Level reviews

"Gameplay is usual tr3 style but with some twists as well. Soundtrack could be less in your face, or in this case in your ears. Indeed the first level is 60% copied, but you also get the option to play just the second level separately - and that one is totally new: an extended lore for the UFO we know. Also, I always wanted to pass that particular fence, and after many years my wish was granted (I wish she could touch the ground on the other side tho). Recommended." - DJ Full

"I waited for this level since 1 year, I feel so happy this finally came out! It's one of the best level editors ever done" - Ulthimas

"The first part is a recreation of most of the parts of the original Area 51. Personally, I don't see the point of this. Maybe useful to people who have not played TR3? Maybe just a prologue to the "bonus level" which is actually the main game? Anyway, the extended second level is an alien colourful environment and it has it's own alien style, which is a good thing. The gameplay, although it lacks in puzzles, is creative, easy to navigate, without anything too difficult. The secrets are not just lying around but not difficult to find either. The atmosphere is very good and the eerie background music, if you turn down the volume a bit, is not very intrusive. Many flares for the few dark places. The lighting is pretty good. What I didn't like at all were the intentionally pixelated textures. It's a pity, because they were well chosen otherwise. I guess this is the experience of poor psx players due to low resolution and the quality of the awful CRT TV screens of that era. My experience on PC and a better monitor was quite different. lol Anyway, apart from that, it is a good custom level which I recommend." - billie2001

"This isn't an Area 51 Redux so much as it's an alien level with an Area 51 level thrown in as an appetizer. The titular segment was fun but ordinary. The real meat of the release is in the alien level that by itself took me nearly two hours to play. The lack of a compass made it more challenging than it needed to be, especially in that giant hub room where all the entrances looked pretty much the same, and I'm sure its absence frustrated José no end during his preparation of an excellent written walkthrough. The low-res textures didn't bother me at all, but the whole game was too damn dark for me (I know, that's a matter of opinion), although to his credit the builder provided ample flares. There were no aggravating jumps to master that I can recall, the secrets are cleverly hidden and provide much of the armament necessary to deal with that horde of aliens near the end. Well done." - Phil

"This is an enjoyable and spirited tribute to the original Area 51 section, with a few new additions that keep a sense of deja vu from setting in. The first section plays nearly identically to the original game, bar a few new side rooms and additional pickups, but the bonus level is where the excitement really ramps up. Aside from a few overly dark corridors, the lighting throughout is nicely done, with some lovely splashes of colour here and there along with some spooky objects that really accentuate the alien environments. The hypnotic, eerie background track manages to be unsettling without being intrusive, a tricky balance to strike but it's nicely done here. The backtracking could have been cut down a bit as the routes were a bit long-winded, and it was a little lacking in puzzles, but otherwise the exploration was really enjoyable and I actually didn't mind the low-resolution textures being used. Recommended." - Ryan

"I quite enjoyed playing this semi-remake/somewhat a hommage of Area 51. It's actually not the same, and there are a few interesting twists and turns, namely the inmate that turns out to be an actual baddy and a lot more (if my memory serves me). Still, it's apparently pretty hard to re-capture TR3's atmosphere, and I guess this one fails at that too, at least to some extent. Then, there's the bonus level, which happens to feel like the main level, set somewhere in some ET world, which is very colourful and challenging enough, containing quite a few really neat ideas. The part in which Lara gets inside what could have been the ship on TR3 has that 2 minute challenge that has recently surfaced also at the end of VCI in LA. The reasonable thing to do is run around the room like mad until the time is over. Then, there's the short ending with Lara back to Area 51... That actually surprised me in a pleasant way - an ending that works like an ending, well done. I wasn't at all annoyed by the use of the pixeled textures throughout, I thought they were perfectly fitting. Recommended." - Jorge22

"The first level is almost a remake of the original Area 51 level with few changes; the second level is builded from scratch, more interesting and challenging, very colourful, the textures are well applied, but I didn't like the black rooms in several places. The secrets are not hard to find, and there are enough ammo and medipacks to advance without problems; I missed some puzzles to solve, but the gameplay is not hard and usually entertaining. It's a pain the low-resolution textures, but the enviroments have a good look with well worked lights. Definitely an adventure worth to play. Well done." - Jose

"The first level started out essentially the same as vanilla TR3's Area 51 but had a different outcome as the level progressed. The second level was very nice on the eyes, with plenty of creative and immersive environments to explore. The enemies were a treat, with many unique alien/mutant creatures to battle. I thought the lighting and textures were impressive, bringing TR3's Area 51 level a bit more life. My only issues with the levels were several inconspicuous push blocks that blended in with the environment (usually these are better kept for secrets), and the switch cover at the very end of the first level; I had no idea Lara was supposed to shoot it, and spent nearly an hour backtracking through the entire level looking for a missing card key when all I needed to do was shoot the switch cover. I also thought the Pokémon music was a little funny, but it fit in well enough with the aliens. This was definitely a fun couple of levels to play on Halloween. 🙂" - dragooncroft

"Wow, visually this TRLE is a treat. Especially the use of many bright colors are extraordinary, creating an insanely great atmosphere. But there are also many very dark corners, almost too dark for my taste, although there were enough flares. The puzzles and the gameplay itself I liked very much, only when you meet the enemy aliens for the first time it wasn't immediately clear to me that they can die, because you can only kill the Horseman enemy from the front. What I personally also don't like so much are the deliberately pixelated textures, but they are still insanely well chosen and processed! For me this is an almost perfect masterpiece, thanks Ruu11! Recommended, for fans of TR3 Nevada & Alien levels a must- play!" - vandit

"Many years ago, we used to play the Tomb Raider III demo on the PlayStation Underground disc(s), as well as the Greatest Hits version of Tomb Raider II for good measure. However, the Area 51 Redux takes what we remembered from the demos and amplifies the experience tenfold! In fact, I'd go so far as to say this is essentially a love letter to the Tomb Raider III Area 51 demo! Area 51 Redux is a masterful godsend that touches upon what Tomb Raider III's Nevada levelset should've been. And although I haven't exactly found all the secrets on my first playthrough, this game absolutely encourages backtracking. One example of this is in the switch room which unlocks the double doors to the UFO. Once you find the right switch for it, you'll be able to backtrack to the beginning in the event you feel you missed an important secret, or if you just want to go back to the beginning just for the heck of it. The Extraterrestrial level was also a blast to play! Every single detail in this level was tended to with love and care in mind. The enemies were plentiful, and the challenges kept me on the edge of my seat! One example of this was in the sub-zero ice room. You literally have to keep yourself on your toes and find the fastest route to complete the puzzle while assuring that Lara doesn't freeze to death. Personally, if a remake of Tomb Raider III was in development, these levels are a must- have for the Nevada levelset. And although it was a short 2 hours, Area 51 Redux was a beautifully made experience and love letter to the Nevada levelset. I'll definitely be playing this again someday soon and see if I can find all ten secrets! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to play this!" - DecimaDragonoid

"Author takes us to a Tomb Raider III throwback with his improved version of Area 51. I loved the little changes on the main level and also the new aditions like that little intro with Lara sitting up on her prison. Otherwise, the Area 51 part was pretty much the same to the original... The little changes and improvements were great, but I was expecting a more reimagined look (just a personal wish, cause I think the point of this project was in fact just replay Area 51 in TRLE) Now we go into that new amazing gorgeous bonus level. I was impressed by the use of colorful lights, textures and everything made up in this "aliensque" world. The music ambience was very fitting to the level aesthetic and gameplay was pretty fun (at times) cause author abused a little bit of switchs. About objects and decoration everything simply fits perfectly with the evironment, really precious work. Sound and music were also great (even tho I think the battle theme music at the end was a bit too much) but still enjoyable and honestly one of the best levels I've played so far this 2021! Congrats." - Jason L

"I am a big fan of the Nevada levels in the original TR3. Although they might be a bit tedious in the originals, I loved the atmosphere the built in, the textures, the designs and this redux nails that same vibe! The first level follows a different but quite similar route to the original level adding only a couple more puzzles and differences and overall it was nicely crafted. The second level is where the creative side of this remake shines: the alienish ship and ruins are simply fascinating, mysterious, almost felt like I was in half life, in the last chapters in Xen. The level has a few inconsistencies whereas the switches might have no cue of what they do in a few parts. One of the secrets was a bit buggy in the sense that you could get softlocked or stuck cause of an enemy, and the freezer room felt a bit unfair with the timing. One could say that the ammunition is too scarse, but I think it's on point: you have to be conservative, careful not to pick up fights you don't want. And it adds a bit of fair challenge. The choice of ambience music and osts was lovely too. The only thing about sound that felt a bit off was the fact that the Grenade launcher had the Crossbow firing sound. Overall, it took me about 2 hours to complete and it's a nice refreshing interpretation of a great series!" - ViridionSama