TOMB RAIDER 2: A Full Game & Level by Level Review - Page 3

Scottlee · 11-10-23, 09:27

Nice reviews.

I don't know how people feel generally about the oil rig levels but I've always been a huge fan. I just love the setting and the industrial background noises. The first appearance of the frogman is a sinister moment too.

Danjo86 · 12-10-23, 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottlee

I don't know how people feel generally about the oil rig levels but I've always been a huge fan. I just love the setting and the industrial background noises. The first appearance of the frogman is a sinister moment too.

I think the industrial background noise is fantastic in the Rig stages, and it cuts the sense of isolation that previous levels instilled which is almost a reprieve after Opera House.

I like how TR2 really expanded gameplay opportunities with water compared to the first game as well, and the scuba divers were a key part of that first introduced here.

I don´t think they´re the best levels of Tomb Raider, or even of TR2, but they provide something that the other levels don´t, and I appreciate them for that.

Danjo86 · 15-10-23, 15:16

8: WRECK OF THE MARIA DORIA – SHIP SHAPE OR SHIPWRECK?

Tomb Raider 2 is a game which undoubtedly maintains most of the ingredients that caused the first game in the series to be such a tremendous success. It is also, however, a sequel which was designed to provide an adventure on a much larger scale than the first game, and to set itself apart in numerous ways.

Many of these differentials relate to the gameplay itself, which by the time we reach the 8th mission and close to the halfway point, have been experienced throughout the preceding levels. Most notable of these is the heavy emphasis on human combat and here, Wreck of the Maria Doria is no exception.

One of the most prominent ways however in which the sequel both advances on the first game, and carves out its own identity, is in providing us with more contemporary environments.

The Offshore Rig and Diving Area are examples where this is manifest in a pure and obvious manner, taking us as far from antiquity and mythos as it is possible to. These settings rely less on a sense of unsettling mysteriousness or inherent environmental insecurity to challenge and threaten the player. They depend instead on hostile actors and the hazards posed by objects or mechanisms more usually framed as being designed to serve a benevolent and practical purpose.

What Tomb Raider 2 does arguably more successfully however, is to take other intrinsically modern environments and fashion them in various ways which undermine their modernity and sense of familiarity. This results in these domains becoming as unnerving, unpredictable, and even as mysterious and metaphysical in some cases as many ancient tombs or mythological destinations.

The best example of this prior to Lara’s 8th mission is the Opera House. Here, this was achieved to some degree primarily by way of the setting being abandoned and derelict to the extent of becoming utterly parlous. The dim lighting and chilling ambience then served in that context as an underpin.

Lara’s 8th mission essentially adopts this very same approach, but on a profoundly more prodigious basis than any other until this point. What Wreck of the Maria Doria does, incredibly successfully, is to place the player in a structure and location which is inherently benign, but is encountered in a context that is anything but.

In setting the vessel in a state of destabilising deterioration by virtue of circumstance rather than mere age, we have a level here which emits intimidation on numerous fronts. Being at the bottom of the ocean means that submerged sections and hostile marine life come into play. Not content with this dynamic alone however, the entire structure is also inverted upside down. This not only renders the setting more challenging from a platforming perspective, but it also interferes with the player’s sense of orientation and presumption of reference in a setting which is, after all, manmade in its origin.

When these constituents are married with the same chilling ambiance that we last experienced in Opera House, and what is by now a characteristic proclivity for hostile human adversaries, the overall result is perhaps one of Tomb Raider 2’s most atmospherically effective and potent experiences.

Whilst 40 Fathoms was a deeply impressionable encounter, the larger scale and more pronounced diversity of Lara’s second mission within the wreck begin to frame that former excursion as a precursor. In addition to further maintenance areas, the layout extends to large and opulent set pieces such as the overturned ballroom, and even down to the upper decks where progression requires braving the surrounding ocean and its resident aggressors.

This is also the first mission of Tomb Raider 2 to present us with a single task requiring us to hunt down and utilise a few identical pieces. The three circuit-breakers puzzle is an effective medium to compel us to search every part of our environment, and the relatively linear path required to obtain them takes us on a circuitous but progressive expedition in the process.

The level also features what is one of Tomb Raider 2’s most disconcerting segments set in the upended bridge of the liner. The combination of dingy and flickering lighting, stained and corroded textures and the anticipation of potential hostiles is a heady and oppressive cocktail.

It is perhaps due to its triumphs of design, aesthetics, and atmosphere therefore, that Wreck of the Maria Doria commands a depth of appreciation which arguably exceeds the calibre of the gameplay itself. Whilst the path of progression and gameplay therein are never less than engaging, there’s relatively little that’s new or that we haven’t encountered before in some form. As a result, the substance of the mission perhaps feels as if it never quite lives up to the promise of its character and surroundings in terms of novelty and unpredictability.

Nowhere is this more the case than when we access the area opened by the second switch in the Rest Room. Here, in what is not an insubstantial portion of the mission, we find ourselves in boxy and uniformly textured rooms that could have been lifted from the previous level. Rather than serving up anything innovative however, just about every room is essentially a contained exercise in box-moving and switch-pulling.

The impact of the gameplay experience is thus felt more from the scale here, and from the repetitious exploration required to discover the means of progression over anything else. Of course, for a level that shines in its visual novelty and resplendence, that is not an entirely bad thing.

Despite these criticisms however, Wreck of the Maria Doria is not without unique flourishes either.

The level’s most uniquely memorable moments come in the form of submerged excursions, where the twin challenges of completing tasks without running out of air, and avoiding a variety of oceanic enemies creates a flavour of drama and challenge which 40 Fathoms only provided a smaller taste of. It’s also the game’s first level to feature Moray Eels, and for anyone unacquainted with them, no doubt the trigger for a jump-scare at least the first time around.

In summary, then, Wreck of the Maria Doria is conceptually, visually, and atmospherically nothing short of a masterpiece and one of the most defining experiences of Tomb Raider 2. In gameplay terms however, it arguably suffers moderately from style over substance, and that lets it down just very slightly.

VERDICT: 84%

perryloo · 15-10-23, 21:03

This is making me want to play the whole of TR2 again. Well done

I have only played the game too many times to remember LOL.

Danjo86 · 20-10-23, 18:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by perryloo

This is making me want to play the whole of TR2 again. Well done

I have only played the game too many times to remember LOL.

Great! I'm so glad you love the reviews, looking forward to your thoughts on those to come also

Danjo86 · 20-10-23, 18:23

9: LIVING QUARTERS – A BRIDGE TOO FAR?

The 9th level of Tomb Raider 2 is Lara’s third consecutively within the Maria Doria, and immediately precedes her final mission within the liner.

The Wreck undoubtedly provides distinctive and innovative territory for Lara, as well as numerous creative gameplay opportunities. Given that this location also accounts for about a quarter of the entire quest, it’s clear that the designers wanted the player to spend quite some time here.

With the previous two levels both based in an overturned part of the vessel, the designers split them between two main sections of the ship. These were the hull and lower maintenance areas in the case of 40 Fathoms, and then a variety of other areas which included many furnished sections in the case of Wreck of the Maria Doria.

It will also become clear in the following mission that the designers wanted the final level of this set to take place in and around the exterior decks of the ship with less of an underwater focus. This, in turn, would provide a further unique environment for creative scope. This would therefore also require Lara to reach the top of a separate portion of the ship, which would be positioned upright.

Whilst it’s conceivable that this transition could have been addressed within a cutscene, Core evidently decided that a bridging level would be included to take Lara through that upright part of the ship, and the result of this is Living Quarters.

The first areas of the level echo the textures and visuals of 40 Fathoms, and provide us with what prove to be some truly innovative puzzles. The most notable of these is a challenge where a set of pistons must be reconfigured in conjunction with clearing a passage as part of a larger sequence of divergent but connected tasks to flood a room and open a doorway.

It’s a genuinely complex and meticulously well-designed segment which I would venture to suggest is one of Tomb Raider 2’s finest. It’s a shame therefore, that the quality and substance of the level seems to rapidly slacken thereafter.

The next area contains some very polished puzzles which include some timed ledges for the purpose of shimmying to reach a lever. However, the integrity and stature of the entire area is undermined by the fact that all of it can be bypassed relatively easily.

As we then approach the level’s closing areas, we encounter furnished rooms and corridors akin to what we had seen in parts of Wreck of the Maria Doria, but with a somewhat varied and equally remarkable orientational context.

In fact, it’s within this portion of Living Quarters that we come across one of the most consummate examples of a level of creative ambition that set Tomb Raider 2 apart from the prequel. Having based the previous mission within the enterprising context of an overturned section of the luxury liner, Living Quarters presents us with the consequences of the now upright section we find ourselves in having been violently torn away.

This manifests itself in decking which is both sloped and crumpled in many places, with crumbling tiles, severed pillars and glass shards befitting of the context. A mysterious and almost haunting musical cue interjects when we approach a row of windows which show us splintered remains of what was once another interior section now open to the ocean.

It’s an elegantly cogent and impactful piece of design, and so it’s just a shame that this stage of the level is so fleeting. The brevity of this ingenious and visionary glimpse into the liner's condition and past, combined with the entire area being one we hurriedly sweep through deprives it of the impact it may otherwise command.

By this point, despite now bestowing us with some of the richest and most impactful aesthetics within the Maria Doria set, the substance of the gameplay starts to run glaringly thin on ideas and utterly fails to capitalise on the few that are exhibited.

An innovative large room with a sloped orientation is one of the environment’s most compelling, and could have been a great opportunity for an extensive sequence of navigational and platforming challenges and progression. Instead, the inclusion of just one jump with a crumbling tile before moving on leaves more than half of the large space devoid of purpose and leaves the scale of the area utterly neglected.

The level subsequently takes us to a large theatre, but it seems to bear no relevance to what we accomplish. Pulling back part of the curtain with a simple switch, to then find another behind it which somehow, very unintuitively, floods a part of another room that allows us to end the level feels as inane as it does simplistic.

There’s a real and growing sense here that large and enticingly textured rooms and areas are completely let down by a lack of innovation and content.
What we have in these final areas is a series of corridors and spaces with no real sense of purpose or cohesion. Many of them are hollow and incidental, with the preponderance of them serving only as connective padding. Instead of innovative design or challenges, we are served with a not insubstantial plethora of human antagonists to mow down in their place.

Up to this point, Tomb Raider 2 has frequently strayed into what is arguably an excess of human foes. Whilst this undoubtedly provides an appropriately intensifying element in at least a few of the locations and missions visited, elsewhere this profusion of violence arguably detracts from the experience.
Against the hollowness and banality of the latter stages of Living Quarters however, the substantial human combat here is simply an enervating and monotonous experience. There may be little in the way of engaging gameplay to detract from, but the combat here, far from being compensatory, provides only aimless filler and exposes rather than masks these deficiencies in the process.

The overall impression therefore is that Living Quarters is a level which, notwithstanding the change in orientation to those before it, and whilst appearing to have some unique territory left to cover environmentally, has little more to offer creatively.

For all its arguably vindicating merits, this is a level which struggles and ultimately fails atmospherically and experientially to stand apart strongly within the Maria Doria set. It borrows stylistically from the previous two missions, but conjoins these haphazardly and fails to establish any sort of enduring presence or distinctiveness in the process.

From a gameplay perspective, it begins on a blisteringly strong footing, but then consistently and swiftly loses direction, momentum, and substance. The result, unfortunately, is a level which imprints itself as a predominantly less imaginative and less competent version of what we have experienced previously.

Living Quarters is a level which fleetingly demonstrates some of the most remarkably creative determination of Tomb Raider 2 within its design, and in this respect represents a level of reach that genuinely delivers. Sadly, the grandeur of such an achievement is betrayed by the impoverishment of gameplay accompanying in the latter stages and forms part of a mission which has very little by this point in the way of new depths to take us to.

VERDICT: 64%

Sat42 · 21-10-23, 10:53

@Danjo86: thank you for your level by level review of Tomb Raider II, I have kept up with the entries and hope you finish reviewing the whole game!
Your writing is also of very high quality and I commend you for that.

Naturally, we understand that your series of reviews is both an attempt at a thorough analysis of the game's quality and a personal take on the subject matter, so the following comment should be understood as banter:
YOU GAVE LIVING QUARTERS A HIGHER RATING THAN VENICE, HERETIC! DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VIOLINS?

*Ahem* regaining composure...

Seriously though! One of the things going for Tomb Raider II is that it's very consistent in quality throughout, but Living Quarters always struck me as the definition of a "filler level". Among the main levels, some will be more memorable than others, but each has its place, while you could cut Living Quarters from the game (and perhaps make some adjustments to the preceding and following levels) without affecting the overall quality of the journey. Cut Venice out (perish the thought!), and you definitely lose something.

Living Quarters might be a bridge too far, but Venice definitely cemented a legitimate place in the collective memory of Tomb Raider II.

Danjo86 · 22-10-23, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sat42

@Danjo86: thank you for your level by level review of Tomb Raider II, I have kept up with the entries and hope you finish reviewing the whole game!
Your writing is also of very high quality and I commend you for that.

Thank you! Yes, every mission will be reviewed, and I look forward to your thoughts on those as well

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sat42

Naturally, we understand that your series of reviews is both an attempt at a thorough analysis of the game's quality and a personal take on the subject matter, so the following comment should be understood as banter:
YOU GAVE LIVING QUARTERS A HIGHER RATING THAN VENICE, HERETIC! DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VIOLINS?

*Ahem* regaining composure...

Seriously though! One of the things going for Tomb Raider II is that it's very consistent in quality throughout, but Living Quarters always struck me as the definition of a "filler level". Among the main levels, some will be more memorable than others, but each has its place, while you could cut Living Quarters from the game (and perhaps make some adjustments to the preceding and following levels) without affecting the overall quality of the journey. Cut Venice out (perish the thought!), and you definitely lose something.

Living Quarters might be a bridge too far, but Venice definitely cemented a legitimate place in the collective memory of Tomb Raider II.

I was actually going to award Living Quarters 61% in the initial draft, and then at the last moment I upped it to 68% largely due to the strength of its opening but also the cleverness of some of its design.

However, when I made that late stage change, I neglected to run back over the other level ratings to make sure it remained proportionate - so thank you for challenging this decision!

I think Venice wins over LQ on aesthetics, partly because it´s just such a stunning environment but also because, unlike LQ, Venice´s scenery is very unique and new when we encounter it, whereas LQ simply serves up the sort of scenery we´ve been looking at for the last 2 missions.

I actually think that LQ is stronger on gameplay than Venice for the first half or so, but is then much weaker in the second half - Venice remains more consistent.

I also agree with you that, contextually, Venice is more necessary than LQ, and looking back over all the ratings, I think I was a little harsh on Venice.

So, I´ve decided to increase Venice´s score to 69% and on reflection I´ve lowered LQ to 64%. Obviously I can´t and won´t amend a rating every time someone objects, but in this instance I think the new ratings better reflect my own feelings about the levels respectively as well

Sat42 · 22-10-23, 20:24

Haha thank you for the explanation!

And no worries, I didn't expect you would make adjustments to the ratings, but with Venice more highly rated than Living Quarters the crisis is averted LOL

Looking forward to the next entries!

Danjo86 · 25-10-23, 22:03

10: THE DECK – ANOTHER LEVEL OF DESIGN

Of the many noteworthy level designs provided throughout the Tomb Raider games, those that imprint themselves most memorably tend to centre around a large, open, and accessible space. This is often used to present us with an immense and visually dramatic setting or set piece that operates as terrain for or within the level itself as well.

Such levels tend to befit layouts that offer a refreshing contrast to more linear compositions. This allows these designs to gain the traction of greater player control and self-determination of advancement, which only enhances their ability to stamp their mark.

Tomb Raider 2’s best example so far would be The Opera House, where the ornate and expansive auditorium permits access to many other parts of the level. The first Tomb Raider game presented us with many such levels as well of course, including St Francis’ Folly with its creative vertically structured hub. Levels which do not fall into this category are typically more sinuous, where the setting or environment is more evenly and finely divided.

It is against this context that The Deck is a level which, in terms of pure design, is in a class all by itself. This is by virtue of the level’s construction presenting much of its content as more accessible and navigationally soluble than it proves to be in terms of gameplay. This permits the level to score simultaneously on visual impression and on providing an engaging level of challenge and obscurity in its completion.

Lara enters this foreboding setting on the lowest of several large, towering, and decaying decks of the wreckage whose expansive platforms and structures stretch far behind and above her. The scale of this piece however is itself moderated by the enormity of the dark subterrestrial cave in which this shares company with another gargantuan portion of the liner’s overturned body.

All of this drama and bounty of territory, which extends to the very limits of the engine’s draw distance and beyond hits the player almost immediately with a sense of intimidating veneration.

Whilst the design here imparts substantial visual impact and impressive guise however, the consummation of it necessitates venturing through many enclosed elements of the layout whose very existence, let alone connection to the predominant aspects is far more obscure.

Cavernous tunnels, hidden bodies of water infested with both human and animal hostiles and a variety of dark and claustrophobic inner cabins and structures connect concealed points of access to substantial and otherwise unreachable portions of the level’s monumental anatomy.

These shrouded ligaments and junctions meander and interpose themselves covertly around sections of the vast unrestricted sprawl of the Maria Doria’s decks and sizeable sections of hull. This innovative design is thus one which promises a degree of attainability that is illusory. The player is baited with the prospect of accessibility throughout, whilst subjugation of the level always remains anything but elementary.

This contrast between its perceptible openness and its serpentine and linear route of progression allows the design here to indulge in numerous and often simultaneous instances of foreshadowing to great effect.

More pedestrian examples of this include the area behind the propeller being glimpsed prior to accessing it later from behind the stern key door, and locked keyless doors blocking cabins which retain their privacy until reaching a rooftop trapdoor only after a lengthy expedition across other parts of the level’s geography.

More notoriously of course, are the upper decks and large segments of the vessel themselves which, whilst on display from the start of the level, won’t be possible to prospect until much later.

This style of design creates a path of progression which is studded with tangible accomplishments throughout. This means that whilst the player’s progress is a long and almost directionless meandering affair within a large space in terms of pure movement, it is a purposeful and rewarding one in terms of experience.

This unique approach to the level arrangement not only compensates, but even justifies and rationalises several aspects of The Deck’s design choices which could otherwise be considered weaknesses in many other contexts.

One example of this is the level’s infliction of forced damage when Lara must drop onto the raft within a subterranean lake. Typically, forced health losses are a bugbear for players since they impose punishment by design rather than as a disincentive to play less skilfully. In this case, however, the scale of the drop to the raft is instrumental in hitherto concealing the means by which the player will later achieve something that otherwise appears to be impossible.

Having the identification and subsequent availability of many parts of the map separated by elongated gameplay and veiled courses between them means that movement and problem solving are continuously entwined. Essentially, the entire design here operates as a large and complex puzzle of its own accord.

For this reason, The Deck’s lack of distinctive individual conundrums, a weakness in most other contexts, works positively here. It enables the player to dedicate their focus on, and reckon with the perplexity of the structural challenges embedded throughout the fabric of the level itself.

This design, which embraces vast open spaces works particularly well when it comes to human resistance also.

During previous Maria Doria levels, relentless human combat was more often a detractor than an enhancer. Throughout these missions, such resistance arguably spoiled the sense of isolation and remoteness and was arguably more negative than positive overall in its influence on the experience.

The Deck, however, does not suffer by its prevalence of human combat in the same way. The expansive and unrestricted layout allows for more strategic control in combat scenarios, and especially lends itself to use of the M-16 with its extended range.

The experience of triggering and attracting the attention of a few human combatants once we start exploring the decks themselves, having seen them apparently desolate beforehand for much of the level, contributes to an atmosphere of tension and sinking anticipation that helps make this mission such an impacting experience. The Deck is also the last of only two levels to feature Flamethrower enemies, and the large spaces here bode well for strategically supple encounters with them.

The unique character and peculiarity of a design which reconciles a sprawling environment that is so open with such camouflaged and interwoven linear progression is one of the reasons that The Deck is such a distinct experience within the Maria Doria location. It’s an exclusive design that serves up one of the game’s most engrossing experiences.

Visually, this level is on a larger and more dramatic scale than anything we’ve seen in Tomb Raider 2 up until this point, and that plays significantly into its impact.

Contextually, however, The Deck arguably suffers somewhat from positioning in terms of the experience it provides within its slot in the game. Whilst the level is nothing short of a stunning piece of design and a unique experience within the set, its dark and dare I say deliciously oppressive atmosphere does not benefit from as much contrast to the missions beforehand as did, for example, The Opera House in Venice.

Preceded by 40 Fathoms with its profound sense of loneliness and unfamiliarity, and Wreck of the Maria Doria which itself was a large, dark, and oppressively atmospheric encounter, The Deck does not benefit from as much perceptive contrast as its stylistic distinctiveness arguably merits. As a result, it struggles to place sufficient clear blue water between itself and its forerunners to perhaps acquire the notoriety that it deserves.

Critically, however, this remains as a remarkable and memorable segment of Tomb Raider 2, and whilst it certainly isn’t the only level to demonstrate strong design, no other before it or since delivers anything quite like it.

VERDICT: 94%

15-10-23, 15:16	#23
Danjo86 Member Joined: Jun 2021 Posts: 38	8: Wreck of the maria doria – ship shape or shipwreck? 8: WRECK OF THE MARIA DORIA – SHIP SHAPE OR SHIPWRECK? Tomb Raider 2 is a game which undoubtedly maintains most of the ingredients that caused the first game in the series to be such a tremendous success. It is also, however, a sequel which was designed to provide an adventure on a much larger scale than the first game, and to set itself apart in numerous ways. Many of these differentials relate to the gameplay itself, which by the time we reach the 8th mission and close to the halfway point, have been experienced throughout the preceding levels. Most notable of these is the heavy emphasis on human combat and here, Wreck of the Maria Doria is no exception. One of the most prominent ways however in which the sequel both advances on the first game, and carves out its own identity, is in providing us with more contemporary environments. The Offshore Rig and Diving Area are examples where this is manifest in a pure and obvious manner, taking us as far from antiquity and mythos as it is possible to. These settings rely less on a sense of unsettling mysteriousness or inherent environmental insecurity to challenge and threaten the player. They depend instead on hostile actors and the hazards posed by objects or mechanisms more usually framed as being designed to serve a benevolent and practical purpose. What Tomb Raider 2 does arguably more successfully however, is to take other intrinsically modern environments and fashion them in various ways which undermine their modernity and sense of familiarity. This results in these domains becoming as unnerving, unpredictable, and even as mysterious and metaphysical in some cases as many ancient tombs or mythological destinations. The best example of this prior to Lara’s 8th mission is the Opera House. Here, this was achieved to some degree primarily by way of the setting being abandoned and derelict to the extent of becoming utterly parlous. The dim lighting and chilling ambience then served in that context as an underpin. Lara’s 8th mission essentially adopts this very same approach, but on a profoundly more prodigious basis than any other until this point. What Wreck of the Maria Doria does, incredibly successfully, is to place the player in a structure and location which is inherently benign, but is encountered in a context that is anything but. In setting the vessel in a state of destabilising deterioration by virtue of circumstance rather than mere age, we have a level here which emits intimidation on numerous fronts. Being at the bottom of the ocean means that submerged sections and hostile marine life come into play. Not content with this dynamic alone however, the entire structure is also inverted upside down. This not only renders the setting more challenging from a platforming perspective, but it also interferes with the player’s sense of orientation and presumption of reference in a setting which is, after all, manmade in its origin. When these constituents are married with the same chilling ambiance that we last experienced in Opera House, and what is by now a characteristic proclivity for hostile human adversaries, the overall result is perhaps one of Tomb Raider 2’s most atmospherically effective and potent experiences. Whilst 40 Fathoms was a deeply impressionable encounter, the larger scale and more pronounced diversity of Lara’s second mission within the wreck begin to frame that former excursion as a precursor. In addition to further maintenance areas, the layout extends to large and opulent set pieces such as the overturned ballroom, and even down to the upper decks where progression requires braving the surrounding ocean and its resident aggressors. This is also the first mission of Tomb Raider 2 to present us with a single task requiring us to hunt down and utilise a few identical pieces. The three circuit-breakers puzzle is an effective medium to compel us to search every part of our environment, and the relatively linear path required to obtain them takes us on a circuitous but progressive expedition in the process. The level also features what is one of Tomb Raider 2’s most disconcerting segments set in the upended bridge of the liner. The combination of dingy and flickering lighting, stained and corroded textures and the anticipation of potential hostiles is a heady and oppressive cocktail. It is perhaps due to its triumphs of design, aesthetics, and atmosphere therefore, that Wreck of the Maria Doria commands a depth of appreciation which arguably exceeds the calibre of the gameplay itself. Whilst the path of progression and gameplay therein are never less than engaging, there’s relatively little that’s new or that we haven’t encountered before in some form. As a result, the substance of the mission perhaps feels as if it never quite lives up to the promise of its character and surroundings in terms of novelty and unpredictability. Nowhere is this more the case than when we access the area opened by the second switch in the Rest Room. Here, in what is not an insubstantial portion of the mission, we find ourselves in boxy and uniformly textured rooms that could have been lifted from the previous level. Rather than serving up anything innovative however, just about every room is essentially a contained exercise in box-moving and switch-pulling. The impact of the gameplay experience is thus felt more from the scale here, and from the repetitious exploration required to discover the means of progression over anything else. Of course, for a level that shines in its visual novelty and resplendence, that is not an entirely bad thing. Despite these criticisms however, Wreck of the Maria Doria is not without unique flourishes either. The level’s most uniquely memorable moments come in the form of submerged excursions, where the twin challenges of completing tasks without running out of air, and avoiding a variety of oceanic enemies creates a flavour of drama and challenge which 40 Fathoms only provided a smaller taste of. It’s also the game’s first level to feature Moray Eels, and for anyone unacquainted with them, no doubt the trigger for a jump-scare at least the first time around. In summary, then, Wreck of the Maria Doria is conceptually, visually, and atmospherically nothing short of a masterpiece and one of the most defining experiences of Tomb Raider 2. In gameplay terms however, it arguably suffers moderately from style over substance, and that lets it down just very slightly. VERDICT: 84% Last edited by Danjo86; 27-10-23 at 16:50.

20-10-23, 18:23	#26
Danjo86 Member Joined: Jun 2021 Posts: 38	9: Living quarters – a bridge too far? 9: LIVING QUARTERS – A BRIDGE TOO FAR? The 9th level of Tomb Raider 2 is Lara’s third consecutively within the Maria Doria, and immediately precedes her final mission within the liner. The Wreck undoubtedly provides distinctive and innovative territory for Lara, as well as numerous creative gameplay opportunities. Given that this location also accounts for about a quarter of the entire quest, it’s clear that the designers wanted the player to spend quite some time here. With the previous two levels both based in an overturned part of the vessel, the designers split them between two main sections of the ship. These were the hull and lower maintenance areas in the case of 40 Fathoms, and then a variety of other areas which included many furnished sections in the case of Wreck of the Maria Doria. It will also become clear in the following mission that the designers wanted the final level of this set to take place in and around the exterior decks of the ship with less of an underwater focus. This, in turn, would provide a further unique environment for creative scope. This would therefore also require Lara to reach the top of a separate portion of the ship, which would be positioned upright. Whilst it’s conceivable that this transition could have been addressed within a cutscene, Core evidently decided that a bridging level would be included to take Lara through that upright part of the ship, and the result of this is Living Quarters. The first areas of the level echo the textures and visuals of 40 Fathoms, and provide us with what prove to be some truly innovative puzzles. The most notable of these is a challenge where a set of pistons must be reconfigured in conjunction with clearing a passage as part of a larger sequence of divergent but connected tasks to flood a room and open a doorway. It’s a genuinely complex and meticulously well-designed segment which I would venture to suggest is one of Tomb Raider 2’s finest. It’s a shame therefore, that the quality and substance of the level seems to rapidly slacken thereafter. The next area contains some very polished puzzles which include some timed ledges for the purpose of shimmying to reach a lever. However, the integrity and stature of the entire area is undermined by the fact that all of it can be bypassed relatively easily. As we then approach the level’s closing areas, we encounter furnished rooms and corridors akin to what we had seen in parts of Wreck of the Maria Doria, but with a somewhat varied and equally remarkable orientational context. In fact, it’s within this portion of Living Quarters that we come across one of the most consummate examples of a level of creative ambition that set Tomb Raider 2 apart from the prequel. Having based the previous mission within the enterprising context of an overturned section of the luxury liner, Living Quarters presents us with the consequences of the now upright section we find ourselves in having been violently torn away. This manifests itself in decking which is both sloped and crumpled in many places, with crumbling tiles, severed pillars and glass shards befitting of the context. A mysterious and almost haunting musical cue interjects when we approach a row of windows which show us splintered remains of what was once another interior section now open to the ocean. It’s an elegantly cogent and impactful piece of design, and so it’s just a shame that this stage of the level is so fleeting. The brevity of this ingenious and visionary glimpse into the liner's condition and past, combined with the entire area being one we hurriedly sweep through deprives it of the impact it may otherwise command. By this point, despite now bestowing us with some of the richest and most impactful aesthetics within the Maria Doria set, the substance of the gameplay starts to run glaringly thin on ideas and utterly fails to capitalise on the few that are exhibited. An innovative large room with a sloped orientation is one of the environment’s most compelling, and could have been a great opportunity for an extensive sequence of navigational and platforming challenges and progression. Instead, the inclusion of just one jump with a crumbling tile before moving on leaves more than half of the large space devoid of purpose and leaves the scale of the area utterly neglected. The level subsequently takes us to a large theatre, but it seems to bear no relevance to what we accomplish. Pulling back part of the curtain with a simple switch, to then find another behind it which somehow, very unintuitively, floods a part of another room that allows us to end the level feels as inane as it does simplistic. There’s a real and growing sense here that large and enticingly textured rooms and areas are completely let down by a lack of innovation and content. What we have in these final areas is a series of corridors and spaces with no real sense of purpose or cohesion. Many of them are hollow and incidental, with the preponderance of them serving only as connective padding. Instead of innovative design or challenges, we are served with a not insubstantial plethora of human antagonists to mow down in their place. Up to this point, Tomb Raider 2 has frequently strayed into what is arguably an excess of human foes. Whilst this undoubtedly provides an appropriately intensifying element in at least a few of the locations and missions visited, elsewhere this profusion of violence arguably detracts from the experience. Against the hollowness and banality of the latter stages of Living Quarters however, the substantial human combat here is simply an enervating and monotonous experience. There may be little in the way of engaging gameplay to detract from, but the combat here, far from being compensatory, provides only aimless filler and exposes rather than masks these deficiencies in the process. The overall impression therefore is that Living Quarters is a level which, notwithstanding the change in orientation to those before it, and whilst appearing to have some unique territory left to cover environmentally, has little more to offer creatively. For all its arguably vindicating merits, this is a level which struggles and ultimately fails atmospherically and experientially to stand apart strongly within the Maria Doria set. It borrows stylistically from the previous two missions, but conjoins these haphazardly and fails to establish any sort of enduring presence or distinctiveness in the process. From a gameplay perspective, it begins on a blisteringly strong footing, but then consistently and swiftly loses direction, momentum, and substance. The result, unfortunately, is a level which imprints itself as a predominantly less imaginative and less competent version of what we have experienced previously. Living Quarters is a level which fleetingly demonstrates some of the most remarkably creative determination of Tomb Raider 2 within its design, and in this respect represents a level of reach that genuinely delivers. Sadly, the grandeur of such an achievement is betrayed by the impoverishment of gameplay accompanying in the latter stages and forms part of a mission which has very little by this point in the way of new depths to take us to. VERDICT: 64% Last edited by Danjo86; 27-10-23 at 16:50.

21-10-23, 10:53	#27
Sat42 Member Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 152	Of bridges and violins @Danjo86: thank you for your level by level review of Tomb Raider II, I have kept up with the entries and hope you finish reviewing the whole game! Your writing is also of very high quality and I commend you for that. Naturally, we understand that your series of reviews is both an attempt at a thorough analysis of the game's quality and a personal take on the subject matter, so the following comment should be understood as banter: YOU GAVE LIVING QUARTERS A HIGHER RATING THAN VENICE, HERETIC! DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH VIOLINS? Ahem regaining composure... Seriously though! One of the things going for Tomb Raider II is that it's very consistent in quality throughout, but Living Quarters always struck me as the definition of a "filler level". Among the main levels, some will be more memorable than others, but each has its place, while you could cut Living Quarters from the game (and perhaps make some adjustments to the preceding and following levels) without affecting the overall quality of the journey. Cut Venice out (perish the thought!), and you definitely lose something. Living Quarters might be a bridge too far, but Venice definitely cemented a legitimate place in the collective memory of Tomb Raider II.

22-10-23, 20:24	#29
Sat42 Member Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 152	Happy days Haha thank you for the explanation! And no worries, I didn't expect you would make adjustments to the ratings, but with Venice more highly rated than Living Quarters the crisis is averted LOL Looking forward to the next entries!

25-10-23, 22:03	#30
Danjo86 Member Joined: Jun 2021 Posts: 38	10: The deck – another level of design 10: THE DECK – ANOTHER LEVEL OF DESIGN Of the many noteworthy level designs provided throughout the Tomb Raider games, those that imprint themselves most memorably tend to centre around a large, open, and accessible space. This is often used to present us with an immense and visually dramatic setting or set piece that operates as terrain for or within the level itself as well. Such levels tend to befit layouts that offer a refreshing contrast to more linear compositions. This allows these designs to gain the traction of greater player control and self-determination of advancement, which only enhances their ability to stamp their mark. Tomb Raider 2’s best example so far would be The Opera House, where the ornate and expansive auditorium permits access to many other parts of the level. The first Tomb Raider game presented us with many such levels as well of course, including St Francis’ Folly with its creative vertically structured hub. Levels which do not fall into this category are typically more sinuous, where the setting or environment is more evenly and finely divided. It is against this context that The Deck is a level which, in terms of pure design, is in a class all by itself. This is by virtue of the level’s construction presenting much of its content as more accessible and navigationally soluble than it proves to be in terms of gameplay. This permits the level to score simultaneously on visual impression and on providing an engaging level of challenge and obscurity in its completion. Lara enters this foreboding setting on the lowest of several large, towering, and decaying decks of the wreckage whose expansive platforms and structures stretch far behind and above her. The scale of this piece however is itself moderated by the enormity of the dark subterrestrial cave in which this shares company with another gargantuan portion of the liner’s overturned body. All of this drama and bounty of territory, which extends to the very limits of the engine’s draw distance and beyond hits the player almost immediately with a sense of intimidating veneration. Whilst the design here imparts substantial visual impact and impressive guise however, the consummation of it necessitates venturing through many enclosed elements of the layout whose very existence, let alone connection to the predominant aspects is far more obscure. Cavernous tunnels, hidden bodies of water infested with both human and animal hostiles and a variety of dark and claustrophobic inner cabins and structures connect concealed points of access to substantial and otherwise unreachable portions of the level’s monumental anatomy. These shrouded ligaments and junctions meander and interpose themselves covertly around sections of the vast unrestricted sprawl of the Maria Doria’s decks and sizeable sections of hull. This innovative design is thus one which promises a degree of attainability that is illusory. The player is baited with the prospect of accessibility throughout, whilst subjugation of the level always remains anything but elementary. This contrast between its perceptible openness and its serpentine and linear route of progression allows the design here to indulge in numerous and often simultaneous instances of foreshadowing to great effect. More pedestrian examples of this include the area behind the propeller being glimpsed prior to accessing it later from behind the stern key door, and locked keyless doors blocking cabins which retain their privacy until reaching a rooftop trapdoor only after a lengthy expedition across other parts of the level’s geography. More notoriously of course, are the upper decks and large segments of the vessel themselves which, whilst on display from the start of the level, won’t be possible to prospect until much later. This style of design creates a path of progression which is studded with tangible accomplishments throughout. This means that whilst the player’s progress is a long and almost directionless meandering affair within a large space in terms of pure movement, it is a purposeful and rewarding one in terms of experience. This unique approach to the level arrangement not only compensates, but even justifies and rationalises several aspects of The Deck’s design choices which could otherwise be considered weaknesses in many other contexts. One example of this is the level’s infliction of forced damage when Lara must drop onto the raft within a subterranean lake. Typically, forced health losses are a bugbear for players since they impose punishment by design rather than as a disincentive to play less skilfully. In this case, however, the scale of the drop to the raft is instrumental in hitherto concealing the means by which the player will later achieve something that otherwise appears to be impossible. Having the identification and subsequent availability of many parts of the map separated by elongated gameplay and veiled courses between them means that movement and problem solving are continuously entwined. Essentially, the entire design here operates as a large and complex puzzle of its own accord. For this reason, The Deck’s lack of distinctive individual conundrums, a weakness in most other contexts, works positively here. It enables the player to dedicate their focus on, and reckon with the perplexity of the structural challenges embedded throughout the fabric of the level itself. This design, which embraces vast open spaces works particularly well when it comes to human resistance also. During previous Maria Doria levels, relentless human combat was more often a detractor than an enhancer. Throughout these missions, such resistance arguably spoiled the sense of isolation and remoteness and was arguably more negative than positive overall in its influence on the experience. The Deck, however, does not suffer by its prevalence of human combat in the same way. The expansive and unrestricted layout allows for more strategic control in combat scenarios, and especially lends itself to use of the M-16 with its extended range. The experience of triggering and attracting the attention of a few human combatants once we start exploring the decks themselves, having seen them apparently desolate beforehand for much of the level, contributes to an atmosphere of tension and sinking anticipation that helps make this mission such an impacting experience. The Deck is also the last of only two levels to feature Flamethrower enemies, and the large spaces here bode well for strategically supple encounters with them. The unique character and peculiarity of a design which reconciles a sprawling environment that is so open with such camouflaged and interwoven linear progression is one of the reasons that The Deck is such a distinct experience within the Maria Doria location. It’s an exclusive design that serves up one of the game’s most engrossing experiences. Visually, this level is on a larger and more dramatic scale than anything we’ve seen in Tomb Raider 2 up until this point, and that plays significantly into its impact. Contextually, however, The Deck arguably suffers somewhat from positioning in terms of the experience it provides within its slot in the game. Whilst the level is nothing short of a stunning piece of design and a unique experience within the set, its dark and dare I say deliciously oppressive atmosphere does not benefit from as much contrast to the missions beforehand as did, for example, The Opera House in Venice. Preceded by 40 Fathoms with its profound sense of loneliness and unfamiliarity, and Wreck of the Maria Doria which itself was a large, dark, and oppressively atmospheric encounter, The Deck does not benefit from as much perceptive contrast as its stylistic distinctiveness arguably merits. As a result, it struggles to place sufficient clear blue water between itself and its forerunners to perhaps acquire the notoriety that it deserves. Critically, however, this remains as a remarkable and memorable segment of Tomb Raider 2, and whilst it certainly isn’t the only level to demonstrate strong design, no other before it or since delivers anything quite like it. VERDICT: 94% Last edited by Danjo86; 27-10-23 at 16:51.

11-10-23, 09:27	#21
Scottlee Member Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 8,092	Nice reviews. I don't know how people feel generally about the oil rig levels but I've always been a huge fan. I just love the setting and the industrial background noises. The first appearance of the frogman is a sinister moment too.

15-10-23, 21:03	#24
perryloo Member Joined: Jan 2021 Posts: 1,116	This is making me want to play the whole of TR2 again. Well done I have only played the game too many times to remember LOL.