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The Ruins of the Ancient by xyzzy

Dimpfelmoser 8 8 8 8
DJ Full 10 7 9 8
Doug E 7 7 7 7
Dougsan 6 8 8 8
eRIC 9 7 8 8
Freeman Porter 8 7 8 8
Gerty 7 7 8 8
Jason 8 8 8 9
Jay 7 7 8 8
John 6 7 6 7
Jose 6 7 7 8
Kristina 8 8 9 9
Leandro 7 6 8 8
MichaelP 7 7 8 8
Miguel 8 8 9 9
Monika 9 8 8 8
Orbit Dream 8 7 8 8
Phil 7 8 9 8
RaiderGirl 8 8 9 9
Ryan 7 7 8 8
Sash 7 7 8 8
Sheevah 8 7 8 8
Teone 7 7 8 7
Tombraidergirl 7 8 8 7
Torry 7 7 9 9
Treeble 6 7 7 7
Whistle 7 7 8 6
 
release date: 19-Feb-2002
# of downloads: 62

average rating: 7.67
review count: 27
 
review this level

file size: 19.60 MB
file type: TR4
class: Jungle
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
xyzzy@aon.at

Reviewer's comments
"Unmarked climbable wall rocks and trees , Necessary hidden pick up items in quicksand, walk through textures and triggering object movements by dropping Lara onto a ledge nearby: this level clearly doesn’t want to make it remotely simple or straightforward for you and this is all just in the first area! As we progress it’s more nice looking jungle type areas and lagoons to explore with nasty crocodiles desperate to nip at your toes. Gameplay involves searching around for several items to find and insert with some simple spike and boulder traps but the hidden tasks continue to remain as we have to blow up a skeleton to find a item needed to progression as well as annoying swim through textures. Things do pick up near the end with some enjoyable exploring around a catacombs looking area and then of course the timed run trap fest! Big fun there but overall despite the appealing environment to play in I was a bit disappointed with being forced to use a walkthrough constantly because of unfair hidden aspects." - John (22-Aug-2023)
"This level was released 20 years ago and the builder is no longer active, anyway... Good debut! There are some nice ideas here, but also some oddity in the gameplay, somethings I didn't understand. I have the impression there could be some softlock in this game (I.E. the six gems sequence), so it's better save in different slots. The design is a jungle with coastal objects, quite nice result, perhaps a little boxy and not smoothly linked areas, but enjoyable in general. I spent 50 minutes here and found 3 easy secrets." - Teone (25-Feb-2022)
"This could have been a great jungle level, but it does have quite a few factors that hold it back. There are quite a few unmarked climbable walls (right on the first room, even) and then some walk/swim-through walls, both of which make progression quite difficult in the beginning, and the weird choice to try and have the player "read" the boars. Natural instinct is to simply shoot them on sight, but even when I didn't it still didn't make sense whatsoever. It kinda picks up later on, but with only three gems and six receptacles, I fear it might be possible to get "softlocked" and fortunately we have a walkthrough to prevent just such occasions. Otherwise, this featured some pretty nice room geometry (especially the ruins themselves) and a funny gag for a treasure room. Worth checking out, but maybe keep the walkthrough close at hand to prevent unnecessary frustration. 45 minutes, 3 secrets. 04/20" - Treeble (26-Apr-2020)
"A well constructed jungle level that is definitely not without its challenges. The environments are good looking, the atmosphere is nicely done and I found the lighting in the blue crystal cavern to be extremely effective. The gameplay is slightly spoiled by the climbable walls that weren't very well marked and the rather inconsistent use of a particular texture as a marker for a spike trap. But it still developed into an overall enjoyable adventure with some ingenious touches, particularly the boulder sequence, the extended timed run and the unique ending with Lara sliding into a pool filled with Euro coins. Not without its obscure parts, but definitely worth a look." - Ryan (04-Jan-2019)
"Clambering around the jungle treetops - always fun and parts of this level are rather good to look at. Gameplay is far from intuitive at times and I was glad of a walkthrough to refer to on occasions. Some of the routes you need to take are very heavily disguised (pretty much invisible) and definitely confusing. There are some good aspects to the gameplay in the way of timed runs and traps, nice use of boulders and skeletons leaping out at you quite frequently in the latter part of the game. I liked the quirky ending with Lara swimming through a pool of coins - definitely different. In summary, a good game to play if you keep the walkthrough close to hand." - Jay (18-Jan-2018)
"The level has good ideas and interesting situations, like the long timed run with all that traps near the end, but I can't give a high rating 'cause the phantom floors (in the river) and the unmarked climbable surfaces in the first area. Also there is a lot of backtracking if you don't do the things in the order the author thought so, I recommend play this level reading the walkthrough. Secrets not difficult to find, a lot of skeletons disturbing you all the time, I left a couple of empty receptacles in the wide room with the rolling boulders. Lights and textures are not bad applied, but I miss some more cd tracks in certain places. Worth to play but easy to get stucked." - Jose (15-Jun-2016)
"The textures are especially painfully inconsistent in case of trap marker tiles, but I could learn with the first two burns or impalements. The other ones aren't the best either, with seams and occasional lack of transition, but the choice of patterns is careful enough for them all to efficiently cooperate in creating a convincing jungle. Down here among the classic leaves, branches and streams, the sole first room has so many things hidden that it took me about an hour to solve - bravo Mr. Winkler, I love where a place which seems totally natural reveals planed usefulness of its squares, and I think progressing through these required utilizing of every single move the engine provides, maybe excluding ropes and poleropes. I noticed I didn't do everything in the planned order, but following my own path didn't cause any problems. I was only disappointed with the three last gems, because of my rising hope to get the cave flooded, what never happened - but the actual solution was also a creative, as well as everything what precedes and follows - in this level I encountered well known puzzles but in a completely unusual arrangement. And how often do we see a builder who actually bothers to use OCBs on spikes? Two hours on the clock, 224 euros found. SUMMARY: This is a game which you should attempt at some stage of your player career. Where is this builder, I want to hug him. Highly recommended." - DJ Full (18-Aug-2015)
"Considering that there are really only five compact areas to explore in this level,the 90 minutes playing time will tell you how high the difficulty quotient is pitched.Most of the gameplay hardships take place within the very first area;a sequence of completely non-linear tasks,ranging from 'fun' through 'cryptic' to 'completely obscure'.In particular,the climable rock devoid of texture clues brought the game to a complete halt for me for a very long while.Nonetheless,somewhat against the odds,it remained enjoyable and eventually developed into an ingenious sequence of puzzles - a clever rolling-boulder sequence;a tricky timed double-challenge;some sneaky jump sequences.Texturing was generally well handled,flawed only with the use of unmarked death squares and the aforementioned climbable areas.Lighting was often very effective (the cool blue cave was rather impressive);enemies very well placed,construction was occasionally highly skilled and the atmosphere was generally absorbing. The many moments of originality displayed a sure touch on the part of the builder,and this remains a superior Jungle adventure." - Orbit Dream (29-Sep-2010)
Played this a long time ago and was so stuck, this time around I was more lucky. And even this is what one almost could call an 'oldie' it still is a great level to try out your skills as there is a lot to do. Exploring for the various items you need to proceed. Nice new boulder puzzle, loads of spike traps and at the end a not too bad timed run, at least as long as you know where and what to do though. That one will have you reloading a bit. I never did get the puzzle with the warthog and although I could get where I needed to go, it did cost me quite some health. Getting to finally swim between the Euro was rather fun. Found 3 secrets. 30-05-2005 - Gerty (20-Jun-2005)
"I'm not a real fan of spike traps and there are plenty of them here so I didn't enjoy this level as much as I might otherwise have. Still there's plenty of fun here for the experienced gamer notably a room where you have to set off a series of boulders in the proper sequence in order to progress. There's a particularly hairy timed sequence near the end where you have to pick up the handle and effigy in one fell swoop. A good fun middle of the road level that everyone should try." - Phil (09-May-2004)
"Textures and lighting are very good. The story is interesting up to a point and the author all but breaks new ground with rolling boulders our old friends the skeletons etc. But and this is a big but I found the level boring. There was more than enough to do and there were new things to 'oooh' over but there were areas Lara covered seemingly a dozen times. (The river with the muddy bottom for example.) And Lara had to do things she never had to do before in my memory or the game was lost (blowup skeletons to get some keys). How the hexx is a player suppose to know enough to waste explosives early in the game on skeletons! Skeletons can almost always be avoided. Also what is with the hooks imbedded in blocks? Beats me. Lots of folk really like this level. I give it high marks for everything but game play." - Dougsan (17-Jun-2003)
"I like the jungle settings very much and this level has it. Jumping from tree to tree and onto rocks to find crucial items in daylight is what this one is about. A knot a star a token gems and a portal guardian are the items you need along with the revolver and laser-sight. The boulders are apart of the puzzles too or they open entrances to another areas. The spike traps are often used and fire tiles also a few crocodiles wild boars and skeletons are your enemies. The timed runs at the end are not very difficult and I enjoyed the long timed sequences until I reached the outside again. After an hour and only one secret well I didn't search hard enough for them the level ended with Lara swimming in a pool with big coins." - Kristina (11-Mar-2003)
"A Level looking harmless at beginning but it has some challenges...First of all you have to open your eyes wide to find out where to go on. There is an important Secret well hidden - then you'll find your way. Climbing Jumping ... Fighting with skeletons and crocodiles some warthogs - the timed firetraps way was very good. Nice placed rooms the outdoor location with a good atmosphere. Textures Light/Shadow - well done. Looking forward to part 2. Some humoristic signals..." - Miguel (03-Mar-2003)
"I'll state some of the bad things about this level first for one it is too short at only 35 minutes which was a big surprise as the converter stopped showing the conversion meaning this is made up of loads of rooms and well that's really the only bad thing but because it is quite short I have not given it as high a rating as I would have liked to. Set in a jungle with many hidden little areas to find and explore some necessary and some not this not only looked great but it played great with some tricky timed moves cool use of white boulders nice placement of skeletons three not so hard to find secrets and just an overall fun feel of exploration though I'm still in two minds about the bizarre end room. Just make sure if possible that you don't shoot the skeletons off a ledge but instead explode their butts as one of them carries a much needed pick up that if missed will stop progression dead especially as there is enough distance between it and where it needs to be used to fill all your savegames." - Sash (21-Jun-2002)
"This is one for all you jungle level lovers out there. I am not the greatest jungle fan so my rating my be a little on the low side but this hour long adventure really offers a few nice treats like a smartly done title flyby which gives you to useful hints for the gameplay climbing in the treetops very creative usage of boulders and the revolver in puzzles a really fabulous blueish lighted cave area a nice room with many arches a bit like in City of Blezqi Zatsaz and I liked the nice touches of adding a 'different kind of medipack' (LOL) and a cool final room - not ancient at all. You will have to find and place a knot a coin a Gate key a star a series of blue gems and at the end a Portal Guardian which is nearby but requires good timing to actually get the pieces. Enemies are not a major element but fit the scenery (some boars crocodiles and skeletons). Pickups need some work which is always a plus and I found three secrets (flares twice and a small medipack). Try it - definitely worth a download!" - Michael (21-Jun-2002)
"I must admit I loved this level but it was indeed frustrating. Not because the puzzles were difficult but because essential items that you require to progress in the level were so well hidden it took much retracing of steps to find these. Also one item was actually carried by a skeleton and if you like me carefully head shoot these nasties well you will never find it as the friggin skeleton albeit headless still has the damned thing. The end of the level was simply a nightmare of spikes and fire traps and I must be getting old but I re-loaded save games dozens of times to get past these. Consequently unlike another reviewer who breezed through this in 35 minutes my game play was a little under two hours. "Not happy Jan". I believe that for the every day Tomb Raider this is too difficult and people will just exit the level without completing it and I have therefore downgraded the score slightly as I do with all levels of this difficulty." - Torry (21-Jun-2002)
"It's a jungle level so it looks like all the jungle levels: simple puzzles (almost all of them are jump puzzles) beautiful graphics and nice gameplay. I'm a fan of jungle levels and I've liked this one. Maybe the other fans should download this level too." - Leandro (21-Jun-2002)
"Even though I usually don't like jungle levels I had a lot of fun in this hour long level. It starts out simply enough with a large area to explore and hidden spots to find and gradually expands into a number of impressively textured areas. There are quite a few objects to find and some of them are hidden in spots you would never think of looking in (I stumbled onto the crowbar by luck) while others are in spots you'll think are impossible to get to. There aren't a lot of baddies a pig which posed no threat a few crocs which did until I found where to climb out of the water and some skeletons which not only keep you on your toes but also carry an important item. The puzzles are very clever and make use of boulders the revolver and lasersight and some gems you need to place in the correct order. I found three secrets that were very cleverly hidden and just loved the new 'medipack' just what every woman needs!" - RaiderGirl (21-Jun-2002)
"This is a nice little level. You start off in a wood and have to collect a few things and go climbing. Then the rest of the action takes place in a lower level reached by a waterfall. Unusual because of the lack of levers. A good effort and well worth playing." - Doug E (21-Jun-2002)
"Very nice jungle level for explorers. The most time Lara is searching for ways to come to places where the needed objects are waiting for to get picked up. The puzzles are for me not always logical so save often! But I never lost the motivation to go on the gameplay is challenging. Two tips: You have to kill the skeletons (at least one of them) and you should not kill the pig! At the end I was diving in a Euro-pool :-) Playing time 1:20 hours and I only found two secrets. Try it the difficulty is between medium and difficult!" - Freeman Porter (21-Jun-2002)
"A fairly short level but one worth playing. Don't shoot the warthogs as they try to help. In the first area the texturing for climbable faces for me was just the same as normal hence spent quite a while trying to get into the tree tops. Keep your eyes peeled for walk through greenery as well as pickups as most of them are vital. The placing of the revolver was truly evil despite the hogs help. Boulder trigger a novelty as well as the effect it had. Lots of skeletons and crocs to kill and once in the blue caves don't forget the crystals. The level in general provided a variety of situations some though with much reloading to reset the problem came out easily. Note the last comments and save frequently." - Whistle (21-Jun-2002)
"This is a nice jungle level well designed and textured I liked especially the outside area. While exploring the area you have to look around carefully and to my opinion that is what makes a level a 'typical TombRaider level' i.e. not so much fighting but exploring everything. There are just a few enemies some crocs and some skeletons. Concerning the latter you'd better not try to only blast their heads off - you have to kill them to get further. All in all it took me 1.5 hours to finish while betatesting. But if you look around less carefully you will make it in 1 hour I think." - Sheevah (21-Jun-2002)
"What a stunning looking level this was the texturing was superb and apart from a few wafer thin walls it was cool. Even the trees were great; you can see a lot of work has gone in to the forest. I like it when you get away from the usual switch/door puzzles and this level certainly did that. Two things stick in my mind about this level. The first is that timed gauntlet damn you have to be quick and the second is when you place the coin in the slot and watch that boulder seemingly aimlessly meandering down the slope at times almost pausing and then continuing until it opens a door on the opposite side from which it came. To achieve that must have taken a while. And finally when you finish you slide in to a pot of money. This was a very short but compact level and I enjoyed playing it. I can't wait to see if the author brings another level out." - Jason (21-Jun-2002)
"It took me almost two hours to play this level. There are two wild boars in the game and they should give you hints. Well I didn't really get them. If you explore thoroughly you get all the tools and pieces you need. I just couldn't find the crowbar and so had to go through certain parts of the level again but that was no problem. You see enough big white boulders which either block some entrance or come rolling along to get you. The enemies are skeletons and crocodiles. The wild boars are rather peaceful. You have to have a Gate Key 3 Horseman's Gem and a Golden Star before you pass through a door into another area. Then you have to collect the Ornate Handle and the Hathor Effigy to finish the game. To get them two items you have to manage some difficulties with jumps and time. I found 2 secrets (out of 3). So why don't you just download the level and play it yourself." - Monika (21-Jun-2002)
"This level has an appealing title and I must say that I have not been disappointed. A jungle level? Here I am! If you want exploration puzzles and some action download it. It begins by a new title the flyby showing the two first areas that you will raid: trees falls blocks pillars and debris. The author has mixed a jungle setting with textures from catacombs and coastal enemies and it's wholly well done. For my taste though I should have prefer these too first areas a little less square that would have been more realistic. There are secret passageways and some puzzles are not obvious and original and they make you think: 'what must be done now?'. For me it was a long level: first I was searching for the revolver when it was under my feet since the beginning (thanks to Michael and Torry) then for the crowbar even if it is not so difficult to find and finally I was stuck by a boulder preventing me to have access to the portal door at the end so I had to reload and placed the blue gems in a different order. So make a savegame before putting the blue gems in place and thanks to the author who has mentioned this problem to us. Towards the end there is very good series of timed traps. An enjoyable level indeed." - eRIC (21-Jun-2002)
"I got stuck more than once. Personally I blame it partly on Michael cause since Blue Sphere I don't worry when I pass the star and don't have the crowbar whereas here you better make sure you have it cause if you progress from the bowling hall without the star you won't get out again. The other times were just my own incompetence. I really don't like these cubic trees and those sloped rocks where you're never sure if you can stand on them or will slide down (or even worse the ones where you can stand on one triangle but not on the other). On various occasions you have to get yourself into the exact position for a standing jump and I found this a bit frustrating. However it's a great level with brilliant ideas a nice atmosphere an exiting timed run and a funny ending. Textures and lighting support the challenging gameplay but they aren't the main focus here. I particularly liked the path where you saw the boulders coming down from a long way off and the design of the big area where you place the star. You get some helpful hints in the zip file and I better not tell you how long this took me but I find Sash's 35 minutes close to unbelievable. Well keeps me humble I guess." - Dimpfelmoser (21-Jun-2002)
"This level is not as long as it will take you to play it. There are a lot of riddles in it. How do you get a boulder out of the way? Where are things hidden? It is very nice to look at. Alas sometimes you get very close to the end of the world. With this level you can have a lot of fun or nearly despair if you do not look around carefully enough." - Tombraidergirl (21-Jun-2002)