Lemmings 2: The Tribes - Level Reviews

[GuyPerfect]

Quick! Help me jump on the bandwagon!

Level snapshots are http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">here, and I'll be uploading more as I play through them all again. (-: But we should have enough for now, so let's have at it.

The order I'm listing the levels on that page start with Classic and move clockwise around the island. I suggest we keep it organized that way.

Unless otherwise noted, we'll be doing the Amiga/DOS levels in this thread. The Game Boy version has many a different level, so I'll have to go make a second pass through all the tribes in order to "properly" review them all if we really really feel like it.

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Classic 1: Do You Remember?

http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic01.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time: 5:00
Skills: 20 of each of the "classic eight"

Good: A simple level for starting off the game with. Gives several of each ability to play around with and find different ways to the exit. Is also single-screen so you don't have to scroll your way to glory.

Bad:  Stage is cramped and requires the Builder. For a first-time Lemmings player, this level might be a bit confusing.

[Dullstar]

Thanks for starting this, GuyPerfect.  I wish I had more time to review, but...

[Clam]

I think we should add the score required for Gold to each review. Can anyone verify that the numbers given on the Lemmings Encyclopedia are correct here?



Classic 2 - Mr Lemmy Lives Next Door
http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic02.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />
Time: 5 minutes
Skills: 1-10-2-2-6-1-1-1 (Classic skills)
Gold: 100% (Note: use "Lose x" format when 100% is not required)

Good: Clever solution, hard to spot at first. Attempts at the "direct route" prove futile - as they should.

Bad: One lemming does everything. Solution has a few awkward parts - making sure the bridge connects with the steel when you reach the left side, mining down without over/undershooting, and preventing the climber getting stuck in an "infinite loop" around the outside.

[GuyPerfect]

The medals you get after every stage depend on how many Lemmings you started with and how many you saved. If you start with 1 Lemming and complete the stage, you'll get a gold medal. At the end of the tribe, the color of the piece of the talisman depends on how many of the original 60 Lemmings you ended up saving in the last level.

A gold talisman piece for Classic requires 53 Lemmings.

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Classic 3 - LEMTRIS

http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic03.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time: 4:00
Skills: 4 of each of the "classic eight"

Good: With only 4 Bashers, the player needs to improvise to break through all the tetriminoes.

Bad: A lot of walking. I've found myself cutting off routes back to the right in order to save on waiting later. Lemmings that traverse the entire distance multiple times might not make it to the exit before time runs out.

[Clam]

The medals you get after every stage depend on how many Lemmings you started with and how many you saved.

Isn't it just based on how many lemmings you lose in the level? Or do you end up with a situation where if you start with only a handful of lemmings, you have to save more than is possible on some levels where lemmings have to be sacrificed? (Which would be the inevitable result of any other formula)

[GuyPerfect]

It's probably a "lose x" formula, though it doesn't matter in the long run since you'll always get gold medals on every level if you end up saving the required amount for the entire tribe.

[LemSteven]

I haven't tested this out, but my guess is that the Talisman color you get at the end of the tribe depends on your performance on each individual level.  For example, if you fininish a tribe with 9 gold medals and one silver, you will end up with a silver Talisman.

I do know that if you lose a lemming on Classic 9 (which requires 100%), you will get a silver medal for that level, even if you took more than 54 lemmings into it.
___________________________________________________________

Classic 4 -- Tension Sheet, Good Idea
http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic04.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time: 5 minutes
Skills:  2 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 (Classic skills)
Gold:  Lose 1

Good:  A quite challenging level that requires you to take the "floor route" because you don't have enough builders to go "over the top."  Also, 100% is possible, but...

Bad:  ...it is very annoying to pull off.  Also, it gets boring waiting for the basher to create the tunnel in the end, although this is helped somewhat by the fast forward feature.

[Minim]

Classic 5 - The Magnificent Severn
http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic05.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time: 5 minutes
Skills:  1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 (Classic skills)
Gold: Lose 1

Good: I like the last part of the solution, which is to create a rescue bridge, time can be a challenge.
Bad: Can be annoying waiting for the last basher to finish.

Question: I haven't played this level yet, but if anyone has, is there a trap situated on the lower platform?

[GuyPerfect]

There are no traps in The Magnificent Severn, and time isn't much of an issue.

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Classic 6: The Starry Threshold

http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic06.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time: 6:00
Skills: 4 Climber, 5 Builder, 10 Digger, 2 of the rest of the "classic eight"

Good: Pretty name! (-: That's about it, though.

Bad: Lengthy hero level. *Snore*

Note: This level lends itself well for a 100% run by allowing for some alternative methods to planting Blockers and blowing them up.

[LemSteven]

Classic 7:  So close but so far away

http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic07.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time:  8:00
Skills:  4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 (Classic skills)
Gold:  Lose 4

Good:  Requires a lot of thought because at first it seems like you don't have enough skills; has a backroute that makes 100% possible.

Bad:  The standard route is extremely long and tedius, and it loses more lemmings than any other level.  Plus, the left side of the level looks like it was choppily cut off.

[ccexplore]

has a backroute that makes 100% possible.

Are you sure it's 100% and not lose 1?

[geoo]

I happen to have the screenshots of my solution still on my computer, so here they are:
http://207.58.177.175/~geoo89/lemmings/Classic7_1.png" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">1 http://207.58.177.175/~geoo89/lemmings/Classic7_2.png" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">2 http://207.58.177.175/~geoo89/lemmings/Classic7_3.png" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">3 http://207.58.177.175/~geoo89/lemmings/Classic7_4.png" class="bbc_link" target="_blank">4

You don't need a blocker to push the lemmings into the wall (which is the lose-1 solution, iirc), as having a 1-pixel gap already makes the lemmings climb up in the Lemmings 2 mechanics.

[ccexplore]

Oh okay.  I'm definitely a lot less versed in the details of Lemmings 2 mechanics; that's good to know.

[GuyPerfect]

Classic 8 - The Secret of LEMH

http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic08.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time: 5:00
Skills: 10 Climber, 2 Basher, 20 Digger, 1 each of the rest of the "classic eight"

Good: Makes the player think about how to get through all the obstacles with the available digging tools.

Bad: Relatively easy level this late in the game, and is a typical hero exercise.

[LemSteven]

Classic 9:  Flying the Mad Pursuit

http://perfectkiosk.net/lemmings/levels/l2/Classic09.png" alt="" class="bbc_img" />

Time:  5:00
Skills:  1 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 10 (Classic skills)

Good:  Not too long; presents itself as a decent puzzle.

Bad:  Crowd control is far too difficult, especially considering the way Lemmings 2 handles assigning skills (you can't assign a skill if there is another lemming performing the same skill inside your cursor).