Level reviews

"It took me three four nights to get through this levelset, but it was definitely worth every second. The environments are gorgeous, despite the technically low-resolution textures from TR1 and TR3. Gameplay has a fair share of backtracking to be done and a lot of exploring - the levels are massive after all - , but the walkthrough is there for a reason (thank you, Sutekh!). I had a few issues lining up some of the jumps in the first level, the swingpoles for instance had Lara flying off at weird angles at times, and one diagonal rope swing took me more tries than I can remember, but I eventually got there. These are fine levels and quite true to form, I particularly love how "She's Cool" starts playing when you reach the last minute of a level. Lots of custom objects help make this a unique yet familiar experience, and the revision of The Lost Valley as the final level was a nice and unexpected treat. The only downside was the herbs, I guess, they were rather hard to spot amidst all the greenery. 4 hours, 14 secrets. 02/23" - Treeble

"The Jungle Ruins saga continues with episode three and this is a worthy successor to the originals that continues traditional raiding in it's finest form. I will not go into all the wow moments (and there are many) but just mention one negative. Replacing the traditional med packs with those stupid healing weeds that are oh so easy to miss. Why? What is wrong with a med pack? Sorry but I detested that. There are some tricky jumping sequences through flame emitters that will try your patience and a little too much back tracking for my liking. Also the guide sometimes took forever to catch up with Lara so she stood around scratching her butt waiting for him to catch up. Then the Triceratops had a hell of a time hitting the first boulder in the confined space he/she had to work in but other than those minor points a fine raid that will keep you occupied for around 4 hours." - Torry

"Much simpler than the first 2 although it helps to do some exploring for before pulling any levers so you know the locations of any gates that may be in the areas - you are rarely shown what a lever does when pulled. Very enjoyable and a nice blast from the past in Lost Valley. Really loving the Jungle Ruins series so far. Nice play style with the limit on weapons. I found it a little confusing that the secrets were a mix of items and skulls when the skull weren't used for anything. Another great game from the series. Took 6 and a half hours to play." - izzynoodles

"Return to the Lost Caves (8-9-10-9): The quality of the visuals has improved in the third JR part and this level shows already quite atmospheric caves and also rather remarkable camera work with the guide. The texturing and lighting are more believable here. Starting with a few slightly buggy acrobatics the gameplay is a good mix of platforming and exploration, the guide scenes are always great and all in all this felt like a good level to get started in this part. The secrets were wellhidden and the use of enemies is also quite good. Later on you return here for a nice intermezzo with a stylish triceratops you have to use to your advantage. 25+5 minutes.
The Caves of Water (7-8-9-9): My least favourite level of this part, mainly because the gameplay, while still overall decent, often felt rather uninspired and contained a lot of to and fro and there are rather long distances. One key that can be found very close to the keyhole was also a bit dull and there's a (admittedly more funny than serious) bug in which a raptor died repetitively (!). The flooding scene is of course nice and the quest for the four items is enjoyable nevertheless. Visuals are still quite good and the secrets are nicely hidden. 25 minutes.
The Temple of the Snake Stone (8-9-9-8): The items are getting more and more fancy here and I really like that most of them are customized in this game (compared to rather unfitting objects in the last parts). The gameplay picks up again with a lot of platforming in a large hall being the main element of this game, good timed runs here. Perhaps this hall is visually the least inspired area in the whole game since it's very blocky and with bland lighting. One secret is rather hard to miss here. 30 minutes.
Temple of the Shiva (8-9-10-9): Lots of puzzles in this part especially good torch puzzles and the complicated one with the pushables and the torch is quite enjoyable, while the one which includes pushing four identical statues to four identical tiles in one room was darn boring. The change of setting somewhat works here and I found the atmosphere to be very convincing here. The Shiva statues in all forms are well used in this game, may it be as decorative or interactive objects or even enemies (notable also the pole you have to push first!). Perhaps the jumpswitch secret is a bit obscure and not so well thought out because you have to use the switch first or you can't get it later which doesn't make much sense. 40 minutes.
Return to the Lost Valley (7-9-9-8): This is a rather nice trip down memory lane but I felt it could've been somewhat more original, there is not so much added gameplay here although the plant and T-Rex scenes certainly make up for it. While I can understand the original level was largely unchanged, the lighting (that wasn't very nice in TR 1 obviously) could've been improved somewhat as it's pretty flat, but the texturing is decent enough. A slightly less intense but cinematic finale to the "classic" part of the series. Secrets are not too hard to find. 35 minutes.
Summary: Until that point certainly the best part of the series and the adventure that most deserves the HoF entry, but I think that compared to equally rated levels this stands a bit behind. It's atmospheric and visually neat, but the gameplay is not as inventive and varied as it could be and this levelset somewhat lacks the feeling of a "crème de la crème" release. Still that shouldn't distract you from playing this very good and after all strongly recommended release that took me 2:40 hours to complete, with 14 found secrets." - manarch2

"Ah, great teamwork, you three. Similar to what we saw in TR1 and TR3, yet so different. Exploring the spooky jungle caves, or revisiting old haunts in the Lost Valley, there is something for everyone here. Brilliant. Quirkily named inventory items too." - Ryan

"Wonderful adventure, all levels are excellent with a lot of thinking to solve puzzles. Great atmosphere, music, lighting and the gameplay is addictive. Many exploration to find the levers or items needed to advance. The last level reminded me a lot of memories. Excellent!" - Drakan

"I played this adventure some months ago and it impressed me so much that I replayed it and not just because I wanted to make a review but for the pleasure to play it again as well. The whole game is very well thought out especially the guide who is accompanying you throughout. Also things like puzzles, tasks, gameplay, story, atmosphere, music, enemies, objects are perfection, some secrets are easier some are well hidden, in terms of lighting textures fantastic. I must also mention that I liked Jungle Ruins 2 a little bit more (perhaps it is because of less inspiration in terms of gameplay in the last levels of the JR3 in my opinion) but don`t take those words too much in thinking because this is definitely an adventure in which you would loose much of the fun in trle world if not playing it :D A big THANK goes to these amazing builders EssGee, GMac and Raider X for this masterpiece. 9/10/10/10" - OverRaider

"This final set of the trilogy sets itself firmly in a Peru setting outside of one level, and feels much more coherent as a result (even if a certain cameo does raise the question of how Lara somehow got from a dense jungle to Peru), the one exception combines Indian and Scottish textures in a way that, when combined with the lighting, is still coherent and creates an atmosphere I found completely unique. While Jungle Ruins 2's visuals had aged quite a bit graphically in some ways, this follow-up has excellent visual design throughout. The only issue I had is that something odd is going on with the enemy design, and stuff like Raptors went from being fine in earlier parts to being ridiculously hard to hit and somehow being poisonous, but the great object work elsewhere balances this out.
The gameplay shows similar improvement; the difficulty curve is balanced out compared to the last set, and there's a good mix of exploration and puzzles, along with one of the best uses of the guide I've seen and some cool flooding/draining sequences. The only bits that let it down are parts of Temple of the Shiva, which seem a bit inclined towards backtracking and block puzzles. Unlike Jungle Ruins 2, I don't really see any need for an "NG" remake of this set at all, as it excels in just about every area, and is the one part of Jungle Ruins that's a must-play." - Mman

"As for gameplay: compared to "Beyond the Scion" or "The Experiment 3.2", it can't get a 10. It's "only" very, very good. Soaked with variety. There are places where a classic mix of climbing, jumping, rope- and monkeyswinging occurs in search for a switch, what is always ended with great satisfaction feeling when we finally reach the mechanism. There is also a part when we have to fill a whole cave with water. And, very original, unlocking a path with some help of a triceratops. But I won't say the gameplay is genious. Sometimes one can feel emptiness, running through those caves. Some agility, some perfect timing and action is missing. The second disappointing thing is the texturing. Sometimes one can see squares. Good thing is they are lightened very well and placed the way that makes the overall impression much better. But - let me be honest - these textures are NOT as good as Horus's or Piega's. This is NOT a masterpiece. I CAN'T give 10, no matter how much I want to. OK, that's enough criticism. Time to highlight what is marvellous in this game. It's one of these adventures where one doesn't know what to say about puzzles, because the whole game is one big puzzle unity to solve, one mission to complete, and you see the slots in the central level and can't wait to play the remaining parts to be able to finally place the keys and find out what happens next. That makes a great atmosphere of mystery and curiosity, and those emotions power a player to keep going on. Objects... Healing herbs... Dead T-Rex... Qualopec's modified throne... LOL, Raptor's eyes... RAPTOR'S EYES!!! A.W.E.S.O.M.E.! ! ! No more comments on objects. Enemies are mentioned raptors, mentioned triceratops... and lots of not mentioned animals, customized and hostile, appearing in right moments and most of them want to eat you. Welcome to the jungle. Secrets are challenging. That skull in flames... is great work, really. I tried not to extinguish the fire but only sprinted out of the chamber and landed in the water to survive. Then I read the word "fire-free" in this fragment of the walkthru and realized I can turn off that flames. So I didn't read anything more and found the way to inactivate the trap by myself. And the way is... creative. Very creative, I think. I like such ways of getting secrets. This game contains one of the most professional cameras I've ever seen in a custom level. Throughout your mission, they make you feel like watching an epic adventure movie. The final sequence is very simple, but it represents that Unforgettable Kind of simplicity. SUMMARY: Some people claim they don't like jungle levels. Fortunately, these things you can download here are NOT jungle levels - but simply jungle ruins. Because a great game is like a great movie - you forget it's only a fiction." - DJ Full

"The last epic set of levels of Jungle Ruins episodes is truly amazing. Levels have great atmosphere, excellent objects and magnificent gameplay. Before I started playing it I didn’t expect that it will be so good. The game is very involving and I had hardness to stop playing it. I didn’t found all of the secrets, I missed two golden skulls and I have no idea where were those secrets. They were very well hidden. Return to the Lost Caves – as the “Lost Caves” level in JR2 wasn’t very spectacular at all, that this one is. It’s some kind of training before the real adventure. We can see some brand new things like new moves, objects etc. There is a lot of exploring too. I thought that author left too much of free space, but I was wrong. All of the big caves were created very smartly, with enough place for the dinosaur. The dinosaur?! Yes, the dinosaur. I haven’t expected this but it is very interesting thing. It’s very different from the usual parts of gameplay. I was also confused when I saw the pterosaur. Still, those creatures don’t exist in present days, but I have to admit that they fit very well with the title of the level. So after finishing this level I had a smile on my face. It’s a good level which wasn’t very difficult to finish. The Caves of Water – I was beginning this level with the thought: “Oh no, another caves?”. This was true, but the differences between the previous level and this one are very big. Firstly I was delighted by the flyby camera showing little dinosaurs and then showing… T-Rex. This is a kind of surprise for the player, but very pleasant one. In me opinion, everyone thinks that the T-Rex is the best enemy in TR games. So, this sequence will stay in my mind for a very long time. Level is very complicated. It’s difficult to find path, assuming you don’t recognise where you are. Unless you get familiar with the environment you will be stuck. Fortunately there are always cameras showing what happened after pulling the switch, inserting the key etc. I like that textures are placed well what increases the realism. Lighting is good either, but I would set lights less colourful. Sometimes you can feel like on the disco, what isn’t pleasant. Overall this level is very good, has great modelled rooms, nice new objects and superb gameplay. The Temple of Snake Stone – first steps in this level are shocking. You hear a loud T-Rex’s scream and then you see exploding boars’ heads. It’s enough to make my heart beating very fast. When I saw the big area with trees and rocks I thought that GMac again wasted a lot of space. Fortunately I was partially wrong. We really often visit this room so it wasn’t such a waste of space. I had some problems before I got to the temple and I had to pass it with the help of walkthrough. But I had a lot of fun in the T-Rex’s lair. Suddenly big T-Rex started hunting on me. The whole game is full of suprises like this. The temple itself is great. The gameplay here is a masterpiece, because it’s very enjoyable. I was amused by the acrobatics on the high structures and timed runs on the top of the temple. It is a great level. Temple of Shiva – here Raider X returns to the building style he presented us in his “Jungle Temple” level in JR1, it’s only a little bit bigger and better created, I think. I found here one, very evident crack which was annoying. Everything else was great – there are big temple areas, wise puzzles, tricky jumps, it’s really nice level. I only was bored with the last push- puzzle with torch. I enjoyed fighting with shivas, which were activating just like in TR3. Secret in the second shiva room was either very well hidden or very stupidly hidden because I didn’t find it even with the walkthrough. There are many advantages in this level and much less disadvantages. It is nice experience when you play this kind of game. Return to the Lost Valley – I was very interested in playing this level, when I knew how it is named. I wanted to finally face the T-Rex. Unfortunately this dream didn’t complete, but its misspresence was rewarded by great design of the whole level. GMac magnificently modelled the Lost Valley, which is well known since TR1 times. I love every single piece of it: the red sky, the green trees, the temple, the rocks… everything looks beautiful. I like the idea of fertilizing plants and the letter from the authors. Unfortunately there is one mistake in it – when you enter the second room with plant that needs fertilizing and then return to the Lost Valley, there will appear T-Rex. It should appear only after picking both skulls. All in all this level is great. The same as the whole custom. Congratulations to the authors: GMac and Raider X and to object creator: EssGee. Well done!" - jawi

"One of the most entertaining game I played, one of the most good looking too. The work spent to create great architecture good atmosphere cool objects/enemies and entertaining gameplay is really appreciated. The settings vary from caves to temples and lost valleys. One of the levels is a pure Indian one, the most beautifully textured and lighted Indian level I've ever seen. There was a very complex puzzle with pushing blocks , trapdoors and a torch and I think I've encountered an unexpected bug there. I first found the jump switch to get a secret but did not had the torch yet. Later on, the door was closed and could not open it again to light the torch. The walkthrough says : [Note: At this point, it is possible that the door beyond the block is closed again, although you opened it with the secret jump switch. This happens sometimes when you flip down the switch to open the trapdoor leading to the upper room. In this case, drop the torch on the block, make your way back to the switch and flip it up to reopen the door.] but it did not worked for me, so had to use a earlier savegame and used the jumpswitch only when having the torch to be on the safe side. After that there was a challenging room with fire burners, but the game in general was not too challenging even when it came to timed doors. Generally the areas are very spacious and harmonious , looking natural. The new enemies are great and so are the custom objects, giving new possibilities of great and funny puzzles. The encounter with the Triceratops was particularly an exhilirating threat. Great stuff, great adventure !" - eRIC

"This amazing level offers breathtaking atmospheres, creative puzzles and lots of exploring which makes for a perfect tomb raiding experience! A definite "must play" for everyone and destined to be in the hall of fame in record time." - LadyCroft

"Oh what a shame! Really I don't mean the level - I mean the voting! I'm missing 12 points, 12 points, 12 points, 12 points. What an excellent level. I had 8 hours of an excellent gameplay. I've seldom played a level with such a huge story. What I've enjoyed much was that there are several fly-bys and video sequences, especially with the guy that was always on my side. Even the credits at the end of the level I followed with really opened eyes. Some weeks ago I was builing some rooms due to the TRLE tutorial. I had an impression what a big work was done here. All the hours spend on building this level to enjoy us all. Contratulations to all the people that helped to build the level. But I also want to thank Sutekh for the excellent walkthrough. Without this very helpful walkthrough I sometimes would have gone stuck. Because the level and its rooms are really huge and you often come back to the same places, so it happens that I sometimes lost the overview of all the objects and doors. Without such a walkthrough it might happen that a part of the level could not be played and that would be really pity. So also great thanks to Sutekh! Nothing else to say! Now I must again care about my family I had a bit neglected, due to this thrilling adventure. You might say I push too hard, but that doesn't matter: 12-12-12-12" - Mannix

"One of the best levels I played in a long time. Great textures, great atmosphere, great puzzles. The idea of the guide, how good was that? I never felt alone there. Walking the line, jumping with a twist, how much I missed that. I recommend this level as a must for all players. Puzzles are very good and not difficult. I must say I didn't like T-Rex buddies but anyway who likes them? That gave me a nice thrill. Absolutely fabulous so download now! Great job guys." - Monica

"That's a perfect game. I haven't really found any error. A lot of difficult enemies, beautiful location, great gameplay and puzzle, it's a new kind to raid: no more boring searching of stupid keys to open doors but true jungle ruins to explore. But most of all I loved to return to the Lost Valley... part of TR1 remake has already been done! good work ;)" - Davy

"About time I played the Top Level in the list and as expected this is a treat for the heart of the seasoned raider. Starting from a cinematic 2-minute-long intro that introduces your helpful guide to you, you dive into part 3 of the series that manages to bring back the great sense of place and gameplay that (for me) got a bit lost in part 2. Return to the Lost Caves (9/9/10/10, 60 min., 2 secrets): Luscious jungle, some nice acrobatics, bats, boulders, the always nice rolling bridge. It is actually quite linear at the start, with your guide always leading the way and then you get to an area that needs a lot of exploration. New custom objects, the pole swinging moves and rather tough enemies (raptors, snakes, pterras and compys - and when you come back later the marvellous triceratops (based on the bull enemy) spice things up. The Caves of Water (8/8/10/10, 40 min., 4 secrets): Again the guide gives you an idea of where to go in these impressive and huge caves. Initially I was a little confused as to what is the next right thing to do, but once you get going it is all rather logical. The push object puzzle is fairly straight forward, the four wood masks quite easy to find, but the way the water fills up is brilliantly done. The Temple of the Snake Stone (9/9/10/9, 60+10 min., 4 secrets): I really liked how sounds were used here to give you a sense of threats to come. Good use of the torch, another nice flipmap with water, some fun jumping around high ledges and a series of fun timed runs before you get your hands on the stone and meet up again with your trusted guide and return briefly to Level 1. Temple of the Shiva (9/10/9/9, 70 min., 2 secrets): Somehow this Indian temple almos felt a little out of place in the series, but still the fighting with the Shivas, the push object puzzle combined with some torch action and the lava rooms make for solid and entertaining gameplay. Custom objects are nicely integrated here and the blowpipe natives are cool and dangerous enemies. Return to the Lost Valley (9/10/10/10, 60 min., 2 secrets): A marvellous final level of the series with a great nostalgic touch as you return to the TR1 Valley and of course also do meet up with old buddy T-Rex while you're there. More caves, more waterfalls, more action alongside with your guide. This level has it all. Dogs, butterflies, raptors keep you on your toes, the opening flower animation is great and the defeat of the T-Rex wonderfully set in scene... And then it all ends with a nice credits flyby and you look back on this wonderful game and can all but thank the team who put it together. Great stuff!" - MichaelP

"I was finding the friendly guide a little bit annoying at the beginning as I felt as though' I had to wait for him rather than go off on my own and"do it my way". I did find the concept fantastic however and of course became quite fond of him and relieved to see him each time he returned. I found the first pole jumps at the waterfall a bit difficult. Had to be lined up accurately but conquered them eventually. I loved the idea of the banana! The scenery in the caves is amazing especially the underwater ones. The cave where the snake stone was found was very impressive and beautiful! I found the return to the lost caves a bit confusing as I wasn't sure where to go after breaking the first boulder. Then when finally finding the silver key I didn't know what to do with it so ran around for awhile. Loved the huge areas in Temple of the Shiva - the first pole is brilliant. I found another glitche in this level. The first shiva when looking for the left scimitar,would not come to life. Luckily I had kept my entire save games so I had to go back quite a way to finally get it to work. Return to lost valley kept me right on the edge of my seat and found one time when I was disappointed to find a secret! One of the secret skulls when I was looking for a jungle skull! Despite the glitches, these levels are so brilliant that I can't give them any less than ten." - Moonliteshadow

"The third installment of the Jungle Ruins series is the best, so far, in my opinion hence the perfect score. I just love the games with the jungle theme but that had nothing to do with my ratings. This one is really good with nicely done areas, temple like buildings, shivas for enemies and a rather tricky secret to find. The best treat you'll get with this one is the remake of"The Lost Valley" but if I hadn't tested this I am sure I'd get lost in it. The hunt is for gems, dino dugs and others plus the usual T-Rex and raptors to deal with which are George's trademark. Finding all fourteen secrets is a real challenge and I did need help for the one I mentioned above but it was time well spent searching for each one of them. I don't think anyone needs to say much about the Jungle Ruins series as the work speaks for itself but this time Scott's additions made this game special and worth playing. Don't miss this out or the next installment which I am sure will be even better." - Kristina

"This is almost a perfect adventure and I really enjoyed when I was playing that. In the beginning of the game you will see a nice flyby camera and you will see also many other cameras during the game. Every levels are created pretty well and some places are really awesome. In the game you will meet many different enemies like dinos for example raptors and T-rexes. Sometimes puzzles are hard to solve but not too hard which is a good thing. Almost everything is perfect and you shouldn't miss this." - Samu

"I could start with the followings: you have chosen well, because you can face adventures on a beautifully constructed level; thanks to the authors. We'll return to the buzz of the old episodes, the feelings of TR1 and TR3 are once again evoked, and this offers a great experience. The challenges become always harder and harder as you progress, they are dosed very well. When everything seems to be alright already, troubles begin. At first, everything goes easy, because we have a native guide with good knowledge of the local places, who helps Lara and also guards her. He eliminates many enemies, helps with going on, and he likes to disappeare sometimes. The authors have many surprises as well, that are not conventional. For example we become familiar with the creatures of ancient times that are not always friendly. We have to kill a demonish T-Rex, but in order to do this we have to roam the land, gather things and have a run so that we can help indigents again. The predator cannot be killed by using conventional weapons; this is the matter with savages too. The help of the Ancestors and especially of Lara are needed. Well, some of the secrets made me sweat; mainly one of the Shivas until I finally figured out how he gives me his key. :) The textures are wonderful, and so are the sounds. Noone should skip this great adventure! You can find a Hungarian walkthrough (as we don't have English version), savegames and pictures here: http://treditor.hu/16/jungle_ruins3.htm" - Obig

"Absolutely perfect. Great atmosphere, music, lighting and overall gameplay. Not difficult and full of clever puzzles and only few enemies. There's a lot of exploration in this game; I like it. The guide also helps Lara to find her way and opens in fact one of the last doors that allows Lara to escape in the helicopter. This is a really "must play" for all Raiders. Great job!" - Loupar

"This is a typical Georgian tour de force, with added zip from two able co-builders. I had much fun here over a span of several weeks (30 minutes here, 20 minutes there), although I didn't have the same giddy sense of childlike joy I experienced while playing Jungle Ruins 2. The only wet blanket--and this is a major one--was the fatal bug I encountered during the fourth level, Temple of the Shiva. After getting the torch, I went down to the opening to the shiva room and found the once-open door closed again, as the walkthrough said it might be. The walkthrough also said to return to the wall switch and throw it once more to re-open the door. That worked for me, but one time only. When I came back later and reloaded from a previous save, the door was again closed and remained closed no matter how many times I went back to throw the switch. I didn't feel like investing the time of replaying the entire fourth level, so I began with the fifth and final level so I could complete the game. And I'm glad I didn't miss that one, which was the piece de resistance of the entire set. I was able to make it almost all the way through, but the guide didn't appear near the end (presumably because I hadn't been able to open an access door past my stuck point in the fourth level), so I missed the pyrotechnics with the skeleton and the concluding sequence. Points have to come off gameplay as a result of all this. Still, I invested better than six net hours in the series, which must surely rank as one of the greatest of all time." - Phil

"When I began to play the first level I thought it could be great, I have much fun in the first hour, but when I arrived to the lake area... I think it's not good to hide a couple of switches very well dissimulated in a very very huge area like this, you can be looking for something (you don't know what!) during entire days and don't find anything. There could be a camera, a sign, a hint which allows you to know where to go or what kind of thing you have to look for. This way the gameplay is more tedious. Next levels were another things; yes, there are huge areas too and they're no-lineal, but the switches and items are well visible, and you don't have to look for too many hidden things. Last level was the best for me; what memories of the lost valley! It seems that this last years the natives and the nature changed some things, but today it continue being a very exciting zone to explore. Great objects, excellent cameras, wery well lightened,... a highly recommended set of levels to play from a very experienced team of builders." - Jose

"OK. That's it. I can't believe George, Todd and Scott had me giving the four tens to another game they authored. Again. Yet another professional work served with a bunch of great innovations. First, the Guide. Not only does he help you in many ways, but his presence adds a lot to the plot. Thanks to him - and the 'Unspeakable Terror' interventions - you do more than playing some levels: you're being part of a real story. Not mentioning the way he's introduced to you in the starting sequence. So well-done it's almost a movie. And there are the TR5 moves: the tightrope and the pole swinging. And the objects: just watch those giant flowers blooming in the last level. Speaking of which I simply loved this trip down memory lane, although I was dense enough not to make the connection between the Jungle Ruins Lost Valley and the original Tomb Raider 1 Lost Valley... It's only when I entered the Valley itself, saw the broken bridge, the cascade and the temple that I realized where I was and stared at the screen with my jaw dropped low enough to touch the floor. In the gameplay department, this is a game of average difficulty and the authors have been very cautious in their design so the player never finds herself wandering around aimlessly wondering what to do next. You won't find impossible timed-runs here (although there are pretty tight ones) or twisting fingers jumps or clueless puzzles. Everything is designed so the game is played smoothly without a single moment of frustration, even though the adrenaline factor is still there. As for the settings, they are luxuriant outdoor and you'll find some breath taking rooms indoor, so the wow! factor is there as well. All in all, definitely a must." - Sutekh

"Ok... where to start?!?! Amazing envoirements and breathtaking areas! This time EssGee joins the jungle crew and adds tons of cool objects and other stuff. Among one of them is the boost of the health for the enemies! And yes, the T-rex CAN be killed hehe. It just takes loads of slugs from the shotgun! I really liked the nostalgica at the last level and the expansion of the good old classic tr1 stage felt very nice and natural. Hehe collecting dungs for the flowers? LOL a perfect idea :) Among other new and cool features are the swinging poles and the pushable thingie that you use as a swing later on!! This adventure takes level building to a new level and is an inspiration for every builder out there to learn and study. This is an adventure you can't afford to miss." - QRS

"It's been months since I've played any Tomb Raider customs, so recently I got back into it and decided to play Jungle Ruins III. It looked pretty promising, and I did like playing the previous levels of both authors. Onto the adventure - We begin by watching an Indian, also known as the trusty guide, make his way through a complex of caves in the jungle. After killing a raptor on the way, he'll keep on going until he sees a helicopter descend at the mouth of the cave. From out of the helicopter comes out our heroine, Lara Croft, who returns to the jungle ruins yet again to solve the mysteries of the local tribe's behavior. The young native starts leading Lara through the expanses of the jungle, leading her through various rooms where she would have to do some tasks here and there to continue on. In these five levels, the gameplay flows pretty well and the mix of lighting and scenery is easy on the eyes. Some nice touches that I've seen in these levels was the swinging on poles (I love doing that action, hehe), and the breathtaking surroundings gave a good sense of adventure to me personally. The triceratops in this series looked pretty cool, and I personally liked to play around with him for a while. The surrounding in these levels are breathtaking, and sometimes you just want to stand still for a while and admire your path of adventure, maybe to take a picture even. As I progressed through the adventure, I liked the feeling of paranoia I got from the feeling of being stalked by the T-Rex, from seeing those cutscenes of him roaring. You'll be seeing him a couple of times too. At some point in these level, you will be able to hear him roar again. He's really hungry today. At some points, you and the guide will get separated, but later throughout a level he'll make a reappearance to aid you in your troubles. We'll also be able to go back to nostalgia as we revisit one of the many classics of the original Tomb Raider, The Lost Valley. I found it quite amusing to be collecting dinosaur poop throughout the level to fertilize some plants containing jungle skulls. After getting them and coming back to the temple in the valley to use them, Rexie decides to grace us with his prescence, so I'd make a run for it. Overall, the feel of gameplay is pretty classic, good usage of enemies, objects, sound, cameras, and lighting which added a lot of depth to the atmosphere. The end of this installment leaves you with a feeling of more to be desired, and I hope that there will be a Jungle Ruins IV in the future. I give Todd and George two thumbs up for this great adventure, and this series better continue, or else!" - Relic Hunter

"Return to the Lost Caves: Blimey, someone really has taught the raptors how to fight - these seem much tougher than the usual ones and take some killing. You have a friendly native guide and although admittedly he does leave you to do all the hard work, he is very useful in the setting things alight department. The Caves of Water: Don't you just hate it when doors close behind you - especially when you've just had a cut scene of a T-Rex. Luckily, he wasn't in the immediate vicinity. There are some beautifully re-textured objects to admire and the scenery is pretty impressive too. The Temple of the Snake Stone: Aaaargh, beetles, hundreds of beetles. Plus, the much 'anticipated with dread' T-Rex turns up, but he's actually rather helpful. There are some really fun timed runs too. (Re)Return to the Lost Caves: I was relieved to find myself back in this section as I did seem to have left one or two things undone the first time around. There's a helpful triceratops this time - surely these are some of the most useful dinosaurs ever in the history of tomb raiding. Temple of the Shiva: That's an encouraging name, isn't it? There are indeed a lot of Shivas in the temple, but thankfully not all of them come to life and there are some extremely interesting uses for several others. There's some nifty torch work going on and a most effective earthquake effect at the end of the section. Return to the Lost Valley: Of all the bizarre items I've ever collected on a raid, dino dung must be right up there. Priceless. This has a great feel of the original level and I particularly enjoyed it as I always relish a nostalgia trip. This is a brilliant set of levels - a real quality product. I just can't fault it. The gameplay is varied and interesting, the building work is of the very highest quality and the re-texturing of objects etc., is superb." - Jay

"Wow, another wonderful set of levels. I loved the atmostphere, textures and all the new objects they used. I recommand it for anyone who wants to enjoy a set of levels. Great job you guys!!" - dantheraider

"I know I shouldn't have rated Jungle Ruins 2 so high as this tops that level and I can't give this one any more points. I can't help it that I just love jungle levels and this one had a nice story, even if you didn't read the readme. From beginning to the end it just flowed. Maybe because I played it together with Titak so if I was lost she could steer me in the right direction and visa verse. Loved the part of the guide although don't be to hasty when he looks impatient because you might miss a secret here or there. The only thing I really hate (but I hate that in every level if it is in there) is the tight rope walking. I also noticed that the enemies are made stronger as you couldn't kill the T-Rex, boy did I ran to get away from that beast. Lost Valley has to be my favorite part but there is a tad too much back and fro, but that could be me as the second time around I completely forgot that waterfall so I was running around like a headless chicken that time. Nice items to pick up and great fly by's. Heh heh but I found one small piece that wasn't textured, ask Titak, she is my witness. 07-11-2005" - Gerty

"Absolutely perfect, what a trio, fantastic team work! I absolutely loved this game from the beggining to the end. There's never a dull moment, lots of puzzles, exploration, dinossaurs, a huge triceratops made of the bull of The Last Revelation, snakes too, plus some dogs and birds, not forgetting the natives shooting darts as in TR III and the amazing ambiance of different official Tomb Raider games. Wow! Great objects and good lighting too. My favorite levels were The Palace of the Shivas (or something, well it does have a lot of Shivas anyway) and Back to the Lost Valley where the authors greatly recapture the ambiance of TR I. The medipacks are also retextured into herbs and flowers and we even have the music of TR III, which is still my very favorite to date. All along the levels we have a native guide who magically helps Lara on her quest for a dinossaur tooth. Not too easy, not too hard, perfect balance, this is one of the best customs I've ever played and I'm not doing anybody a favor. Maybe you've just downloaded some other game. Wait! Play this first. Really." - Jorge22

"These are another fine set of levels, forming a good game altogether. The atmosphere is quite brilliant IMHO, so was the lighting and texturing, you really feel far away from home while going through these levels. I liked the help of the guide very much, like he popped up every time to open doors and then that [b]Triceratops[/b] Dino, wow!! Had fun with that one... And all the different items you had to collect, from Dino Dung to sparkling Red Gems... When those wolves started howling in Return to the Lost Valley, shivers run over my back I felt like giving it all ten's, but maybe the builders step out of their shoes then, great Job, well done you guys...Thanks for providing us players with exellent gameplay" - Dutchy

"What I love about games from George and Todd are the extraordinary touches: the care that is taken in the construction of the venue - perfect!, the challenging gameplay - exciting and fun!, sound effects that rival the professionals - dino-dynamic!, the introduction of wonderful new objects - fantastic collaboration with Scott! The gameplayer is in for a fabulous treat. The T-Rex Tooth is your quest in this third installment. Be prepared to share your journey with a magical guide (who would have thought he was capable of so much and could look so cool ?)who will introduce you to an array of new objects to master - a divine banana key that any monkey would die for(and apparently did - wasn't he the one that was kept waiting on that island ?!). Herbal health paks ! A very neat ring pull. Spears that I thought were outstanding "Lara launchers". The list is almost endless. As always, thank you so much for an outstanding game !!" - Mugs

"Where should I start? Oh yes! I'll start by telling anyone who's reading this and is wondering whether or not to download this set of levels, to do it "asap". You won't regret to have done so. Having said that, I'm still wondering what made me like these levels so much. First of all I felt incredibly comfortable with the atmosphere, because I'm always afraid I might forget about some route, or some item I must carry to the next levels...nothing of that happens here. You have a guide!!! Yes, that made feel even more comfortable! The levels are huge, there are many many rooms to explore, however it never becomes boring AT ALL! You might say "it's only jungle" well it is, but nothing you would expect. It's actually fun to run around and see the terrific textures and the pieces of sky you are able to spot sometimes, the new objects, the hidden places and the secrets... wow! Finally, the dessert of this custom level that made me like it even more (oh yes, even more), the surprise awaiting at the end, the last level was a pleasure, I even lost my way, and forgot my tasks for awhile to check every single place, because...it was worth doing so, I won't spoil this little surprise, so go ahead, download it, play it, enjoy it, and enjoy even more after playing (or is it re-playing :p) the last level. A perfect 10, yes sir." - Ivan