Level reviews

"There are some tricky passages in this level like taking the half cartridge with the timed picks (not easy), or the timerun with the trapdoor and the door which is very fair (feasible but ... very fair). The texturing is not perfect with a lot of stretched textures, and the flyby are badly adjusted. That said, the gameplay is attractive with many platforms, and the passage of 3 rollingballs that I liked." - Drakan

"A noticeable improvement from "Burn the Midnight Oil" and also a lot more challenging. It's actually not a very big level in terms of the size, but you do tend to cover a lot of distance because you return to a main room various times after acquiring the necessary items. The timed runs maybe needed a bit too much precision on my part (one in particular you have to grab a Cartouche Piece off a spiked block before being impaled proved tricky, but surprisingly I didn't have trouble with the very first one) but otherwise everything is readily achievable and enjoyable to get through. Enemies are just a few scorpions and dogs, plus some ninjas at the end, so the focus is mainly on getting through this without any outside distractions. A bit dark for my liking overall, but a well put together level nonetheless." - Ryan

"This level wanted to be better than the previous and, of course, there are some good ideas and tricky traps, but not enough for me to give a hihg rating in the gameplay section as the other players did. The game is entertaining, but I had to lower the rating 'cause the very tight timed tasks. If the author is an expert player, it doesn't mean that another members can do the tasks he proposes: the timed run up through the trapdoor and the grated door, the timed sequence to pick up the cartouche piece at the top of the spiked block, the path with timed spiked tiles to get another cartouche piece in the niche and, in this last case even harder 'cause the one click high in the tile where the item is. In this timed sequence I had to abandone after 20 or 30 attemps. A pain. The rooms are too dark, and there are not extra weapons to deal with the enemies. In some holes the textures are elongated, and another times I had to backtrack a lot when missing something. Sorry Scott, but this was not a level for my taste." - Jose

"This is a classic level of tr. Many traps and jumps scattered throughout the level. I had a few bugs in the game, like getting stuck between the two door while the timerun. During this timerun that I did not get the first shot so I started without taking the puzzle and then I missed it, and impossible to reopen the door and continue, I had to take a backup.   I found the texture of oil / water was not very nice. Correct level." - Minox

"I didn't realize there were still unplayed and unreviewed (by me) levels by our indefatigable BtB guru, and I'm delighted to report that I have two more to go after this one. Hypothesis is well ahead of its time, and I felt that the flybys were particularly well done. The game map is confined to a fairly small space, with new areas being opened up as you perform necessary tasks (while avoiding the occasional rolling spike ball). There's a wicked timed run near the beginning, made all the more maddening by the fact that much of the time is consumed climbing a wall (where you're unable to do anything to speed yourself along). And toward the end there's a short run to pick up an artifact and get out of the way before you're spiked. And then you have to get back out, which is almost as difficult. The builder has provided his own (rather cryptic in some spots) walkthrough which helped me along for the hour and a quarter that I spent here. Definitely an underappreciated gem. Recommended." - Phil

"I discovered this level late, it dates of 2003, but I nevertheless want to say about it all good of which I think of it. First of all the decoration of this level, rooms have a style well to them and often original, although it makes think in Egypt, we are not in ancient habitual places, or then ancient and modern places at the same time belong, the whole is very nice and agreeable to visit. I did not see structural defect and lighting is generally good. The gamaplay is thought and constructed just as well, nothing is very simple or too difficult. Some passages request of address and walkthru helps well for two shopping synchronised. I crossed a right time of pleasure, when they begin they go at the end of this level, it is stronger than is. 6 years after EssGee always deserve one thank you very much for this great work." - Daffy

"No one has reviewed this level since Elvis did, 2 years ago, and it's a real shame such a nicely crafted gem has fallen into the forgotten realms of the web. Having played Scott's first level just yesterday, it's very easy to compare the styles in both of them and realize how much of an improvement over his debut level there is! Gameplay relies mostly on levers, but there's one particulary sequence (the room in the bottom of the generator, with the sneakily hidden jump switch and later a timed trapdoor) that took me a few tries to get through. Exploration is plenty, and the layout can be a little confusing some times, but it doesn't take long for you to locate yourself and get back on track. There is at least one flyby that went through a couple of walls. I enjoyed the rock audio pieces the author has included, don't remember any other level as daring off hand. In the end you get the Block Builder's Amulet: lol, how's that for an artifact's name? 60 minutes, 3 secrets. 04/08" - Treeble

"It's funny - when you wander through the listing you find some levels have only been reviewed close around their release date and then neglected by reviewers for quite a while to be rediscovered years later, if at all. Despite a creative title that ought to attract attention, Scott's little gem of a level has followed the fate to be "one of those" levels. BUT, I have the honor of being the one that rediscovers it as late as in mid 2006, so a bit over 3 years later. And when starting this level up, it felt like I hadn't played a level since then as well. Not really that much to do with the level itself, but I spent a ridiculous amount of time looking for cartouches that were just lying there and waiting to be picked up, and later on for another cartouche's receptacle - which conveniently was on the opposite side of where I thought it would be, thus leading me to believe that Scott was as evil to have made a timed run through the whole level so you'd place that elusive piece of stone in its resting place. Not so as it turned out when I, desperately searching for the solution found it to be a few meters away, and that's partly the posse of this level. Already at the beginning the looks can be quite deceiving. It starts out in a dark night-time setting, when in fact you mostly spend your time in a comparatively brightly lit tomb. Gameplay is varied and not standard too, with the quicksand area and the brilliant boulder/slope puzzles being the best example for this. The looks for most part are standard and nothing out of the ordinary, though the author's influences can be seen. My only real complaint would be the fly-by's as it seemed obvious that they were something new to the author, thus weren't done so well, with sometimes going through walls so you can see the black void beyond the level's boundaries. The enemies don't really pay a too big role here until the very end, when you have to wonder if the ambush there is going to lead us to a sequel or not. I'm indifferent about whether it should, as I mostly prefer the author's non-Egyptian levels, but not saying that I would mind." - eTux

"It's obvious this author has a very devious mind as he's built us another level that's very tricky easy to get stuck in and has lots of dangerous traps and timed doors to get by. It took me a lot of exploring to get through so thankfully the level looks really good sort of a cross between an Egyptian tomb and some of the areas from Tomb Raider One. Very few enemies are found but keep your eyes open for boulders dogs and a cartouche piece or two." - RaiderGirl

"I enjoyed the level even if it doesn't have many puzzles. Basically it's about finding your way around with the help of cameras and by pulling quite a few chains to be able to proceed. The search for three cartouches takes Lara inside rooms with traps that are spike balls spikes with one of them giving me much trouble until I got the cartouche but with not that many enemies; a few dogs here and there and scorpions. The chains that kept pulling themselves were some kind of a hint although not intentional that you had to keep pulling them. It could have been useful though to have a camera shot showing the respective door and give us a clue. The Amulet was a nasty trick and I think it shouldn't have been related to the gates because I saw no hint of something being hidden in the statue room. At the end some soldiers and a sentry gun are shooting at Lara while she tries to escape. The outfit was nice and this level is an improvement from the previous one. More puzzles though are required." - Kristina

"This is a great level. Sometimes you have to be very witty for getting all Cartouche Pieces. It's good that you can always see that which doors or grates were opened. There is also a timed run. You have to be attentive - cause there are 2 chains which you have to pull twice. The added sounds are cool. I found 3 secrets: Uzi Uzi Ammo and finally the Amulet behind the statue. This was hidden very well I didn't realise it first. There are no too much enemies: scorpions jackals and some soldiers in the end. I recommend it to anybody who have a bit experience." - Obig

"This level takes place around one big center room and then there are side areas filled with puzzling tricky jumping and timed runs. There aren't many enemies and you can feel a bit lonely..... The mission here is to find the 'Block buildes amulet' but the way there need careful exploring everywhere." - G.Croft

"I think I slightly liked EssGee's first level a bit more than this one but it's hard to say why as they are kind of similar in ways set in tombs with levers and pull chains as the main theme. There is one nice tight timed run/climb here but it wasn't obvious to me that it was actually a timed run until I read the forum. I would have liked maybe a few more enemies as the worst you come across are a handful of dogs and then right at the end a couple of ninjas as after a while I lost the sense of unknowing dread you can feel when turning a corner not knowing what may jump you. This is though a very good well laid out level with 3 secrets that are maybe not so easy to find well I only found one that will take you just over an hour to play." - Sash

"The second effort by Scott and clearly much improved versus his first already solid offering. There are many very enjoyable things in this Pyramid exploration that lasts just a little over an hour: a nice outfit simple but effective title flyby nicely added music/sounds a few creatively designed 'boulder encounters' smart timed sequences and overall a rather convincing architecture and atmosphere with a special mention for good lighting which turns this into a very fun experience. On the downside I found this to have maybe a few too many levers the 'pull the chain twice to cause another thing to happen' a little too sneaky and while it was a good idea to have that door open only after 30 seconds you can get stuck there if you don't go beyond the closing triggers after picking up the cartouche piece before the door re-opens. It can become a little confusing as it sometimes feels as if you were in a bit of a maze but I thought that suited the overall setting just fine. Three cartouches one guardian key and at the end the amulet are your quest items. Enemies are rather few and harmless and I found (only?) two secrets and thought the Uzi one was well done. Entertaining level - give it a try." - Michael

"I really enjoyed this level. It had some great traps although they were mostly avoiding boulders there was a really hard spike trap that had me stuck for ages. Search for the cartouche pieces and take them back to the main area avoiding the rolling balls which wasn't hard. Some nice rooms and good atmosphere but I might have messed the sound files up as I only heard a very short piece of music at the beginning and was expecting more seen as I had to go through an MP3 conversion but that may have been just me getting things wrong! Great flybys to help you on your way. Not many enemies to cope with a few more would have spruced it up a bit bats and dogs and I'm sure something was nibbling at me in the sandy water area but I never saw what a room with lots of scorpions to deal with but easily avoid them if you want to. A timed run that had me tearing my hair out at one point I like some timed runs and this was in fact one of the better ones I've come across. Lots of floor levers and doors to open all the items were cartouche pieces to find so that was a tad drab. I'd just got into the level and it was over Lara leaves on a nice note with what she came for which is in the form of a secret although a few guards and a gun at the end it's an easy run to freedom. Good lighting and nice textures fun to play and would play again a very nice well thought out level which shouldn't be missed!" - Moonpooka

"The added sounds where a big plus for this game and overall this was a pleasant game altogether. There are some minus points however. Like pulling a chain twice to open the door to place the Cartouche. And although there is some camera work to show you where to go next I could have used a few more. There was also a fixed camera problem as Lara went into a room with a boulder chasing here and a lever to pull.... the camera stayed in the room even when Lara was down in that yellow 'mud' pool and only after reloading I could get a normal camera view. Your main goal is getting the three cartouches and also finding a lot of levers. Some traps are thrown in and had me reloading a few times. There is also a door that doesn't open right away you have to wait a bit (after getting half of a Cartouche on a spiked block) but it does open so be patient. There are hardly any enemies apart from some scorpions but at the end you get some dogs and baddies and a sentry gun. You'll leave with the Ankh in your back pack. 10-05-2003" - Gerty

"Spookily enough nobody was trying to kill Lara in the majority of this level apart from a couple of bats and something I couldn't see in the quicksand that was having a nibble at her ankles until I shot it. In fact I got quite lonely after a while. I would almost have welcomed a mummy or two lurching about and doing that revolting tubercular coughing just to stop me talking to myself. Eventually a few dogs and scorpions turned up but it was still pretty quiet on the enemy front. Apart from that I enjoyed the gameplay very much. It's an Egyptian setting which isn't my favourite but it manages not to appear too boringly familiar. There are just enough timed runs and tricky manoeuvres to be interesting without becoming frustrating and I spent an hour and a half running around trying to find bits of cartouche and occasionally getting really stuck. If in doubt try pulling any available chains one more time (sneaky). I found three secrets - no idea how many there were. Oh and right at the end you suddenly get several guards dogs and a sentry gun ganging up on you. They must all have been having an extended tea break for the rest of the game!" - Jay

"Lara does not have an easy trip here. She has to locate three cartouches and master many traps along the way. Especially spiked boulders are a challenge and there are also a few timed sequences. Puzzles are not always easy Lara has to think run crawl climb. I found two of the three secrets among them the Amulet of Horus. Textures were not always cleanly but generally well applied. Enemies were jackals scorpions and baddies at the end. Sound was good cameras were nicely added. All in all a good gameplay - the puzzles and the plenty of traps which presented Lara with a challenge. Recommended." - Engelchen Lara