If you think that's just a questionable metaphor for the character of Lara Croft herself, you may be right, because she does look just as good in this iteration (given today's graphic advances) as we old-timers thought she looked back in '96, triangles and all. I was actually in college when I played the first TR on the PS1, and at the time, I was (along with legions of other gamers and non-gamers alike) smitten with the heroine that helped launch the 3D action-adventure genre. A few increasingly tired sequels...bad movies...and countless 3D action-adventure games later...and the magic was all but gone.
10 years later, this "re-imagining" takes what was great about the original TR (level design, puzzle solving, a great sense of exploration, tight control), and dresses it up in a new coat of paint, adding tweaks here and there for modern sensibilities. It looks a lot better, Lara's got new moves, everything has a bigger sense of scale. Some changes have been made some for the better, some seemingly for change's sake. Most importantly, the soul the essence, if you will of the original TR is here, and that's why I give this game a hearty recommendation. I can think of few other games that deliver a sense of grandeur, danger and giddy pleasure in quite the same way Tomb Raider can when it's firing an all cylinders.
If you're feeling nostalgic, you'll love the developer commentary you can toggle on or off in the option menu, then trigger by activating one of the purple diamonds in the level (they look like the original's save points). If you're a fan, it's pretty interesting to hear Toby Gard, the designer of the original, and Jason Botta, the game director of the new version, go back and forth about the challenges and changes involved with both the original and this remake. If you're the "gotta catch 'em all" type, you'll probably enjoy replaying levels to collect hidden relics and artifacts, finish the time trials (speed runs) and take a run through Croft Manor.
Obviously, as a person who played and enjoyed the original, I'm bringing a lot of mental baggage along. If you're new to the franchise, the experience certainly won't have the same impact, but I suspect you'll still have a grand time anyway. In this day and age of first-person-shooter over-saturation, this game may even come as a breath of fresh air.
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This game kills two birds with one stone. Basically it's cool being retro these days, the team at Edios redressed the whole game improving Lara, the physics, the levels, the graphics, and detailing the story. Plus this games grants Edios the chance to start from scratch with Lara and the series. It was also a cool way to give something neat back to the fans: especially after the backlash from fans over "Angel of Darkness". Anyway, The graphics and the story are awesome and do Lady Croft and the scenery justice.I enjoy when a developer respects it's audience by staying true to the character it created while still improving, expanding, and evolving that characters development. The developers thoughtfully intertwine the plot to suit "Tomb Raider: Underworld" (which in-turn resolved both the stories from this game and "Legend"). The reintroduction of Natla's character also helps to explain to fans what happened prior to "Underworld". While "Anniversary" can stand on it's own as a cool game, it does set up the other two games. Though all the games were released out of order: Legend in 2005, Anniversary in 2006, and Underworld in 2008. Anniversary does create a time line that is respectful to the fans that appreciate continuity.
The Tomb Raider series is not for kids and this game is no exception. Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a reintroduction of Lara and a spring board for new story lines and a way to introduce new fans to a classic game and story. As a fan of the series it's nice to be able to play the original Tomb Raider on today's graphic superior platforms. I don't know how they do it but each adaptation of Lara Croft and her abilities is stunning in every game and this game does not disappoint. I might add that the ability to earn and wear different outfits (introduced in "Legend") is included in this game as well the added fun of finding artifacts, relics, completing time trials and the use of the grappling-hook.
All in all, I recommend this game to new and old fans alike. It's the old game with improved graphics, physics, clothing, and abilities. It is joy to play and experience time and again.
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Prior to the current generation of video game consoles, I had last played Tomb Raider when it was introduced on the PC in the 90's. Before this release, I had already played Tomb Raider: Legend, which I had really enjoyed, so I figured I would give this title a try. Fortunately, it did not disappoint.From a graphics perspective, this game provided an incremental improvement over Tomb Raider: Legend. The environments are beautifully detailed, and they are extremely large. Not only are the environments big, but they are also extremely high -be prepared to climb a lot. Once you enter an area, nothing additional needs to load, so you are not disturbed by "loading" screens, and you end up totally immersed in the environment. I encountered no framerate issues. The sound is excellent, and compliments the environments perfectly. Music is kept to a minimum, so you won't be distracted during gameplay.
From a control perspective, this game introduces a new "adrenaline dodge" move, which may take a bit for novice players master. The move is extremely important to gameplay, and it will be necessary to master the move in order to complete the game. This move replaces the "bullet time" move, which became standard in many games in recent years. Otherwise, the control scheme is exactly the same as Tomb Raider: Legend, and Lara's movements have not changed. If you played Tomb Raider: Legend, you can play Anniversary.
The level bosses are amazing. The T-Rex is probably the most enjoyable challenge I have ever encountered in a video game. There are some other challenging moments, and you may find yourself reaching for a strategy guide, but if you are patient and continue to practice, you should be able to master the game and complete it.
"Completion", however, is subject to interpretation. The game's achievements are challenging, and it will take some effort to achieve a 1,000 GS on this game. Reaching the end of the game may take between 10-15 hours, but completing everything and collecting all of the items in the game could take an additional 10-15 hours -without a strategy guide. Fortunately, the game has decent replay value because of the way the achievements are structured.
The only thing that keeps me from giving this title a perfect score is the poor development that went into the CGI transitions between levels. They are simply too short, and they don't provide enough information to really get immersed in the story. The final CGI presented upon completion of the game is somewhat disappointing, when compared to the ending in Tomb Raider: Legend.
This title may only appeal to Tomb Raider fans, but I believe it is a must-play for this console generation. It's exactly the type of title that I would like to demonstrate for friends and family. Given its solid gameplay and replay value, it will retain its place in my collection indefinitely.
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As a Veteran to all Tomb Raiders created from the 1st Playstation to current game consoles now. I am well familiar with the Croft chronicle line. Due to this game was a remake as a remembrance anniversary to the 1st Tomb Raider created for PS1. I was not disappointed, it was well remade and the graphics are to die for. Lara never lets you down in this game with her new gadgets and my personal favorite, new costumes. I say take a shot at this remake and sit back and enjoy the best selling shooter female heroine of the year Lara Croft Tomb Raider Anniversary. – P.S. > This game does have a lot of violence and as a mother of two, maybe not a good gift for the young ones.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Tomb Raider Anniversary
A lot of people say how terrible this game is. You'll have that with any remake of a game because they're soo focused on what the game used to look like that they become too close minded to appreciate it for how interesting and visually complex it really is. I've had this on my pc for years. I played it almost completely through soo many times and eventually my hard drive would crash or I would forget to back up my saved games when doing maintenance I finally just decided to order it for the 360. My computer would run this fine on lower graphic settings but once I popped it in the Xbox I realized that I had no limitations anymore and the scenery is impressive. The content and game play is sort of like Prince of Persia without that annoying control type where you can only jump as you reach a ledge and in this game, you can actually tap a button to make you move faster when hanging from the side of a cliff. This title is very memorable and something I could play over and over. I would recommend it to anybody.
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