Lara Croft is a bona fide superstar. She really, really is. Since the release of her flagship game in 1996, she has survived lions, tigers, gangsters, spirits and evil deities. Perhaps more impressive, though, she has survived five increasingly poor videogame sequels and two horrid cinematic forays. Any other icon would surely have collapsed under the weight of such high profile failures, but Ms. Croft continues to excite the gaming populace in spite of her rocky road to celebrity. Tomb Raider: Legend-her newest outing-has been lighting up the sales charts, and her inability to be put down by such foes as saber tooth tigers and snotty journalists is hard to ignore. Is TR: Legend really good enough to warrant all this attention? Maybe, but the real story here is Lara's tenacious ability to come out on top regardless.

Let's get the big surprise out of the way first-Tomb Raider: Legend is a good game. It fixes a lot of the problems that have plagued the series since its first chapter, and it also introduces a few new elements that are surprisingly good fits for the franchise. It's been well-publicized that the game's publisher-Eidos-took the development reins away from series creator Core Design after the dismal Angel of Darkness, and this seems to have been a good thing. Crystal Dynamics, the game's new development house, has done a fine job of isolating the elements that make Tomb Raider games enjoyable and minimizing the frustrations that have plagued the poorly received sequels.

Spanning roughly seven locales, TR: Legend follows Lara on a worldwide search for a mystical sword that played some role in the death of her mother. The narrative unfolds through frequent cutscenes and occasional flashbacks, and it's serviceable enough to provide a framework for the gameplay. It's not going to win any awards, and most of the friendly banter and surface dialogue falls squarely in the realm of "who cares?", but no one needs an award-winning story in a Tomb Raider game. What's needed is an opportunity for Lara to explore ancient ruins and travel the globe in search of mystical artifacts, and that is supplied here in abundance.

The gameplay in TR: Legend is fundamentally unchanged from Lara's previous outings. The difference here, however, is that the developers have taken the time to polish the mechanics to a point that playing the game is more "adventure" and less "chore." Gone are the days where Lara spins in place and travels strictly along an axis and grid system. The world in TR: Legend is fully three-dimensional and Lara controls exactly as if this were the case. She is fluid, responsive and competent, and it's a breath of fresh air to be able to say this about a Tomb Raider title. The sad thing, however, is that this accomplishment merely brings her onto a level playing field with her competition. The rest of the world nailed these concepts ages ago and, in some cases (such as Ubisoft's Prince of Persia series), perfected them beyond what's present here. The controls and gameplay are more than sufficient for a new freshman outing with a new developer, though, and most gamers will be pleased that Lara is now at least competitive with similar franchises.

The presentation is ultimately where Tomb Raider: Legend makes a real impression. While the gameplay is serviceable, fun and current, the art design and visual production are head and shoulders above similar games in many respects. Exploring the tombs and visiting exotic locales is always an attractive experience, but it is occasionally breathtaking. When Lara says she should "get into the postcard business," she's not joking. This is especially true in the Xbox 360 and PC versions of the game, where the visuals have received some extra spit and polish and do a good job of creating a thick ambiance. The only thing that really detracts from the visual side of the game are the spartan, low-poly character models. These are rooted firmly in the soil of Tomb Raider's past, and it would have been nice if they'd made as much of a progression as the rest of the game.

There are surely additional complaints that could be leveled at the game-such as the fact that it sometimes emphasizes its mediocre combat engine at the expense of the superior exploration elements, or that the game is frightfully short at less than eight hours-but it's hard to be too negative about the game. After all, the fans asked for an overhaul of the series and a return to form, and both of these requests have been granted. Sure, it's average it parts and a lot more should be asked of the franchise in the future, but-for now-Lara Croft has been given another opportunity to shine in a fun and enjoyable adventure. Isn't that enough for the moment?

Score: 86%

Apr 22, 2006 | 0 comments
David Tolin