Tomb Raider: Legend (Xbox 360, Ps2, XBX) Review!
It's amazing how much speculation and scrutiny this game went under. It shows that even though the last four-or-so Tomb Raider games sucked major ass, there is still a HUGE Lara Croft following. Fans everywhere were hoping and praying that this game would reverse the curse, if you will, and finally bring them a good Tomb Raider game. Well, after all the waiting, the fans got what they wanted.
Legend is a comback that rarely is seen in videogames, where a series goes down the shitter for three or four iterations and then comes back out refreshing. While this game certainly has it's flaws, it's still a great game and a great step in the right direction for the series. The game's story is very well done, it can become a little jumbled in the middle but in the end it was a very interesting and connected storyline that is necessary for this game to be successful. While many will complain about the ending (which obviously leads into a sequel), I found the ending worked, just like the ending of Kill Bill vol. 1. The ending completed a story in it's own right but also brought about something new that another part (or sequel) would have to uncover.
The graphics are kind of a mixed bag, sometimes fantastic and others just ok. On current-gen systems (Xbox and Ps2) the game looks good pretty much all the time, as it is definitely one of the best looking current-gen games. On Xbox 360 is where is becomes touchy. First off, this is a port of the game so it will not look like a genuine 360 game, although this should be obvious. The game is, of course, in high-definition and has improved lighting, polygon count, and water effects. The tombs in the game look really good and definitely show the benefit of the 360 version. However, in the other areas such as Japan, the game doesn't show that much improvement. Also, the cut-scenes in the 360 version really don't look very updated and they have slowdown for some reason. Also, on a side note, do not dun this game in 1080i mode on 360. The game doesn't support it and will triple your slowdown if you force it to run in that resolution, so just stick with 720p, it looks great too.
The gameplay of the game is of course the most important aspect and it really shines here for the most part. First off, lets get the bad out of the way, the gun-play is not very good. It's not bad, but not very good. It's very simplified and can be boring and quite easy. You can do some really cool moves during these battles, some of which include a Max Payne type slowdown feature, but it is never necessary to use it so it really doesn't help anything. Also, the targeting it used by the same stick as the camera, which is idiotic, however it never really becomes an issue because the fights are so easy that there's no reason to change targets. Only one time does it become a slight issue, during a boss fight (the coolest one of the game), and even then it isn't used enough to worry about, but it still should have been addressed, especially for the sequel. On the awesome side, the raiding tombs and all other platforming elements are a blast. The system as been simplified, yet made deep by adding slight touches to the platforming elements that really help. For instance, when you jump to a ledge and you are uneven, or short, the "Y" or "triangle" key comes up and you need to press it before she falls off. Little things like this, really add to the experience. For an added bonus, all the level designs really work well and differ enough to keep things fresh but also don't forget what the game is all about. The puzzles are also not limited to "find the hidden switch" and that really helps to eliminate frustration. The game also has two very fun motorcycle sections (whether they were really necessary or not) and the game uses the "Shenmue" quick-button games during the cut-scenes to keep the user interested.
The last complaint about the game is the length, it's way too short. It took me 6:27 to beat it and the average I've heard is around 8-9 hours. The game was too fun to end that quickly and they could've probably included the entire second half of the story, which will likely be coming through sequel. All in all this game is very well done, and a huge accomplishment for this franchise. Tomb Raider fans can finally relax a great Tomb Raider game has come and it's definitely worth your time.
FINAL SCORE: 8.0 EDITORS CHOICE!!
Legend is a comback that rarely is seen in videogames, where a series goes down the shitter for three or four iterations and then comes back out refreshing. While this game certainly has it's flaws, it's still a great game and a great step in the right direction for the series. The game's story is very well done, it can become a little jumbled in the middle but in the end it was a very interesting and connected storyline that is necessary for this game to be successful. While many will complain about the ending (which obviously leads into a sequel), I found the ending worked, just like the ending of Kill Bill vol. 1. The ending completed a story in it's own right but also brought about something new that another part (or sequel) would have to uncover.
The graphics are kind of a mixed bag, sometimes fantastic and others just ok. On current-gen systems (Xbox and Ps2) the game looks good pretty much all the time, as it is definitely one of the best looking current-gen games. On Xbox 360 is where is becomes touchy. First off, this is a port of the game so it will not look like a genuine 360 game, although this should be obvious. The game is, of course, in high-definition and has improved lighting, polygon count, and water effects. The tombs in the game look really good and definitely show the benefit of the 360 version. However, in the other areas such as Japan, the game doesn't show that much improvement. Also, the cut-scenes in the 360 version really don't look very updated and they have slowdown for some reason. Also, on a side note, do not dun this game in 1080i mode on 360. The game doesn't support it and will triple your slowdown if you force it to run in that resolution, so just stick with 720p, it looks great too.
The gameplay of the game is of course the most important aspect and it really shines here for the most part. First off, lets get the bad out of the way, the gun-play is not very good. It's not bad, but not very good. It's very simplified and can be boring and quite easy. You can do some really cool moves during these battles, some of which include a Max Payne type slowdown feature, but it is never necessary to use it so it really doesn't help anything. Also, the targeting it used by the same stick as the camera, which is idiotic, however it never really becomes an issue because the fights are so easy that there's no reason to change targets. Only one time does it become a slight issue, during a boss fight (the coolest one of the game), and even then it isn't used enough to worry about, but it still should have been addressed, especially for the sequel. On the awesome side, the raiding tombs and all other platforming elements are a blast. The system as been simplified, yet made deep by adding slight touches to the platforming elements that really help. For instance, when you jump to a ledge and you are uneven, or short, the "Y" or "triangle" key comes up and you need to press it before she falls off. Little things like this, really add to the experience. For an added bonus, all the level designs really work well and differ enough to keep things fresh but also don't forget what the game is all about. The puzzles are also not limited to "find the hidden switch" and that really helps to eliminate frustration. The game also has two very fun motorcycle sections (whether they were really necessary or not) and the game uses the "Shenmue" quick-button games during the cut-scenes to keep the user interested.
The last complaint about the game is the length, it's way too short. It took me 6:27 to beat it and the average I've heard is around 8-9 hours. The game was too fun to end that quickly and they could've probably included the entire second half of the story, which will likely be coming through sequel. All in all this game is very well done, and a huge accomplishment for this franchise. Tomb Raider fans can finally relax a great Tomb Raider game has come and it's definitely worth your time.
FINAL SCORE: 8.0 EDITORS CHOICE!!