i was admittedly unsure about lara's latest adventure. i wrote it off as "another tomb raider" ... ugh. even after i saw the spectacular visuals, i had reservations. the other games looked good for when they were released, but played about as fluidly as a point & click adventure. if anyone can bounce back from terrible mediocrity though, it's lady croft.

crystal dynamics took back the reigns to the tomb raider franchise, and instead of simply bleeding the turnip, they took the seeds and grew it in a whole new garden. her look was the first renovation; all the nipping and tucking was reversed, and she was modelled after actual women. they finally outfitted her in something sensible, and gave her a haircut; that long braid was bound to get her killed sooner or later. i was also very glad to see the john lennon shades go. they were so... blossom.

the game turned out magnificently. the animations are smooth and realistic, the character and weapon models look fantastic, and the textures are crisp and beautiful. lara is easy to control; she jumps, rolls, slides, climbs and shimmies with natural ease. each level has a combination of swing bars, ropes, and ledges, but somehow it remains fresh and fun. the camera can oft-times be a bit of a problem, especially in dark, claustrophobic areas, but that can be remedied by flicking it up above you for an aerial view. from bolivia's lush cliffsides to tokyo's neon cityscape; kazakhstan's snowy mountaintops to the rainy streets of london, the settings each have their own individual color pallettes, architecture, foliage, and environmental puzzles. most importantly, the game stays true to its namesake. no matter where she goes, at some point she will raid a tomb.

lara is incredibly detailed. when you climb out of the water, her hair, clothes, and skin look wet; and later on you can see the actual drips on her face and chest. after an intense boss battle she's visibly dirty. you can see the grenades you pick up around her waist, and the guns you pick up on her back. in fact, her model is so detailed, you can see her entire inventory without ever entering a menu. this, like the gameplay, gives the game a more organic feel. the other models aren't as well done as our hero's though. most of them look like they stepped out of an old navy ad six years ago, and every female character is a paper doll of lady croft; they just change the hair, clothes, and skin color. boom! whole new person. i expect as much from lupin the third, but...

keeley hawes, lara's voice actress, does a magnificent job. she breathes life into her character, with an emotional range that could carry a radio drama. the rest of the v-o work is phoned in, however. zip, her tech guru on the other end of her earpiece sounds like the same guy who does every quasi-black dude in video games (because he is). he tries too hard to be the cool black guy with all white friends, so he ends up saying things like "fucklift," and having no friends. the ambient noise is extremely well done, and every stage is framed by a magnificent score. even though there is nary a moment where you aren't doing something; when you take a break, soak in your surroundings, and the background music swells, you can't help but feel like you're playing out a movie.

the 360 version is more than just a port. true, it's the same game, but with more than a simple coat of paint. screenshots don't do it justice. it really has to be witnessed in action. the lighting and mapping are magnificent, giving the feeling that this world she's in, no matter how fantastic or ridiculous, very well could exist. having played nothing but shooters and fighters for the last few months, legend is a breast of fresh air.

verdict: 08/10; crystal dynamics have outdone themselves. bravo, gents.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 14, 2006 at 6:25 PM.