Tomb Raider: Anniversary

[masterchris]

Anyone else really excited about this?

For those who don't know, Eidos is doing a remake of the original Tomb Raider, released in 1996. The original Tomb Raider, I think, is the greatest adventure game of all time, and definately the best in the series.. they really started going downhill with Tomb Raider 3. Crystal Dynamics is replacing Core on this new version of the classic original game, and from what the previews are saying... it's gonna be one hell of a kick ass fucking game.

One of the things that really pissed me off in the later games (from Tomb Raider III right up to the newest, Tomb Raider Legend) is that the game relies too much on hardcore action. The things that made the first game so magical, is the openess of it, the large airy spaces, and you all alone in some tomb deep underground which nobody has stepped in, in hundreds or thousands of years. I tried TR: Legend at my cousin's house... Lara was fighting cowboys in a western town! There was constant background music playing, and Lara wore an earpiece with this asshole constantly giving you advice or information, or just plain making useless comments.

It has been confirmed, that the remake of the original will go right back to the series' roots. Same level designs, same enemies, same quiet. No background music or guy talking to you.

Have a look at the trailers:

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/t ... e=trailers

Trailer 2, which was just released on Feb. 23, is really fucking amazing looking. The music just brings you right back, I had shivers running up my spine..

And for a fucking shit load of information, renders, wallpapers, music, screenshots:
http://www.tombraideranniversary.com/


So, anyone else PUMPED!?

 

[grandmagoodtimes]

I can't say that I am. I never really got into Tomb Raider, but it's cool that they are remaking it. Good luck man, I hope it is everything you want it to be.

 

[jivesc00ter]

remakes are mhe not realy cool if it was a classic then leave it alone, i think its important to let things be, when they make old movies over and add shit its always gay, off to the saturn to play the game like it was ment to be played

 

[used44]

I can't wait to shoot tigers.

 

[masterchris]

remakes are mhe not realy cool if it was a classic then leave it alone, i think its important to let things be, when they make old movies over and add **** its always gay, off to the saturn to play the game like it was ment to be played

That's how I felt too, until I saw the trailers and the third-party reviews and previews.

I don't mind remakes, as long as they don't take ANYTHING away from the game, CHANGE anything (other than graphics, AI, etc), or ADD anything major to the game.


used44: there were no tigers in Tomb Raider... you're thinking of TR2.

 

[used44]

used44: there were no tigers in Tomb Raider... you're thinking of TR2.

Well, fuck that, then.

 

[masterchris]

You can still shoot wolves, and panthers!
And bears, and bats, and crocodiles, and rats!

 

[grandmagoodtimes]

Shoot rats? That sounds difficult. What type of threat do rats pose in this raiding of tombs game? Do they have diseases like the plague?

 

[used44]

Okay. I'm game if there's panther shooting.

 

[Frozen]

Yea, those action parts in TR:Legend really turned me off. My favorite levels were the ones inside of temples, where action was minimal and puzzle solving was high (all though they could've really amped up the difficulty of those puzzles, those were puzzles a 4 year old could solve in five minutes). Shooting the crap out of people isn't Tomb Raider, what made me interested in the games was the adventure and puzzles. I'm glad that they decided to do a remake of the first game with decent controls. Wtf was edios thinking anyway with the original Tomb Raider controls and refusal to change them? Surely they had to play their game for more than five minutes and realized those controls were horrible.

But yea, I am definitely looking forward to this game, even though they have overshot the whole 10 years thing. I hope this gets a positive reception and they make all future Tomb Raider games like this. I liked Tomb Radier legend, but it would've been a lot better if the game didn't hold your hand all the way and there wasn't so much action.


EDIT: OMFGYES THE DINOSAURS ARE BACK, THANK YOU RAPTOR JESUS!

I don't mind remakes, as long as they don't take ANYTHING away from the game, CHANGE anything (other than graphics, AI, etc), or ADD anything major to the game.

I read in a magazine that they are changing the levels a bit because people were blowing through the old level design easily with the new controls. That I don't mind, so long as they don't do anything too radical.

 

[JCD]

I'm not excited. What makes you think they are really gonna go "back to the roots"? They have been saying since number three!

And what's up with the graphics? My toilet bowl looks better.

 

[masterchris]

Shoot rats? That sounds difficult. What type of threat do rats pose in this raiding of tombs game? Do they have diseases like the plague?

They bite your toes.

YI'm glad that they decided to do a remake of the first game with decent controls. Wtf was edios thinking anyway with the original Tomb Raider controls and refusal to change them? Surely they had to play their game for more than five minutes and realized those controls were horrible.

What was wrong with the controls?

I read in a magazine that they are changing the levels a bit because people were blowing through the old level design easily with the new controls. That I don't mind, so long as they don't do anything too radical.

Exactly, I don't mind that.

I'm not excited. What makes you think they are really gonna go "back to the roots"? They have been saying since number three!

Because people who are HARDCORE fans of the original tomb raider, fans of the concept of the first game, who got a chance to visit Crystal Dynamics studios and play some of the levels, say it is. And I trust them.

 

[Caped_Crusader]

I've played all TR games and no matter what they say about TR: AOD being the worst game of the series, TR: Legend is even worse. I don't buy a lot of games for PS2 but I tried PC demo, was impressed and bought TR: Legend for PS2 only to be disappointed yet again. It was ridiculously short, easy and ultimately totally pointless game without any atmosphere and depth. Yes, the beginning on top of the cliff with all the fancy moves and swimming looked very promising but soon enough, when the combat kicked in, I realised that this game is already doomed. So i just forced myself to play it through. And when the last mandatory boss was down, I never looked back to play it again.

Now, the same company is making TR: Anniversary and I can't help myself to be only skeptical. I'm worried that they will eventually end up making it as a shorter version of TR1. Skip a few levels here and there and after 7-8 hours the game is over....

General controls were fine, the games were much more difficult because of that and I liked it. The jumps and other movements required some skill. Now with new controls it's near impossible to fall down off the cliff and die which was annoying but yet very distinctive feature to TR series since the very beginning. In TR: Legend everything was automatic, press x button and Lara grabs everything without any fear of dying. Where is the sence of achievement and excitement in that?

And finally, I don't find this certain kind of magic in TR games anymore. Probaby it's because I'm getting older...But I'm still looking forward for the remake, hoping that it will turn out better than I expected.

TR1 is really a true pioneer, the mother of all adventure games and it will be always remembered as a great, one of a kind classic.

 

[masterchris]

Now with new controls it's near impossible to fall down off the cliff and die which was annoying but yet very distinctive feature to TR series since the very beginning. In TR: Legend everything was automatic, press x button and Lara grabs everything without any fear of dying. Where is the sence of achievement and excitement in that?

That's going to be optional in Anniversary.

http://www.tombraideranniversary.com/asset_preview.asp
The guys at Planet Lara, who run that site, were invited to Eidos' studios to demo the game. Read their review, er.. preview? Review of the preview?
Anyway, looks good. I don't remember where I read it, but I recall hearing the game is supposed to be even longer than the original, with enhanced and more detailed levels. I think the game's supposed to be around the 14-16 hour range.

 

[Frozen]

YI'm glad that they decided to do a remake of the first game with decent controls. Wtf was edios thinking anyway with the original Tomb Raider controls and refusal to change them? Surely they had to play their game for more than five minutes and realized those controls were horrible.

What was wrong with the controls?

They were very clunky. Mainly the fact that you really couldn't take off running in one direction and had to pivot if you wanted to go anywhere else but foward. This got me killed plenty of times in fights because you are unable to turn quickly in one direction. Then when you manage to get running the camera never kept up with laura properly. If you wanted to jump up on an overhanging ledge you had to be in a certain spot, sometimes making the player jump up and down like an idiot for a few minutes until they find that spot they are supposed to be in. Same goes for when you have to pick something up, you had to keep maneuvering your character around till you got into that one spot that allowed you to pick the item up.

 

[masterchris]

Ok, so instead of starting a new one - I'm going to resurrect a thread over a year old!

I've had the game for a while now, but I just got around to starting it the other night. Having just finished Peru and about to start on Greece, I have to admit - this game is fucking beautiful! Some of the physical changes to the level designs I'm not a big fan of, but the majority of the changes were well done. The updated graphics are stunning, the music and sound design is stunning. Not a big fan of the controls, and some of the jumps Lara is able to do are less than believable - like jumping backwards off of a wall onto a pole, then balancing on top of it. Although I suppose video games have never been big on believability (a first aid kit heals 5-6 bullet wounds and wolf bites...).

I also love how the puzzles are a bit more than just "find the lever and pull the lever" - now you have to grab onto things and pull things and shoot things.. much more clever. All around a stunning game. The grapple is nice too, albeit slightly unbelievable. Can't wait to start Saint Francis' Folly!

 

[used44]

JCD got showed up!

 

[JCD]

I must admit I was wrong and I quite liked the game. It was still quite ugly and was certainly not "back to basics" but it was damn fun. I'm looking forward to Underworld now too.

 

[masterchris]

Indeed! I think Crystal Dynamics has that... spark. The one Core had in the beginning, but quickly lost around the third game.

 

[masterchris]

So I finished the game, and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed. They did a pretty good job remaking the game; obviously they couldn't leave everything the same, but the changes they made were very well done.
The game was much more puzzle-oriented, requiring a lot more thought to complete levels. I enjoyed this. Lara's new abilities to jump and climb around just about everything worked out a lot better than I thought, and in many places the sequences of jumps, dodges and grapples you have to complete are a set of puzzles in their own right.

You have no idea how much I enjoyed playing through some of my favourite levels all over again, with a totally new spin, and awesome graphics to boot. From the very beginning, when you actually got to play what was just a cinematic in the first game, through to the epic battle against Natla at the end, every corner I turned where I recognized a locale, room or puzzle from the first game sent shivers down my spine.

A few select thoughts:

The central room in the Tomb of Qualopec level was a puzzle in its self, but as soon as you see it you recognize it from the first game, just on a much larger and grander scale. Kick ass!

The new St. Francis' Folly level was stunning, and the puzzle rooms off of the main room were exponentially more challenging than the original, but in a very good way. I was disappointed they renamed some of the rooms, for instance the Neptune room was renamed Poseidon, however the water puzzle was much more elaborate and stunning.

The Palace Midas level, specifically the fire room puzzle, was probably the highlight of the game for me. In the original you just had to do a series of jumps over the flamethrowers before the timer re-activated them and toasted you.
I wanted to find a video on youtube of the fire room, but best I could find is this - skip ahead to approx. 2:30.

Plus all of the Egyptian and Atlantean levels were significant improvements. The Great Pyramid central "shaft" puzzle was very well done.

But of course it wasn't all good.. I was seriously saddened by what they did to the Coliseum level, barely a shadow of what it was in the first. You could easily complete that level in 10 minutes without trying. And they merged the original Cistern level with the Tomb of Tihocan, and slashed both of them down; in fact the only thing that remained of the original Tomb of Tihocan level was the final tomb where the piece of the scion is, once you resolve the Cistern puzzle (and it wasn't much of a puzzle), you get deposited right in front of the tomb. Blah.

But for the most part, a very well done remake of an extremely well done game. I almost look forward to Crystal Dynamics next kick at the Tomb Raider can: Underworld.