Tomb Raider

I cannot believe that it has been seven years since the release of Tomb Raider on the Playstation. Since that time, there have been many sequels on many different systems, and even two full-length movies! This was one of the biggest gaming mascots that made third person action games fun! Eidos decided to bring the original Tomb Raider to the N-gage, but how did the transition go, and is it fun to play? Read on to find out!

Lara Croft is the daughter of Lord Henshingly Croft, and has been raised as a sophisticated aristocrat. After she graduated from finishing school, she decided to take a ski trip. On the way home, her plane crashed deep in the Himalayan Mountains. She was the only one to survive that catastrophic event, so she had to learn how to survive using only her wits, and at first it was extremely hard for her since she has lived a sheltered life. A few weeks later she walked into a village and decided that she wanted something different in her life. When Lara arrived home, she decided that the only way for her to truly feel alive is when she travels around the world. Over the next decade she acquired knowledge over myriads of different ancient civilizations. She is now a famous explorer credited with finding many archeological sites and publishing her adventures in books.

Just like all other Tomb Raider games, Lara will be doing a lot of exploring, solving puzzles, and mild combat. If you played Tomb Raider on the Playstation you will be amazed that everything in the original is in this game. It is a picture perfect port! This means that you will be transversing through the same caves, jumping over chasms, and even swimming though grungy waterways that you did so many years ago. There are over fifteen levels to explore each filled with tons of action, combat, and puzzle solving.

Surprisingly, Tomb Raider: Starring Lara Croft takes advantage of the N-gage Arena. Players will be able to watch or upload movies of Lara in action, find strategies and tips, and play Shadow Racing. Shadow Racing is one of the best ideas that this game has had in years! This is where players from around the world will be able to race ghost data. Even though this doesn’t sound very interesting, you will be amazed how fun this really is!

Tomb Raider: Starring Lara Croft is rated T for Teen for blood and violence.

Gameplay: 6.4
Tomb Raider was one of the best 3D adventure games when it was first released, but it has one of the worst control schemes! Many gamers found it difficult to get used to the controls on the Playstation controller, and they will find it even harder to get adjusted to playing on the N-gage. The button layout can become confusing and be a burden during the heat of battle. After playing through a few levels it will become easier to play, but you still might have some trouble. Once you get over the controls, players will remember how fun it is to explore these environments and get through each level. Its classic 3D adventure gaming at its best!

Graphics: 8.8
If you want to show someone the power of the N-gage you will definitely want to show them Tomb Raider Starring: Lara Croft. The N-gage perfectly mimics the PS one title, from the use of textures to the animations of Lara Croft. Lara is “accurately” modeled just like the console version.

Sound: 7.2
Tomb Raider really doesn’t wow anyone with sounds. The game features several different sound effects that are used over and over again. Music was never the first game’s forte and it is shown here. Players will only be treated to music when there is a battle going on or when players find something of interest.

Difficulty: Medium
The hardest part of this game is trying to adapt to the controls. Some of the boss battles might be hard for some gamers to overcome, but the online strategy guide will come in handy if you ever get in over your head.

Concept: 7.5
Tomb Raider is the granddaddy of 3D console adventure games, and it is finally nice to play it in its full 3D glory, while on the go.

Multiplayer: 8.8
I think that the inclusion to race other people from around the world and see who can complete levels the fastest is one of the best ideas for this game. It is about time there is some innovation in the Tomb Raider Series!

Overall: 7.1
When the original Tomb Raider was first released it was an instant classic, and many people dreamed about playing while they were away from their Playstation’s. By today’s standards there is nothing special at all about this game, but it will touch a lot of people who are fond of this title. Plus it is a great game to show the capabilities of this new console.