Levels listed...
TR5 - 31
TR4 - 3141
TR3 - 177
TR2 - 133
TR1 - 61
72368 reviews (20.4/level)
3532 (99.7%) walkthroughs
445 Hall of Fame levels
1221 levels rated >= 8
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release date: |
01-Apr-2004 |
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# of downloads: |
182 |
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average rating: |
9.53 |
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review count: |
33 |
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review this level |
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file size: |
84.90 MB |
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file type: |
TR4 |
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class: |
Rome/Greece |
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| Reviewer's comments |
"Much like Dead Sea Scrolls, the sheer size of this release often scared me. Thank the powers that be, our community hots some amazing people who devote their time to write walkthroughs, and this is one of the cases where a walkthrough is pretty much a must if you wish to reach the end. Even with the walkthrough, these levels still took me the best part of two whole days! The first three levels aren't so bad, actually, despite the town being quite mazey, it's all good fun even. But the last level really took its tool on me, a huge series of huge underwater caves connected by very narrow passages which ultimately build this very organic (probably what the author went for, in the first place) labyrinth as you go back and fourth in search of a number of items, but sadly quickly becomes a chore to play. It was just too much. I enjoyed the platforming sections in the few dry segments of that level, however. These observations aside, atmosphere is absolutely brilliant, the eclipse in the first level just being an added wow! factor. There are several nice little touches everywhere, such as water dripping in the underwater caves, baddies lighting up torches and putting the fire out to hinder your progress (lots of torch bits in these levels, by the way), when you finally get out of the temple with reward in hand you come to a completely diferent landscape — and the eclipse already ran its course, the clever use of wine barrels to flood a pit (I recall someone had done something similar in one of the BtB-Venice levels, but those came much later on)... All in all this is definitely a masterpiece, perhaps I'm just growing too impatient. 4 hours, 7 secrets. 05/21" - Treeble (16-May-2021) |
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| "One of my favorites, and one that I will occasionally replay because it's so good. Trix has brought to life the Mediterranean paradise of Crete and Santorini/Thera for advanced raiders and it's amazing. I'm biased because I love this part of the world, and the Minoans fascinate me to no end. The environments are just great. The ruins of Knossos with their red columns and numerous frescoes come to life during the eclipse, restored to their former glory. The eclipse lighting is very flat though, and a bit depressing, but it is what it is. Kudos to Trix for making the attempt at depicting an eclipse environment. Following the red thread of Ariadne through the labyrinth was a very nice nod to the myth, and the tasks to light the torch and escape the labyrinth were enjoyable. The double-bovine-whammy near the end was a hoot. Dealing with either of those enemies alone will keep you on your toes. Together?! The seaside locale on nearby Santorini was a blast to explore and probably my favorite level. It was a nice change after being in the underground confines of the previous level. I love the village/town levels and this one is primo. Non-linear and atmospheric, much like the towns in her later offerings. I think that she really shines when she crafts locations like these. Thera's Depths is beautiful, vast and very hard. In fact, it's so difficult that the entire set should come with a disclaimer, because I know I would want to pull my hair out if I made it 75% of the way through the game but got stonewalled during the last level due to how much more difficult it is. Why oh why does Lara have no scuba gear?! I'm not ashamed to admit that I drowned several times because I kept getting lost and turned around. It's easy to lose sight of the overall goal when you're just worried about finding the next air hole so you don't drown. The platforming difficulty really amped up here, and the demand for careful navigation is off the charts with some of the gymnastic maneuvers that are required during timed runs. In summary, Aegean Legends is a very rewarding experience for players who are willing to tackle it. Plus it adds to the overall story and experience when you play Time Odyssey. The secrets are like the secrets in TR III Gold, with each being its own little mini-quest with different areas to explore to find the goodies. They add to the experience and are worth hunting out for that alone. Pickups are pretty scarce throughout the 4 levels so you will want to seek them out for the extra supplies as well. Highly recommended levelset that wears its age extremely well." - Chel (01-Dec-2019) |
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| "I like all other Trix 's games and gladly replay them but
this one i won't replay again ever , despite some very
entertaining moments like the long series of stunts and
jumps around a watery cave in the last level.
I also liked the few timed tasks and appreciated some
situations or use of objects not often seen , or never
seen. But there is too much maze_like exploration , and a
bit of trickiness at times. The 2nd level 'A red thread'
was very annoying, like the place where you have to use
the #1 key for the torch , it would have been fine if it
works all the time, but it does not for Lara can finds
herself too easily stuck in the adjacent square due to
annoying objects collision.
Generally i also found the atmosphere a bit lacking in
general esepcially in the first two levels, and texturing
is chaotic in some places.
Trix has made beautiful fitting objects , some good
choice of textures and has shown creativity to offer
diverse and challenging gameplay, but globally i did not
find the gaming experience very positive." - eRIC (02-Aug-2019) |
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| "A four level set that will definitely make
experienced players drool. Each of them are
filled with challenge, exploration and
picturesque surroundings.
Eclipse over Knossos: Lara visits a
palace in its original state during a lunar
eclipse. Some torch work, a timed run and a few
guards and scorpions to shoot and some swimming
to do and you are in the next level.
A Red Thread: Nice concept in this
level: follow the red thread to the goal. Traps
to negotiate that require some thinking, more
use of the torch, a maze (not too tedious) and
some fun exploration.
Santorini Intermezzo: My favourite level
of the game. I absolutely loved exploring this
beautiful seaside town looking for necessary
items. The music really helped immerse me in
the experience here. I liked the textures used
here.
Thera's Depths: The most challenging
(and sometimes frustrating) one of the lot. You
will likely drown a few times if you forget
where you have been and where you need to go. I
enjoyed some of the tasks here, including a
push/raise puzzle, lengthy swimming exercises
and devious gymnastics. Overall, not one for
beginners as the difficulty level is quite
high, but, as said before, experienced raiders
will love this." - Ryan (08-Oct-2016) |
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"This is a classic Greek set, and an inspiration for most Greek
maps that have followed. Each level is quite different in theme
and style, although there are various unifying features. While it
mostly looks great and was ahead of it's time there are a few
areas where it's age shows, especially in the first couple of levels
which occasionally have some empty-feeling open areas and
flattish lighting, outside of that it's full of cool objects and details
though, and the last two levels feel more visually polished overall
(and the third level's town is obviously the model for the level
design in Trix's later masterpiece A Time Odyssey).
The gameplay isn't too difficult, but it's quite labyrinthine at
times, and there's a lot of exploration required, it's also
somewhat cagey with equipment, and, while I was never low, a
lot of it is found in secrets. On that note the secrets are
especially interesting here; they follow the Lost Artifact route of
essentially being a mini-adventure in themselves (I especially like
the way the secrets in the second level call back to the first, but
the last also has a nice surprise); I'd recommend looking them
up if you can't find them. There's even a mandatory puzzle that
has to be solved with trial and error if you don't find the last
secret, which seems a bit of an odd choice. On the negative side
the flow feels a bit lacking at times, with various ladder climbs
and backtracking (although there's normally shortcuts), I also
found the sewers in map 3 a bit odd as map 2 was designed
around a maze environment, so having another in the next level
felt like a strange decision, even if it is simpler and contained
(though it actually felt like more of a maze). A must play set
that's inspired many levels that have followed." - Mman (06-Jul-2015) |
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"I downloaded this one together with A Time Odyssey since it's kind of a prequel, and also to play an older classic. Part of my expectations were met, part of not really as there were several let-downs in this level, but overall I think it has a fantastic quality, right after downloading one can see the builder really cared for the level with a sheet about the Minoan culture which brings us players in the right mood.
Eclipse over Knossos (8-9-9-9): I loved the start with the brilliant cutscene that shows the temple surroundings and the first interior rooms, the first secret also was very, very nicely hidden (in general, I love the idea of being able to explore extra areas when one finds a secret, despite the ammo amount you get is not really rewarding), but after entering the temple I didn't have that much fun anymore. The rooms look very much alike here; although texturing is mostly competently done, the lighting is rather dull and thus the rooms aren't designed to their maximum. The gameplay, although with some nice ideas like the torch usage, the boulder room at the end and the clever double timed run, is not very exciting as you often run headlessly around the large areas without knowing what to do next, and the tasks are often a bit pedestrian and not so original. Like in all other levels, there are way too many vases you can shoot that contain nothing but (not so) fresh air which was mildly annoying. Additionally I found one single missing texture in the pool room at the end, so that adds to Scottie's long list of texturing mistakes ;). 50 minutes.
A Red Thread (7-8-9-9): OK the gameplay is more original in this level, but it's not really enjoyable. Like the first level, this level starts most interesting with a fun timed run to light a torch (great idea) and I like the idea of the red thread (mostly) nursing you in the right direction, but the level is just too maze-ish and confusing to really be fun. Especially towards the end when I missed the first of the eyes, I had to backtrack way too long in my opinion, replace the bridges puzzle, which, due to missing camera hints, was another very boring task for me. I liked how you always have to carry the torch with you, but it's kind of a let-down that the only reason to carry the second torch further is a little medipack. The visuals are a nice change from the last level but also rather same-ish, with the only changes being placed in the two secret areas; I really liked how you can bypass some trap corridors when you found certain levers in there. The block puzzle in this level was conceptually nice with nice usage of floor texturing for the hint, but I could imagine that if you don't get it right the first time, you have to reload an earlier savegame as the blocks aren't differently marked and you cannot retrace their steps, of course only if done incorrectly. Enemies also were rather few, I think they could've added a little more action to a rather sterile level. The final cutscene with Lara returning to the top of the temple area from the start was great. 50 minutes.
Santorini Intermezzo (7-10-10-9): What a change! The sunny village setting was just the right after the rather depressing settings of the first two levels, and the object design in this level is really great. Right from the first secret, I knew I would like this level and I was right. Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't quite live up to the atmosphere, as the setting is overly large and gameplay is too confusing because of that (especially the sewer section was "horrible" in that regard), but I somehow didn't mind this so much, and running around exploring the church, the library, the different shops and houses was a pleasure for itself. Secrets were again great, this time providing hints for later puzzles, and the amount of enemies is reasonably higher than in the previous level, of which all really look great and add to the charm of this level. Texturing and lighting were great too with their climax in the underground of the church, but outside I think a little more contrast would have been great, but that's just a small thing I have to add. 50 minutes - magic?
Thera's Depths (9-9-10-10): Despite the fact I don't like to have so long swimming sessions and the occasional combination of sinks and heavy-collision objects drove me crazy, this was definately my favourite level of this set and this with a large distance. The gameplay in this level is just so much more interesting; it's more puzzle and platforming based and does not rely so much on exploring huge or maze-like areas. The pushable puzzle for the secret is fantastic both in idea and execution this time and I loved the clever ideas for the jumps in the pool areas for one of the urns, certainly something out-of-the-ordinary although only devious room geometry was used for it. In general, the quests for the four urns are really inspired, with very clever placement and trigger setups for spikewalls requiring you to think and not only swim fast and the most interesting timed run I've encountered ever or at least in a long time (for I might not be able to remember some), requiring you to "prepare" things before you are able to reach that door in time. The only things I didn't like so much were a) too long swim sessions and not many provided airholes and b) the fact that the maze puzzle will be a trial-and-error one when you didn't find the secret. Apart from that, the atmosphere in this level is yet again fantastic and I think the texturing was done extremely well. By the way, one even can see a "reflection effect" on the ceilings over water holes, which I found very impressive. Perhaps I could lower a point for some floating rope blocks and some objects being half-embed-half-floating, but those things don't really diminish my rather great feelings for this level which really ended on a very high note - great finale. 65 minutes (hah!).
Summary: While the first two levels were solid but not really great, the last two levels really showed the work of a professional level designer. Gameplay often suffers from either claustrophobic or overly large settings and certain misdirections which could be avoided a bit. Maybe the levels could be a little less long because at the end of the first three I really felt like they could be over more soon, and in some way the overly large efforts for realism not only outdo the gameplay and puzzles category too much, but in a way also the visual quality which felt often too grey and uniform in at least the first two levels, but also in parts of the third one too much. Nonetheless, I think the 10 for A,S&C is deserved because of the unbelievable amount of time the builder must have spent to create a realistic setting, or the return-to-the-start moment in the second level, or the fantastic setting in the third, or the smart finale, and so on. Highly recommended." - manarch2 (11-Feb-2013) |
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"Eclipse over Knossos: I love the idea of this level: Lara finds the ruins of an ancient Minoan palace that can be seen in their original glory only during a solar eclipse. The eclipsed sky looks cool too - but the flat greyish lighting throughout the level, which is presumably meant to depict eclipsed sunlight, is not at all appealing. The original textures and objects are simply gorgeous, but they are not well served by the boring lighting. Gameplay is mostly exploration-oriented, and rather confusing, especially at the very beginning of the level, when you can go off on a long and complicated secret quest.
A Red Thread: Once again, there's a cool idea in this level, this time in the form of the 'red thread' from the myth of the Cretan labyrinth, which manifests itself as a red line on the ceiling of the labyrinth. In theory, it's meant to show you the correct path through the level; in practice, since the 'thread' branches off several times and then disappears entirely, it remains nothing more than a cute gimmick. The labyrinth parts of this level are mostly exploration based, though later on, the sewers area has more puzzles, including a very nice one based on moving bridges. The highlight of the level is the final confrontation with the minotaur and a bull, and then the cutscene of Lara's return above ground, with the palace back in ruins as the eclipse ends.
Santorini Intermezzo: This is what I by now consider a 'quintessential Trix level', similar in style to many of the levels in her later game, A Time Odyssey. That is, a beautiful, highly realistic and atmospheric town, which is a joy to explore but which has irritatingly non-linear gameplay. There are some nice puzzles, such as filling a small pool with wine (it's a wonder Lara felt like leaving that pool!) and beautiful locations such as the church and the library (aww, the poor librarian!), and lots of pretty outdoor cafes and bougainvillea-covered houses.
Thera's Depths: The majority of this level takes place underwater, which is really interesting in theory, but in practice it means that all the exploration turns into a series of timed swims and desperate searches for airholes. There are some good puzzles, such as the pushable puzzle in the secret area or the pushable/draining task near the end. The moving spike walls from TR3 are an enjoyable addition. Most of the locations are beautiful as always, but the lovely customized textures go poorly with the ugly rock textures, and the latter make it very difficult to spot openings. Still - if it weren't for the near constant threat of drowning, this one would have been my favourite level in this game.
Overall: There's no doubt that this is a brilliantly made game in terms of objects, textures and atmosphere. There are several great touches, such as the special secret areas in each level that look considerably different from the rest of the level (the contrast is most obvious in A Red Thread) and have a lot of gameplay on their own.
But the overall gameplay lags behind the rest of the categories quite a bit. Though there are several amazing puzzles and fun traps and timed runs in all the levels, there's also a lot of tedious wandering around not knowing where to go or what to do, and the non-linearity of the levels means that you're forever turning up in places you shouldn't be in yet. However, if you keep the walkthrough close at hand, this problem should be minimized, and you should be able to appreciate this game in its full brilliance. Recommended." - Mytly (05-Feb-2013) |
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| "No much more to say about this masterpiece. I only found a bug in the level with the long timed run where you have to climb a pole; if you don't get in time to the trapdoor, the cage won't low even if you pull the switch before falling. Also, in the very end, I wanted to explore the seabed and I was not able to go back to the pillar with the finish trigger (reload). You can find here one of the best architectures I've ever seen in all levels I've played, magnificent environments and original and entertaining puzzles. I found the places too huge to explore and often I found dead ends forcing me to explore again the same places and return. Except for this, the adventure was very well balanced and entertaining; worth to play. A classic of the custom levels you can't miss." - Jose (08-Aug-2012) |
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"It is kinda weird. I have played this level about 5 years
ago already once. Or maybe not? This is a good question. I
could still remember Eclipse over Knossos and Santorin
intermezzo. But A red Thread and Theras sunken Realm were
absolutely unknown to me. There arises the question how this
should go.Since if I know level 3, nevertheless, I would
have to remember level 2. It is really kinda weird. But it
is good that I have played Aegean Legends once again,
because this masterpiece is full of surprises and is an
absolute must-have for every player.
However, so much the worse is that Trix has made a big
blunder. In the level Santorin intermezzo has Trix used a
wrong texture in the library. This blunder is so disastrous
that I nearly would have uninstalled and deleted this
level. Only a small rest of curiosity has held me from it.
How could Trix do this to the inclined players?? (You can
kept both If you finds irony and/or sarkasm in this
segment)." - Scottie (16-Jun-2011) |
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| "The more ways of thinking applied ingame, the more differences and variety encountered in customs. Sometimes it takes hours to find a truly classic raid among hundreds of atypical ones. If you are looking for a classic raid, you should stop searching now and play Aegean Legends, with its classics pushed to the whole new level. Four levels, I mean. Mythological thread - Ariadne's thread. The lost place - Knossos palace, appearing in magical conditions (eclipse), captured by Trix in great way. Wonderful city intermezzo. Ancient monsters. Historical base of everything. Man, this is a raid. Secrets? They tell parallel story. Very fine story. SUMMARY: Play it if you liked Palace Midas, St. Francis Folly and similar classic bits of TR. Recommended for everyone." - DJ Full (12-Aug-2010) |
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| "Greece - nice, and beautiful summer holiday? Forget it. There is much lot to do. Avoiding traps, solve puzzles and killing enemies. But game was very amazing. Beautiful views, like Knossos, little city in Santorini with crystal clean ocean, and wonderful water caves. The traps weren\'t very difficult." - Andzia9 (31-Aug-2009) |
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| "First Class entertainment , well chosen use of enemies and objects , an atmosphere ,wonderful music and cameras make you feel like in a real movie.
All this takes place in beautifully and very carefully designed environments.
Just wrap it up with a golden ribbon and send it straight into the Hall of Fame ! (Oooops ... it`s already there!) Many thanks to Trix. So sad she is leaving..." - Ruben (12-Nov-2008) |
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| "I was really excited to play this level set, because I always loved the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, and Minoan civilization. It is quite obvious that Trix put a nice amount of research and effort into this game. The two levels that I thoroughly enjoyed where"Knossos" and"Thera's Depths." These levels have an authentic Cretan and Minoan feel to them, and the author has even made the effort to use proper Minoan textures as opposed to simply heaping that civilization together with the Greeks as most would perhaps do. As I just said, those two levels were very enjoyable for me and the gameplay was quite decent, however overall (especially in the other two levels) gameplay is this level-set's weakest point. I am aware that the levels are inspired by the myth of the Minotaur and the labyrinth, and of course one would therefore expect to encounter labyrinthine tombs, however is it truly necessary to make every single level so god-awful confusing? The level"A Red Thread" was terribly dismal and confusing, and the part with the bridge and rotating it was not fair at all I thought... primarily because the author made each level and each room in this area looks exactly the same... so sometimes you had no clue where on earth you were, and in a situation like that even the walkthrough couldn't help. If you are going to make a maze-type area then please at least make sections of it clearly definable so the player knows what is going on! Also, the city in Santorini Intermezzo just seemed like endless wandering that lead absolutely nowhere until after about three hours. In all honesty, I think the author needs to work on giving her levels more of a fluid nature that can make sense to the player... be Ariadne and give us the RED THREAD that we need! As the Germans would say"Ich hab den Faden total verlohren" with these levels."Thera's Depth's" is an incredibly challenging level in my opinion, however it is one of the stronger ones and also one of the best underwater/swimming based levels out there that I know of. So even though gameplay was often times weak, confusing, and terribly frustrating, there were certain special moments that made the game wonderful again, which is why I gave a 7 for Gameplay and Puzzles. Enemies are quite good and diverse throughout that game. I enjoyed playing with the bulls in the labyrinth, and also locking up the Minotaur and bull together. The only enemies that seemed somewhat random were the dragon lizards at the end in Thera... but then again, who knows what can grow down in a submerged city over the centuries? I also did not quite understand why Lara decided to shoot all the poor civilian men out for a walk in Santorini. Objects are also quite good in this game... some could have been textured nicer I think, but others are truly magnificent. My favorite objects are definitely the Minoan pillars of Knossos. Actually, that entire level is very simply and not the special in my opinion when it comes to room geometry, but it is those beautiful pillars that bring the whole place to life and make it looks so authentic! They are also something completely new we haven't seen before in a custom game, since normally all we get are Greek pillars or Egyptian pillars pretending to be something else. But these pillars are truly Minoan and are definitely a great staple of this game. I also loved all the shatterable pots and the texturing on them was beautiful. Secrets were good, although not very generous in my opinion. Sometimes you'd wander quite a bit for a secret and get nothing but a few flares... that was rather anti-climactic. The atmosphere in the levels is quite good for the most part. At first in the palace of Knossos everything is bit dull and bleak in my opinion, and this ties partially into the lighting. I feel the place could have been made more atmospheric. Also, the choice of audio is sometimes strange. .. we get to listen to rumbling caves ambience whilst running about outside, and get an eerie tomb ambience when inside simple houses in Santorini. Other than that, Santorini for example felt exceptionally realistic and like a true Mediterranean island. Camera's were helpful most of the time, especially in Santorini. The problem with that city was that not only was it so big that one got lost easily, but so many buildings looked the same after a while. So Trix's idea of triggering a camera showing us the respective key hole when Lara found a certain key was actually quite helpful. On the other hand, that room in Thera with the ropes on the way to get one of the blue urns was terribly difficult and I really think some good cameras could have been used everywhere to help let one know where on earth one had to climb, backflip, slide, spin, roll, turn, and whatnot. Thera is my favorite level, all except those overtly complex rooms which put a bad taste in my mouth sadly. Texturing is very nice throughout, and it is wonderful that Trix made the effort to use real and beautiful Minoan wall murals to texture everything. I was actually a bit disappointed with the Labyrinth level because it felt very un-Minoan and like a random mix of textures from previous Tomb Raiders. Lighting was the only very weak visual element in this game I think. At times lighting was very atmospheric, and at other times just flat, dull and even felt nonexistent. I also think there was a problem with a lot of the room geometry in this game. Trix seems to like 3-click-high passageway, which Lara can run in fine (her head grazing the ceiling) but often times gets stuck in and has to crawl around in. There are a lot of unnecessary crawl spaces, and also weird jagged slopes that get very irritating after awhile. Of course, jagged slopes are a part of broken tombs and underwater tunnels... but I think there is a certain limit as to how annoying you have to make it for a player. Constantly getting stuck, tripping, falling, or having to crawl for one second, and stand again for the next isn't fun for anyone. Other than that, I did enjoy this level-set and think that it was a great idea. Perhaps it could have been executed a bit better, but then again I am probably just being too picky. I just hope that in future games the author focuses more on gameplay that is engaging and makes sense, as opposed to endless and tedious wandering." - Sethian (11-Nov-2008) |
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| "I hardly know where to start with this fabulous, amazing set of levels! This is one that had me completely mesmerized already from the moment I saw the fantastic, custom-made title fly-by. Lara is out raiding again and this time she's delving into the myths and legends surrounding the civilizations of ancient Greece. Legend has it that during the solar eclipse one would get to see the mighty palace of Knossos- now nothing but a pile of rocks and rubble- in its former splendor and glory. Of course Lara is in place during the eclipse and this leads her on a journey through the impressive and gorgeous palace before embarking on a trip underground- to the dark and creepy catacombs below the palace, where she has to follow that proverbial red thread to get out alive. Here I particularly loved how she would climb out of the catacombs only to find that the eclipse was over and the palace was once again reduced to the piles of ruins that is its true form.From there she travels to the neighbouring island Santorini and a bit of raiding in a charming seaside village and finally down to the depths of the Mediterranean for a thorough exploration of underwater grottos, sunken temples and maze-like hallways. Every part of this adventure is just dripping with atmosphere and plenty of eye-candy. Trix has really succeeded in bringing together a journey with varied puzzles and challenges, enemies that fit their given location like a hand in a glove and mouth-watering locations and sceneries. I especially fell in love with Santorini: the white-chalked houses, the tavern, the kiosk with a belonging terrace, the church, the harbour with boats rocking in the breeze, the bright and warm colours and the beautiful Greek music. Above all it just looked like a place I'd like to go on a vacation and it really brought back fond memories from former weeks that I've spent underneath the Aegean sun. The four levels create a perfect counter-weight to one another: you have the bright and cheery colours + the rich and vast chambers and halls of the Palace versus the scary, dark and claustrophobic feel of the catacombs in A Red Thread. And then there's the sunny and warm feel of Santorini versus the dripping wet caves and subterreanean atmosphere of Thera's Depths. It's really hard to find the words to describe what an utterly fantastic custom level this is and there's no doubt whatsoever that it is more than worthy of its place in the Hall of Fame. This is one of the best custom level adventures I've ever played and I believe that if Trix were to be hired by Crystal Dynamics they would get a lot of fans back. It poses as a perfect challenge: difficult at times, but not so much that it can't be overcome. Trix: you have by all means gotten yourself a new fan in me and I'm really looking forwards to seeing more of this." - Selene (10-Jan-2008) |
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| Not much to say that has not already been said. This is as good as it can be. Trix has an enormous talent of creating puzzles, great atmosphere and most of all, fill it with textures and architectures that are absolutely beautiful. Not to forget the new kind of thingies that she has in her levels. All the objects.. the new way of creating hazards etc. Just take a look at the ball at knossos.. or the colored tunnels at Thera... or the red thread during the labyrinth level! These levels are filled with riddles, hard to get secrets, huge rooms with all kinds of puzzles to solve! I still like 'The Dead Sea Scrolls' better, but these levels are not far from that standard. The only downside (and this is not a negative thing actually) is the underwater levels.. in the end it was too much to grasp for me LOL! All the huge waterfilled areas and labyrinths took me a long time to clear. The level is amazing though. I was stunned both as a player and as a builder. I guess it is time to move on and see what this author can do with a jungle theme :) Keep up the great work, Trix! You are a top class builder! All tens from me. 2005-07-15 - QRS (17-Jul-2005) |
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| "The amazing opening flyby of the islands, the Aegean Sea, and music really sets the mood for this wonderful four-part level that all but has you believe you are there on the Greek islands. According to the storyline the palace of Knossos appears in all its former glory during an eclipse. We see the eclipse and then have the pleasure of roaming around the beautiful palace grounds and buildings. Trix has done a terrific job, and obviously a huge amount of work to take these levels as close as possible to the originals, especially in the throne room. For me and anyone interested in Greek history, I found myself spending a lot of time looking at the familiar frescos, pictures and architecture that have been excellently reproduced and placed in this level. The first level 'Eclipse Over Knossos' is simply breathtaking, look at the beautiful Iris's in the dry garden, and that dark atmosphere that descends during the eclipse while at the same time allowing us to see the lovely countryside outside the walls. Our first encounter with anything 'bull' like are the gauntlet of sword-wielding bull-headed statues we must pass. Very good timed runs, block pushing, swimming, a torch puzzle, a boulder puzzle (I was fascinated at the way the boulder rolled), an unusual vase pushing exercise, and a floor to burn. Enemies here are crows, scorpions, and annoying blond teenagers (ye gads! they're everywhere!). Lara is looking for the secret entrance to the labyrinth. In the second level 'A Red Thread', Lara follows Ariadne's red thread through the complicated labyrinthian rooms, with fire pits, chains, bull faced block pushing puzzles, monkeyswings, more torch puzzles, a great little rising and lowering trapdoor run, an intriguing setup where pulling chains swings bridges around to allow you to access different levels and rooms. We meet the first 'live' bull, and we find the 'bull's eyes' to place in an impressive entrance flanked by two giant bull's heads. I thought the run around a room where you have to get a bull to smash four wooden stacks, and a Minotaur thumbing the ground all the while; then trapping them behind a gate, was terrific fun. Just keep Lara on the move, running and jumping around in circles until the bull has done his work, then trap them. All this to claim the Discus of Thera (Santorini). Coming back to the surface and the outside world, the eclipse is over and all is in ruins again - absolutely brilliant. We travel now onto 'Santorini Intermezzo'. A beautiful harbour area, where I stood on the quay looking out to sea. Beautifully created Trix, thumbs up. The habour area and boats, plus the lovely town area, with that delightful balcony and seats by the ice cream shop, was all a visual treat. And no tourists, whoohoo! I felt like I was on holidays. Loved everything that had to be done here, calling into the workshop, the little boat house in the shade, the beautiful gardens, the restaurant/bar, getting onto the roofs and balconies of houses, terrific fun shooting wine barrels in a cellar, and as in all town/city levels our heroine finds herself, yet again in . . . yes you guessed it, the sewers. Lara is looking for icons here to place in the church, after dealing with thugs and taking the unfortunate librarians key, then going to the library to find his notebook. And here in the library is another excellent timed run. This opens the crypt of the church, where there is a very frustrating torch puzzle if you haven't got the notebook with you. The final level 'Thera's Depths', for me, was the most frustrating, confusing, but ultimately the most unique and satisfying level I've played in a long time. Yes, as the name suggests, you spend what seems forever underwater, trying to find out what way to go, what to do, never mind all the traps along the way, and the amount of times Lara runs out of air and drowns. I'd seriously recommend the walkthrough for the newbies and inexperienced raiders. This might be just a little too hard for them, especially that part where Lara has to drop onto a slope and with a pixel perfect jump to a monkeyswing, and what needs to be done to clear your way for a tight timed swim. I was stuck here for ages until I found the final vase to shoot. On 'dry' land the puzzles here are excellent, all pushable puzzles, the odd chain action, hammer smashing, out-swimming a shark and piranhas, killing ahmets, frustrating underwater maze, and finding urns protected by Minoran goddesses. The final room has you running for a receptacle for your discus, over lava, and being chased by an ahmet you can't kill, but fully rewarding with the sight of the crystal glasses moving into position, and allowing Lara to climb out to fresh again in the middle of the Aegean Sea. What a wonderful set of levels. Trix is obviously one of our master builders, and I just can't wait to see what this genius mind will come up with next. Highly recommended." - CC (18-May-2005) |
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| "Creative puzzles astounding scenery and glorious music together are the perfect recipe for a great level. Aegean Legends has all three plus so much more! Before you even begin the level Trix has included an extra ReadMe that gives you background information on Greece and some of its history. This is so great because it lets you see how authentic everything in the levels is. It's amazing how much detail Trix put into these levels and still found a way to create so many ingenious puzzles. Breaking the pottery to get a shard to pick locks with was just a great idea! I love how in Eclipse the doors open and close with floor tile triggers. I don't know why it's never been done before but it works great! I could go on forever about all of the great ideas that Trix put into these 4 levels but I want to leave some of it to the imagination of any raiders who haven't played this yet. With the new textures and objects that have been created you get the feel of actually being in Greece. And it doesn't hurt to have Greek music to give that feel especially how Trix found a way to use just the right music at certain times. I can't find a single fault in the atmosphere it's absolutely perfect! There aren't too many enemies but they are used at just the right moments (I can't think of how many times I got caught off guard!) I can go on forever about how perfect this Greek epic is but you need to experience it for yourself to see how amazing it is!" - Celli (25-Sep-2004) |
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| "Another series where it's worth spending a bit of time before getting started and read the readme and watch the title flyby. Once clear on what's going on you can then dive right in... Eclipse over Knossos (8/8/10/9 70 min. 2 secrets): A very long and nice introductory flyby gets you right in the mood and then you are off exploring little canyons swimming in tight spaces making your way into the Palace solving a few puzzles with switches and torches and movable blocks mastering a timed run (not too tricky) and more. You need to collect two remodeled portal guardians and a few keys and enemies are scorpions crows and baddies. A really nice setting not too taxing gameplay and so makes for a nice warm up to the series. I did have a save bug when I burnt the wooden floor then ran off to collect the secret and after coming back the wooden floor was still gone but there was an invisible floor preventing me to get down. A Red Thread (8/10/9/9 60 min. 2 secrets): Despite the red thread on ceilings and walls this can be a rather confusing level. It starts with an interesting way to light your torch via timed raising blocks and from there you get to explore the maze like place meeting up with swinging chains burners lava pits baddies and skeletons. Two gems (bulls eyes) and two skulls are your puzzle pieces along the way which eventually gets you to the Discus of Thera. The huge cave with the 'turning bridges' puzzle was impressive and smart (have your compass handy to not get totally confused) and the two secrets were most ingenious as they offered a little extra gameplay in beautiful rooms and also made passages later in the game easier to master - great concept! The block puzzle and the wading part was a little tedious but both are not too bad. Always a fun challenge to meet up with the bull and here you get two of them and especially the second one accompanied by a hammergod did deprive me of a few medipacks. Also a nice timed switch puzzle with the spike ceiling coming down. A level that starts a little slowly but turns out nicely towards the end and the ending scene is very cool as the Eclipse is now over. Santorini Intermezzo (9/8/10/10 70 min. 2 secrets): The setting is absolutely stunning. Very authentic harbour and city and again two secrets right at the start. You get to explore pretty much every corner - the tavern the library the church the sewers the wine cellar - and you get to do a few unexpected things which nicely spices up the gameplay experience that mainly revolves around finding a series of keys and two cartouches. There are a few jumps on the tricky side a timed run and a torch puzzle near the end is easier than it looks thanks to the hint paper. A wonderful level and the highlight of the series so far for its beauty. Thera's Depths (9/9/10/10 80 min. 1 secret): Well you should definitely only play this if you enjoy swimming. It surely lives up to its name. And it looks fabulous and the puzzles are brilliant. BUT - it is also a very frustrating experience as you undoubtedly will drown lots of times as you explore before eventually finding the right path and mastering the respective tasks at hand. Again the secret is a nice area with a nice block puzzle all of its own so don't miss that. The quests for the four urns are diverse and include a magnificent jump climb rope swing course around caves moving underwater spike walls a timed swim that needs a bit of preparation and a maze which is original in a way but I still did not like it as Lara died a few too many times. Once you manage to get your urns you have to deal with a few wraiths and then are treated to another very creative puzzle involving water (of course) pushable objects hammers chains and raising blocks. Great fun! And eventually you get to place your discus which triggers the final awesome effect and let's our Lara out from underground. All in all - not an easy series but a must-play for all the seasoned raiders out there." - Michael (11-Sep-2004) |
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| "There's no use going into too much detail about the gameplay you'll get in these 4 incredible levels it's just all there timed runs and swims fantastic and sometimes tricky moves torch puzzles movable object puzzles just everything. The environments themselves obviously Greek in setting are all superb and diverse and I could not fault one location. The first above ground in a palace in Knossos the second below the palace in an enormous brooding sometimes maze like setting the third and most spectacular set in the town of Santorini with a startling blue water port and the last mostly underwater where you have to find 4 urns. This last level has I think gotten a bad rap but if you don't let it overwhelm you at first entering and take the time to swim around a bit letting yourself drown just to get the lay of it then you can acclimatise quite easily. There are also 7 great secrets to find through and not only are you rewarded with some great areas that they are placed in but they sometimes help gameplay by making once tougher non secret areas a little easier to manoeuvre through they also at times have things in them that will help with secrets in further levels so be sure to collect everything saying this I hint at cracking a flare in the first secret as I didn't and I couldn't access the 6th secret in the Santorini level as I overlooked an item. Each level is an hour to just over so you don't find yourself exhausted or bored at the end of them just don't allow yourself to not play these levels as they are bloody amazing and I am in awe of Trix!" - Sash (02-Sep-2004) |
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| "Welcome back Trix! This is a well presented series of levels that feel professional in quality. Players of her previous level will be pleased to find that these new ones inherit none of the flaws of the first (invisible deathtraps too much backtracking end of the world bug). In fact these maps have almost nothing wrong with them at all. You don't feel lonely because of lack of enemies you don't get stuck because of an illogical puzzle and you rarely end up too stumped because there's almost always at least a couple of things to have a go at rather than absolutely forcing you to complete something before you can progress. If this wasn't enough then there are a lot of wonderful classical musical interludes and some very nice cut-scenes too. Now for the doom and gloom! I personally encountered a bug with the burning the wooden floor puzzle that forced me to reload an older save (thankfully it wasn't too old). Let me explain: I burned the floor away and raised the cage; I then climbed up but couldn't get back down! I'm not sure how many other people encountered this maybe it was just me? Either way make sure you have save game close at hand. Now the 3rd level (Santorini Intermezzo) I found rather confusing at least to begin with because it really is quite a large convoluted maze-like level. Thankfully nowhere near as confusing as The Last Crusade which it slightly reminded me of (and a lot better to boot as far as I'm concerned!). Stick at it though and it'll all start to make sense. Now then the 4th level (Thera's Depths) doesn't mess about for one moment. It is hard. Damn hard. I feel that a lot of people will find the whole thing a bit too much especially the confusing maze situated in one area. I must say though that once you understand that the whole area is actually divided into four smaller places it all becomes much more easy to understand and figure out. Lovely set of levels then but they may get a bit too tough for some towards the end although nowhere near the absurdly difficult Tarragona 8/9 or COTW for instance. This whole trip took me 6 hours and 40 minutes and I found 3 out of 7 secrets." - gfd (24-Aug-2004) |
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| "It wouldn't be too much to characterize AL a masterpiece. Four fascinating and genial levels that take place in two Greek islands - Crete and Santorini. The graphics are amazing and so are the sound effects (including some authentic Greek music and some brief but exceptional classical pieces). Following Lara in her quest you get captured by the haunted yards of Knossos the mesmerizing atmosphere of the legendary maze that may or may not exist in reality the astonishing beauty of Santorini the imposing grandeur of the labyrinthine caves that Lara discovers below the crater of Thera's volcano while you have to fight guards skeletons undying creatures and search for some famed artifacts. All the levels are huge complicated and full of action puzzles and tricky traps. There is a great and very imaginative variety of places in each one most of which need to be visited more than once in order for the level to be completed - and you are challenged to perform some brilliantly set timed runs that can drive you mad - if you hesitate for just a fraction of a second or if you do just half wrong step you are surely condemned and you have to try again." - Ravenwen (10-Aug-2004) |
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| "Absolutely perfect except for the gameplay. One of the most beautiful levels in the TRLE world (great flybys and very realistic settings). I've downrated the gameplay because some objects are impossible to find without the walkthrough and those objects are important to complete the game. I've enjoyed almost every level but Thera's Depths almost drove me mad. In spite of that the last level is the most original of the series and is after all very enjoying (a real challenge). I've loved also the Dead Sea Scrolls and Trix is a promising level builder." - Loupar (11-Jun-2004) |
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| "This is a very cool level of 4 parts. This has become one of my favourites despite of the fact that on the last level I was choked at least hundred times till I managed to get all the 4 Urnas and place them. The game is full of with ideas puzzles timed runs and swims. The scenes are beautiful the story and the textures are various. The numerous added sounds give plus to the experience. I don't recommend it to beginners but this level is a great pleasure for those people who love this world. This level would do a credit for any of the main TR games. The levels are not linear but you must take a reasonable order to finish them. I found 7 Secrets on this level but I managed this only in my 3rd walkthrough. The wittiest is the final Secret containing numerous Shotgun Shells shooting the rusty barrels in the sunken submarine in the underwater town. This is a unique experience as well as those in the main games. Those who love the Tomb Raider world and these kind of adventures don't miss this superb and unique level which is very well worked out. You can find a Hungarian walkthrough (as we don't have English version) savegames and pictures here: http://www.freeweb.hu/treditor/12/aegean_legends.htm " - Obig (11-Jun-2004) |
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| "I think this is a very good level. Sometimes puzzles feel so hard but not too hard. I think the second level is the best because puzzles are so fantastic in that level." - Samu (29-May-2004) |
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| "This grouping of four levels is very much a mixed bag in my eyes. The eerie twilight in the opening eclipse level was an interesting change of pace although it made the overall effect too dark for my tastes. The second level where you had to follow a subterranean thread made me claustrophobic by the time it was all over. So far so good. The opening pair of levels were challenging but fun and having Dutchy's walkthrough close by made the navigation process so much easier. The third level in the streets alleys and buildings of Santorini was one of the most visually stunning levels I've ever played. I enjoyed pausing along the way to gawk and enjoy the exquisite surroundings. If I were rating this level alone it would earn 10s across the board hands down. The letdown was in the fourth level. After reading the ridiculously tedious description of what was required to get through what Dutchy called the 'rope with caves' I enabled the flycheat so I could move along quickly. I kept at it for a while after that but the confusion of trying to find one cave after another finally became so daunting an exercise that I called it quits just before the timed swim for the third urn. I think this last level probably conceived as a grand finale was a little bit too ambitious. Too bad because up until then I enjoyed myself a great deal especially in that tour de force Santorini level. This author has so much raw talent that a less difficult production would in my humble opinion be much more appreciated than the two so far presented." - Phil (23-May-2004) |
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| "Trix created an unforgettable level. Many new and beautiful objects for example the ships in the harbour the church and the wine cellar. Riddles are not easy but the player can do them after a little practise. It is important to look closely into every corner. The title-flyby is really great and shows the beautiful landscape of Greece. Trix spent a lot of time on this level that's for sure. Lara must look for keys and objects. Timed runs are really challenging and a lot of players will get stuck at the time runs I am sure. The first level is easy to play. The second level has a higher level of difficulty compared with the first one. The bull makes it not easy for Lara and she should not lose the red thread. In the second level Lara needs two torches. But I only found one so I had to start again because with one torch it is not possible to finish the second level. But to lock up the Hammer guy and the bull was easy for me. The riddle with the turning bridges is a great idea and it is easy to solve. In the third level Lara needs some keys to open doors also the harbour is worth a visit and Lara should visit the cafe near the sea. She finds the way down into the sewers. The third level is my favourite level. I found the torch but not the kitchen to light the torch. So I opened the entrance to the crypt threw the torch into it and followed it down into the crypt. So I had to do the more difficult way to light the torch. In the fourth and final part Lara must dive a lot and the air holes save her quite often before she gets drowned. The time run under water is not easy because I didn't get the camera which showed me the door. So I had to pull the switch more than once till I found the door. To avoid spike walls under water is really challenging I was always close to get drowned. The shell-riddle with the hammer was easy and quickly done. Unfortunately I had a bug here. Lara refused to pull the shells to their places it seemed like an invisible block in front of the shells blocked them. After saving the game at this point and reload the savegame it worked. Don't ask me what was wrong there. I recommend this level for experienced players; newbies will be stuck more than one time." - Avmaster (23-May-2004) |
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| "This was a pleasure before I even began the game. The load screen brought back every Greek holiday I've ever had. I just had to keep playing it to enjoy the gorgeous blue skies and clear water. I could almost smell the olive trees and taste the taramasalata. Eclipse over Knossos: Trix really has captured the feel of Knossos and how wonderful to see it restored albeit only for the duration of the eclipse. Timed runs torch puzzles block moving lots of pot shooting a couple of Minotaur keys to find and a gang of blond baddies trying to foil your plans. Fabulous setting and fun gameplay. A Red Thread: Down into the Labyrinth and a fun way to light your torch. Luckily Ariadne's red wool is still marking the way through the passages to give you a bit of a guideline because it is quite easy to get lost. I suppose I should have expected a bull really. I must say he seemed more co-operative than usual; obviously Trix has had him trained. I got very confused round the part with the moving bridges but eventually managed to stumble through it. The last part with the bull AND the minotaur was exciting and it was quite a poignant moment to return to the surface to find the eclipse over and Knossos in ruins once more. Santorini Intermezzo: What a wonderful atmosphere - a real flavour of the beautiful Greek islands. Unfortunately there's no time to savour a glass of retsina in the shade of a bougainvillaea there are places to go people to shoot keys to find. Busy busy busy... There are interesting objects to find and puzzles to solve and I did enjoy exploring the houses lovely courtyards the harbour library church - maybe not the rat infested sewers quite so much. There's a timed run in the library that's a bit of a beast and I needed help with. Once inside the church you need to place two icons to gain access to the crypt and solve a torch puzzle to go through to - Thera's Depths: This begins in a stunning underwater cavern. Be prepared for a lot of swimming and if you swim like I do prepare for a lot of drowning. There are various rooms to find which can take some doing in your search for four blue urns. There is a really tight timed swim at one point but if you perform certain actions beforehand it does make it slightly easier. I enjoyed the jumping around in the two rope cave although the bright blue ahmet gave me quite a shock when I finally made my way to the upper floor. I found this part the most challenging probably because I'm not a very good swimmer but I got through in the end. A cracking adventure. Don't miss it." - Jay (01-May-2004) |
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| "What can I say only that this is utterly crafty and beautifully done. From the start till the end it is eye candy. I was stunned to see the beautiful irises in the first level till the underwater fauna in the last one. Inspired by Greek mythology this adventure will take hours (maybe days in real time as it took me). I have to admit that I did put it aside as in the second level that bridge puzzle was getting on my nerves and even with the partial walkthrough Andre mailed me I had a hard time. And that is a bit of the problem in this game in my opinion. The gameplay is getting tedious at a certain point especially for me in the last level the underwater one. But there is much more to do from the palace in Knossos to the Minotaur maze following the Red Thread to a little village and take your time to gaze over the sea and then of course the underwater part. Have a look (between the drowning if you have time) to all the details like small fishes swimming starfish and corals. I didn't like the parts where the swimming was very hard to do if Lara were on land I would call them illegal slopes. The music that was added enhanced the atmosphere although the church music didn't belong in there. There aren't that many enemies but some had me jumping in my chair so I would say they are well placed. Have a go at it and be prepared that this game will take some time to finish. 21-04-2004" - Gerty (30-Apr-2004) |
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| "I kept my review rather short because Jorge22 has described things so well in detail. I really had to use all my playing abilities (whatever that means) to get through the 4 levels. But then I got through and next to some frustration had very many enjoyable moments. There are timed runs and swims that are really difficult to master. Normally the enemies could be coped with but for example the combination of the Hammer man and the Blue Bull was just too much for my liking. There are some tricky puzzles in the game. I found 6 Secrets (out of 7). Well found is not the right word for it ;-). There is some beautiful music in the game. All 4 levels have a special atmosphere. I have difficulty to decide which one I liked the best. Maybe the sunny 'Santorini Intermezzo'. So if you are willing to do some almost impossible things in a game here is one for you. Your reward will be quite a few hours of interesting gameplay." - Monika (22-Apr-2004) |
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| "I look out the window and see rain clouds gathering... not a good day for a walk in the forests I presume - so why not travel to the Aegean sea with Lara enjoy (or endure lol) loads of sunshine and go on a yet another artefact hunt with Lara? Sounds good to me so where do I start depicting everything you can expect from this magnificent 4+ hour adventure in Greece? I'll describe it level by level: Eclipse over Knossos (56 minutes 1 secret) - according to the legend Trix has told us in the moment of an eclipse the ancient Minoan palaces rise in their full beauty again and thus can now be investigated closer for items of interest. This eclipse seems to last as long as you need to find the secret entrance to the labyrinth below the throne so no need to rush - feel free to explore this palace for anything you're interested in. What I like best about these particular 'Greece' levels is that they're not exactly the same as we've experienced in the originals or attempts to remake discover something new within the old scenarios (even though I realise there is some difference from the Minoan and 'mainland' Greece culture) so this level seems very refreshing and original not only within the ideas and events (the clever boulder puzzle by the end the way how the mercenaries make Lara's adventure a tad more difficult) but also in the great looks even though those who seem to like this level overwhelmingly have seen nothing yet I might add. Overall a great start with many innovative ideas but not the best level here. A Red Thread (60 minutes 1 secret) - the Minotaur's maze and as the title suggests you already have a thread to follow which sort of gives you the idea to where you're heading to. This level has the most ideas packed within it like the turning bridges the light-the-torch-timed-run finally the bull + minotaur puzzle to get the Disc of Thera and much more to keep you entertained. Maybe not the highlight in the looks here yet keeps the pace the previous level set and gives you the prize. Also at the end you come up back to see that the Eclipse has ended and the beautiful palace lies in ruins now again - well made! Santorini Intermezzo (60 minutes 2 secrets) - already the start of this level made 4 tens flash before my very own eyes - a fantastically made town with a great vacation-feeling even though this city seems to be abandoned by tourists and original inhabitants. Wonder why? Maybe because of the mercenaries and their rabid dogs? Who knows! This reminded me of a not-so recent vacation in 'Cinque Terre' (don't crucify me if that's spelt wrong!) in Italy and maybe I liked it so much because of that. Never mind that - the puzzles here like the wine cellar one and the torch one below the church and the secret areas are well done the looks fan-bloody-tastic and most importantly the level is fun! A definite highlight of this game! Thera's Depth (80 minutes 1 secret) - if during the previous level I had 4 tens flashing before my eyes I really was unsure after finishing this level - it still is a great example of Trix' talent - the creativity of the tasks (a fantastic timed run where you have to prepare some things in order to succeed for example) most magnificently made areas of the bottom of the Aegean Sea great audio tracks used to enhance the atmosphere yet maybe due to the whole action taking place underwater maybe through the endless confusion and uncertainty of what to do this level ended up being simply too overpowering and tiring. Some things didn't work technically here as well - like the spiked walls - after reloading a game they are reset so those who know this might use it to their advantage to overcome timed sequences and such but those who don't screw up their game. There also is another illegal shortcut to get one of the 4 required jars but by taking it you don't miss much anyway so maybe not even worth a mention. Getting the unknown energy source and climbing out on the rock in the sea not too far a way from Santorini was rewarding enough for all the trouble you've gone through so makes up all the frustration well - at least a little bit if not all! Even though the last level made some doubts of the flashing 4 tens I mentioned in the end I didn't change my mind. So where to now Trix? Meroi? Machu Pikchu? An African Savannah? Wherever you'll take us I'll gladly go!" - eTux (20-Apr-2004) |
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| "It was more than about time someone thought of Greece as the main setting for one of Lara's adventures. After the Dead Sea Scrolls, Trix seemed the exactly right person to perform such a feat. And it is a feat. Apart from the fact that the download comes with a short written document and pictures about the Minoan civilization and kindly brings five dats in five different languages, apart from the nice Greek music that accompanies the presentation, her view of the Minoan architectural achievments is amazing in its beauty as the Dead Sea Scrolls already allowed us to foresee. The game consists of four parts, the first of which takes part in Crete, precisely at Knossos, the legendary center of the whole Minoan world.
Eclipse over Knossos - I really, really loved the Knossos palaces as imagined by Trix. One must say they are far better preserved than the originals. And truly wonderful in all their ancient splendor. They're vast too. I have to say I had to restart quite a couple of times because I noticed I'd missed something. The level is intricate and puts your brain to work. There are some enemies (scorpions for a start, crows and the same bandit that keeps reappearing even after you've killed him several times). I think I did almost all there was to be done in this level but still I left several gates closed and failed to find one of two secret areas. Traps, timed runs, puzzles, everything very balanced. And, of course, the only thing really missing is the continuous noise of the cicadas everyone that has visited the site knows about. As for the crowds, we're warned in advance: it's off season, if there's ever such a thing these days.
A Red Thread - The second level. Lara falls into a catacomb world where she has to find a way to follow Ariadne's thread, which is marked in red on the ceiling. Of course, it couldn't be that simple. When I started the level, I just couldn't find my way around. A closed gate here, a closed gate there, yet another closed gate somewhere else and no idea how to open them. You wouldn't believe the things I've tried, from stepping only on the white tiles to shooting and pushing and pulling everything in sight! The level seemed truly cryptical. And then... After so many hard searches, so many bad encounters (having to face a bull and a hammergod all at the same time) I finally managed to make my way back to Knossos not too damaged. It's a really clever level, packed with very imaginative puzzles and a lot of running around in doubt. I don't know how many times I crossed the changing bridges because I needed to find the second golden skull somewhere... In a desperate try, I found the second secret and that was how, precisely when I least expected, I found the skull. I still wonder how I would have done it without the secret, but I suppose I would. From then on, I found a very useful papyrus, crossed a pool of lava with moving platforms, passed a room with loads of levers and spikes fast descending from the ceiling and finally faced my two dreaded enemies in a final battle before getting the discus and getting back to the surface. God, I was sick of catacombs (despite the fact that they're so beautifully built) and glad to be off to Santorini now!
Santorini Intermezzo - First and foremost, I'd like to say how deeply frustrated I felt when I finished playing this level for the second time... I couldn't find any secret, I couldn't find the crowbar which I needed to open a wooden entrance on the first floor of a house, I couldn't get inside the big ship in the harbour when I could plainly see there was an entrance below, I couldn't enter the near underwater tunnel because of the strong currents and I couldn't find a way to get into the entrance with the small boats just below a cafe and by the water or find my way to Miguel's workshop. That's a lot of could nots for one person alone! So, I suppose I must have played this beautiful level - off-season again, that's for sure! - only by half. (later, because Trix sent me a tip, I could do a large part of that, just to see) The idea of filling the pool below with wine by shooting the barrels was wonderful and so was the final puzzle in the church. The bandits in the room with a key drained my short supply of medipacks and since I could only find a small one in the sewers, that wasn't so good. Living on the edge, what can I say? Speaking of bandits, what do they feed their dogs in Santorini? I've never seen any as fast or as ferocious in any TR level. One final note to say I agree with what Kristina has already said: First, you write Kafeneio, not Xafeneio as could be read in several places. Secondly, the Greek Orthodox church looked more like Catholic and so did the chants (yes, Trix, I know, you love the tune, I think it's beautiful too). A little more care would have been welcome, though. And off to Thera Lara goes!
Thera's Depths - One serious word of advice: this is not for beginners, you'd never make it! I've been striving with the monstrous difficulties of this level ever since the start and I managed to get through several of them, not without getting drowned one too many times. But as you reach the room with spikes below, two ropes and all that comes next, take heed! Prepare yourself for hours of frustration. Well, it's not confusing as, say, CIL (which I never finished, shame on me!), but it sure is difficult as hell. The weird jumps and moves go on room after room. It's a sin to make things so hard, having to guess what to do too often and always from the worst possible angles! But on with the show... Next, Lara has to place four urns she sweated hard to get, always to be attacked by a mixed couple of fire and ice wraiths making things heavier and heavier. I managed to survive the ordeal with one millimetre of health and that's how I carefully kept going until the end of the game, for there were no medipacks in sight. No secrets found. Then, comes a puzzle with shells and corals that you have to remove from the way, plus deadly hammers and a dreaded bug that kept me going on and on because the big shell, once in the hammer room, kept disappearing and reappearing and there was no way I could move it the center of the room. I solved it by using an earlier savegame, thank God! Finally, a room which will lead you to freedom... One more beast to kill (but you can shoot it from the entrance), electrified water and a use for the discus which you found much earlier. Lara ends her adventure on a small rock in the middle of the Aegean, unable to swim anywhere else due to the strong currents. I guess she'll be picked up by helicopter... And that's it.
A long review for a long game despite its mere four levels. Never mind my criticisms... This is one of the best and most beautiful custom levels ever. My 9 in Gameplay & Puzzles is simply due to the almost inhuman difficulty level in Thera's Depths. Of course, it's certainly not for beginners or players with little tomb raiding experience, especially not the last level, but it's a sure must for anyone who wants a challenge in the beautiful settings of the Aegean Sea." - Jorge22 (15-Apr-2004) |
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| "Trix is back again with new four fun levels - of course they look wonderful with many new puzzles and other things. There are a few timed runs; one of them is underwater. In one of the levels Lara has to deal with a hammer man and bull together! In level three Santorini Intermezzo - very nice level - I had a bug and Trix helped me with a savegame. You may not necessarily have this bug too so nevermind. The textures look very nice. I enjoyed to play. Well done Trix." - Yoav (11-Apr-2004) |
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| "A very long adventure inspired from the Greek mythology. All the places the player visits are very carefully contracted and of great beauty. Don't expect to find the Minotaur in Daidalos' maze or Theseas but there is definitely Ariadne's thread. All what you will see except Santorini is supposedly to happen in Crete. Although the entire game is beautiful as far as the rooms and places are concerned the gameplay at some point starts to decline. I found it rather tedious at the end with all the underwater mazes it was very tiring. There are keys to find and retextured various objects plus movable blocks which in one case are part of a secret. I liked the game a lot but I am quite disturbed about a couple of things. The first is a misspelled Greek word on signs in the 'Santorini' level and the second is the Catholic hymns in the Orthodox like church. It would have been best to seek the advice of a native and always is the best thing to do when dealing with foreign cultures. The enemies one will encounter vary; some of them are rats in the sewers crows outside mutants and others. The cameras music and flybys are all superb and I was pleased to hear many music themes from my country in fact the entire game is 'dressed' with Greek music. I specifically liked the ships in the 'Santorini' level the streets white houses and shops like the tavern. The author has succeeded in depicting something of the islands beauty as best as possible considering the editor's limits and has created a wonderful adventure. It took me several hours to finish and I found five secrets. I consider this game to be the author's best level/game so far." - Kristina (10-Apr-2004) |
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