Tomb Raider: Underworld shines despite some nagging problems

By Joe Dwyer     12/4/08 6:00pm

[Editor's Note: While Tomb Raider: Underworld was released across all platforms, this review only covers the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC versions of the game.]It was only two short years ago that developer Crystal Dynamics resurrected the troubled Tomb Raider franchise with Tomb Raider: Legend and then followed up with a solid remake of the original Tomb Raider just one year later. Can Eidos and Crystal Dynamics pull off a three-peat this year with Tomb Raider: Underworld?

Underworld wraps up Legend's story arc about Lara's quest to find her mother and for the most part is engaging and enjoyable. The game's biggest weakness is the stubborn camera, which has always been an Achilles' heel for the franchise. It is more workable than in previous titles but overall feels claustrophobic and too close to Lara, often resulting in suicidal blind jumps and inadvertently preventing players from appreciating the stunning views and vistas in the game.

This is a shame because the environments in Underworld are the most realistic and detailed in the series to date. There are not as many unique locales as in previous titles, but that is balanced by the mammoth size of each level. The Mexico stage, for example, is so big that Lara has to use her motorbike to get around.

---

---

Thanks to motion capture, Lara's movements are more fluid and realistic than ever, with a revised and expanded moveset that allows players to make more intuitive decisions throughout the game. In previous titles, Lara was only able to swing from horizontal poles, but in Underworld she can climb up and leap from them. The grapple can now be used to wrap around objects or to help Lara rappel down steep drops, both welcome additions that are used creatively in several of the game's puzzles.

Compared to Lara's previous outings, Underworld is a much easier game. The puzzles aren't that difficult, and once players get the hang of the revamped combat controls, blasting fools is a snap. It is possible to blaze through the game on Hard in a single six-hour sitting, although completionists will spend many more hours poking around each level to find all the artifacts and relics.

However, the sheer number of artifacts and relics provides another point of contention with Underworld. In past titles, there were only a handful of each buried in hard-to-reach spots throughout all the levels, and finding them took patience and skill. Upon collecting a certain number, players were rewarded with outfits, cut scenes, character bios, weapon upgrades and even wacky cheats like textureless mode. Each relic was also unique to the area in which it was found and was somehow related to a real-life artifact.

Underworld does away with all of that, cramming over 50 generic artifacts and relics into each stage, and most can be found just by breaking open pots. Collecting them is now almost a chore, and all they unlock is a bunch of low-resolution concept art.

Tomb Raider: Underworld is still a fun game despite these flaws; it just feels a little thin in comparison to past titles like Legend and Anniversary. Past Tomb Raider and adventure fans will love it, and if nothing else, it makes a solid stocking stuffer.

---