DesertEagleXIX
11-22-2008, 05:44 PM
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After returning from E3, a fellow game reviewer asked for my impressions of the new Tomb Raider title. I had to be honest with him- I fell asleep. This was no fault of the game itself, but rather the setting of the presentation. The Eidos representatives had led the fatigued press into a darkened room which was supplemented by the gentle sound of flowing water. It didn’t help that we didn’t actually play the game; instead, we watched a tester guide Lara through a serene, underwater level. The setting was completely contrary to the rest of the crowded, bright halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Despite the conditions in which the game was shown, I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Tomb Raider: Underworld. Within the past few years, the series had gone through a renaissance, fostered by the power of now-gen consoles. Tomb Raider: Legend had not only given Lara’s environments an exponential increase in graphical appeal, but also revamped the control system. With our protagonist no longer limited to large, discrete motions, the title took on a fluid, organic aesthetic.
After a brief tutorial where Lara escapes a burning mansion, players begin the Underworld atop a small yacht floating in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Diving into the water shows one of the games largest additions- the ability to travel though sizable underwater locations. In previous titles, Lara was restricted in her diving ability by a breath meter; now, she utilizes scuba gear for full sub-maritime exploration. The functionality of Ms. Croft’s grappling hook has also increased; she can now use the device to climb, repel, as well as wall-run. These tools masterfully disguise the linear nature of the game, giving an open-ended feel to the games’ levels.
Continued: http://tech-gaming.com/2008/11/22/autosaved-21748-pm.aspx
After returning from E3, a fellow game reviewer asked for my impressions of the new Tomb Raider title. I had to be honest with him- I fell asleep. This was no fault of the game itself, but rather the setting of the presentation. The Eidos representatives had led the fatigued press into a darkened room which was supplemented by the gentle sound of flowing water. It didn’t help that we didn’t actually play the game; instead, we watched a tester guide Lara through a serene, underwater level. The setting was completely contrary to the rest of the crowded, bright halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Despite the conditions in which the game was shown, I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Tomb Raider: Underworld. Within the past few years, the series had gone through a renaissance, fostered by the power of now-gen consoles. Tomb Raider: Legend had not only given Lara’s environments an exponential increase in graphical appeal, but also revamped the control system. With our protagonist no longer limited to large, discrete motions, the title took on a fluid, organic aesthetic.
After a brief tutorial where Lara escapes a burning mansion, players begin the Underworld atop a small yacht floating in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Diving into the water shows one of the games largest additions- the ability to travel though sizable underwater locations. In previous titles, Lara was restricted in her diving ability by a breath meter; now, she utilizes scuba gear for full sub-maritime exploration. The functionality of Ms. Croft’s grappling hook has also increased; she can now use the device to climb, repel, as well as wall-run. These tools masterfully disguise the linear nature of the game, giving an open-ended feel to the games’ levels.
Continued: http://tech-gaming.com/2008/11/22/autosaved-21748-pm.aspx