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The Big Library by Rafal Stanczyk

alan 6 5 5 5
bERT 3 3 4 6
CC 5 5 7 6
Dimpfelmoser 5 3 7 6
Gerty 5 6 6 6
Gonxii 6 8 7 6
Jay 5 6 6 6
Jose 4 5 5 6
Kristina 7 5 7 6
Leeth 5 4 5 3
Mehrbod 5 4 3 3
MichaelP 5 7 4 5
Momster 6 7 6 6
Orbit Dream 6 4 9 6
RaiderGirl 7 7 7 7
Ryan 5 5 6 6
Sash 7 8 7 7
Scott 8 7 7 5
Treeble 6 5 6 6
Whistle 6 7 7 7
Zhyttya 5 6 3 4
 
release date: 24-Feb-2001
# of downloads: 52

average rating: 5.67
review count: 21
 
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file size: 14.80 MB
file type: TR4
class: Library
 


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Reviewer's comments
"One of those levels that keeps you running around endlessly in spacious rooms, backtracking millions of times to know what happened after pulling a switch since there are now camera clues involved to smoothen gameplay, some unnecessarily long flybys that makes you yawn. Probably not a piece of art suitable for entertainment. Thank you!" - Mehrbod (30-Mar-2022)
"Well, far be it for me to disagree with this level's title. It's a library (although not a very convincing one) and it certainly is big. Actually, it's huge. This is the first effort by this builder and I'm sorry to say that it definitely shows due to the thin walls everywhere, the huge rooms with little to do in them, unnecessarily long flybys that surely outstay their welcome and the fact that the gameplay has no real spark to it. Far too much backtracking down dull looking, winding corridors, no real puzzles to get your teeth into and some horseman attacks that got rather repetitive after a while. Maybe scaling the size of the rooms down a bit would be better, but in its current state it just isn't very entertaining." - Ryan (07-Nov-2018)
"This was a tedious and boring level for me. There are some big rooms, knights to kill, finding puzzle items that have a wrong script (the Horseman's Gem is called 'Hand Of Orion', the Music Scroll is named 'Load' and the Golden Star has the name of 'Ba Cartouche'). You can simply push open the double blue doors instead of looking for a more complicated way to open them. Flybys are very slow. This is a level I don't recommend." - alan (13-Nov-2017)
"The big BIG library. It's...big. Way too big that in fact makes it incredibly boring. Big tall walls, big empty rooms, big corridors, big doors...you name it. When i saw the title of this TRLE i thought it would be a type of extended game play of The Lost Library on the original game...but it's not. It's tedious, boring, but AT LEAST the game play is pretty straightforward (just had a hard time on finding the first crowbar), and you keep progressing constantly, hoping that the level will end soon. It was well decorated, hence the 6 on the second topic, but no where near the disaster that the atmosphere brought to the level. The only thing that can stand out on that is the blue tuned room - actually quite beautiful to look at, just like the pool room, with the ceiling decorated, i loved that detail - but the rest was so dull and blank, so big that takes away all of the excitement. That being said, the level itself resulted in continuous running and backtracking - no real challenge, no real puzzles, just finding objects scattered and run run ru run run run run run until you finish the level. The last part of level was the WORST part of it. Manly because of the lightening. Apparently the author didn't seem to know (back at the time) that the engine had a flames/torch limit, that resulted in your flares not illuminating the VERY DARK corners right at the end. To conclude i don't really recommend this level, unless you're fine with just running back and fourth." - Zhyttya (09-Oct-2015)
"Lara must be tired, that was a long walk.. really.. really long walk.. No puzzles just pick items and go and kill some random horseman in the middle. And that's the game! Just really a straight forward walk throw some dark places since the lighting is so bad (BUT IT HAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL BLUE ROOM).. Not really a challenge and really obvious gameplay. The gameplay was basic, i found no secrets at all, the enemies were always the same even if there is one more enemy on that WAD, the camera make it hard sometimes to see where to use an item, and the flares don't work on a part of the game since there are to many flames around.. they only work if Lara pollutes a bit and throw it on the ground. Not really recommended, just.. as said before.. a walk throw the level" - Leeth (09-Oct-2015)
"Overall, I'm quite fond of the library levels, but have to say this isn't a particularly good example. It was the author's debut level and looks it - thin walls, wrongly labelled inventory items, laborious flybys etc. The gameplay isn't very inspiring either, consisting of charging down endless corridors (fighting tinmen), exploring huge rooms (fighting tinmen), throwing switches (occasionally fighting ... yes, you guessed it) and doing a bit of swimming (mercifully tinmen free). Considering tinmen are generally best dealt with by using pistols, all the Uzi ammo was a bit extraneous, ditto for the revolver ammo, although it was necessary to shoot a couple of balls. Not really recommended." - Jay (19-Jun-2015)
"Good title for the level, but I should say "The very huge library". In this level there are a lot of very big rooms connected with long corridors so I had to run about 8 Kilometers to finish. The gameplay is boring, running and running all the time from place to place pulling switches and looking for items many times without a camera to show what you're doing; another times there are cameras (flyby) like when flooding the big pool, but in that cases they're not really necessary; I also had to used the torch near the end. Shooting only horsemen here and there, even when there are enough guns and ammo was not very entertaining too. Excessive vases with items inside, not bad texturization but monotonous 'cause the very huge rooms, no musics in some flybies and I couldn't find secrets. Smaller rooms and corridors could make this level a bit better." - Jose (11-May-2015)
"I have to say I enjoyed this level despite all the big rooms, which actually makes gameplay dull and boring. Even though there are lot of enemies and plenty of ammo, you can deal with them using only your pistols. If only the authour could put some more challenging puzzles the level would've been excellent." - Gonxii (17-Oct-2013)
"Big is an understatement. Unfortunately not only it's very big but it's also empty, so don't be surprised if you catch yourself sprinting through the numberous areas while looking for something of interest. There are several levers which I'm not sure served any purpose and you were set off on a few quests for stars and gems, but gladly it's all on the linear side so although you might get lost you'll always know when you can proceed. 40 minutes. 02/07" - Treeble (19-Feb-2007)
"There's no denying it it certainly is BIG. Dozens of rooms on different levels through long corridors up stairs down trapdoors it's the biggest library level I've ever seen. And because there are so many rooms you'd think there were dozens of tinmen to shoot but actually the amount of them is appropriate to the size. That's what you get lots of gems stars a scroll revolver and lasersight (to shoot a metal ball). I liked the way wall torches lit up as I entered rooms. It's a very fast paced level in that you just know you need to open those blue doors manually you know you have a choice of corridors to take so you dash about covering acres of ground. However in the end I did get the feeling that there was a few doors I never opened and routes I never took. But perhaps that's the whole idea here." - CC (13-Aug-2004)
"I thought Bedford Library was big but this is positively gargantuan! Actually it bears little resemblance to a Library of any kind but the Designer truly shows a vision for designing breathtaking chambers and labyrinthine passages that never seem to stop yet never once become confusing; and that is a not inconsiderable talent. The layout is fairly sequential but has occasional design flourishes and the gameplay moves along at a fair old speed creating an awesome atmosphere in the process. Only the multitude of unnecessary pick-ups and the lack of variety in the enemies (those tin-men always seem comical to me) disappoint. Nonetheless this particular outing and Rafal's 3rd level Secret Army Base are two of the most underrated Custom Levels I have yet played. Reviewers unite and boost those scores!" - Orbit Dream (10-Nov-2003)
"It's big and with some goodwill you may call it a library so there's your title. The author built a lot of rooms with a lot of knights stars and gems but it's all without much imagination. You can end the game blindfolded excluding one 'two-time-jumper' to get the revolver that takes a little bit of precision. And just when you may need one flare or too so many torches have been lit that...the flare bug kicks in. Sure was meant to learn to play with the level editor." - bERT (08-Mar-2003)
"With a lot of well decorated rooms and a few exciting moments such as the battles with the horsemen being chased by a boulder down a long narrow hallway and the row of boulders you have to get by to get the music scroll I thought this was a great try for a first level and kept me entertained for almost an hour. There are quite a few rooms to run through some which don't seem to have any purpose and some which contain a switch brass ball to shoot a receptacle for one of the many objects needed or one of the many pickups that are scattered about. I didn't find the shotgun till I got the first gem and the revolver was also nearby after getting through a fun little jump. I didn't find the crowbar for quite a while but saw a golden star on the wall near the very beginning. Very enjoyable level maybe just a little too big though and could use a few more puzzles - maybe something could have been done with that globe." - RaiderGirl (26-Nov-2002)
"Despite some thin walls I thought the setting was rather impressive. I mean it is huge and if the author had been mean enough to hide a few things or to put in some clever puzzles you could be lost in the Big Library for ages. As it was it took me 43 minutes to run from beginning to end and I haven't seen all of it. It doesn't seem finished really as I spotted two brass spheres and though I found a lot of ammo the lasersight shotgun and UZIs I never came across the revolver so those spheres must be there for decoration; as were the three levers that made no difference as far a I could tell. So apart from a great boulder chase there aren't many thrilling moments here. The tinmen are easily dispatched cause sadly enough they never come with the horse and I think we could have done with a few elementals to spice things up a bit. If you want a really fast paced gameplay that has you pressing the dash key for most of the time if you are sick of dying you might have a look at the Big Library. But it lacks a proper challenge nor were there any jumps so it left me somewhat dissatisfied." - Dimpfelmoser (07-Oct-2002)
"Well- it is certainly a BIG Library a big and empty library. This level involves a lot of running around in a huge setting pulling switches and fighting tinmen usually in 2s. You will start out seeing a star and place to use it and a place to use a blue gem so you go on your quest for the crowbar. Now this is a fairly easy task and probably the hardest part of the level is remembering where it was you wanted to go back to and even that wasn't terribly hard. This tarriance in the Big Library took me about 50 minutes and although I did get an ending I am not all that sure I did it all. For instance there was a room with a globe on a pedestal but nowhere to move it to and I was never brought back to this room. There was also a particularly irritating flyby after being chased by a boulder down 3 hallways where if you didn't make the jump you got squished by the boulder but still had to suffer through the long fly by of what was going to happen next. Needless to say after once or twice I was quick on the old escape key. I also collected a huge amount of various ammo but left the level with only my trusty pistols." - Momster (06-Sep-2002)
"This was a most confusing level for me. There are lots of rooms to explore some with one goody in them and nothing else some with a bit more. Still don't know what happened by using the levers or shooting the balls. Also placing the scroll but then I might have been playing with no glasses on. The only fun I had was shooting the horsemen. So long you look in every corner you mostly will find something. All in all I felt a bit cheated. 04-08-2002" - Gerty (11-Aug-2002)
"This hour long level lives up to its big name with seemingly endless rooms to pass through unfortunately most of them had the same bland library look over and over with quite a few of the rooms only housing one pick up and nothing else. There were also a couple of things that I was a little confused about like the puzzle where you need to light 2 pedestals to open a door when you can just push it in or the 3 pull down levers that didn't seem to do anything maybe they opened the doors they are next to but again I simply pushed them in and finally the 2 target shooting balls that after being shot also never triggered anything. Where I did have fun with this level was fighting my favourite enemy the horsemen I think I counted 16 as they were placed well and usually came in pairs which gave for a quick but exciting adrenalin rush." - Sash (21-Jun-2002)
"This level sure lives up to its title with many and huge rooms and long walkways this is definitely a Big Library. Unfortunately it also a very empty and boring library with lots of vases to shoot for pick-ups you do not need and no real puzzles to solve. The objects are quite often carelessly placed and look like they are not properly attached to wall or floor and the whole look and feel is just too repetitive. Anyway the one fun element in the 45 minutes of running around was the fighting of the tin men usually appearing in pairs." - Michael (21-Jun-2002)
"I liked this level a lot. It looks great with big huge rooms and lots of places to explore however there were some serious distractions from game play. There were a lot of crucial areas where the flares did not work. This fact alone kept me wandering around thinking I had missed something. The enemies were only the horsemen. There were way too many switches that did nothing at all. The ball switches would have been nice to activate some sort of secret but it wasn't to be." - Scott (21-Jun-2002)
"Average level in difficulty. Major enemies are foot knights easily dealt with. Major puzzle is to work out routes but fairly logical. Massive pickups leave no problems as all you need are the pistols and very little health. One of those levels to play when on the tired side to try and get your brain working. Graphics etc well put together but nothing greatly unusual." - Whistle (21-Jun-2002)
"An attempt to build a level based on the library level.An attempt that didn't go very well a few parts reminded me the original but only as far as the chains the iron men and the library doors were concerned. Unfortunately every room is huge and very empty you need two minutes to go from one room to another and across I might be easy here it needs more sometimes. Collecting stars and gems with the crowbar too obvious the player moves from the upper level down and the opposite. There is a short part which involves some swimming but again nothing difficult. Enough thin walls and bad lighting with very dark corners that not even the torch or flares could lighten up. The only enemies are the iron men as mentioned above which makes the guns provided unnecessary. The time for this level is much more than it should be only because it takes too long to go from one place to another otherwise it doesn't have much to offer." - Kristina (21-Jun-2002)