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Review
It's good job that 75% of Natla's stooges elected to remain outside the Sanctuary during this level, because there really aren't that many places for Lara to hide. This level lays most of its cards down on the table in great big lumps, and the smaller, more compact areas are very much at a premium. It's a spectacular setting but one with pitfalls. Allow me to direct my ruler at exhibit A - The wall you climb up opposite the Sphinx...
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz. It's ok the first time because you're discovering a new route. The second time though it gets a bit dull. The developers seem to have great trouble with transporting Lara from point X to point Y in this part of the adventure. Take a look at that Helter skelter of a corridor near the end for a further example. Getting back to the large climbable wall, and there really isn't much to do but frown when you realise you're about to be forced into scaling it for the 2nd and possibly 3rd or 4th time. The only danger of dying it seems is a player falling asleep long enough to let go of the action button and fall off.
There is a nifty new creature though. Let's give a serious name this time (as opposed to something like 'boneyman'), and refer to him as a Pterodactyl. I hope to god I've spelt that right by the way. It'll be very embarrassing to have Cais turn up and claim I've made a typo accidentally printed the brand name of an American line of Washing up salts. Anyway, the 'pterodactyl' is a fine speciman to add to the TR1 creatures gallery. This despite the fact he only seems to show up the moment after Lara has pulled a lever, giving off the impression he may actually be a computerised booby trap rather than flesh and blood.
I would have thought a pterodactyl attacking you more randomly would have been the really effective choice, but as this probably would have taken longer to programme, I'll let it go just this once without issuing a parking ticket. It's not as if the high ledge confrontations with the winged satan messengers aren't still in any way effective. I quite enjoy them. I just wonder how long the developers pondered the logistical problems of getting crocs up onto those ledges before they realised they'd have to come up with something new (Flight of the Alligator?)
Entering the room with the Sphinx is spectacular, but not as much so as falling into the huge vat below it. Even though there isn't much to do when you're down there, it still does enough to be long remembered as one of those instances that would surely make it into a "101 best TR moments" compendium. In fact, the only thing to do down here in essence is to pull a couple more levers. Thankfully however, Core have quite sensibly opted to not have you attacked by a pterodactyl with flippers right after you pull them. Even the by now customary crocodile seems to be on vacation. It's a shame too. The lack of vantagepoints initially available with which to dispose of watery adversaries, might have made their inclusion a worthwhile challenge. One of the biggest nags about this, a level so late in the game, is the lack of ways you can actually die.
The ending is also a bit lame. How could it not be? I mean you're up against Larsson. This time round he's got a pain in his brain and he wants to kill Lara. Well that's charming given that Lara tried to save his life at the end of the Trojan's Markets level. And he's not in the least bit capable of shooting her to hell anyway. He takes even less shots to kill than Pierre did three levels ago! Surely a more inventive finale could have been concocted given the spectacular settings negotiated just prior? Larsson might be useful should they ever make another Bananaman cartoon, but as a decent adversary for Lara Croft he lacks that Va Va Voom, as the French say. I've seen more convincing antagonists do battle with Supergran.
Outside the Sanctuary Lara is greeted by Natla and her goons, who take both her weapons away and the Scion. I love this FMV. I think it's one of the best TR movies that's ever been constructed. Only very rarely in the later games would you see a cut-scene that 'changed scenes', so to speak.
The Sanctuary of the Scion is a wonder to play the first time around, but strangely quite sterile on the 2nd, 3rd, and nth occasions. It's also badly in need if an Elevator in the Sphinx room and a Stanna stair lift when you're ready to return to the level's beginning. I dig the palm trees though. 7/10
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