Level reviews

"This is a case of "You needed to be there" to understand the context of this level. The year is 2001, the official level editor had been around for only six months, and there were fewer than 300 TR4 custom levels. This was still the era of mummies-in-the-jungle, when most levels combined original WADs with the limited original or extra textures packaged with the level editor itself. What innovation meant back then involved forays into custom textured objects and creative use of limited assets, often involving combining texture sets or creative level geometry to substitute for objects that were not yet possible. "The Haunted Mansion" is typical of a creative level experiment at the time. Texturing flaws, missing textures, bland or pitch-dark shadows, and some gameplay hangups that can lead Lara to miss crucial items entirely until just before the end of the level all exist too. But, as the earliest reviews relate, at the time this level had an as-yet unusual spooky atmosphere and a unique combination of the Lost Library WAD with a mix of textures (primarily from Maria Doria, Lara's Home, and VCI levels). It's the WAD use that works especially well here: the Lost Library doors, railings, and even the mechanical men (which could be easily reimagined as walking suits of armor) all play well in the sandbox with a Home level. Some pickups and medipacks even have basic re-textures, and Lara struts about with Y2K/Matrix-style narrow sunglasses and an attractively over-saturated outfit. Puzzles are, as others have noticed, only basic; what at first appears to be a match- planets-to-textures puzzle turns out to simply be a matter of pushing them onto the nearest squares. While there's a nice shortcut created by a one-way double door, and some convincingly made lamps using only level geometry and poles and some quite intense lighting, there isn't much that counts as a challenge. Perhaps the perpetually swinging chains are the spookiest thing about, other than the ghost horse! (It was invisible on my first playthrough, but unfortunately came back after I reloaded a savegame later). While I wouldn't say this level is anything like a must-play in 2026, it sure got me nostalgic and eager to explore more of the releases from that first 12 months of the existence of the official editor. 1 secret found, spent about 30 minutes wandering and backtracking, but could complete this level in about 15 if you're lucky." - Cbl

"This level is a good example for me to explain my mild frustrations I have with rating systems (which are still needed), they aren't always reliable tools to communicate what I actually experience in a level, and how much I enjoy it. What can I say? There is nothing innovative in the gameplay, it is pretty basic and consists of some fights, short exploration, and a planet puzzle. It doesn't look particularly polished. A short adventure, over in about 20 minutes. Meaning I will rate this level relatively low. But I had more fun than a lot of the levels I rated high, which is the point of gaming. It was just fun exploring a mansion that is designed more or less logically - i.e. a kitchen, basement, dining hall etc., being curious about what I am going to find like a crazy invisible horseman, trying to understand what is going on in the level, all without stressful moments. Or heck maybe even I was in a good mood or something which made me enjoy it more, who knows." - Nomad

"A mansion level that doesn't really look like or play like a typical mansion level id say. its set in an original build mansion and the atmosphere and music is a bit spooky hence the title of the level, theres some objects to find and use, some fire ghosts and bronze horsemen to avoid, a pushable planet puzzle and some exploring to do, its all quite simple and easy mostly but i didnt get bored because the level was interesting to explore and quite short, although i did have to look at a walkthrough to find out where the crowbar and scroll was, and the scroll was in a interesting place! well done. The texturing seems very basic, rushed and uninspiring unfortunately but if your not too fussed about great visuals and looking for something short, spooky but simple this is the level for you" - John

"Taking into account the limitations and restrictions of the era this came out in, this level just isn't very fun to play nowadays. Gameplay is a cakewalk(with most of your time spent on what I barely qualify as a pushable puzzle and running around for the next item to progress), level design is incredibly uninspired(with a ton of blocky rooms which significantly lack character throughout), general atmosphere, lighting and texturing isn't anything special and enemy encounters are quickly dealt with and forgotten about as quickly as they appeared. So in the end, give this one a pass and go check out something else more worth your time instead." - Ceamonks890

"This isn't really the familiar Mansion layout, although the main hall might instil a sense of deja vu. The different mix of textures like the ship and library ones actually work quite well and made a pleasant change, but the gameplay was a bit bland for my taste. It's basically all about finding items and opening doors, plus performing quite a bit of backtracking until you eventually reach the Golden Star and end the level. There's a few horsemen and wraiths scattered around (one of them was on an invisible horse, not sure whether that was intended), but they don't pose much of a threat. Not bad, but I've played more exciting levels." - Ryan

"This time Lara visits a haunted mansion at night. It's made with the library wad, so there are some knights and wraiths as enemies. One of the knights was on an invisible horse, but since this is a haunted place, it's forgivable. There's a combination of house textures with Maria Doria ones. Lighting is well used, as well as some cameras and sound. Make sure to explore every corner for objects, or you'll have to backtrack a lot. The ending was abrupt, as Lara only pried off the star and when she wanted to get out, it was over." - alan

"This is a somewhat different take on the original mansion, both in layout and textures used. It's an oddly endearing mix of library and ship and kudos to the builder for trying something different. Gameplay is straightforward and mainly exploration based, with just one simple globe puzzle. There is a shotgun and uzi to be found, but since enemies consist of tinmen, horsemen and a couple of fire wraiths anything other than pistols is pretty redundant. Thirty minutes of easy raiding, effectively to find a golden star, at which point it's all over." - Jay

"Granted, this is one of the very earliest custom levels, but even I with my infamously liberal scoring standards am a bit amazed by the relatively high numbers doled out by the previous reviewers. To me it all seemed a bit crude, and although I didn't find the level at all dark (maybe it's been lightened up since Kristina's review), it wasn't all that entertaining either. It starts off as if it will be a typical house level, but once you get inside it seems as if you're on a boat. Yoav has provided his typically compact walkthrough that covers all the necessary bases and documents two secrets. I finished right at 30 minutes, and now I'm ready to continue my enjoyment of the wealth of Advent levels we've been blessed with this year." - Phil

"You can see in this level the usual defects from a beginner: paper walls, bad applied textures, rooms too huge and empty, no puzzles... Even I couldn't saw the horse under the horsemen (invisible?). But in this short level you also can notice advanced skills managing the editor, like the well made flybys, the blue rays, the good use of the triggers (trigger triggered), the worked lights... A short level easy to play but not interesting." - Jose

"Find the Scroll! This is of paramount importance as the level will stretch on and on without it. In theory you can complete this comfortably in 30 minutes but I was there for an hour before I thought to look at the ceiling. That is not a complaint (the clue was the emptiness of the room so I should have twigged it earlier) but a strong hint! This adventure is really a dry run for 'Selachi's Secret' without the frills and huge expansiveness; but in its own way it's rather good. It looks pleasing (I especially loved the Globe lightning effect) and the Horseman without the Horse was hilarious. Lots of good Gameplay moments in quick succesion and the ending comes at the point where you collect your prize which is always satisfying; except in this case I wanted it to go on longer because I was enjoying it so much." - Orbit Dream

"That was very dark so don't even dare play it any other time than night. It's a mansion actually with a lot of bugs as far as the objects and textures are concerned. You just look for the right trigger or switch to open doors and collect one well hidden scroll and a gem from a horseman that rides an invisible horse. Tin men are the only enemies and if it wasn't for the darkness I would have ended it in ten minutes. I found one secret and finished in thirty minutes." - Kristina

"This was a fun little level. Nice atmosphere never experienced anything like it. It's got that fun planet puzzle from the Library. Part of this level is clearly inspired by Lara's Home." - LePerk

"Very very dark just as you'd imagine a haunted mansion to be and I liked the little touch of the water pouring into the basement and the search in the dark for the crowbar. Also the spookiness of the level is added to by the corridors textured with the TR2 sunken ship textures. Then I came across yet another dark room heard a horse neighing and saw what I thought was a knight running in a peculiar fashion. But no he was on an invisible horse. COOL! Was this intended. Actually I don't care if it was or not it was one of the most memorable sights I've seen and really when you think of it why not a ghost horse in a haunted mansion how appropriate. The horse was obviously on my side because he ran in behind a vase and trapped the knight for me to just stand there and shoot him nice horsey. At this stage I upped the brightness I wasn't going to miss any more stuff like this. I always save before starting a globe puzzle just in case I get it wrong but this one was too easy. Passed the room with the scroll a couple of times before it dawned on me to look up. After that you climb up the tower to the star and the level ends. A short but very entertaining level - that horse." - CC

"This level is to keep Lara in perfect shape as there is some running to do. The Mansion is huge - long long corridors with just a couple of rooms. Main goal is the golden star and you'll find that at the end. I wondered throughout why I found that crowbar now I know. Before that you have to get a gem from the horseless horseman (although just for my curiosity I reloaded and voila there was the horse LOL). And a scroll. Now that was for me the thing I let Lara run around that much couldn't find it. So a hint: if a room looks empty look again. As for the wraiths of course I went the wrong way and it took all my medpacks stupid me. There are some trapdoors and chains but nothing difficult. Found two secrets and one of them through the fly cheat as I couldn't figure out how to get up there. 02-20-2002" - Gerty

"This has got to be one of the oddest mansion levels I've seen in a while. It's a haunted mansion so it's a bit dark and Matt's done a great job of making it a spooky place that doesn't exactly make you feel welcome. He also used an odd mix of textures that included the mansion textures and those from the shipwreck level and I thought they were perfect for the kind of atmosphere he was going for. The house was built a bit oddly and the rooms connected together in a strange way but the main feature was the enemies anyway. There are four tin men and a couple of fire elementals plus the funniest thing I have ever seen in a custom level. The horseman's horse was invisible and was so funny looking I had to just stand there and watch him for at least five minutes. It may not sound too funny but believe me it is. You just have to see it for yourself. The puzzles were a bit too simple though and made the rest of this level go by pretty quickly." - RaiderGirl

"I really like it when a level made from the library WAD does not look like the standard library level and here is one of those times. Set inside a mansion haunted by fire spirits and horsemen one even riding a ghost horse the aim is to find your way to the top room via some secret passageways where you need to recover a star. Although this is a nice looking level with a couple of secrets I just couldn't rate this any higher as it was only a short level playing around 25 minutes and it really needed a few more puzzles besides fighting horsemen." - Sash

"This one is in my eyes worth playing because the 'haunted atmosphere' works really quite well. Gameplay as such is not overly tricky and complex although I needed help to find the scroll above the lamp. A few tinmen to battle and I also did not see that horse and thought it was a nice touch in a haunted house ;-). Found one secret (flares) and ended the level in a little above 30 minutes." - Michael

"A unique conversion of the Great Library into the Croft Manor. Good gameplay with a few sneaky bits to keep you guessing for a while. Textures did not match up perfectly but were still good. Only real complaint was the Horseman was riding around without a horse (or was it an invisible horse LOL). Minor thing but it sure did look funny." - Torry

"Matt created this level in a way that let it really look like a haunted house! Also the horseman rides a ghost horse which made the level even better!" - Treeble

"In this rather short level Lara has to find a star and kill many horsemen. One of the horsemen rode a horse but unfortunately I could see the horse (it would have looked fun if it was invisible). The lightning is good but the texturing could have used some more work. At least it serves its purpose. The placement of some objects wasn't very good either. Overall this level could have used some more work but it's still fun." - Magnus

"There are some amateurish touches like paperthin walls crudly shaped furniture and the end of the world at the start but this is a must play for one reason. You get the horseman on an invisible horse and this looks so funny I lost the first four attempts cause tears were rolling down my face from laughing too hard. Really you have to go there and see for yourself. The rest is not bad either bearing in mind that this is a mansion level which I usually don't like that much. I could elaborate for some time about the other things you will find but the invisible horse is basically the reason you should go there. I mistook one trapdoor for a not yet raised block but otherwise the gameplay was pretty fluent and it won't take you long to reach the end. So just for the fun of it go see and believe." - Dimpfelmoser

"Am trying to play all the castle levels this one is really short and pretty straightforward. Not too many baddies and manageable. I did have the tin man on the horse. Only one part did I have to go back and that was for the scroll totally missed that spot in the ceiling. A nice globe puzzle even though it wasn't much of a puzzle. I found the ending rather anticlimactic would have liked to continue onwards with the star." - Momster