Reviewer's comments |
"I had been postponing this one as I expected it'd rely on tricky precision jumps and timed runs, but I'm happy I was wrong. All in all it's a lovely Venice by night level with nice moments, such as the timed door for a zipline (which wasn't timed anymore the second time around, doubly nice) and smaller touches like shooting a fuse box to set it ablaze to trigger sprinklers. There are a few issues though such as some fixed cameras put in place to hide points of interest (trapdoors and shootable targets), and way too many pathways are hidden by curtains, sometimes requiring you to climb through them so just blindly running into them won't be enough. A banana jump is in place for a secret, which also is tied to a secret URL which, naturally, no longer works 20 years later. 60 minutes, 3 secrets. 05/22" - Treeble (29-May-2022) |
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"Well, this was a highly enjoyable moonlit
Venice adventure dating back to the early
days of the LE. Hardly any pickups but it
made for a nice change of pace. Nice torch
action near the end. Recommended." - Ryan (12-Jan-2016) |
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"I don't know why this level have been rated so high. The gameplay is full of rare and tricky tasks and sometimes you need to try it dozens of times, like grabbing the ladder in the fireplace or shooting the brass ball in the narrow gap at the end of the corridor in the opera house. Where's the fun with this? Another times it's easy to miss something, like the trapdoor without handle and you'll get stucked and confused often, running around and around with much backtracking. Architecture is very simple, and the rooms are very empty with no furniture or objects, and textures are always the same, very monotonous in big areas; the ammo for the uzis and the crossbow is not enough, the game is too dark with few flares to explore; not enough cameras when pulling switches; poor sounds... For me a level to forget. If you want to play it, better download the walkthrough first." - Jose (16-Apr-2012) |
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"An hour and a half adventure through an interesting Venice styled level. It is clear that the architecture is inspired by each of the TR2 Venice levels, including the famous roof and auditorium of the opera house. The textures are very wallpapered in some rooms and lighting gets a bit dark in places. However the gameplay has some unique timed runs and action sequences along with some sneaky shootable objects and pushblock puzzles. The author also likes to play around with the enemy AI and flyby cameras, making those characters more interesting than in most levels. The only big downfall I found was the amount of backtracking required (ex. getting to the zipline multiple times). I think there is a lot of creativity shown here and despite its looks, I would recommend it for most raiders." - SSJ6Wolf (16-Oct-2011) |
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"This is billed as a Venice level, and indeed it starts off in Venice, but it doesn't stay in Venice very long. That's not a complaint, just an observation, as there's much welcome variety in this adventure and much to do for the hour and a half or so that it will take you to complete it. I did encounter a gamestopping moment about halfway through the level, where you're required to perform what I found to be an impossibly long jump past an obstruction on a slope so you can grab and shimmy to the next task. Not a problem, however, when you can fix Lara with wings, so I did so and continued flying past the ensuing breaktile field. If the builder doesn't play fair with me, I won't hesitate to return the favor. Most of the other tasks and puzzles are quite within the reach of most players, with the help of CC's comprehensive walkthrough, although the opera house segment at the end was 'way too dark. With these few reservations, most of you will find this a fun level to play. Recommended." - Phil (25-Sep-2011) |
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"A level very remanisant of parts of Lara at the Movies. You start in a Venice scenario and end up in a theatre. On the way you have to overcome numerous dogs and thugs. You also get plenty of target practice (one nearish the end you have to position Lara just right to get proper aim) and have to be nifty to accomplish timed runs (twist here is also a zip line). The game play is therefore rather varied (Lara also gets wet a few times) and interest is kept despite some rather sensitive camera angles which change to quickly in small areas, giving a sense of disorientation. The textures fit the scenes but to me there are too many dark sections and flares not very abundant. A good sense of atmosphere is generally created. A level well worth the effort." - Whistle (10-Mar-2006) |
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"Generally I'm a great fan of the Venice levels, but the opera theme has been done numerous times before and this really doesn't offer many innovations, so the level didn't quite click with me as other levels of the same theme would have. Not that I'm saying it's a bad level, on the contrary - despite the well worn and predictable settings, I enjoyed the challenge offered here - be it the nice timed run with the zipline, the need to constantly keep your eyes open for brass balls and things like that - thus making the laser sight a key item for you to have in order to achieve anything in the level, or be it the need to think how you battle your foes - because medipacks are a rarity in this moody Venice setting. The atmosphere surprised me at being quite creepy and shadowy, contrary to what we usually can expect from Venice settings, but save for the constant darkness which was annoying at some stages of the level, that's not entirely a bad thing. Overall - lots of work for your crossbow and mind in this, maybe not so inspiring, but generally well done level set in the city of canals." - eTux (21-Feb-2005) |
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"Premium is a level that's almost a copy from the original TR2 level Opera House which I loved when I played TR2. Premium is a good level for that reason because it has the same atmosphere but being different from OH. It's highly recommended: it's full of hidden switches trapdoors and secrets. There are too many enemies (from TR2) and crates to move even a timed zip line but in some parts of the game there are bugs not too easy to pass (Lara can't grab a climbable wall she can't shoot a ball in a normal way.....). The other fault is the lighting: very dark and I hate dark levels. But after all is a very enjoyable level which I finished in almost 2 hrs of net gaming with 3 secrets: the last one reading the walkthru ;). A good work." - Loupar (02-Jul-2004) |
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"First and foremost: this is not your typical 'nearly impossible' Japanese level. It's all in good clean fun and perfectly doable from start to end. Second: just like A Night at the Opera this is a must for all those who love Venice levels especially since there aren't that many available. Third: this Venice even the Opera House is somewhat more 're-done' than the one you probably found and loved in the above mentioned A Night at the Opera. Well there are some challenging moments here (such as the apparently impossible timed run with the zipline or the big room with some breakable tiles) but you always know you'll make it eventually if you just find out the exact way. It's a very balanced level not overpopulated with enemies spikes boulders lava rooms and all kinds of traps. Just about enough. In fact some of these don't even exist in the game but they aren't necessary to make it enjoyable as it truly is. Some may say this is all about pushing/pulling levers and opening some trapdoors on the way... I don't know. I liked it. And I'm sure - that's an important point - the author was thinking of the players when he built it... For example near the end after finding a torch I should have a certain block down and then only up again after getting the torch on top of it. Well it was up. No problem. The player can perfectly well get back up and correct it all. Just one thing: I only found one secret out of three which would be needed to earn a prize (premium) if I were Japanese. They must have been very well hidden. But I don't take it badly it's worse when secrets sometimes are almost in plain sight and only the player is to blame here. Play this game for some fun in very nice settings... Especially if you're arriving from some custom level of the kind that made you sweat all the way until the only reason you never gave up was simply because you're stubborn enough. You won't regret it." - Jorge22 (27-Oct-2003) |
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"I am afraid I am with Kristina on this one I too am not overly fond of the opera house levels. However I thought I would give it a go as they are relatively rare and make a change of play. I have to say I did not find it an exciting level and really did not like it very much. I would have preferred to spend more time around the canals and buildings outside. I had forgotten how dark the opera house was and I definitely suffered from a lack of flares. I found myself using one and then going back to a previous save and doing it again in the dark. This makes it bitty and spoils the game's flow for me. I also felt a little more imagination could have been used in the puzzles instead of just the usual straight-run timed switches etc. The puzzles I do remember that are worth mentioning are some really sneaky ceiling trapdoors to find which the fixed cameras make harder the timed zip-line run which was an absolute nightmare for me and there were also some really hard to spot shootable metal balls. The fact that only a portion of the balls were visible was an added frustration. On the upside though I thought the book lever in the small library room was a gem and the burning hole in the stage backdrop was a nice touch. Wish I could have been more positive on this one." - Tortoise3 (21-Oct-2003) |
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"If the sight of a Japanese name normally makes you run away screaming rest assured this is not one of those pixel perfect jumps/impossibly tight timed runs/generally totally frustrating levels that just make you want to chuck it all in and take up ten pin bowling. It is in fact a nice trip to Venice which I always enjoy albeit that this is at night so it's slightly gloomy but not dark enough to be really annoying. It's fairly linear in terms of gameplay with no puzzles worth mentioning but I still found it very enjoyable. There is one fairly tight timed run involving a zip line and an excellent collapsing tile run but nothing too difficult. If you find yourself stuck at any point you probably need to look for a ball to shoot or a walk-through/jump-through curtain and there is one rather well hidden ceiling trapdoor. One word of warning - there is a key on the roof of the Opera House which may disappear if you raise the block first (you'll understand what I mean when you get there). Enemies are thugs dogs jumping spiders (I could have done without those) and vultures (?). There are three highly unusual secrets to find and the whole thing kept me occupied for about two hours. My only real complaint was that there were no shootable windows. I mean you can't go to Venice and not shoot a few windows now can you? 18.10.2003" - Jay (18-Oct-2003) |
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"The object is to discover three secrets and gain access to a URL to win a prize but one must live in Japan to be eligible......and there is only one prize. But clever nonetheless. There's some timed runs collapsible tiles and some very tricky ceiling trap doors.......but the tip-off to the trap doors is the stationary camera. This is not a level where you can waste medpacks.......conserve and you should have enough without any problems. The walkthrough was a definite help - I would have searched a long time for one of the metal balls that have to be hit with the crossbow arrows in order to advance. And speaking of the cross bow and balls - I had so much difficulty shooting one of them that I almost stopped playing. I managed to shoot the target way off center and I'm glad I was able to finish because set in Venice and the Opera House it's a lot of fun revisiting old haunts. Not as difficult as some Japanese levels perhaps but it does have its moments!" - Bene (18-Oct-2003) |
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"In those days one of my favourite levels was the Opera House. This level takes place on a level like the TR2 and there are difficult puzzles several times. Sometimes you must work out your jumps properly. There are not too many enemies but economise with your health packs as there are not too many of them. The enemies are guards armed men dogs and spiders. I found 3 secrets. Finding the last one was so difficult: it was on the gallery next to the stage. I had a watchful night because I couldn't get on the storey with the torch then I found out that it must be put on the moveable block. There's a place I don't understand. Before getting up in the main hall of the Opera House there's a gap to the left with an armed man inside. You have to shoot the grate but I couldn't get into that corridor. The clappers were very well hidden at some places. I managed to notice them because I always found some Crossbow Ammo before finding them. The level is a bit dark sometimes but the textures are great. Even the masked armed men are like the Phantoms of the Opera House. :) The added sounds are also great. Don't miss out this level." - Obig (16-Oct-2003) |
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"Excellent level even though pretty hard gameplay (or pretty easy for being Japanese ;-) ) The beginning in Venice with balconies awnings houses water of course and a (timed!) zip line. Moving on to end up in the opera house where you have to find the way to get out. Enemies are BIG baddies with wrenches shooting black guys dogs and spiders (I HATE spiders). Lots of tricky jumping some timed sequenses and when you get stuck - start looking for hidden balls to shoot! I had no bugs at all." - G.Croft (15-Oct-2003) |
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"Looks like Misao has built the kind of level I've been waiting for years to see - one that takes us back to the Venice and Opera House levels from Tomb Raider II which were some of my favorites. The areas are familiar enough to bring back the great feelings I had while playing those levels yet different enough to still be challenging. A few times I found myself wondering what to do next but with a little exploring I could figure it out and was on my way again. Truly a 'premium' level with its perfect textures use of cameras cut scenes exploration background music and overall atmosphere. I loved the idea of finding three secrets to gain access to a website. Apparently you can visit the site and enter a contest to win a TR1 CD-ROM (if you live in Japan) though I couldn't seem to gain access to the site myself. Personally I'd rather have the latest Aikawa Nanase disc anyway." - RaiderGirl (12-Oct-2003) |
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"This reminded me of Venice and the Opera house level and I loved it. It is dark and finding no flares I had to add them as I didn't want to end up having a headache. Kidoguchi is a sneaky person as there are very sneaky things in this level. Very well hidden objects to shoot you'll find the crossbow and sight and some camera angles that will give you a hint that there is something there and it is up to you to find out. I liked the way the level unfolded and that you got back to where you needed to go so no backtracking in this one. Only farfetched thing I found it the finding of the key in that big room. There is some very unusual jumping to do that had me reloading quite a couple of times and I must have had a lot of luck as I did that timed trapdoor the first time around. Also when in doubt shoot.... that will work sometimes. Be aware of some curtains you have to step through as there are some levers hidden. Found 2 secrets. 09-10-2003" - Gerty (11-Oct-2003) |
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"I am not fond of the opera levels and this although reminds of Venice at first is one of them. I didn't like this level and the game play isn't much either some keys to find a chip and a relay. The rest is jumps switches raising-lowering blocks and shooting not many enemies which are dogs and guys with masks that I believe were randomly placed and the condor was out of place. I encountered two bugs which made the game frustrating and got me stuck for sometime. The first one was that the switch for the timed platform is set in a way that if you move immediately after using it the platform doesn't raise but you need to stay still for at least a second but then how is it possible to make the run on time since it's a tight one because of it being very close. The second bug that I wasn't the only one suffering from it was the zip line it didn't appear the second time so I had to run around the room and particularly step twice on the lowered block nearby. The above and the fact that it's very difficult to guess you need to smash a part of the balcony at the stage areas made me dislike the level even more. One other thing that really makes me frustrated is the darkness and this level is very dark with no flares just one pick up which I find ridiculous. Apart from my personal taste though objectively speaking I don't consider that finding keys and a couple of other objects can make a good level. Take a look at it but don't expect much excitement." - Kristina (11-Oct-2003) |
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"And it is quite a premium level! Set in Venice with the usual swimming shimmying on awnings and entering the opera house this one takes a turn for the better when it came to gameplay just because even if the answer to your next move was simple you nevertheless have to give the solution a really good think. You get a bit of everything here too there are timed runs one with a raised trapdoor that allows a little more distance to make a jump possible and the other that opens a gate you have to slide through on a zipline a movable crate puzzle a torch puzzle a collapsible tile jump sequence that is probably harder to start than finish some really well placed objects to shoot raising blocks that will hamper progression if you are a bit hasty to use them and even one supposedly easy jump to a ladder that has only one certain move to make it possible to grab it. Usually Venice levels can be a breeding ground for a lot of enemies but here they thugs with massive wrenches dogs small spiders vultures and ponytailed masked men are well spaced out and only when you reach the opera house do you meet a few more but still nothing you can't easily take out with your pistols and some great sounding pistols at that. If I had to find a negative I would probably say that it can be a little dark at times but I really found it fit the feel of the level and never got frustrating what was frustrating is that I could only find 2 of the 3 secrets and if all three are found they seem to give you the address of a webpage which if I'm right is a great idea and something I would really love to see done again. Definitely a great 90 minutes of fun to be found here oh yeah triggers can be a bit temperamental in this level so make sure you don't move straight away after pushing a switch or whatever this is very evident with the trapdoor timed run." - Sash (10-Oct-2003) |
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"It's been a while since Misao-san's previous level was released and it was certainly worth the wait. It's Venice but Venice in a rather dark and moody atmosphere. The progression is actually quite linear but does not really feel like it. Highlights are a couple of very very sneaky moments: hidden jump switches hidden trapdoors (note changed camera angles to spot those) and very well hidden shootable objects. Enemies are a whole lot of thugs and gunmen with masks plus a few dogs spiders and vultures. You get to push a few crates around many switches and a timed trapdoor and a rather tricky timed sequence involving a zipline. Four keys a circuit board and a relay box help you to move on. The collapsible tile run was fun and took a few tries to master and I liked the flybys showing the approaching enemies. The opera house near the end is nice although rather copied from the original with a short but clever torch puzzle added and soon after Lara reaches yet again her helicopter for the get away. Definitely worth a play as the sneaky elements make it entertaining for the 90 minutes it lasts without being too frustrating. The idea with the three secrets giving access to a website is neat but of course fails as soon as the first player finds out and shares it in one of the community forums." - Michael (10-Oct-2003) |
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"Very difficult jumps well hidden levers and brass balls (the ones you have to shoot at to open doors) walkthrough curtains and a timed run with zipline involved that is very frustrating. But I love this level it just kept me playing. The TR2 look was great a trip back in time it was a lot like the Opera house level. The jumps were much harder though especially the one over the collapsible tiles had to do that many times before getting to the other side in one piece. You have to really look everywhere it's easy to miss something because it's so dark. Too dark if you ask me and not many flares to pick up so you need to use the binoculars often. The darkness is the only thing bad about this level but I had a good time anyway. I did not find any secret there must be three." - Josi (10-Oct-2003) |
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"I had no idea this was a Venice level 'til I started the level. Now I'm very happy. What makes this level stand out from other Venice levels is the great gameplay very difficult at times. The first hard task was finding the lasersight then raising the trapdoor outside so you can jump to the long red awning. And it keeps going on from there. There are a few bugs but I got around them one way or the other. Apart from the canals and buildings of Venice itself one place has a lovely little boat area we have the opera house roof top the collapsible tiles run over a deep fall a zipline run through curtains. The opera house itself is very well made and very clever gameplay in here including a small torch action. The enemies are the usual thugs dogs pony-tailed gunmen spiders and vultures! I loved every minute of it. It all could have been located anywhere but I'm eternally grateful to Kidoguchi that he located it in this beautiful Venice level. I'm lost for words it's brilliant. I can see this level reaching the top 50 very quickly." - CC (09-Oct-2003) |
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