Tomb Raider: Legend (Xbox 360)

By far, this is Lara’s biggest and best adventure yet. I’ve been a huge fan since TR1, and I can honestly say that Crystal Dynamics went back to the roots and delivered what fans are going to love. The game is chock full of puzzles and great environments, and should prove enjoyable for all players.

There are a few problems with the game though. The first is that the game is very short. Going through the game on medium difficulty, I finished off the quest in 9 hours flat. This wasn’t due to rushing through either; I actually spent a lot of time just searching around for hidden statues. After beating the game though, you will probably want to go back through and complete the time trials and collect the remaining bronze/silver/gold statues, since they unlock extras, including cheats.

One other gripe is the fact that the game is not overly challenging. The most difficult parts are avoiding the numerous deathtraps throughout the game. The boss battles were also quite difficult, but the major problems were the awkward camera controls and the inability to target the right object at the right time. I have yet to try the Tomb Raider difficulty, but I had expected the medium to be more difficult than it had been.

The last beef I have has to do with level loading. If you are at a complicated part of the game where you’ll die if you miss, you will have to wait for the level to reload each time. Since the level is already loaded into memory, I had hoped to see it be rather instantaneous.

Regardless of the problems, this is what fans have wanted to see with the new version. After playing through Legend, I can’t wait to see what’s up Crystal D’s sleeves next. Eidos made the right decision in choosing them to make the game. Overall, the entire experience is well put together; the entire adventure is a very rewarding one. I am awarding Tomb Raider: Legend an 81%.

Likes & Dislikes
+ Classic TR Gameplay
+ Graphics are great on all systems
+ Solid music and sound effects
+ Lots of unlockables

– Quick game (9 Hours)

– Odd graphical glitches at some points

– Occasional interface and camera problems

– Long load times after a death

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