Semerkhet section analysis

Scottlee · 02-02-06, 21:51

For the second time in twenty four hours, Lara gets herself trapped in a dangerous underground complex. Under no circumstances should this woman ever be allowed to take a job as a miner. You know what would happen if she did. There would be a cave-in, all the miners would die except for her, and Lara would feel totally in her element trying to find the rumoured hidden exit that one of the miners was telling her about the previous lunch-time (probably a rabbit hole located a mile or so from the cave-in).

This level kicks off by introducing us to the scarab beetles, a rather vicious little bunch you will probably grow to dislike extremely quickly. Scarab beetles run fast, with purpose, with invulnerability, and as a team can nibble down your health bar in seconds. However, despite the enormous problems they present to first-time players, it is hard not to call them a fantastic enemy for Lara. Early on in the game they tend to appear on sight. But later they have an annoying habit of emerging unexpectedly from square holes. Be warned. The 1999 film The Mummy also made use of these creatures. And given that TRLR came out the very same year, it is hard to figure out who got the idea from whom. I certainly cannot recall any previous instances of Scarab Beetle usage in the film/game worlds.

Eventually we come to a huge arena with a T-shaped aisle down the centre. This is the Senet board, the playing surface of an ancient underground board game. It is presumably what people played millions of years before Ludo was invented. And if influenced in our opinion by the grand, torch-lit decor prior to playing, we would assume Senet to be a sport of kings, a pastime of aristocrats, a Croquet for the third world, a real labour of love enjoyed by only the most wealthy of underground dead folk. “So then Mr Darcy, shall we retreat into the drawing room for a cup of tea and a jolly good game of Senet?”

Lara’s opponent in the game is a huge jelly-face blob thing that comes out of the wall. He doesn’t smile a lot but he can spin xylophones telepathically, which makes up for it. We assume this is Mr Semerkhet himself, world champion, undefeated in a thousand centuries, and number one seed in all the local tournaments. Not that unrivalled success has changed him for the worse. Oh no. He is still a nice guy. He lets Lara have the coloured pieces, and if she loses he allows her the consolation prize of taking the secret Batcave way out that is full of secrets. Prior to the game he is even kind enough to leave a copy of the rules lying around just in case Lara gets the wrong idea and starts to use the xylophone to play a tune.

If you win the game you get a much easier ride to the level end. If you lose, you get a longer route but one choc-a-bloc full of secrets (as already stated). The latter contains a pair of weird ghosts; an ice ghost and a fire ghost. Heaven only knows what these two were in their former lives to earn these titles. Perhaps one was an arsonist and the other an artic explorer? No-one knows. What we do know is that if Lara doesn’t let the ice ghost out of the box then the fire ghost will kill her by….setting her on fire. Funny that.

I can’t even begin to explain what the ice ghost is doing trapped inside a box. Neither can I fathom why the fire ghost doesn’t have a box of his own. If would be preferable if he did because then no-one would bother no-one, but that would make for a boring room. Somewhere underneath this room is a peculiar round thing with moving blades, and that should definitely have its own box because it’s a pain in the arse to jump through. Almost as if Core knows how much of a pain in the arse it is, it even gets its own loading screen depending on whereabouts you die, just to rub it in a bit. Honestly, never again will anybody get away with claiming I don’t jump through hoops for Lara Croft.

Before we play Senet there is a room where Lara must stick her arm into some square fire holes. This is where we discover that health packs are fire-proof and that bullets will not explode in a fire so long as they’re contained in blue boxes. Lara’s arms are also very resistant to fire, which is useful. I found this section difficult because I forgot to pick up the water pistol in level 6. No there really is one!

In the much shorter second level we come across an invincible bull. Like most Tomb Raider beasts, the bull spends most of its life chasing after Lara and the rest of it dodging bullets. This particular one must be goaded into knocking down the scenery so we can progress. Much opportunity for instant gratification is lost here. For instance, there is never a waxwork of Paris Hilton lying around when you want one, is there? And where is Pedro to be seen when you want a quick laugh? Anyway, the bull puzzle is a novel idea executed well, even if the game’s emphasis on invincible enemies is already started to frustrate by this stage.

Despite no doubt weighing a ton, the bull appears unable to stomp its way through the glass floor that leads to one of the secrets. It bounds around the rest of the corridor like a herd of elephants, but when it comes to the glass floor it’s as if it’s temporarily wearing a pair of padded slippers. I ought to mention that you won’t find any Egyptian levers or white switches in this section; they have been replaced by huge pressure pads on the wall which are conveniently about the size of a bull’s head. Hmmmm.

I will finish off by mentioning the timed run where you have to quickly dash around the walkway and crawl under the descending door. This is probably the place where Von Croy and his walking stick would have come unstuck, unless he lobbed it under the door or something to stop it closing. To say that many hidden dangers await you in this room would be an understatement. Abnormal steel piping and manic garden clippers pop out from everywhere. Even the pedestal with the goodie on it is viciously booby-trapped. In fact, a lot of the pedestals in this level are booby-trapped. Scavenging for health packs has become a health hazard in itself. If you spot one one a pedestal it might be best to just stay injured. 9/10

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Best Part - Senet, obviously.

Worst Part - Tackling the hoop things.

Secrets - You'll either miss them completely or begin to hear that chime going off every five seconds. Some very good ones in this section, including two carefully hidden beauties in the bull corridors.

This level is most like - An episode of "Nightmare" on CITV. (From one different peril to another)

Kurtis - Stinks!!

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(The movie version of the ice ghost wasn't very convincing)

Titanium · 02-02-06, 22:18

Lol!

Absolutely Brilliant Scott!

xMiSsCrOfTx · 02-02-06, 22:27

LOL!!!

Totally amazing. I think you should find a job in the writing career.

I do agree, the best part WAS Senet.

tlr online · 02-02-06, 22:34

Always an enjoyable read. Thanks Scottlee

DREWY · 02-02-06, 22:42

It was ok to play Senet in those days because all the buildings were so huge. You would have to extend the house (after first demolishing the neighbours) to fit the board in.
And then theres the pieces. You need a small tractor to move them around.
Good one Scott!

Simulation · 02-02-06, 22:54

He-he

TR luver7 · 03-02-06, 00:13

it may have been long, but i enjoyed reading every word!! nice goin Scottlee!!

GodOfLight · 03-02-06, 02:53

that was funny... the movie version of the ghost lol

Barry Matharoo · 03-02-06, 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottlee

Lara’s opponent in the game is a huge jelly-face blob thing that comes out of the wall. He doesn’t smile a lot but he can spin xylophones telepathically, which makes up for it. We assume this is Mr Semerkhet himself, world champion, undefeated in a thousand centuries, and number one seed in all the local tournaments. Not that unrivalled success has changed him for the worse. Oh no. He is still a nice guy. He lets Lara have the coloured pieces, and if she loses he allows her the consolation prize of taking the secret Batcave way out that is full of secrets. Prior to the game he is even kind enough to leave a copy of the rules lying around just in case Lara gets the wrong idea and starts to use the xylophone to play a tune.

at senet description

Tomb Raider Master · 03-02-06, 11:47

Very interesting!

02-02-06, 21:51	#1
Scottlee Relic Hunter Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Leeds, England Posts: 7,507	Semerkhet section analysis For the second time in twenty four hours, Lara gets herself trapped in a dangerous underground complex. Under no circumstances should this woman ever be allowed to take a job as a miner. You know what would happen if she did. There would be a cave-in, all the miners would die except for her, and Lara would feel totally in her element trying to find the rumoured hidden exit that one of the miners was telling her about the previous lunch-time (probably a rabbit hole located a mile or so from the cave-in). This level kicks off by introducing us to the scarab beetles, a rather vicious little bunch you will probably grow to dislike extremely quickly. Scarab beetles run fast, with purpose, with invulnerability, and as a team can nibble down your health bar in seconds. However, despite the enormous problems they present to first-time players, it is hard not to call them a fantastic enemy for Lara. Early on in the game they tend to appear on sight. But later they have an annoying habit of emerging unexpectedly from square holes. Be warned. The 1999 film The Mummy also made use of these creatures. And given that TRLR came out the very same year, it is hard to figure out who got the idea from whom. I certainly cannot recall any previous instances of Scarab Beetle usage in the film/game worlds. Eventually we come to a huge arena with a T-shaped aisle down the centre. This is the Senet board, the playing surface of an ancient underground board game. It is presumably what people played millions of years before Ludo was invented. And if influenced in our opinion by the grand, torch-lit decor prior to playing, we would assume Senet to be a sport of kings, a pastime of aristocrats, a Croquet for the third world, a real labour of love enjoyed by only the most wealthy of underground dead folk. “So then Mr Darcy, shall we retreat into the drawing room for a cup of tea and a jolly good game of Senet?” Lara’s opponent in the game is a huge jelly-face blob thing that comes out of the wall. He doesn’t smile a lot but he can spin xylophones telepathically, which makes up for it. We assume this is Mr Semerkhet himself, world champion, undefeated in a thousand centuries, and number one seed in all the local tournaments. Not that unrivalled success has changed him for the worse. Oh no. He is still a nice guy. He lets Lara have the coloured pieces, and if she loses he allows her the consolation prize of taking the secret Batcave way out that is full of secrets. Prior to the game he is even kind enough to leave a copy of the rules lying around just in case Lara gets the wrong idea and starts to use the xylophone to play a tune. If you win the game you get a much easier ride to the level end. If you lose, you get a longer route but one choc-a-bloc full of secrets (as already stated). The latter contains a pair of weird ghosts; an ice ghost and a fire ghost. Heaven only knows what these two were in their former lives to earn these titles. Perhaps one was an arsonist and the other an artic explorer? No-one knows. What we do know is that if Lara doesn’t let the ice ghost out of the box then the fire ghost will kill her by….setting her on fire. Funny that. I can’t even begin to explain what the ice ghost is doing trapped inside a box. Neither can I fathom why the fire ghost doesn’t have a box of his own. If would be preferable if he did because then no-one would bother no-one, but that would make for a boring room. Somewhere underneath this room is a peculiar round thing with moving blades, and that should definitely have its own box because it’s a pain in the arse to jump through. Almost as if Core knows how much of a pain in the arse it is, it even gets its own loading screen depending on whereabouts you die, just to rub it in a bit. Honestly, never again will anybody get away with claiming I don’t jump through hoops for Lara Croft. Before we play Senet there is a room where Lara must stick her arm into some square fire holes. This is where we discover that health packs are fire-proof and that bullets will not explode in a fire so long as they’re contained in blue boxes. Lara’s arms are also very resistant to fire, which is useful. I found this section difficult because I forgot to pick up the water pistol in level 6. No there really is one! In the much shorter second level we come across an invincible bull. Like most Tomb Raider beasts, the bull spends most of its life chasing after Lara and the rest of it dodging bullets. This particular one must be goaded into knocking down the scenery so we can progress. Much opportunity for instant gratification is lost here. For instance, there is never a waxwork of Paris Hilton lying around when you want one, is there? And where is Pedro to be seen when you want a quick laugh? Anyway, the bull puzzle is a novel idea executed well, even if the game’s emphasis on invincible enemies is already started to frustrate by this stage. Despite no doubt weighing a ton, the bull appears unable to stomp its way through the glass floor that leads to one of the secrets. It bounds around the rest of the corridor like a herd of elephants, but when it comes to the glass floor it’s as if it’s temporarily wearing a pair of padded slippers. I ought to mention that you won’t find any Egyptian levers or white switches in this section; they have been replaced by huge pressure pads on the wall which are conveniently about the size of a bull’s head. Hmmmm. I will finish off by mentioning the timed run where you have to quickly dash around the walkway and crawl under the descending door. This is probably the place where Von Croy and his walking stick would have come unstuck, unless he lobbed it under the door or something to stop it closing. To say that many hidden dangers await you in this room would be an understatement. Abnormal steel piping and manic garden clippers pop out from everywhere. Even the pedestal with the goodie on it is viciously booby-trapped. In fact, a lot of the pedestals in this level are booby-trapped. Scavenging for health packs has become a health hazard in itself. If you spot one one a pedestal it might be best to just stay injured. 9/10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Best Part - Senet, obviously. Worst Part - Tackling the hoop things. Secrets - You'll either miss them completely or begin to hear that chime going off every five seconds. Some very good ones in this section, including two carefully hidden beauties in the bull corridors. This level is most like - An episode of "Nightmare" on CITV. (From one different peril to another) Kurtis - Stinks!! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (The movie version of the ice ghost wasn't very convincing)

02-02-06, 22:42	#5
DREWY Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 11,691	It was ok to play Senet in those days because all the buildings were so huge. You would have to extend the house (after first demolishing the neighbours) to fit the board in. And then theres the pieces. You need a small tractor to move them around. Good one Scott! __________________ Stay alert - the world needs more lerts

02-02-06, 22:18	#2
Titanium Tomb Raider Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: England Posts: 13,059	Lol! Absolutely Brilliant Scott!

02-02-06, 22:27	#3
xMiSsCrOfTx Tomb Raider Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: USA Posts: 22,451	LOL!!! Totally amazing. I think you should find a job in the writing career. I do agree, the best part WAS Senet.

02-02-06, 22:34	#4
tlr online Administrator Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 47,536	Always an enjoyable read. Thanks Scottlee

02-02-06, 22:54	#6
Simulation Relic Hunter Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: London, England Posts: 5,871	He-he

03-02-06, 00:13	#7
TR luver7 Explorer Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Avalon Posts: 729	it may have been long, but i enjoyed reading every word!! nice goin Scottlee!!

03-02-06, 02:53	#8
GodOfLight Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New York, New York Posts: 8,129	that was funny... the movie version of the ghost lol

03-02-06, 11:47	#10
Tomb Raider Master Tomb Raider Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Croatia Posts: 20,980	Very interesting!