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The Swamp by Jamie White

Ceamonks890 2 3 2 2
ColeMoles 1 1 2 1
Dougsan 7 7 7 6
EssGee 5 5 5 3
Gerty 6 6 5 4
Gill 6 5 5 4
Jay 3 3 2 2
Jose 4 4 5 3
Kristina 4 5 3 3
Magnus 3 3 3 4
MichaelP 6 6 6 5
Obig 5 6 6 5
Orbit Dream 2 3 1 2
RaiderGirl 6 6 7 5
Ryan 2 3 2 2
Sash 3 4 4 4
Torry 4 4 4 4
Treeble 4 4 4 4
Whistle 5 5 6 5
Xela 4 5 5 4
 
release date: 09-Apr-2003
# of downloads: 56

average rating: 4.08
review count: 20
 
review this level

file size: 19.66 MB
file type: TR4
class: Jungle
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
StonecoldJaw2000@aol.com

Reviewer's comments
"Well, the titular swamp is actually just one small portion of this level. Granted, it's a huge and very dark room (which makes no sense as the surrounding areas, also outdoors, are bright) in which you just need to pick up a hidden item underwater before moving on. And that's all you do, really. Plenty of doors, some requiring a few jumpswitches which are always pretty obvious but one in specific required the crowbar despite not being a crowbar door. The wrong animation made me chuckle. 30 minutes, 4 secrets. 08/20" - Treeble (30-Aug-2020)
"Few time I spent in the small swamp; the level is builded alternating big outside areas and building inner areas with many small rooms. Perhaps there are excessive medipacks to pick up and the enemies are not well balanced, sometimes many rooms without a single enemy and another rooms with a bunch of them shooting at the same time. The game is based about search and find many jumpswitches to open doors; I think some rooms are too dark, but I found many flare packs and also guns and ammo. Moreover I think there are many small doors to open and an abuse of the fixed cameras in the final areas. I found some artifacts I never used. Not very entertaining but enjoyable anyway." - Jose (23-Jan-2018)
"This is not a good level at all. Little effort has been put into convincing environments, as evidenced by the extremely stretched and squashed textures. I traversed something that could scarcely be described as a swamp, although it was just an overly dark pool. There are far too many fixed cameras that impeded progression, which were totally unnecessary. Gameplay is rudimentary as you pick up ridiculous amounts of weaponry, shoot ninjas and pull switches. I am surprised at the high scores others gave. Not recommended." - Ryan (06-Oct-2016)
"You know for a level called, 'The Swamp', there sure isn't a whole lot of quicksand or nature surrounding the environment you find yourself inexplicably exploring. But that's besides the point. What is the case though, is that this is merely another level from Jamie that STILL isn't very good, and one would hope that he'd have the common sense by now to just read the manual. But nope, just stubborn status quo as always. So expect a lot of the same problems that I've brought up in my previous reviews for the builder, and you'll have a very good idea of what to expect here(albeit with Black Isle textures from TR5 in this one.) Not recommended." - Ceamonks890 (01-Jun-2015)
"This level confused me on all accounts. I still am trying to piece together the author's intentions with this one. The Swamp is a 35-40 minute linear lever-pulling escapade with ninjas and some light platforming thrown in. Oh, and camera angles...way too many camera angles. If you like opening doors and pulling levers in cramped rooms with lots of fixed camera angles, look no further! The really confusing thing about this level is that I don't know what feeling it's going for. Swamp, canyon, library, caves? I just don't get it. Furthermore texturing is pretty horrendous throughout, with little care for what is placed where. The one standout part of the level was the reveal of the swamp itself, which actually made me jump from the music cue and the sudden shift in tone. That was well done, but the rest, not so much. Then again, it's an easy 40 minutes to waste if you're totally bored." - Xela (29-Jun-2014)
"There's not much of a swamp in this level - merely one dark watery area.Most of the rest is a dull and lifeless succession of huge wallpaper'd areas;odd and ineffective object placement;excessive and needless pick-ups;and enemies attacking en-masse in a couple of rooms,and not at all in any of the others.It's clear that the builder regarded the Manual as an unnecessary waste of his precious time;but it does at least appear that he perused the 'cameras' section at some point,as this level is absolutely filled with irrelevant and irritating fixed camera angles,which do nothing whatsoever to aid the players enjoyment.This is one of those bland and technically primitive levels which might have been more tolerable within a ten minute duration;but at three-quarters of an hour of relentlessly linear gameplay in a stretched textured environment,it has little to commend it." - Orbit Dream (23-Feb-2014)
"The author is obviously still developing his skills with the room editor. It's not easy, and I admire the fact that he is plugging away - his fourth level I think. He has experimented with a lot of camera work and has put together a custom wad for the level - it is essentially unrecognisable as a Coastal wad that you load up. I liked the idea of a climbable area with a hanging switch on it. The long climb up the grassy hills also shows potential. The crowbar was well placed - I missed it on the first pass. The actual swamp had some atmosphere, and although I wouldn't want to be wandering around in this darkness for a whole level, I think the level would have benefitted if there had been more areas in this style. In future to improve his levels, the author should concentrate on getting away from the massive mono-textured and often very stretched surfaces, and pay more attention to the number of items that are given out. I felt like Santa Claus with the number of medipacks and armory that I walked out of the level with. The level is unfortunately pitted with faults such as missed textures, wafer-thin walls, a door that opens with the crowbar and then Lara goes through the opening motion after its opened, a hanging lever that Lara has to stick her head up in to the brick roof to pull and doors! Did I mention doors. Well it would have been more fun if it had been like Keystone cops, with Lara disappearing in one door with a Baddy popping out another in pursuit. So take some more time to make your rooms a really interesting place to be, experiment with lighting and ask questions on the forum if you can't get something to work properly - there are lots of people willing to share their knowledge and help make better levels.Note: Discovered this unsubmitted review on an old CD written May 2003 so here it is now." - EssGee (10-May-2008)
"What a boring level to play, the secrets were obvious and in sight, you cannot use the motercycle, the textures are streched behond belief, does this author even know of a thing called 'stacking rooms?' don't bother downloading, its not worth it exept for a free review." - ColeMoles (08-Jun-2006)
"I haven't played any of Jamie's other levels so I can't compare this one to any of his previous levels. But like what others have said in their reviews the textures were stretched there were thin walls in places and lighting was bad fortunately you do get plenty of flares as you do need them in some of the dark areas. There were too many doors to open and switches to pull for my liking and after a while I got tired of opening up all these doors that really ended up no-where apart from pulling more switches and picking up a few items. Your main enemy is 'The Ninja' and quite a few of them appeared in places that you have to dispose of but there again you have plenty of ammo and the shotgun to take care of them. Have no idea what the bike was there for as I was very eager to have another bike ride in a Lara adventure just to zoom around on it would have been nice but could not find any keys to get it work. It would also have been nice to have seen some palm trees or other objects in those large empty rooms or crocs near the swamp area this too would have added some excitement into the gameplay. But if you fancy a short and easy level then I would recommend you d/load this one." - Gill (22-Nov-2004)
"Eighteen minutes of what I've come to expect from the author. Stretched textures too many pickups bad lighting... There is however one thing that makes this level different - the vast amount of levers and doors. You pull a lever open a door pull a lever open a door... I think we've all come to hate gameplay like that. There's also a large amount of fixed cameras. Some of them get in the way especially one camera that makes it almost impossible to spot a lever on the wall. Overall I didn't like this level. It starts out okay but when you notice that it's the same through the whole level you get bored. Very bored." - Magnus (29-Jan-2004)
"Thirty minutes of boring gameplay opening door after door locating jump switch after jump switch with the odd ninja to battle. The much heralded title of the 'Swamp' is more like a pool of incandescent sludge encountered somewhere mid level. You locate two Pharaoh's doohickeys but never use them in any way. Ammo and medpacks may be found in abundance but again for no reason other than have you pick them up. A sorry effort I'm afraid." - Torry (04-Oct-2003)
"I'm sorry but SURELY after the twentieth door and jump switch the creator would have thought about including something else to do. Well he SURELY didn't! In this 35 minute run through level that is the extent of gameplay besides a few large ninja battles that are no sweat with the arms found laying around. Like Krissy I'd like to say something encouraging about it but I thought after this being his seventh work there was sure to be a vast improvement if not just with the added value of real puzzles but I didn't see it. Even the four secrets are almost tripped over and what's with all the fixed cameras?!?" - Sash (18-May-2003)
"In this level you will collect a Pharos Pillar a Pharos Knot and a Horseman's Gem but you won't use them. Maybe in the next level. I don't think it's good because if you don't save your game you can't start the next level in the right way. I found 4 secrets in the level. The textures are good but the enemies are not various: only ninjas but there are a lot of them all at once in two places. However you have quite a lot of weapons to come over them even you can blind them using the Grenade Gun's Flash ammo. The added sounds are also great but the camera doesn't follow Lara at several places. I had to use my binoculars many times." - Obig (18-May-2003)
"What a miss named level 'Rooms with a thousand doors' might be more appropriate. As you may guess wherever you go there are half a dozen or so room doors to open and many jump switches the only other switch I can remember was a floor switch. (picking up things did open some doors). Gameplay not very exacting and the grey cells not really challenged. Enemies tended to be in gangs and are ninja and easily dealt with with all the firepower provided. Rooms large with stretched graphics and camera placing at time got blocked by walls etc so that you could not see what you are trying to get Lara to do. Lighting wasn't so bad and set some atmosphere. I have seen somewhere that this level is a trial for a larger one-hope much work is done for the final version." - Whistle (27-Apr-2003)
"This half hour level is perfect to play when you're in the mood for something so easy it's impossible to get stuck in. Despite the name most of the level actually takes place in a building full of doors to open with you usually finding a switch behind that door that will open one of the other doors. There is a short run through a swamp and through an outdoor area but then it's back inside till you finally get to a huge library and soon after the ending comes. At least I found a few treasures along the way - a pillar a knot and a gem. Secrets found: 3" - RaiderGirl (16-Apr-2003)
"We all have our values. The Swamp is not well drawn but it is a story with a beginning middle and end; of sorts. It does play as a first effort at what will be a much expanded game. The bike is ready to take Lara on a side adventure. The Frenchman (shame on me for not knowing his name) is there to send Lara off to yet a different side adventure. The swamp area was creepy and though I hate dark games as dark as it had to be to be effective. The large brightly lit open areas were just as creepy for me because I expected to be assaulted by ninjas rappelling down from the cliffs. And I liked Lara fighting the gangs of ninja warriors. I do wish they were better fighters. The camera angles worked to add a little challenge and a little promise for the hoped for expanded game. All in all a fun 60 minutes of raiding for me. Not challenging but more than enough fun for the time invested." - Dougsan (15-Apr-2003)
"A 40 minutes linear adventure and the swamp is only one room somewhere in the middle and actually does not look too bad I thought. Progression is pretty much obvious with about a dozen or more jump switches to open yet another door and you can pick up a knot a pillar and a gem along the way and take home with you. You also get all the weapons (Uzi shotgun and one of the two grenade guns as secrets plus another secret with grenade gun ammo) and there are plenty of medipacks so the bunch of ninjas on steroids is really no match. Clearly Jamie has discovered the fixed camera feature of the editor as he throws in quite a few and while some work ok others are rather annoying. Jean-Yves was a nice touch and the high room with the platforms was fun to navigate. Too bad the bike was 'broken'." - Michael (13-Apr-2003)
"There are some nice ideas in this little adventure and I always love huge rooms but these were very bare indeed. Jamie experimented with fixed camera angles and also there you can see that Jamie has good ideas but also some of them are just a nuisance. Everything that adds something in a level is good nuisance that is not good. For the rest it is a galore of levers doors ammo weapons and medpacks. Enemies are ninjas and they come in droves. Best thing was the swamp that was creepy and do get the pillar or else that door won't open. There is even a bike but Lara couldn't (or wouldn't) drive the thing. She left the building with a blue gem a crowbar knot and pillar and 3 secrets. 10-04-2003" - Gerty (13-Apr-2003)
"Oh dear what can I say? I honestly can't recommend this one. It should more appropriately have been entitled Doors Galore. It's apparently based on a coastal wad which is a favourite of mine but I have to say that isn't very obvious. The textures are very bland and boring and not always well applied the camera angles are just plain irritating and in many places it is FAR TOO DARK. At least plenty of flares are supplied; in fact you will find a ridiculous amount of pickups in between opening yet more doors and throwing yet more switches. Nor does having about a dozen enemies attacking at once in any way compensate for lack of interesting gameplay especially with all the guns and ammo so lavishly provided. There are four secrets and you'd have to try really hard to miss them! Frankly the only real challenge here is staying with the level to the end. I hate to give such a mean review - after all I couldn't build a level if my life depended on it - but with such sophisticated and professional looking levels coming out these days even from first time builders I'm afraid this one seems very amateurish indeed. Sorry." - Jay (13-Apr-2003)
"I would really like to say something good about this level but I can't. After so many levels the author should have paid more attention to the setting and the textures which are all stretched all over the place. The rooms are empty and huge with nothing else to do apart from flipping jump switches to open doors. I picked up a gem a knot and a pharos pillar I didn't use. Seeing the level's title I thought this might be a semi dark forest like level with a swamp around but instead it's a mixture of outside areas and inside with the swamp at the middle of the level and two trees inside. Be sure to collect an item from within the swamp otherwise the door will not open that's its trigger and there is a tile textured differently as a hint. Some climbing swimming ninjas to kill and I found two secrets out of four. Close to half an hour and the level ends like many do with Lara sliding to the unknown." - Kristina (10-Apr-2003)