Level reviews

"I've had to rate this a medium in terms of difficulty because, like a lot of featured levels I have come across on the TRLE home page recently, it is impossibly dark so you need a walkthrough just to get around and folks do have different screen resolutions. I appreciate that this is a night time level but if levels MUST be made solely at night then more streetlighting should be incorporated. Even then there's a corridor with ample light in segments but NOT where there is a ladder which I only found when I prematurely used the motorbike with the headlights. I constantly fail to understand why any builder would want to release a level whereby the player is unable to become absorbed in their environment because well, frankly, you may as well play blindfolded. Added to the darkness, here we are provided with just 3 flares. I used all 3 before finding the alleged other flares because even the pistols don't help shed light on much. Are we supposed to blow up the sentry guns? I tried with the pistols & laser sight to no avail. However the level ended seconds after. Very underwhelming, sorry!" - High Priestess

"Not sure what to make of this little level. While it seemed to have something going for it as far as setting goes, the apartments felt rather weird in layout, and gameplay ultimately comes down to shooting a handful of bad guys as you move from one area to the next. The burning key requiring you to "lock yourself in" with a block might have been the most unusual thing here, and then a few minutes later you use said key and the level comes to an abrupt end. I quite liked the camera angles upon entering new areas though. 10 minutes. 08/20" - Treeble

"I got through this level in under twenty minutes and whilst it was pretty it lacked in game play unfortunately. This is very simplistic with the only highlights being the two machine guns that ambush you and a bunch of flying sharks. How that happened is beyond me. Still, not bad but could have been so much better." - Torry

"My backlog of unplayed custom levels has now reached the 6.0 threshold, and the quality is starting to show. I don't mean by that that Silent City is a terrible level, but it's just not in the same league with the more sophisticated raids we've become accustomed to playing. It's all over in less than 30 minutes, and the biggest thrill I remember is blowing up a couple of sentry guns at the end. The game map is compact and linear, and at one point a shark flew out of the water to attack me from overhead. You do get a brief ride on the motorbike, but it all seemed to me like a patchwork quilt of different concepts all thrown together for the apparent sake of diversity." - Phil

"It certainly looks good, but regrettably falls short in gameplay terms. I loved the quaint city setting that this level provided and the textures were well done, although the lighting was a bit dark. It seemed too short for its own good and you only have to pull switches, eliminate guards and sentry guns and find a couple of keys. I did find the floating sharks amusing though!" - Ryan

"A well-builded city level based about exploration; no switches to pull, two keys to find and a lonely puzzle with a moveable block. Enemies are well balanced. The texturization is good, even whith some defects in triangular surfaces, the lights are very well worked, but I think there's an abuse of the shadow bulbs and the author didn't provide enough flares to explore the dark areas. Poor atmosphere without musics, even when watching the flybys. After a ride all around the city, I went back to the very beginning and got totally stucked 'cause the location of the crowbar; I always though important items should be placed in well visible places... I found the revolver and the lonely pack of flares to late to give them a good use; also the sight and the bike were unuseful for me. Anyway this is not a bad level and it could be enjoyable for many players." - Jose

"I downloaded this one because it looked nice, rather than the story. I was not disappointed by the looks of the level, it's a decently built city level, quite quaint in places, however, the lighting in some places is appalling, especially in places where you need to go, it's just too dark. In addition, the rooms inside the houses are just too big, and too easy to get lost, although I appreciate this gives the player areas to explore. The gameplay is fairly simple. You need to find a couple of keys, the first one lays under a block, but this is also on fire, you need to push another block onto a square to turn the flams off. The second one is under water with some sharks. There are a couple of unfair bits, the first being the jeep with flames either side, which you're expected to jump over, and the second bit is where Lara exits a house and machine guns are firing on her. So, if you like a level spent mostly exploring, but with little else to do, then this is a good place to start. It took me an entire hour to get through." - sonnyd83

"A short level in a city at night, with too dark shadow bulbs in some corners of the streets or plazas. Also a few textures could have used some attention. There is a lack of puzzles, the interest is that you can reach the lake with sharks where you get the exit key by two different ways, by solving a pushable block in a garden and retrieving a first key, or by making a grand detour while using the motorcycle if you want. Aside from the sharks, SAS and a few dogs are on Lara's menu. The author has made some experiments with the flybys, altering the view with FOV. A little adventure that is not badly made, but quite short and a bit uneventful." - eRIC

"This was a short level. The gameplay is a bit easy, but because of darkness it gets harder. There are not many things to do. The enemies were all the same: the SAS-guards. Those sharks were definetly scary. They could fly! When I entered that room with a pool, they just came out of the water and attacked me! It was funny and SCARY. The atmosphere was just well. Not a lot of original sounds to hear. Some cameras were useless. The lightning was dark, well made. The textures were absolutely not original. It is really a pity. But still, this is an enjoyable level to play." - Danja

"The look of the level especially the indoor sections are very well made. I've spent a while wondering around in the houses. I actually was thinking if I was an architect TRLE would be a useful tool at showing how about the interior of the house I'm working on would be look like. But on the other hand there are barely a few things to do so let's hope it's just a demo and the finished version will be out sometime." - Akcy

"What a shame. This was such a lovely looking small city that had heaps of atmosphere but it was totally wasted on merely shooting a few dogs and SAS as well as two sharks otherwise you need to look for two keys with one of them on fire the only real puzzle here and a hint to that puzzle is to trap yourself with nowhere to go. 20 minutes to finish this was really below par and I for one was very disappointed in the end." - Sash

"This is a level that if you run through it you'll miss some things. There are nice hidden passages and one warning though there are two keys to find and you can get the burning one without being burned. All you have to do is some block pushing. But do use the first key you get before picking up the second key other wise it disappears from Lara's inventory. Although I also found out that you can skip the burning key all together as there is another way to get the key in the water. Found a shotgun and the revolver plus sight and the crowbar as that is an item you need. After getting shot by some sentry guns the level just ends there (you can disable them just for fun) which I thought was a shame. The level was too short. Enemies SAS soldiers and lots of dogs and two floating sharks LOL. 09-04-2003" - Gerty

"After seeing how beautifully built this level was I was disappointed that there wasn't more to do. It was fun to explore the buildings and outdoor areas, the atmosphere was very realistic as were the buildings, guards and dogs were numerous in some areas and the textures were quite well used. All I found to do though was to look for a key, open a door to the exit, shoot two machine guns and that was about it. I was left feeling like I must have missed some important area. I'd like to see another city this well built but with more to do." - RaiderGirl

"This is a rather impressive setting indeed with a very convincing little city/house environment and very good lighting. I also enjoyed how the rooms are connected and how you can get around and Lara's outfit is cool. There is a nice little movable block puzzle for a key you don't necessarily need as you can also jump over the fire at the jeep. The other key you will need to make it to the end though. The bike is a little wasted and the dozen or so SAS not my favourite enemy but the flying sharks make up for a good laugh. Nice one to play for a quick 30 minutes in between." - Michael

"What was that all about? A great looking level great looking rooms even if some textures were blacked out or missing. Looked really promising from the start and then . . . what!!!! I jumped over a burning jeep only to read in the forum I wasn't supposed to! A lot of nice rooms in fact with only a couple of pick-ups. The only fun challenge I had was blowing up the machine guns and then it was all over . . . I don't wish to be cruel but is this a demo level or a first part of a series? That's what it seems to be. If it is then while the author is working away we can sit and ponder why two hammerhead sharks are swimming in fresh air . . . !" - CC

"This is certainly Damian's best level to date although it's an extremely odd one. The atmosphere of a deserted 'garden city' is quite convincing with excellent use of textures and custom objects. The gameplay relies more on exploration than shooting and is all the better for it; and there's a delightful little puzzle involving a burning key. However the whole adventure has a curiously unfinished air. The floating sharks; the extra key; the burning jeep area (which would appear to be a trap but in fact is easily circumvented); the large area behind iron bars where a guard stands watch; the revolver and laser sight; and most of all the lack of any obvious mission objective. I was happily playing for around fifty minutes (due to my missing a climbable wall obscured by darkness) but had so many un-answered questions that when the end of the level kicked in I was convinced I had missed something. Apparently I hadn't. Don't let any of this put you off though! It's a beautiful well built level (with tons of detail) to wander around and relax in. Just don't ask yourself what Lara is supposed to be doing there." - Orbit Dream

"Half an hour of game play but because of the long distances you have to cover not the many puzzles. In a night setting and courtyards with the a big house in the middle you are called to find a key and the crowbar to finish the level. The motorcycle serves no purpose really apart from revealing an important item. The big pool area with the sharks was nice but the sharks were floating on air instead of swimming. SAS guards and dogs are in the courtyards to keep you busy. There were some SAS guards shooting through windows at the back of the house but I believe it was just an obstacle as I found no entrance to that part of the house. Also there was another key on fire behind a moving block and a door to use it but I couldn't turn off the fire it seems that the door is just a shortcut though and it gets you in front of the pool with the sharks so not really important. The revolver and laser-sight is given to the player to deal with two sentry guns at the end of the level it's quite easy to walk under them and destroy them from the left and right side. The SAS guards at that area are also easy to kill by standing at the entrance and shoot at them using the laser-sight as they don't move or attack Lara so did some at the beginning of the level just standing there very close to her. I believe this level needs more work." - Kristina

"The story takes place in a house. You have to find 2 keys one from the fire after a bit block pushing and the other from the water by the sharks. You will even find the Shotgun the Revolver and the Lasersight. In the end you have to run past in front of the auto machnie-guns and... and unfortunately this is the end of the level. Probably is this only a demo version? Anyway that's a pity as I wasn't on the storey though I saw some soldiers there. One of them began shooting at me as I climbed up to the roof for some Revolver ammo. The textures are excellent. Still for exiting the level it's enough to find only one key. In short I feel sorry for this level it maybe will be continued by the author. I love the added sounds both the remote storm and the chirring of cricket. :-) The enemies consist of some soldiers and dogs." - Obig

"Have I played this the right way? When you use the key on the wrong door like me it seems you won't be able to finish this level. Use it on the right door and it is finished in less than 30 minutes. But what about the soldiers that shoot at you from within houses: could not get inside. What about the revolver with laser view: did not find anything to shoot at. What about the key that burns: is this a joke? Either the author got everything wrong (and then there has to be more to it than I encountered) or this was just a test level in which case it does look good but the gameplay definitely is weird." - bERT