Imagine the adventure and exploration element of Tomb Raider. Now combine that with the more gun-toting Tomb Raider II style. What have you got? Yes you've guessed it she's back.
Lara is on the trail of an artefact in India which is said to hold great power. Un-beknown to her is that this item is one of four which are scattered around the globe and hail from a meteorite which crashed to earth many years ago. The meteor and it's gems were originally discovered by Charles Darwin and his gang while exploring Antarctica. Only Charlie survived and decided that the items held evil power so therefore sold them to people around the world. A research team have found the site in Antarctica including a grave from the original exploration team. They have also unearthed an unknown material with great potential in the development of gene multiplication. Armed with a ships log the research team set off to discover the lost gems.
Lara's adventure begins in India where she will explore temple ruins, river ganges and caves encountering monkeys, tigers and piranha fish amongst others. Once the gem has been claimed she will have a choice of which one to go for next. They are located in London, Nevada desert and Islands in the South Pacific and contain a fair assortment of enemies, puzzles and hidden dangers. The conclusion to the adventure goes to the meteor site in Antarctica.
The game boasts visual enhancements, bigger less linear levels, more vehicles and more actions including crawling and a monkey swing. The training level in Lara's mansion has been given a make-over too and now boasts a bigger assault course, target practice and a quad bike racing track. Lara's enemies have been blessed with better artificial intelligence so animals will retreat if being shot and humans will summon help etc. But has Lara had her day? Is Tomb Raider III two TR's too many? Has Eidos cashed in on a tried and tested formula? Let's find out.
Hi-Res graphics have been used in TR3 and although it may not look much different, try playing TR1 just after and you will notice the difference. Enhanced lighting effects are boasted and prove very spectacular in places as well as being purposeful in containing hidden items. The designers have paid alot of attention to small details like footprints, smoking gun barrels, water ripples and blood which add nice touches to the game. Triangle polygons have been used to make up shapes so as to make things look more natural and rounded. All in all a natural progression for the visual department but has the PSX been taken to it's graphical limits in TR3. Will the next adventure be on a next generation console?
Once again the original Tomb Raider theme tune has been given an overhaul and the in-game music seems to include more purposeful pieces such as short stabbing pieces as you are attacked from the shadows which adds atmosphere and tension to the scene. Effects and background noise are nice and kept simple.
A lot of people will probably say that the Tomb Raider has past it's sell by date but I think that if like me you were a big fan of the previous games the you will enjoy the third installment. I liked the TR1 and TR2 because of the difference in the gameplay and TR3 rolls the best aspects of the first two games into one. Whether or not Eidos and Core can come up with the goods a fourth time though is another matter.
