Level reviews

"Aside from the infamous lighting this is a pretty good level and really surprising for a debut level. A tr3 styled level that nails the style really well, the classic pickup animation was pretty annoying when grabbing multiple objects in the same spot though, aswell as the swandive animation which I wasn't really fond of. The first level is pretty good, the gameplay is okay from beginning to end although it's not that innovative (I really liked the tight-rope with the flame). The second level just dragged for too long, the second half just felt unnecessary and redundant and the final water part just dragged the level for too long. The camera hints weren't the best as they were somewhat lacking. The third level was definitely the best and the fight with the statues was pretty memorable because of the way it was made, really liked that, but finding a indian temple below an scotish castle is odd to say the least. Now, the lighting is bad; its detailed but too dark and even monotone in some parts, at least there are enough flares. Texturing is fine but there are some weirdly placed or stretched textures sometimes. Overall a solid TR3 styled level, recommended to those who like that game." - Neltharion

"I have to admit I was surprised when I checked my final statistics for this levelset: I had reached the end in 2h30min, but it felt much, much longer than that as it took my allotted TRLE free time over the span of four days to see it through. I suspect the dim lighting plays a major role in that, however, as it's incredibly tiresome on the eyes and quite sleep inducing, so that also took an effect on gameplay itself. The TR3/LA vibes and inspirations are obvious, but unfortunately the author also chose the darkness which made the original TR3 a chore to play. The harpoon gun working underwater was a nice surprise. The three levels are filled with massive areas to cover, and it's quite overwhelming to be honest, so definitely keep an open tab with dmdibl's walkthrough. The author has provided plenty of flares, but personally I'd rather have ditched the unnecessary darkness instead. 2h30min, 9 secrets. 05/25" - Treeble

"WHY is this so badly lit... You know the rest, don't you..." - DJ Full

"What a hair-raising journey that was! The three levels included here are extremely vast and possibly overwhelming if you aren't sure where to start. All three levels are based on Tomb Raider 3 and the Lost Artifact expansion, so if you were a fan of those games, then you'll like this one. Gameplay is widely varied, consisting of exploration elements, timed runs, a few heated battles, a boat jaunt and a few block puzzles. I found it too dark in many areas, so treasure every flare you find. Despite this downside, it's still worth a look." - Ryan

"Castle Ruins (8/8/9/7, 3 secrets, 60 min): Quite a vast level here, but I liked the way the boat is being used, the suitable audio choices and a few nice camera shots. The scene with the helicopter firing at you was well done, too. Enemies are soldiers, vultures and those pesky fish.
Dig Site (7/9/9/7, 3 secrets, 60 min): Caves, drills, mines, workers and Dogs to kill. Rather what you would expect from a dig site. This one also has Spiders, harpoon guys and flamethrower guys, so you are in for quite a bit of battle while you search key cards. I am not a big fan of long dives when you initially do not know where to go, so was happy when I finally got through that part, including the eel fight.
The Lost World (8/8/8/7, 3 secrets, 45 min): Probably the least challening Level of the Batch in an India themed Setting with some Alien influences. A massive overload of wasps and cobras along the way, plus a few blade and burner traps. But progression around and up the levels of a tower is quite fluent as you collect 4 red stones.
Overall a very ambitious project and a long and satisfying raid. The biggest overall downside is probably the rather pervasive darkness in many places, but an ample amount of flares is provided. Recommended if you like TR3 and bring along a bit of patience." - MichaelP

"After recently reviewing quite a few short levels end to end it's been a real pleasure to play something longer that I could really get my teeth into. With it's distinctly TR3 feel you find yourself progressing through ruins, mines & dark ancient caverns. The level itself is very well presented and the structure is solid. Texturing is pretty good throughout. Lighting is (if I'm honest) a smidge on the dark-side for me, but never the less generally well balanced. The return of the harpoon gun made me happy, and probably makes the under-water sections my favourite, probably followed by the mines. I'd say the level is medium difficulty, but thankfully unless you go in search of some of the tricker to get to secrets there's nothing here that's too challenging. In fact I'd say the nicely balanced gameplay is one of the best aspects. All in all I netted almost 4 and a half hours from Hunt for the Infada Stone. Was an absolute pleasure, and definitely worthy of your consideration. Recommended. Stiggy :)" - TheStig

"Credit due to where it should, this is a good debut by this builder. There are some gripes I have, like the lack of camera's, the darkness (even with all the flares I found) and please explain to me why there are no binoculars? I still don't understand that part. This level is all about exploring and that is what I do like. But in this case it is also very confusing, as I never play any longer that about 15 minutes and then it is sometimes pretty hard to pick up where I left the game. So I felt that I was running around like a headless chicken way too much. Textures can use some TLC as well as the lighting (too dark). What I did like, original ideas, lots of exploring and nice set up of traps. Enemies were placed very well. You get to drive the boat, drive the quad and even fight nasty frogmen. I didn't had no problem to best the four Hydra's with only Lara's trusted guns, only to find out that the door wouldn't open. The game is really finished after that so if you didn't get the savedgame provided by totou in the stuck forum, you can say that you did finish the game though." - Gerty

"What an epic adventure in the spirit of Tomb Raider 3! At the start, Lara had to contend with scarce supplies in the face of tough enemy soldiers and piranhas. The currents were merciless too, so Lara had to be very cautious, and thank goodness she had a raft! In the second level, Lara had to watch out for dogs, workers, giant spiders, ruthless divers, sharks and giant eel. At the same time, Lara had more supplies, and there were a few neat elements to the level such as the laser gun that pierced through a metallic barrier, the quad bike and the gorgeous tropical fish in an underwater area reminiscent of Tomb Raider II's 40 Fathoms. As far as traps are concerned, while the spike and boulder traps were not too difficult, the tightrope above the fire trap was quite a challenge. The third level did not have the confusion of the first two levels, but the pagoda tower and the intricate pushable block puzzle were noteworthy, and the wasps were tough to beat. The snakes were really easy to deal with, but despite the difficulties posed by the sword-wielding Shivas, they were avoidable. The unusually dark areas were pretty frustrating, but at least by that point, I had over 130 flares I could use up, even if those flares didn't last more than a few seconds. Tony was an incredibly easy boss with the Desert Eagle, but the hydras required more effort, especially if Lara didn't want to end up in blue flames. The multi-colored flashing lighting during the final showdown was a bit disorienting, but by being aware of where to move, it's not too much of a distraction. Lara Croft once again prevents a powerful artifact from falling into the wrong hands!" - Sakusha

"After playing this builder's marvelous debut release, I'm still wondering what Crischan needs to do (unless it's finding the Infada Stone). Anyway, I did so in a little less than four hours, aided considerably by dmdibl's painstakingly thorough walkthrough. We have here three distinct levels, each of which could have been released as a standalone, reminiscent of the TR3 settings. Gameplay is engaging throughout, and I especially enjoyed the extended use of the raft in the opening level. For reasons beyond my comprehension, the builder has opted for the dark side rather than the light side, but this didn't really bother me much until the third level with the Indian ambiance. Here the darkness was too pervasive to be ignored, and although I had unlimited flares and used them almost unceasingly, I ended the game with something of a bad taste in my mouth. Too bad, because everything else about this release indicates that the builder will enjoy a stellar career." - Phil

"I found that it was very difficult to evaluate this game by its own merits - for we have here so many copies of Core's "The Lost Artifact" gameplay, puzzles and environments: Highland Fling (almost without change!); Shakespeare Cliff; Sleeping with the Fishes. India's part of TR3 is also represented here: the Shivas' room, the snakes' cave. Certainly there are some differences, but those do not stand by overall creativity - and if there is a thing that I value, is the author's effort to display originality. Nevertheless, I will admit that the underwater panorama was magnificent, and would deserve a 10, if we forgot the darkness: for another drawback of the game, as so many people have observed, is the great darkness, notably at the rocky parts. All in all, I advise you to play TR3 and The Lost Artifact instead of this game: the actions are almost the same, and Core's games are much, much better." - Josey

"Finally I finished these epic 3 levels. Gameplay is great and includes some boat action, pushblock puzzles, and plenty of combat. The one drawback is consistency. For instance, you may get stuck at the beginning because the river has a current that pulls you under - unless you jump in behind a waterfall where there is somehow no current there! The objects are used well for decor, but the quadbike suffers from bad collision with rocks on the ground, and some of the fish and piranha also have bad (or just annoying) collision and can appear above the water. Camera cues could be used more, such as when you place the shiva swords in level 3. And the first two levels, especially the second, were built in so much of a maze-like fashion that the player can feel overwhelmed. Textures are well applied overall, except for some triangular surfaces and the blue slime (which I know come in a smaller size, but somehow they still look worse than in TR:LA). The level is also way too dark overall, making it easy to miss even the most simple passageways unless you constantly light flares. But overall while it has its minor frustrations, it is a great tr3-esque adventure and is worth the look." - SSJ6Wolf

"this is a fair long game at wich u travel across caves and mining sites ..... alot off keycards / keys nd even a fuse need to get to can progress further .... also u need to spare medipacks cause are not manny and at final stage u will need it ....... not easy to find moustly the first mask from two to make get open the final UW trapdoor across it will finish the game also a big shark + a monster creature down at the UW cave ........ also alot off swimming and air timer get off faster than usual ...... is a bit back and fro tasks involved too ..... but all in all a good one ......... graphics was not top one was only the week point off the game ....." - Jack&

"What I liked the most about this three set level was its almost authentic TR3 feel despite a few elements from later versions - from the music (obviously) to the design and how all things work, which could be considered outdated by some by now but always has a grand taste for TR3 fans like myself. Some parts are a bit disorienting, namely the underwater part but not only. No matter how many switches there may be along the road, they just aren't enough to cloudy the variety of puzzles one will find or cool, well achieved features such as the use of the motorboat or the quad bike. My main complaints are the mine section can be a bit too cryptic before one finally finds one's way out of there and the ever-present darkness coupled with the lack of binocculars, most fortunately compensated by the presence of many flares. Recommended indeed." - Jorge22

"A well known atmosphere , a well known feeling : this is simply excellent Tr3 stuff ! In these days where the top guns amongst the level designers show us what the NGLE really CAN do it certainly looks a bit antique and rather dark and dusty in here. But sightseeing is for later and so this builder takes us on a trip to memory lane in good old fashioned classic TR style. If you are looking for an interesting but not too challenging or confusing adventure and don`t mind some rude texturing and sometimes annoying darkness , a splendid time is guaranteed for you." - Ruben

"This is one of the best levels I've played for quite a while. Any tomb raider 3 lovers, this is a game for you. LEVEL1: A tr3 India/highland fling texture design and atmosphere.You get to ride a ruber boat down the river and explore plenty of small areas and e few larger areas. This level is fun to explore and is not linear at all! LEVEL2: A tr3 shakspere cliff/sleeping with the fishes atmosphere and design. Once again you get a vehicle but there is variety: this time you get a quad bike on wich you must make a couple of huge jumps. There were frogmen wich you could fight with your harpoon gun underwater aswell as a giant eel. This was definetly the longest level of the game and probably the most fun! LEVEL3: A tr3 temple ruins atmosphere and design. In this level you don't get a vehicle, but the level is just as fun as previous ones. Some boss fight include shiva's, tony and some hydra's. there are also tinnos wasps and zombi things. I loved climbing the huge centre peice in the main room and heading of into different ones to complete mini chalenges. ADVENTURE: A tr3 styled adventure that is very enjoyable. I got stuck a few times but it doesn't take too long to find your way in this very good adventure. Recommended to all (especialy tr3 lovers).ƒc" - Bradley

"This adventure is a lot of fun and certainly a commendable debut. The first section is set in a TR3 India environment and involves quite a lot of zooming around in a speedboat - always a winner. Part two is set deep in the mines and takes quite a lot of exploring as it's fairly labyrinthine and confusing (or at least it is if you're me). There's a quad bike to ride, but not for very long. Part three sees a return to a jungle setting and a rather interesting scenario where Lara has to work her way ever higher up a huge tower structure. The gameplay could have been a touch more varied, but it's entertaining enough and the enemies are well placed and not over used. The boss ending with four dragons could possibly be a little tricky, but if you've found (and conserved) sufficient revolver ammo then it shouldn't really be a problem. Otherwise, everything should be well within the capabilities of most players, provided they have a decent sense of direction." - Jay

"Having spent a number of hours writing a walkthrough for this, including long hunts for pretty amazing secrets, I have to say that over all it's an essential play for its dazzling moments, but there is also routine stuff here, and the dim lighting in places caused a lot of muttering when I was trying to find all pickups. There is good scenery in level one, Castle Ruins, such as on the bridge or the river, but the really outstanding part was the ocean exploration in level two, Dig Site. The initial diving area camera shot is marvelous through the jellyfish, with Lara in the distance standing on something similar to a ship's deck. The whole diving episode is the most frustrating but also the most fun, including the derelict submarine--and I have to wonder if many players are going to miss out completely on this side quest. Then there are the submersibles, and a diver in a mechanical suit, invulnerable, firing explosive rockets at Lara that leave air-bubble trails as they go whizzing past her. And it is the second level that has quad bike riding, and a really involved search through a mine for keycards. I enjoyed effects such as Lara sliding down an ore chute, and wondering what will happen when she gets tangled up with mine carts at the bottom, and then the ore train moves aside to clear the tracks just as she lands. The third level, The Lost World, certainly starts well, and the secrets are good. But the leisurely climb up the tower did not seem to have the same quality as the TR3-type exploration of level one. Of course, it is just when players are maybe a little bored with the routine play going up that the author throws in a last secret, in a too dark room, and asks players to notice that there are three trigger tiles, not just the obvious two. Since I have recently played Shiva battles in TR3, in is hard not to notice the problems in the pale TR4 version. TR3 allows a gamma adjustment so players can set lighting to their monitor or tastes, and I really think the dim lighting was the main detraction in some areas. But there is something here for everyone to enjoy, and it will be the good stuff that one remembers. Don't miss this one." - dmdibl

"Castleruins (8-8-9-8) - 50 minutes: The levelset starts with Lara falling into a not very well textured cave and the initial actions are not really fun, but when the game opens up to the long, long river area the setting becomes quite convincing - the re-modelling of the TR 3 gold objects and textures was quite well done and the architecture is stunning. At first the level was quite linear but when you find the boat and explore the area for several items everything gets quite complex, luckily never confusing, including a lot of exploration and few pushable exercises that were fun to play through. The room with the tightrope (which was the only non-TR 3 trap) was both fun and also visually appealing (I loved the little alcoves with the fires in it), and there were quite a few traps to overcome that provide a nice change from the long exploration sessions. Also liked the outside area with some decent platforming and a helicopter firing at you. Only a few texture errors in the later part - as Jose said, the triangular walls are partly badly textured, and I also think some rooms were excessively dark.
Digsite (7-9-10-9) - 60 minutes: This Shakespeare Cliff reminiscent level is the longest and clearly the best level of the set. From the huge digsite at the start to the stunning sea near the end of the level this level is simply fantastic in terms of atmosphere and texturing also got better this time, however the rooms are even more dark than in the previous level. There are quite a few wow moments during the game, first of all the usage of the frogmen whose stunning apperance is announced by cleverly placed cameras and you are actually able to kill them underwater, secondly the quad bike ride with two hard jumps over the digsite, then the lorrys that help Lara to open some doors and at the end the dolphins and the submarine in the open sea. The gameplay is maybe not that great as you mainly run around finding levers and keys but exploring the setting was nearly enough to convince me. The first of the two mystic masks at the end was easy to miss (luckily I didn't), but then there even was an eel appearance at the end which stronly reminded me on Cain levels.
The Lost World (8-8-8-8) - 40 minutes: This time Lara visits a jungle temple that maybe doesn't that much fit to the first level's ambience but still it's very nicely done the atmopshere is again great but the huge room where you eventually find the Infada stone is a bit too squaric for my taste and the deadly water could have been better marked as such. The gameplay is rather linear in this level but there still are a lot of doors that were left closed; I suspect these are for secrets as I only found one in this level. There were a few block puzzles, a lot of boulders to avoid and a few Shivas to fight which actually was quite fun to do. On your way you find four gems to place them at the end and grab the long searched Infada stone, then have a challenging boss fight which was again fun and finally reach the helicopter with a well-known character.
Summary: A quite strong debut with some great features, mostly in the second level, and an overall great atmosphere. It could focus a little more on gameplay as most of the time you will be searching around the maps without many challenges (but to know where to go). The second level has quite a few ingenious moments so I will raise my rating in the EOS category a bit due to this. Spent 2:30 hours here and found only 5 of the 9 secrets. Recommended." - manarch2

"Good debut. This adventure will take you to old times, when you played TR3: from many years ago I have not played a level where you can use the harpoon gun and fight underwater with frog men; you'll find vehicles like the boat or the quad too, and old enemies revived by the author for us all. Also gameplay is not very hard; you can get disoriented in large outside areas, but there is always a place to explore or what to do; some enemies are easy to kill, but the four final bosses where excessively hard 'cause you don't have where to hide and the shoots are quite deadly; there are some TR3 musics, but I missed some cameras, some rooms are too dark (at least I found enough flares), architecture is often crude and textures (low res.) in triangular surfaces are not well applied. But I've enjoyed this one, so I can only recommend this adventure, especially to lovers of TR3." - Jose

"A perfect combination of old temples, new technologies and wonderful areas. First there was a feeling of an old TR3 level with a boat. Good but very classic. But this only for the the first level. Both others are wonderful especially the digsite. Recommandable." - Glouglouton