Level reviews

"A pleasant raid with quite a bit of backtracking to collect and use items. No enemies and two generously timed runs. Exiting the rear gate ends the level which the player can do without collecting the pistols. I didn't find a use for the laser sight but other than that, a cheery raid to unwind to." - High Priestess

"Needed a break from the mammoth release I have been slowly chipping away for over a week now and this one came up. The sole offering from this author is a home level but at least it's not "the" home level we're so used to. It's a cozy place, but still bound by all the surreal tombraider logic of activating toasters or baking a piece bread to open the basement doors and the like. Lots of running back and forth as you keep finding new items to proceed, gets tiresome quick (and mind you, I was following Phil's walkthrough so no time was wasted wondering wherever I was meant to go next). Although I have to say, having your guest wait forever at the front door while you hurriedly try to clean up things inside is incredibly relatable. (I mean, at some point it definitely was; present day there are no such thing as guests dropping by, fortunately). 35 minutes, 5 secrets. 10/24" - Treeble

"Ive always enjoyed making and playing mansion levels and while i have found a great number that have been a great hit with myself this one unfortunately was a bit of a miss. inside felt a bit dark and gloomy to me and if it wasnt for the nice music which distracted that then i think i would of ended up feeling gloomy lol, at least until i got outside anyway which was much more bright and pleasant and a bit more interesting so again its searching for keys, objects, switches etc to progress with some object pushing which is to be expected in this type of genre but apart from a few exciting timed runs (ive always found timed runs exciting) then there wasnt a lot else to entertain me, i was bored and irritated sometimes not knowing what to do with some objects or what switch had opened what so hooray for walkthroughs. some nice textures and lighting with great objects and theres lots of rooms and places to explore if you want to find all the secrets! i didnt unfortunately and was quite keen to finish, btw what was that strange awful sound that kept coming from the pond area, i thought there was a monster after me at first lol" - John

"Fun and cute level to play! I have always house loved custom levels so I couldn't resist. The atmosphere is beautiful. The level on a whole is aesthetically pleasing. In terms of puzzles, not many and the few that were there were not too challenging except maybe one." - Victoria

"Inverting what he should do, the author provided hints for obvious steps but skipped one for a critically hard activity so I can imagine 78.859% of players being stuck here. Also, while the first half is only random, the second one is unnecessarily extended with items required alternately inside and outside of the house so I guess you spend here at least 20 more minutes than needed. Still, the randomness, wackiness and musical humor made this game more enjoyable than it mostly would be in such cases, so I'll recommend it as a rather good, chill house level." - DJ Full

"Although this level is classed as a home level, I actually enjoyed this one. Okay, the same principles apply: pick up item, use in receptacle, travel to opened door, press button to open door etc... But the location is very pleasant, the music inside the house and outside was relaxing, and the actions aren't very obscure. Definitely worth playing." - Ryan

"Really good-looking custom. Textures and objects are great as well as structure of the level. I hated chaned new sequence of control button that made Lara roll all the time and miss moving or using objects, pretty annoying. Gameplay is boring as hell with running around to get item to open door to get another item to open another door... you get the idea. Exploring the house was fun to some point then there was no interesting gameplay though some ideas of items use was nice like making cake :) Recommended for all who like pretty levels and new players as difficulty of this level is easy and there are no enemies or possiblities to kill yourself like jumping from very high." - Casual Raider

"This is not a bad level, very good design and nice textured with a very good look and some pleasant musics. Going here and there pressing buttons and looking for objects to place in certain places is not the kind of gameplay I like. Yes, sometimes there are cameras to help the player, but another times you have to explore big areas to find the triggered object (like I entered the first time in the room with the teddy bear); also going inside and outside through levels too many times was not funny for me, and return several times to the same places. The timed runs were tight, but finally doable. If you are bored and dispose of enough time this level could be good for you." - Jose

"Ok, as many people know, I do hate the genre in general - meaning house levels where you generally run around like a headless chicken wondering where the next crucial pickup or key is to be found. Unfortunately, this instalment is no different in that regard and in the second half of this almost hour long adventure it gets even more annoying, as the builder sends you back and forth between the house and the garden simply a few too many times. There are hints of something better here, such as a the inclusion of two timed runs that are not too easy and two little pushable puzzles. There is also rather decent use of objects and solid, if a bit simplistic construction and architecture and there are 5 secrets to be found. But at the end of the day, I was just glad that it eventually ended - sorry... (P.S. to all of those who talk about that invisible block at the second timed run: Try harder - you are just too slow ;) - as soon as the door STARTS closing that block is there, so you simply have to arrive BEFORE that happens)" - MichaelP

"I am not in the habit to review a level if I can't finish it, but this one I couldn't, as this was the fault of the builder. I was in the second level with a timed run and there is an invisible barrier so I couldn't enter. I can't stress it anymore than keep telling, test, test and test by people with different Windows on their PCs. Even downloaded it again at a later date but no luck. I also still wonder why people have the craziest moves that Lara can make and it doesn't add anything. Oh well.. better luck next time" - Gerty

"This is a scenic, well-lighted adventure that's very pleasant during the early going. It's actually two levels that play as one, the first being the indoor portion and the second being the outdoor/garden portion. There are a few moments where progression is halted while you're figuring out what to do next, but the only part I thought was truly unfair was hiding the battery behind a wardrobe. Without guidance from the stuck thread I would never have found it, and would consequently have been stuck in short order. Toward the end I found it a bit wearisome to keep going back and forth between the house and the garden to keep moving in the game. Still, there's a lot to like here, and since there are no enemies or potentially death-dealing situations (save a water maze), I can recommend it wholeheartedly to new and seasoned players alike." - Phil

"What's a German level (as in what is a Japanese level etc.?)? A level where you must shoot several objects into small pieces? A level where you have to use toasters and a paraphernalia of other objects in order to make something else happen elsewhere? Just a regular level? I don't know exactly where Lara's Holiday Home stands here... I know it could have used a few better hints here and there and I have the feeling that regardless all that is mostly about finding keys and such. There are two tight timed runs which are made tighter by Lara's silly somersaults when she actually should be jumping but they still add a little action to the level and I liked that despite the fact that in the second run Lara always bumps against an invisible wall in the end before someone tells you the only way is to veer to the right in the very last moment. I also noticed that after the second timed run, everytime Lara goes outdoors there's always a 15:00 number there that's of no use at all, but I suppose that's a minor glitch. The music was so-so and so was the atmosphere. Still, it was a nice, peaceful level and I enjoyed it. Just turn off the glitches and make it clearer and all will be fine." - Jorge22

"In the past, we have seen attractive houses like this that are filled with strange puzzle combinations, and that involve a lot of to and fro to bring a key to its keyhole, or a butterfly to its flower. This two-part house level is actually one of the better ones as it has a lovely appearance. There is a rather tight timed stair run (and a second more generous time run). But Lara got stuck at a point when she was supposed to find a blue plug. The problem is that once stuck there is no real way to easily resolve things. There is absolutely no way to know where, or in which level, something was missed, or to know what Lara is looking for. After searching again and again Lara stumbled on her misstep here, but then the final level became mostly running back and forth. With the wasted time this took almost two hours. By the end I wasn't terribly enchanted with it. Maybe for me it seems that so much has been seen before (toaster switch to give an example). But if one enjoys these types of levels, then this is certainly a fine one to play. Charming in appearance, well constructed, and recommended." - dmdibl

"Considering how little patience I have with mansion levels, it always surprises me how much I enjoy visiting one of Lara's charming foreign houses - perhaps because the weather is better, or I just like the way Lara enjoys performing household chores, such as baking bread. Whatever. This is a light-hearted and peaceful level, with no enemies. Lara does find her pistols eventually (when would she ever travel without them?) but merely contents herself with shooting the furniture a bit. Apart from a couple of timed runs, which might be a touch tight for inexperienced players, everything is very achievable and you can have a most pleasant time exploring the house and beautiful garden." - Jay

"I have the feeling the home type levels from the kind which is presented here have passed their high times (e.g. Zickchens Home was nearly a classic for me). There are simply too many of them based on the same objects - there are some unseen in this level, but for a total change most of them should be new - and don't present anything new when playing through, and most of them suffer from highly illogical and also confusing gameplay, sending you up and down and in and out of the house never really knowing where to go because there are so many rooms and keyholes so that the one in the last corner of the farmost room is easily forgot (and you often need to go ine the farmost room). There are few solid gameplay ideas like two nice and indicated timed runs and a few block pushes, but regarding the net gaming time of 40 minutes this felt a bit too sparse. I found the sound usage to be partly good but not overly fitting the climate, partly (e.g. when using the button in the living room) very calm and chilly. Textures and lighting were solid although one can see some cracks on the house created by the lighting and the garden area was seemingly built with a little less care as many grass textures are wrongly rotated and there were a couple of other misplaced ones, all hidden under simply too many objects. Found all five (rather well) hidden secrets and especially the last one requires quite an extra route through the ex- and interior. All in all recommended but don't wait for surprises." - manarch2

"And here we have another opportunity to indulge in that uniquely Germanic 'obscure object cause/effect' scenario;this time taking place within a charming and delightfully constructed Home in the summer time.It's quiet and tranquil, bucolic and mellow;aided by some groovy musak indoors,and loudly chirping frogs in the garden pond.There are no enemies,and very few opportunities to lose any health;so just unwind and enjoy the surroundings.Or at least attempt to,from within the parameters of the highly restrictive gameplay concepts;where a Butterfly in the garden needs to be combined with a large Sunflower ornament in an upstairs bedroom in order to open a door in the Basement;or a Beetle placed on the trunk of a tree to open a trapdoor;or a cake needing to be baked in order to open a room in the cellar;and so on and so on. I have developed a certain soft spot for these sorts of levels,and I'm glad that they exist;but I suspect that they are something of an acquired taste,and could potentially drive a lot of players crazy.For those in the right frame of mind,this is definitely one of the best of its type." - Orbit Dream

"I honestly really liked this level set. I couldn't understand why Lara was at that location (mostly because I always read the readme's in the home directories but when they're in a different language different from my own...), but it really didn't matter to me. G&P: 7 because I really loved the creativity that was put into this little adventure. The puzzles weren't to bad but I had a hard time with the second level. EO&S: 5 I like the setup of the house and outside but somethings seemed a little out of place like the stairs. Every intermideate builder should know how to build a good stair set. AS&C: Oh, I just loved the Resident Evil ost that was played. The sounds were really convicing as well. I think the camera work was worth the longitivity. Lighting & Textures: There are a lot of uses of blue lighting inside of the house, which gave off a kind of a lonely feeling but the music wasn't helping that. The textures were good except for a few parts like the stairs. Overrall, I just found out that this it Nicklander's first level and I'm already beginning to like his style. I hope to see more of levels from this author (with improvement of course). My finish time was 35mins which was short enough to play after I finished my homework. Recommended!" - Larabiker301