Platform: PC, PS2, XB

Genre: Action

Publisher: Eidos

Developer: Crystal Dynamics

ETA: Winter 2005

Related Links:

Review: Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness (PS2)

Review: Legacy of Kain: Defiance (XB)

Review: Blood Omen 2 (GC)

Be notified of site updates. Sign-up for the Newsletter sent out twice weekly.

Enter E-Mail Address Below:

There has been much ink spilled about Lara Croft’s new look – more “realistic”, normal proportions, less cartoony, etc. – so what I to write may seem a little pedestrian.  Lara Croft as she is now is analogous to meeting an old flame from high school some 10 or 15 years after graduation to find that she’s grown into a woman of elegance and maturity.  No longer a bimbo with large pistols and cleavage you can ski down, Lara is still packing heat but she has a new outlook on life and has her eye on reclaiming the throne of undisputed Videogame Vixen.

She’ll accomplish this no doubt by, I don’t know, raiding tombs or something, probably executing some slick acrobatics and running around.

Here’s the official line from Eidos:

Lara comes to life - the dual-pistol, wielding adventurer’s polygon count and animation set has been increased significantly, presenting Lara in the finest fidelity to date.

Return to the Tombs: Lara’s new quest brings her to lost ancient realms that guard Secrets of the Past.

Fluid movement: the revamped control system provides intuitive and fluid character movement.

Dynamic animation system puts focus on continuous motion, giving Lara the ability to seamlessly handle any obstacle and interact dynamically with any surface.

Move and shoot. Lara uses her physical prowess to combine gunplay with unique signature moves.

Variety of player choice - intelligently use the environment, technical gear and weapons to overcome challenging situations.

Physics, Water and Fire systems bring the perilous environments of Lara’s world alive, and challenge the player to improvise solutions to obstacles.

Advertisement

Visit a vast array of cinematic & exotic locations including ancient tombs, dangerous jungles, snowy mountain ruins and numerous unexpected surprises in between!

Former developer Core had the Tomb Raider franchise yanked away due to poor reviews – my opinion, not fact – though the retail sales were relatively okay, and the franchise was handed to Crystal Dynamics (known most for the Legacy of Kain games) and the returning Toby Gard, credited with the creation of Lara Croft.

Without having had any direct play time with the game, I’d say that Legend may be on track bring the series back to greatness.  Or at the very least match the magic of the original.

But Legend seems to be all about change.  Besides revamped controls, a new look and physics, Legend will ship to not only PS2 and PC but also Xbox, which should squelch the squawking of fans of the Xbox that Eidos may have something against the Xbox for not bringing their most recognizable character to the console.  But the most important aspect to get right for Legend is control – maybe the most noted complaint of Lara’s previous outing, Angel of Darkness.  From my vantage point at the door at Eidos’s room at E3 – my complaints of, “Don’t you know who I am?!?” going unheeded as reception asked me repeatedly if I had an appointment – it looks like Legend will succeed in that regard.  Even at this stage, Lara moves in a realistic manner and the environments look great.

Lara Croft went from a gaming industry superstar to whipping girl in about four years, and close to ten years since her first appearance it really does look like Crystal Dynamics will move her back into the gaming spotlight.

- Omni

(June 16, 2005)