (25-Jan-2010)
"With this level I have immediately well liked the beginning. Venice is half underwater and Lara must find a way how she can restore the old state. Not only the level beginning felt well. For example, the big room with three ropes, three trapdoors and the adjoining rooms was very nice. Also I have liked the big courtyard with the monkeyswing and three pedestals. Very good made was the level end. Indeed, there was now and again a little bit idle running, because some things were good hidden and not easy to find. But all together it was a very good level." - Scottie (20-Jan-2010)
"This level is my taste. Large and complex nested together, so you must first explore to get an overview of what to do and where. Lara needs only 3 roses, but to get them there is a variety of puzzles to solve, which get more difficult in progress. I liked the torch puzzle in combination with the flooding of the courtyard to be resolved and very well implemented. The author used light and shadow perfectly and integrated it into the gameplay. I didn't like the furious showdown in the end, the opponents are unfitting. Overall a good level with medium difficulty." - repley (20-Jan-2010)
"A thoroughly enjoyable and beautifully presented level and hopefully not prophetic. You get to explore most of the level at your leisure without interference from enemies who are pleasantly few and far between. The real challenge of this level is to keep track of all the switches and where they were, not to mention which ones you might need to come back to later. There is a bit of backtracking involved and some challenges to getting the secrets - none of which I managed to find and/or get to, none of which put me off in the slightest - even though I traversed that extremely long monkey swing at least three times more than I needed to. The level is beautifully realised, well-textured and has some of the most colourful lighting I've seen in a while. I can't recall a single taxing puzzle, in fact the game flowed well and there was always something fairly obvious to suggest the next move. Sound queues were well placed and atmosphere convincing. Made me want to go visit this Venice in person." - sharnilal (19-Jan-2010)
"This is an action-packed level, filled with challenging twists and turns and providing a quite enjoyable gaming experience. I may be wrong, but this seems to be the work of a seasoned veteran. A high rope swing led to the level's only secret (thanks to Dutchy for his tip on achieving the necessary extra boost). There's a nice blend of indoor and outdoor action, the lighting was well done and the Venetian textures were used to their full advantage. I understand that a number of the entrants are first-time builders, but after playing about a third of the BtB levels I don't believe I've yet encountered a maiden voyage. If I'm wrong about that, then the raiding community has much to look forward to in coming years. These levels are of extraordinarily high quality, and Sunken Venice is no exception. Highly recommended." - Phil (18-Jan-2010)
"A very good level, a little dark for my taste, but mightly enjoyable. Congratulations!" - Josey (18-Jan-2010)
"well a colorful game with 2 distinct parts ...at one underwater areas and next one a theater with a big water pool also ..... ur main goal is to get 3 roses wich u use to open the door for the final area ...... i get a mask too but never get to use it ......... ??? ! ??/////at the first part is a tricky jump too at a platform with movable harp harp.. not bad one but nothing special with ...." - Jack& (14-Jan-2010)
"This becomes an intriguing level. It starts slowly, with Lara diving into dark cisterns, but once the introductory parts are over, and it got into the main puzzle of getting the torch and the three elements down to a main area, this becomes quite engaging. A good use of color with architecture to create interest. By the time it is clear how to do things, Lara had used a monkeyswing the length of a football field about four times, so my game probably lasted longer than it should have. This is satisfying when everything comes together. At the end Lara places three roses, gets the mask, has a showdown with a demigoddess, and the level ends with a bang. Or so it seems. Lara has to hunt up an alcove that merges with a wall and is hard to see, then has to hunt up another alcove with another switch. Lara prevails, despite the author's efforts to try to turn this into an anticlimax, and triumphantly ends the level. Throughout there are sneaky moments, such as hiding an element right in the middle of a timed run, where players might blithely sail past it. But that's the sort of thing I tend to look for, and it's always nice when you find what you're expecting. This is a bit different from many levels, and that works in its favor, though it also has the feeling of classic tomb raider (think changing water levels in tanks in London TR3). Very well done." - dmdibl (11-Jan-2010)
"I know Venice is sinking into the sea, but I had no idea it was this bad. Actually, this is a most interesting beginning to a Venice level and good use is made of the flooding/draining scenario throughout the entire game. Enemies are infrequent, but effectively used and the gameplay in general is cohesive, nicely paced and entertaining. The textures have been well used to ensure Venice is looking as we would wish to see it. My favourite so far, but as it's only the third one I've played it really is early days yet." - Jay (07-Jan-2010)
"This level starts off very nicely, and, as the title suggests, in a partly submerged town. It has a fair share of traps and puzzles that really made you think, (I only got stuck when I had 1 rope, however a sneakily hidden lever solved this). The only big downside to the gameplay was that there was slightly too much backtracking and I would have prefered one or two more camera hints. Enemies are few but well used and object placement is very good. I didn't find any secrets so I can assume that they were hidden well. The atmosphere was good, and sounds were used well to aid it, however, a few more cameras (maybe one or two more flybys) could have demonstrated the builders talent further. It was textured very well, with no real obvious problems and the lighting was good. The ending sequence in the level completely drained my health, but it was well thought out and built. I recommend that you play this level, as it is a very fun adventure that has a great ending that will keep you on your toes. 1 hour 20 mins, no secrets." - Cory (06-Jan-2010)
"Very nice level with the excellent textures and lighting, outside how inside. This game means 2 hours of the pleasure pur to me. Very realistic architecture, excellent lighted, very tricky riddles, nested rooms, nonlinear gameplay. Few enemies, few camera hints, one fair timerun. Intelligent riddles with burning flare, element puzzles, pushables and many game with the water - all this makes this level for me to my favorit of this contest. Absolut recommendable." - masha (05-Jan-2010)
"I'm sure I'll be proved wrong at the end of the day,but this strikes me as being the work of a truly experienced builder.The level is large and beautifully constructed,while textures are applied immaculately and lighting evokes a 'dusk' setting rather well.Gameplay is completely straightforward to begin with;but,my goodness me,is that deceptive?!Sneakily hidden areas;draining/flooding actions;an ingenious platform-cum-torch puzzle.There's a little too much back-and-forth movement if you fail to initially see the logic in the puzzles;but it's all quite fair in retrospect (although perhaps a few more camera hints would have been a kind gesture?)and has been devised with intelligence.Everything fits together beautifully to create a challenging raid within an elegant environment,building to an exciting and logical Finale.A big thumbs up!" - Orbit Dream (04-Jan-2010)
"Quite a different sort of Venice level this one, both in the setting with some vast yet not overwhelming areas as they are intelligently made a bit bare to fit the mood of the level , and in the gameplay as well , some of the tasks are of course about draining or flooding some areas. A good idea of a level , generally very pleasant to play , but where backtracking can really kicks in if some item has not been found. The looks are often really superb, I enjoyed looking at some of the very elegant architecture , even if some areas are unnecessarily too dark. Not many enemies , but as there is not many medipacks either , do not waste your health for the final boss with a flying demon and a blue wraith." - eRIC (04-Jan-2010)