Tomb Raider: Legend

"Legend... An Ambitious Title ?"

Tomb Raider: Legend (TR: L)

10 Years ago, Eidos Interactive and Core Design brought the world the first Tomb Raider, and with it, the heroine, Lara Croft. 10 years later and Lara is a cultural icon, and one of the most recognized faces in Video Gaming, rivaling Mario and Sonic. However, since The Last Revelation (TR4) the Tomb Raider series has been in decline. Core has lost interest after the 4th game, but produced Chronicles none the less. After a wait, and a new generation of hardware, Core also brought us Angel of Darkness. While neither title was bad, neither title was a breakthrough, neither title brought back the passion of the first two games. Many thought the franchise dead, but Eidos took the license and gave it to the makes of the Legacy of Kain series, Crystal Dynamics. On the 10th anniversary of our Lady Lara, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos have brought us the ambitiously titled Tomb Raider: Legend.

Graphics 10/10

The graphics are simply breathtaking. I've played this on the PC, PS2 and Xbox360, and all 3 are stunning. The quality of the visuals in this game really shines through, and provides an amazing atmosphere and a luscious backdrop for the game. From Tokyo to Ghana and even Croft Manor, the detail is deep, and the quality amazing. The characters models are also as good as the surroundings. Rich and detailed, their personalities shine through, and you get a real sense of depth to them. The Redesign to Lara really has paid off, as she looks a lot more realistic. As for the next generation effects powered by the Xbox 360, they make a huge difference. The lighting effects make the tombs dark and gloomy and the outside light and airy. There are the occasional graphical glitches, but these are rare, easy to miss, and don't last.

Sound 9/10

Between Voice Acting and Atmospheric music, you have two of the most problematic areas in sound in video games. Thankfully, Tomb Raider: Legends doesn't fall at either of these hurdles. The music complements the action perfectly. From calm melodies when exploring, to upbeat tempos when in combat, none of the music feels out of place and it certainly fits the style of the game. The voice acting is also rather well done. None of it sounds forced, none of the characters have unfitting accents, and Lara's voice is a perfect fit for her redesign.

Game Play 8/10

Another redesign finally sees Tomb Raider brought up to speed at last. Exploration and Combat have both seen an over-hall, and both are certainly better off for it. Gone is the block based system used by Core to build levels, and in come more realistic environments and much more fun level designs. The new controls compliment this well too. With Prince of Persia's come back with Sands of Time, the action adventure game has a new more fluid control system, and this is being used in TR: L. Gone are the turns and tank-ish controls replaced by free movement. However, this has resulted in one of the games few flaws. The camera is somewhat erratic and can often be in the wrong place. Thankfully you have full control over it, with a button to centre the camera behind Lara being a great help in some areas. The combat is also vastly improved. With games like Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden bringing more fast paced action to games, it's good to see Crystal Dynamics have responded. With a simple lock on system and a few acrobatic moves, Lara can take out her enemies with relative fluidity, without having to rely on an automatic lock. The controls feel solid and comfortable, and at no time are they over whelming or stretching.

Lifespan 6/10

This is where things get a little less happy. At around 8-10 hours long the main game is pretty short, which is a shame, as it really gets into a good pace at the end. There's plenty of reason to come back, as there's finally a lot unlockable's in a Tomb Raider, and with dozens of secrets to find in each level and the Time Attacks, there's enough reason to go back and give the game enough run through. However, these are all pretty standard modes, and don't really make up for the short main game.

Overall 9/10

This is what a lot of people have been waiting for since the first Tomb Raider, a truly worthy follow on. The mix of action, exploration and puzzles is perfect, the controls spot on and there's really very little to fault the game for. However, it does leave you wanting more, and is rather short with little real replayability. That doesn't make this game bad by any stretch of the imagination. Tomb Raider: Legend is one hell of a ride, and definitely worth taking. If you've liked a Tomb Raider game before, you owe it to yourself to get this game. If you're not, try it, you might just like what you see. The first Lady of Gaming is back, and Back in a BIG way.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/07/06