Techtite Game Reviews ---

It can be argued that the only thing bad about the prior game in this series, Tomb Raider Legend was its open ending. Now that story reaches its bittersweet conclusion in Tomb Raider Underworld. In case you wondered, major spoilers intact; this game does complete the story and doesn't delve into any "let's make this into a trilogy!" nonsense. Though what makes this episode of the game so great is how it is, in this Tomb Raider fan's opinion, one of the best games/stories in the series...a major compliment, indeed, in a game series that's lasted for well over 8 games.

The story picks up where the last game left off. In case you missed it, don't dispair; the game includes a video vignette which summarizes every plot thread you'll need to know, in a format not unlike a TV show's "Previously on..." prologue at the start of a show. In short: Lara's mom disappeared in an ancient temple when Lara was just a child. She learns (in Tomb Raider Legend) that her mother did not die per se, and in fact was teleported to another dimension. It is Lara's quest to travel to this alternate dimension and if possible save her mother, or at the very least solve the mystery of her missing mother once and for all.

Plot threads abound from the very beginning. As early as the ending of the very first level you discover an old nemesis is interested in your latest quest as well...though for what purpose? The resulting quest takes Lara to various ancient ruins, some of which are hidden in lush jungles, while the first one is submerged in water, and yet another is in a frozen wasteland. In layman's terms this means that the level editors hold nothing back when showing some imaginative levels that never resort to cheap clichés (the often-seen "lava filled level resembling hell," for example, is unused here. Bravo!).

The best news: while the game engine has clearly received major upgrades, play mechanics are exactly the same, so fans of the series can jump right into the game with minimal tutorials required. Lara can jump, crouch, duck, roll, and use a grappling hook in mid-air to swing past huge chasms, all like she did before. There is an added feature that allows Lara to cause extra damage to an opponent with a sort of "bullet time" slow down to the action when her stamina meter is high. However to be honest I never got this added feature to work properly, and even more honesty you will rarely need this new feature to complete the game.

Yet everyone who wants to see the latest "next gen" game sequel wonders how good the graphics are. Suffice to say that the upgraded graphics are so good, they enhance the puzzles of the game, particularly jumping! In earlier Tomb Raider games it was quite clear which surfaces Lara could cling to, because the texture palette was limited and each climbable surface looked exactly the same. Yet now one climbable surface may be a bunch of vines while another may be some rough outcroppings on some nearby rocks, while another climbable surface may be a dilapidated bridge, or the like. Of course, some gamers will probably cheat their way through a level by throwing poor Lara against every wall and seeing if she "sticks"...literally. Other gamers will enjoy the added challenge of an environment so realistic, that climbable surfaces do not "glow" so every puzzle solution is obvious. That's realism any game needs; realism that enhances game play.

Then there's Lara herself. The game engine spares no detail in making Lara as realistic as possible, pulling you into the game in the process. In earlier games Lara looked so much like a mannequin it was hard to not be thrown "out" of the game, emotionally. She never bled, got dirty, got wet, or had a hair out of place, so how were we to feel "sorry" for her when another mistake of ours killed the poor girl? Now all that has changed. The environment, enemies, and skirmishes all visibly affect Lara, so keeping her from impending doom seems much more important. Swimming leads to a shine to Lara that slowly fades away in the sun. Even a small tumble leads to dirt on her knees, though get in enough skirmishes and she'll be covered in dirt head to toe, which washes away instantly as soon as she takes a swim. How utterly realistic is that?

Some have said this game is "easily finished." I've never been one to take much credit to this comment. Just about every game that isn't an RPG can be "dashed through" without care, avoiding any sense of story or depth to the game play. Yes you can avoid every secret area. Yes you can avoid exploration in each level, and in essence, enjoyment of each level. Yes you can "cheat" so you can "brag" to all your friends how quickly you solved the game, and when they call you out on not finding all the secrets, yes: you can lie, and say you did. We know that isn't true though, so why act like it is? If you "rush through" a game it's short. If you take time to enjoy it isn't long. Why is this so hard for some gamers to understand? Gaming is not a race. Enjoy the game. I sure did.

Yes, this review seemingly contradicts other reviews which have labeled this sequel as merely "passable," at best. Did we play the same game? Look; I've seen many poor sequels in my day. Just this year I saw Banjo & Kazooie reduced to a car building "game" that really...isn't. The latest Far Cry sequel removed all characters from the first game and doesn't even have the same sci-fi elements that made the first game special. The list goes on, though the point is: I know what a bad sequel is. This isn't one of those sequels. While various people may be "sick" of Tomb Raider games for some arbitrary reason; fans of the series should be quite pleased at this highly entertaining sequel.

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Tomb Raider: Underworld

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