Tomb Raider: Underworld

I think I like Underworld more than Legend. Legends gameplay is better but there's too many big shootouts and the levels are quite short. Most of them anyway. If the whole game was like the Ghana and Cornwall levels it would be amazing.

A_Nonny_Moose wrote:

I think I like Underworld more than Legend. Legends gameplay is better but there's too many big shootouts and the levels are quite short. Most of them anyway. If the whole game was like the Ghana and Cornwall levels it would be amazing.

I'll comment after i've played underworld.

But i like the simplistic action/platforming combo. It made me realise how repetitive some games get these days. I mean sure i like action but artificially lengthening levels but chucking in extra waves of enemies is bullshit. The whole way through legend enemies are only in places they should be. The things Lara discovers first she will meet no opposition whatsoever. The on her way out her pursuers might catch up with her.

I'm not being down on uncharted but its really stupid in that game when waves of enemy always find that location that only drake knows about, every freaking time. You'll literally get one or to shootouts in levels in legend with the exception of japan but honestly what do you expect its a yakuza HQ you break into.

The length of levels is the main issue for me but that said i bet you didn't find the gold rewards there pretty well hidden. Fact is if your saying levels are short and you didn't explore them properly to find all the rewards then obviously levels are going to appear small.

I found the gold item in Cornwall.

The story to Underworld was terrible and I doubt the earlier games are any better, whereas the story in LoK is one of the greatest ever realized in. And to be honest I have no idea if the core of the CD that did the LoK games was still there but to go from what near masterpiece Defiance was to this Tomb Raider saga something must have happened.

The Return of Stevie wrote:

The story to Underworld was terrible and I doubt the earlier games are any better, whereas the story in LoK is one of the greatest ever realized in. And to be honest I have no idea if the core of the CD that did the LoK games was still there but to go from what near masterpiece Defiance was to this Tomb Raider saga something must have happened.

Reception for Legend from wikipedia:

Quote :

Tomb Raider: Legend gave the series the strongest critical response it had received since Tomb Raider II in 1997, and it remains one of the highest-rated games in the history of the franchise. IGN declared "It's now safe to return to the game you once loved. Crystal Dynamics successfully resurrects an old franchise from the tomb." GameSpot said that Legend "finally brings the series into the 21st Century while staying true to the adventurous spirit of the early games." They stressed the game should have been longer and therefore referred to it as a "brief but fun adventure that just about anyone can enjoy." GameZone awarded it an 8.5/10, and noted that gameplay had improved, saying "Lara is a dream to control and her moves come off as more natural and more acrobatic." They included that the game could have been longer and the combat system improved, and rounded off their review by saying "It’s good to see Lara back in top form and while her adventure is a bit on the short side and combat could have been handled a lot better, it’s hard to say no to a pretty girl that still has what it takes to show us a really good time. Fans of the series will certainly not want to miss this one."

Upon release, Tomb Raider: Legend topped the UK game charts for 3 straight weeks and it is now part of the PlayStation 2 Platinum Range.

The fact was underworld was supposed to be the poorest in the new trilogy. Like i said already if you played legend you'd see why i said this is reminiscent of legacy of kain, its not on the same level. Anyway to hate the first in the line of a reboot just because you didn't like a game two games down the line, doesn't make any sense especially when game structure is different from Moose's comments.

@Ellis: The ending of legend was great, i doubt the series will pan out particularly well. Regardless though the self contained story was good. Again not as polished as the other games. Either way i'll always support eidos/crystal dynamics as thats who owns the Legacy of Kain license.

A_Nonny_Moose wrote:

I found the gold item in Cornwall.

So the one of two levels you though were best included one you found the gold reward on. Funny that.

Oh shut up. Some levels are just bigger than others. Cornwall and Ghana were the best levels because they were huge and had very little action compared to the other levels.

A_Nonny_Moose wrote:

Oh shut up. They were the best levels because they were huge and had very little action compared to the other levels.

With your favourite thing being finding collectibles, its hard to not think your biased with those types of things. I honestly hated cornwall, probably my least favourite level.

Personally i think you'll like anniversary best BTW. I played it a bit and it seems way more platforming orientated.

There's a lot of collectibles in every level though. Cornwall and Ghana stand out for other reasons.

Underworld is barely anything unlock compared to Legend, by the way. The treasure system is pretty boring too. Half the time hunting for the hidden items just means kicking every pot in the room until a shiny thing falls out. They all look the same as well. Some are more hidden and requir exploration, but not as much as Legend.

There are 6 relics hidden throughout the game however. I only found 1 when I played, and it took a lot more effort than finding the normal treasures, so I guess they're better hidden.

That sounds really dull. I dunno if i'll bother putting in the time for that game after i complete it.

It did get quite dull. Especially once I realized that the pots with treasures in looked a bit different to the other pots, although maybe that was just a quirk of the later levels. Either way it wasn't as nice as Legend's way of doing it, and the actual rewards for doing it is just concept art as far as I could see.

But the levels themselves, minus the motorbike bits, are nicer than Legend's.

I just realised you can run past some of the gun fights if you use dodging skills.

Are you talking about Legend or Underworld now?

oh sorry legend i got confused between topics.

Having played the other two games now (not finished Anniversary but I've played it enough to come to this conclusion), I can see why this is widely considered the worst of the trilogy. While I think the levels are better than those in Legend, as a whole package this game is lacking compared to the other two. The treasure system isn't as fun and the rewards aren't as good. There's no Croft Manor or extra outfits, no cheats or bonus options. No time trials as far as I remember.

It's a bare-bones game compared to Legend and Anniversary.

HAHAHA no wonder BD loves this, the first level has lara and tentacles.

fuck yeh, then you can shoot shit up. both needs in one

I kinda felt bad killing that thing he was old and blind and could only feel his way around. Not like he was up to anything.

He was in the way. You should know by now that Lara doesn't give a fuck about anything that gets in her way, no matter now endangered or mythical it is.

She hesitated to shoot that one guy in Anniversary for about two seconds.

HAHAHA

Spoiler:

What did you think of the first level an Thailand? Did you like diving?

I think the swimming aspect was pretty awesome, there's no other games with stuff like this. I'm finding the platforming a bit glitchy, like a couple of times i've jumped and i don't move and suddenly i'm on the ledge i was trying to grab. Luckily no game breaking glitches yet.

Thailand level had some pretty cool puzzles i did like how the thor glove moves objects to, hope there's more of that. The stuff being hidden in jars seems really crappy to me though. Combat is a mixed bag, but infinitely better then the rage system, in anniversary, that games had some completely awful combat, especially animals caged somehow surviving for millenia.

Yeah, finding treasures can be dull. The only relic I found was the Thailand one.

I think i'm getting near the game i'm currently looking for Thor's hammer and i just got up to some giant yeti boss that looks like a LOTR troll.

After i finish this gonna trade it in as i really didn't like the games all that much aside from legend which was freaking awesome. That said underworld is way more fun then anniversary. Not sure how but the levels are just a lot less soulless then that games.