Level reviews

"This is a much more solid experience than most of the author's previous releases. I mean, sure, the first three minutes were all about random fly-bys that seemed to serve no purpose whatsoever, but what follows is a pair of levels built around Egypt and Atlantis environments that might challenge even the most seasoned players. The second part is aptly titled Going to the Death!, and it's pretty much that. You get many, many tightly timed spike traps, sometimes coupled with spinning blades, and even at one point you have to deal with an ahmet in a narrow corridor from which he's very likely to keep pushing you either into the trap or into the lava below. In addition to that, there was also a massive underwater pyramid entrance where you have to swim your way around a dozen or so crocodiles, so you are constantly eating up your medipacks. I reached the finish trigger with just one small medipack left, so make conscious use of yours should you play this level. A few issues still remain, such as the occasional wafer thin wall, mazes because why not, one secret didn't register despite the chime, and sometimes lava textures actually mean safe water(?). I'd add to this list the flame emitters underwater, in the aforementioned pyramid entrance, but the visual effect was nice so I'll let that slide. 65 minutes. 05/20" - Treeble

"The two levels in this set are as different as night and day, believe me. Both are roughly the same length (part 2 being slightly shorter), but the gameplay in part 1 is in stark contrast to the gameplay in part 2. The game begins with three ridiculously long flybys that, while they do show you the areas you will soon be exploring, far outstay their welcome. You start playing in an Egypt setting which is quite well built apart from a couple of thin walls and some odd looking water. Progression is moderately enjoyable although not too exciting, and I could have done without the maze sections and the long backtrack near the end. Then you enter the depths of hell for level 2 and forget everything you know about raiding until this point. You need to be extremely precise with nearly all of the spike sequences and unless you are absolutely perfect, reloading aplenty will be the order of the day. I eventually got through them all after much frustration and patience, but having to conquer traps with absolutely no margin for error (perfectly at that) will do nothing more than cause players to be turned away from seeing it through to the end. Not at all good gameplay design and it only shows how devious the builder is, rather than being a reasonable challenge. Really not my kind of fun, but experts will probably drool over this sort of thing." - Ryan

"Even when I found some defects, like a few paper walls, untextured water surfaces, fires out of the pots, drag statues through solid doors, etc. the first level is well playable. Anyway I found some odd features, apart from the nasty mazes, I found no hints or no sense for the 4 statues puzzle, also not a hint in the room with 4 slides to the lava (trial and error) and an unnecessary long backtracking once you pick up the Eye to open the exit door. The second level was another kind of level; again I found no sense for all that series of very difficult tasks with the spikes and blades, only suitable for very expert players. Example: the jump to the crawlspace with the spikes in front of the misleading door with the spike trap in front; you'll need to be very lucky to go inside in time and I had to reload many many times. So I only enjoyed the first level, and the second one I think it's only for masochistic or players who really love the impossible challenges. That way, the second level lowered a lot my rating for the gameplay section. You're warned." - Jose

"I had my eye on this one, being the most highly-rated older level still without a walkthrough, but I chickened out when I read the reviews. Then Harry Laudie came riding in on a white horse and said he would do it. Some time later, he contacted me, admitted that he'd met his Waterloo at that spike sequence in the second part, sent me the walkthrough he'd written up to that point, and provided a savegame at the threshold of the infamous spike room. I loaded it up and could get no further without cheating. Even playing in god mode and using DOZY, it took me nearly fifteen minutes to get past that diabolical spike sequence. Firmly convinced that the sequence could not be completed legally, but knowing that Moonpooka loves a good challenge, I forwarded to her what Harry had sent me. Sure enough, she dropped everything and got right to work. Several angry e-mails later, where I could tell she was cussing like a sailor and sweating bullets, she amazed me by disclosing that she'd made it through and documented the fact by verbalizing what needed to be done. The remaining part of the level was duck soup by comparison, so I went ahead and completed the walkthrough. Play this one for the adrenaline rush you'll get in the second part. A savegame beyond the spike sequence has been provided by Val, so you'll be able to continue even if those spikes are literally the end of you. The first part is a fairly pedestrian raid in the desert, but that second part will really test your playing skills." - Phil

"What is with the four consecutive flybys at the start of this double set of levels!?! Besides that what you get in the first level is quite a large maze a movable statue puzzle and more but this is just a prelude to what's coming up next. The second level in a nutshell is just pure madness with ridiculously hard runs as spikes pop up at your heels then add to the mix bladed stargates a retracting spiked room you have to time your jumps through meticulously ahmets and crocs by the truck load and all with practically no let up thus becoming what we like to call in the trade 'a bloody sh*tter off a level'. Now fine some may love the challenge of instant death at every move and turn but I for one don't so my feelings are reflected in my scores. If the player had been given a slight degree more leeway this really would have probably been quite enjoyable shame! All up a good hour and a half is spent in these levels but in fact I probably spent that same time again just hitting the reload button." - Sash

"This was almost my Last Journey as well. My poor keyboard already suffering from over-use just gave up. My oh my what a level. Never want to play this again as this is hard the hardest ever yet. And thanks to Michelle explaining how to get past the first spikes as I just couldn't make it that made me finally see the light. Don't think that the pressure will let up no way as there is so much more to come. Lost count of the slicer dicers spikes ahmets very hungry crocs and what's more you'll find in here. I would have given up Tomb Raiding after this Tomb were I Lara Croft. To be honest this for sure took the fun out of the gameplay as I never reloaded so many times. On the other hand I have to salute Piotr for the devious way he made it as I like this better than just a 'one of the mill' games where you have to shoot enemies to smithereens. And in case Michelle would like to finish this game after using the 4 levers step inside the two openings and a door opens more levers to pull and a big slide (with spikes) and the end-flyby kicks in with promise of a huge treasure. 04-02-2003" - Gerty

"This was supposed to be Piotr's last journey but I noticed he released another level only two months after this one. The first level is fairly easy - your objective is to collect the Eye piece that opens the door to Hell. The second level is definitely the most memorable of the two. After a number of ahmets you come across a room filled with spikes and then a crawlspace to get into. I found that if you stood on one square outside the right door that raises the spikes would stop. It was diagonal to the tile under the crawlspace so I stopped and saved on that square and when I reloaded only had to jump forward and immediately pull up. Then there's more spikes though and finally you reach a huge underwater room with many crocs and lots of hidden areas to look for. I have to admit the room looked cool even though it was strange to see the fire underwater. Many reloads later I reached an area with some bulls more ahmets and four switches. After pulling these four switches I couldn't see what to do next and just finally quit the whole thing - I had had enough!! This level is too hard to be any fun and that's what I play Tomb Raider for!" - RaiderGirl

"Well the other reviewers have very extensively said it all. Apart from a title flyby you also get an intro level which has the sole purpose of giving you another three flybys which I thought were rather pointless and not too well crafted but then we finally get into the game. Searching for the Eye of Horus (8/6/6/6 45 min. 1 secret): It starts as a rather standard Egyptian setting with rooms that are huge and bare and textured in wallpaper style but it gets better along the way even though the maze was a tedious as mazes usually are. Two crystal pyramids (guardian keys) to find there and many levers to pull a tedious pushable object puzzle and a nice idea with the four bridges to the Eye of Horus your objective of this part. Mummies dogs and crocodiles are you enemies here. Going to the Death (7/6/8/7 45 min.): The name says it all. Ridiculously tricky with devious spike traps tough enemies (ahmets and crocodiles under water by the dozen and two bulls) and especially the combination of a slicer dicer with spikes in front and behind was tough to manage. A pity really but this one just takes the word 'challenge' a little too far and therefore loses a crucial aspect in raiding: FUN. I was relieved when I was through with this one." - Michael

"I find it odd that you get your own title sequence and no less than three introductory fly bys and then the author forgot to texture the water properly. But that's the least of your problems I dare say. The first part is quite good apart from the big maze. A lot of jumps and a bit of backtracking until you finally enter Hell. A few minutes into the second part you are confronted with a ridiculously difficult run through spikes. Now I don't mind a challenge that brushes up your raiding skills but this here seems to me a sheer matter of luck as it all happens so fast you can't really coordinate Lara's movements to the spikes popping up around you left right and centre. Finally you have to pull up into a crawlspace where there are spikes again. I found no way to do this without the fly cheat. Frankly I tried only for half an hour and more than once I thought to myself: Why bother at all? Because be it in the sound file intro the title of the last part or the renaming of the medipacks the author doesn't miss an opportunity to remind you that Lara won't survive this nightmare. A little further you have to find two well hidden crawlspaces to swim through while dozens of crocodiles pop into existence right beside you and again surviving seems to be a matter of luck rather than of expertise thus you don't really have a feeling of accomplishment. You're just irritated by all the reloads that take out the fun completely. A few minutes later you get attacked by a mutant in a narrow hallway between a circular slicer and a pit of Lava and the dumb thing dropped dead at a spot that made it impossible to get out of this hallway. But what the heck I had used DOZY once I might as well use it again. After that I was just relieved when the ordeal was over. It's a pity really cause especially in the last part the atmosphere was brilliant and had the gameplay been less frustrating and a little more user friendly this would have been a great level. As for the ending well I guess Ian will get a kick out of it." - Dimpfelmoser

"A very challenging level at least on the second part. Starting this level it looked that it would be easy although having played other levels from the same builder I was expecting much more difficulty I wasn't entirely wrong. The first part is rather easy with two guardian keys to find in a big maze with two levels some crocodiles and dogs to kill and a few jumps and climbs. There are some mummies but you can't consider them a threat not at all. There was a crawlspace that you had to get out from and spikes were coming out from the floor but that wasn't difficult. Now the fun starts while entering the second part many mutants to fight traps coming from all over the place with the spikes very much used almost in every corner. Stargates placed in front of you sideways with spikes in front and the stargate right after them and so on. The player needs much patience to go through all that frustration with reloading about ten or more times to go a step forward. This part has the traps and the switches no puzzles I am afraid. But if you are thinking that it must be boring well are you wrong or what! Long slides with spikes coming out constantly one after another a very difficult room earlier than that which you have to step on one of the two openings to open the door but the catch is guess what....spikes all over the room. Then there is a crawlspace with more spikes and others coming from the floor so you must be very quick with a timed door that I couldn't go through as it was closing too fast. I am guessing that you are not meant to go in there anyway. The cameras and flyby at the start and the end were very good I really enjoyed watching them so was the whole atmosphere. It is quite hard but still the hardest level I played is Recon Labs 3. If you are a fan of hard cored situations be sure to play this prepare your fingers though because they will become numb from pressing the keys until you finish this level." - Kristina

"This is a two part level and the parts are as different as chalk and cheese. Part one 'Search for the Eye of Horus' is a typical Egyptian style level very reminiscent of Tomb Raider 1. In fact the sand textures are straight out of that game if I am not mistaken. It started out with a ridiculously long introductory fly by and guess what there was another a short 3 steps later. The puzzles were quite nicely done and the maze of vased riches was a foreboding glimpse of things to come. Why else would one require all that firepower that rested in the many many vases in that maze? All in all a very nice 50 minutes that will not tax even the casual raider too much. Level two 'Going to Your Death' is another story all together. As the title implies here you will find naught but death in many and varied formats. Death by spikes thousands upon thousands of spikes death by ahmet and there are dozens of them death by crocodile and there are just as many of those death by round slicers you know those found in tunnels with no way around them and finally death by bull although there were only two of them and death by drowning. This level is ridiculously difficult and I have no idea what the purpose of it is except maybe to alienate the long time raider and forever exclude this author's levels from consideration again. Gameplay for me was 40 minutes BUT I spent more than five hours over two nights trying to get through this with literally hundreds upon hundreds of reloads. Quite frankly I detest this type of level because it has no reason to exist other than proving to the world what a twisted and warped mind the author must have. My gameplay score reflects just this. Give me a ridiculous level and I will counter with a ridiculous score. Finally the ending was a sad reflection on life. It tells me that no matter what the challenge you may face and overcome the end result will be failure no matter how hard you try. This I will not accept and I dare say Lara would not either." - Torry

"This is really the last journey for Lara! The second part is called 'Going to the death' and I can assure you I was reloading a LOT of times until I finally couldn't any more.....The first part I found a little boring and stereotype it begins with a looooong flyby and then a loooong labyrinth with not much more than a lot of pickups. BUT the second part really challenges your raiding skills. A LOT of traps and one after another mostly chopping spearing and burning ones. Enemies are a few mummies ahmets dogs and crocodiles (and spikes!!). It is hard but fun!" - G.Croft

"The hardest Level of 265 played ones! At first it was rather easy big rooms easy puzzles. Not particularly imaginatively textured. Certainly there was a long camera trip at the beginning three minutes duration but the first level was not too difficult. But the 2nd part has it really in itself! When I have to overcome two kilometers of thousands (!) of spikes afterwards am greeted by uncounted approximately 20 crocodiles besides must dive continuously about two triggers to find which are hidden extremely meanly then the fun already stops! But then this was not yet everything: Stargates without end with ahmets in between which were used so perfectly that my Lara has died a thousand deaths! Finally it is a long ramp down which is naturally again full of spikes! So much to the expiration of both levels. This is executionally made very perfect. The rooms are set up very much and well textured (in the 2nd part) sound is impressive and the atmosphere too. The opponents and traps are among the best ones. Actually I would have to say: a level of the superlative degrees! However I cannot say this! The frustration factor lies so high that I cannot value the level very high. The game enjoyment is not very high even if the technical execution was perfect." - Xxenofex

"This was one hell of a level figuratively and literally. Lara must find her way through a quite attractive temple to end up in hell. And hell it was. If I seem like I'm overusing the word 'hell' it's because this level was hell. Part one was pleasant enough searching through the temple looking for the Eye of Horus. Some puzzling a fair amount of swimming climbing jumping. A couple of tricky little switch puzzles. Only to be rewarded with a trip to HELL. Tons and tons of huge golden spikes slicing blade traps not to mention lava and mutants. Really nasty mutants. Oh and a couple of bulls thrown in for good measure. I'll admit I had to cheat in this one a couple of times (thanks to Fairy Godfather for sending me a savegame without my even crying for it). There I was looking at these spikes and being skewered over and over and 'You've got Mail' and there it was. What a guy! If you are into pain if you are a masochist dowload and play this one. Don't say I didn't warn you." - Momster