| Reviewer's comments |
"I have absolutely no memories of the original level, but curiously enough I remember Magnus joking about the level title back in the day (as in, this level is a sequel which is haunted). Anyway, this was pretty subpar where most of what you do is zooming past humongous boxes with the occasional pushblock puzzle or lever. Expect the door bug and the flare bug along the way, plus secrets and weaponry are simply handed out to you that any challenge the skeletons might have posed is gone. The highlight is probably the huge mirror room with the stairs near the beginning, but even then and there the opposite wall can be crossed (but not back) and while I thought this was something the author had overlooked, if you go explore the "illegal" area you end up back in the stairs but with the Uzis in your inventory. Not the worst level you'll play, but there's definitely nothing remarkable about it either. 30 minutes, 3 secrets. 04/20" - Treeble (12-Apr-2020) |
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| "In this, Debbie's second level, you can just about see the stirrings of the talent to come, in the form of some good textures and lighting and effective atmosphere. The general architecture is still huge and echoing though. Gameplay-wise, it's not too taxing, with the odd easy puzzle and no timed elements. Plenty of skeletons around, but explosives are provided so you can play the old 'how many skellies can I blow us with one shot' game - never gets old does it! Pleasant enough, but of course some way off Debbie's 'glory days'." - Jay (28-Jan-2019) |
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| "This is one of Debbie's earlier efforts and it's clear that she was still in the phase of using extremely large rooms in her levels rather than the more confined (and IMO better) rooms of her later ones. I felt that the rooms here were a bit too large and overwhelming for their own good and the actual gameplay is quite minimal for the size of these rooms. Regarding the textures, not too bad, but a bit stretched in certain places and they aren't as attractive as, say, her Sand Castle levels. Lighting was also too dark in places, despite being pleasantly colourful in places. Didn't really enjoy this one, but I did like the atmosphere." - Ryan (19-Jan-2017) |
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| "Again the same style as in previous levels. Very big rooms with nothing to do except pull a lever or pick up an item; long ladders to climb and many skeletons to blast. The worst is that if you miss something important (the crowbar or the ornate handle...) you can reach almost the end of the level and open a door to start from the very beginning and play all the entire level again to look for the missed items. There is only a simple eight moveables puzzle, and I couldn't find hints to know what buttons to press or what levers to pull when there were traps. Monotonous texturization, elongated textures, some rooms have a good look though. There best was the atmosphere, but in the last parts of the game the flare bug is present. Better play it reading the walkthrough." - Jose (18-Jul-2016) |
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| "This level could be a better one if the rooms were not that huge and the walls to climb, ways to run and distances to swim were not that long. Texturing is a little unconventional and strange, and lighting is colourful, but too dark in some spots. Besides collecting some puzzle items there are only a few easy pushable puzzles to do and a couple of skeletons to get rid off, but as the crossbow can be found even twice, it's easy to blow them out of your way. More unpleasant were those ghosts, two of whom were very clingy and refused to blow up. But, well, this is a problem of the level editor I think. I found two golden stars, but only one of them was needed to open the door that finally led me to the end." - Jerry (22-Sep-2009) |
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| "This is a level from Debbie's "Grand period" (a little like Picasso's "Blue period",only bigger).Her earlier levels were epitomised by huge and geometrically sharp rooms,containing very little.In this case,the huge,empty and geometric rooms persist but are enriched by some dazzling uses of gleaming primary colours and amusing enemy placement.Although the textures are often stretched,the use of mirrors,flip-maps and creative custom images are none-the-less impressive and help to make the flaws easier to overlook.Indeed,even in this age of Hi-res textures and overly fancy technical possibilities (often utilised as a cheap way of making the builder look better than average)I defy anyone to be anything less than over-awed by Debbs' stunning and colourfully multi-hued Hall of Lava. Sounds are used well enough,and atmosphere is fine in an 'overly big' sort of way.As far as gameplay is concerned,it's very straightforward and impossible to be lost within for too long; but it builds to a fun Finale with beetles,rolling-boulders and massed ranks of advancing skeletons;and even the possibility of sliding down a ramp and playing through the entire level again,for good measure! Not a classic,but definately a level worth re-discovering." - Orbit Dream (01-Jun-2009) |
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| "Not my kind of level with strange bugs really large rooms (without much to do in them) and generally boring gameplay. Well at least the texturing was okay. I know that you can't wait to hear about the bugs can you? Well I can't wait to tell you about them - they are mainly walkthrough-walls that were not meant to be walked through. It may not sound like such a big deal but it is very irritating. Also the flare-bug appeared somewhere along the way to the end. The level takes about 20 to 25 minutes to finish - four of these minutes are spent pushing and pulling pillars in one room and at least five more minutes are spent taking long detours trying to find the secrets. I didn't like anything about this level but that doesn't mean that it's not good - it only means that I didn't think that it was good. So either you can believe me or download this level and write a review which only purpose is to make me look stupid. The choice is yours." - Magnus (29-Jan-2004) |
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| "This is a pleasant little level with eye-pleasing scenery and tasks that aren't daunting but not ridiculously easy either. I'm playing all of Debbie Overstreet's levels in sequence but I believe this is the one where we get a reprise of that evil female laughter (from 'The Haunted') near the end. It was totally unexpected and almost made me wet my pants. These short ones are a welcome relief from the multi-hour marathons that seem so prevalent these days." - Phil (05-Aug-2003) |
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| "Although a sequel the level doesn't remind the previous 'Haunted' and it's much brighter. Knots stars a scroll and the portal guardian are the items you will be needed to proceed. Same as Matthias I didn't find the head of the portal guardian so I didn't use it but I finished the level without a problem. Skeletons wraiths and some annoying beetles are the only enemies with fire and spike balls as traps. Mainly it has many big rooms rather empty which you either have to place an item and proceed or move some objects to open a door. It's not that bad of course a little more attention to the textures and lighting wouldn't hurt. All in all a nice level take a look at it." - Kristina (22-Jul-2003) |
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| "Enormous empty rooms again. Debbie must like her space. This isn't my favourite type of level but I will try to see it from other people's point of view. The mirror room was very well done. And the room with the puzzle pieces was impressive. A lot of coastal walls and new textures that looked great. Apart from that it's the usual long swims climbs running and killing skeletons. Actually if this level had much smaller rooms which would result in less swimming climbing running then it would be a very quick experience altogether. A beginner's level." - CC (08-May-2003) |
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| "An improvement over The Haunted the Sequel is much TOO DARK to be any fun to play imho. The flares stopped working about 75% of the way through and just trying to use the binoculars caused the game to crash (starting about the same place). Too bad. The game looked to be not bad. The rooms were kind of interesting and not at all flat (a problem I had with the The Haunted). I liked the flow and a couple of the timed efforts. The darkness completely ruined this level for me." - Dougsan (05-Mar-2003) |
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| "This is one of those levels that gives you the sense of doing quite a lot but when you look back you realise that all you've really done is run through large square rooms whilst swimming and climbing a lot. There is a simple double movable object puzzle but that is really the only thing other than levers and a bunch of skeletons that are no match for the weapons you should have. Oddly though I found this quite an alright level in the sense that it didn't bore me this may have been because knowing there were 7 secrets through the level I was on a mission to find them which I did though the trident registered as a secret but wasn't and the weaponry in the last room where the 2nd star is and the scroll which both should have registered as secrets didn't. For 40 minutes this should keep you nicely occupied just know that if you have played any of Debbie's other levels then this one is pretty much cut from the same cloth." - Sash (24-Dec-2002) |
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| "I never found the head of the portal guardian so I never got to use it but I assume it just leads to another secret as it is obviously not necessary to open that door in order to complete the level. However since I found the grenade launcher and the crossbow it was easy enough to deal with the gang of skeletons near the end. This is truly in the tradition of Debbie's debut with huge empty rooms to run through skeletons and elementals as enemies and a rather easy and linear course that took me 45 minutes to complete. I didn't care much for the trial and error button pushing but the long slide with the beetles while spiked boulders are dropping down in the distance is a memorable TR moment. In some places the textures are stretched and a few are even some missing but as it was with the Haunted part one the overall effect is strangely pleasing and some areas like the mirror staircase are positively charming. There is a lot of pillar pushing halfway through (fortunately it has to be done in one of the more spectacular rooms) some never ending climbs and we could have done with a few more puzzles but by and large I enjoyed the fast paced gameplay and look forward to play Debbie's next level." - Dimpfelmoser (01-Dec-2002) |
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| "A disappointing effort here. The gameplay was relatively bland with Deb's usual huge rooms long slides and vast areas to traverse but this one failed in a few areas. Essential items were in fact non-essential as doors opened without them. Some areas never opened like the door triggered by the monkey face on the stick. I only found the stick so could not open that door but I was permitted to finish the level anyway. One star at the end opened the door when in fact there were receptacles for two. I did like the spike boulders falling from above in the underwater areas. That was unusual. Now the flare bug shows up here and as some areas are dark this is annoying and don't use the binoculars as you will be greeted by your desktop. Sorry but there is still a bit of work to do on this one." - Torry (01-Oct-2002) |
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| "Well this level is quite different in terms of textures and lighting effects that is the first thing that attracts your attention when you start playing the level it was very different and I liked it. As for gameplay well that was ok it involved solving a pushable item puzzle a lot of exploring to find some objects needed to progress in the level some swimming pushing switches etc. There was a few traps with the boulders falling down a water filled pit some spikes and few fire traps. There was a lot of enemies to kill or avoid like the scarab beetles skeletons and a few ghosts they didn't appear as much as a threat until near the end where you got loads appearing at once there was a lot of climbing to do and slopes to slide down everything was textured nicely and this level is quite enjoyable and it is a must to play it if not to see what new texturing and lighting effects there are." - John (17-Aug-2002) |
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| "What can I say I was blown away by this level not so much by the gameplay as by the architecture and use of textures. The rooms are huge and although there are enough pick ups it looks like you find hardly anything. I think I got all the guns and enough ammo and the enemies I encountered are skeletons and some nasty beetles. Some wraiths are pestering you but there are statues nearby so they won't damage Lara that much. There are some red herrings thrown in and the traps are nice. Very long long swims long climbs but what can you expect with rooms so huge. Be sure to step through the mirror right away I didn't till I finished the level and went back to a saved game I kept to do just that. For me I needed the two stars to open the door. Didn't find the gem and only found four secrets so this will be on my list to play it again at a later date. 06-08-2002" - Gerty (11-Aug-2002) |
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| "I really enjoyed this level. Believe it or not I got about 50 sessions out of it. Tells you a lot about how I like enjoying a level and not playing as though I'm being timed by a stop-watch. I like a really laid back atmosphere without having something try to kill me at every turn. This is an excellent beginner level (Apparently from what I have read on other reviews). Anyway it doesn't require a truly advanced skill which suits me just fine! Believe me if I had to be white hot at this all the time I would have lost all interest a long time ago. There were plenty enough times when things attacked me thank you very much! I found it to be a pretty long game and after I got done I went back and tried to ace it only to find out that I had forgotten a couple of turns somewhere. I have to especially thank Debbie for the walkthrough. Saved me from getting too frustrated on a couple of occasions. Thanks Ms.Overstreet! Oh and for some of you hot-shots who have been doing this forever and who might be thinking that I must be a moron my IQ is down to 148. What's yours?" - Pitec (27-Jul-2002) |
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| "Well Debbie staying true to her style this 40 minutes level again has very huge rooms and rather linear progression as you collect two knots two stars a portal guardian a scroll and a trident (no gem for me despite the one being mentioned in the readme). On the plus side there are some rather nice effects like the colourful lighting in places the dropping boulders under water the mirror a few custom textures the waterfalls and I liked the room with the eight movables puzzle even though the puzzle itself was a little tedious. On the downside the secrets are pretty much picked up along the way some of the climbs are just too long the four switches puzzles are pure chance and the 20 or so skeletons easily blasted away with explosives. Nothing out of the ordinary but if you are looking for a simple straightforward run through level - give this one a try." - Michael (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "This is the sequel to The Haunted and indeed it is very similar in style. The level is made up of very large but interesting rooms with some long underwater passages nice music and lighting effects but overall the gameplay is fairly straightforward. There are a number of objects to find but they are often just sitting around and it won't be long till you find where to use them. I liked the mirror effect in the beginning the indoor waterfalls the new textures the deadly colored water and the amazing room with the pushable object puzzle. There didn't seem to be as many enemies in the sequel just a few wraiths and a few skeletons scattered throughout plus a whole pack of skeletons at the end. Considering how few enemies there were there were way too many goodies scattered around so there's no problem taking care of them. I ended the level with six secrets a trident and a golden star - the door opened after I had only placed one so I kept the other. It will look great in the trophy room of Lara's mansion. I noticed it said in the readme file that I would find a gem but I must have missed it somewhere. As with the previous level I found this to be very interesting with a unique environment and enjoyed the 45 minutes I spent here." - RaiderGirl (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "I started out with a real blah feeling in this level. Pretty bland looking even with the blue effect of the mirrors. Originally didn't jump down in the water as it appeared to be 'burning water'. I must say though that it did get better as I went along and but I think the author could have put a little more into it. I encountered what I took to be a possible bug in the area of the simple puzzle of moving the items onto the squares as one door never opened for me. I re-loaded and re-started 3 different times with the same result but decided to continue on without the star that should have been behind that door. This did have some good visual effects the falling spike boulders through one of the swimming areas and there were a lot of areas where if you took the wrong way you'd have to start from a much earlier point so it's good to save often. Some skeletons but there were weapons maybe more than were needed. Funny thing was though when you came to the area at the end where you had to place the 2 stars I only having one placed it and the door opened anyway. Double bug or bug and fix bug???" - Momster (21-Jun-2002) |
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