Aztec ruins and mythical creatures
It's not a complete departure from the canon, though. Lara Croft treads her usual path as globetrotting archaeologist and adventurer - this time in Mexico exploring Aztec ruins and combating mythical creatures in a hunt for a powerful artefact known as the Smoke of Mirrors. And she's still still wearing her trademark garb and drawing those dual-pistols from that waist-hugging holster. But this time she's lost all her sex appeal in her new diminutive form.
Not for the arachnophobic
As in Alien Breed and Alien Swarm, the isometric viewpoint provides the panoramic playground for myriad enemies, meaning this Lara is more Thumbelina than Angelina. Fortunately, any loss to Lara's exaggerated curves is made up for by the gorgeous graphics elsewhere. Ancient temples come alive in the warm glow of oil lamps, vegetation bounces and sways as you brush past, and you can almost feel the searing haze rising from the rivers of molten lava.
Enemy models and animations are robust and organic, from the smallest lizards and spiders to gigantic golems and fire-breathing T-Rexes. Bullets and rockets dazzle as they streak from weapons and enemies explode in firework neons.
Overkill
With so much going on, it's a good thing Crystal Dynamics introduces co-op 'buddy' gameplay. Playing with two players sees Lara joined on her quest by Totek, an Aztec deity and guardian of the Smoke of Mirrors. The perfect complement to Lara, Totek carries a shield and spears as weapons or as tools for solving puzzles.
Next page: Teamwork tactics
COMMENTS
But the arse hugging camera was part of the appeal
I've played some of the later ones and not impressed.
The first were good, complete a level and move on.
Then we had versions where you had to move from one level to another and back to complete them.
Then we had the dumbed down versions where you had to push a button during the video cut scenes, which isn't really game play.
Maybe they need a back to basics approach. See why the game was so popular in the first place.
2's up
I had the magnificent pleasure of sharing some 2 player action on this game just the other night and discovered it to be a tremendously rewarding experience, thoroughly recommended to all who sail in her.
Alien Breed? Isometric??
Surely you don't mean the seminal Team17 fayre? That was absolute top-down viewpoint (except for the 3D outings)... at least on the 'proper' format, anyway. Now, Skeleton Krew WAS isometric... But not as good!
As for TR - well, it was my first Perfect 10 game. The character, environments and puzzles were balanced perfectly, not to mention the baddies! I still crap myself when that bloody T-Rex hacks out of the mist about 50-feet ahead. Brilliant.
Looks like my weekend is sorted!
