Tomb Raider Anniversary

[AndrewTS 0]

Gamevideos.com actually had the vid first, but now it's finally on a site whose videos, you know, "work":

 

http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=3799

 

I've hyped it up before. It's currently only gping to be released on PS2, PSP, and Windows, has the same development team and engine as the excellent Tomb Raider Legend, and it's going to be the original Tomb Raider, ramped up with the grid-based gameplay tossed out the window.

 

Tomb Raider Legend itself only has two gripes from most reviewers: the combat needs some polish due to some awkward gunplay, and Legend was also too short (8-10 hours on average).

 

Some minor tweaking should take care of the combat. TR1 is a fairly long game although good controls would surely cut that down quite a bit. It appears there's much more to TRA than just a simple remake--new areas and larger versions of the old have been promised. The trailer shows that one of the coolest moments of TR1 is also intact as well.

 

EDIT: it's being prepped for a February release, BTW. And correction on the platforms it is appearing on.

[AndrewTS 0]

Preview from Gamespot

 

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/tomb...p;click=topslot

 

At this point it should be acknowledged that Menlo Park-based developer Crystal Dynamics brought the Tomb Raider franchise back from the brink. The once-popular series had lost its way after a splashy debut and follow-up that helped usher in the 32-bit console era. Fast-forward to earlier this year, when Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider: Legend hit and reminded everyone that the series was still very viable. To follow up on its success, Crystal Dynamics is going back to the franchise's roots with Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition, a promising retelling of Lara Croft's very first adventure. Though the game was announced earlier this year, the folks at Crystal D hadn't shown off much on it until this week, when we had the chance to have a look at the game in motion.

 

Before showing off the game, reps from the developer talked about the approach the team is taking with the game. Rather than simply redo the original game with Legend's visuals, the team is taking a more thorough approach to the new game. Citing the method Peter Jackson took for realizing his vision of King Kong--using the original narrative as a framework and retaining the key memorable moments while expanding on them--reps from Crystal Dynamic noted that Anniversary Edition will be much more than a simple update of the original game.

 

The game will follow the same basic story as the original, so you'll once again be guiding Lara as she's commissioned to retrieve an ancient relic known as a "scion" (no, not the car). As anyone who's played through the original game can tell you, while the gameplay was aces, the story wasn't big on making sense once you started progressing. As a result, Crystal is fleshing out the narrative to offer some clarity on what the heck is going on.

 

As far as gameplay goes, the level demoed for us showed off the revamped first level of the game, which, as in the original, revolved around a gear puzzle that required you to collect cogs to make an ancient clockwork gear system work. In the new game you'll be doing this in a vast cave made of up of interconnected passages that crisscross each other. More significantly, the rather plain gears that fit into pegs on a wall in the original have been replaced with proper gears carved into a good chunk of the cave wall. The hunt for the cogs also featured the return of familiar animal foes such as wolves, bats, and some Jurassic surprises (more on that later). The cog search also highlighted some very cool retro touches that brought a smile to our faces: Lara's radial inventory wheel is back, as is the simple tune that plays when you discover hidden areas (of which it looks like there will be many). One thing to note about Anniversary Collection's mechanics is that they've been opened up some to include elements introduced in Legend such as the grapple, context-sensitive actions, and the cinematic button-pressing moments.

 

The demo followed Lara solving the gear puzzle by collecting the missing cogs and using them to activate the different gears. As each one was activated they made it possible to advance deeper into the cave. Once that was sorted, the sassy Brit found herself in the lost valley area that was home to ancient critters such as velociraptors. The sequence in the valley didn't last long--it cut out just at one of the original game's signature moments, the appearance of the T. rex--but it offered enough of a tease to get us very hopeful for where Crystal Dynamics is going with the game.

 

The visuals in the game share obvious ties to Legend in terms of quality, but there's been a fair amount of work done to Lara's model to ensure she has her classic look from the first game. You'll see the return of her original outfit, complete with dual pistol holsters and blue unitard. Besides her physical appearance, work is being done to marry the fluidity of movement from Legend with some of Lara's signature moves, such as her swan dive. The environments we saw appear to do a fine job of recalling the feel of the original game's significantly more modest locales while offering up a cool cinematic feel and sense of wide-open space. Though we didn't see any human foes, Lara's animal enemies looked considerably more fetching than their 32-bit counterparts. Despite the fact that the PlayStation 2 game demoed for us was still very early in development, the game ran smoothly and looked quite sharp.

 

The audio in the game takes some getting used to, as one of the key elements of the original game was its solo vibe. As Lara Croft you faced off against the world and often found yourself playing in an oppressive silence, save for a modest assortment of sound effects and occasional pieces of music that would come in during key moments. While Crystal D is attempting to offer those kinds of moments in the experience, it's balancing that with modern expectations, so you can plan on hearing a musical score pop up throughout the adventure. How frequently it will be used is still being sorted out, but it's safe to assume the game won't be as quiet as the original.

 

Based on what we saw, Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition is shaping up to be a very promising retelling of the original game. As it proved with Legend, Crystal Dynamics seems to get what the series is all about and is once again playing to its strengths. Given how strong Tomb Raider: Legend was, we have high hopes for Crystal Dynamics' second outing with Ms. Croft. Tomb Raider: Anniversary Edition is currently slated to ship this spring for the PlayStation Portable, PS2, and PC. While we were shown only the PS2 game, reps mentioned that Anniversary Edition will likely follow the same approach of Legend on the PSP and offer the same content the console game did, as well as some multiplayer features that are still being ironed out. Look for more on the game in the coming weeks.

 

-GameSpot

[AndrewTS 0]

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3158479

 

1up's Jeremy Parish has a new preview up for TRA.

 

Also, some encouraging opinions from his personal site on the game:

 

Tomb Raider Anniversary is way better than I had expected -- it's no callow bit of shovelware but a total retrofitting of the best game in the series that keeps all the good stuff while bringing it up to current standards. You know how Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes tried doing the same thing but ended up being horribly broken because they just used levels designed for a more simplistic skill set? Anniversary's levels are completely retooled so that Lara's newfound ability to move without being constrained by a grid doesn't let you simply breeze past entire chunks of the game. And it looks nice! So thumbs up all around.

 

So, bullocks to the opinion that God of War 2 was the last great PS2 game (and I'd even argue on it being "great", but that's another thread); and it's only about a month-ish away!

[mysterious_w 0]

I never liked Tomb Raider, really wasn't my type of thing. Plus I thought the whole Lara Croft obsession was a bit pathetic.

[The Flamboyance 0]

Seems pretty interesting. I liked the first two games a lot but I was really young and too impatient and never beat any of them without cheat codes. I think I'll check this out. I remember wasting so many hours just jumping around in her mansion.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Can I assume that with the advancement of technology that Lara Croft's breasts will be round and smooth rather than pointy and jagged?

[AndrewTS 0]

Can I assume that with the advancement of technology that Lara Croft's breasts will be round and smooth rather than pointy and jagged?

 

 

Yeah, at least as much as PS2 will allow. Tomb Raider Legend had great visuals even for the platform, although it's a shame there's no 360/PS3 version planned.

 

I never liked Tomb Raider, really wasn't my type of thing. Plus I thought the whole Lara Croft obsession was a bit pathetic.

 

This is moot, because it isn't going to suffer the ill effects of the original TR's engine. It's about solid platforming/action gameplay.

 

Seems pretty interesting. I liked the first two games a lot but I was really young and too impatient and never beat any of them without cheat codes. I think I'll check this out. I remember wasting so many hours just jumping around in her mansion.

 

This one should be much easier overall, but that's because of the drastically improved control. For anyone who hasn't played Tomb Raider Legend, the difference between it and the old games' control is ridiculous. It's like comparing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night's Alucard to his NES counterpart.

[AndrewTS 0]

Bumped to say, um, there's going to be a Wii version at some point, and nobody is telling us about the controls.

 

Source: like every game site right now.

 

More importantly, I found this:

 

Lara dies many, many, many times in the original Tomb Raider.

[AndrewTS 0]

The game drops next week officially, but Gametap subscribers (with a non-crappy computer) can play it now if they so choose.

 

Oh, and Gametap has a multi-part retrospective on the series up:

http://tombraider.gametap.com/

 

Comparison shots of Anniversary (PC version that is) vs. the original game: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p...p;postcount=103

[Sly 0]

I would be excited about this game if I wasn't afraid that my PS2 will be crapping out soon. If there was a 360 version then I would be down.

[AndrewTS 0]

Good news--the PS2 version of the game, at least, is ONLY $29.99!

[AndrewTS 0]

http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3160088

 

1up review in. A good score, though they gripe about occasional camera issues. The only thing that disappoints me really is that the checkpoint system from Legend is back. I hoped for the crystals to return, but not to be single-use. Ah well.

[EricMM 0]

So wait if I were to pick up Legend and Anniversary, how much should that put me back?

[AndrewTS 0]

So wait if I were to pick up Legend and Anniversary, how much should that put me back?

 

If you bought both of them brand new, that would be $50 (Tomb Raider Legend is now $20, at least on PS2/XBox).

[EricMM 0]

Sorely tempting, although I've never actually played these games before...

[AndrewTS 0]

Think of Tomb Raider infused with Prince of Persia Sands of Time feel, and you pretty much have it nailed. Since there's no time rewind, there's a generous (I'd say too generous) checkpoint system. You die, you start from the checkpoint. The checkpoints are less than 5 minutes apart, I'd say. Lots of the reviews knocked the game for its length, though. Legend is a short game if you're just going for start-to-finish completion. Finding all the treasures in the game is a much longer process, though.

 

You can jump and swing just as nimbly as the Prince, but can't run up walls (although there seems to be a wall run feature in Anniversary with the use of her grappling hook). Legend is quite linear overall, so don't sweat having to backtrack. The controls are spot-on excellent, with only the gun play in need of any notable improvement IMO (not so much hard to use, just kind of tedious).

 

I think the team had in mind to do this game from the very beginning--in Legend there's an area where you take control of Lara in her classic look (it's a flashback), and they attempted to mimic the visual style of the early Raider games. Toby Gard was called back when they were starting Legend, so that probably had a lot to do with it, too.

 

If you don't have Sands of Time play under your belt for a basis to compare, for crying out loud go get it. It has to be easily obtainable for under 10 bucks.

[The Flamboyance 0]

I'm tempted to buy this. I was going to get an Xbox 360 but I'm not really sure if I want to blow 500+ dollars on a system and some games. I want a new game but I don't want to be flat broke, so it looks like Tomb Raider it is. Also, I know I'll be able to beat this game without any cheats this time around.

[AndrewTS 0]

Picked it up, and so far it's wonderful. The old music seems to be here in remixed form, the old sound cue has returned, and the battle music when you encounter enemies is better than ever. Hearing that howl before being attacked by a pack of wolves, ahhh...great job CD.

 

It uses the original game as a blueprint but doesn't appear to slave to it.

 

*finishes first level*

HOLY FREAKING CRAP!!! A BEAR!!! IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR ME!!!!

[AndrewTS 0]

It seems the game is coming to 360 after all--but maybe not in disc form:

 

http://kotaku.com/gaming/raidin.-ur-live/t...-360-266578.php

 

What the hell--split up by levels?

 

Eidos needs to spill details, like, a month ago. WTFITS? There has to be a physical disc coming. There's no way its going to fit on even a 512 MB card.

 

EDIT: the 360 "version" is going to be DLC for Tomb Raider Legend--

 

http://www.eat-sleep-game.com/news/2007/06...o-the-xbox-360/

 

But not for a few months, apparently.

 

And Legend will apparently be re-released with the "bonus" content as a special edition.

 

*sigh*, Eidos, why you milk Lara so?

[AndrewTS 0]

I just killed the T. Rex. Fun fight, excellent set up to it as well.

[AndrewTS 0]

Lots of reviews in--nearly all very positive:

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/...ideranniversary

[ChrisMWaters 0]

*sigh*, Eidos, why you milk Lara so?

Cause she's got the boobs for milking?

[AndrewTS 0]

*sigh*, Eidos, why you milk Lara so?

Cause she's got the boobs for milking?

 

I meant that rhetorically. It's expected they would milk, because Eidos sucks so hard now. They're publishing the US Escape from Bug Island, they published Dino Master, Nacho Libre, and Touch the Dead on DS, 300 the PSP game, and they're publishing that awful Age of Conan and the Free Running game that is *never coming out* for PSP. Tomb Raider is pretty much the only non-sucky thing they have...unless Kane & Lynch ends up being good (*cough*moneyhattedPOS*cough*).

 

Anyway, now that I've had more playtime with it, I'd say that the overall feel of the original game shines through, for good or bad.

 

The sparse enemy encounters, while frantic, fun, and somewhat challenging, really seem out of place. You will be spending a lot of time just running around, exploring, making leaps over huge pits and avoiding obstacles instead. Straying off the beaten path tends to bring you to secrets, but seeing them and getting them are often a bit tricky. Definitely feels like the old game in that regard.

 

The game is a little buggy, though. It seems like Lara doesn't know how to act with big wooden platforms. If you try to walk off to try to auto-grab, she'll teeter on the edge and refuse to go off. There was a rotating wooden platform that I'd activated with a gear, but when I did a running jump from it, trying to grab what I thought was a handhold...I was running in mid-air, not falling. I eventually walked over the pool of water in front of the waterfall and landed in there safely, though. You'll notice plenty of other odd-looking collision problems with wooden areas like the bridges.

 

Also, after a fight with the wolves (in front of said waterfall), after killing them the camera didn't properly reset, and was "locked" to a wide-angle view that didn't let me see and properly climb a ladder. Trying to ignore it failed, because I was only able to jump off or side jump. Saving and reloading the save fixed it, but it's a bit disappointing to see. Nothing game breaking, though.

[Yuna_Firerose 0]

If you don't have Sands of Time play under your belt for a basis to compare, for crying out loud go get it. It has to be easily obtainable for under 10 bucks.

Agree with this sentiment whole-heartedly. Nothing compares to climbing that huge-as-hell tower in the final level. I'm currently on Warrior Within which isn't *quite* as good as the first, but has some improvements. Andrew, what sayeth thee about the third PoP, the Two Thrones?

 

Back on topic. Bought this one recently, though I'm still on Legend. Love 'em both. I never played the original TRs (heck, I think I was still on SNES back then -- didn't upgrade to PS1 till just about when PS2 came out) so I've no comparison beyond the lovely and informative documentary on the PC version's bonus dvd. (Also bought. And when I say 'bought' I of course mean 'downloaded').

 

Gave TR:L a try because I loved PoP so much, and wanted more of the exploring-vast-areas-whilst-solving-environmental-puzzles type of game. Doesn't disappoint. Visuals on both are absolutely breathtaking. The gunplay aspects - which are a bit more enhanced in Anniversary, from the starting level, it seems - is certainly the weakest aspect.

[AndrewTS 0]

If you don't have Sands of Time play under your belt for a basis to compare, for crying out loud go get it. It has to be easily obtainable for under 10 bucks.

Agree with this sentiment whole-heartedly. Nothing compares to climbing that huge-as-hell tower in the final level. I'm currently on Warrior Within which isn't *quite* as good as the first, but has some improvements. Andrew, what sayeth thee about the third PoP, the Two Thrones?

 

In a nutshell, Sands of Time presentation, characters and theme + WW combat and level design + Dark Prince = Two Thrones.

 

First off, the game is linear again, and the art design is much more like Sands. Original Prince's voice actor is back, too. The character models are a bit disappointing, and are the biggest letdown visually. Prince's internal dialog, the Dagger of Time, and Farah return.

 

The level design is as solid as it was in Warrior Within but the control seems tighter--I didn't have that "accidentally dive kicking off a wall and falling in a pit" problem from Warrior. There are stealth kills, allowing you to sneak up on and kill enemies undetected. Fun and useful. However, they're basically required when you need to get to a Sand Gate, because if you're discovered more enemies will be spawned until they *do* kill you. The ability to use your dagger to stab plates on walls allows for more intricate and complicated puzzles, but nothing totally mindbending.

 

Dark Prince is totally "love it or hate it." I found his parts of the game both easy and fun, because you can shred through enemies with minimal effort, and the ability to chain-swing through those areas is a total blast. The fact that he loses energy as his sand drains sucks (and is the biggest complaint), but nobody who has played the last 2 games thoroughly should be too worried unless they're *really slow* at figuring out very easy platform jumping puzzles.

 

Overall, I loved the game, felt it was a welcome return to form after Warrior Within went astray (generic rage, "mature" themes, blah blah), and the game's final levels and the ending are extremely satisfying. The only part of the game I really disliked was the chariot sequences. Thankfully, there's only like 2 or 3, and persistence will get you past them.

Back on topic. Bought this one recently, though I'm still on Legend. Love 'em both. I never played the original TRs (heck, I think I was still on SNES back then -- didn't upgrade to PS1 till just about when PS2 came out) so I've no comparison beyond the lovely and informative documentary on the PC version's bonus dvd. (Also bought. And when I say 'bought' I of course mean 'downloaded').

 

The original Tomb Raider is, quite frankly, a real bitch of a game. Imagine Sands of Time. Imagine it with Resident Evil style "tank" controls. Imagine it without rewind. Imagine it with only very limited save spots. And those save spots can be used only *once* and they're gone forever.

 

Yeah, that's basically the original TR game. I beat the game! However, I'll admit I used a book, though. Because of the game's conservative use of save points, you end up having to bypass the ability to save all the time, and you never know when there's going to be a nasty trap up ahead to catch you by surprise. It really makes Legend/Anniversary's checkpoint system seem ridiculously forgiving, but anyone who really wants to challenge themselves can reload an old save if they die.

 

Oh, for a look at the massive visual differences, you can see Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV4F_07q8hc&NR=1

 

Gave TR:L a try because I loved PoP so much, and wanted more of the exploring-vast-areas-whilst-solving-environmental-puzzles type of game. Doesn't disappoint. Visuals on both are absolutely breathtaking. The gunplay aspects - which are a bit more enhanced in Anniversary, from the starting level, it seems - is certainly the weakest aspect.

 

Yeah, combat still could use improvements, but there's little of it anyway. The T-Rex area is where you WILL LEARN HOW TO USE THE ADRENALINE DODGE AND HEADSHOT OR YOU WILL DIIIIIIE!!!, though, and once that's mastered you should be fine unless you get cornered.

 

The normal enemies seem to be as stupid as they were in the original game. I'm not sure if that was intended, but the ability to casually to go First Person as you point your gun at a wolf stuck running at the wall, and pumping the fleabag full of lead sure feels better than the old game's auto-aim. After Peru you get a boomstick, though (although ammo is limited).

 

Lara isn't Dante and isn't supposed to be; the meat of the game is the platforming and exploration, and that's better than ever.

[AndrewTS 0]

A look at the upcoming Wii version of the game.