› Tomb Raider Underworld Preview - PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Lara Croft returns to do what she does best.
Posted By: Ryan Murtha Posted On: 07/03/08 (Viewed 618 times)
Tomb Raider Underworld
Published By: Eidos Developed By: Crystal Dynamics Release Date: November 2008 Genre: Action/Adventure Players: 1 ESRB Rating: RP - Rating Pending more product info »
If there has ever been a series in all of video game-dom that severely needed a reboot, it was Tomb Raider. During the Playstation 1 days, Eidos and former developer Core had churned out way too many bland, unchanging sequels. It even continued onto the PS2 with Angel of Darkness. The series was finally made playable again 10 years later when developer Crystal Dynamics was handed the reigns. Now, with their third TR game – subtitled “Underworld” - on the way, they hope to keep their winning formula intact, while hopefully trying to avoid falling prey to sequel-itis.
In an attempt to keep things at least somewhat realistic, the folks at Crystal Dynamics keep asking themselves one question: “what could Lara do?”. If it makes sense, you should be able to do it. Any item picked up can be thrown, put back down, or even wielded. Walls, should they have some sort of plant life growing over them or nooks and crannies that can be used to grab on to or for footing, can be scaled. Even breaking things in the environments – pillars, columns, etc. – is possible, and even encouraged in most cases to solve puzzles and advance. Just know that this sort of thing can affect the playing field in different ways, sometimes drastically changing it and the way you get around it in the process.
The ability to break things, however, is usually only presented when on land. A lot of the game is supposed to take place in water, hence the “Underworld” moniker. This of course means that among the many other animals you’ll undoubtedly be slaughtering (look away, PETA), sharks are also on the menu. The AI is supposedly improved though, so approach these wild animals with caution. While you can fire some guns (which, by the way, can be aimed individually) while submerged, obviously, they won’t be quite as efficient as your harpoon gun. And there’s no need to be concerned about running short of oxygen while in the deep, as Ms. Croft comes prepared with an oxygen tank. In an effort to help you from getting lost underwater, you’ll be in possession of a sonar radar to get a view of every solid surface in the area. You should also be on the lookout for some glowing sea life, which are placed around areas of particular interest.
The life of an adventurer wouldn’t really be complete without a grappling hook, and lucky for you, the hook is to be used more frequently and in more useful ways than in previous TR games. You can use it for breaking and tearing things down like we mentioned before, but aside from that and it’s expected rappelling and swinging usage, it can also assist you in wall-running. Other stunts and action sequences will be played through “adrenaline moments”, where instead of following button-pressing prompts, time will slow down in typical action game fashion, at which point you can use the game’s regular control scheme to pull off whatever it is you need to do, whether that be making a particularly tricky jump or dodging an incoming hazard.
What good is an ancient ruin if it isn’t an awe-inspiring sight to behold? Visually, Underworld is quite the looker. Stone walls and statues look realistically aged and tinted with an old, brown, rusted look. Lara herself is looking better than ever, even when she’s gotten a little dirty. Playing in the dirt will stain her clothing and skin, but she can be washed off by standing in the rain, for example, or taking a dip. Underworld makes use of “contextual animations”, so when Lara fires off her weaponry, her face will cringe. When she succeeds in dealing with a threat, she’ll show a satisfied smirk. While not really all that important to the game, it still adds to the overall realism, which is always appreciated. In the event you see something extra cool, you can also take pictures with Lara’s camera. These pictures can then be saved and uploaded to a community site, a la Halo 3, to be shared with other players. It should be noted though that the cross-platform functionality of this feature is still under construction.
Tomb Raider Underworld is slated for a November ’08 release, so gear up and don’t forget your grave-robbing kit.
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