Level reviews

"I had a great time with this TRLE and considering the age of this level I was reasonably impressed with how good it was. Only nitpicks I really had was a lack of camera hints meaning I had to try and guess what doors I may or may not have opened. But like I say for the most part I had a really good time with this 5 level set, looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series plays out and would definitely recommend anyone give this level set a go!" - Feats

"Pretty cool set of levels. The jungle atmosphere in the wooded areas and the general sense of adventure and exploration are spot on. The fact that the color of the sky changes as you begin new levels is a rare thing in custom levels, giving you a sense of passing time/realism as you continue with the adventure. Another aspect I liked are the TR1 and TR3 soundtracks the game uses, which is also more uncommon. I didn't find the atmosphere of the inside areas as immersive (except for the second level which looked sinister), but it still did the job. I guess the most immersion-breaking stuff for me was the contradicting textures the levels used. Not that it looked bad but I could not tell what setting I was in exactly, as we have Indian and Egyptian style together, even other ones like the Pacific ones. Gameplay was nearly always interesting and the tasks were varied, my favorites being the first two levels. Trekking in a stubborn jungle in Tomb Raider is just fun. It felt a bit stagnant by the fourth level but the fifth level reenergized me and also gave me a more or less satisfying, climacting ending. Overall despite its flaws (to add, the loading crashes of the first and last levels were pretty off-putting problems), Jungle Ruins are worth your time." - Nomad

"What a thrilling pack of levels, the atmosphere here is simply perfect. I mean, yes, the trees are square-ish well within the standard limitations we've grown very used to, but the lighting and the greenish texture palettes (down to Lara's outfit) blend together so seamlessly that I found myself stopping very often to simply gaze at my surroundings. The five levels are quite expansive with a huge focus on exploration, so that means that there's a fair share of running back and forth now and then (such as the lenghty pushblock sequence in level 4), but all in all I thought this was quite manageable. Of course, I speak this having followed Moonpooka's walkthrough from beginning to end, so mileage will vary. I also thought changing horizons and skies between levels was a nice touch, the only thing that would have made this an even richer experience in my opinion would have been some rain, but alas this was released early in the TRLE cycle but still holds up very well. 3h15min, 5 secrets. 06/21" - Treeble

"The original level set that started it all still holds firm today. A gracious romp of just over five hours that will have you totally absorbed. There are some tough timed runs, plenty of platforming a a few decent puzzles to keep you occupied. Unfortunately the first and last levels had a save game bug in that if you loaded a save whilst still playing they would load but if you exited the game entirely and then tried to load a save the game would simply crash. The middle three levels were fine just the first and last had this issue so complete the first level and save at the beginning of level two before turning off the PC. Apart from that I really enjoyed myself here as this is classic raiding the way it is meant to be. Weaponry is sparse and whilst you do find the Uzi and Shotgun on at least three occasions there is not much ammo scattered about so you end up relying heavily on the pistols. Only found three of the secrets." - Torry

"It's nice to see how this series has progressed from segment to segment, as this first installment isn't quite as impressive as, say, the fourth and fifth ones (and especially the third). It does have a lot going for it though: plenty of variety and challenge in the gameplay department, bracing enemy encounters, a few nicely hidden secrets, mostly attractive looking scenery (although I thought that some areas had a bit of a bland appearance to them), a nice day to night sky change and a well done jungle atmosphere. But on the other hand, some things didn't work out as well as they could have. A timed run in the first level had a potential dead end if you didn't complete it right, the constructing of the ledge in the fourth level to be able to push a block along it was a neat touch but a little tedious to actually execute, the backtracking and long swimming sections in the same level were a definite downer and as mentioned, I thought that the textures were a bit repetitively applied in a few places. Nonetheless, as a previous reviewer mentioned, the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts here and the four hours I spent were definitely worthwhile, so it comes with my high recommendations." - Ryan

"So, I have to say that I have very mixed feelings about this level pack, it is hard to explain, but, per example in the texture department I find that there are some nice looking areas (especially in the first level) while I think other have some strange texture placement (like combining an Atlantis texture set with a India texture set, which makes some areas feel very "blended" together) and some look kind of stretched in some places, I also find the enemy placement in some areas to be weird. In the gameplay department it is very simple to be honest, there are not many puzzles and the ones there are, very simple stuff, the box puzzle on the level "The Discovery" was quiet annoying, and I also find the overuse of the same puzzle structure to be quiet dull. There are some big areas to explore in some places, but, sadly there's not really any reward on doing so (with the exception of one or two secrets the secrets are very easy to find). Even though it seems that I just say negative things about it, this level set is quiet decent, and I recommend for someone looking for a jungle styled level." - SeniorBlitz

"I played the NG remake first and felt that I had to make a point to play the original to see how the remake compares to it's former self. I was pleasantly surprised that's it's not an identical redo - even the music is different! Classic TR tracks in this one and the NG trilogy soundtrack for the NG Jungle Ruins. Secrets were moved around which I liked as the challenge is still there, but I was disappointed at how few there were - a level or 2 didn't contain any at all. Also, I would have liked the chance to obtain the revolver sooner. Definitely fewer pick ups, so is more of a challenge to the remake. Locations are quite reminiscent of classic jungle levels and yet also has very unique designs. Would recommend to those that like a challenge. Took around 4 and a half hours to play after having played the remake" - izzynoodles

"Jungle (7-8-9-8): The atmosphere of this highly "junglish" adventure is magnificent, the river flowing through all those interconnected caves and around the structures, everything makes sense here and the architecture is really strong. The texturing is pretty clean, yet the lighting is a bit too flat often and in the greenish parts it's really not very nice this way but in other parts it's quite strong and there's a lot to like about the visuals. The gameplay is decent with a lot of exploration and a few other tasks here and there (okay for a first, not too long level), but there are quite a few shortcuts that the builder better had taken care off because it's easy to skip parts of the level with those, some are even so obvious that it's hard to distinguish them from the regular path. Only a few enemies of the wildlife kind (mainly harmless monkeys - except one that seemed to dislike Lara), an okay secret and decent object design round this level up. 30 minutes.
Jungle Temple (5-7-8-8): Things could've improved here gameplaywise as there's more focus on platforming and traps but the too long underwater parts and the ladder that I had to climb one time too often are not really giving a good feeling, the torch puzzle is also buggy and can lead to a dead end and if you press the Look key in the obelisk camera nothing ever will happen and you have to reload... all in all a level that could've been tested a bit better IMO. On the other side the wheel puzzle is always a nice addition and the timed runs are good; the existance of Pacific cannibals is a bit questionable though. The atmosphere is good, yet not all too impressive with a rather sterile main hall, texturing and lighting are clean but not outstanding either. 20 minutes.
The Search (8-8-8-8): Starting off badly with an intended health loss the game turns out better and better towards the end. The gameplay is notches above the one in the previous levels, there are much more timed runs and longer platforming parts that are more demanding than annoying (unlike the underwater sections in the second level), the spike wall in particular is a very cleverly placed trap and getting the secret there is quite hard. Only the spike tiles could be a little bit better marked and the yoyo backtrack in one of the star areas was also avoidable, in general there could be more camera clues. The atmosphere is decent with a different looking outside area yet too blocky and regularly designed inside areas which are actually too clean. Both secrets are well hidden. 25 minutes.
Discovery (6-7-8-7): I'll take it back - it's been better for the builder to design cubic areas than natural environments, the texturing is quite messy in the non-squaric parts. The atmosphere of the large block puzzle area is really odd, with a flat ceiling and flat lighting, yet still it had its certain something. What I really liked in this level was the way the block puzzle was designed, even if it's a bit tedious to move it back and forth all the time. What I didn't like were the endless and super annoying backtracks across kilometers... why??? The smaller block puzzle in the jungle part was rather clever though. Nice secret too. 40 minutes.
Jungle Lake (8-8-9-8): Perhaps my overall favourite level. The outside area with the bridge is really well made as well as the atmospheric starting area and the lever hall towards the end, perhaps the lighting is a bit flat again though. The gameplay is fast paced and fun, although almost too fast with each task in the five lever room (not only the setup reminds on TR 1 here) being done in about one minute with only one exception. But the variety of tasks all in all created a nice flow and it's not an easy level to pass. That spike tile in front of the pool you've been waiting for so long after the fire wraith chase... argh! Caught on the wrong foot here. All in all a good level, with another nice secret to be found. 30 minutes.
Summary: Perhaps there are a few too many things that could've been somewhat better in this game (all described in the level reviews so I won't repeat them here), but on the whole I still found this to be an immersive and epic adventure, the level is better than the sum of its parts especially its atmosphere which really works even better if you see those levels as a unit (the day/night change is only one element). So overall, quite highly recommended. Found all five good secrets in 2:25 hours." - manarch2

"The beginning was very hard to get used to because of the notoriously green ambience with very little contrast. I made it more pleasant by using a flare all the time, a trick which gave me unexpected advantage with pushblocks, otherwise hard to spot among the massive scenery which, even though sometimes boxy, is naturally complex, asymmetric and strongly bound together. That and nice foliage, together with discreet jungle ambience suffices to produce decent immersion so I didn't haste. Still, the progress was too slow because of missing hint cameras and necessity to memorize far destinations. The beginning of the second level is similarly green and must be the lowest point as it instantly throws Lara into an underwater maze. With a crocodile. And a dual action switch. I know Todd pretty well so I wasn't confused for longer than few minutes but I just find it bad to use the same switch for a trapdoor and a fireplace. The subsequently reached obelisk riddle is exactly copied from Karnak, but the flood made the riddle somewhat different, while the temple formed a nice surrounding. Fast escape is provided, also in other levels. The third one begins with half bar loss and an automatic door which unfortunately also repeat frequently. In the last levels I was denied being smart - why couldn't I press the wraith room switch in advance, to make the escape easier? Why was a box used to prevent killing the hag in the revolver chamber? It can be explained if the other hag encountered later is the same one, but, again, the first one feels wrong no matter of what. Most of the time the adventure is all fine - despite of few boxy rooms and lack of transition textures, it's gripping and satisfying to platform through the forest and explore the mighty ruins. Some rooms are in fact huge passages for a neat feeling of going somewhere, and I particularly liked the pushable in level four where an enormous riddle is done part by part, dividing the section into explorable chapters. All is of course concluded with - hah, spoiler - a T-Rex fight, is there any GMac level without these? I hope not! SUMMARY: The first episode is not as perfect as for instance Part 3, but already quite nice with few highlights and despite of few lowlights. It especially fits that mood when you're after something huge, proud, epic and almost oversized but still coherent and comprehensible. Sustaining this, I'm instantly following with the NG version." - DJ Full

"Well I Agree that this level is definetaly a hall of fame deserver but some things bugged me.namely the use of textures some were good but some were not and make the level unattractive for me but what i liked more is the transition from day to night.realistic for me." - janachorider

"This custom is one of these in which you can feel great TR3 spirit. I'm impressed with the size of all areas and their beauty. Still, in the present days, where LE is much more advanced than ever before, this custom can bring people smiles on their faces.
Jungle: As the first level this one isn't very difficult to complete. Architecture is breathtaking. You can really get lost in this complex of rocks, trees and ruins. Every room is well textured and lighted and has its own spirit. You not only explore them, but you also watch them from different perspectives which increases their beauty and makes you say: wow! It's definitely my favourite level in this game.
Jungle Temple: Here the wonderful areas end, replaced by hard gameplay and mystic atmosphere. First steps in this level are much more difficult than in previous. Swimming through corridors with crocodile on your back isn't very pleasant at all. Rooms are quite small though the area in the middle of the level is huge. A plenty of difficult jumps, puzzles and tasks make up the gameplay. They are hard, but very satisfying. When I finished this level I had the feeling that I did a good job.
The Search begins with very strange moment. You fall down and you have to do something to not die. It's very stupid in my opinion, because it isn't a trick gameplay, it's only gameplay where you have to be lucky to pass on. Going forward we arrive to a big area, which is badly textured, but nicely modeled. I don't find it beautiful, rather ugly, reminding of cartoons. And the whole level looks like this. Some stretched or squished textures and cracks are evident. They kill the gameplay, which can be quite enjoyable although there were some places where I didn't know what to do. For example a switch in outside area activates something, but camera doesn't show what. You can get angry when you see that you missed the crowbar earlier and you can't go back for it. It was quite unpleasant to play this level after the first ones.
The Discovery: First fight is a little too big for me, because it's really unreal: tigers and crows are co-operating to beat Lara. It's strange, isn't it? From the beginning we can see better texturing than in previous level. Geometry looks similar, but here is much better atmosphere. I enjoyed the bridge room most. It is the best moment in the game for me, because it's a little bit nightmarish which I like. Gameplay is quite simple, it has some enjoyable moments and some annoying moments also (area at the end), but I enjoyed it. The big room with pushblock is too big for me. There could be less free space and an open-top - this would create better atmosphere. The trees in the jungle area were badly designed either, because they had too flat roots.
Jungle Lake is the final level in this custom and I have to confess that I have expected to see some big open areas in it and I was rather disappointed when I finished it. Here is the best texturing of all GMac levels, but I was surprised and annoyed when I saw Catacombs textures in it, because I don't like them. There is a very nice moment at the beginning when you have to run away from the castle and jump into the pool. Then big area with switches was difficult to pass due to a lack of clues how to push the switches. Gameplay is ok in this level. Jungle lake is well created with good atmosphere texturing etc. I found the last fight with T-Rex very enjoyable. Than was the end of this nice ride! Congratulations to the authors!" - jawi

"I recommend this game very highly for every TR fans because it's one of the most remarkable jungle games ever made. As the title suggests the environment consist mainly of jungles, temples and some rocky areas. Enemies are chosen well and they are different kind of animals of jungle and natives. Gameplay is tought out very well and this game never lets you bored. The last level has especially great gameplay including a nice switch combination puzzle and a lot of other challenging tasks. Musics are used also well to accentuate the atmosphere and I really don't have much to complain. Only thing which bothers me a little is that the environment looks visually better in first levels than it looks in later levels. The rooms in later levels have less complicated shapes than rooms in beginning levels and the way of texturing is also somehow less imaginative. However, this game looks overally very good and it's a real pleasure to play through. If you haven't played it already, I suggest you to play it." - Samu

"Jungle: 1hr 30 (7/9/10/10) I found this level very hard going and rather confusing because it felt a bit like a maze. I mean, sure, I bet a jungle would be a bit like that but I still bet it would be less confusing than this. I felt like I was just going around in circles a lot of the time and boredom set in. Jungle Temple: 45 minutes (9/9/8/8). Now this was more like it. A tough underwater swim, battling with a horrible old crocodile. There was a tight timed swim that may defeat some of us old-timers, but not me! I didn't like the fact that there was a switch that you had to use twice because I don't believe that anyone is ever going to think of doing that without looking at the walkthrough. There is also a tight timed run after you use the torch that, if you don't make it, will leave you stuck! So just make sure you save before you light the object by the gate. I loved the obelisks puzzle and haven't come across a similar idea before. A satisfying level to complete. The Search: 1hr 15 (8/10/8/10). Fantastic graphics on this level give a very lush feel to your surroundings. A bit confusing though but no where near as much as the"Jungle" part. Lots of timed runs including one that seemed impossible; I never could do it so I assumed it just lead to a secret and didn't bother with after that. Nice placement of enemies will sometimes surprise player and keeps them on their toes, especially when you occasionally have to face three or four at once because this always gets the adrenaline pumping. One thing I didn't like about this section was the slight lack of cameras. Discovery: 1hr 30 (9/10/9/10). A gigantic block-push-puzzle makes up the majority of this level. Having said that, the actual block-push itself is secondary to all of the things you have to do to make a path for it, some of which even open up into entire new mini-levels, one of which was an exhilarating jump through the treetops. It all hangs together well and is rarely too taxing, despite some good fights with anything up to four natives at the same time, and in a small area too - this is what makes combat good in TR. Very nice graphics set out in a realistic fashion round off a very nice level. The only thing that really lets it down though is too few cameras. Jungle Lake: 1hr 15 (10/10/9/9). This final level features the old 5-level puzzle from TR2 which, to be honest I never liked much although it does seem easier here, as long as you try and stick to a sequence so you know what you've tried and haven't. These levers will open doors to help you locate whopping 4 stars, which will in turn lead you onto a deadly timed run over fire-pillars, and an exciting run it is too. There are some very satisfying to complete jump-sequences here and they always made me feel good when I conquered them. I loved the boss fight at the end and the final cut scene rounded it off very nicely. This whole series felt epic and certainly will provide you with a sense of achievement when you beat it, especially because I finally found a secret! The adventure as a whole took me 6hrs and 15 minutes and I found only 1 very good secret." - gfd

"I started playing the Jugle Ruins trilogy and I must say I am quite impressed of this levels.This one managed to keep me in front of my computer for a long time, trying to solve the many puzzles. The level is not very difficult, but you have to put your mind at work. Mainly you have to remember very well the sectors of the level(a switch in a sector opens a door in another sector), as you have to move back and forth between areas. One thing that didn't make sense (for me)was the 5 levers-puzzle in the end and I had to consult the walkthrough for it." - dya1403

"Long level here! And a well known level that I finally got around to play. What can I say? Gorgeous sets of levels! Challenging, exciting, lots of action, exploration and looking at the beautiful scenery! The atmosphere was fantastic. A stunning set of levels, though not for newbie raiders. This is advanced raiding! Highly reccommended!" - Thorir

"This game that containes five levels was not made for a pieceful walk. Some fantastic adventures await you! The authors made everything for you so that you can challenge the levels and yourself while uncovering the misteries of the jungle. Believe me, it worth the downloading and you will admit it was a good idea to start it. According to my humble experiences it is even more better than the Jungle part of TR3. If you missed Jungle Ruins 2 and 3 then recover them immediately. Tarzan can be only a greenhorned amateur with his knowledge about jumping from tree to tree, because Lara has to complete such challenges, for that the monkeys could never prepared the guy. Ok, there are no hippos. :) You better take care of your health, because seemingly the medipacks are not given too generously. I had to use 7 medipacks until the end, though I could spare the last one. But the blinking red stripe made me nervous. I could say the same things about the ammo, so the default pistols are the main weaponary. The major enemies are savages, tigers, crows, a disappointed snake, skeleton-warriors (they overtake you if you are not aware), nice water-monsters, some raptors, and his highness Mr. T-Rex. The only facilitation is that there are no spiders; probabley they were brought to an entomological experiment. There are many spiky traps waiting for their victims. Some of them can be noticed well, but not all of them. Always check the ceiling (it is not so important outside), because the green plants mark the hardly passable routes that are not good for your health. We can count also Lara as an enemy, because she is able to trip up also herself! It is highly adviced to be forgetful, because you need to know the already left-behind parts by heart. There are tricky jumps temptating Lara, and of course the timing also restricts the arrival. You can also check the temperature of the lava sometimes from closer, but at a certain place (?) as the water would be frozen beside it. It will turn out later. I advice to save often and store your things in a dictionary-tree. (Except some attantion) the first level is only a warm-up, the others will be always harder and harder. There are 5 secrets on the levels, so please find them because they belong to the feeling of the level. To feel good! I can only suggest this great adventure to every of you! You can find a Hungarian walkthrough (as we don't have English version), savegames and pictures here: http://treditor.hu/16/jungle_ruins1.htm" - Obig

"As I finally started playing the jungle series I had great expectations. I can also add that I have never been a fan of jungle levels.... before. To my surprise I changed my mind! Maybe not a big surprsie, as Both Todd and George are amazing builders hehe. These levels are so nicely done and with such touch that you can't do anything else than enjoying them and adore the work these two authors has done for us! I really like the difference in George and Todds building. They match up very good together. The highlights are the very cool obelisk puzzle in level two and the complex ending stages and hmmm the place where you place the sundisc is not easilly forgotten hehe. Thanks for a great and huge adventure guys!" - QRS

"Well yes, it is a great series and maybe it's just because I am spoiled, but I thought that given the great skill of these two authors, I found this was built for large parts in a bit of rushed mode. It has fabulous moments indeed, but it has also several passages that I found a bit uninspired. So going step by step... Jungle (8/8/10/9, 50 min., 1 secret): If you have played TRLE Gold this will feel like the immediate continuation of the Indiana Jones level by Raider X. Classic textures, nice waterfalls and somehow very very green this level. Great progression as you drop deeper and deeper into the jungle, only spoiled a bit by a very long shimmy passage near the beginning. The long river is nicely designed, you get to push a few blocks around, use ZIP lines and several levers and generally have plenty of exploring to do. There are a few jumps more on the trickier side, but nothing too bad, and hopping around the tree branches is always fun. Definitely my favourite part of this series. Jungle Temple (7/8/8/8, 30 min.): There is one rather tight timed swim to master here and generally a bit too much swimming in a maze like area that I found rather tedious. The timed torch situation is not very fair even though the fire wraith would eventually kill you, you can avoid it for quite a long time without a clue what you should be doing now. The puzzle where you have to turn the wheels is nice because it is rarely used, but overall this part was just not a whole lot of fun for me and I was happy to move on to the next. The Search (9/8/9/8, 50 min., 2 secrets): A mix of coastal and castle textures and you can sense the change of level designer here. I think there are no less than eight times sequences in this part, nicely varied and some require rather precise movements - my kind of game. The moving spikewall was particularly nasty and some of the jumps around the trees are tricky. Natives, tigers, crows, crocs, fish and an ahmet spice up the wildlife till you reach the ZIP line that brings you to the next part. Discovery (7/8/8/8, 55 min., 1 secret): Somehow the action abruptly stopped. Lengthy exploration with nothing to do, a lot of long backtracking several times and even though the idea with the long path for a push block is a good one, it did feel rather tedious until I eventually had managed to bring it to the other side. It gets a bit better towards the end with a neat block puzzle and some more hopping on tree branches. Jungle Lake (9/9/8/8, 50 min., 1 secret): A good part for the end of the series. From the moonlit outside right into the action around a clever five lever/door puzzle, with timed runs, traps, timed trapdoors, ropes and another timed run over fire pillars. I thought the textures were applied rather quickly though, but that did not matter much to me because of all the fun action. You then reach another pool room that requires a few well positioned jumps and you finally get to place your Sun Goddess and meet the inevitable T-Rex before the heli takes you away. Like I said - good, clean fun raiding and lots of it here. So I am looking forward to diving into Jungle Ruins 2 and 3 shortly." - MichaelP

"Game play and the puzzles were great. There could have been more secrets. Atmosphere, sound, cameras, the lighting and the textureing are applied great. Well done." - dantheraider

Not sure I like the spikes where a hint is given at the ceiling about their location although they perfectly make sense in the fifth level as part of the game play. Aside from this slightly annoying bit, a great set of levels that kept my interest at a high degree until the end. Jungle 9/8/10/10 I was very pleased to raid here. This level has the same textures than the TR3 levels, the game play is particularly clever and not easy, a lot of exploration to find your way in firstly intricate areas and secondly in a huge temple area built inside the curves of a river. Some movable blocks to spot and fun jumps to master. Great jungle atmosphere. Not many enemies, well that's not bad, because in the jungles of the real life animals don't jump on you every two minutes. Architecture is great, a lot of hours were surely necessary to design this level. Jungle temple 9/10/10/8 The fast pace of this level is quite different from the first. Here you have often to go quick. Levers to find, some timed swims and doors before arriving in a huge temple you need to flood and drain again to manoeuvre 3 big obelisks (like in the TR4 level : The great hypostyle room) Well done! Not many enemies but extremely well used. I've never been so happy to kill a crocodile! The search 9/9/10/9 A great level of exploration in a more colourful setting. The beautiful orange sky matches very well with the greenish textures. Many areas where you have to collect the crowbar, two jungle stars, some keys and a gem. I enjoyed the many timed tasks, and the great timed door for a secret. The progression is not too straightforward but quite logical in my opinion. I've never been stuck in this one. Discovery 9/8/10/9 An ambush right at the start where one can notice a change of the background atmosphere. Also the night is falling, as the sky is now deep blue, nice touch. This level is about a big puzzle area where you have to raise blocks in order to move a movable block without triggering again fire burners. It is a great puzzle and I enjoyed solving it. There is also a big forest area where you have to find your way by jumping from trees to trees. Too much backtracking though, I don't understand why the areas had to be so big in between. I really enjoy the end of the level in a room where you have to find the way to solve a torch puzzle without being crushed by spikes - that was fun. Jungle lake 10/9/10/8 Again a fun level. A good challenge with fire wraiths and sea medusas, then the highlight is to find 5 combinations of levers opening doors for different challenges , timed runs, and a room with Damocles swords. On the second part, a big cave with a lake where you have to find your way around and master series of easy jumps on sloped blocks. Found a shortcut to reach the exit door here, as I did not used the monkey swing. The T-Rex shows up its nose before reaching the helicopter. - eRIC

"Jungle Ruins is a five levels game with wide jungle areas and some temples to explore. The atmosphere is very similar to the TR3, even the music is taken from that game: I like it. There are 5 secrets but I only found 3 in six hours of net game. It's a long and beautiful game; full of puzzles (some of them tedious) and enemies. I've enjoyed this game and I recommend it very much." - Loupar

"I started this and I threw it away, but as you can see I finished it. Jungle and exploring, my cup of tea. Not an easy one and lots of back and fro. Figuring out what is the best way to jump here and there and don't forget the secrets, 5 in total if I am not wrong. The block pushing in level 4 was a bit tedious and the 5 lever puzzle was try and error and I hated that. Had a hard time with the timed runs in this one and I could use some indication which lever you had to use twice. But all in all, a level one has to play. 16-05-2005" - Gerty

"Welcome to the jungle! A TR quest at its finest. Large vast areas to explore and find your way through - much like the real thing. Full of creepy jungle noises and mosquitoes. It's all there, the canopy, the jungle floor, rivers, ruins, and subterranean pools and chambers. You never know where an enemy might pop up because the areas are so vast, and it's sometimes easy to get lost. But that's the jungle for ya. Not too much to find in each area, just enough to get you through to the next leg of your journey - again just like it really might be in real life. A great romp for veterans and an immersive adventure for the novice." - Deekman

"Considering this one was built by two of my favorite authors I was pretty sure I'd enjoy it. And I was absolutely right. It's a fabulous piece of game we have here. I'm usually not that fond of Jungle levels, especially the ones where you have to make your way through the canopy because they confuse me and I soon find myself very lost. Surprisingly, I haven't got this problem here. Maybe because everything is so professionally designed and 'tidy'. This said it's one difficult adventure to play, with all the usual suspects: tight timed-run (including one with a skeleton and a timed-block that had me revile at George a lot), tricky jumps, hungry fishes infested waters and some devious puzzles. The enemies aren't that easy either especially the native warriors and not to mention the infamous T-Rex. This is one of those adventures which provides not only an excellent raiding time but also a bit of education in the process, since you end up a better player once you've completed it. Very satisfying and highly recommended!" - Sutekh

"I must have forgotten to review this great set of levels when I played it back in 12/04. I remember that it was quite challenging particularly the first two levels by Todd. But George's contributions were no walk in the park either. The main objection I had was the segment where you had to go all over creation and back again looking for buttons and switches to raise blocks in a water room. That one nearly did me in. But on the whole this was a great collaboration that gave me nearly as much gaming fun as the Eidos gold packs for TR1 TR2 and TR3. I hope that these and/or other builders will consider joining forces for projects in a similar vein. Highly recommended." - Phil

"Well this was an extremely lovely set of levels and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. I haven't played a jungle level for a long time so this was quite a treat for me getting into a lovely TR jungle adventure again. Textures lighting game play & sound effects was absolutely brilliant which gives you that feel you were actually in this jungle getting totally lost fighting off tigers some snakes crocodiles tribes-man and those funny underwater creatures along your way. Well I can't say I didn't get lost because I did sometimes I just didn't know which way to go and had to resort to using the walkie to get me through these lovely set of levels. But this did not put any dampers on me in having such a great time in this wonderful laid out Lara adventure everything was perfectly placed with some lovely waterfalls. There is quite a few hard timed runs to deal with which had me stumped for while well a long while in fact you just seemed to get past one and another timed run comes along soon afterwards but it's all good fun and all part of this great adventure. Then you will eventually come to this huge lovely room where you had to do all that pulling of a block puzzle that had me running back and forth to get the block onto that last square and my poor Lara was shattered after all that running and pulling...lol You will also be looking for and retrieving some stars using a lever switch puzzle I enjoyed that bit. Then there was the one and only T-Rex it was lovely to see him again but again sad to have to kill him well it's either Lara or him so he had to be blasted away so Lara could finish her mission to get out of this jungle. All in all this is an absolute must to play and well worth the d/load many thanks to George & Todd for such a lovely adventure." - Gill

"In these five levels I liked the parts by Todd best. They are built wonderfully in textures and in a first-class architecture. The parts of George however have her main focus in gameplay together the series is a real pleasure and tombraiding in the classical jungle style. Highly recommended." - Xxenofex

"Jungle: How could I have forgotten that you can get tigers in the jungle? Why was it such a shock? I can only plead in my defence that the steamy jungle heat and being swept over a succession of waterfalls had left me half senseless (or half-witted if you prefer). It's a beautiful jungle setting this one and I had a lot of fun falling out of trees into the water and being nibbled by fish as the current whizzed me past. I always enjoy climbing trees and there are some nicely hidden levers to get to in the treetops in this level. Mind you I'm glad I don't live there. I mean if you had to go to that much trouble to open the door you'd certainly think twice about popping out for a packet of crisps and a bottle of wine. Jungle Temple: Wow swimming in crocodile infested passages timed runs fire wraiths. At least I got a shotgun which cheered me up immensely. Nice to see the obelisk puzzle - we don't see that very often. I got very confused in this level I must confess - probably because of all the swimming. The Search: How lovely to get out of the water and into the fresh air again. Not that there isn't a spot of swimming to do in this part. There are also a few really good timed runs one of which involves dashing through the treetops - exhilarating stuff. Lovely sneaky bit of misdirection at the end too concerning a rising block. Discovery: What a reception committee - tigers a wild boar and a crow. What I want to know is why didn't the tigers eat the wild boar? Most of this section revolves around a really cleverly devised extended block puzzle that I liked a lot. The camera sequence with lots of doors opening to the sound of boding music was most effective - I wondered what the hell I was in for (it turned out to be a small tribe of South Sea Islanders). Jungle Lake: Just in case you were getting too relaxed about the whole thing this part starts off with a dash away from a couple of fire wraiths and a dive into some welcome water only to discover it's inhabited by a sea hag. There's a five lever puzzle to open five different doors and I couldn't see a key to it so just had to do it on a trial and error basis. Oh and hey guess what we get a T-Rex. Hoorah. An excellent collaboration from two fine level builders. This one should keep you entertained for hours." - Jay

"One adventure in five challenging levels. Nothing specially new about the textures but that's not a minus because every texture is very well applied with taste and knowledge from the beginning to the end. The first level really captures the Indian jungle ambiance of TR3 and I do believe it's the first time I've seen tigers and even a snake (judiciously located near a hidden by bushes hole on the ground where one must go) in custom levels. Bravo for that! Still the first level is precisely the most complicated because it's mostly about swimming in rivers and jumping from branch to branch in an immense environment and it can become quite confusing. If ever I felt really stuck truly lost in this game it was in this first level - and later on in a block puzzle located in a huge room which is the pivotal area for one of the levels. The rest of the game is always very creative but growingly loses that TR3 feeling... Which isn't necessarily bad just different. The activities and puzzles are very varied but there's one timed sequence in a small room with a skeleton which is nearly impossible. The enemies are black skeletons (that you can't explode but you may smash their heads with the revolver) fire wraiths two persistent sea hags that you can kill (at least the second) crocodiles and hungry fishes not forgetting one raptor and George's T Rex near the end. This apparently flawless captivating game is also interesting because it's team work. Very well done George and Todd! (September 5 2004)" - Jorge22

"One of my favourite settings the jungle is in this game. There are waterfalls a lot of greenery and I enjoyed very much exploring each area in every level. The gameplay is most of the time straight forward which doesn't mean of course that it's easy. Like in every jungle level you'll find snakes friendly monkeys and dangerous fish in the water. As much as I liked this I am not very fond of the dual-function switches which are used often and can be quite frustrating. The timed runs are present as well with one of them being a trap should the player not make it past the door in time. In general the areas are filled with lava others with fire and spike tiles ladders the outside areas are wonderful too and I liked the fact that there is actually a hint showing you the exact location of the tile that has spikes. The keys and gems are the main items one has to find and most of the time Lara is jumping on tree branches pushing blocks and performs other tasks to reach new areas. The pool with the many trigger tiles and the moving block was rather tedious in the end but still nicely done. Apart from a couple of minor glitches like some fires in an outside area that can be seen to be 'standing' in thin air the game is problems free unless you encounter the savegame bug. Luckily I got this bug after I finished the first level and while I wanted to go back to check out an area since I didn't use the second zip line. No matter how many times I wasn't able to access that level again so be careful and after the first zip line save often and in different slots. For once the lighting in such a game is just right with shadows and but not too dark I'd say it had the right atmosphere. I found four secrets that were rather easy enough so I wonder where I missed the fifth one. It's a great adventure close to four and a half hours that shouldn't be missed." - Kristina

"What do you get when you cross RaiderX and GM? A great jungle adventure apparently. These games comprise around five hours of playing time in a terrific jungle environment along with some of the most engaging gameplay I've come across lately. The first jungle room is IMHO a masterpiece of room design. Everything comes together perfectly here - the atmosphere game map etc. I love the three-dimensional aspect of exploring from the bottom of a river to the tops of the trees and everywhere in between. Suffice it to say this room will bring out your inner-Tarzan (or Jane) the way a jungle room should. The rooms in the balance of the game are well done but this one really stands out. Gameplay-wise you'll get a full serving of puzzles traps and exploring along with a few skill sequences and timed runs (none overly taxing but a couple are nicely original). It was fun to see the obelisk puzzle from TR4 but as it was copied almost exactly from that game (and we thus already knew the solution) it posed no challenge. It's too bad this puzzle wasn't adapted in some more original way. On the other hand the moving block puzzle in 'Discovery' is an example of a great pushable object puzzle. The entire level really revolves around this puzzle which demonstrates that the real object of these puzzles is figuring out where the thing goes and how to get it there not just pushing a block from point A to point B. If these levels have a small failing it's in the objects and enemies category. The Greco-Roman star receptacles were out of place in this environment. And then there's the T-Rex which I know has become something of a trademark for GM. Well I remember how terrifying that creature was when I played the Great Wall level of TR2 but most of now know it's easier to dispatch than those little warthogs and it really doesn't add much value (other than the 'oh there's the T-Rex - I knew it would be somewhere' value). Still enemies like the retextured skellies and the wraiths are used to excellent effect. Well they say too many chefs spoil the soup but in this collaboration the flavor is just right. Thanks for a great adventure guys!" - Tombaholic

"This is an outstanding game. The levels take place in jungle areas and I just LOVE jungles! They are my second favorite level types, second to cathedral type levels. In here, Lara goes on a search to find the Sun Talisman, but she doesn't plan on keeping it, she plans to use it to discover a lost lake. The levels are spectacular and they were very fun to play. Jungle (60 min.) The adventure starts off with a good flyby of the starting area. The level mainly takes place around a large river, and the river itself and the surroundings around it were beautiful. We also have the zipline here too, not to mention some enemies of TR3. The level used the India textures of TR3, and they were very well applied. The music is from TR3 also, and it was used well in this level. Our goal here is to discover the gold key and make our way up to a door that was closed earlier by using treetops and climbing to the upper part of the jungle. The enemies here were a few tigers and some angry fish. Jungle Temple (40 min.) We now enter a temple, where the level begins with some lever pulling and swimming while you are being chased by a hungry crocodile. After that, the gameplay gets more interesting. There are two quite good timed runs here, but I prefer the one that has you lighting a torch on the wall, then a door opens and you are being chased by wraiths, and you don't have much time to make it there, so I had to sommersault down the slope. Then, we enter a large and impressive lava room for Lara to play in. There were some bits with monkey swinging around burners, but I've mastered them, so they weren't much of a problem. Then later we get access to a big flooded room, which was beautiful, and we had to drain the water so the pillar puzzle from TR4's 'Hypostyle Hall' could be done, to get our hands on a sun disk and a key. We then go place the key and slide down several slopes to end the level. There weren't many cameras or flybys, but the level was good. However, we had another dual-function switch here, but thank goodness that there was only one, or I'd go crazy. The textures here were a mix of the India textures and the 'Temple of Puna' textures from TR3. The enemies in here were some cannibals, fire wraiths, and a crocodile. The Search (70 min.) This was a really enjoyable level for me. The setting changes a bit as the sun starts to set in the jungle. Here we have a few good timed runs in this level, so that's a plus for me. The setting has Lara visiting various temples and outdoor areas here, and they were very well made. The horizon wasn't new, but it did fit in with the setting. There were some cleverly hidden traps here, such as spikes that you could only tell where they popped out if you had seen hanging greenery up in the ceiling. There was even the spike wall trap from TR3, and that was a good thing, because I like those kinds of traps. Here we have to search for keys, two Jungle Stars, and a gem to reach the end. The level ends by Lara sliding down into a passage heroically on a zipline. The textures were mainly made up of the India textures, but there was also a mix with some TR4 textures and the TR1 Atlantis cave textures. Our enemies here were some birds, tigers, crocodiles, fish, cannibals, and a miniature version of the ahmet, retextured to look like the beast from 'Labyrinth' of TRC. Discovery (115 min.) This level offers a lot of pushing. The level starts with an ambush, and then you visit a large room with a big pool where your goal is to take a pushable tile and raise tiles by collecting items from different places and having to push the block onto tiles with faces. There is a key to find, a star, and there are some switches to pull. There were some good flybys in this level too, and there were nice surroundings. Still we had the green foliage spike trap from the previous level, and the thought of that literally gives me the shivers. The last room is very hard to penetrate because there are spikes and lava tiles that can kill you if you don't look. You need to use a torch here to burn a pulley holding a boulder, so it falls through a hole, and so you can claim the gem you need to finish. That room was a challenge, even for a raider of my status. The textures used here mostly came from the previous level, but nevertheless, they were still very well applied. The enemies I encountered here were fish, birds, cannibals, tigers, and a crocodile. Jungle Lake (60 min.) The finale was a very good level, and sometime after the beginning, there is a very good gauntlet which has you being chased by fire wraiths, then you have to jump into a pool, but then you get attacked by the very impressive sea hag of TRC, and you have to pull a switch while it inflicts pain on you. Still, the thing that I didn't like was the green foliage trap, because it still gives me the shivers. One area that I didn't particularly like here was the combination switch room, as it was hard for me to keep track of which switches open which doors. However, I managed to get through that room with some help. There were plenty of good timed runs here, and my favorite one was the one over fire pillars. We have to find the sun goddess that we have been searching for after getting the sun disk, then we use it in the place of the load screen, and that was also good. Then the infamous T-Rex attacks, but it's very easy to kill with the shotgun. The series end with Lara getting approaching a helicopter, then the brilliant levels by George and Todd end. There weren't new textures, but they were well applied. Enemies here were sea hags, a raptor, and some odd black skeletons. Bottomline - The adventure took me five long hours to complete, and I only found two secrets. Shame on me (sniff). But anyway, you shouldn't miss these levels, as they have great gameplay and are worth playing." - Relic Hunter

"This 5-part series offers again everything that TR has to offer. Nice puzzles a lot of climbing swimming and timed sequences. One criticism: The cameras or rather the lack of them. Which could lead to a lot of frustration with players. But if you are patient you should play it - it did never lose its magic for me. I was thrilled. Each level was huge in design enemies were suitable and I liked it a lot. Congratulations both of you and thanks for the help with the crowbar." - Navi