Tomb Raider: Legend

"Better than Angel of Darkness but doesn't capture what Tomb Raider really is."

Well, we Tomb Raider fans have waited for quite some time for a fresh, new breath of air for the series. What we actually got was a stale, insipid slop which shouldn't even be considered a Tomb Raider game. I prefer not to spend too much time on my review due to my utter distaste of this game, however, I assure that I have beaten the game, completely. I have also beaten every single last Tomb Raider (TR) game on the market, even Chronicles and Angel of Darkness (AoD).

Plot: 2/10
The plot is quite similar to any old, mundane James Bond movie. Same old, same old, same old. You can clearly see how James Bond this game is from the introduction movie, and how they undisputedly went for the secret agent/spy theme. This time Lara's searching for some random artifact (sword fragments) that will help her to discover her past/save the world/earn money. Almost none of the characters have any development save that of Lara and Amanda, which is little to none. The mediocre plot seems as though Crystal Dynamics (CD) took a newer James Bond movie and switched the characters.

Graphics: 7/10
I will admit that CD did do a good job on the environments of the levels, however, most of the character models seem as though they are about from a year and a half ago. Level design was done fairly well though and I do think that they deserve some credit for that. Lara's mansion looks very well done.

Sound: 4/10
The voice acting is decent, and footsteps echo off of walls and sound different depending on the substance being stepped on. Nothing that you'd expect from any other game. The music, however, is one of the most tragic pitfalls that this game has endured. One of the great things about past TRs is the atmosphere that can only be conjured by the fantastic orchestral themes of previous TRs. The absence of the main TR theme during key points/discoveries/events is a true shame. It is the biggest mistake that I have seen in this game.

Gameplay: 6/10
The game's only saving grace might be Tomb Raiding. Lara's movements look the best we've ever seen in TR's history. They're much more fluid and realistic and definitely are an improvement for the series, I, however, gave this area such a low score for the mediocre combat and button pressing sequences. Button pressing during a cinematic was pioneered into the mainstream gaming media by a little powerhouse called Resident Evil 4 (RE4). I expected at least some of the same fluidity and quality that RE4 had, but TR cannot pull this off due to its limited graphics engine and lack of effort. I classified this under gameplay rather than graphics because it is done by the player and not by the game; button pressing sequences are played out. The game also has sub-par graphics and a targeting system of the likes of Manhunt and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, except slightly worse. You'll often find yourself targeting the wrong person, even if they are right in front of you. Combative acrobatics are also poor in general and giving Lara bullet-time was a huge mistake. It's been done since Max Payne which was released around 2001 I believe. The only thing that looks semi-decent in combat is dodging, and that's about it.

Playing Time/Replay quality: 3/10
This game is one shot; you play it and then it will be done. The only things that can be done after completion are: Lara's mansion, getting secrets, and replaying levels. Most of these you probably won't even want to do, the incentives for getting secrets are poor (new costumes, object models, etc.), levels will get stale quick, and Lara's mansion is a level which can only be fun for so long. If you buy this game you will play it for about 10 hours and then let it sit on a shelf to collect dust. I would highly recommend renting it and do not buy, or you will regret it HARD.

If you are still interesting in seeing this game, then I would highly suggest that you rent it once and leave it at that. This game has truly missed the mark as to what true fans wanted and given us a crappy James Bond/Indiana Jones game with Lara in it. For shame Crystal Dynamics, you had some great potential to make it work.

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 04/28/06