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Palace Of Cyrus by Nigel Redfield

alan 5 5 6 6
Dimpfelmoser 5 4 6 6
eRIC 3 3 4 4
Gerty 6 5 6 7
Gonxii 5 5 6 7
Jay 4 5 6 6
JesseG 4 5 4 5
Jose 5 5 6 6
Kristina 4 4 5 5
Magnus 4 3 4 4
MichaelP 6 6 6 7
Momster 5 4 5 6
Orbit Dream 5 6 6 8
RaiderGirl 6 6 6 7
Ryan 5 5 6 6
Sash 6 7 5 7
Scottie 6 5 5 6
Tombaholic 4 5 6 5
Torry 7 6 6 7
Treeble 6 5 6 5
Whistle 6 6 7 6
 
release date: 08-Mar-2001
# of downloads: 41

average rating: 5.42
review count: 21
 
review this level

file size: 16.94 MB
file type: TR4
class: Library
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
Nigel@nycap.rr.com

Reviewer's comments
"A simple enough Library style level, in spite of some nasty tricks like unmarked climbable walls, monkeyswings, and death tiles. Adding to the unpolished feel is a climbing pole missing its lower segments, leaving Lara grabbing onto thin air, and a use of the planet puzzle that doesn't seem to have a clear goal or sense of progression (the "planet effect" is missing), but at least the solution ends up being relatively simple. The visuals are similarly unpolished, with the level being a series of simple blocky rooms with warped textures, although there is some effort put into changing up the lighting from one area to another. In the end it still feels like a library raiding experience with Lara gunning down some of those bronze horsemen and collecting two scrolls, it's just not the most satisfying one. 20 minutes." - JesseG (28-Nov-2022)
"18 minutes spent in a Library , there is a short outside area at the beginning where the horizon does not fit with darker walls (or the opposite). The setting is more solidly made than in Temple of Re (no thin walls this time) i just noticed a bug with water portal. Lighting is still greatly lacking , often too bright , or the rooms are darker with too bright objects : gameplay is quite simple , it's just too easy and uneventful you don't even need to shoot the horseman on the horse, and it was strange to see unmoving chains and inert rotating wheels placed on the ground. Playing this level was a bit sad." - eRIC (04-May-2020)
"This library level isn't terrible as such (indeed there are worse levels out there, not naming names though), but you get the feeling throughout that it's all a bit half baked. The swinging chains and blade traps remain inert rather than posing a threat, the globe puzzle is easily solved by just placing them on any square, the two flybys zoomed round rooms at high speeds, the torch puzzle was over in a flash, and the gameplay isn't anything exciting either. The tasks are at least slightly varied, but they don't involve the player. The overall setting isn't too bad (and the two secrets I found were nicely hidden), but overall it didn't grab me." - Ryan (11-Nov-2018)
"A simple level in a library consisting in finding 2 music scrolls and 2 crystals. Enemies are knights and one of them is riding his horse. Only puzzles are the one with the globes and burning some tables on the ground with the torch. I liked the outside dark area with the bridge. I found 2 secrets." - alan (07-Jan-2018)
"A fine library level with some glitches but nonetheless playable. Even though it is easy and linear I had a good time playing it. Done in 20 minutes. Recomendend for beginners and for those who like library levels." - Gonxii (14-Nov-2015)
"I like the library setting a lot, but I'm afraid there are a lot better examples than this. I feel the builder's heart wasn't quite in it as there are quite a lot of little glitches - swinging chains that remain static, a horseman that you can just ignore and run past, fire wraiths that fail to spring to life etc., and the only (globe) puzzle is laughably simple. Burning a floor with the torch and then finding water underneath is an interesting take on the usual gambit, but overall I found the gameplay lacklustre." - Jay (25-Sep-2015)
"Not bad this library-type level, even with some defects with paper walls or not triggered chains and blades (and even the fire ghosts in the room with the gem). There is certain backtracking if you choose the wrong doors. When I burned the wooden floor, the horsemen with his horse followed to Lara down to the water room! (I avoid to kill him). Was easy to play to explore all the rooms and find the blue gems, also the only puzzle I found was very easy too. Lights are well worked but there are some defects with the textures here and there. Playable but not very entertaining." - Jose (27-May-2015)
"Lara explores a palace in the Library-Style. Immediately after she has entered the main hall, two fire ghosts become active. But that was not a big problem, because there is a pool in the middle of the hall. One must find two Horsemen-Gem to open the big double door in the pool. One knows a lot still from the original level, but the level builder has also inserted many own ideas. After the underwater door is open, finally, one reaches to the artefact in request, the Fire Circle Scroll. The Horsemen were generally no problem, particularly as only one of those sat on a horse. The same one is valid for the fire minds. They became apparent at two places and every time a pool was directly nearby. The flybys were too hectic. But otherwise I found the level quite well-arranged. The riddles were easy, the textures were applied cleanly and the lighting could have been a little bit better. Playing time was less than 30 minutes. All together a well-arranged level which one can play absolutely sometimes." - Scottie (30-May-2009)
"Having now played all of the author's levels, I'm going to quote something from my review from the third level, which I played around seven years ago (!): "overall, a short level which isn't very good". Sadly, this quote wouldn't be out of place in a review for any of the author's levels (this one is less than fifteen minutes long and, again, isn't very good). Once again, the author tries his best to vary the gameplay, but it still feels pretty dull for the most part. The texturing is fairly competent, but lacks polish (the lighting, on the other hand, is really bland and flat). It all just lacks a certain... spark. It's a shame that the author gave up on level building, because I think he would have found that spark eventually." - Magnus (21-Mar-2009)
An early work made with the Library WAD, so you kinda will know what to expect: blue pushable doors on the two sides of the 2-floored building. Your objective here is to collect two gems (one held by a tinmen and the other locked behind a door) to obtain access to the ultimate goal - the Fire Scroll. It's a short and easy level, but it's quite dark. For some reason, a room fulfilled of traps was inactive so I did downrate one point in the objects category, apparently I didn't do anything out of order, since you have to go to one end and then backtrack within it. I probably just missed the trigger spot, and it was pretty silly to run around a lot of frozen chains and wheels. 25 minutes, 2 secrets. 07/05 - Treeble (11-Jul-2005)
"A pleasant Library level with a good collection of quite simple tasks to perform; each behind a closed door. The five secrets are rather well-placed (that's because I only found four) and (with the exception of a rather scrappy flyby and a strange water room) the whole thing is rather neatly put together." - Orbit Dream (11-Nov-2003)
"It didn't look like a palace to me rather a poorly textured level and quite dark. The library wad is used with the usual blue doors to open and two gems a scroll and a papyrus to find. The only enemies are tin men and one fire wraith at the start. Two wraiths at the level above didn't come after Lara too lazy I guess. That's all nothing else some swimming switches flooding a room and the end comes sliding down a slope. The chains didn't move as well they were frozen. Nice try but needs much more to be a good level." - Kristina (07-Aug-2003)
"This is the Great Library with a pool. Actually it is very similar to that level and offers the same blue doors (cannot someone give them a lick of paint?). At one point you meet a horseman on a horse and rather than shooting him you can avoid him but he follows you around even into a pool and starts prancing around the bottom lol. Here you need to locate two horseman's gems (one from a horseman) and two scrolls the second and last of which you take with you as you leave the Great Library." - Torry (21-Oct-2002)
"This library starts outdoors and ends there as well. For the rest is straightforward. Sometimes I like that especially after playing difficult level. Main goal is getting 2 blue gems and you'll find also 2 scrolls one Lara can take home with her. Enemies are only the horsemen I counted 5 and one on a horse that for some reason couldn't move forwards. So if you want some excitement enter that room. There is a torch to find but the burning pedestal is right beside it. Found also a shotgun uzi and revolver another uzi is a red herring. The globe puzzle is definitely no fun as you only have to push each one of them one square. Some wraith can bother you but the water is in front of you so no challenge there as well. 28-09-2002" - Gerty (01-Oct-2002)
"A watered down 30 minute version of the Lost Library but not so bad. Gameplay is very simple and the tinmen are the only enemies. Traps are swinging chains that don't swing a boulder trap and a revolver sitting in a shallow pool of burning water. I also got stuck falling down the holes housing the giant wheels in the area of the torch and had to go back to an earlier save." - Momster (19-Aug-2002)
"Not having played any library levels before this I was really looking forward to seeing what wondrous things awaited from the eerily spooky outdoor walkway my interest was peaked but as soon as I stepped through the doors of the palace it looked almost identical to the Lost Library level from TR4 with blue doors flanking both sides of the room and above on a second floor. Playing through this 40 minutes level some of the puzzles were also quite similar with different little twists but I could not help liking it especially as it had nicely hidden secrets and a great tie up with the start as you exit on the other side of the palace along another eerily dark walkway." - Sash (21-Jun-2002)
"With a nice start and an early secret (the shotgun) you are soon faced with the classical flyby through a central library room. From there you branch off to complete a bit of work collecting two gems fight some tinmen and pick up another two secrets closer to the end of the level after about 30 minutes. I had an invisible sliding pole and the swinging change did not trigger for me and simply stood there - hanging in mid air." - Michael (21-Jun-2002)
"This would be a good beginners level as it's very simple indeed. Lara must perform a few tasks (puzzle would not be the right word): open some doors kill some tin men push some globes. It's all very standard library wad stuff and took me all of 18 minutes including three pretty obvious secrets. Lara did mange get herself squashed by some boulders (silly girl) so there was at least one surprise in this level." - Tombaholic (21-Jun-2002)
"In this level Lara has entered the Palace of Cyrus and must find the mystical Fire Circle Scroll that King Cyrus himself used to conquer many empires. A nice looking palace it is too but overall the puzzles are way too easy. The swinging chains don't swing the torch was right beside where you use it and where you light it the tin men often get stuck and the globe puzzle was way too simple though the boulders did get me because I was looking at something else. There are two gems and two scrolls to collect plus I found three secrets - one of which was the crossbow but I'm not sure why you'd need it. I also found the uzis twice (one was a trap though) and the revolver. One of the gems was on a pedestal and the other was being held by a tin man. I think I was a little blind though as I didn't find either one of the two shotguns till near the end of the level - one being near the very beginning and the other being in a corner I didn't look in. So I ended up only killing two of the tin men and just ran past the rest. I was afraid for a while that the man on the horse held the gem and after I burned the floor he followed me into the new hole to an underwater area so I couldn't have killed him after that but I got lucky and found it soon after. This was a short and simple level but one I enjoyed playing." - RaiderGirl (21-Jun-2002)
"A pleasant short level best described as a collection of standards from various TR levels. The doors from the Library level in TR4 and those Knights on foot as well as one mounted (Which you just avoid). Swinging chains that don't detract from the game play. Definitely a level for the beginner to cut his/her teeth on." - Whistle (21-Jun-2002)
"This is a kind of The Lost Library Light as the layout of the rooms and the puzzles are very close to the original but this time everything is rather obvious and simple. Never was water so near when the fire wraith attacks and never was it so easy to kill the dreaded Horseman. Here he can't leave the room for some reason so first the horse and then himself kind of jog on the spot in front of you and you just press action till you hear the china drop. With the globe puzzle you simply have to push the five objects to the marked tile right next to them. A bit dull if you ask me. The setting is a fairly plain but I liked the two bridges that Lara runs across; the first right at the start and the second when she leaves the Palace of Cyrus. You can't rate this very high can you? Bearing in mind that the author just rebuilt the original level yet managed to eliminate everything challenging and unhealthy (like the horizontal buzz saw). So if you want to read at all costs I rather suggest you revisit the Lost Library." - Dimpfelmoser (21-Jun-2002)