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Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Eidos
Genre: Adventure
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 11 Apr 06
User Rating
6.7 (3 votes) -
- Lara gets a total makeover, delivering what Angel of Darkness should have years ago. A fun game that focusses on what made the series popular.
Overview
When Tomb Raider first made its debut on the original PlayStation, it reinvigorated the whole adventure genre, and catapulted its heroin to superstardom. Lara Croft became a celebrity, and made even more famous due to the Tomb Raider movies, where she was played by the delectible Angelina Jolie. Having played the god-awful Angel of Darkness for the PS2, expectations have dipped. Responding to the criticisms from the press and gamers alike, Eidos replaced developers Core Design with Crystal Dynamics, which are well known for their Legacy of Kain and Soul Reaver series. Having just reviewed their latest game, Tomb Raider: Legend on the Xbox 360, how does the game do on the current-gen Xbox? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
For those who are wondering what went wrong with the last Tomb Raider game, Angel of Darkness, well a lot of things. First off, the game was originally supposed to be one of the launch title for the then next-generation PlayStation 2 console. After being delayed for quite some time, Eidos' PR machine went into overdrive to help placate the impatient gaming masses. But they only succeeded in hyping the game even further, and when the game did not deliver that next-gen experience, gamers became angry and quickly shunned the series. So Eidos took a different route with Tomb Raider: Legend by getting a different development team, and came into this game with a lot less hype. Did these changes make a difference?
The story in the Tomb Raider franchise have not be an influential part of the experience, something which is quite different from this latest incarnation. Legends moves that a very smooth and consistent pacing, which is credited to its entertaining and engaging story. And dare I say that the story in Legend is even better then those of the Tomb Raider movies, which for some probably won't be saying a whole heck of a lot.
One of the things that I think anyone who picks up a copy of the game will realize is that Crystal Dynamics went back to the drawing board. They've analyzed the franchise, taking elements that have worked well in the past, and giving them an updated feel. Legend is a much less linear game then those on the Playstation, and instead feels very similar in style and control to the Prince of Persia series, which is a real good thing. The game however does keep its roots and has a lot of features that will make fans of the series very happy indeed. So along with a lot of the jumping and great acrobatics, the game also contains a lot of small puzzles.
These puzzles do come a bit more varied then they did back in the day of the original Playstation, but they are still somewhat similar. You will still have small puzzles to complete by moving around boxes or other objects to allow you to move through the level. These puzzles are usually not that tricky, although I did find myself caught in a rut a few times, lost as to what the next objective was. These puzzles, in the end, does provide a good mix to the typical running and jumping in the game.
Having a more firm focus on the adventure aspects of the experience, Lara is not left totally defenseless, as she has quite a few more at her disposal. The game uses a very simple but effective gunplay system, allowing you to target your enemes and take them out easily. The gunplay is probably the least satisfying aspect of the game, as it just doesn't feel all that exciting, nor does it really bring any added depth to the game.
I have to say that in the end Tomb Raider: Legend goes back to the basics, and comes back strongly. I say this because the developers went back to what worked with the series took that and molded it into just a great action adventure game. The game isn't quite perfect, as it does feel a bit too linear and repetitive at times, but is overall a very solid title.
Graphics
You really get what you would expect from the Xbox version of the game in terms of visuals. It may not be as detailed or as polished as the 360 version, but then again for ten bucks less, I think most will be able to deal with some of the shortcomings. The game still looks very good on the Xbox with very nice character models that contain a good deal of detail and polish. The game does struggle at times with detail on environments, as they start to become a bit bland at times. In the end, the Xbox version is a good-looking game, but still has some room for improvement.
Fun Factor
To this day, I still shudder at the very mention of Angel of Darkness. And to be honest I was surprised to find out how great Tomb Raider: Legend really is. For those who thought the series was lost, I really think you are going to enjoy this game because it brings back a lot of what we have loved about the series in the past. If you are a fan of Tomb Raider, then you are going to find a lot to enjoy about the experience. The game isn't super long, but the experience is just an extremely enjoyable one.
Overall
To say that I was happy with the results of Tomb Raider Legend is an understatement, just because of how great it was to see the series back to its original form. The game wasn't perfect, as mentioned a few times but it was a very good deep action adventure experience. Any fans of the series before Angel of Darkness will remember why they loved the series so much. Even if you are unsure, you can't go wrong with picking this game up for a rental.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
7.0 - Fun Factor
8.0 - Overall
8.0
