Product Description

In 1996, the original Tomb Raider was launched. The 3D game design, controls and graphics were truly ground breaking for their time. Furthermore, gamers were also presented with a unique, female human playable character with whom they could become emotionally attached, Lara Croft. The original Tomb Raider sold over seven million copies and is still heralded as an absolute classic and one of the best action adventure games ever. Tomb Raider defined the PlayStation and changed the way that people played games.

In tribute to this and to celebrate and commemorate the continuing development of the Tomb Raider franchise and its central character, Crystal Dynamics are developing a new Tomb Raider adventure for Lara. Inspired by the original Tomb Raider video game; Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary faithfully preserves the elements which made the original Tomb Raider game such a classic.

Using an enhanced Tomb Raider: Legend game engine, the graphics, technology and physics bring Laras adventure and pursuit of a mystical artefact known only as the Scion right up to todays technology standards and will offer gamers a completely new gameplay experience.

• Celebrate and commemorate ten years of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft with Tomb Raider: Anniversary, an entirely new gameplay experience inspired by the first ever Tomb Raider adventure. Tomb Raider:
• Anniversary uses an enhanced version of the Tomb Raider: Legend game engine to apply Crystal Dynamics latest PS2 technology.
• Play the living Lara Croft, the worlds greatest action heroine of all time use all of Laras guile, athleticism and gadgets in her quest to conquer the unknown and uncover ancient artefacts.
• Includes classic environments from the original Tomb Raider as never experienced before Crystal
• Dynamics latest technology allows you to fluidly manoeuvre Lara using her latest moves

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1993 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Eidos
• Released on: 2007-05-29
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Platform: PlayStation2
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

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It may have sold 30 million copies worldwide, but before the release of Tomb Raider: Legend last year it looked like Lara Croft was ending her video game career in disgrace. Thankfully the new game was exactly the reboot that the series needed, instantly reminding everyone why they loved it (and Lara) so much in the first place. So to mark the tenth anniversary of the first game (actually 2007 is the eleventh anniversary, but who’s counting?) Eidos are releasing this special remake of the first game in the series, using an enhanced version of the graphics engine from Tomb Raider: Legend.

Although the game does feature the same basic settings and levels as the original, this isn’t just the same game with better graphics. Most of the levels are larger, with many new paths and areas to explore. They’re also much more interactive, with Lara using many of the same moves and gadgets she demonstrated in Tomb Raider: Legend, including a grappling hook and a greater variety of weapons. The story has been expanded too, but it does keep the same basic structure with more animal enemies than the later games, including the infamous encounter with a tyrannosaurs rex. Instead of just running straight at you mindlessly, the enemies have also been given much better artificial intelligence than previously.

The new graphics are still the most obvious change but the new fluid movement of Lara is a world away from the awkward grid based system used in the old games. Indeed this should be the first video game remake to actually prove itself as something more than just a cheap cash-in.
HARRISON DENT

Manufacturer's Description:
In 1996, the original Tomb Raider was launched. The 3D game design, controls and graphics were truly ground breaking for their time. Furthermore, gamers were also presented with a unique, female human playable character with whom they could become emotionally attached, Lara Croft. The original Tomb Raider sold over seven million copies and is still heralded as an absolute classic and one of the best action adventure games ever. Tomb Raider defined the PlayStation and changed the way that people played games.

In tribute to this and to celebrate and commemorate the continuing development of the Tomb Raider franchise and its central character, Crystal Dynamics are developing a new Tomb Raider adventure for Lara. Inspired by the original Tomb Raider video game; Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary faithfully preserves the elements which made the original Tomb Raider game such a classic.

Using an enhanced ‘Tomb Raider: Legend’ game engine, the graphics, technology and physics bring Lara’s adventure and pursuit of a mystical artefact known only as the Scion right up to today’s technology standards and will offer gamers a completely new gameplay experience.

STORY OVERVIEW:
Tomb Raider follows the adventures of Lara Croft after she is hired by a powerful syndicate to retrieve a mythical object called the Scion. After discovering that she has been used as a pawn in some larger scheme, Lara takes matters into her own hands deciding that she must uncover the mystery behind this ancient artefact.

Customer Reviews

Best Tomb Raider release EVER!
Yes, this time round, Tomb Raider Anniversary really has become the much-loved game that fans have always wished for in the past few years. And after Angel Of Darkness and the fun but short Legend this is EXACTLY what we needed. This game is simply AMAZING!

Lara is back in the tombs but this time round using the Legend engine she has never moved or looked as good. The graphics are just breathtaking and the feeling if isolation so very present. This is a remake in some respects as everything from Tomb Raider is there but it's a different take on the game altogether by bringing it completely up-to-date and offering something completely new.

Difficulty - This game is challenging!! I kid you not, there have been moments when I have thrown the controller across the room and had to take a break in fear of getting too angry and giving up. But don't let this put you off, this is exactly what Legend was lacking which made that game such a dissapointment and I am playing on hard and getting all the secrets and artifacts. You may find yourself having to try things a few times which is what annoys me but if a game annoys me then I know I'm enjoying it because I want so badly to defeat it and see what's next. We all love a challenge now don't we? Lara herself is easy and fun to control and offers a range of new moves which are all cool and some of the levels are so big you will have plenty of free range to run and explore, it's just that there are many many puzzles and difficult traps to solve and maneuver yourself through. The answers aren't there in front of you, you're left to explore and figure it all out.

New features - Lara has some new moves including a new balancing feature, which enables Lara to land on slim structures and balance before proceeding. This is included in some of the obstacles and proves challenging. I've also found that some features that were introduced in the last few games have actually become alot more useful as you will need them more in this game. As for Lara, she's back to her original outfit just over a decade older and looking and moving better than ever.

Music/Locations - These simply never fail to impress and you will be blown away by some of the details and atmospheric views you'll encounter along the way. There are some really tense and scary moments when music builds and beasts attack. I'm playing on PS2 and it's the best looking game I have played on this system to date. I can't imagine how impressed I'll be when Lara moves to the PS3.

Enemies - These have come a long way since the early days. The AI has improved with enemies communicating with each other and looking and sounding more frightening and real than ever before. You will enjoy wanting to move around in stealth more as enemies in this game don't fail to surprise you and the variety and number of enemies is larger. Depending on where you are their number varies and this game never seems predictable. Bosses aren't repetative and predictable either, you may find you have to endure a series of tasks during battle to defeat them.

Overall, this game has really returned to it's original form with so much more on top of that, you will find yourself hoping that the game doesn't end and you'll not be able to leave it alone. Hardcore Tomb Raider fans will enjoy the feeling of isolation and the huge amount of Tomb-like settings and puzzles which the very first game had but everyone should enjoy the game because it has all of this with the best up-to-date feel and look and huge amounts of fun.

The levels are a great deal longer than Legend so don't be put off getting the game in fear of it being too short. Puzzles are challenging and there's plenty of them so this also adds to play time and there's room to explore so you may find yourself on this game all day long.

The only thing I would have to complain about is that personally I love Lara when she's in locations more close to home rather than spending too much time in dusty tombs so I would have loved to have seen her travel further around the globe and more varied but I fully understand this game is a dedication to the original and is pretty large as it is, so that was never going to happen but if the next release combined this gameplay with an added 'remake' of later TR games in certain parts it would probably be the best game ever made.

A worthy remake
It's difficult trying to figure out what to compare Tomb Raider: Anniversary to - the original, Legend, or to just take the game as it is?
The original Tomb Raider has always been a subject of great nostalgia and was one of the first games I played on the PS. It was scary, full of surprises, but also full of wonderful sights {even though the draw distance obscured some}, namely the Sphinx, the T-Rex, and the sheer scale of St Francis' Folly. I was a little concerned how TR: Anniversary would replicate them, but I had nothing to worry about. All of the little views that I adored from the first game are here, and improved vastly. The graphics have come along way, although there will always be a fondness for the 90s blocky pixels, so now even a simple pool of water becomes breathtaking. The environments look real, and a lot of emphasis is put on the towering structures and huge waterfalls.
To leave out all mention of the music would be a crime. It is beautiful in the right places, and frightening in others. It is not overdone or interruptive, but knows when to move in. Most battles will be accompanied by a sweeping score that will probably startle you just in time for a huge hairy something to leap out, but a soft tune will increase your feeling of awe as you stare at something shiny. Great stuff ^^

Lara herself has been smoothed out and updated, and the old costume is back. She still wields her dual pistols, but will also find some new weapons along the way.
The combat system is the same as Legend's, although now with the inclusion of an Adrenaline Dodge feature, which enables you to finish off enemies quicker if you time it just right. It also looks very cool. The movements are fluid and there is something very satisfying about reloading your pistols after doing battle with a pack of wolves and coming out on top.

There are a couple of new moves; the wall-run and the ability to jump on top of posts. The levels, having been expanded somewhat, now consist of a lot of climbing. They're fun to perform, watching Lara leap around like a monkey, but not without their frustration.
You can spend 10 minutes climbing to the top of a pillar or room, only to slip and end up either plummeting to your death or worse yet, fall back to the bottom and have to begin again. After attempting the same series of jumps over and over it can get boring. Sometimes the camera angles don't help - if it's positioned wrongly, the directions all seem to change which can make for some really infuriating mistakes. At these times, I had to switch off the game and come back to it later.
Aside from some minor fiddly bits with the controls, there are no deadly glitches or bad programming. It all flows well.

There are parts that I recognized from the original game, and many that I didn't. The puzzles, in particular, were new. They're challenging in their own right, and often require close attention to detail, a welcome step-up from Legend's linear gameplay. There is less of the 'go here, find this key, pull this lever, use the key' formula that may have dominated in the original.
I did feel that the game was a lot shorter than the first, despite the fact that only a couple of levels were omitted. I wasn't sure if this was done on purpose, and was necessary for the Time Trials, or if perhaps it was because I played it for too long each day. =P Still, there's plenty to do once you've beaten it once. There are secrets to look out for in each level, which in turn unlock special rewards. Some of the requirements to get these secrets are fiendish and may have you trying for ages. Which isn't really a bad thing.
There is also the return of Croft Manor - a visit to Lara's home, where you can practice your moves and generally be nosy. This isn't all, however; Croft Manor is a level in its own right, and you may find your snooping uncovers some interesting puzzles.

Some plus points, in comparison to Legend, are that the terrible headset has gone. This means the isolated atmosphere is back, which is particularly apparent in some of the twisting, empty corridors, where the only sound is the wind whispering and the growling of some unknown beast in the distance ... O.O
There were some scares in Anniversary. I don't think the enemy placement was as ingenious as in the original, but the clever use of bats on high ledges is always something to smile at {if you can smile when falling fifty feet off a platform}. There is an ample variety of creatures to do battle with, about the same as in the first game, but some of the bigger opponents are classed into boss battles. They're more intelligent than the average shoot-them-to-death idea. You have to often utilize the things around you or discover weak spots for yourself.

I think in comparison to Legend, TR: Anniversary is a definite and vast improvement. The graphics and moves are all but the same, but now they've been mixed with more substance and more of the old Tomb Raider style it makes for a better game. In comparison to the original, I believe it accomplishes what it set out to do. It is a neat commemoration of the first game, including some of the most beloved parts and adding new surprises too. If Anniversary was a stand-alone game, it would still be an enjoyable experience. People new to the Tomb Raider series should have as much fun playing TR:A as the veterans.
I'm pleased with the work Crystal Dynamics have put into the game. They did everything right. Maybe a TR2 remake could be next...?

Return Of The Scion
I played Tomb Raider with mum when I was about 10. The story really stuck in my head, it was fantastic but you had to watch the clips hard to grasp it, the new game puts the movies across far easier. I recommend playing Tomb Raider Legends first to get the back-story, don't worry if you can't buy it yet, this game is far better and doesn't need Legends as such, but it helps. I have been playing on it today and the levels do take a while, unlike Legends. Fantastic controls, even though now I am the one who can control her better than mum can. If you have played Tomb Raider I then buy this, you spot all the small things in it, like the first water leaver you ever pull does the same job in this new game! So many little things, like when you walk into your first cave, it shows the loading screen of the original games. Small things like that really make me smile!

A few things do scare me, the suspense supplied by the music and long caves make you sit on the very edge of your bed until you pull that damn leaver and all hell breaks loose. I am not one to be scarred easy, but this game just creeps over you.

The game is not just a re-make, but also a whole new approach to the world of Tomb Raider. You will spot old things but to be honest there are a lot of new puzzles and challenges!

Buy this; you will not be disappointed if you love a game with puzzles, shooting and dinosaurs!