trle.net
Level: Return for the Amulet 6 - Zazar's Hideout back home search
Author(s): sleeper
total rating:7.22 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Boris 7 7 7 7
CC 6 6 8 9
Dimpfelmoser 6 6 8 7
eRIC 7 8 8 9
Gerty 7 7 8 7
John 8 7 7 8
Kristina 6 7 7 8
MichaelP 6 6 8 9
Mrs rjb 8 7 8 7
Navi 8 6 7 7
Orbit Dream 5 6 8 7
RaiderGirl 8 8 8 8
Sash 6 6 7 6
Torry 9 9 9 7
Treeble 6 6 7 7
category averages
(15 reviews)		 6.87 6.80 7.67 7.53

Reviewer's comments

"The most sriking thing about this level is the 'fiery-mist' effect,which is damn good the first time you encounter it. Not so good the tenth time. Most of the Gameplay is about backtracking;not too far,but enough to become tiresome. There was also a bizarre room with invisible platforms and a wall bug,which helped to diminish my enjoyment even more. The lighting was generally effective (fiery-mist notwithstanding) but the initial fly-by,although showing you the object of your quest,also gave you plenty of time to notice the stretched and compressed textures. As a generally enjoyable run through an oriental environment,however,this is fine (there's a rather good timed-blade gauntlet which spices things up);and you even get a short bonus level as a reward." - Orbit Dream (03-Feb-2007)

"It's been a rather long time since I've played the first five outings of this series, but the memories I have from them are rather on the bad side, making this clearly the best in the series. The gameplay is a bit on the simplistic side, though the fog does help making a few moments a bit difficult, such as the area with the disappearing floor, took me a while to find where to jump, and the rope swing area. On your quest for the two golden vraeus to ultimately get the amulet of Horus you'll have quite a bit of backtracking to do and there was a weird puzzle with invisible tiles. It's not a mirror, as the adjacent room would have you believe, nor is a carbon copy, it just seemed random to me. After you make your way out, you get a quick glimpse of the previous levels with the greenish water as you make your way out into the end of the series. 25 minutes, 2 secrets. 02/07" - Treeble (02-Feb-2007)

“To begin at the beginning ... the initial flyby gives a good overall impression of what is to come. The colourful settings and interesting textures give the feeling that is a game to be enjoyed rather than endured. Having said that and not being known for skills with timed runs there is one such problem that had to be endured (by me at least). The timed run involved running sprinting and turning and going through a gate to collect a golden vraeus ... if there had been any option in the collection I would certainly have opted out of it ... yes even for a golden vraeus ... the gate had quite a health-sapping deading effect on Lara on many occasions! Much more satisfying was being able to shoot ninjas and especially crocodiles (a most satisfying dying noise) but the scorpions were just an irritation. Other interesting features were the jumping over the lava on safe squares and jumping onto invisible platforms. Clues were given for this latter scenario (obviously very necessary) and one or two cut scenes would have helped at other places to show what effect a successful operation had achieved. (eg placing the vraeus in its receptor) Overall an interesting game that I feel is worth an attempt.” – Mrs rjb (16-Jan-2005)

“This is the end and the last level of the series. I am glad there were no walkthrough walls but then again there are invisible tiles which a flare couldn't reveal. I noticed that the blocks on the other side of that room gave the clue the invisible blocks are on the same places. Getting through lava rooms and one needs some extra attention to cross swing over lava and finally find and place two vraeus. The textures are better this time I like that oriental style. Ninjas crocodiles and some scorpions are enemies to be found. Be sure to wait a few seconds when you step on the tiles in front of the cage with the vraeus receptacle otherwise a door might not open. Lara gets the amulet and we have a happy ending. It's a nice set of levels but with a lot of bugs so be prepared. I liked the next series more.” – Kristina (04-Jul-2003)

“Major location change to a lovely Buddhist Temple. I liked the way it was textured and lighted also the camera angles but the rooms all seemed very much the same and gameplay was pretty easy. Main hazards are fire floors darts (a lot) and red ninjas that match the wall decor. You see a cage with crocodiles guarding the amulet and you just know you have to go down and come up inside it. When you've done with the temple you're thrown back to a Venice type courtyard and in my game 8 skeletons rose from the ground. You could just run past the lot of them and into the water beyond to end the level. And I guess that is the end of the series because the last couple of savegames said The End.” – CC (06-Jun-2003)

“The last one of the series and this one has an oriental atmosphere. Main goal is finding the Ankh guarded by some crocs. Before requiring that there are some puzzles to solve like jumping over a lava pit another is jumping over some burning tiles and the timed scissors puzzle also some rope swinging. Finding two Vraeus before progressing. Loads of poisonous darts and some ninjas and scorpions will slow you down. And at the end there is a horde of skeletons but you will have the crossbow but you also can easily outrun them all. 07-10-2002” – Gerty (13-Oct-2002)

“Now I have arrived at the end of this six part series. It looks as if it is set somewhere in the Japanese. Lara finds different artifacts in order to be able to conclude the level. The rooms were designed lovingly. The builder put in much effort. In this level there are a few riddles to be solved. Not all too difficult. Textures are cleanly applied. Opponents were scorpions baddies crocodiles not too many though. A room irritated me a little because I thought it would be a mirror room. That was however not so. So I had to try things out a little – that was a good idea. Sound was ok. The cameras not very impressive but we are used to that in many other levels too. My Lara found two Secrets altogether 19 in the whole series. What was the jump into the last level good for which was very short and meaningless? Altogether I like the fifth part best.” – Navi (09-Sep-2002)

“This level is the most beautiful of the series and has a classic gameplay. In an Asiatic temple Lara finds the amulet she was looking for. I like those red textures the ninjas and crocs fit very well in the setting the atmosphere is good and the puzzles are fair. Not a challenging level and a lot of backtracking in one place but a great improvement and a happy raiding after Zazar's library!” – eRIC (01-Sep-2002)

“You don't get that many oriental levels do you? So this is a pleasant change from your common Egypt Coastal or Lab scenario. Especially in the corridors the textures are a little on the plain side but by and large it's a solid setting. I particularly liked the green underground caverns. The gameplay is quite entertaining although there are three things which somewhat annoyed me. 1) There is one room where you have to hop over the safe tiles (marked) in order to reach the other end. Thing is you have to cross this room five or six times so it becomes a bit tedious. 2) There is a timed run through the big scissors which was just a matter of feeding Lara a couple of medi packs and 3) right near the end you have to jump across a lava pit and invisible platforms are your ticket to the other side. Now I thought that the clues concerning the invisible platforms were to be found in the mirror. It worked with the first platform but not with the second. It took me some time to realise that it wasn't a mirror at all but just a big pane of glass and the platforms I took for clues were real ones on the other side of the glass. But apart from that it's good clean fun complete with neat camera angles helpful cutscenes and a dramatic fly by at the start.” – Dimpfelmoser (22-Aug-2002)

“In my opinion this is the weakest level in this series as well as the shortest at only 30 minutes. It seems Lara is either in an Asian or Indian temple where she has to collect the amulet from a caged croc enclosure this she does by a lot of back and forth progression through the small game environment avoiding lots of poison darts and deadly floors while completing a few nice puzzles. The end though is a big surprise as you are transported to a Venice like area where you meet an army of skeletons and then go for a swim to the end. I really liked the red texturing of the level and the gameplay although not very difficult was still challenging enough but it seems like the intensity I loved about the other levels in this series was just not here this time.” – Sash (21-Jun-2002)

“The shortest level of the series (30 minutes) and not so strong on the gameplay side with only two Vraeus to find and place and a bunch of ninjas crocodiles and scorpions along the way but I really liked the textures and the lighting and usage of fog a lot - creates a great Asian temple atmosphere. There are quite a few traps often with darts and fire and at the end you get a little bonus "dancing with the skeletons" before this series comes to an end and Lara brings the amulet home.” – Michael (21-Jun-2002)

“Well it seems that this author got better as he went along. This was an excellent puzzle level although there were still a few paper thin walls and one area (by the invisible block puzzle) that once entered trapped Lara so that you had to re-load a previous save but other than that a fun level. Pity level 3 was so full of bugs. If it weren't for that this series would have been a great one to play.” – Torry (21-Jun-2002)

“A nice level with some interesting puzzles but a little boring there are equal zones to cross too many times. However you have to find the usual amulet hidden or better unguarded in a Buddhist temple. There are very many poisoned arrows jumps on invisible platforms various traps and the usual ninja. I have ended the level in about 30 minutes finding one of the two secrets to disposition.” – Boris (21-Jun-2002)

“This starts out with a fly-by that shows just how gorgeous the upcoming level is going to be and also focuses on the levels objective - to finally acquire the Amulet of Horus and escape with your life. This is the end of Lara's adventures to capture the Amulet and Lara faces quite a challenge. Reminding me of the Temple of Xian this building is filled with tricky puzzles and deadly traps - some obvious and some totally unexpected. There are a few enemies who try to stop you from escaping with your prize but there is plenty of ammo to dispose of them. There are actually two levels combined here but the last one is very short and documents Lara's escape from Zazar's Hideout. Quite a fitting end to Lara's search for the amulet and worth a download.” – RaiderGirl (21-Jun-2002)

“Quite a nice level! I liked the textures and the gameplay it has been well made and thought out. There are a few traps and puzzles to solve which are fun! Not fantastic but still definitely worth a download! I really liked the camera sequences and the textures! But maybe it could have been a bit more fun to play and also a bit longer! But well done!” – John (21-Jun-2002)
Tag Cloud from Reviews:
back home search