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Level: Tomb of Twin Pharaos back home search
Author(s): Cap.A
total rating:6.64 Gameplay &
Puzzles		 Enemies,
Objects &
Secrets		 Atmosphere,
Sound &
Cameras		 Lighting &
Textures
Dimpfelmoser 7 6 7 6
eRIC 8 7 8 8
eTux 8 8 7 8
Gerty 7 6 7 6
Kristina 6 7 8 8
MichaelP 7 5 7 6
Orbit Dream 7 5 7 8
RaiderGirl 7 7 8 7
Sash 7 6 7 6
Sheevah 6 5 5 6
Xxenofex 6 5 5 4
category averages
(11 reviews)		 6.91 6.09 6.91 6.64

Reviewer's comments

"Quite an underrated effort, and one of the best tut levels I've played in a long time! Ok, the walkthrough wall is unfair, the chessboard enigmatic, the 2 mazelike areas are not the greatest additions to the level as well, but this has so many thrills and twists, that make it really worthwhile playing! The greatly made deja vu effect - when you feel you've been here before, but actually enter a new area, the fantastic use of spikeballs and spiketraps - a corridor where the spikes came out of the floor towards you one after the other is quite an adrenaline rushing effect, and the spikeballs here have quite a lot of original uses I haven't seen in many, if any of the other 500 or so levels I've played up to date. For example the pool room with the boulders attached to the ceiling is thrilling, as is the following unexpected ball trap underwater, or the 2 long slopes with 4 balls, that actually rather feel like coming to get you perpetually, and not forgetting the rather frightening long staircase - where you feel that someone is sitting atop and throwing the spikeballs down at poor Lara. Another great twist is when, just as you think you'll go place the 2 cartouches and end the level (this puzzle I found to be enigmatic as well, or maybe I simply missed the clues?) you get an unexpected surprise fall, and loads of new areas to explore and puzzles to complete, including some of my previously mentioned ones. Really, there is so much happening in this 35 minute level, it will feel so much longer when you get to the end of it, but I definitely would entice you to play this one, great fun, especially for a tut adventure!" - eTux (08-Mar-2005)

“One of the classic 'under-rated' levels this one. It took me a while to get going as the first few rooms are rather repetitive but I was amply rewarded as the level progressed. The traps throughout are smart and offer an original and imaginative use of all the old chestnuts: rolling balls spikes underwater mazes. The combustible floor room was a little tiresome and the walkthrough wall somewhat cheaty but the surprise factor elsewhere more than made up for this; in particular the moment when you felt the level was about to end only to get a hugely effective fright instead. The biggest let-down for me was the 'anti-climactic ending' scenario that I seem to have encountered in so many levels recently; the builder creates suspense and cleverly accelerates the pace throughout the 55 or so minutes only to bring it all to an abrupt and arbitrary end. While mentioning level durations I suppose I should take this opportunity to express my puzzlement at some of the durational times mentioned by other reviewers. For instance one of my fellow reviewers of this particular level states that it took her 35 minutes to complete which to me is astonishing. I don't doubt the manual dexterity of this player but I can only imagine someone getting through this level in such a short time on condition that they sprinted as often as possible and took no time to savour the locations; which means as a result that the builders hard work was partially unappreciated. As a level builder as well as reviewer I really don't believe that level playing should be any sort of race. There we are; gripe over.” – Orbit Dream (10-Feb-2004)

“Alright so the textures are a bit bland and the actual puzzling aspect isn’t top notch what you still get though is a solid level where exploring is your main goal in the first half and then the avoidance of some really nicely executed traps in the second half. And as for those traps well I just have to say that the boulder ones were just very smart you get some underwater where you have to wade through a minefield of them dropping then to be chased by one underwater after you get out of the water you are faced with an extremely long winding staircase but not just any staircase the terror at feeling more boulders coming for you down the stairs without seeing them was just brilliant and I stood frozen waiting for the first sight which felt like ages. Although this 45 minutes level will probably be overlooked as the score makes it seem middle of the road it is definitely worth a look and I for one recommend it for a bit of fun.” – Sash (14-Jul-2003)

“A nice gloomy atmosphere but the level doesn't have interesting puzzles. Ninjas and scorpions will welcome you at the start and from that point after all you will do is pick up many hands no need to search for them they are almost thrown at your feet and two cartouches. A lot of climbing near the end and many spike balls to avoid in water and outside. I found that a nice idea. After thirty five minutes the level ends with Lara picking up on of the two halves of the Eye of Horus. It could have been better given the nice atmosphere and Egyptian setting.” – Kristina (02-Apr-2003)

“So far this is the only level where you could have a choice between a Mac or a PC download. Makes me wonder if this is made by a Mac user. As a first level as the author mentioned in his readme file I have to say keep on building. The ideas are certainly pretty good although the trial and error traps are a big NO NO in my book. You start in a what looks like a run down area your main goal is finding the two Hands. Nice touch was the lost mummy raising from his resting place as Lara was disturbing his slumber. There is not much else to find then ammo and an uzi. This part is more an exploring area than anything else. After opening the double doors there is another ball game going on. Some statue pushing spiked boulders to dodge and spikes to avoid. Than you are in for some climbing and every opening has something to do so start with the lowest one. This level seems huge and the walk through wall I found by accident lucky me. Suddenly you think you are trapped between doors that’s when the fun begins. Those boulders very great idea. Only enemies I encountered are some scorpions and ninjas one had me jumping in my chair. You even find the crossbow and laser sight for practice shooting and getting the Eye triggers the end of the game. 20-09-2002” – Gerty (23-Sep-2002)

“Though this is an excellent try for a first level it started out a bit too slow for me as it took me forever to find the second hand in the first set of rooms and the puzzles in the first half of the level were fairly simple. The second half was quite exciting though with some clever spike traps boulder traps that included underwater boulders and my favorite part which was a long winding staircase that had more spike and boulder traps. I was a little annoyed at one point because one wall was walkthrough but looked like a regular wall - that part was a bit frustrating till I figured that out. Enemies play only a small part here and you'll find plenty of weapons to take care of them with no effort. I look forward to more levels by this author.” – RaiderGirl (20-Aug-2002)

“A normal Tut1-Level. The atmosphere was quite sterile because the textures were applied very wallpaper like and boringly. Certainly the lighting was completely all right not too bright not too dark the sound was well used and the camera trips also quite good and useful. The puzzles consisted mostly of push lever – open door. But for traps Cap.A has some good ideas. Nevertheless they were easy to avoid. In opponents there was only baddies and scorpions and Lara ran into danger only once really. All in all a very easy level really a pity that the textures were so boring because with a better atmosphere the level would have been much better.” – Xxenofex (17-Aug-2002)

“Ok here we have another first attempt at level building and it makes use of the standard Tutorial WAD and yet it is actually really good fun to play for the almost an hour it lasts. Yes there are only a few ninjas and scorpions as enemies and you can pick up the Uzi four times and it gets a little boring to find 6 hands and 2 cartouches in the solidly but also rather bland textured and lighted environment but next to some rather dull puzzles there are some really good moments too - like the deja vu when going through a door and wondering whether you did not just come from the room you entered the variable use of rolling balls (under water and down the long stairway) the 'running spikes' and the excellent clues in the room with deadly floor tiles. So when picking up the half eye piece to end the level I thought well let's hope this author continues building and we'll be in for great levels to come.” – Michael (16-Aug-2002)

“I like this level very much. The gameplay and the scenario are good. The exploration at the beginning is really enjoyable and at the end when Lara must return back up to the tomb after a great fall is really fun with a lot of funny traps. The atmosphere is enigmatic the texturing and lighting are good. There are some nice ideas here and there for example the colour of the statues of the twin pharaos is important to not burn when placing the 2 cartouches in the correct places at the end. I have spent a good 55 minutes with this level.” – eRIC (14-Aug-2002)

“Getting only a tut1.TOM with this download could make you believe that it should be nothing more than a short runthrough level. But it's not. The author has included some traps especially in the last third and there is a big surprise when in one place there is suddenly no floor below your feet and you're falling falling falling deeper and deeper and have to make your way back up again. The texturing is lower average and a bit boring in some places the use of light is good sound is nothing particular. Recommendable for beginners.” – Sheevah (11-Aug-2002)

“A tut level with a difference. The atmosphere and texturing is pretty much as we expect it to be but right at the start you have to explore rather than push and proceed. Once you found the two hands to open the gate to get out of the first set of rooms thing get a bit confusing with two areas that seem strangely alike. Only when I remembered the title of this entertaining adventure things made sense. You get a little maze with tiles to step on and that eventually leads you to a pretty impressive obelisk that is introduced by a fast and furious flyby. There are some more hands to find and place and it was here that I got stuck because I tend to forget that there might be walkthrough walls around. After you reach the top floor you are pretty sure that the end of this quest for the two cartouches is near but oops the best part is yet to come. You get some very original traps that involve spiked boulders and spiked tiles. Well not so much traps but unhealthy room and corridors that have to be passed somehow. Especially the long staircase with the rumbling boulders that you can feel from a long way off was fairly frightening. As the author states in the readme you won't find any pick ups placed at random (instead you get four pairs of Uzi’s that the warriors leave behind) but you don't need to worry as there aren't that many enemies and I think all the drops are totally healthy though some seem too deep. I enjoyed this throughoutly; especially the second half was really good fun and I can't recall another of those tut levels that have as many thrills as you get here. Have a look.” – Dimpfelmoser (11-Aug-2002)
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