| Reviewer's comments |
"This level got confusing once I arrived to the big cave and
the water with strong currents. I had to use the
walkthrough there because I didn't know where to start
first. There is a lot of places to explore here, but you're
gonna need lots of flares too, because it's really dark
during all the game. There are timed runs and puzzles to
solve. I found 3 secrets." - alan (14-Feb-2018) |
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| "I stumbled across this older level and decided
to try it out, assuming it would be a quick 30
to 45 minute tidbit that I could complete
rather quickly. Boy, was I wrong! This took me
82 minutes to complete and in terms of
gameplay, it kept me absorbed from start to
finish. Tough timed runs (especially one that
will have you gasping for air, in more ways
than one), fun pushable puzzles (I loved the
ones with the scorpions trying to set the floor
on fire while you accomplish the task), tough
swimming sequences and fun battles. I liked
some of the flybys and camera hints guiding you
along the way. The downsides are the
overwhelming darkness and the lack of enemies.
Still, it has held up well for its age." - Ryan (01-Aug-2016) |
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| "Now this is one I remember having played at some point somewhere in the last fifteen years, but only up to a certain point. For some reason, everything past the underground beach still felt fresh and new, and, sad to say, boresome. I can't really pinpoint why, but the whole level feels just way too open and it's too much on the dark side for no good reason. If not for Phil's extensive walkthrough, I'd probably have given up and just moved on to the next level. There are a few nice touches along the way - I particularly enjoyed the scorpion trap - but other than that it's a basic effort from the earlier days of custom levels. 85 minutes, 3 secrets. 09/15" - Treeble (03-Oct-2015) |
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| "This level brings back some vivid personal memories about
this site, regarding an incident long forgotten by the rest
of us. A once-active member who hasn't been heard from
lately submitted a walkthrough that I posted years ago after
apparently having made a few cosmetic changes for the sake
of clarity. I didn't request permission to make the changes
(although that would certainly have been the courteous thing
to do, and I have since made it a point to do so whenever
the occasion arises), believing that as moderator I had the
implied authority to take such action, and because the
changes weren't stylistic in nature and were intended to
help the reader rather than to "improve" the language. I
heard nothing from the writer and promptly forgot about the
matter. A year or so later an issue arose within the forum
as to whether all members should have the ability to modify
a posted walkthrough. I resisted the idea, not for despotic
reasons but because I felt then, and still do, that such
editing rights could lead to mischief at best and chaos at
worst. At this point the member in question started
throwing into my face the unauthorized changes I had made
long before to her walkthrough. By this time I had no idea
what those changes were, and if I had been told I would
gladly have restored the walkthrough to its condition as
originally presented. Nonetheless, those sniping posts in
the forum went on for some time, and when I'd finally
reached my breaking point I quietly played the level, wrote
my own walkthrough and substituted it for the existing one.
Then the fun really began. Ah, those were the days. Jose's
recent review brought all of this back to mind, and upon my
own replay I remembered the remarkable complexities of this
level. Indeed, I would not have had the faintest idea of
what to do at many crucial points, so the only way I could
have written my walkthrough (which, by the way, could itself
stand a bit of clarity in a few places) was by referring to
the former one, so I now pay belated tribute to that once-
active member who first undertook the task. The level is
much too dark in places, and several of the required jumps
amount to leaps of faith into utter blackness, but the
gameplay overall shows a firm grasp of the level editor and
its many nuances. I especially liked that pushpiece
exercise near the end, where you have to pause periodically
to deal with sneaky scorpions trying to do you in through
unorthodox means. Even with my own walkthrough to help me
along, I spent a bit more than an hour and forty-five
minutes here, so a great deal is packed into a relatively
modest download. It's a shame that the builder quit with
this one, because it's an extraordinary maiden effort dating
back to 2001 when things were just getting started." - Phil (21-Jun-2015) |
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| "What a level so long and confusing! Even following the walkthrough I was playing several days to finish it (few time each day, of course). Even when there are enough flares, the level is too dark in many rooms and it makes very difficult the exploration. There are elongated textures in some places, and very few enemies to shoot. You'll have to pull switches here and there, and many times you're forced to run/swim very long distances to re-visit the places you've already explored. Also the puzzles are "obscure"; in the room with four levers I couldn't see a hint to know what switches to pull, and in the room with the deep pit and burning candles I had to reload a savegame from the entrance and follow exactly Phil's walkthrough 'cause I didn't find a way to reset the triggers. There are some nice flybies once in a while, but even so the level was confusing for me in many areas." - Jose (16-Jun-2015) |
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| "Definately a gem of the early days, but this game hasn't aged particularly well. The visuals are often very crude to say the least, with very dark and almost depressive lighting and often messed up texturing - although some rooms are fairly appealing - and the darkness really takes away a lot of the fun. I'm very sorry about that, because there are some really great ideas in this level, mostly the unique scorpion party that might've served as an inspiration for some of Richard Lawther's puzzles (?), but also the clever use of currents, nice room connections that creates several a-ha moments and some more nice touches here and there that let this level stand out from most other levels released back at that time. But then there's the almost constant darkness from start to finish, a lack of camera clues and much pointless progression in random corridors that only prolongs the gameplay time needlessly. There are few enemies, but they are very effectively used in here, not only in the scorpion puzzle; the three secrets are rather nicely hidden. Room design, sound and camera work aren't utterly perfect but all in all the atmosphere is quite believable and nice to look at. There would've been much room for improvement; still, considering its age and the source of inspiration, this is a commendable effort overall that lasted 45 minutes for me." - manarch2 (31-Jan-2015) |
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| "Very dark level, there is a lot of flares but it is very difficult to move in the dark. Especially that there are many hidden cracks. The gameplay is good. Few enemies." - Minox (19-Apr-2014) |
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| "I remember that at about the time I started to get myself involved in the community this level was still in the Top 50. Mere eleven (!!!) years later I finally find out why (are hobbies even allowed to make you feel this old?). This just shows to never underestimate an older level, since I believe I've never in my custom level playing career have been in mortal terror when hearing the scratching sound a tiny scorpion can make. And those kamikaze-scorpions were just a number of many creative touches to be found in here - I loved the current puzzle with safe spots behind water pillars, draining/redirecting some water from the great lake so you can stand on pillars, the shimmy path for the second cartouche piece, the rope-swings and the path in the cliffs to them, as well as the timed run are all well thought through and just shows how fresh a level from the early days of the subculture can feel. It is somewhat of an oddity in the looks department - despite the darkness, where I think the author used one shadow-bulb too many - the lighting is excellent here, showing great use of colours, contrasts and sun-bulbs, while texturing occasionally ends up quite lacking with repetitive, with stretched textures in places. It's an odd combo, because you mostly encounter levels in the reverse situation, but this is not a usual level, so maybe expecting the unexpected is an unwritten rule for it. There were moments where it didn't bother me that much, but then you stumble upon real eyesores like transparent textures you should be able to see through but can't, squashed and stretched textures and things you wouldn't expect given the attention to detail shown elsewhere in the game. Had it been more polished it would've been spectacular in every sense. If there's any criticism for the gameplay - then some areas are a tad confusing (underground lake; room with Anubis statues) and it's somewhat hard to discern what your next course of action should be, which stood in the way of the great flow I was having in the game for most of its duration. But overall, this is a well aged classic, much deserving of the praise and should be checked out by all raiders who value creativity and can look the other way when encountering some settings that fall short of the otherwise high standards that are set here. Found 2 secrets." - eTux (25-Apr-2012) |
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| "It's very long and very dark level. So that's why there are a lot's of flares. We can visit caves, catacombs and underwater pasages. You have to pass a long of way till you get two Cartouche Pieces for a door at beginning. The way is difficult. You have to avoid water currents or jump through the gaps in a dark. There are few enemies, only ninjas and scorpions. This level have some beautiful places, like waterfall, beach or last colorful room." - Andzia9 (04-Jan-2010) |
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| "It's very very dark in here. Huge caves, underground temples and water
ways. We can see lighted sconces on the walls off in the distance, but our
flares only go so far to penetrate this darkness. This added to the
spookiness of the level, and also the danger, as there are deep pits and
great heights to scale. I admit I upped the brightness a lot, simply
because I wanted to see how this amazing place was put together. Even if
it was the brightest of levels it wouldn't take away from the terrific
gameplay. And that is the main thing here. Exploration at first, then more
puzzle based towards the end. We start off almost at a standstill,
wondering what to do, and it does take some time to acclimatise yourself
to the place. We spend a long time exploring, crawling, shimmying and
climbing, to find levers and secret passages. We're looking for hands and
cartouche pieces. I was stuck for a while near the start because I couldn't
see that hole in the ceiling after an intriguing climb up a column. In fact, if
the player is not the explorer type, or hates darkness, then I'd seriously
recommend the walkthrough. The place is occupied by ninjas, who seem
to be quite happy to roam about in the dark. It was a very strange
experience seeing palm trees and a beach in one enormous dark cave,
and a waterfall and greenery in another smaller one. One of the most
memorable parts for me was swinging from one rope to another very high
up in an almost pitch black cave, and a terrifying slide through a pitch
black tunnel. I could add to that the longest fall I've ever experienced down
a waterfall into a pool below. There are tough swims through strong
currents, some of which throw Lara up long distances. And a tough timed
water puzzle. Inside the temple areas are statues to push around. One
water room has a lovely warm feel to it, due to the colours and better
lighting, and high above Lara negotiates the longest shimmy around
corners I've ever seen. From here on things become brighter. Leading us
into a fascinating room where we need to push two statues onto pattern
tiles, at the same time keeping a wary eye out for scorpions, and kill them
before they crawl onto trigger tiles that set the floor on fire. And another fire
puzzle near the end that took a while to figure out. For this one we have to
step on certain parts of the floor to keep flames lighting and open the exit
door. The level has a very appropriate ending, running through more tall
rooms, shooting the correct vases, and running towards daylight. This is a
very old level, but is so well made that it will stand the scrutiny and
experience of today's players. Considering it's age this has to be a
classic. Very unique, and still well worth playing." - CC (18-Apr-2006) |
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| "Since I'm very fond of my knees I really wanted to like this level. You don't understand what I mean? Good - if you did I would have to kill you. Anyway when the level first started I couldn't help but wonder why the people who have reviewed it liked it so much. Well I've learned that you shouldn't make a decision that quickly and after a while the level became much better with large areas and clever puzzles. Gameplay and puzzles: The gameplay consists of a lot of searching in dark areas which I'm not too fond of but there are also areas that are very cleverly made. My favourite was the room with the scorpions that you had to kill before they got too far. I also like the different climb over the pool simply because it was very original. There are also a lot of fun ways to get to where you have to go but to find them you have to search a lot. The level takes about 40 minutes to finish. Enemies objects and secrets: Well there aren't many enemies in this level and besides the scorpions in the room I mentioned above they don't really pose a threat. Since enemies isn't what this level is about that's not a big problem though. There aren't many objects either but if the author had placed a lot of objects in every room this would either be a much smaller level or two levels making one large level. Well we wouldn't want that to happen would we? Oh and I found two secrets. Atmosphere sound and cameras: I found the level rather quiet and there weren't too many cameras but that's okay. The atmosphere is good and it really feels like you're underground. Lighting and textures: Even though I would imagine it being this dark underground the level is still too dark. Many times I couldn't see anything and since you have to search for levers and such a lot it becomes more and more annoying the longer you play. The texturing is good though - even if it's not very special. I liked the way pillars had tipped over and floors had holes in them - it looked very real. All in all a good level - don't let the darkness scare you away." - Magnus (29-Jan-2004) |
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| "This level is more than two years old now and I can't believe I've only just got round to playing it. I must say it stands the test of time pretty well with interesting puzzles (my favourite part) and good settings to explore. I particularly liked the puzzle involving shooting scorpions; I can't recall having seen that one before or since. In fact quite a lot of things about this level struck me as very individual. There isn't anything too challenging apart from a timed swim which may take you a few goes. There is a fair amount of swimming involved actually which isn't my favourite pasttime but the addition of various cunning currents spiced up the action so it may occasionally have been frustrating but at least it wasn't boring. The atmosphere is good and the level very well constructed. My only complaint is that it is really much too dark for most of the time so I made sure I had unlimited flares. I wonder why this author never made another level - shame." - Jay (06-May-2003) |
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| "Beautifully presented and intriguingly thought out The Tomb of Cleopatra's Handmaiden this is a true challenge of Lara's skills. The multi level game is a challenge in and of itself and it contains more than its share of fun puzzles. None of the puzzles beyond the game itself are of the headache variety but more than one should present more than a true challenge to the best TR fan. Lots of water and a GREAT timed water puzzle that is easy to figure out but tough enough to accomplish. There is a bigger water puzzle that had me pulling at my bald head (no hair to pull out) Short comings? MUCH TOO DARK and there are ropes on high for some reason which I never used. Did I miss a section? If so the author's goof not mine. Great fun. Highly recommended." - Dougsan (05-Apr-2003) |
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| "A brilliant level with ingenious puzzles and impressive rooms. The atmosphere is superb but too dark in some areas. Beautifully designed. There is a very difficult underwater timed door. I specially liked the puzzle with scarab tiles and scorpions... it's cool! Even though in this level it was often quite hard to progress I had a great time playing it. Don't miss this exciting adventure." - Cuqui (14-Feb-2003) |
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| "It's a wonderful level but very dark for me. It starts slowly and it doesn't look very interesting but as you go further the gameplay really picks up. The player wanders in outside and underground areas trying to find hands and a cartouche. There are many climbable walls and difficult tasks to complete like fight the currents in more than one part of the level and at some point you have to follow the same route but choose a different direction each time to be able to progress. I found a little boring the part with the underwater currents near the down waterfall inside of what looked like a canyon. Maybe it could have been divided in two areas rather than having to swim up and down all the time. The enemies are only some ninjas and scorpions only at the beginning the red scorpions will be apart of a puzzle near the end. The rooms are quite big and empty. I liked the view down to the waterfall from the rocks above it and the shore. I found two out of three secrets they are not difficult so I assume that I overlooked it. It's not a closed tomb as I was expecting it to be that and the logical puzzles gained points. Only one of them made me go crazy but the solution was so simple the one with the black things on the floor that have to be lit (not pedestals I forget their name) and the doors a jump is the trick here. All together a good level and recommended but not to beginners." - Kristina (07-Feb-2003) |
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| "What an utterly dark and confusing level although I am inclined to blame the confusing part on the darkness. It was not that the 'being stuck' played a major role as by trying different things I could get in the end what and where I wanted Lara to go but I DO like to see more than this level provided (there I go again with the darkness). The swimming against the current was very hard but trying it a few times makes it much easier. The other currents take you in a dazzling pace to the waterfall so I got confused again. The room with the scorpion had me puzzled for a while as I couldn't get on to the internet for more than a week so I had to figure that out for myself. It seem like it also took me ages to find the Hand of Orion and the second part of the Cartouche so all in all still a frustrating level. 07-11-2002" - Gerty (09-Nov-2002) |
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| "I was pretty eager to play this level after reading all the glowing reviews and even more excited after reading the beautiful story that came with the download. As I started it up I was picturing big bright beautiful rooms with flowing fountains sparkling pools and gorgeous paintings on the wall. While there are some beautiful temple areas later in the level the first few rooms were a bit square in shape and so dark I couldn't tell if the wall had pictures or not. The darkness was to be a common theme during most of the level so I spent some time just walking around with a flare trying to find what I was looking for. With the many large confusing areas I admit to being frustrated more than a few times but once you've found the object you need the rest of the level is just amazing and full of clever puzzles and ideas. With the smart use of currents the room where you have to beat the scorpions to the fire tiles the timed doors the well sculptured underwater caves and the beautiful beach all I could remember at the end is how much fun I had. The hardest parts turned out to be finding the second Hand of Orion and the second piece of the cartouche - not to mention getting around the large areas in the dark. Though they didn't register as such I found two or three secrets and it took me a little over two hours to complete." - RaiderGirl (27-Oct-2002) |
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| "From a fairly deceptive beginning it will not be long before you will be tearing your hair out in this level. The deeper into it you travel the harder and more confusing it becomes. Look for the unexpected and consider every angle before proceeding. It does not help matters that 90% of the gameplay is conducted in darkness and shadow but this is a really very well thought out level. At the outset you can see the exit door but getting there will take you two hours and you will need to locate 4 'Hands' and two halves of the cartouche and the second half is extremely difficult to get to. One interesting aspect was the use of some local underground denizens to trigger events within the level and I warn you now to watch those scorpions late in the level and kill them early. There is a very clever door puzzle that once you've figured it out you will kick yourself. There is also a very difficult underwater timed door sequence. As I said look for the unexpected. Ok a great level but way too hard for the average raider and so I have deducted a point or two for that as well as being far too dark in my opinion." - Torry (01-Oct-2002) |
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| "It is really difficult to value this level because it was so dark. The level was so full of puzzles that I needed several days to finish it. There are not often such puzzles. To describe them in more detail would fill a novel so complicated were they. But the author came up with some really special ideas. Sinks scorpions timed puzzles and torches play quite an important role! At first there were some opponents later there were actually less however they were also not necessary at all except for one brilliant puzzle. Now here comes the tricky point of the level: the atmosphere! Perfectly applied the textures camera trips and camera indications of the very best sound classy and suitably selected! But the lighting! Almost the whole level was pitch-black and this was real very much a problem because it was also constructed on a strange architecture and one could hardly see anything because of the darkness of it. It is a pity I would have given away smoothly 10! This level is really only for absolute professionals with strong persistence. For beginners it is not suitable at all because of the difficulty of the puzzles." - Xxenofex (17-Aug-2002) |
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| "My first impression of this typical Egypt level: It's very dark around here. During the first 20 minutes or so the gameplay was IMO a bit boring - I mean it was only some running and crawling around looking for switches in order to open some doors. Later on it's getting more interesting and as soon as you reach the beach it becomes pretty tricky. Rather huge water areas with sinks await you there and you have to explore a nicely designed underground temple ruin. There are only a few enemies to kill. I liked the puzzles and especially that 'push-the-statues-and-watch-out-for-the-scorpions-puzzle' near the end was a great idea." - Sheevah (11-Aug-2002) |
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| "This is truly the epitome of a great adventure game with seemingly endless places to explore devilishly tricky sometimes near impossible puzzles to accomplish beautifully interesting locations and a wonderful atmosphere the really only disappointment is the use of extreme darkness throughout a lot of the level sometimes it worked brilliantly but at other times it just got in the way. The creator of this level has a wonderful imagination and eye for detail which shows. I was especially impressed with the sometimes difficult but fluid progression through the level which was just superb. This is a definite must for all the serious players who love a great challenge!" - Sash (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "Awesome atmosphere and the longest net gaming time with a Custom Level that I have had so far (2:36'). The world created in this level though Egyptian of nature is absolutely unique and those caverns are beautifully crafted and invite for literally hours of exploration. Gameplay and puzzles are constantly challenging sometimes extremely difficult and have been put together by a very creative mind. I only found two secrets and I am sure there are more around. The only downside in my opinion are many many dark corners to explore which - even though you are supported with sometimes not too easy to find flares - sort of hinders the flow of the game a little but if you like the dark and moody sites this will not disturb you at all. So if you have a couple of days of spare time - go get this level and lock your doors!" - Michael (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "Within the short history of the LE this level is still classic. While the first couple of rooms are rather plainly textured as the level progresses they become more and more interesting culminating in a wonderfully crafted underground cavern and lake complex. The atmosphere is definitely dark - as a real tomb would be - but flares are more than adequately supplied if you poke around. Gameplay is consistently challenging with many good puzzles and some difficult jumps and swims. One puzzle at the end of the game is particularly ingenious and I don't know if I've seen anything like it in any other level before or after. Enemies are in short supply but not really missed as exploring the level is entertaining enough in its own right. Sadly SH has never released another level but if this is to be his only one it is one to be proud of." - Tombaholic (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "Wow. That's about all you can say after completing this level. This is one of the very best a level which is tricky without being too impossible and yet which manages to find new puzzles within the basic TR setup. WARNING: this review contains some clues as to the puzzles - I would have liked them to be there when I was playing the level and so I thought I'd include them myself. From the start you wouldn't know this was a great level. A couple of large rooms some jumping and exploring. Eventually however you find yourself in water and apparently nowhere else to go as the current won't let you. Persist swim up current and find the blocks to stand on. Continue in the up-current direction and you emerge in a vast cavernous area. There is lots to explore here underwater waterfalls currents which sweep you up again; a large deep cavern with a pool at the bottom ropes hanging from the ceiling ... very impressive. It's here the puzzles really start. Apparently there is a way to reach the ropes but I didn't find it. Instead I took a long jump into the pool at the bottom of the deep cavern (holding grab gives the little bit of extra space needed to do this) and from there it's exploring all over. There's a vast underground temple room which is tricky to navigate. An upper pool with a waterfall down into the lower pool you jump into. A sequence of current-assisted swims to find closed doors and other areas ... it's all so big and rambling and yet it starts to make sense eventually. Find the star-thing in the underground temple to open the door at the top of the water current chutes that then allows access back to one of the earlier rooms. Find both halves of the cartouche - I got stuck on one of them - an obscured climb in that initial room with the pool leads to where it hides - then onto more and more brilliantly designed rooms and puzzles. The one with the fire-floor is tricky until you realize that the scorpion highlighted in the first camera flyby needs killing before it reaches the scarab panels in the floor ... A brilliant idea well executed and effective. Personally I would have made Lara stepping on those panels make the floor flame as well as that would have introduced a clue and maybe the flyby should be from close on the scorpion back to the panel it's heading for ... But I never got down into the lower room from the very start of the level (or at least I don't think I did - maybe one of the final rooms is this one. And I'm sure there were doors along the way which didn't open and I only found one (I think) secret. There are very few enemies but the level doesn't need them. It's also quite dark in places (hence dropping a point there). Anyway I've not had so much fun with a level ... simply brilliant and up there with the very best of them." - David (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "First of all I want to mention that I played this level twice in a row because I liked it that much. Even when I more or less knew what was coming it still was a challenge. The beginning is sort of slow not so exciting but that changes. E.g. there is a timed door underwater you have to reach in time going through and finding the exit. Here in this part Lara drowned several times till she made the whole trip and survived. Then comes a tricky part. You have to swim against the current to reach the other side with a large cavern with a beach. There I saw some ropes hanging down but found no way to go up there. I just dived into the water near the waterfall (tip from the Forum) and went on. The puzzle with the doors and burners almost drove me crazy. I always thought that scorpions are not a particularly nice species and here are just some of the deadly kinds. So you have to solve the next puzzle in time otherwise Lara has had her last moment. You will find a few Hand of . . . and 2 Cartouche Pieces. Some parts are really dark but there are enough flares. There is a good atmosphere throughout the level and the rooms are well done." - Monika (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "This is not a usual single level but it is quite an adventure through temples very impressive caves water with current. There are some very subtle puzzles and a few difficult tasks and moves. As the puzzles are innovative the players must be innovative too but not too much reckless though. There are only two places where Lara meets enemies but they are used extremely well. The ninjas are placed strategically and the little scorpions are extremely harmful: so when you will see the first one prepare the uzis! My statistics show only 2 hours of net gaming by I think that I have spent more than 6 hours exploring this great level. Only one downside point: too much darkness in some rooms but what an atmosphere! In my first try some months ago I found it a bit difficult but now I understand why this level is one of the favourites of some good raiders here." - eRIC (21-Jun-2002) |
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| "It's a grower. What's worse than being stuck in a Custom Level? Being stuck in a Custom Level and discovering that every other player seems to have managed without any trouble. Well no problem here as the two places I couldn't make any progress were beautifully explained in the forum on this site. The Level starts out in rather plain and clean rooms and then just gets better and better. I'm always pleasantly surprised when someone can come up with new variations of the popular Egypt Style Level and this epic adventure really does something new. Never jumped onto a rope from a slope before (I think) and letting yourself be carried along by the strong currents was a nice twist. Best moment for me was the Race with the Scorpions whereas most of the other enemies were placed in a rather hazard fashion. However since this level is clearly puzzle based you don't care about those small details. I think this could become something of a classic." - Dimpfelmoser (21-Jun-2002) |
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