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Mystic Desert by Lara4ever

Blue43 4 4 5 6
Cory 3 5 6 6
Daffy 4 5 5 6
Duncan 5 5 7 5
eRIC 5 5 8 6
Gerty 4 4 5 5
Jay 5 5 6 7
Jose 5 3 5 5
Kristina 4 4 4 4
MichaelP 7 5 5 7
mugs 5 5 4 4
Orbit Dream 5 6 5 6
QRS 5 5 7 8
Ryan 5 5 5 5
Sash 6 5 7 7
Scottie 3 4 5 6
Treeble 7 7 8 8
 
release date: 22-Jun-2005
# of downloads: 53

average rating: 5.32
review count: 17
 
review this level

file size: 14.91 MB
file type: TR4
class: Desert
 


author profile(s):
email(s):
spancheri@gmx.at

Reviewer's comments
"Although this is the single offering from this builder, I thought it was a nice one to have. As a standard level it might not hold up very well, but there's something unique and fun to the checkered texture patterns here, it somehow reminded me of Sonic (?!) games. The end of the world is always there, and there are some questionable design choices here such as unmarked climbable walls and walkthrough walls, but all in all I can say I enjoyed my time here. There were some nice platforming sequences, none too taxing, and the colorful environments matched the blue night horizon perfectly. 25 minutes, 1 secret. 10/21" - Treeble (24-Oct-2021)
"I don't mean to sound harsh here, but I got fairly bored when playing this level. It's not bad for a debut level but it seemed repetitive, gameplay-wise. Long swimming passages, nauseating earthquakes and having to cross floating blocks a few too many times. Also, the necessity for Lara having to spill her blood to obtain an item and climb a pole is not player friendly game design. Not terrible, just substandard and mediocre." - Ryan (14-Nov-2016)
"This level starts very nicely with some good platform jumping over semi-transparent blocks but unfortunately turns soon into a very tedious running and climbing through minimalist and boxy rooms and hallways. The builder placed a lot of completely unmarked climbable walls and also multiple unmarked walk-through walls, which did not help game-play at all. Lara took a lot of health loss from several ninja attacks and there very a bunch of spikes and blades placed in a way that it was impossible to get by without use of health packs. I don't know why there was a Medipack and the UZI placed inside the spikes. That alone cost almost the whole health at once since there was no lever or anything to retract them. The room architecture and layout seemed a bit thrown together, the texturing was rather basic and the lighting was not bad but a bit bright and even for the most part, although there were a few dark areas where Lara could use flares. As others mentioned before there is just not much to do here other than run and climb and pick up a few items so the level seemed a lot longer than it actually was and the two earthquakes were not so such a pleasant experience either." - Blue43 (16-Mar-2011)
"Well, on the one hand the level is built on the whole quite substantially. But on the other hand was this level so deadly dull that my feet have fallen asleep. On the one hand he has a few quite nice ideas. But on the other hand there are thus some irritating places. So, for example, a ladder with a jackknife completely below which it makes almost impossible to climb this leader upwards. Or the Baddy completely at the beginning. One jumps about a few blocks upwards and then must be fired from below from the Baddy, because if one jumps down, one cannot use the blocks any more because Lara burns, otherwise. And then one must still pick up a star which lies in a spike field. And one has to go at a pole upwards which stands also in a spike field. Well, luckily the inclined player finds enough Medipacks. The level builder could have shortened this level laxly by at least one third. But if as well as now it has given no pleasure." - Scottie (05-May-2010)
"I found that this level well began with a nice idea of translucent slabs, I hoped for an original level on visual plan but unfortunately my hopes quickly disappeared. Not that this level is badly really constructed, they see nice thing there, but the monotony of the gameplay spoils the pleasure of playing, of big corridor on foot or in the water, sharp repetitions of blade and rooms or there is nothing to make, here is what is found on the way, it is not much to have a good time!" - Daffy (29-Aug-2009)
"I found the gameplay incerdibly annoying with the "unoticable" paths and huge rooms with pushable blocks that did nothing and most annoyingly, having to get hurt to progress. The texturing was good but spoilt by the semi-lack of lighting. Atmosphere was ok, but cameras were good. There were lots of enemies and objects were used decently. All in all, this was an okay level but i don't reccomend it unless you like jumping from block to block over and over and over again." - Cory (13-Jan-2008)
"Well,it's mystic alright;but that was probably a descriptive afterthought in order to explain away what was clearly a "let's see what the LE can do" experiment. Hence we have loads of translucent floating platforms;dozens of walkthrough walls;flipped rooms and multi-coloured use of lighting. The Gameplay is simple and straightforward platforming stuff,with no need to worry about puzzles or tedious block-pushing sequences; it's all linear and completely straightforward,with a few enemies to provide a little action here and there.Not a bad level to wile away half-an-hour or so,but it didn't keep me particularly gripped." - Orbit Dream (12-Jan-2008)
"Well this is sure a refreshing twist on the old tut theme. You begin this level very mystically by jumping on translucent floating platforms to get to a hovering gate in the sky and it just seems to get odder, but for me odder isn't always a bad thing. You come across loads of walk through walls, one of which had me stuck for a little while until it's entrance when I reloaded once was open and in sight, but then I reloaded again to see what triggered it and I could no longer see the opening but it still was there. As others have said this level after a while does have some repetitive aspects but this never bothered me as I can only put it down to the environment as it was bright and colourful and just made me feel good playing there. This is however an easy level and it won't win any awards but I really enjoyed it, though I wish there had been more than one simple secret to find." - Sash (01-Nov-2005)
"The minute I stared this level I knew I had played it before, and I even know when. Dutchy was still bunking here before or after the Lage meeting. We both got rather sick with that first earthquake, he a bit more than I. So we followed each other up, he did the jumping in the sky and I did the earthquakes. But playing it for a second time to review it, I had to do all of it. Best was the dive in that ankle deep water. I am still puzzled why Lara didn't die. For the rest it is a nice experience for the builder, a bit 'out of here' for me though. 16-08-2005" - Gerty (25-Aug-2005)
"Too much mystic for me this desert. Bad architecture only squares and rectangles, too much ledges in midair, too much unreal, water surface with stone textures, Lara trespassing solid walls, you can see the black limits of the rooms and collision with no textures, ... In the room with the pole and spikes in the corners I had to get the Hand of Sirius with so much damage (I didn't know how to retract the spikes). What's the use of the second Hand, only to stop an earthquake? Puzzles consist only jump over moving blades. There was only the same enemie along the level: the white ninja, ah! and a couple of scorpions. A level to forget." - Jose (09-Aug-2005)
"The setting is not very good, plain textures, empty rooms and the blackness outside spoils the atmosphere. It doesn't have any interesting puzzles either, just the usual lever to push to open a door and some floating colourful blocks to jump to. It has a few nice touches here and there but nothing memorable. There are two different routes you can follow and end the level. I found one secret." - Kristina (27-Jul-2005)
This is a first time effort,so don't expect too much from it. There's a nice touch or two, but overall it's very repetitive in terms of settings and gameplay. Still, with a little more experience this could be a builder to watch in the future - he just needs to put a more variety into his levels. - Jay (20-Jul-2005)
Actually a fun little 30 minutes level overall with interesting floating platforms, slide jumps, two nice flybys, good use of colour, a great full moon horizon and a variety of traps (spikes, blades, darts) before you get your hands on that dagger. What spoils it a bit is that it gets more and more linear as you progress with unnecessarily tedious running and climbing, walkthrough walls, unmarked climbable walls and the likes. Added to that are the three unpleasant earthquakes and several 'end of the world' areas. But it is still good easy fun while it lasts. Found one secret (Uzi). - Michael (03-Jul-2005)
When I saw this level was the Tut wad, I almost didn't play it, as I am tired of those textures. It was an enjoyable surprise to see the author has tried a different approach to an Egyptian level. I liked the floating blocks and walls, and the surreal effect that gives. Gameplay is easy with a bit too much of the same thing, and the earthquakes are annoying. Well worth a look, and I hope the author gives us more. - Duncan (01-Jul-2005)
A straightforward raid in a strange setting. Some buildings in the midst of nowhere, with a black horizon and the full moon in the sky. Unrealistic but not ugly. 30 minutes with some outside areas, inside areas and long swims. You have to jump on translucent platforms, deal with plinth blades, pick up a few stars that will trigger earthquakes and flip maps. Actually the level is well made, the couple of fly-bys and the flipmaps are very well executed, and I like the view of the 2 ninjas jumping over the water hole. A good thing this level lasts only 30 minutes because it tends to be a bit repetitive and uneventful towards the end. Climb a ladder, make a long slide and fall into a hole of water. The occasional walkthrough wall is easy to spot. The texturing is good although a bit monotonous, and a bit weird in some places, but I reckon it is intentional and that works rather well . The lighting is very flat. Quite different from your usual tutorial experience, and only a small download size, so give it a try. - eRIC (29-Jun-2005)
A very easy and straight forward kind of level. In terms of gameplay it lacks the challenge and there is no risk of even coming close of being stuck if you decide to play this one. I did enjoy it though, cause it had a lot of nice features! I loved the start with the invisible platforms and the flipmap lava/water pool. Also the lighting on these platforms and other rooms were great! I also liked the way the author has experimented with the walkthrough walls etc. I sense great potential from this author. Just stay away from the earthquakes, will you? It makes us all dizzy! :) At least stop it after a few seconds hehe. Keep up the good work! 2005-06-22 - QRS (27-Jun-2005)
Mystic Desert must forever remain a mystery for mugs. The earthquake effect lasts for so long that my eyes finally started to bother me and I had to abandon this game. I have never been able to figure out why some builders like to prolong the use of this effect. That aside, Sebastian's game is very repetitive, utilizing the same climbing and sliding over and over again. I'm afraid this can get pretty boring. I felt as though this game was more of an exercise in perfecting the use of sharply sloping camera angles. I look forward to more from this builder, offering more in terms of variety and less reliance on one particular effect. - Mugs (27-Jun-2005)