| Reviewer's comments |
"Having been badly burnt when attempting a level with a custom wad in his debut, the builder retreats to safer ground in this sophomore effort. Built with one of the standard wads that came with the Editor, the result looks more like a playable level; however, having raised a few blocks and placed a couple of columns, the builder aborts his initial attempt at building a map along the lines of the original “City of the Dead” even in the very first room, and the rest of the level takes place in large roomboxes and a handful corridors. Lighting is, surprisingly, fairly good, though due to the simplistic geometry and texturing it fails to leave much of an impression. The builder also takes a few tentative steps towards gameplay, of which enemy placement and the row of blocks that rises at the end of a slope in an attempt to impede your progress show a certain promise; however, the builder undermines this by courting disaster first through using the wad’s buggy trapdoor not once but twice, and again by placing a crowbar door at the bottom of a shaft that you can’t get out of, thus provoking yet another stuck situation. The level only lasts a few minutes before it ends abruptly and arbitrarily, and it crashes to desktop on reload and when exiting to title." - Mulf (28-Jun-2021) |
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| "What a strange level. Basically, it’s a brisk canter through a City setting (cue the dark,
sinister atmosphere) shooting a load of guards and very little else. I’m not sure whether
it could even be classed as a demo as it’s extremely short and the gameplay is embryonic to
say the least." - Jay (14-Nov-2020) |
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| "Here's a funny story. So, this level has bogus script files which means it will crash to desktop if you try to reload. It'd be all fine considering it's a short level and very predictable, but at one point the author forces you down a long drop. I didn't make it: Lara died and the game crashed for the lack of proper camera settings. I then remembered about 10 or so years ago I'd fix these things, so I saw here a new opportunity. After about 40 minutes fiddling with files and what not, I came up empty handed -- and I am not sure whether it's the tools or myself that are completely obsolete. I was a bit upset with said revelation, but the funny thing is... I spent over an hour on this level, when it actually lasts only 10 minutes. As for the level itself, it's one of those early trials with the editor, and the first room kinda felt like an abridged version of the original City of the Dead (for all the good that would do)... For the completionists only. 10 minutes, 1 secret. 08/20" - Treeble (16-Aug-2020) |
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| "Another one of that levels you can't reload a savegame except if you exit the game first. Well, at least this is short. The level is very dark and there are not flares to pick up; you'll only have to pull some switches or levers, use the crowbar and shoot some SAS. There is a brief earthquake and several flybys to create atmosphere, but that's all. Unremarkable." - Jose (22-Jan-2018) |
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| "A very short level based on City of the Dead.
Simply shoot a few guards, pull a few levers,
watch a couple of flybys and the level ends by
crashing to the desktop, which is always
jarring. Nothing to rave about, looks-wise or
gameplay-wise." - Ryan (18-Aug-2016) |
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| "Ooh, did someone say island? Well, you certainly shouldn't have. This could've been the mountain summit of death for all I care, and it wouldn't have made a difference as there is no indication of it being either on a mountain top nor an island. And stating that your level takes place on an island is a cheap way of getting me to play it! But since I doubt the author knew of my weakness, I'm gonna let this one fly. Anyway - death is really unhealthy on this oddly city of the dead themed island (well, not that it's ever been healthy) as it throws you back on the desktop due to missing load screen. Fortunately the level is short and harmless enough so it shouldn't provide a whole lot of trouble to reach it without dying. One unhealthy drop and some encounters with the SAS are the closest you can get to that state, but if you're careful enough it should not be an issue. The streets and plazas are fairly big, so the stingy use of objects kind of made it all look quite bare, but the atmosphere is actually pretty convincing while it lasts and there are a couple of nicely done fly-by's aiding you to get the most out of it. If you enjoy the Cairo level atmosphere and don't want a lengthy level to play this is a near perfect match, but you'll probably want to avoid it otherwise." - eTux (31-Oct-2007) |
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| "I think that the title of the level is misleading. I don't see anything that can characterize it as an island, and the only indicator of death was a dead SAS soldier. Unfortunately, there are a few streched textures (especially in the pool). Furthermore, the level crashes to the desktop (no loadscreen) when Lara dies, the level ends or the player loads a savegame. However, since this level is pretty short, it isn't really a problem. Gameplay mainly consists of shooting SAS soldiers, shooting a blue sphere, opening doors and pulling switches. I managed to find a secret, the machine gun doesn't pose a threat, and the player needs to look out for a trapdoor (if Lara falls through it, she can't get out of it). Just when the player is about to pull another lever, the game ends abruptly when Lara goes past the gates. It seems that there is more to come." - Sakusha (13-Jun-2006) |
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| "Once in the game I had to stay in it until the end. But it wasn't a problem as this is a very short level. Being a city wad it's dark and gloomy throughout. An attempt has been made to jazz this up with a short flyby showing a line of washing an interesting room with a shootable blue ball and one time you slide down a slope looking at a bank rising before you if you don't jump onto the bank you land in fire below. That really was the highlight of the level. After that it was easy to find the secret room and the crowbar and lasersight is lying beside a redundant automatic gun. You must pick up the crowbar before going much further. You can get stuck near the start too if you decide to drop into a pit after a block you raise and get stuck under a trapdoor forever. The saving grace about this is that it's such a tiny download." - CC (13-Aug-2004) |
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| "I love to play city levels but this one is easy and short killing 6-7 soldiers pull two levers and after 10 minutes Lara says good bye." - Yoav (06-Mar-2004) |
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| "What was this all about? Is this a preview of something to come? I hope so as it had potential but it turned into a waste of time. Disliked the textures and lighting in the last swim." - Sherry (16-Feb-2003) |
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| "This level finds Lara exploring a small section of a dark and spooky city where there is one secret to find as well as the crowbar and the laser sight which are necessary items to progress. There are a couple of well-done flybys and I liked how the author used raising blocks. I'm not sure if I played the whole thing though because when I got near one switch the game crashed and reloading didn't seem to help. There are several soldiers along the way but they are easy to take care of." - RaiderGirl (08-Feb-2003) |
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| "This is unfinished. It has many stretched textures no loading screen so don't die and it lasted seven miutes. All Lara did was shoot some SAS guards flip some jump switches and a lever got a laser-sight open a door with the crowbar and after two flybys the level ended when she passed the iron double doors. Be aware of a trapdoor at the beginning Lara can fall through it while it's closed and she can't escape. There was a sentry gun but I have the feeling it was its day off and did as a favour by shooting at Lara for a few seconds here and there. By the way where exactly was the island and what death we were supposed to have as this was an incomplete city level." - Kristina (07-Feb-2003) |
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| "This is a very short level. It feels like 'City of the Dead'. You have to collect the Crowbar the Revolver and the Lasersight. Although you don't need it - you can shoot the swinging sphere with pistols. There are only a few SAS soldiers in the level and after a bit of swimming and running towards the lever you reach the end of the level. There's no added audio and I found only one secret. It's unfortunate that this level is so short but it maybe will be continued." - Obig (01-Feb-2003) |
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| "It's so short (7 minutes) you almost need to write a walkthrough as a review. Three levers two crowbar doors 7 SAS 1 secret (revolver) an earthquake a blue ball to shoot a slide a swim and three short flybys. But I have to admit while basic and linear the city setting looked quite solid so it is not all too bad for a quick run in between." - Michael (27-Jan-2003) |
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| "10 minutes of SAS dark gloomy areas and nothing to do. Not for me!" - Sash (26-Jan-2003) |
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| "Very short level which crashes every time you try to reload only lasted a matter of a few minutes. Standard use of textures with the only 'novelty' being the rising wall as you slide down a slope. Enemies a few SAS guys. Not really worth the download time and hassle to play it in the state and length the level is at present." - Whistle (26-Jan-2003) |
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| "Oh my is that all there is? Lara starts out in the typical city setting kills a couple of guards pulls some switches does some swimming 7 minutes. And dark very dark." - Momster (23-Jan-2003) |
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| "No butts in here and although it was rather short I do see potential. It is a CITY WAD so you know it is going to be gloomy. No flares pick ups and be careful with dying as there is no loading screen. There are some paperthin textures and invisible blocks. You start outside and by the means of levers you can go into the city. Finding the crowbar is a must and as a secret found the revolver. Only enemies you'll encounter are SAS men and they shoot at you from afar. There is one trap and you are locked there forever luckily for us there is still the reload (that doesn't work properly). After a swim the levels ends. 22-01-2003" - Gerty (22-Jan-2003) |
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| "Well I suppose this is an improvement over Lara's Home on Red Alert (although I can't absolutely say for certain as I've not played that one. You're not going to insist that I do are you Michael?) There's a bit of atmosphere here (as there always is in the City levels) and a touch of suspense with the rather creepy flybys; but that's about all you'll find here. 10 minutes of very easy gameplay (with the exception of a slightly tricky slide and jump) including a daft trap where Lara gets irretrievably stuck and no load screen. What fun eh?" - Orbit Dream (21-Jan-2003) |
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| "It was a very short level and I don't see why it should end at a lever; you just run toward it and Ta-da! It's done. I must say that there was only one secret and the baddies were rubbish as they only fired useless grenades. A tip: if you go into the pit (which opens when you pull the lever) before you get the crowbar you'll be stuck forever. You also need full life before you jump. I liked the bit where you had to slide down onto the wall while it was going up but I've no idea why that door opened just before the level ended." - Cory (21-Jan-2003) |
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