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South America by Mert

Ceamonks890 2 1 1 1
DJ Full 6 5 4 5
dmdibl 4 4 3 3
eRIC 3 4 2 3
Gerty 3 4 3 3
Jay 2 3 4 4
Jose 6 5 5 5
Leeth 4 3 3 3
manarch2 3 3 3 3
MichaelP 3 4 3 3
Orbit Dream 3 5 3 3
Ryan 3 3 3 4
Treeble 4 4 4 4
Zhyttya 3 1 2 2
 
release date: 15-Feb-2013
# of downloads: 76

average rating: 3.34
review count: 14
 
review this level

file size: 41.80 MB
file type: TR4
class: South America
 


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

Reviewer's comments
"Rather deceptive (and disappointing) that this level features so little South America. I mean, sure, some textures are from Peru, but you have every other set added into the mix as well, so you get Greek and Egyptian motifs peppered all throughout the level. It's quite uneventful, other than a couple of spike pits and boulders, as you just run and jump around the boxy rooms. Not much else to say I'm afraid. 25 minutes, 2 secrets. 11/23" - Treeble (12-Nov-2023)
"It's a visible improvement compared to this builder's maiden effort, but I still felt like this was a bit too long, both for its own good and for the amount of gameplay it contained. It's definitely not a bad effort by any stretch of the imagination and the backtracking has been cut down, but there's still little here that will elicit any excitement from the player, short of a few slightly challenging spike and boulder traps. The setting isn't too bad, but I don't think that the textures used here project too much of a South American atmosphere and a few objects were oddly used. Still, not a bad quick raid for the lunch break." - Ryan (07-May-2019)
"For a change the game play was actually the best thing on the level, the rest was just too random. It was longer than i expected and it had a bit of fun into it, but it was too easy to pass and the decoration it's just awful. To start Lara's model is really weird...her pure red lips stand out too much and the contouring she has makes her look so much skinnier. The background sound is waaaay to loud, i had it almost at minimum. The text about the ammo of the respective gun is way to intrusive and covers a bit of the health bar...and there were rooms who felt like they were randomly placed (like the no floor room). HOWEVER the light of the flare is really pleasing! but that's it. No more, no less. It's not a bad level because of the minimum entertainment of the game play, so i actually recommended it if you want to try a low score level." - Zhyttya (20-Feb-2016)
"This would be a really nice level if we had a "random generator" for the map. Everything is random! Every room is random with random textures! At least the game play was fun with some buggy IA. The puzzles are simple, the platforming was enjoyable and the flare was beautiful. but that's all. The hit box from the tinny spikes were awful (but cute), the landers were random textures, the model used by Lara was questionable. At least i gave some good laugh with the game and loved the ball jumping over me when I picked the ammunition. This is a recommendable bad level! If you want just random stuff to laugh a bit and have fun" - Leeth (20-Feb-2016)
"This second attempt is much better. Triggers work, there is not so much backtracking and a flowing gameplay. Now work on textures, they are stretched or compressed and some water surface textures are missing. Do try out different shapes of rooms . Lighting can also be improved upon. Another tip, let some testers test your level then some of the above mentioned will be pointed out so you can fix them. I had no sound while using Lara's trusted guns and the spikes popping up sound drove me a bit around the bend, as they wouldn't let up." - Gerty (06-May-2013)
"I think this level was rated very low 'cause the very simple architecture and the general bad appearance (of course, texturization is terrible and there are any other bad features) but I think gameplay is not so bad, full of traps, surprises and action, and no very easy tasks sometimes. Cameras are not well oriented, but they'll give you a hint though. Also musics are well placed and it notices an effort with the lights too. Not a very good level, of course, but playable anyway." - Jose (03-May-2013)
"Another game where decently textured locations touch stretched and hastily done, just like if the builder had some great ideas and then had none to connect them. This is also proved by proper usage of sound, e.g. in the multi- baddy battle near the pool with a paper-thin wall. Lighting is done rather well for me - somehow I like that strong light/shade contrast some builders tend to use, even though it doesn't match the sky at all. Secrets are almost a joke - one is too obvious, and a medipack accessible through an openable door distracts us in the second case, while the actual pickup lies down on the floor nearby, so it can be easily skipped. Unfortunately there are almost no enemies we can defend from without health loss, but a sufficient amount of lifebar refillers is provided. Cameras could be used better, but their location helps to find the right door. A bit too much of backtracking, but all in all nicely playable." - DJ Full (13-Mar-2013)
"At 35 minutes the level does stay out his welcome a little, as progression through rather oversized rooms is quite straightforward with little variety along the way. The best thing are the occasional trap sequences and a few enemy encounters but beyond that it is only about being on the lookout for a few hidden jumpswitches. Not too much care taken about applying textures here, but as I really like the Peru set, that did not bother me too much. The two secrets are way too easy and almost impossible to miss. At the end, not such a bad effort per se, but not enough patience by the builder to refine the important details and maybe a few more gameplay elements need to be thrown into the rooms as well." - MichaelP (08-Mar-2013)
"A simple 35 minutes raid in a setting that looks South American for the most part , we have also Irish and Egyptian ressources used here. The rooms are"blocky" and there are some design mistakes but no serious bug. I did not had to use Dozy to reach the end , maybe the bug mentionned by other reviewers has been fixed ? Enemies are mostly gunmen , and the ambush with 5 of them at once cost a lot of health as I had not collected the Uzis. The action you will do the most in this level is perhaps climbing , there is also a couple of easy pushable blocks or statues , the most interesting parts being the traps with spikes or spiked balls , some of them may require a few tries, but nothing very difficult." - eRIC (24-Feb-2013)
"It's hard to be too enthusiastic about a level which can't be finished without the use of DOZY. I did enjoy hearing the old sound files from the 'Black Isle' levels, although I'm not sure they were entirely appropriate in this setting, having said which the objects and textures were a bit of a mishmash anyway so perhaps it's an academic point. Quite a simple level, with nothing difficult to achieve, that would be suitable for players of all abilities (as long as they know how to DOZY) and I did find it an improvement on the builder's first effort. Still quite a way to go though." - Jay (19-Feb-2013)
"Well,it IS an improvement over this builders debut level,undoubtedly. Most of the backtracking has been reduced;the gameplay flows well enough;and the enemy attacks are well placed and invigorating.Nonetheless,texturing really does need working on - putting aside the issue of stretching and compressing,it would be more important for the young builder to select those which are sympathetic to his level theme.In this case,there is very little indeed to suggest a South American ambience(Egyptian textures make frequent appearances;as do pushable Egyptian statues);and the textures have essentially been applied in a collage style.The lighting is underdone almost everywhere,and the atmosphere (despite an interesting incorporation of background audio's) fails to materialise as a result. Gameplay,as mentioned earlier,does indeed flow - but it exhibits very little that is actually thought provoking (one easily traversed area follows another,over and over,for about 40 minutes)and even misses one or two obvious tricks (one rolling boulder thundered harmlessly over Lara's head before I even realised that it had been activated);and do we really need to be informed that Lara's pistols have unlimited ammo,every time she draws them? I've played over 1500 levels by now;I'm perfectly well aware of the nature of her basic firearms! All that being said,it's not an especially poor level,by any means;but neither will it pose the slightest difficulty for anyone attempting to play it.On that basis,therefore,it could be recommended for players of all abilities." - Orbit Dream (19-Feb-2013)
"There is some gameplay here, such as an early dash over spikes. At one spot Lara makes a jump to a ledge with popping spikes, then leaps--where? where to go?--spots an alcove to the right and curves into it, whereupon two gunmen come running to attack, and Lara defends herself before they push her outside to her death. As this was going on I thought this was more like it. Lara paused at the next corner to catch her breath, and a spike ball fell from the ceiling to crush her (before I'd saved my game, of course). Maybe this last gag isn't as amusing to players as the author thinks it is, but more unfortunate is that this is one of the few spots with excitement. Near the beginning Lara goes on a side quest for a key, then has to traipse back to a door. The author could have made this route a loop, so that when Lara acquires the key, she then slides back down to where that door is. Another place has a dull climb up a room to throw a floor lever. Instead of following this with a dull climb down, many builders place a pool below, so Lara does a quick drop. Texturing throughout is a visual hodge-podge, collected from different levels, so that there is hardly a spot where Lara can stand and see a wall with consistent textures. The author really needs to look at early simple levels and think about what makes them work, and how they create atmosphere. At 45 minutes this is way too long, given its content." - dmdibl (18-Feb-2013)
"I downloaded this level, expecting at least some form of improvement from the builder's previous outing, especially since his first outing was released just only a month beforehand. Now, while there is some great demonstration of knowledge in terms of next-gen features in the game(such as enemies' bodies remaining where they were defeated and some flare customization), Ray Croft still seems to not know exactly where he wants his levels to take place in or what the story should be about(which explains the lack of a proper said story in this release). There are also textures from TR1's Peru, Greece and Egypt sections used, which seem like a very strange mix to have for a level called simply, 'South America.' Lara's outfit choice(which is a recoloured version of the default TR4 model, to look more like her South Pacific outfit from TR3), fits the theme of the game that the title screen alludes to. Unfortunately the same can't be necessarily said for the music or many of the objects used, which end up being wasted, due to not sticking to one consistent level theme, effectively destroying the atmosphere of the game, because of this lack of direction. Gameplay involves the player having to collect a couple of keys in order to access the next area, through either gunning down some scorpions and a few henchmen(who are attacking Lara for no real reason), pulling/pushing some boxes/out of place Semerkhet statues, using floor levers or jumpswitches, with spikes and fire traps halting your progression, from time to time. So I was relieved to see the lack of illogical puzzles this time around, meaning that the builder at least learned something from his previous mistakes. Tragically however, there are still many beginner mistakes made in this level, with most rooms still being far too big with no real purpose to them, the fly cheat is still enabled, lighting is still not utilised well, flyby cameras are very unclear as to what you triggered, water textures still don't move, secrets being extremely easy to find and the aforementioned lack of a consistent theme with the textures. In conclusion, I think Ray Croft needs to give himself more time to work on understanding the works of the Level Editor, if he has any hopes of creating a properly-designed level, as consistently releasing level after level every month, won't give enough time for your level building skills to develop. I would also suggest that Ray Croft get his levels properly tested before release. Maybe then, he could truly end up releasing something special for the TRLE community. 2/10" - Ceamonks890 (18-Feb-2013)
"I think the first ten or so minutes can be called a rather nice step upwards from the builder's previous level. The choice of textures is more coherent, although the rooms are still too high, and gameplay is decent with an interesting spike room. But the longer you play this level, the worse it gets and I think the builder has run out of ideas at the end. In one room, I had to use DOZY because Lara wasn't able to reach a floor lever inside the pool, yes, it's a dry place in the water, so that will hinder many players to see the end. The texturing gets more and more odd and at some places the same odd mixture as in his debut can be seen, some rooms still were done with a little more care than others. Cameras are sparsely used although they're not that needed this time as the backtracking was reduced considerably, making the game much more playable overall and I only refused to give a higher mark to gameplay because of the game-stopping moment in the pool, as the dose of puzzles even if not very imaginative show the raised technial skills of the builder. Found two very easily spot secrets in 30 minutes of net gameplay." - manarch2 (17-Feb-2013)