Product Description

For generations, stories have been told of the fearsome weapon of the Norse god Thor. Legend holds that he who wields the hammer has the power to smash mountains into valleys and the strength to destroy even the gods. For more than a thousand years it has existed only as a myth... until now.

Designed specifically to take advantage of the latest technologies Tomb Raider: Underworld represents a new advancement in exploration-based gameplay. As fearless adventurer Lara Croft explore exotic locations around the world, each designed with an incredible attention to detail resulting in breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable world and delivers a new level of challenge and choice.

Features:

• Reach new heights with the broadest range of acrobatic abilities and utilise objects within the environment to uncover new paths to explore
• Discover ancient mysteries of the underworld hidden within the coast of Thailand, frozen islands of the Arctic Sea, the jungles of Mexico, and more
• Lara's skill-set has been drastically expanded to incorporate actions you would expect of a fearless, athletic adventurer. Lara now performs 1700 moves and is a far more intuitive character to control
• Each level is an elaborate multi-stage puzzle masked within an interactive environmental playground offering more flexibility over how the area is solved
• Choose to pacify or kill, target multiple enemies at once with the new dual-target system, and shoot with one hand while suspended with the other

Lara's upgraded inventory includes:

• Sonar Map - A revolutionary new tool that emits an active sonar ping to create a 3D image of Lara's surroundings, perfect for uncovering hidden items and locations
• Multi-Purpose Grapple - A claw-like device with a high-tension cable designed for climbing, grap

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #588 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Eidos
• Released on: 2008-11-21
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Platform: Xbox 360
• Original language: English, German
• Subtitled in: English, German
• Dimensions: .26 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
The first lady of gaming returns in Tomb Raider - Underworld with her deepest and darkest adventure yet. Ostensibly searching for the mythical hammer of the Norse god Thor, the real draw of the game is exploring the underworlds of multiple different cultures.

A pair of panthers make an uncomfortable safety net

When you're a tomb raider, exploring ancient tombs is all in a day’s work

Lara’s pistols are no match for the kraken

The Mediterranean level includes a huge area for swimming

The basics of the game are classic Tomb Raider, as you explore the trap-filled interiors of ancient ruins using Lara’s famed acrobatic skills (and dual action pistols). From an underwater temple guarded by a giant octopus-like kraken to ancient Mayan structures in the South American jungle, she makes Indiana Jones look even older.

All of the levels are much larger than in previous games and far more interactive. You'll leave footprints in the sand and find all the scenery fully destructable. Every puzzle has multiple solutions, and the hand-to-hand combat system has been completely revamped. A new 3D map system also helps to ensure you never get lost so that you can concentrate on saving the world.

Key Features

• Dream vacation: Travel the world in search of ancient artefacts, from the steaming-hot jungles of Mexico to the frozen Arctic, from the coast of Thailand to the depths of the Mediterranean Sea.
• Think like Lara: An interactive, non-linear game world means anything that it looks like you should be able to pick up and use (or destroy) you can.
• Bettering Bond: An all new grappling hook, sonar map, scuba gear, a range of new weapons, and Lara’s trusty motorbike make her the best equipped adventurer in gaming.
• Help on demand: Receive as much or as little help as you want, from gentle nudges in the right direction to a full explanation of what you need to do next.
• Behind the scenes: All of Lara’s animations in the game have been fully motion captured from Olympic gymnast Heidi Moneymaker. Her voice is that of Spooks actress Keeley Hawes.

About the Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Based in the San Francisco bay area, the Crystal Dynamics team has been making games since 1992, including popular titles such as Pandemonium, Gex, and Legacy of Kain/Soul Reaver. Crystal Dynamics began revammping the Tomb Raider series with Tomb Raider: Legend.

Manufacturer's Description

Designed specifically to take advantage of the latest technologies Tomb Raider: Underworld represents a new advancement in exploration-based gameplay. As fearless adventurer Lara Croft explore exotic locations around the world, each designed with an incredible attention to detail resulting in breathtaking high-definition visual fidelity that creates a truly believable world and delivers a new level of challenge and choice.

For generations, stories have been told of the fearsome weapon of the Norse god Thor. Legend holds that he who wields the hammer has the power to smash mountains into valleys and the strength to destroy even the gods. For more than a thousand years it has existed only as a myth...until now.

In an ancient ruin on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea, Lara Croft uncovers proof of the Norse underworld and the mythical hammer. As she attempts to unravel the secrets behind these myths, Lara's perilous journey leads her toward a forgotten power that, if unleashed, could lay waste to all civilization.

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Customer Reviews

Welcome back Lara Croft
Tomb Raider Underworld (Xbox 360)

This is how exploration should feel. Not once on my 360 have I come across a game that delivers the true feeling of exploration. Tomb Raider Anniversary came close and it was a fine game, but nothing compared to Underworld. When I started playing I was hooked onto the game like never before. I could not put my control down until the game was finished. Not only was the story intriguing but just moving around in these huge, atmospheric environments made me grin like a big idiot.

As you move further and further into the tombs, jungles and underworlds you really grasp what shines in Tomb Raider, what we haven't seen since perhaps the original. Lara Croft has had her ups and downs in the past few games but all is forgiven now. Not only does she look better than ever she also moves more gracefully and easily. Finally a perfect control scheme for our Lady!

Lara isn't the only thing that looks great though, the entire game looks almost photo-realistic. Here is some of the best graphics on the platform, especially the Thailand level as you progress further into the jungle. Even the soundtrack is unbeatable this time round. Frequently whilst playing you really feel uplifted by the dramatic score featured in Underworld. What's better is that the music isn't constantly playing, when it shouldn't be, it isn't, leaving the game seem even more atmospheric and bringing back that sense of isolation.

Granted, the combat isn't perfect, but considering the exploration is the main focus, this definitely does not bother me. It's not like the combat is painful, it just isn't as inspired as the exploration. Towards the end of the game we weild a very powerful weapon and the combat suddenly feels much more exhillerating so don't let this turn you away.

I blatantly disagree completely with the negative review on here. For one thing, the game took me longer than 10 hours to complete and I am still playing back through the levels. Underworld is a must buy for anyone remotely interested. If you've given Tomb Raider a chance in the past and have been let down then give the franchise another go. I promise you won't be disappointed this time. Welcome back Lara Croft.

Returning to the solitude...
Firstly, let me nail my colours firmly to the mast- I've been a huge fan of the Tombraider series ever since I first bought a secondhand PS1 that came with a demo of TR1 from the cover of a magazine - I played the demo half to death, then zipped out and bought the full game. I've played every incarnation since, not necessarily finishing the later ones. After the pretty sub standard Angel of Darkness, I took a downer on the whole thing, yet I still tried both Legend and Anniversary on the PS2, though in truth I found them a bit ...meh.

Tombraider's strength has always been it's exploration and sense of isolation, and whilst I'm sure many will disagree, the combat could disappear from the games completely as far as I'm concerned.

I've not had my 360 long, and with Underworld at a bargain price, I decided to give it a go, and I'm very glad I did!

Despite what some people have said, the graphics are beautiful, each environment is nicely atmospheric, and by and large, massive. When you are making jumps above some of the long drops, it can give a real sense of vertigo- the fact that Lara lands in a nauseatingly unpleasant, twisted heap makes the long drops even more concerning. The mechanical hammer room is a good example of this, as is the huge rotating column that you have to climb - I'll mention no details of these, save to say it gets nerve wracking when you know that if you mis-time a jump, you'll fall to a grisly end.

I do have a few gripes, the first of which is the combat. Not that the controls are horrendous, or that there is HUGE amounts of it, more that I just don't enjoy it - as I've already said, for me the joy is in the exploration, the puzzle solving and the story (even if it is fairly basic, it's interesting enough), not shooting things. There are two levels based on boats with the enemies being soldiers/mercenaries, and I found these a chore, though in truth they are mercifully short, so no real problem there. Although some people like bosses, I was glad not to come across any in all honesty.

A second gripe are the motorcycle riding levels - I just fail to see the point, and the bike levels could have been easily done away with altogether, not to mention that it's the most peculiar looking bike I've ever seen - it seems to have a square-section off road car tyre on the rear, and the bike itself seems to have been designed by someone who has been TOLD what a motorcycle looked like, but has never actually seen so much as a picture of one.

A number of reviewers seem to have had problems with the camera and whilst I did have the odd moment of frustration when it got stuck, these were few and far between, and adjusting the camera angle manually usually sorted it out.

One thing I've completely failed to mention so far is the controls - on the block/cube based levels of the earliest games, the old control system was to my mind, near perfect (I appreciate not everyone will agree, but it really worked for me). As the level designs have become looser and less geometric, the control system has had to evolve to cope, and on occasion in recent outings it has failed miserably, but once you get to grips with it, the controls on Underworld are pretty nice, and slowly you'll gain confidence in making those leaps and jumps (huge drops and crumpled death thoughts notwithstanding). Combat is a little awkward, but nothing horrendous, as has been stated earlier.

Overall it's very much a fun game, and challenging enough to while away a good few hours - another reviewer claims to have completed it in two hours, and if that's true he must be a damn good gamer is all I can say. I have no idea how long it took me, but 12 hours or more would be my guess.

For fun, I've given it five out of five - this is Tombraider, and few fans of the original games will find too much to complain about here. Overall I've given it four stars - I've taken a star off purely because for me there's too much combat in it- some people would doubtless like to see more action, not less, but remove more (or even better, all) of the fighting in the next episode and I'll be a truly happy bunny.

Very good
I found this game very good, although the camera angles were a bit odd at times. The camera automatically moves around and sometimes it's not that easy to move Lara in dodgy spots.
Not a shoot out game if that's what you're after. It's a good game that you have to have a think about.