I've just finished up my first hour and half or so... I'm very impressed!
It's so much better than Legend! I've only made it as far as the first bear (which was really, a little too easy to kill though, the wolves that snuck up on me were a different matter!), but I must say, even in this short a time I get the impression they've spent some time ironing out the little details. Obviously, much more thought has been put into the layout of the levels to make them challenging and interesting. The ledges and other elements have been really well blended into the landscaping in the caves, and the atmosphere is really good. And for some reason, this game seems lighter on my computer than Legend was... they must have worked on optimising it and making it more efficient, because I run everything maxxed and there's still no decrease in frame rate. Has anyone else noticed the Lara's spiffy way of moving sometimes, like when she grapples something and looks like she's from the matrix or something? just for a split second? Also, the way enemies disappear once they're dead is better. Although, the enemies really should not disappear at all, but if they do, then it should be abrupt and well-defined, not a gradual fade-out, like they're trying to pretend they aren't disappearing.
I went to the manor to begin with, and though I didn't get very far with it (I tend to take it pretty easy), it just seems somehow more immersive. The environment is richer and less sterile, the gym more challenging and puzzle-like. Not made it outside yet. Lol, I haven't even found any secrets
The new elements of combat are pretty cool too, like the mauling and the knocking over, though I haven't had much experience with them yet so it remains to be seen whether they really add to the game.
The controls have been polished. Moving sideways along a ledge is now much less prone to bungling up because of changing camera angles, which makes everything run much more smoothly. I like have sneak and walk, but I sometimes wish there was a sprint. At first (only because I expected it after Legend), I missed the continuous shooting when you hold down the shoot button, but it's actually a nicer feel to have to click for each shot. Not had a chance to do a grapple walk run thing yet.
The atmosphere is great! The empty spaces and proportions and all that... Good music too! Again, better than Legend in this regard too... in most games I play (which isn't many), I usually end up turning off the music in the first ten or so minutes, but here it actually adds to it
I thought it was funny how Lara just shrugged off her guide's demise. Don't you think she looks like Julia Roberts sometimes? From a slightly lower angle she does.
It's silly that you can't read the same thing twice in the manor.
Oh, one negative: The wall hangings and some textures on the statues in the manor. They are really pixelated and low rez. What's up with that? And, the hangings are repeated!!! Would it really have used much more memory to have good quality, non-repeated draperies and statues!? Bloody hell!
In Summary: polished, perfected Legend controls and engine. More refined. Much much better level layout, even apparent this early in the game... good atmosphere that reminds me of a blend of the solitude of older TRs and of actually visiting this sort of place in real life. Poor taste in choosing draperies.
I think I'll be skipping a bunch of classes next week
Ummm, well I'm off to bed. I have to work tomorrow