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The Tomb Raider franchise reestablishes itself as one of gaming’s best. Tomb Raider was one of the finest games available on the PlayStation and Tomb Raider 2 only improved on it. Since then, however, the series has failed to keep up with technological advances. The Tomb Raider series last reawakening, The Angel of Darkness, sold well but didn’t really reinvent the series. With Crystal Dynamics at the helm, though, Legend reinforces Lara’s status as, well, a legend.
In Tomb Raider: Legend, you once again play as Lara as she investigates the death of her mother. You’ll travel to a number of locations including England, Kazakhstan, and Tokyo as you try to get together a magical sword which is involved in some way. The game brings back the emphasis on actual tombs from the first few games, although you’re still able to jump on skyscrapers or explore a village.
Puzzles are a core part of Tomb Raider and the same is true for Legend. The game makes full use of Lara’s acrobatic skills by letting you jump on platforms, swing on ropes and hang onto legends. This is made much easier by the new control scheme which gives Tomb Raider a level of fluidity that wasn’t found in previous games. The camera is manageable for the most part but a few deaths will be caused due to improper camera placement. By and large, though, the system works well. Aside from these acrobatic puzzles, the game does include the typical puzzles where you need to move boxes around to hit a switch.
The improved control system also lets you better control weapons. The game includes a lock-on system to let you easily target enemies, jump atop an enemy’s head and shoot them in the air, or simply throw explosives at them. You can also shoot some items in the environment like pillars and barrels which can then fall on enemies. You’ll also use your weapons in the game’s motorcycle levels. Basically, you run on a motorcycle as you blast away countless enemies. These levels have fairly loose physics and are added more for variety than anything else.
The game’s visuals are impressive. The character models in the game are well modeled with good animation. Lara’s character model has always been great but she was given a makeover for this game. She’s more fit, more athletic, and nimbler than she has been previously. Of course, she still has her unique assets. The game’s environments are detailed and varied, with all of the locations looking the part. The game has excellent water effects and lighting. The Xbox 360 version boasts more reflective surfaces, even better lighting, a smoother framerate, and more detail.
The audio is just as impressive. The voice acting sounds good, and is made better because the dialogue is well written. The background music is solid and fits the game well. The sound effects bring the various tombs and ruins to life.
Tomb Raider: Legend shows a lot of promise for the series. It brings the series to present gaming conditions, and is an enjoyable game to boot. The biggest knock against the game is the length. The single-player game is only seven hours long. You’re able to unlock movies and outfits, which are fun, but may not be worth a play through. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Jul 6, 2006
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