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==Reception==
==Reception==
{{expand|date=January 2009}}
Tomb Raider: Underworld received extremely positive reviews. The environments have been widely praised, many reviewers also praised Lara's motion captured movements and the much less linear style of gameplay, while some criticisms aimed at its "haywire" camera angles and "dodgy" combat system.


Tomb Raider: Underworld received mixed reviews, and sales of the game from release until Christmas 2008 did not meet expectations. Prior to the game's release, Eidos attempted to prevent any reviews rating the game at less than 8 out of ten from appearing, with an Eidos spokesman stating "[t]he brand manager in the US that's handling all of Tomb Raider has asked that we just manage the scores before the game is out, really, just to ensure that we don't put people off buying the game, basically."<ref>Kollewe, Julia. "[http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/09/travelleisure-games Eidos warns of disappointing sales for new Lara Croft game]", 9 January 2009. ''[[The Guardian]]''.</ref> While the graphical environment has been widely praised criticisms have been made of the combat, camera angles, puzzles and game-play.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/tomb-raider-underworld/review/tomb-raider-underworld/a-20081118161749500068/g-20080923114210589037 | title=Tomb Raider: Underworld Review | publisher=GamesRadar | date=2008-11-19 | accessdate=2008-11-22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.orange.co.uk/games/2227.htm?WT.owl=bl | title=Tomb Raider: Underworld (Multiformat) | publisher=Orange UK | date=2008-11-21 | accessdate=2008-11-22 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/932/932744p1.html | title=Tomb Raider: Underworld Review | publisher=IGN | date=2008-11-21 | accessdate=2008-11-21}}</ref> Although ''[[The Guardian]]'' review offered the view that "if you're a Tomb Raider fan, you'll absolutely love it and almost certainly agree that it's the best Tomb Raider game yet,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/nov/21/tomb-raider-underworld-lara-croft | title=Game Review: Tomb Raider Underworld | publisher=Guardian | date=2008-11-21 | accessdate=2008-11-22 }}</ref> ''[[IGN]]'' offered the opposing opinion, that "it's disappointing for fans of the series".<ref>DeVries, Jack, "[http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/932/932795p1.html Tomb Raider Underworld Review]", 21 November 2008, ''[[IGN.com]]''.</ref>
[[GamesRadar|GamesRadar (US)]] gave it a 9/10, commenting, "The remarkable architectural vision, coupled with ultra-smart level design, all produced on such a huge scale, makes this as good as Tomb Raider has ever been. It’s still short, it still has annoying combat, and Lara still freaks out and jumps off in the wrong direction far too often. So it still falls short of greatness. But the most exemplary check-pointing we’ve ever encountered forgives a great deal, and the brave decision to ditch the boss fights makes us want to hug all involved. Go explore the Underworld."<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/tomb-raider-underworld/review/tomb-raider-underworld/a-20081118161749500068/g-20080923114210589037 | title=Tomb Raider: Underworld Review | publisher=GamesRadar | date=2008-11-19 | accessdate=2008-11-22 }}</ref>

[[Orange UK|Orange]] gave the game a glowing review and a score of 9/10, the game's "lush" graphics were highly praised as were the environments. Lara's movement was also highly praised and was described as a "sure-footed step forward for the game" while Lara's interaction with her surrounding environments was said to be "incredible". The reduced amount of combat was also praised but the amount of exploration was said to be the highlight of the game.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.orange.co.uk/games/2227.htm?WT.owl=bl | title=Tomb Raider: Underworld (Multiformat) | publisher=Orange UK | date=2008-11-21 | accessdate=2008-11-22 }}</ref>

[[Nintendo Power]] gave the [[Wii]] version of the game a score of 7/10 in issue 236. Praise was given to the game's graphics and platforming elements, they called the environments some of the "best" in the Tomb Raider franchise, and suggested that the game controlled better than the previous Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Criticisms were directed towards the puzzles, which were described as being ridiculously easy, and combat saying that while combat has never been a large part of the Tomb Raider series, they did wonder why the developers even bothered with the combat in Underworld.

[[IGN]] gave the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 versions scores of 8.0, 7.5 and 7.4 respectively, stating that it was an enjoyable game for the story, puzzles, exploration and graphics but was, however, held back by clipping, object detection and combat issues.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/932/932744p1.html | title=Tomb Raider: Underworld Review | publisher=IGN | date=2008-11-21 | accessdate=2008-11-21}}</ref>

[[The Guardian]] also gave the game a highly positive review and awarded it with 4/5 stars. The graphics and story were highlighted and described as "unimpeachable". Lara's motion capture movement was also heavily praised. However, the camera frame was noted to "sometimes go completely haywire". It was also stated that fans of the series will "almost certainly agree that it's the best Tomb Raider game yet." <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/nov/21/tomb-raider-underworld-lara-croft | title=Game Review: Tomb Raider Underworld | publisher=Guardian | date=2008-11-21 | accessdate=2008-11-22 }}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 09:54, 9 January 2009

PlayStation 2

January 2009[1]
Tomb Raider: Underworld
File:TombRaiderUnderworld.jpg
Developer(s)Crystal Dynamics
Nixxes Software
Buzz Monkey Software (Wii, PS2)[2]
Santa Cruz Games (NDS)[3]
EA Mobile (Mobile)
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Designer(s)Eric Lindstrom (creative director)
Toby Gard (cinematics director)
Writer(s)Toby Gard
Composer(s)Troels Brun Folmann
Colin O'Malley
SeriesTomb Raider
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Mobile phone[4], N-Gage 2.0[5]
Genre(s)Platform, Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Tomb Raider: Underworld, also known as Tomb Raider 8, is the eighth game in the Tomb Raider series, released on 18 November 2008 in North America and on 21 November 2008 in Europe. It is the third game in the series to be developed by Crystal Dynamics.

It resumes the adventure from where Tomb Raider: Legend left off and addresses elements of the plot left unexplained in Legend and Tomb Raider: Anniversary.[7]

Gameplay

File:TRUnderworld.jpg
Pre-release screenshot of Lara Croft gazing at a ruined temple.

Differences from previous iterations in the series are that Lara's environment will be an "interactive world that reacts and remembers", such that footprints left in the mud or mud transferred to Lara's knee from kneeling on the ground will be washed away by rain, the bodies of the foes she encounters will remain where she killed them, and any destruction to the environment she causes will be permanent.[8] According to creative director Eric Lindstrom, this is "to not only reward the player for the effect they're having on the world, but to give them navigational aids."[9] The game uses an animation blending system that allows Lara to interact dynamically with her environment, such as pushing foliage aside with one or two hands, depending on if she is carrying a weapon.[10] It also features a "hybrid lighting model that combines dynamic lights with carefully created light maps" and a weather system that changes the environment, for example, "If Lara’s negotiating a wet ledge she’s more apt to slip or lose grip," which makes "the environment ... her adversary" for a large part of the game.[8][11]

Previously seen separate aspects of gameplay have been combined for a new experience. Lindstrom explained that "in the past, there was climbing, and there was shooting, and there was puzzle solving. And they often didn't overlap. We've now integrated all of those elements."[12] This installment also features a new melee combat system, requiring Lara in some instances to use "direct combat and evasive manoeuvres to distance herself from her attacker". Notably, Lara's bike, among other things, will be a key component in solving the puzzles she will encounter in her adventure.[8] Pick-ups will have multiple uses as weapons and tools in interaction with the environment, and Lindstrom stated that Lara "can also split up her guns and fire at two different targets simultaneously,"[9] or hold an item with one hand and fire a gun with the other.[12] The grappling hook can now be stretched taut and used to pull objects off ledges unlike in previous iterations, illustrating what project lead Rob Pavey said, that "Lara will be able to do anything that you'd expect her to be able to do," which he called "the big theme this year."[13] Lindstrom describes this as "a philosophy called 'What Could Lara Do?'—WCLD. It's short-hand for having the player be able to use their own intuition about what someone with her abilities should be able to do in an environment such as this, and consistency across the different mechanics and abilities. If she can throw a grenade, then if she can pick up this pole, why can't she throw it?" Crystal Dynamics also aims to make the game non-linear, unlike Tomb Raider: Legend, and eliminate the need for hint icons that indicate the ability to interact with objects.[9]

The interactive cutscenes from previous titles have been replaced with "adrenaline moments". Instead of specific button presses, time slows down and gives the player a chance to get out of harm's way while retaining complete control of Lara.[14]

Story

File:LCUnderworld.jpg
A promotional image of Lara Croft for Underworld.

The story begins with Lara Croft in the lower corridor of Croft Manor where Lara has to escape from a fire. Upon entering the main hall, she is surprised to see the mansion in flames. As she reaches the main door, Zip shoots at her as Winston tries to restrain him. The game flashes back a week into the past, showing Lara in the Mediterranean Sea. Lara is searching for a way to Avalon, the mythical resting place of King Arthur, and the place where Amanda claimed Lara's mother is. Lara finds a temple of "Proto-Norse" origin, leading her to believe that Avalon and the Norse underworld of Niflheim are one and the same. She also finds a gauntlet that belonged to the Norse god Thor. Lara is attacked by mercenaries working for Amanda, who take the gauntlet to Amanda's boat. After pursuing them to their ship, Lara encounters Natla, whom Amanda has in captivity. They began discussing Lara's find and Natla states that Avalon is the same as Helheim, rather than Niflheim as Lara had supposed, and that Lara will need Thor's hammer, Mjölnir to enter. The ship begins sinking due to an explosion caused by one of the mercenaries in a firefight with Lara. Lara shoots at a fleeing Amanda who throws the gauntlet into the sea. Lara quickly jumps to catch it, letting Amanda escape.

Lara travels to coastal Thailand, as Natla had suggested, where she discovers that her father had already been there and took Thor's second gauntlet back to a hidden study beneath Croft Manor. After retrieving the gauntlet, as well as a map showing the location of Thor's belt and hammer, Lara is surprised to find the manor going up in flames. An injured Zip, assisted by Winston, shoots at her as he thought Lara had shot him after taking Amanda's "Wraith Stone" from the vault. Lara and Winston convince Zip it was not her and Lara tells them to get out of the mansion while she goes to view the security video in the computer room. Before she does, however, she is confronted by a doppelgänger resembling herself, apparently created by Natla. The doppelganger shoots and kills Alister, who was trying to escape the flames, then flees. Lara carries Alister's body out of the house, and resolves to continue searching for Mjölnir, which she believes will give her the power to kill Natla. In Mexico, Lara retrieves Thor's belt, which powers the gauntlets needed to wield his hammer. After retrieving the belt, she heads to Jan Mayen Island and finds Mjölnir in Valhalla. She also finds a message from Odin, Thor's father, saying that he will need to perform a ritual before Thor can open the way to Helheim.

With the gauntlets, belt and hammer, Lara confronts Natla on Amanda's second ship. Lara reluctantly agrees to work with Natla, who claims to know Odin's ritual. Lara travels to the Arctic Sea and, with Natla's help, opens the entrance to Helheim. She soon encounters her mother, Amelia, who has been turned into a thrall, a deceased individual whose corpse is reanimated by the substance eitr. As the mindless thrall approaches, Lara forces her back into the eitr. Lara kneels in sorrow as Natla appears to reveal that she was using Lara and Amanda to gain access to Avalon, via Thor's hammer. Natla also reveals that she killed Lara's father, Richard, when he refused to cooperate in this task years ago. The doppelgänger appears and restrains Lara just as she was about to attack Natla with Mjölnir. As Lara is about to be killed, Amanda appears and uses her Wraith Stone to defeat the doppelganger. She also holds off the approaching thralls allowing Lara to continue.

Lara finds Natla activating a massive, ancient device at the heart of a titanic cavern filled with eitr. Natla explains that Jörmungandr, the Midgard Serpent, refers to the network of tectonic divisions spread across the world beneath the oceans giving rise to the legendary interpretation and that this device sits right atop where the supercontinent, Pangea, had split apart millions of years ago. The device is designed to bring about Ragnarök, or what Natla refers to as the Seventh Age, by triggering apocalyptic levels of volcanic activity throughout the world.

Lara destroys the device with Mjölnir then hurls the hammer at Natla, who is distracted by trying to repair the machine. Natla is struck down and plunges into the eitr. Lara heads back to Amanda, but they discover that the exit is blocked. Lara spots the portal that originally brought her mother to Helheim, realizing that her mother may not have known how the device had worked thus remaining trapped. Lara and Amanda work together and escape.

They are teleported back to Nepal, where Lara's mother accidentally teleported herself to Helheim. Amanda attempts to stir up a fight with Lara, who chastises her. Amanda contemplates her choices, before finally limping away. Alone, Lara says goodbye to her mother, and the game ends as she walks away from the portal.

Characters

Main article: Tomb Raider characters - Tomb Raider: Underworld

Voice cast

Development

System Requirements
Minimum Recommended
Microsoft Windows[15]
Operating system Windows XP or Windows Vista
CPU Intel Pentium 4 3+GHz or AMD Athlon 2.5+GHzIntel Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz or Athlon 64 X2 4400+
Memory 1GB (Windows XP) / 2GB (Windows Vista)2 GB
Free space 8 GB of free space
Graphics hardware NVIDIA GeForce 6 series 6800GT (or better) / ATI 1800XT (or better)NVidia GeForce 9800 GTX or ATI HD4800
Sound hardware DirectX 9.0c compliant card

In November 2007, Eidos was reported to have filed for a trademark on the phrase, Tomb Raider Underworld.[16][17][18] Eidos soon after reserved the Tomb Raider Underworld domain name.[19] In December 2007, Eidos filed for a second trademark for Tomb Raider Underworld, reserving the right to provide "computer games that may be accessed network-wide by network users."[20] In the January 2008 issue of the magazine Play, details from the "first-ever demo" of the game were revealed.[8] SCi, which owns Eidos, officially announced Tomb Raider: Underworld on 10 January 2008, and confirmed that all platform versions of the game will be released simultaneously in November 2008.[21]

Play's assertions that this is the "first true next gen Lara" and "one big physics smorgasbord" which "looks altogether photo-real"[8] led to speculation that Tomb Raider: Underworld might be using a new game engine for its next-generation graphics rather than the system used by Tomb Raider: Legend and Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Later, the Senior Producer and External Designer separately confirmed that Underworld uses an all-new engine that was built especially for it.[22][23] This new engine will also be used for Deus Ex 3.[24]

Keeley Hawes provided the voice [1] of Lara in this installment, as she did in Anniversary and Legend.[25]

Lara's costume was redesigned and she no longer wears her trademark green sleeveless top and khaki shorts, but instead, a dark brown halter top and black shorts. Additionally, her hair is no longer braided, but worn in a ponytail. According to Play, Lara "moves as good as she looks [and] no longer moves like a video game character" thanks to being fully motion captured.[8] Olympic gymnast and NCAA Women's Gymnastics champion Heidi Moneymaker was the model used for motion capturing.[12] Lara Croft is said to have over 2,000 animations. [26]

The first official video, entitled "Beneath the Surface", was released on 17 July 2008, and featured interviews with members of the development team and showed screenshots, artwork, and several clips of gameplay footage. A teaser trailer was released on 19 July 2008,[27] and the first gameplay trailer was released on 15 August 2008.[28]

Gymnast Alison Carroll has also been selected as the new official Lara Croft model to promote the game, replacing Karima Adebibe.

Music

Troels Brun Folmann composed the main theme of the game, and is the music supervisor for Underworld while O'Malley is scoring the bulk of the music. Underworld's music is purely orchestral in style.[29]

There are pieces that do not loop, meaning they will only play one time and will be triggered on specific events. The score is made more of musical fragments, similar to the first five games of the Tomb Raider series, and there will be less constant music than in Legend.[29]

The first 4 seconds of the main theme are the well known four-notes of the first Tomb Raider game main theme. A similar beginning was already used in another track composed by Troels called "Egypt - Cinematic Mix 2". The end of the main theme gets louder than the beginning by adding choirs and percussion. It then drops into a solo performance of the same four-notes reminiscent of the Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness main theme.

Marketing and release

Downloadable content

After an agreement with Microsoft, Eidos announced they will release two new chapters of Tomb Raider: Underworld as exclusive downloadable content on the Xbox Live Marketplace: Beneath the Ashes and Lara's Shadow in early 2009[30] for a price and exact date yet to be announced. According to an MTV Multiplayer blog post, an Eidos spokesperson has stated that there are no plans to release the content for PlayStation 3 or Microsoft Windows.[31] Following a negative reaction from fans, Eidos released a statement explaining that they were approached by Microsoft, and to confirm "there are no plans for additional downloadable content for PS3".[32]

Also, it was announced two new outfits, made by Québec fashion designers, will be available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace for Xbox 360 which were chosen by jury and public vote on the Festival Arcadia's Virtually Fashionable on 8 November 2008. [33]

On 15th December 2008 Eidos announced the release of two classic outfits from past Tomb Raider games would be release for free on the Xbox Live Marketplace, also as exclusive to Microsoft's Xbox 360 system. [34]

On 30th December 2008 another two outfits were released for free on the Xbox Live Marketplace, they are both two different types of wetsuit for Lara.

Reception

Tomb Raider: Underworld received mixed reviews, and sales of the game from release until Christmas 2008 did not meet expectations. Prior to the game's release, Eidos attempted to prevent any reviews rating the game at less than 8 out of ten from appearing, with an Eidos spokesman stating "[t]he brand manager in the US that's handling all of Tomb Raider has asked that we just manage the scores before the game is out, really, just to ensure that we don't put people off buying the game, basically."[35] While the graphical environment has been widely praised criticisms have been made of the combat, camera angles, puzzles and game-play.[36][37][38] Although The Guardian review offered the view that "if you're a Tomb Raider fan, you'll absolutely love it and almost certainly agree that it's the best Tomb Raider game yet,[39] IGN offered the opposing opinion, that "it's disappointing for fans of the series".[40]

References

  1. ^ Tomb Raider Portal Official release dates per platform (page bottom).
  2. ^ Buzz Monkey's Underworld Exploits Revealed!
  3. ^ Nintendo Power TR:U Preview
  4. ^ "Official Tomb Raider web site online". TombRaiderChronicles.com. 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  5. ^ "EA Mobile Strengthens Commitment to Nokia N-Gage With New Global Games Line-up". Electronic Arts Inc. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  6. ^ "Warner Bros. Strengthens Partnership with SCi". Edge. 2008-04-25. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  7. ^ Semel, Paul (2008-05-22). "Uncharted Territory". Crispy Gamer. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Cover story: Tomb Raider 8", Play, p. 12, January 2008
  9. ^ a b c Molloy, Sean (February 2008). "Tomb Raider: Underworld Preview". Games for Windows. p. 48.
  10. ^ Nelson, Randy (February 2008). "Love At First Sight...". Tomb Raider 8: First Look Preview. PlayStation: The Official Magazine. pp. 20–22.
  11. ^ "Tomb Raider Underworld exclusive". Tomb Raider Chronicles. 2007-12-13. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  12. ^ a b c "The Next Logical Step". Game Informer. February 2008. p. 66.
  13. ^ "Back to Basics". PlayStation Official Magazine - UK. February 2008. pp. 57–62.
  14. ^ Tomb Raider Chronicles - Nautical Adventures For Lara Croft
  15. ^ "Tomb Raider Underworld System Requirements". WorthPlaying. 27 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  16. ^ Purchese, Rob (2007-12-03). "Eidos cagey on new Lara title". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  17. ^ "Latest Status Info". TARR. 2007-11-26. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  18. ^ Bishop, Stuart (2007-12-03). "New Tomb Raider uncovered?". CVG. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  19. ^ "Tomb Raider Underworld domain nod". Tomb Raider Chronicles. 2007-12-02. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  20. ^ "Latest Status Info". TARR. 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  21. ^ Brightman, James (2008-04-25). "SCi Gains Major Investment from Warner Bros". GameDaily. Retrieved 2008-05-28.
  22. ^ Orry, Tom (2008-02-01). "Tomb Raider: Underworld Interview". Videogamer.com. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
  23. ^ Cocker, Guy (Features Editor, GameSpot—interviewer), Beacham, Bill (External Director, Eidos—interviewee). GameSpot Video: Tomb Raider Underworld Interview 1. London, England: GameSpot. Event occurs at 0:24. Retrieved 2008-05-26. So we've got a next-gen engine. We built it from the ground up, and that just allows us to do so much more with the size of the world, the visual fidelity of the world, how Lara looks, how she moves, and just expanding the gameplay in ways that are true to what you'd expect from a tomb raider game but they are also giving you new ways to explore the environment and deal with the challenges. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help)
  24. ^ Miller, Ross (2007-12-03). "Tomb Raider engine to power Deus Ex 3". Joystiq. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  25. ^ Kollar, Philip (2007-12-14). "Tomb Raider Underworld uncovered". 1Up.com. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  26. ^ "Tomb Raider Underworld".
  27. ^ "The Tomb Raider: Underworld trailer has been unleashed". Eidos Interactive. 2008-07-19. Retrieved 2008-07-20.
  28. ^ "New gameplay trailer!". Eidos Interactive. 2008-08-14. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  29. ^ a b Podcast 3 - Interview with TR:U composer Troels Folmann
  30. ^ "Exclusive Downloadable Chapters Announced". TombRaider.com. 2008-10-06. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  31. ^ Klepek, Patrick (2008-10-06). "What 360-Exclusive 'Tomb Raider' DLC Means For PS3, PC Owners". Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  32. ^ "Eidos Expands on Extended Chapters". TombRaiderChronicles.com. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  33. ^ http://tombraider.com/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.222
  34. ^ http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/headlines3582.html
  35. ^ Kollewe, Julia. "Eidos warns of disappointing sales for new Lara Croft game", 9 January 2009. The Guardian.
  36. ^ "Tomb Raider: Underworld Review". GamesRadar. 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  37. ^ "Tomb Raider: Underworld (Multiformat)". Orange UK. 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  38. ^ "Tomb Raider: Underworld Review". IGN. 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-11-21.
  39. ^ "Game Review: Tomb Raider Underworld". Guardian. 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
  40. ^ DeVries, Jack, "Tomb Raider Underworld Review", 21 November 2008, IGN.com.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tomb_Raider:_Underworld&oldid=262940696"