First Impressions

  • 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 :P 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 :( :P
    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 :(

  • So much better than Legend. The new climbing aspect is excellent. Instead of just jumping up to ledges, Lara pushes up with her feet. More realistic.


    I'd put more but my attention is somewhere else.

  • Well,i like it better than Legend,because there is more raiding in TRA than in Legend(atleast that's what i think).


    I liked the graphics and the gameplay in the levels.
    The changes of the gameplay in the levels really surprised!For example the Tomb Of Qualopec i thought that there aregoing to be three coridors like in the original,but instead of them there are only entrances to the levers.
    LOL,that really,really surprised me! :D

  • I've just gotten past the T-Rex in the Lost Valley and am really enjoying the game so far. I think it is better than Legend. This one seems to have more thought put into it and the wolves that sneak up on you make killing them more interesting!


    I'm loving the creepy music and sound effects and the new moves such as the wall walk.

  • And I must say, I was indeed impressed. A great step since Legend, and I can't wait to see what Crystal Dynamics and Eidos have in store for us next time!


    Here's some of the bonus stuff I unlocked:


    All Cinematics
    Lara and Larson Bios
    Several outfits (Anniversary, Legend, Doppelganger, Croft Manor Sport, Swimsuit, Camoflage, Catsuit, Classic)
    Three Cheat Codes (Textureless Mode, Infinite Breath, Sunglasses[sunglasses code enables Lara to wear the glasses she wore in the beginning of the Mountain Caves level. Can be used anytime.])


    And I can't remember what else I unlocked XD. Shame on me, lol.


    Expect a review either later tonight or tomorrow.


    Good'day!

  • I can't believe it! I killed the T-Rex on my second try at it!! :D
    hey, I saw it's eye lol... very cool


    a quibble:
    enemies are not smart enough. bears don't come up stairs (making them a really easy target if you're standing on stairs, and it's possible to shoot and kill some of the baddies before they "notice" you. also, they don't seek cover when they are being shot at... for instance in the first door puzzle (where you go through the arrows, then raise the two latches on either side), you can shoot one of the wolves up top from the other side and it just stands there, wincing and whining. not a smart idea [hehe] also, there seems to be a lot of the enemies getting stuck behind walls, or just in dents in the walls/landscaping.

  • There's a video on YouTube, where the creator states that the AI is horrible. He goes in the water in Lost Valley and the wolves just sit there in front of Lara, XD .

  • I finished Legend quickly also. That's the results for non stop, addictive gameplay. I'll write a quick review. Please note that there's a game summary included, so if you don't want the ending revealed, do not read until you finish the game.


    Tomb Raider Anniversary


    Taking a grand step in the Tomb Raider franchise, Eidos and Crystal Dynamics has brought together a remake of the original Tomb Raider game with Tomb Raider Legend's aspects and controls. TR1 + TRL = TRA.


    This has been a huge improvement since Legend, considering the fact that past remakes, not by Eidos or C.D, but other companies, have been terrible. This just shows who's got the most skill, [hehe] .


    In Tomb Raider Anniversary, Lara is hired by Jacqueline Natla of Natla Technologies to visit the tomb of Qualopec in Peru and find the three pieces of the Scion of Atlantis, scattered throughout the globe. Lara visits Peru, Greece, and Egypt to find all three pieces. But turns out, Natla's men Larson Conway and Pierre DuPont are also after the very thing Lara is.


    Natla has an instinct about Lara, that like her father, she is obsessed with the Scion, and wouldn't freely hand it over to Natla. After leaving Qualopec's Tomb, Lara interrogates Larson who was following her to retrieve the first piece of the Scion and bring it to Natla. Lara gets information from him, and learns that Pierre DuPont, someone Lara already knows is after the second piece of the Scion in St. Francis Folly in Greece.


    Getting the second piece, Lara travels to Egypt to find the third and final piece. Lara connects the three pieces and receives a vision showing her that Jacqueline Natla was once the Queen of Atlantis. Natla and her men, Larson, Kold, and the Skater Boy find Lara, disarm her and steal the Scion.


    Natla tells Lara the truth about her. Turns out, Natla is trying to rebuild the Great Pyramid, and needs the Scion to do it, and to bring forth the Seventh Age.


    Lara tracks them down to a Lost Island, and finds Natla's Mines. After killing Larson, Lara realizes what she's done, and mentally asks herself who she is.


    She finds the Great Pyramid, but Kold and the Skater Boy are there waiting for her. As they engage in battle, out of wanting to kill Lara himself, Kold brutally stabs the Skater Boy who then momentarily shoots Kold dead while he's trying to kill Lara. Lara looks at the Skater Boy, and he somewhat smiles and then falls dead.


    After infiltrating the pyramid, Lara finds Natla and the Scion in place. Natla tells her that she belongs there, and together, they can rule. Lara looks at her hands and realizes what she had done, (killing Larson, etc). Lara apologizes to her father, but instead of joining Natla, she shoots the Scion. Natla attacks her, who falls into lava and is badly burned, but not dead. Later, Lara and Natla engage in battle. Natla disarms Lara, and throws her into a pillar. She tells her that she will find another remnant of Atlantis, but Lara has lost everything. Lara shoots Natla and kills her with a pillar. She comments that she hasn't lost everything.


    She escapes the island and looks at her hands one last time, and thinks to herself. She smirks, and presses on.


    In my opinion, that has to be the perfect storyline for a video game. Following the original closely, TRA also follows it's own path, and clearly explains the being of Lara.


    The controls are easy to learn and adapt to, and trust me...this game will leave you wanting more (in a good way).


    I recommend this game to any fan of Lara Croft or a fan of action/adventure games.


    Tomb Raider Anniversary is in stores now. Go ahead and treat yourself to a copy, :sun: .




    More than a summary than a review but good nonetheless, right?

  • ^Me too.


    I'm now searching for relics to unlock outfits and the business with it is fine.
    I'll soon start the trials.


    Amanda what does the trials unlock - outfits,cheats...?

  • Not a clue. I bought the strategy guide, so I'll check and edit my post to inform you.


    EDIT: I can't seem to find it.

  • The time trials unlock the cheats.


    I completed TRA without the time trials, but I had all the artifacts and relics.


    The only things locked at that time were cheats...

  • I'm a little concerned about this! I bought the game Wednesday and I've just finished it!


    Like it was so fast. I played Natla's mines, the great pyramid and atlantis so fast. I didn't died once while battling Natla. The legless monster I did one time: I dodge and I felt the platform :lol:!


    The atlantis level also was so small. I only caught an artifatct. How can it have 4 of them!!!



    Well the thong is: it could be bigger! I don't thing CD has already understood it well. But apart from Legend, i now fell ok by replaying all the levels. In Legend was almost a sacrifice to me!It killed me!