Lara on Display

Lara Croft, archeologist, adventurer, and goddess, returns to the jungle in perfect form. Better than perfect, actually, because the newest episode in the franchise, Lara Croft Tomb Raider™ LEGEND, presents Lara at her most bodacious.

She's beautiful and strong in high definition, leaping through jungles and delving deep into the hearts of ancient mountains with vivacious use of textures and lighting effects. If you've wondered whether it was worth purchasing Xbox 360™, this is the game that eliminates any last bit of doubt. Lara seduces on Xbox 360 in ways you can't imagine until you've seen her in action.

Lara raids a tomb.

The Story
The developers of Lara Croft Tomb Raider LEGEND, Crystal Dynamics, have worked some archeological magic themselves. They reached back to Lara's roots to uncover the elements that made her so popular in the beginning. Then they cleaned off those elements and put them on display. Allow me to point you to Exhibit A: The Story Line.

It's a jungle out there, and the most
dangerous animals walk on two legs.

Here is the Lara you love so dearly, swinging on vines and climbing cliffs high above the clouds. She has strapped on her guns and returned to her first love: tomb raiding. She faces adversaries in the form of corrupt raiders, ancient and mysterious entities, and traps set to keep the errant adventurer dead. Through the course of her adventure, Lara finds that her own history is tied up in it, and she ultimately learns something about herself as well.

The Combat
Lara doesn't carry those guns for nothing. It's a jungle out there, and the most dangerous animals walk on two legs. Although Lara could rely exclusively on her guns to eliminate her enemies, she has many other options as well.

The interactive environment makes it possible for Lara to find creative ways to clear her path. She can cause rocks and towers to fall on her enemies, for example, and save her ammo for later. Throughout the game, alternative methods of attack and defense challenge your creativity. Easy does it.

The combat moves available to Lara also include various special techniques. They're fancy and fanciful, and freakin' fun. Lara leaps into action against enemies, jumping off them into back flips with guns a-blazing. It looks as hot as it sounds. And that's just one of the many special moves Lara can do. Flippin' sweet!

He never had a chance.

The Puzzles
LEGEND definitely has its third-person shooter aspect, but that's just one facet of a deliciously multi-faceted gem. Lara wouldn't be Lara if she relied entirely on her brawn. She's a smart woman, and that's what sets her apart from the crowd. Lara's success depends in large part on whether or not she can outsmart the puzzles and traps she encounters while on each raid.

Some of the most valuable treasures in the game are the interactive cut scenes. Half cinematic, half challenge, you assist Lara through them. Lara wants your full attention, so don't take this time to get a soda just because things seem to be on autopilot at the moment. She needs you. Don't let her down.

A puzzle's solution may not be obvious, but it's
definitely within reach, so give it your best shot.

Many of the puzzles involve figuring out how to get where she needs to be. Leaping from ledge to ledge (laterally as well as vertically), climbing ropes, and swimming through underwater corridors takes care of some of the challenges, but, at other times, Lara may have to do more than navigate. She may have to manipulate elements in her environment.

Lara can push and pull objects. Objects also affect each other. The physics in the game are phantastic. Movement is smooth, and the puzzles unravel more logically as a result. Whether you're rolling giant stone balls onto floor triggers or using a stone see-saw and a few iron boxes to get a giant mechanical door to open, you never feel a violent suspension of disbelief as the result of clunky physics. A puzzle's solution may not be obvious, but it's definitely within reach, so give it your best shot. This is the life of the tomb raider.

Brain, not brawn, wins the day.

The Extras
Throughout the game, you find unlockable extras, little presents from Lara to make your visit all the more pleasurable. One of the most talked-about aspects of the game is Lara's wardrobe. As the game progresses, you unlock titillating outfits for her to wear. When you live through a cinematic scene, it joins the list of those you can review at any time. For accessorizing, when you reach certain landmarks, you earn upgraded weaponry for Lara.

All in all, the features of the latest Lara Croft game combine to produce a voluptuous and varied experience. Never before has Lara's adventure been so nuanced and nervy. The game's features replicate the experience of tomb raiding, and make a reunion with Lara like coming home to find that all the latest technology has been added to the house. With a press of a button, you're off on another adventure, with Lara at your side. Go for the gold!

Article by Angel Leigh McCoy