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Silent Vill (Demo, German) by Dark Death

AdamR 8 7 10 7
afzalmiah 8 10 10 9
Alantos 9 10 10 10
Albert 10 10 10 10
Ali 7 7 9 9
Bene 9 10 10 10
Chronicles5 10 9 10 10
DJ Full 9 10 10 10
dmdibl 7 8 10 9
eTux 5 10 10 8
High Priestess 10 10 9 10
janachorider 7 10 9 9
Jay 8 10 10 10
Jorge22 6 7 8 7
Jose 8 8 10 9
Kat 8 9 10 9
manarch2 8 9 10 10
MichaelP 6 10 10 9
Miguel 7 8 9 9
Miriam 8 9 10 10
Moonpooka 10 10 10 10
MpGrill 10 10 10 10
mugs 9 7 9 8
Nomad 9 10 10 10
okuhtfesq 9 9 10 10
Orbit Dream 5 7 9 9
Phil 6 8 8 7
Polinjonok 9 9 10 10
rtrger 9 10 10 10
Ryan 7 10 10 9
Scottie 10 10 10 10
Shandroid 8 9 10 10
sonnyd83 9 10 10 10
Teone 5 7 9 8
TheStig 9 10 10 9
Torry 7 7 10 9
Treeble 8 10 10 10
Wolf7 8 10 10 10
 
release date: 02-Jan-2010
# of downloads: 99

average rating: 9.02
review count: 38
 
review this level

file size: 133.87 MB
file type: TR4
class: Mystery/Horror
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
darkalex@hotmail.de

Reviewer's comments
"Wow. Just... wow! It's just a pity this is only available in German as presentation here is obviously everything. You get amazing cutscenes complete with voice acting, including an epic opening, and the secrets are actually pieces of lore like journals and envelopes which are fully animated and filled with text. All in German. Gameplay-wise I suppose this is heavily inspired by Silent Hill which I have zero knowledge of, but there are significant changes. The environments are completely cramped and it actually helps build tension even though there's never any real danger (and when there is, you do have a weapon, you know...), the eeriness of exploring this place really had me on edge. Then comes the next part in a hospital which was short but equally unsetlling - and you can actually jump to the unfinished second floor lol. Still, presentation here is everything and it's truly amazing. Play it. 25 minutes, 3 secrets. 07/22" - Treeble (01-Aug-2022)
"What an awesome experience. Maybe I am biased because I'm a fan of this kind of content (at least when I can handle it), but I think the designer did an excellent job bringing silent hill formula to Tomb Raider logic/engine. The atmosphere and setting is obviously created masterfully, but it is the little details and additions that won me: exploring with the flashlight, doors being stuck, entering rooms via windows, the way plot progression is handled, medicine cabinets, sliding down the creepy holes (great animation) etc. Pretty good stuff. There were some issues about gameplay in the haunted house, especially debris in rooms kept pushing Lara making exploration problematic but it still worked in my opinion. What a shame the author abandoned the project." - Nomad (15-Jul-2021)
"Honestly, after playing this demo, I don't wish to have more. I think this game is very good from a cinematic point of view, but it's awful to play and not intuitive at all. Very claustrophobic, Lara has to move in narrow rooms full of objects that obstruct the passage, and find items impossible to spot in the dark. Then I was totally disappointed when I found out that the pickaxe has limited ammo. I know it's because the author put that animation in the shotgun slot but it's quite ridiculous in my opinion. Now I wonder, after 11 years from the first release this project is probably abandoned? If yes, Amen." - Teone (06-Jun-2021)
"This is definitely an impressive work for a demo level. It exudes spookiness all the way through, the atmosphere, sounds and cutscenes are second to none, the custom objects and textures are neatly placed and the storyline (albeit in German so I couldn't quite keep up with the plot). What I didn't like so much was the abundance of clutter inside the house that hindered a lot of Lara's movements, the somewhat excessive darkness and the fact that the gameplay is a little on the lacking side - all you really get is a few doors to open and the chance to use the pickaxe in a rather obscure manner (you can also use it to hack at enemies in the last part if you like), and then it just ends. Still, it is a bit of a pity that a full version never came through, as it's a brilliant visual experience, almost filmic in a way." - Ryan (18-Apr-2019)
"A great demo for a game never finished, pretty short unfortunately and pretty unfinished too (the hospital like level ... if you reach upstairs). The story seems pretty cool, unfortunately my knowledge in Gernan is very low and I understand nothing. Needs to be completed... somehow someday ... Wolfy Regards." - Wolf7 (25-Jan-2019)
"Only one point away from a full top score due to buggy areas and fixed camera angles but the torches last forever so that helps. As a stand alone level this was as creepy as they come but a walkthrough was needed - without it I would have failed to complete it due to a particular key stuck on a cabinet that was out of my view and hard for Lara to grab. Set in a delapidated old house that had been partially boarded up, it contained a suitable amount of spooky objects and all signs of an ongoing haunting as well as many dark attics and rooms. A particular spook that was unexpected was when Lara approached a locked door to hear part of a Mama and Papa's record playing partially on the loop - this was an amazing and ambient addition to the overall creepiness. Sadly the dialogue is not in English so we have to rely on visual clues to establish the story. Point of fact I enjoyed this level more than I enjoyed the rather overrated movie of the same name." - High Priestess (13-Oct-2017)
"Not only the most professional haunted setting TRLE has ever seen, but it also seems to run in 60fps despite of texturing details, multiple sprites and fog, a piece of knowledge we should all possess... or which should possess us all. Only too little focus is put on crucial puzzles, for instance I lost too much time with the barrel and the key is also stuckable, but if the full game has it fixed my only complaint will be eradicated. The rest of the game is PERFECT and I don't recall when I used that word for the last time. It's an unforgivable crime this wonderful piece hasn't yet reached the Hall of Fame, and I'm gonnna repair this terrible mistake right now." - DJ Full (17-Mar-2017)
"I have to congratulate this builder for his hard work on this level,from the beigining to the end, this demo is awesome Reccomended." - janachorider (06-Aug-2014)
"I love a dark level, and you can't get any darker than this! With regards to the objects, the texturing and architecture, this ticks all the boxes. I've never seen so many objects in a level as this, every part of the house is filled, and are used to build the architecture so no blocky walls here. The story takes place in a burnt out house, haunted I think by the ghost of a child who died there. The gameplay takes advantage of custom actions such as Lara jumping through a tube, and custom items such as the pickaxe. You have to find a way in, find a crowbar to open a door, and find a pickaxe to smash a wall, speak to a guy who leaves a key, then escape a mad man with a chainsaw. Just a usual day's work for Lara then...I can't wait for the full version! Shame the story is in German. Game time 35 minutes." - sonnyd83 (19-Dec-2012)
"An impressive Horror style level with many game elements taken from Silent Hill. It was very creepy with many scary moments, especially the ending, where a big ugly man attacks Lara with a chainsaw. I think I never saw such a long voice synchronized intro scene with the camera flying like in a real movie ! Besides that, there were also a few well done in-game well cutscenes. Since it's a demo, that will probably never be continued, there were some minor bugs in the game, but they didn't really bothered me. I enjoyed this game from the beginning till the end. The gameplay was a bit confusing and hard to figure out what to do next. The whole house is full of new objects and enemies that strongly remind of silent hill ( the rabbit from silent hill 3, the nurse from silent hill 2 ). I saw once in a trailer the flying ghosts from silent hill 4, but I didn't encounter them in this demo. I hope there will be some further projects from this author." - Alantos (14-May-2012)
"Oh God... I would never expect to play a level like that. It has nothing to do with TR, but it is very very much interesting. The author has talent in scary atmosphere. That is so unique. Well, there some annoying things like Lara is not moving so well among the plenty items. I have to admit when the last enemy appeared I was shocked. Great experience, a little bit buggy, but nice. Many times you will feel lost and the walkthrough may help you." - AdamR (25-Nov-2011)
"Once again,you simply can't fault the ambition of this particular builder.This is not so much a custom level (demo or otherwise) as it is a complete visual experience.Cut scenes,FMV's and distorting camera angles;combined with a whole palette of custom textures and objects;all mixed together within an eerie storyline - it's truly innovative and immensely well crafted. Nonetheless,despite the best of intentions,it doesn't really work.For a start,darkness intrudes far beyond what is strictly necessary for a spooky house level.There is also the problem of excessive use of objects,which clutter up the narrow confines of the rooms and impede progress.There is illogic in the gameplay: a pick-axe will crack open wood,but leave doors unscathed;while a crowbar will open one door but leave all the other identical doors unscathed.The dialogue and written hints are entirely in german,which rather excludes the great majority of players from fully appreciating the finer points of the storyline. Even after watching the Mighty Mulf (in person,no less)struggle with the gameplay elusiveness,I still had trouble myself when it came to playing through this Demo barely two weeks later:it simply doesn't progress in a logical flow. Never mind,it still remains a great and unique achievement; but will the full adventure ever see the light of day?" - Orbit Dream (08-Nov-2011)
"This short level was one of the most scary levels I have ever played! The cutscenes were obviously in German so I couldn't understand it. The house has a very spooky atmosphere and there was a lot of objects in the way so sometimes it was hard to get past them. In the end there is a very scary part which made me jump and I almost started screaming! Very nice level but not recommended to people who get scared easily (Like me!)." - afzalmiah (16-Apr-2011)
"The first five minutes of this level was a very good cutscene; luckily I am German and could understand it. There were three levels provided, but I spotted a savegame with another little place where I didn't get further. The first and the third level showed this was a real Demo; there were only very few tasks to accomplish and it ended after a minute each. The second level was much more comprehensive; many new moves of Lara like the slide through the tube and the AOD jump through a window The non-squaric architecture was impressing too; the spooky atmosphere was perfect and was supported by excellent music choice. A bit annoying were the objects in this level - Lara had too many collisions here. This is the best Demo I have played yet, by a wide margin, and I really hope there will be a full version; enhanced with more gameplay and a bit less objects." - manarch2 (06-Jan-2011)
"This is an impressive little demo in a number of ways. It's delightfully spooky and macabre, and although I couldn't follow the FMV sequences since the dialogue is all in German, there seems to be a complex story line that will be fleshed out in the full game. For all that, however, I didn't have a very good time here. Everything is too dark and cramped, strewn with debris that impedes your movements at practically every turn, and the resulting feeling of claustrophobia is exacerbated by the many fixed camera shots. There are no enemies, and I didn't even check to see if Lara was decked out with any weapons. However, there was a clever new device in the form of the pickaxe, although the need to use it wasn't triggered by standing in front of the affected area and pressing the action key. You just had to know when and where to apply it. There are also some new moves associated with sliding along tubes and crawling through open windows. Although there are a number of clever innovations such as the ones mentioned above, I probably won't be in a hurry to play the full version of the game if and when it's released." - Phil (23-Nov-2010)
"This demo was fun to play, it was very creepy as I played it in the middle of the night, those bunnies freaked me out and that kid had a disturbingly small head. Gameplay was fun but the game was annoyingly buggy, Lara would never go where I wanted her to go unless I had to precisely position her because of the objects and the collision. There weren't many secrets but again the objects were very buggy.. Enemies were fun to run away from and the use of an axe as a weapon was smart. Atmosphere was great, and lighting and textures too. =) Overall this was a great Demo! :)" - Ali (06-Sep-2010)
"This is a levele to play in the quietness at midnight. The story looks interesting, but I don't know german, so I couldn't understand anything. I feel this is going to be a top-rated level because of the original objects and enemies, as well as the modern gameplay. I should say that the atmosphere was perfect. On the other hand, the secret I found wasn't challenging at all, but it is not bad.Durin the first level, I felt it was difficult to move because of all objects. I noticed an important bug at the hospital. There is a room with stairs where I think the player is not suposed to go, but if you jump to the corner you can reach the second floor, it is a room with no-textured walls, and useless.This isn't easy to rate, it was a substantial work but it looks more like a film than like a game. Anyway, its important to know that this is an amazing demo and I am looking forward to seeing the whole adventure as soon as its possible." - Miriam (30-Aug-2010)
"Just amazing ! I was realy looking forward to play this level and Im not disapointed ! Great Job ! I liked every second of this level ! The hospital was realy amazing...so scary !!!! I hope that one day you will make a sequel 1" - MpGrill (23-Aug-2010)
"I have a confession to make. Whenever I see the word Demo appear in any TRLE release it usually fills me with the kind of dread typically reserved for seeing the dentist. So despite the monster download size & good looking screen-shots I approached this with a level of cynasism. As it turns out, these concerns were completely unfounded. You only need to look at the author's previous releases to see they are commited to producing high quality levels and this demo for Silent Vill is no exception. It's almost unique in terms of what I've played in the sheer amount of objects used. Once inside the house there are very few areas that dont atleast get some form of coverage in objects almost completely erasing the still very block bound nature of the Tomb Raider 4 engine. You dont get conventional guns or flares. Instead you get a Torch which you can still hold while doing most functions. They dont seem to run out from what I can tell, but you dont get an infinate supply of them so dont drop them too often! In place of a gun you have a handy pick-axe. This definately comes in handy as you progress getting you through troublesome doors and clearing rubble. It's fair to say that this is a fairly surreal level, which only amplies when you find yourself in the assulum towards the end. This however is unquestionably an exceptional peice of work and I look forward to playing the completed product in the future. Took me around 44 minutes to complete. Highly recommended. Stiggy" - TheStig (09-Aug-2010)
"Simply amazing. There are no square textures like in 99,9% of the other levels, the gameplay is non-linear, one have to use a pickaxe to open some doors, which I find very innovative (never seen before). This would have been the best custom level ever (even better than the official ones) if this would be a full level. Hopefully, one can play it someaday." - Albert (11-Jul-2010)
"This very atmospheric demo level looks very good and has some very nifty new and unique aspects, but ultimately, there is little to do. Plus, since the level is more of a playable cinematic experience, your emotions need to be tied into it for the level to succeed. This will really only succeed to the fullest if the player is German or understands German. Ugh. Here was another level that could have been so much better for me if an English version was done as well. I do have to give credit where credit is due to the author for really getting that Silent Hill feel down pat, although my favorite part of Silent Hill, the hospital, was barely done in this demo. I at least know what to expect when the author completes Silent Vill (hopefully with English too, hint hint!) I also liked the pick axe, even though it's uses were limited. I did have a lot of fun hacking the final boss though, tee hee." - Shandroid (23-Mar-2010)
"This demo was quite spectacular in some ways and disappointing in others. Still, it is a work in progress and hopefully yet to be fine tuned. Spectacular in the wonderful creepy atmosphere portrayed but disappointing in that movement was very much inhibited by all the objects scattered about and many trigger points would not actuate unless the player positioned Lara pixel perfect in the "slot". Also, picking up the secrets stuck the player in the game selection mode and the only way out was to save the game and then reload it. The story itself was entertaining although my limited german lost some of the finer points of the plot." - Torry (22-Mar-2010)
"Maybe it is because I'm not at all familiar with the Silent Hill mechanics that I found this level (a demo) where Lara keeps bumping into every bit of trash so confusing. That and the fact that there's a lot of speaking and written texts but all in German. I thought the cut scenes were interesting, as certainly was the large intro. Apart from that, so far as it is from the "regular" Tomb Raider world, it may be viewed as something innovative or merely a curiosity. In the horror tomb raiding department, I humbly think I've seen better..." - Jorge22 (22-Mar-2010)
"An interesting Demo - i found that the Intro with the Piano and the other cutscenes have been made very well. But i dont like so much the Horrorlevels - and i found that not all i yet perfect - Lara stucks sometimes or will not go on, even found some DeadEnd (if you take the heart without going upstairs there is no birthday and for that its your end) Lara got stuck in a picture frame and first in the window at the left side in the begining - deadends, too. But naturaly the unexpected of this level will invite many players; and the new objects like lamp and others, too. In the hospital i found a room with no textures but you can see some green border line of maybe objects - dont know what that was. If in that level could improove some mentioned things would be sure an adventure for much players." - Miguel (21-Mar-2010)
"It's incredible all what a builder can make with the editor. In this ruined house ambience is very creepy, and there are a lot of innovative effects and features you can enjoy. A bit dark for my taste, there's a lot of new objects with direct colision so you need to turn Lara often to follow the path. Not difficult gameplay but with all those new features I've never seen before, you need to explore very carefully all corners and interact with all the objects if you don't want get stucked (easily). Atmosphere is impressive with a lot of genial touches with cameras and sounds keeping yourself concentrated in the game and the story. The cutscenes were excelent too and the ending was very cool. Really a very good work from a very good builder, but personally I prefer levels with an old style. Great!" - Jose (26-Feb-2010)
"Ok, twice I nearly had a heart attack during this game LOL. Designed around the Silent Hill saga, Silent Vill is just as spooky and heart pounding as it's name-sake. Lara begins outside a spooky house and the rain really does set the atmosphere from the very start. Once inside the house, Lara will explore for keys, a pickaxe a crowbar and a heart. There are also three secrets - a card, mother's diary and a letter; although my secrets didn't show up as all three until I entered a dark room at the end of the level, but I think that was meant to be that way as you are asked to press the P key in this room and your stats are revealed. I have to say that the atmosphere is totally awesome from start to finish. The BG audios add a huge amount to this spooky house and it also looks very real as you move around through desolate rooms and tight corridors with their wonderful textures. You'll also meet a guy and a small boy. The boy will show you what happened to him and the house and you will eventually meet his Mother ( I assume it was anyway) in the mental asylum. I was also delighted to see some huge bunny toys littered about lol. At the end of the demo, you run into a room and have the shock of your life; I literally left my seat! So, one simply has to say, that if you are like me and love a good scare, this is a must to play, and for it's sheer genius in capturing what even most spooky films fail to do, this level deserves top marks. Just one note to the author. If possible, I would really like to play this in English. I felt I missed a lot of the story and what was going on, so maybe it would be possible to make the full game in both languages? Either way, thanks for a major thrill and a great spooky Raid." - Moonpooka (26-Feb-2010)
"Dark Death has once again amazed us with his creative, technological ability. His demo is truly a marriage, a blending of Lara into the horror video game genre, despite the limitations of the TR engine. Unfortunately this does sometimes cause Lara to be enmeshed into objects but it quickly becomes apparent that there is a path that Lara must take and going anywhere else will lead to problems. The introduction and cut scenes are way above what we usually see, although the 'blockiness' is there, it doesn't detract from what we are seeing. The use of the flashlight is a marvel and something I have wanted to see for a long time. Gameplay is interesting but the overriding feature is the atmosphere - the destroyed home with the broken windows and the curtains blowing in the storm along with Lara's eventual escape is truly immersive and scary/spooky.....or does she escape? That's an answer we may not get as the difficulties inherent in continuing the game may be too difficult to overcome. That may be why the builder decided to release a demo now and I really hope I'm wrong about that. Having only German spoken and written throughout was a bit of a hindrance for players not conversant in German but as it was 'only' a demo, it can be overlooked where in a full game it would be a major drawback. Recommended for all - this one you have to see to believe and should be enjoyed by the whole community." - Bene (26-Feb-2010)
"Original and very impressive. I personally love Silent Hill series, so I liked Silent Vill because of it’s references, which includes not only characteristic atmosphere (possessed kid, fog, the torch instead of flares), but also specific kind of gameplay. There is definitely more exploration of spooky manor, than typical action. The environment is full of details, each single room is fully furnished (and devastated :P), so doesn’t look empty. The additions, such as animated curtains looks great, but everything has it’s price. The amount of details and objects makes the levels really small and short, due to TRLE limits. The other thing worth mentioning is the realization of cutscenes – especially this one with Lara and Winston driving the car. Overall, really good and fresh packet of levels, and despite of some flaws (collision with static objects and camera angles sometimes) it deserves for it’s final rating. I’m waiting for full verion." - Kat (25-Feb-2010)
"For Tomb Raider, this horror outing drips atmosphere (in more ways than one), and originality and imagination. (It isn't the fault of the level that it opens with pouring rain and I live in a place where it can rain for five straight days.) This snapped me back about fifteen years, to the days of DOS adventure games. Some would open with dark, atmospheric movies that were way better than the ensuing game. I remember trying to play a highly rated adventure, something about a haunted mansion--maybe the man's girlfriend disappeared and he had to frantically search for her among thunderstorms and apparitions that issued cryptic warnings. I never came close to finishing. The trouble with such games is that the static camera shots made maneuvering in what was supposed to be a 3D environment difficult: the main character kept bumping into, or getting caught up in, the furnishings. I found it next to impossible to interact with wildly scattered objects because one had to be clairvoyant to figure out what was a legitimate utilitarian find among the mess of scenery. It was too much trouble to play because of the stumbling about with the interface, though I do remember the overwrought drama and touches of horror. For me, "Silent Vill" recaptures all the elements I associate with the old DOS horror adventure games. This doesn't even seem like Tomb Raider. We get camera angles that makes it impossible to look about, a jumble of objects to snag Lara, cryptic game play, overwrought movies, and touches of horror. There may be only about thirty minutes of real game play here, but it took about three times as long to maneuver Lara through cluttered debris. I was glad to get through this, and have Lara bolt from the chainsaw wielding madman. I appreciate the effort that went into this, but this can be frustrating. I do recommend that everyone give this a try. Such adventures used to be highly popular, so many players will rave over this." - dmdibl (11-Feb-2010)
"If I would want to keep this review brief and to the point, I could pretty much echo everything Michael said in his review for the level. While I truly admire the vision and commitment it must have taken from the author's part to make this level look as spectacularly as it does (if you don't mind the darkness - I did to some extent, but it was never too overpowering as well), I'm sorry to say the gameplay pretty much was not my cup of tea. I still can't figure out why the pick axe worked on some doors and did not on others, how I was supposed to figure out with which element the crowbar would interact with (and with the detail put into objects, it looks like Lara could use it on pretty much anything here - I suppose you can take this as a backhanded compliment for the quality of the objects) or which Lara could push to make sure she can move on. Due to this, playing the game is actually pretty frustrating, which is too bad - as there actually are a lot of things I would definitely recommend to play it for - the story is carried very nicely by the text messages at the bottom of the screen and carefully crafted cutscenes, though you do benefit a little by knowing enough German to follow the plot. As already mentioned - the attention to details is astounding - whether it be curtains moving in the wind, the song you can hear coming from a room you can't reach for a while, or constant knocking on the door just to keep your pulse racing - as if the generally creepy atmosphere wasn't enough! Overall - this still gets my highest recommendations for the games's better qualities - I just did not have the patience for this type of gameplay and would've preferred something more player-friendly than what I got." - eTux (28-Jan-2010)
"This is something radically different and is utterly fascinating. I don't know the game it has been based upon, nor do I speak German so some of the finer points almost certainly passed me by, but I have to admire the creativity that has gone into this demo. The camera angles are oddly unsettling (as are the sound files) and the atmosphere is claustrophobic and creepy as Lara searches the ruins of a family home. The ending is quite a shock too. Overall, this is a deeply disturbing level, but incredibly innovative. You really should try it, unless you are of a very nervous disposition. Oh, and I shall never look at bunnies the same way again." - Jay (26-Jan-2010)
"This is awesome.I dont beliewe its a TRLE level.Amazing. Atmosphere is scary,there is many objects, (but it was annoying when lara jammed in these objects) but anyway- music,whoa!textures are HQ and its a real looking old scary house to explore.I loved cutscenes. the concert-so many people!alexs birthday- sadly...but how he escaped from the fire?i dont know)new sounds and inventory objects are great.i didnt find all the secrets,but i played till the end....oh yes...great...my friend fell out of her chair) i saw new trle effects.i loved gameplay.i was a bit scaried too.This game is a well done.Congrats to author." - Polinjonok (26-Jan-2010)
"Dark Death never ceases to amaze with his creativity and yet again this small demo he provides us with brings TR custom levels into another area. The cinematic quality of the intro and the cut scenes in between are outstanding and the whole atmosphere and setting is simply amazing and really takes you in, also because of a coherent little storyline. In terms of actual gameplay there is not all that much though in this 30 minute demo and what there is was not necessarily to my liking as it plays with sneakily hidden walkways and generally a lot of guessing on behalf of the player what to interact with and how. Also, it is easy to get stuck in an object and not be able to get unless you actually reload a savegame. But those are minor quibbles only and if the concept here would be expanded into a broader set of playable levels with a few puzzles and more activity... ah well, we can only hope that the author remains engaged and interested in it and gives us a little more than the demo at some point in time..." - MichaelP (24-Jan-2010)
"Fascinating ! It is so hard to believe that this kind of game has evolved from the basic level editor. It is too dark for my tastes. I hate having to carry a tiny light around constantly. I suppose it is for the scary effect, but surely some ambiant lighting could have helped. I thought the music was great - amazing how a song like that can be scary. One thing I did find interesting was why all of the character's features were blocky (for the lack of a better word) in comparison to the current models being used in most games. When you consider how much new technology must have gone into the venue why did Lara look like she was caught in 1999 ? I hope that question makes sense. I truly am in awe of the leaps and bounds being made by builders every day. This is one builder I wish I could sit down with and talk about the process he used. I'm looking forward to the next installment !" - Mugs (24-Jan-2010)
"What a level! The atmosphere, cameras, sound, lighting, and textures are all top-notch and deserve 12s, but unfortunately the highest score I can give is a 10! There are creative, detailed, and overall wonderful items and objects as well as some tricky secrets. The gameplay was good, but not great. While the clever new animations and Lara's new moves are nice and creative, there are a couple of places where you need to use them but don't even know about them yet!! There was a ladder that didn't work right, as Lara would only grab it 5% of the time, so I ended up running around quite a bit before finally going to the help forums. Also, though the static objects are wonderful and look great, they often get in the way, and there were two instances where I just ran into them and was moved into the wall in between rooms, having to reload. My final complaint is one of the songs which was so annoying! My hatred for it gets much better, grows much stronger, gets much better every day! (You'll know what I'm talking about when you hear it.) Otherwise, this is a great and interesting level unlike any other." - okuhtfesq (21-Jan-2010)
"Today was a bit dark and dreary, raining outside, so I closed the curtains, put on my headphones, and stepped into this dark and ominous adventure. What a wonderful levelset- and this is only a demo! I enjoyed the cutscenes, but couldn't understand the German. It would have been nice to understand more of the story, even if it was just translated in the readme, but this didn't detract from my experience. The outside of the house was fantastic, and the inside was creepy and very well structured. So much was packed into this little house. The background music and sound effects were perfect. Loved the use of "It's gettin' better", the footsteps, rain, blowing curtains, etc. Every detail made this level that much more exciting. The level had captions, like Silent Hill and Resident Evil games, which would have been nice to read. Gameplay is mostly exploring the house with some new moves, a new weapon, and a few pickups and objects here and there. It wasn't terribly difficult, but I think the fear that this level cultivates in a player is the main obstacle. The flipmap in the kitchen was excellent as well. So many great ideas! I'm very partial to the use of moving cameras, and this was done very professionally on the balcony area outside. A nice cutscene followed, and a new character was introduced. At the end, parts of the story are revealed in another cutscene, and this time you don't have to speak German to get the point. That cutscene was remarkably well done. I can't imagine the amount of custom objects and textures that were made for this level. The end cutscene and second level were great as well. So many things were done here that I didn't know were possible in TRLE. Impressive! So to recap- simple but exciting gameplay, with great puzzle ideas. Enemies were few but well made, (I would have liked more) custom objects and animations were fantastic. I found a few secrets, I think, which were pretty cool. The atmosphere was easily the best part, complemented well by great sound and fantastic camera work and cutscenes. Lighting was just right- dark enough but not too dark, and texturing was phenomenal. Took me about 40 minutes to finish and I loved every moment. Overall a frighteningly well made level that will send chills down your spine. If this was just the demo, I can't wait to see the full game!" - Chronicles5 (20-Jan-2010)
"Wow going once, Wow going second and Wow going three times. Sold to Dark Death. Something else does not occur to me to this demo any more. This should be the level editor? Our good old level editor? I do not believe this. I cannot believe this. The cut scenes are brilliant. The sound is brilliant. The fire ruin looks brilliant. And as brilliantly is only the movement of Lara when she gets out or in through the open window. Or which one needs a pickaxl to smash a door. Or the curtains, as they flutter in the wind. Or the dust. Or how it rains from the open window into the house. Or, or, or. It would go beyond the scope if I enumerated all the good made little things. However, the cream topping was which one was attacked shortly before level end by Jason Voorhees. There is, actually, only one negative point. And this is the word "Maybe". Since at the level end appears the text "maybe" to be continued. There MUST simply follow a continuation. It would be terrible pity if there came nothing more. Keep we all fingers crossed which we have!" - Scottie (18-Jan-2010)
"Now that is an impressive work! Let's start at the begining. The menu. It gives back the atmosphere of the level flawlessly. Then the in-game cutscene. Also very good, even if I don't speak German. Looks very good. It's a bit long, but it's worthy to see. Then the game itself. Stunning. The enviroment is spooky, thanks to the good lightning, objects and textures. The musics and the ambients are scary. The inside area is also fascinating. Fortunately the flashlight lasts until you trigger a cutscene, so we don't have to light newer ones every time. It's a huge fun to explore that house, and to make this possible, we have to collect a pickaxe, to open some of those locked doors, and some keys. While we're doing this, we also meet with a man, who gives a key. We also find a boy, who tries to open a door. Then the man come out of the room and he takes the boy's toy. After that, some more key searching, with some stange happenings: The locker in the attic, the boy eats Lara, Lara wakes up in a hospital(with the man from the birthday cutscene), where we can take a look on an unfinished room, and on an...X-ray room? Maybe. And to the end of this spooky adventure, the boy turns into a mutant at the end of the corridor, so we rush into the next room and the level ends. I'll definitely play the full version if it's released." - rtrger (08-Jan-2010)