Level reviews

"A classic TR2 level and the first one from Feder. It consists of 5 levels. The gameplay is your standard TR2 expierence. Some combat, traps, parkour and a bit of exploration. Nothing really innovative. Except the Cistern inspired water puzzle in the third level (which I loved), there are not many riddles. The design is fine but with some remarks from my side. The textures are mainly properly and diversely applied except for some wallpapered walls across all the levels. The lighting is probably the weakest point. It's flat and dull in many areas. Some rooms could use more decorations to appear less empty. The architecture and the layout of the levels are done very well. Overall, this debut of Feder is really cool and pleasurable. Definitely a classic TR2 custom level. Recommended." - BlackWolfTR

"a great TR2 Adventure 9/10" - Raider278

"Very great level by Feder. Really liked the change from the offshore rig style to the temple style. Had a nice mix of tomb raider 1 and 2 textures on the third and fourth level. And the last level was extremely fun with all of the combat. Overall i give it a 9/10." - Sabbath

"I really liked the cistern style level." - raksoen

"As a tomb raider 2 lover, playing through this set of levels has been an enjoyable moment. First thing, Feder know how to build coherent level, the quality of the path we have to take to move arround and end the level is impressive and coherent. Moreover, lighting and texture are well made and are never wacky nor strange (special mention to level 3 and 4). About objects and ennemies, there is enough med pack and ammos to finish the game. Most of secret are well hidden and it's very chalenging to get all of them. However, the only small flaws are ennemies: They sometime pop at some strange place and they lack of diversity (IMO having some stone warrior or giant spider in level 3 or 4 would have been better and coherent). music is well used and work well. Overall this set of levels is very solid and it was a pleasure to play them. Thanks Feder." - Xemuth

"Feder here delivers another fantastic set of levels, this time based on the TR2 engine. Each level is very well designed and textured, and each includes three secrets much like the original TR2 (I like this system a lot as once you have all three you can relax a little and don't have to search every single crevice for the remainder of the level). The five levels here feature a variety of settings. I have never been a huge fan of the offshore rig style levels but even I will admit these two here were very well done and enjoyed them. Levels three and four were the ones that really hit the high notes for me, taking place in ancient temple environments. One of these levels contains a cistern-esque water puzzle which I enjoyed very much. The last level is a great opportunity to unload some punishment on hordes of cultists. Although for me this didn't quite live up to the brilliant 'Nordic Adventure', I liked this level set very much, and Feder remains my favourite builder. Highly recommended." - Passalaqua

"As an old player of Tomb Raider, I am used to the old operation and prefer to play the level similar to Tomb Raider generation 2 and generation 3. All the elements are familiar, so I can adapt to the environment of the game more quickly, which brings me back to the time when I played Tomb Raider 2. After that, you can give a bullet collection. I hope the author can make more excellent self-made level." - Daniel

"By far the best trle I've ever played, simple story with different types of levels, each level is unique by its own, mixed between trI and trII textures, this is next level creation, Every in this trle was amazing, secrets -as always- were fun to find and the whole level was enjoyable to play, puzzles were the best. I highly recommend this trle. I give this trle 10/10 because it's my best so far, I found 14/15 secrets (I missed the easiest one the cistern xd)" - p1kaa

"This is a fantastic Level, However it is NOT for beginners there are enemies all over the place. Recommended for players who are more experienced. 39/40" - JoeTheCrazyGamer

"This is one of the best TR2-type TRLE adventures that I could play! You will find the superb and nostalgic ambiances from TR1 and TR2. You really can feel that the author was inspired by rooms from TR2 (plateform, temple of Xian, floating islands...) and from TR1 (citern, Tihocan's tomb...) to build something new and that's a success! Textures are re-used adequately, as for enemies, different objects (cards, keys, saw...). The atmosphere is excellent, the adventure is rhythmic, nothing wrong here. My congratulations to the author, I really wish he will build another adventures like this one. If I took out 2 points from "Gameplay & Puzzles", that's because I include the story in this category. Sadly, we don't have enough information about the story in that adventure. :( If I took out 2 points from "Enemies, Objects & Secrets", that's because of two reasons: 1) I would have liked a boss at the end of the last level. An arena on the platform's roof with a boss could have been an excellent idea for the finale, after the horde of enemis we face there. 2) The secrets, as satisfying to find as they are, don't add anything to the gameplay. I expected to a bonus level or bonus ammunition like TR2 when we find all the three secret in a level. But to conclude, if you liked TR2, there's a good chance you'll have a great time in this adventure! :)" - SlyRaider

"A great set of levels that are not very long but packed with plenty of activities , baddies , pickups , traps , and 3 secrets per level. The course is always interesting , the maps do not seem straightforward although it sometimes is. The difficulty is average , the Hidden garden level set in a type of Oriental level being a bit more challenging. With good ideas and a science of what good raiding is , it's lots of fun and very recommanded." - eRIC

"**The Platform** Quick and cool little introduction level. Very nice secrets placement. However, the Harpoon seems useless throughout the entire selection of levels, so idk why it is there. I did however love the mini-secret in the beginning that awards you the automatics. And on the other side I hated pushing the block into pool room because it takes forever. **Submarine Excavation** Damn those tight corners make for some hard fights. That second flamethrower dude and his buddy were hard to defeat in those corners, and I ended up moving position multiple times. Very nice. Especially with that cheeky first Secret. Nicely hidden in plain sight. I also love the first long hallway introducing you to the flamethrower baddies. In general I like how this level uses one central room as a hub that has paths moving in all kinds of different directions. **Temple of the Tides** I loved this level, holy fuck. Such an elegantly designed level. I love the usage of Cistern Assets from Tomb Raider I, especially with the raising and lowering of the water to enter the same areas in different ways. As well as very unique hiding places for secrets. Medi-kit and Ammunition rewards seem perfectly sparse, while still incentivising you to use stronger weapons to deal with the enemies in the smaller rooms. I very much enjoyed this. **Hidden Gardens** Holy fuck I am in love with this level. Everything about this level is amazing. It uses assets from the Floating Isles, the Temple of Xian and the Barkhang Monastery to create actual gardens and small thickets. And it all works absolutely perfectly together. Everything is so dark, the atmosphere is so sick you could cut it with a knife. Etering dark corridors has me actually scared of what is ahead of me. The raise in difficulty is definitely noticeable in which enemies spawn, how they spawn and how much time you have to maneuver. The secret placements in this level have been my favorite so far, everything is thematic and colored. I adore this level. Especially the climax room. That was a festival if I've ever seen one. **Escape with the Dagger** Glass shards filling a room, with broken windows as the ceiling? I definitely appreciate the attention to detail there! I love how you could look through a window to see a later part of the level, that is a nice tease. Especially after the highlight that was the Gold Dragon secret, that just excited me. This whole compilation was a highlight through and through." - The Snarky Lesbian

"A perfect level set made with the good old tr2 engine! Five levels setted in three different places, connected by the easy but clever story of the game. The game shines in each point of it, but I want to give a particular attention to the gameplay that is well balanced between the exploring based portion, the secrets, which are pretty satisfying to find, and the timed runs are sometimes hard (the fourth level - breathes in and out slowly before writing again - that was quite hard) but they are a nice touch. As a trademark of Feder, the texturing and the lighting are incredible for a tr2 level. Pretty enjoyable, a great debut of a great builder. One of the most enjoyable games of his. Recommended. Wolfy Regards." - Wolf7

"Normally I'm extremely picky when it comes to TRLE's. I played this level from start to finish in one sitting. The platforming is really good in these set of levels and I feel like the levels connect very well with the story you're trying to tell! I'm looking forward to a part 2 or another level created by this user! I also love the TR2 engine and the fact that you challenged yourself to use the TR2 engine instead of the basic TR4 engine makes me happy! While I love the TR4 engine I like TR2 engine the most! Good level and I'll be playing it more then once!" - Light a Flare

"Wow! What a nostalgic and creative adventure this has been! After having played "Tomb of Ancient Warriors" by the same author my exspectations in regards to this adventure were rather high and fortunately I wasn't disappointed! This level set kept me busy for a few hours and I loved every minute of it. I am sure that every TR2 fan will love this one just as much as I did. The mix between TR2 and TR1 textures works pretty well here. Gameplay is overall somewhat challenging but not too hard either as there are plenty of items available to get you through the game and even the hardest jumps can be mastered with just a little bit of practice. What I really would like to put emphasis on is the atmosphere (especially the last level). Considering that lighing is rather limited in the old engines the author did an amazing job here. Whenever I start playing a level set similiar to this one I am truly hoping for that "special moment" near or at the very end like a boss fight or an epic escape. The last bits of "The Hidden Dagger" totally fulfilled my exspectations. I was actually hoping that someone would use the popular Skidoo Theme to create something memorable and so it happened! I truly hope to see more alike adventures from this author. Verdict: Absolutely recommend towards any players but especially towards those who are big fans of the original TR2." - KingdomHearts

"Another brilliant TR2 level that is true to the original game. Loved all five levels of this adventure. The jumps and timed run sequences were hard but not impossible and the seasoned raider will get these after a try or two. The only real negative I have was the toxic pool in level 1 that was not toxic at all it turns out. Lara could simply wade through the slime without danger. Only blemish I could see in a great few hours raiding. You get all the TR weapons including the M16 and Grenade Gun but do not really require anything more than the trusted Uzis." - Torry

"This is a very pretty levelset including 5 levels with good gameplay, fitting soundtrack and some good puzzles. Each level has a different design, mostly referring to Tomb raider 2 levels. The whole game wasn't that challenging and the 3 secrets in each level were mostly easy to find and I found all of them, except the Jade dragon in the third level. But these levels still entertained me very much. I recommend it." - Nuri

"A very solid TR 2 adventure with fun level design, some pleasant locations to see and very "TR 2" feel to it. All the levels are very polished and the author could build some very good set pieces even with the limitations of the editor. The secrets are challenging to find but the normal puzzles are not that hard. This is a very fun riding that will keep you entertained if you want a TR 2 styled level set." - SeniorBlitz

"A TR2 level is always good for a change of pace and a burst of nostalgia and for a debut this is quite competent. Admittedly the textures aren't as exciting or attractive as they were back in the day, but the look here is actually quite pleasing, with a mix of textures from TR2 and TR1. The gameplay is accessible to all players with a good mix of puzzles, traps and timed runs, nothing too difficult. You don't actually pick up the dagger in the fourth level, but if you look in your inventory it should be there. The enemies do gang up on you, but you do find enough ammo (especially alongside the secrets). Recommended." - Ryan

"A complete game with every texture, every track and every object in place, underrated just like any TR2 type, even though it's too simple to get stuck yet complex enough to allow surprises. All I'd fix is 1) in some places I would choose a different material mix 2) I'd reward per-level secret completion with more scenarios to humiliate your opponents; alternately 2a) give more ammo pickups so if you grab them all you don't run out of any kind." - DJ Full

"This game consists of five levels that are created with TR2 engine. This means that you will not find some cool features that you could create with TRNG but for me this was not a problem. I actually enjoyed very much TR2-style gameplay, enemies and the environment, which is made with textures mostly from TR2 levels but also from Cistern level in TR1. The game consists of three offshore rig type of levels, one TR1-style cistern level and an underground chinese temple area. While the lighting is these levels looks sometimes slightly bland, textures and objects are used really well and in general, the surroundings look very nice and nostalgic, which I liked. Gameplay flows pretty fluently from task to another and contains quite a lot of platforming, traps and rather simple but fun puzzles involving often pushable blocks. I liked also very much the TR1-style cistern level where you need to control the water level to gain access to different areas. One thing that I would not have minded is if the levels would have contained slightly less enemies since those very used in excess at times in my opinion. After all, it's a really well designed set of levels in all aspects and even though it doesn't involve the most groundbreaking content, it is definitely lots of fun especially if you like levels having atmosphere similar to TR2. I highly recommend this level set for everybody." - Samu

"The setting here is an oil rig one that transitions into some underwater ruins that are a hybrid of TR1 and 2 textures. Given TR2's limitations it does a good job with design and details, although it feels a bit lacking any big wow areas (the cistern-style ruins coming closest). Lighting is used well, although it doesn't quite use the contrast of light and shadow as well as the TR2 itself. Texturing is generally decent, but some of the texture themes don't sync very well artistically (at least not without transitions), so the colours clash somewhat at times. While the textures themes don't always work so well together it does create some unique styles, and there's a night time oil rig style I haven't really seen done before.
The gameplay is relatively straightforward and each of the five levels isn't too long, but it goes smoothly and provides a variety of tasks, on top of making good use of TR2 enemies (like TR2 itself it's pretty combat heavy, but there are plenty of other tasks too). The dragon secrets are also used well as a mechanic, and frequently hinted at through windows and similar, it's a shame there doesn't seem to be any reward for finding them all in a level though. While there's room for improvement this is one of the better older TR engine sets I've played, and I could see the author make some excellent levels in the future with a bit more practice." - Mman

"I thought to myself: oh, why not try a TR2 level for old time sakes? And I'm glad I did because I had loads of fun throughout the entire game (a little less in the Chinese settings but that's merely a personal preference). Everything you could expect from a TR2 game (more enemies than usual included, of course) is present and truly well balanced. Not only well balanced but in a player-friendly way, meaning it isn't like playing a game of chess against the world champion. The textures look fine for the TR2 engine too. It isn't exactly eye candy but that's the TR2 package for you back in 1997. Great time travel indeed. Very recommended." - Jorge22

"As a fan of TRII and consider it one of my favorite and most played entry in the series, this levels is everything I wished for and more! I have never seen such a level that stays so faithful to the original TRII, it looks so original yet so fresh, it is a new, welcome experience that I loved from start to finish. THe atmosphere and the textures were superb, I absolutely love the usage of the original engine and the original textures, it gives an authentic feel to a new level, I love the atmosphere so much that I find myself looking around sometimes, amazed by the great textures and the beautiful environments. The gameplay is really, really fun and has you entertained all the time, it got me engrossed and engaged with the level, I loved the usage of the traps and the puzzles, it makes the level more fun and a bit longer. The enemies were tough at times, but you can definitely handle them, they gave a good addition of difficulty to the level. All in all, I STRONGLY recommend this level, I cannot believe this is the builder's first level, definitely one of the strongest and most fun entries for a first timer, and I hope Federico stays with us for a long time and makes much more levels because honestly his levels are out of this world, thank you for an immensly fun level, Federico!" - LaraSpears

"Fun, fun, fun! This was an exceptionally good level debut. Only one thing put me off it, and that was the TR1 style part. I had just got comfy being in the TR2 environment, so dropping into the Cistern really did not work for me. Fortunately, this did not last too long. Recommended!" - Manymee

"Wow, what an adventure! Here is a series of fun levels starting into a base/rig style level as you make your way down into the actual dig, coming across a Cistern-like level and a beautiful secluded garden before finally getting your hands on the artifact and making a hasty escape. Although all the levels feature a lot of running back and forth as you collect keys and the like, the level design is very intelligent as most of the times it comes full circle and you may not even notice how seamlessly you are roaming around. There are a handful puzzles spread across the levels and some nice platforming sections, too. My favorite level would probably be Temple of the Tides, which provides a simple but fun flood/drain puzzle. I also enjoyed the retextured enemies, whose color coordination makes a lot more sense than the original TR2 thugs, although I wasn't too keen on Lara's full body wetsuit, Atmosphere-wise this is easily one of the best levels I've ever played, and even though it makes use of classic assets it still looks mind-blowing. Bottomline, this series is a perfect mash-up between TR1 and TR2 in my opinion, plus you get enough chances to spend all the supplies you've gathered as you make your escape in a heavily combat based level. Absolutely recommended. 130 minutes, 9 secrets. 07/17" - Treeble

"Well the title says it all, the Hidden Dagger is very well hidden, as you will leave eventually without it (at least I did). For the rest do remember where you have seen a cardholder or a lock, yup some backtracking is involved. I was so lost in the last level, looking for a green card holder, definite need some glasses as I completely overlooked the damn thing (my excuse… it was rather a small cardholder). Found by accident all secrets and I liked the one in the last level (how to get to it, very clever). There are quite a lot of enemies to slay (some do come in droves), so do pick up everything you see, you'll need it. There are also some puzzles and some jumping to do, as well as timed runs, nothing too hard luckily. This is how I like it. The only odd thing I experienced was random crashing of the game, very strange." - Gerty

"Quite a nostalgia fest, this one, and very well done for a debut level. When one hasn't played a TR2 game for a while, it does come as a bit of a shock to the system, with the grainy textures and lack of moves. I would keep trying to sprint through the timed runs, instead of jumping a lot. Still, that's just the nature of the beast and, as long as you can accept that, this is a lot of fun. There's a good variety of tasks to accomplish/traps to negotiate and different enemies throughout the five parts. Most of them are easily dealt with, but I had entirely forgotten how tough those knife throwing chaps are - I was glad of the fairly generously supplied fire power by that time. Within the obvious limitations of TR2, this is nicely made and the areas look attractive. It's not a difficult game and should be suitable for players of all abilities. If you like the genre, this is a definite must-play." - Jay

"TR2 levels have a built-in disadvantage for me due to their relatively crude graphics and movement limitations, but it's fun to play them once in a while for a change of pace. This five-part game was entertaining and well crafted, but I found nothing unusually excellent about it when compared with other recent TR2 releases. Each of the five parts requires at least 30 minutes to complete, and your accumulated pickups are carried with you from level to level. Along the way the player is provided plenty of firepower, ammunition, medipacks and flares to deal with the many enemies that are encountered. There are three secrets in each level, and with the help of José and another player credited in the walkthrough I was able to locate them all. Recommended." - Phil

"One heck of a debut this author has made! A fantastic levelset, with really great and creative puzzles, and super fun to play. The combination of textures from Tomb Raider 1 and 2 works really well, providing some really beautiful landscapes to enjoy. Overall, I am VERY impressed with the overall quality here, and I highly recommend." - GoldfishGam3r

"This is indeed a quite accomplished TR 2 adventure that doesn't really present anything new (not even the secret system, which is exactly the same as in TR 2) but still manages to be an entertaining 1:35 hour long game. Instead of a levelset with many locations to visit, this time we stay in one place and discover it deeper and deeper. The gameplay is varied and has a few simple puzzles and some good and some rather easy traps (it shouldn't be possible to jump over boulders), especially the timed runs are quite accomplished. It also manages to be fluent and entertaining without being too quick and also not too tedious, without much backtracking - only if you missed some of the quite well hidden secrets. I only found one potential dead end, in the third level, if you drop in the room with the trapdoor without using the underwater lever in there first (it's easily possible to survive this), you can get the key but the exit door is closed. Applying the final statistics at the end also would've been nice. Enemies are quite plentiful in this game, which is not a large problem with all the provided ammo, but sometimes the shooter elements are a bit too prominent if you ask me. Many enemies pop up out of thin air which is not so well done. While the first two levels are rather solid but not too special in terms of visuals, levels three and four are quite atmospheric. Texturing is mostly clean and quite well used, only on very few occasions a bit wallpapered, yet there are a few end of the world moments that could've been handled a bit better. The lighting is quite good for a TR 2 level too, only sometimes a bit bland. It's all of a high standard for the old engine, and I hope the builder builds up from a very promising debut." - manarch2

"It's a very good debut for this LD, the system level reminds me so much Drilling Site (Demo), the gameplay isn't linear, sounds and musics are really very well fitted, secrets are very hard to spot and to take them, some you can see them reaching after found a way to get'em and some are hidden in lurking places. Excellent phantasy of the author, that has revolutionated the secret system in a crescent order to take dragons: STONE/SILVER DRAGON: EASY JADE/GREEN DRAGON: NORMAL GOLDEN/YELLOW DRAGON: HARD/FOR EXPERT - Level 1: The Platform - Based on the setting of Offshore's Rig and Diving Area - Level 2: Submarine Excavation - Based on the setting of Offshore's Rig and Diving Area and some elements of Sleeping with the Fishes - Level 3: Temple of the Tides - Based on the setting of Maria Doria connected with The Cistern, containing elements of Barkhang Monastery and Tomb of Tihocan - Level 4: Hidden Garden - Based on a "Shangri-la" setting of Xian's Temple and Floating Islands, mixturing with the most typical and particular elements of Furnace of the Gods and Dragon's Lair. Here there is a very tight timed run with a button to push and a corridor leading to an outer area and while you run you have to avoid spiking ball traps. - Level 5: Escape with the Dagger: Based on a return to Offshore's Rig area and with elements of Shakespeare's Cliff. So for who loves TR2 this is very highly recommended, it worths." - AlexCroft

"Extraordinary debut. One of the best adventures made with the unofficial editor I ever played. The author knew how to trapped the player in a real and absorvent TR2 environment where you can't stop playing until you finish. The golden dragons are very hard to find (I couldn't find any) and it was a pain I couldn't find the uzis too, but even so the remaining guns, ammo and medipacks were enough for me. Fantastic ambience with old TR2 musics and many helping cameras; the architecture is quite good and even with small defects in triangular surfaces, the texturization is near perfection, as well as lighting. Thank you very much Feder, for this back to the past with this very very enjoyable adventure. Highly recommended. You can't miss it!" - Jose