Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend
In the videogame industry there are a few iconic characters that symbolize the essence of gaming to the masses. Over the years legends like Mario, Zelda, Pac-Man, Solid Snake, and Sonic the Hedgehog have all had their share of the spotlight. It wasn't until 1996 when Lara Croft hit the scene that a female character was featured center stage. Sure her exceedingly large breasts, impossibly tight waist, and Angelina Jolie caliber lips were borderline nightmarish, but hormonal kids couldn't play with her enough. Well, I suppose the fact that the original game was pretty darn revolutionary for its time didn't hurt either.
Since then the Croft mansion has become something of a black sheep in the industry. With one crappy remake after another the once great and sexy explorer had been diminished to a joke. Gamers rolled their eyes every time a new sequel was announced and even the movies have turned out to be the stuff that jokes are made of. I'm sure that when you heard about Tomb Raider Legend for the first time you rolled your eyes; I know I did. I too had felt the scorn of the hopeless love for Lara and almost didn't want to take her for another spin, but man, am I glad that I did.
I think the biggest part of Legend's success is the fact that Eidos ditched Core Design as the development team. Crystal Dynamics (Legacy of Kain, Project Snowblind) was brought in to pick up the pieces of the tattered franchise. They did so by infusing a lot of the concepts that are popular in the industry today into one package. Lara now spends her days leaping alongside of cliffs like the Prince of Persia (without the powers of time control) and interacting with cut scenes like Kratos did in God of War. The good part is that it doesn't feel like a copycat, instead it feels more like the developers took on those bits as inspiration. This makes Legend the freshest Tomb Raider game to come along since the original. Who knows, maybe the franchise will be redeemed after all?
The story in Legend is one of…well, legends. It starts out with a cut scene of a young Lara (either 8 or 9 years old) surviving a plane crash with her mother. The plane landed near a temple and a strange sword in the center embedded in stone. Some weird green light erupts from the structure and Lara's mother vanishes before her eyes. The sword in question is ancient to the point that even Ms. Croft can't pinpoint how old it is. It, and some other pieces like it, have been utilized throughout history and it's up to Lara to find out exactly what it does. Unfortunately a shadow from her past stands in her way and is after the same thing.
Gameplay:
Tomb Raider Legend is basically two different styles of games wrapped in one. On one hand it's an action title where you run around and shoot bad guys and monsters. On the other it's an adventure and platforming game in the truest regard. These two come together in a way that feels well balanced and fluid in a way. You're never just scaling a mountain and you're never just plugging bullets into enemies.
In years past the action part of the Tomb Raider franchise has left a lot of people with a bad taste in their mouth thanks to some poor control execution. The effect has been simplified this time around and it is very functional even if it is a little mind numbing at times. Lara has the ability to carry two types of weapons, her signature handguns and one other that she can pick up from dead enemies. Technically I suppose you could say that she can yield three weapons because you can also pick up grenades as well. While her handguns have an infinite supply of ammo the rest of the weaponry that you'll find isn't nearly as bottomless. That means you'll have to use a little bit of strategy as far as how trigger happy you decide to be.
By pressing the left shoulder button Lara will lock on to the nearest target for your shooting pleasure. When the targeting reticule is gray it means that your chances of hitting the enemy is pretty slim, while red means that you're in business. You can also tap the right analog stick to entire a semi-first person mode and aim manually, but it's less convenient in a firefight to do that. Speaking of a lack of convenience, the targeting system isn't as good as it should be. For the most part it worked like a charm, but there were times that I'd have to fight with it in order to get Lara to focus on a different enemy. Also the shooting is so inaccurate at a moderate distance that it becomes impossible to hit anything.
Sadly the enemy AI isn't the greatest in the world either. Occasionally you'll see them duck behind a crate and move around a pillar in order to get out of your line of fire, but frankly they don't do it all that often. Most of the time they'll just stand out in the open, run at you, or hang out next to an exploding barrel waiting for you to pick them off. It takes a lot of the fun and challenge out of the game and definitely detracts from the overall experience. Come to think of it the motorcycle stages do the same thing. They feel so out of place and lack the polish that the main adventure theme bears. I do have to ask though; what's up with the propane tanks in the middle of nowhere just waiting to be shot? With the rest of the polish that the game features these little bits felt like examples of lazy design.
While the gunplay and the motorbike portions of the game may leave a bit to be desired they are definitely better than anything that the series has done before. My disappointment really comes from the fact that these elements haven't caught up with the current times in the industry. Fortunately the adventure sections in the game are absolutely phenomenal and more than make up for a little lack of creativity.
In Legend you'll have to traverse all manner of terrain from icy tundra to a scorching desert and skyscrapers to underground ruins. Each offers similar elements as previous stages meaning that in each you'll be shimmying across ledges, swinging on ropes, and making death defying leaps. Along the way you'll also have to solve many brain bending puzzles that will force you to stop and think. Most of them are the standard pushing of blocks on to switches, but some of them defy conventional thinking. Another nice addition is the inclusion of a physics engine that is incredibly realistic. Objects fall like they should and everything feels "solid" somehow with specific weights.
Lara also carries some binoculars since they not only zoom in from a distance but also identify key areas. By toggling the view mode to RAD you can find out what needs to be pushed or shot in order to keep your progress moving or save your life. Lara also has a personal light source to play with but my favorite new toy has to be the grappling hook. This device can do quite a few things and is one of the handiest objects in her belt. With it you can reel in an enemy from a distance, swing across large pits, or pull objects in a specific direction. Crystal Dynamics made some nice use of the grappling hook and using it feels like playing with Indiana Jone's whip at times.
In so many ways Lara Croft is back on top in the adventure field and we finally have a Tomb Raider game that is everything the franchise deserves. The gunplay may leave something to be desired and the motorcycle bits feel out of place, but overall this is a very solid adventure game with some great variety. The eight hours that the game takes to beat whiz by thanks to the breakneck pacing and the cliff-hanger ending will leave you dying for more. I'm really looking forward to the sequel to this game, but the best thing about it is that the Tomb Raider franchise isn't a laughing stock anymore. Anybody who was ever a fan of Lara owes it to themselves to pick this one up.
Graphics:
One of the first things that you'll notice in Tomb Raider Legend is that Lara's design is a little more…realistic. Sure the proportions are still a bit out of whack, but they are nowhere near the ridiculous stage that they used to be. She's a real mover and a shaker this time around as well. Her animations are fluid and as she makes her way around the environment it becomes clear that this is a better Tomb Raider. Then again, comparisons to Prince of Persia are impossible to ignore when you're talking about Lara flipping, swinging, jumping, and climbing in each level.
The tombs in Tomb Raider actually carry the sense that they are ancient with some great textures and a lot of attention to detail. Even the outdoor environments are breathtaking with area effects, waterfalls, and no fogging what-so-ever. The realistic physics also play a big part in the aesthetic appeal of Legend with some rich movement mechanics. If I have anything bad to say about the way that this game looks it's that the enemy models aren't diverse at all. There is machine gun guy, shotgun guy, grenade launcher guy, and a couple of leopards tossed in for good measure. The bosses are also a blend of great design and the uninspired. It should also be documented that I encountered some glitches such as becoming stuck in a crate on more than one occasion.
Audio:
With an all British cast Tomb Raider Legend comes across as a UK adaptation of Indiana Jones. The dialog is fantastic with a well written and witty script that actually makes sitting through the cut scenes enjoyable. Sometimes the in-game banter gets a little too repetitive for my taste, but the content has a decent range. The soundtrack is great as well even if it is a little more subdued, but is carried through with some ambient noises and intelligent placement. Surround sound kicks in with a very immersive spread so if you have a nice set up be prepared to use it.
Conclusion:
Tomb Raider Legend is a game that certainly has its flaws. The combat engine is workable and decent enough, but poor AI and some tricky lock-on are what hurt the most. The motorcycle moments also leave a lot to be desired but on the flipside you get to drive a forklift which makes up for it. Easily the best parts of this game involve the adventuring which is everything that a Tomb Raider game should have been from the third game on. Crystal Dynamics have made a Croft fan out of me again and if the next game is anywhere near as good as this one I'll be one happy gamer. Highly Recommended