Revisited: Walhalla

[Erogan]

Es antiguo pero tiene buena pinta:

Revisited: Walhalla

by Ampersand in Level Editor Scene on the 11th May 2009

| 183 reads

 

 

This was my first custom level experience, back in 2005 when I’d just discovered the TR modding community. I remember being enthralled, impressed, utterly confused and intimidated - I think I gave up after the first few levels! But I’m taking a trip down memory lane for this new feature, and hope you’ll join me.

 

Miss Kroft’s WALHALLA

 

 

The game opens with a short cutscene of Jean Yves sitting in his home, narrating a letter to Lara. His team has found the entrance to a strange cave hidden under an old Swedish villa - the owner of the place recently vanished, and Jean suspects the cavern has a part to play. Government officials have put the building under guard, but he has high hopes that Lara can uncover whatever mysteries are at work…

 

 

Level 1: Midgard

 

Then the action skips to our Miss Croft, wrapped up in a jacket and fatigues, standing in some foggy backstreets with the sounds of birdsong and chiming bells in the distance.

 

There are some doors to open and some thugs and vermin to kill, the first objective being to find a laser sight and revolver with which to do some tricky shooting. There are several traps and obstacles to bypass, but there’s no rush to do so, and you can explore and work out the level at a nice steady pace. Cue some breaking and entering like only Lara can!

 

 

Level 2: In the Villa

 

After being bludgeoned by thugs and nibbled by rats in the previous level, this one felt like paradise to step into: an expensive villa decked out in festive wreaths and garlands, with snow falling outside the window. There is the small matter of an angry welcoming committee and some deadly lasers, but otherwise it’s just like home!

 

Again most of the gameplay is straightforward and kindly, and takes place over quite a small area - the challenge is in remembering where everything goes, and there’s one obscure shooting task that would honestly have had me stumped for ages if I hadn’t checked a walkthrough. At last, Lara can access the concealed entrance to this mysterious, perilous cavern…

 

Level 3: Hel, the Rise of the Beasts

 

Isn’t this a change of scene! Lara starts the level dropping through a big cave and into a pool. Ominous music kicks in and you know that matters just got serious. Everything suddenly takes a dangerous turn - the place is full of monsters, traps and treacherous drops. Some of the traps take you by surprise and a few of the enemies are very hard to kill, but Miss Kroft is a generous builder and keeps you stocked with ammo and medipacks. Lara has to find her way through caves and temple rooms, acquiring keys and a torch on the way, with the aim of opening a pair of huge double doors to get to the next level. The atmosphere gets darker and thicker as you progress - what’s next?

 

 

Level 4: Asgard

 

Now for another exciting change of scene - Lara starts the level outside what looks like a huge Viking longhouse. The entrance is a tangle of cobwebs and strange whispering noises echo in the air. After a challenging jumping exercise over an enormous pit, Lara finds herself in an impressive courtyard towered over by wooden buildings. The Nordic feel is stronger than ever here, with snow on the ground and huge timbered walls decorated with Viking motifs. There are some clever timed tasks involving multiple switches and doors - I’m pretty sure I’d long since given up when I first played this game, but I’m glad to see it through properly this time.

 

 

Level 5: Fenrir’s Shelter

 

Finally the last level, set in an icy, brooding temple guarded by wolves and towering blue demons. Thankfully we don’t have to fight Fenrir, the great fearsome monster of Norse legend! There are more traps, more keys and puzzle items to find, and I confess that by now these well-worn gameplay staples had somewhat lost my interest, but the mood and environment are so compellingly ‘Tomb Raider’ that I just kept playing. When I finally pieced together the Stone Badge and opened the gate to escape, I was sorry to see the end of this wonderful level set.

 

 

Summary

 

After playing this through, you can see why it’s a established classic of the community. It may not have aged very well, and custom-level players of the ‘new’ generation might sniff at its modest appearance, but this is raiding of the best and purest kind: atmosphere, exploration, puzzle-solving and the occasional scare or well-timed thrill.

 

Looks-wise, it’s very much of the old school, where textures and objects from canon Tomb Raider games are spliced together to create new settings. While in some places this doesn’t quite convince and you’re left with a confused sense of the level’s identity, for the most part Walhalla is immersively good-looking.

 

As far as gameplay is concerned, it’s highly accessible. The first two levels break you in gently (luckily for me - after a long time playing RPGs and FPS games I was completely oblivious and running into walls in a deeply embarrassing way); the later levels are the real substance of the game, and slowly build up the difficulty. For the most part I found the gameplay quite ’safe’ - a lot of switch-pulling and key-finding - but there are many clever, challenging moments throughout.

 

I would definitely recommend Walhalla if you haven’t already played it - or maybe take it for another spin if you have! Thank you to Miss Kroft for these fine levels.

 

Best regards,

Ampersand

 

Walhalla on TRLE.net // Walhalla on LLB

 

Everybody can participate in Mission: Revisited. Simply re-play your first custom level and write a review about your Revisited experience and send it to us. With a little luck you can win an original Lara at the Movies CD! For more info - click here

[requiemsoul]

No sé si es exactamente el mismo, pero hace un tiempo jugué al Wallhalla part 1-5. Absolutamente recomendable: buenos puzzles, buena ambientación y una jugabilidad muy bien ajustada.

[Erogan]

 

Es el mismo seguro, porque son niveles del 2003 y recibieron muy buena puntuación (9.778 / 10). No he visto los niveles en la lista de jugados, por eso lo he comentado.

 

Descarga >>>>> AQUI

[Oraculo]

Yo ahora mismo estoy renegando con el Legacy of the god, pero lo estoy jugando pausado, no estaria mal probarlo, mas que recibio semejante puntuacion.

 

Gracias Ero

 

Saludos

[requiemsoul]

Sí, es el mismo. Pues nada, jugadlo que está muy bien. Todavía me acuerdo lo que me costó al segunda fase... pero ya digo que es un nivel bastante accesible y muy entretenido.

[Oraculo]

Sí, es el mismo. Pues nada, jugadlo que está muy bien. Todavía me acuerdo lo que me costó al segunda fase... pero ya digo que es un nivel bastante accesible y muy entretenido.

 

Confiamos en el Dios de los niveles de autor ^_^ . Tus palabras son sagradas

 

Saludos

[requiemsoul]

jaja! Más bien soy el becerro de oro, sobretodo becerro xDD.

Últimamente los tengo abandonados porque me ha dado la fiebre de las aventuras gráficas: Still Life , Black Mirror, The Longest Journey... la próxima semana que termino Syberia 2 vuelvo a retomar mis queridos niveles de autor.

 

Por cierto, hay un nivel nuevo llamado "The Secret of Nepal" con una puntuación de 9,9. Sólo con la imagen que tiene de portada parece babeante xD.

[Oraculo]

jaja! Más bien soy el becerro de oro, sobretodo becerro xDD.

Últimamente los tengo abandonados porque me ha dado la fiebre de las aventuras gráficas: Still Life , Black Mirror, The Longest Journey... la próxima semana que termino Syberia 2 vuelvo a retomar mis queridos niveles de autor.

 

Por cierto, hay un nivel nuevo llamado "The Secret of Nepal" con una puntuación de 9,9. Sólo con la imagen que tiene de portada parece babeante xD.

 

Lo empezo McRaider, dice que esta muy bueno. Tiene dos niveles.

 

saludos

 

[Oraculo]

Bueno comence este nivel. Quien quiera unirse, bienvenido sea.

 

Saludos

[Oraculo]

Nivel Terminado!.

 

El juego me resulto algo lineal. En lineas generales me gusto. Un buen nivel de autor. Bueno voy a empezar con el Beyond and Egypt

 

Saludos