|
 |
|
Tomb Raider: Legend Review for Xbox |
|
| Friday, April 14, 2006 |
| | Title:
Tomb Raider: Legend
..............................................
System:
Xbox
..............................................
Genre:
Action/Adventure
..............................................
Publisher:
Eidos Interactive
..............................................
Developer:
Crystal Dynamics
..............................................
Release:
Fall 2005
..............................................
Online:
No
..............................................
ESRB:
Rating Pending
..............................................
 |
The first two Tomb Raider games are undisputed classics among the video game lexicon, and rightfully so. The series helped usher in a new era of 3D gaming, and for the first time since Ms. Pac-Man, a female video game character became a worldwide celebrity. But things took a drastic turn for the worse. The following Tomb Raider games focused more on Lara’s aesthetics, and less on gameplay. What was once a well made and respected franchise became a tragic tale of how inconsistent video game sequels can be. The exciting gameplay, great environments and entertaining stories were replaced by better models of Lara Croft, but no new innovations in gameplay (and in many cases, a step back).
Enter Crystal Dynamics. Realizing that the Tomb Raider franchise was on the brink of extinction, Eidos decided to take a chance and replace the original design team, Core Design, with the designers responsible for games like Legacy of Kain. When announced, this move seemed like admittance that the franchise was dead, and Lara was on her last legs. However, Crystal Dynamics did their homework, and the result is a Tomb Raider game which doesn’t only not suck, but goes back to the roots and core elements which made the series so well received in the first place.
Gameplay
Anyone who has played the newer Tomb Raider games (sadly, I am among the few who have) will be glad to know that Legend has a large emphasis placed on the story and developing Lara Croft’s character. The game starts out with a scene of Lara free climbing a cliff (like Tom Cruise at the beginning of Mission: Impossible 2). From that scene alone, you get a sense that this game will be different than the last versions of Tomb Raider.
One of the biggest changes made by Crystal Dynamics was the way in which Lara moves. In the original Tomb Raider games, one of the few consistent complaints was that it was too hard to move Lara where you wanted to move her. This was because of the way the movement was designed; with a grid-like structure. In Legend, Lara is off of the grid, and can be moved in any direction making movement not only simple, but refreshing for fans of the original games.
Combat was also changed for the better. Crystal Dynamics abandoned the melee attacks Lara was saddled with, and allows her to use only guns, grenades and a grappling hook. However, there is one annoying aspect of allowing only ranged weapons: the aim is horrendous. Now, as an anthropology major with a focus on archaeology, I’ll be the first to admit that archaeologists aren’t trained in the art of marksmanship. However, in Legend Lara has a tendency to miss targets ten to twenty feet away, and at an annoying rate of consistency. This causes frustrating moments where you’ll fire at an enemy five or six times, and hit them only once.
In Legend, the focus is put back on exploration and adventuring. This seems like an obvious choice since the Tomb Raider games have always been classified as being in the adventure genre, but anyone who has played the last few Tomb Raider installments knows how little adventuring took place.
This means that Lara can jump, climb and swim places throughout levels, allowing you to explore. While the game isn’t as free roaming as Grand Theft Auto, it’s also not completely on a single track forcing you to miss seeing what the environment has to offer. Hopefully, if Eidos decides to create another Tomb Raider game, it will be freer roaming with several ways to pass a level.
As mentioned earlier, Legend features a story which runs throughout the game and— for the first time in the series—it actually is the focus of the game. The end of the game is connected to the beginning, and the middle is filled with twists and turns in the plot. As a longtime fan of the series (even if I would only admit to owning the first two in public), this is a great move by Crystal Dynamics and Eidos. Once you start the game, you’ll find yourself playing more and more to see how it ends. Not only is the story well written, but it also features flashbacks to Lara’s past, and helps develop her character for the first time in almost a decade.
There is one negative aspect to the gameplay which can turn many gamers off: its length. For an average gamer, Legend can be beaten in less than ten hours easily. If you own the Xbox 360 version, there are still achievements to unlock, so add on another two or three hours—tops. On the bright side, this is the first time since Tomb Raider 2 that I have been frustrated because a Tomb Raider game has come to an end sooner than I expected.
Graphics
The only difference between Tomb Raider: Legend on the Xbox 360, PS2, Xbox and PC are the graphics. Obviously, on the PC and 360 the graphics are far superior to the PS2 and Xbox ports. This is a good thing, since many of the early Xbox 360 games which were also released on the PS2 and Xbox did little to make use of the 360’s power (such as Gun).
On the PS2 and Xbox, the game still looks great, don’t get me wrong. However, it looks much greater on the 360 or on a decent gaming PC. On the 360 and PC, the models are a higher resolution, and the environment has much more detailed textures, including reflections and things like particles in clouds of dust.
On any of the consoles, though, the game brings Tomb Raider back to its roots with dark and stylish ruins in the middle of foreboding jungle environments. You’ll find yourself in situations where in a matter of seconds you’ll go from a bright and sunny view to sudden darkness (something which anyone who has been to thick jungles can testify to) and exploring dark hallways in ancient ruins. Thankfully, Lara comes equipped with a chest mounted (this is the first time I’ve mentioned Lara’s chest in a Tomb Raider review—impressive) flashlight; its lighting is also realistically done, but is most noticeable on the 360 and PC.
Audio
The music is surprisingly good given the type of game Tomb Raider is. While not your normal musical fare, it has a calming effect and fits in with the environments of the game. Sound effects in the jungle and from fighting are also well done, although they could have been improved upon.
Voice acting is present in the game, and at times can be spot on; at others it’s a little annoying. If nothing else, it should remind people that Lara Croft has a British accent.
Overall
Tomb Raider: Legend is a huge leap in the right direction for the series. Crystal Dynamics has managed to almost completely overshadow the previous installments (after Tomb Raider 1 and 2) and make Tomb Raider fun again. While not an instant classic (there isn’t enough new things to warrant that) it is very entertaining, and a game fans of the original Tomb Raiders will love. If you played the originals on Playstation (PSX), you’ll love Legend.
The biggest downside is the game's length. While most adventure and action games are short, Legend is short even by those standards. At an absolute total of less than fifteen hours (including beating it on both difficulties and unlocking all achievements) it’s hard to recommend Legend as a purchase to anyone but those who feel nostalgic towards the days when playing Tomb Raider meant you had taste in games.
In the end, Tomb Raider: Legend is a refreshing reminder of what the franchise once was, and what it will hopefully return to being. If nothing else, it proves that the original Tomb Raider games were successful for more reasons than teenage boys ogling her pixels.
| The Core Score |
Overall
7.8 |
| Fun |
|
9 |
| Gameplay |
|
8 |
| Graphics |
|
8 |
| Audio |
|
7.5 |
| Replay |
|
6.5 |
|
| | | |
