Crystal
Dynamics breathes life into an aging video game starlet
so that she may live to kill again. And again. And
Again. by Mike Chasselwaite
April
14, 2006 - Tomb
Raider: Legend is the definitive sequel/prequel/quadquel
to the Tomb Raider series. It's hard to imagine where
it can go from here. The problem facing the glut of
sequels from the original game, which debuted some
10 years ago, was that this was a hard act to follow.
Some games just say everything that they have to say
within a sequel or two - if they are lucky. Some developers
continue to milk their cash cow until it yields nothing
but dry powder - in the case of the Tomb Raider sequels,
enough powder to create a desert.

The
developers of Legend, have done their collective homework
and produced a Tomb Raider game that might not have
been possible three or four years ago thanks to new
technologies. They are hoping that enough water has
passed to cleanse the bad taste left in peoples' mouths
by The Angel of Darkness. This version follows the
same formula as the original, it just does it so much
better. I just hope that we don't see another army
of unimaginative sequels based on this version because
it really doesn't cover any new ground.
This
version has obviously been inspired by the movies
that featured Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft. You will
note that the Lara Croft character has assimilated
some of Jolie's physical traits, most notably her
shadowy eyes and luscious lips. We won't mention the
other "attributes."
The
cutscenes are truly cinematic with excellent writing
and good voiceovers. The story features flashbacks
to a time when Lara was a young and innocent girl.
While on a plane with her mother, a sudden crash landing
put them in the middle of a jungle filled with strange
objects and markings. After activating an artifact,
Lara's mother disappeared into a mysterious void.
This event marked the beginning the Lara's crusade
and eventual transformation into the Tomb Raider.
Lara
handles like a dream. She's got lots of moves and
couldn't be much easier to control. She is responsive
and has more freedom than ever before. Whether it's
combat, acrobatic skills, vehicle operating or puzzle
solving, you will feel in total control. The menus
are easy to navigate and the interface is designed
so that you're never more than one button away from
a command.

Moves
include climbing, jumping, swimming, sprinting, jumping,
punching, kicking, sliding, shooting, throwing and
shimmying. Jumps can be small or long. You no longer
have to worry about loading the jumps with three steps.
While perched on a ledge or when climbing a wall,
she can do a somersault and back flip and land directly
behind an enemy. This is especially useful to avoid
getting hit by the enemy. You can take them by surprise
and attack them where they are more vulnerable as
they may have armor or shields to prevent frontal
attacks.
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