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First of all I would like to say that I was very disappointed of IGN.com's review of this game. I was blown away when I actually played the game and realized that its not a matter of opinion. It's the fact that that there are points in the review just plain wrong.
I read the review before I got the game and was pretty disappointed. With all the hype I expected nearly a perfect ten but saw it didn't even get an eight. The official review spoke of a crappy camera, boring game play, boring not-so-good graphics and just nothing special. When I actually got the game and played it, I felt so satisfied.
I'd like to first point out that the game looks incredible. Graphics cannot get much better on a PS2. Every level is fresh with beautiful lighting effects and intriguing landscapes that just whisper in your ear "Explore. Explore". Lara sweats, drips with water when wet and gets dirty from rolling around in combat. The detail is no less for the landscapes.
The IGN reviewer said, "There's more action in the first ten minutes of TR: Legend than in the first half of TR: Anniversary". That is absolutely NOT true. TR: Legend is a bit more fast-paced (as well as shorter and much less challenging) but in the first half of Anniversary, you fight wolves, lions, raptors, a T-Rex, gorillas and centaurs, all with a strong, breathtaking musical score to enhance the effect where in Legend, you fought groups of bad guys over and over again, which I had no problem with. Anniversary just practices more so in the TR tradition of puzzles and actually using your brain.
Now is the camera crappy? Not at all. Is it perfect? Of course not but since the Super Nintendo days, how many games have had perfect camera control? Not many. The camera control is exactly what you would expect: just like Legend. I've beaten the game and there has not been one part where I said, "Man this camera sucks!". It is not difficult at all.
Now to the combat. The combat is really fun with some new elements to spice it up, (despite what the IGN reviewer said). Now the combat in this game could have consisted of drawing your pistols, Lara pointing at bad guys and you pressing the X button to shoot and it would have been a good combat system just because that's how it was in the original. But did Crystal Dynamics just leave the battle system dated and tasteless? No. It's very much like TR: Legend but with a new "adrenaline dodge system" which puts it into slow motion and gives you that chance to pretty much shoot the enemy in the head and do major damage. It isn't much but does add to the already fun combat. There are also a few smaller things added such as enemies grabbing you and pressing the X button quickly to jump up from a fall.
As a dedicated Tomb Raider fan, I really appreciate this game for a few reasons. The areas are revamped and MUCH better looking than the original but still bring back the lost memories of playing all those years ago with thrills any Tomb Raider fan will remember and love. The original TR orchestral themes are back and although they are remixed a bit, are still recognizable. This game isn't perfect and I'm not saying it's the best game ever but it is great game and deserves a better review than it got. I'm willing even to venture out and call it one of the year's best, (but maybe that's just a Tomb Raider fan talking).
I read the review before I got the game and was pretty disappointed. With all the hype I expected nearly a perfect ten but saw it didn't even get an eight. The official review spoke of a crappy camera, boring game play, boring not-so-good graphics and just nothing special. When I actually got the game and played it, I felt so satisfied.
I'd like to first point out that the game looks incredible. Graphics cannot get much better on a PS2. Every level is fresh with beautiful lighting effects and intriguing landscapes that just whisper in your ear "Explore. Explore". Lara sweats, drips with water when wet and gets dirty from rolling around in combat. The detail is no less for the landscapes.
The IGN reviewer said, "There's more action in the first ten minutes of TR: Legend than in the first half of TR: Anniversary". That is absolutely NOT true. TR: Legend is a bit more fast-paced (as well as shorter and much less challenging) but in the first half of Anniversary, you fight wolves, lions, raptors, a T-Rex, gorillas and centaurs, all with a strong, breathtaking musical score to enhance the effect where in Legend, you fought groups of bad guys over and over again, which I had no problem with. Anniversary just practices more so in the TR tradition of puzzles and actually using your brain.
Now is the camera crappy? Not at all. Is it perfect? Of course not but since the Super Nintendo days, how many games have had perfect camera control? Not many. The camera control is exactly what you would expect: just like Legend. I've beaten the game and there has not been one part where I said, "Man this camera sucks!". It is not difficult at all.
Now to the combat. The combat is really fun with some new elements to spice it up, (despite what the IGN reviewer said). Now the combat in this game could have consisted of drawing your pistols, Lara pointing at bad guys and you pressing the X button to shoot and it would have been a good combat system just because that's how it was in the original. But did Crystal Dynamics just leave the battle system dated and tasteless? No. It's very much like TR: Legend but with a new "adrenaline dodge system" which puts it into slow motion and gives you that chance to pretty much shoot the enemy in the head and do major damage. It isn't much but does add to the already fun combat. There are also a few smaller things added such as enemies grabbing you and pressing the X button quickly to jump up from a fall.
As a dedicated Tomb Raider fan, I really appreciate this game for a few reasons. The areas are revamped and MUCH better looking than the original but still bring back the lost memories of playing all those years ago with thrills any Tomb Raider fan will remember and love. The original TR orchestral themes are back and although they are remixed a bit, are still recognizable. This game isn't perfect and I'm not saying it's the best game ever but it is great game and deserves a better review than it got. I'm willing even to venture out and call it one of the year's best, (but maybe that's just a Tomb Raider fan talking).
