Review
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Lara Croft, the protagonist in Tomb Raider, has become a
sort of unwitting spokesperson for Eidos' new computer adventure.
As the cover girl for just about every hard copy gaming magazine
this year, this globe-trotting, -happy lass had become the
matron saint of a new revolution in 3D gaming before the title
even hit the shelves. But does the game really live up to all the
buildup? Well, seeing is believing when it comes to Tomb Raider,
and playing the game with the Rendition or 3Dfx chip, which are
sure to find a home soon in every serious gamer's computer tower
(a supportive patch will be available online for these), should
almost be a prerequisite. Featuring several stunningly rendered
3D worlds and many a cliff-hanging moment, Tomb Raider makes
gamers pay for the whole seat, even though they only need the
edge.
As mentioned above, in Tomb Raider you play Lara Croft, a female
Doc Savage who, tired of her wealthy English upbringing, has
decided that dangerous adventuring is more her cup of tea. So she
abandons a life of crustless cucumber sandwiches and piano
lessons, eventually meeting a wealthy tycoon who hires her to
retrieve a single artifact from a ruined temple in South America.
After getting the artifact, you find out that the tycoon has
ed a bunch of her henchmen on you, and that the original
piece you were sent in to retrieve is one of three hidden in
various unplundered tombs around the world.
Your adventures take place in several "seven wonders" scenarios,
from Egyptian sphinxes, to Greek temples, to Atlantis (what game
would be complete without it?), each with distinct puzzles and
traps to negotiate.
In each level, you'll have to beware of the different predator
animals, unidentifiable creatures, and henchmen lurking around.
In many instances, you'll be pounced on unexpectedly by wolves,
lions, gorillas, raptors, and gangling "lava-monsters." Lara has
to execute daring rolls, jumps, and side-leaps to dodge these
predators while attacking them. This is no time to join the
wildlife preservation society; endangered species or not, you've
got to slay these pests. Sometimes, at the end of a level, you'll
have to go up against of the "boss" monsters, which range from a
lumbering Tyranosaur to a huge "torso-man" who, if he snatches
you with his giant mitts, will slam you around like a rag doll.
So, you're asking, what weapons can I use on these poor
crypt-dwellers who are simply trying to sustain themselves in a
sealed-up tomb? With a tap of the spacebar, Lara draws out her
two revolvers which automatically target any man-eating creature
in the vicinity. Other more effective weapons are picked up
throughout the game, including a set of magnums, a , and
an Uzi. Rounds for your default weapon are unlimited, but ammo
for the other weapons has to be picked up.
But killing is only half the fun in Tomb Raider, as Lara can
perform a variety of actions to explore each eerie environment.
Often you'll have to make Lara swim through convoluted caves to
secret rooms (incidentally, this is some of the most realistic
swimming movement you'll encounter in any game). Each level has a
series of switches that you need to activate, some of which
require you to heave huge blocks around and - this is probably
the most fun part of the game - execute daredevil leaps to grab
onto some faraway platform.
Tomb Raider is the exploratory game you always wished you were
playing when you were trying to solve Atari Raiders of the Lost
Ark.The variety of jumping and grabbing actions, the huge,
sometimes -inducing worlds, and the smooth 3D graphics
found in Tomb Raider are reminiscent of Mario 64, though the
game's violent overtones and spooky ambiance definitely set it
apart from the older title. On the down side though, some of Tomb
Raider's puzzles are tedious, requiring the player to wander
around a little bit too long. Graphically, it's a breakthrough
game, but to obtain the spellbinding graphics that really make
the gameplay a complete experience, you'll need one of the cards
mentioned above. The avid 3D game enthusiast will probably shell
out the extra bucks for one, especially if Quake is a resident
game on her machine.--Tim Soete
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