Tomb Raider: Legend

Tomb Raider seemed to go through a pretty rough patch, and I`m sure people have thought twice about picking up any of the sequels - the game just wasn`t fun anymore. Furthermore, there was less focus on the game as a whole and more focus on the size of Lara`s "assets". Together with all the bad camera work, average graphics and weak story lines, it was a disaster just waiting to plummet to its eventual doom.

Eidos has taken Tomb Raider back to basics and has a secret weapon up its sleeve... Toby Gard - one of Tomb Raiders original designers has joined the crew (and no-one knows Ms Croft better than him).

From the start, die-hard Tomb Raider fans will see a definite improvement.

The game opens with a cut scene of young Lara on a plane with her mother. After a crash landing, Lara and her mother are left in the middle of the Himalayas. A strange artefact is activated and Lara`s mother disappears.

This turn of events moulds Lara into the tomb raider we know today. A series of in game tutorials are presented to familiarise gamers with the controls, with guidance is offered through pop-up hints.

The game gives three levels of difficulty - easy, medium and difficult. So even the tame at heart can partake without fear of getting nowhere.

Lara has been limited in what she can carry, giving the game a more realistic feel. Only two guns can be carried at a time, one larger rifle strapped to her back and her trusty 9mms (with the handy lock-on target to give more accuracy when shooting). The hand guns also have infinite ammo - although Lara does need to refill after 30 shots.

There are also sub-machineguns, grenade launchers and even the odd turret.

She can only carry two medipacks and four grenades, and this time around she also has a handy grappling hook. This is a great way to swing over broken bridges and gorges, and can play a part in most pulling puzzles throughout the game.

Gameplay provides an even amount of puzzles, killing baddies and searching tombs. All in all, a good mix of combat and platforming.

There are even some "button events", where players hit corresponding controller buttons when prompted in order to survive.

The previous save point system has been replaced with an option in the main menu, and this will bring Lara back to her last checkpoint if needed - instead of having to restart the entire level.

More good news is that the previous control scheme is gone, gone, gone. So no more unattainable accuracy is needed to pull off the simplest task. Players will be guided and the controls will be thoroughly explained. The controls are fluid, precise and much more responsive than in previous Tomb Raider games.

It seems Ubisoft`s Prince of Persia was used as the basis of Lara`s movement - making her more acrobatic than before.

Lara`s trusty motorcycle is back, and there are hours of fun dodging bad guys and doing death-defying jumps over cliffs and canyons.

Puzzles are also more fun than they`ve ever been, and solving them will give a sense of accomplishment.

Graphically, Lara`s character model has been proportioned to give her the correct look and feel; she`s still sexy, but this time she doesn`t look like she`s going to fall on her face for being too "top-heavy".

She is also fitted with a range of different costumes (the ripped-and-ready-for-action evening dress being one of my favourites).

Differences between the in-game characters and cut scenes are less pronounced, making cut scenes feel like part of the game.

Water effects are stunning, and give the game that special something.

Cut scenes are executed with style, great cinematics and outstanding voiceovers.

In Legend, players will witness Lara run, jump, dodge, swim, swing, kick, punch, shoot, slide, throw, shimmy and do many more wonderful things, which prove that Lara Croft is one bad-arsed gal!

She can even somersault or back-flip to land behind enemies, thus catching them unawares. She can also perform most of these moves while shooting - a great way to keep the advantage in her court.

When locked onto an enemy, Lara can back-flip to avoid fire, or jump into him and enter a slow-motion flip, emptying her gun into him before landing back on her feet.

Croft Manor can be unlocked after the first level is completed. It`s a great place to uncover many secrets of Lara`s past. As Lara acquires more skills, more areas will become available in the Manor.

While this game can be finished in a mere 12 hours or so, making it feel like there might be a sequel on the way, players will enjoy every second.

Tomb Raider: Legend is exactly what Tomb Raider addicts have been searching for ever since the original.

It`s the best Tomb Raider game I`ve played in years. I give it an 8/10.