No more gaming botox
Another slight disappointment is the pacing of combat. Whereas puzzle difficulty steadily increases throughout, combat remains easy until the last couple of chapters, even with difficulty turned up. It's a real shame, because when it really kicks off, as tougher, more numerous enemies combine with environmental hazards, combat is exhilarating and moreish.
Mickey Rourke - what's he doing here?
Still, Crystal Dynamics includes an excellent system to ensure replay. Much like the Tony Hawks' series, levels come with a list of achievements. Ranging from score and time attack to hunting collectibles and completing set objectives, it's impossible to achieve all in a single play, forcing several replays to accomplish them all.
Roll a big one
Verdict
Recent attempts to revitalise Lara's flagging appeal have only smoothed over her careworn lines like gaming botox. But The Guardian of Light's isometric perspective, twin-stick twitchery and focus on co-op finally provide Lara with a long-overdue makeover that should attract new and old fans alike. ®
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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!
