Tomb Raider: Underworld is a side
scrolling platformer that does little justice to its illustrious series. This
perspective removes the exploration that made the series so popular and
replaces it with generic jumping, climbing, and swinging through linear
underground environments. It is by the numbers stuff, enlivened by attractive
visuals and some addictive touch-screen puzzles. The result is a game that
fails to master any of the things it attempts, though it has sporadic
highlights and some nice environments and visual effects.
Tomb Raider: Underworld is the eighth
instalment of the Tomb Raider series, following character Lara Croft. The story
continues from the events in Tomb Raider: Legend as a direct sequel, but also
addresses unexplained plot elements by association with Tomb Raider:
Anniversary. Underworld was released by Eidos Interactive for the Xbox 360,
PlayStation 3 and PC, in North America on 18 November 2008, Europe on 21
November 2008 and Australia on 5 December 2008. It is the third game in the
series to be developed by Crystal Dynamics and is also the first Tomb Raider
game to be released on the PlayStation 3. Developers implemented new features
into the gameplay, such as the dual-target feature and an upgraded inventory
system, using an Active Sonar map and a multipurpose grappling hook. The game
also features a hint system and a new melee combat system where Lara has the
ability to battle her opponents using punches, kicks and grapple pulls.
Downloadable content was also released exclusively for the Xbox 360, where the
player takes control of Lara and her doppelgänger in two new chapters.
This version of Tomb Raider: Underworld
follows the same story as the other versions of the game. Things start out
badly for Lara; the prologue finds her racing to escape her lofty mansion as it
burns to the ground. Cut back to two weeks earlier, and she's trying to take
care of some of her father's unfinished business, which leads her to discover
more about her mother, characters from previous games, and the mythical Hammer
of Thor. From a technical perspective it's good to see the CGI cutscenes
squeezed onto the DS, but it's a shame that the story is badly written, poorly
voiced, and instantly forgettable.
While a good portion of the game is spent
jumping between platforms, you sometimes come across a puzzle that's controlled
via the touch screen. The best of these is a Tetris type puzzle game, where you
move the pieces with your stylus. The puzzles start off simple, but they soon
become more challenging and are incentivised with prizes such as artwork that
can be accessed from the main menu. There are a few other touch-screen-based
challenges, such as chiseling away at an old stone to set it free or moving
discs into the right position to open a door, but they're not particularly fun
or challenging. You also use the microphone to blow away dust from time to
time, but as in some other games, this feels a little tacked on.
Tomb Raider: Underworld is very pleasing
to the eye. The environments are varied, the lighting is excellent, and only
Lara's somewhat stilted animation dampens the impact of the visuals. There are
also underwater sections that may not be much fun, but the distortion effects
look really nice on Nintendo's console. The audio isn't quite as accomplished,
and while the music occasionally quickens the pace, the sound effects are all
generic.
Tomb Raider: Underworld is a mix of unremarkable
platform elements punctuated with some fun puzzle-solving. The overall
difficulty is far too easy, though, and even if you search out all the hidden
extras, you can breeze through most levels without dying in a matter of
minutes. Add this to a forgettable story and simple characterisation, and
there's little to spur you on. Tomb Raider: Underworld is ultimately a
competent but underwhelming platform game that has little to offer fans of the
genre.
Pentium
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HARD DRIVE = 8GB Free Space
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