Level reviews

"This prolific author hasn't released any new levels in nearly two decades and I think I'm only about halfway through his repertoire. This one is a fairly standard VCI style level, with a lot of storage rooms scattered around as you go through several labs, offices and the like in search of keys and buttons. By following Sutekh's detailed walkthrough I was surprised to reach the end in under an hour, which was often one of my gripes with his other releases (in the sense they usually have a lot of padding to reach up the two hours mark), and all things said and done it wasn't bad. Not particularly engrossing, but enjoyable for what it is. Only notes I took are towards the diamond tunnel passage, which was only two tiles wide but still annoying to clear as Lara would hit the ceiling if you didn't wait to backflip, and the secret, which was visible on the ride up one of the many elevators much earlier than you could get to it but, unfortunately, it's not registered as such. 45 minutes. 04/22" - Treeble

"This time the level is a bit better, 'cause there are not excessive enemies like in the previous levels from this author, but even so I found the same features: a very huge map, the forced backtracking to places you've already visited (room with toxic pools), excessive crawlspaces, too many switches/buttons to pull and too many disks/keys to find, not interesting puzzles, etc. The best of the game is a good atmosphere and the good design with well worked and textured environments, but still not very entertaining for my taste." - Jose

"A VCI type base level in the style of TRC, so you know what to expect. Finding security disks, key cards, opening trapdoors and shooting guards. The start is like "Lara in a Box" until you find the sneakily hidden exit (hint: look in the ceiling). The gameplay may be simplistic and I admit that base levels aren't my favourite, but if you're a fan, give it a shot, it does indeed look good." - Ryan

"We've seen all this before in other levels (after all, this one is a bit more than 10 years old), but it's still mighty fun to play. Best of all, it's accompanied by a typically thorough walkthrough by our dearly departed Sutekh. There's a bit of backtracking involved which became somewhat annoying near the end, where I overlooked a switch that opened a door miles away. By the time I arrived at my destination there was no practical way to get back, so I had to replay a large chunk of the level. Still, it was my fault for not paying attention, but I can imagine the frustration such moments must give to those players who pride themselves on making their way on their own. Anyway, aside from hordes of SAS there are no enemies here, so most of the fun lies in the futuristic surroundings. It's worth a replay, even if you tried it the first time around." - Phil

"We start this level in a large vent, and there seems to be no way out. But thankfully there is... through more vents. We're told Lara must find the Time Space Tunnel. In fact we find a lot of tunnels, all beautifully textured and lighted, with some interesting looking architecture in places. I loved the lights that move along one tunnel, and the animated wall textures, all happening in one of the most tastefully coloured and textured levels I've played in a long time. Great attention to detail even though this is in essense a base/VCI office building. And as always there is a lot of vent crawling, trapdoors, shooting grates and guards, buttons, switches, discs, swipe cards, key, elevators, ladders, and shelves and cupboards to rummage in. It seems we'll never find what we are really after, but the route is interesting. It can get a little confusing despite all the good flybys, especially with those elevators, so the walkthrough is recommended for the not-so-patient raiders; also for those two deviously hidden crawlspaces. The laser/fire run near the end was exciting, but the final drop killed my Lara because I ran out of medpacks. So the moral of the story is, conserve medpacks where possible. We lose a lot of health passing scalding steam and dealing with a lot of guards." - CC

"This was a fun level, with maybe a bit too many backtrackings and way too many SAS for my liking. Perhaps a tad tedious at times. I would have wished some more medipacks too, with all the shooting madness around, and some more flares if only for research purpose. It has a good VCI atmosphere and a very clean design that will delight the lovers of the genre. And although I am not one of them, it was a nice Hi-Tech break from all those gloomy castles, fantasy sceneries and ancient mastabas which I usually prefer. Enjoyable and fast-paced." - Sutekh

"On one hand it's very comforting to load up one of Piotr's levels because I know I can expect some beautifully built and realistic looking areas to explore plus great effects and lighting. However I also know that I'll be spending a lot of time looking for newly opened doors in areas I've already explored exploring these same areas for what to do next and shooting a number of SAS guards which the author seems to have a fondness for. There are two levels here to go back and forth between finding cards and disks and using elevators while exploring this great building for a time-space tunnel (which hopefully will take Lara to Piotr's next level). There are some great jumps and traps along the way and the mirror effect is used very well but I found no secrets and the passage way with the illegal slope should have been removed. Overall I enjoyed the two hours I spent playing this latest adventure." - RaiderGirl

"This is a VCI inspired level with many of the objects from that level. That's a good reason to play this level it does look good. The gameplay isn't hard so you can run around blasting away SAS guys lots of fun. One hard bit in the Glass Hall light a flare and check the corners. This is a fun flowing fast paced action level for a good bit of relaxing raiding. Highly recommended." - LePerk

"Another base level and the reason I had so much fun playing this as I played this one together with bERT and chatting away at the same time. So we could help each other out if one was stuck. Finding cards and disks to get to the tunnel of Time-Space and that was not as easy as the trapdoors are nicely hidden and also some practice shooting with only Lara's trusted guns. Take note where closed doors are and receptacles for disks or cards and you will travel from level to the next and back. Some nice elevators are involved and it was a shame that the English readme file was corrupt (as a matter of fact it crashed my computer grrrr) so I don't know anything about the story. Glad it was over though as bERT and I stopped playing at about 3 'o clock a.m. 11-08-2003" - Gerty

"This level starts in a box of a room with seemingly nowhere to go. Although filled with door after door in the office complex you soon find the way to go - it's confusing only at first. Good gameplay and only one jump where you wonder if this is where you should be or if you have made a wrong turn somewhere. I would have liked to see more medipacks weapons and shelves with pickups. The screen shot of the open door at the end could have been longer and more revealing - a pet peeve of mine - do show me where that open door is! The hidden crawl space in the mirror floor room was very sneaky and I would still be wandering around there if not for the helpful forum members - very well done. Altogether a good storyline and good gameplay. So much so that I will be checking out Piotr's previous levels which I'm sure I will enjoy." - Bene

"This is a VCI style level well made and pleasant to look at. It seems rather a large confusing area initially but I only got lost once so it must be more linear than first appears because my sense of direction is practically non-existent. Nothing too demanding in the way of gameplay - a lot of running around shooting guards pressing buttons and shooting guards crawling through ducts and shooting guards and collecting pass cards often by shooting guards strangely enough. Actually it plays a lot better than I'm making it sound. I found it oddly compelling and there are some quite well hidden areas. I loved the lifts. Conserve your health you won't find a lot of medipacks. Not a long level; it took me about an hour and a quarter and guess what I didn't find any secrets. Oh did I mention that your enemies are guards? 13.08.2003" - Jay

"Well well he just likes to build them. So here's another VCI/Base Level from Pedros with the usual running through sterile rooms pushing buttons finding 3 disks 2 cards and 1 key (so not quite millions) and killing some 30 SAS along the way. There is also really only one massive backtrack so remember the room with the two pools where you could not open two doors as you will be back much later. I needed bERT's hint in the Glass Hall to find the crawlspace so keep your eyes open. The Glass Hall itself was one of the high points of the level some nice light effects and good use of four elevators were others. Watch your health with the steam and burners around. Only for the die-hard fans of the genre." - Michael

"Piotr really made what could be just another base/laboratory/VCI level something quite fresh and although there is nothing exceptional gameplay wise with all the expected things to do and a nice amount of SAS to kill I still found the progression the textures and the whole atmosphere really involving. This is a double level but you are only in the second for 10 minutes at the most out of the 70 minutes of game time mainly trying to find a very well hidden low crawlspace in a polished marble floored foyer that leads to a disc then it's back to the first level to finish. I had no real problems playing these levels at all and never got stuck but the one and only secret in the first level evaded my grasp although I am sure I know where it is as there is a grate in an elevator shaft with some ammo behind it that I just couldn't open otherwise this is a level that will be perfect for everyone even those a little sick of the usual base/laboratory/VCI level." - Sash

"There are many occasions in a Custom Level player's life when he/she decides (usually when the first light of the new day seeps through their windows) that perhaps it would be a good idea for them to take a break and have a few hours sleep; all the more to refresh their minds so as to make the morrow's Raiding a more pleasurable experience. Well don't do that here! No matter how jaded and fatigued you may be stick with this to the bitter end and complete it in one fell swoop as this is one of those levels were a good memory is absolutely essential in order to find your way. This is the type of adventure where all the corridors and areas look exactly alike and (on occasions where the author presents you with a potentially helpful cut-scene) the quick glimpse you get of a door opening inside a room somewhere is next to useless unless you can remember EXACTLY where this particular room is and how to get there. If not you will wander around those corridors for an absolute age while your children and spouse complain all the while that 'you said you'd be finished with this level in half an hour. Well that was two bloody hours ago!' You explain to them that the weather outside is much too hot and that it's far better to be sitting in a shaded room but they won't listen. Anyway I digress. The point is this level is a labyrinth of similar looking rooms and corridors and a huge amount of 'round the houses' backtracking is necessary. Lose track of where you need to go and all is lost. Aside from that there are some pretty decent ideas here (the lifts; the heat traps; the light effects); as well as a few not very decent ones (the sneaky hidden passageway that needs a flare in order to detect it). It's smartly made and very efficiently textured; and provided you take note of the location of all the places you've been to (and how to get to them again) you should have little trouble." - Orbit Dream

"This is a classic high tech level with al the appropriate objects and textures. You gather discs cards and pull switches but I found it very confusing and difficult to navigate through all those similar hallways and rooms. It is interesting and better suited for players that like the VCI kind of games. The only enemies are SAS guards and they got on my nerves at some point since I did not have the revolver to take care of them. I will never be tired of saying that if you like that kind of enemies then give the player a powerful weapon and don't hide it making it a secret. I also wish that we got more health; I got to the limit with those steams and switches. Look out for trapdoors either in the ceiling or floor. A medium level for the high tech lovers." - Kristina

"What a wonderful surprise again by Piotr after his Hotel level and after I threw away another highly overrated level that was so full of bugs I started scratching myself. No cut scenes here but who needs those gameplay stopping scenes anyway. Great atmosphere gameplay and fun that's what I want and I got it here plenty! Sneaky trapdoors wonderful lit corridors millions of doors millions of discs to find but in such great surroundings you don't mind running climbing and crawling back and forth. I would never have found the sneaky bit in the room with the glass floor but when you think about why Piotr would give you flares in a well lit room well a smart person would find the solution. The only minor thing were the guards sometimes appearing out of nowhere but just too much of them and the annoying illegal slope tunnel jumping that could have been done better. Other than that big fun!" - bERT