20 Aug tomb-raider-legend-pc-tor-ot-hamilton-ombur-po-pilomu-1

Tomb Raider: Legend (PC) – review from Hamilton |Requiem for the past

Nostalgic overview of the adventures of the hottest girl on your excavations – “Tomb Raider: Legend”! Attention: In the review there is a “company humor” of the author, as well as, through the fault of the author, some important gameplay elements are missed, the request not to throw slippers! Enjoy viewing/reading!

Text version of the review

For a little more than a year and a half, I have been engaged in “nostalgic” reviews, and for all this time I, one way or another, tried to find myself in creativity, and also find what it would be interesting for me to tell. And, it turns out that video games have always been most interesting to me. I rarely watch cinema, the series is even smaller, and if I start talking about the anime, then they mix me with … however, we will not about the sad. Although, now in our country this is more or less normally perceived, in any case, in some of its regions.

Therefore, games became an ideal option for me, because I always liked them banal. I even dreamed that when I graduate from school, I would definitely sit at home for days and play a computer, I wanted it so much. Of course, now, more than five years after graduation and 2.5 years after graduation, it does not seem to be some interesting dream. On the contrary, it is pretty boring in my case, because my computer is mildly not modern. Not the time of the beginning of the zero, of course, but modern titles do not even pull on minimum worshipers. That is why, in fact, the choice in the direction of the videos fell on old games, which I played as a schoolboy, and sometimes it really gives me pleasure.

One way or another, but for this “nostalgic” review, it became the object “Tomb Raider: Legend”, because, oddly enough and ironic, it was she who became a turning point for me on my game path and began my legend. It was she who gave, perhaps, the first and most sincere good impressions of the games in general and fell in love with all my heart, despite the fact that then I already played in GTA: Vice City, which I still really like and generally consider one of the best in the series, but today is not about that. Before I start talking about the game, I just want to say thanks. Thanks to one specific person who, of course, does not read this article now, but I can’t do it. Thanks to him, in fact, I want to say for the fact that he at one time really discovered this game for me and, in many ways, later helped to form his own game taste. So, something suffered somewhere in sentimentalism, it is time to know the honor, and finally start this review! I represent you … “Tomb Raider: Legend”!

So, the game was published in the distant April 2006 for many platforms that are currently relevant at that time, such as PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Gameboy Advance, Nintendo DS and personal computer. The development was engaged in the notorious Crystal Dynamics studio, familiar to many of the Legacy of Kain series and other cool and not very games. It was precisely this studio that was developing because it was to it that the rights to the franchise were transferred after the deafening failure of the past part, namely The Angel of Darkness, which was developed by the now non -existent Core Design studio, which invented Lara Croft. Well, because the publisher of all past games, namely the Eidos Interactive studio, was partially, a little familiar to the frequent readers of my blog by review on Total Overdose, and which was also the publisher of this part of the series, by the way, the seventh in the account. Actually, Crystal Dynamics faced a rather difficult task, namely, partially reanimate the series in the eyes of the players, giving them an interesting gameplay and plot, a game in the series, therefore, the best solution for the studio was to restart this very series. Although from the old canons, namely from the plot of the very first game, later told in Anniversary, no one began to refuse, well, this is so, by the way.

Actually, the game meets us with a scene, on which Little Lara, along with her mother, Amelia flies on a private plane and discusses all childish heresies. Flying somewhere above Nepal, the plane falls into turbulence due to the suddenly began storm, and later a lightning strikes one of the turbines at all. As a result, the plane, of course, falls, and we are transferred for several decades to the already matured Lara, which, as usual, will catch somewhere stubbornly, risking both his own life and the mental health of his partners, watching her adventures somewhere in the rod mansion. Yes, this is how newcomers are introduced to Lara, who are just starting to get acquainted with the series and her heroine. Bold, daring, not devoid of adventurism, according to all the covenants of Hippolytus Georgievich from the irony of fate, a young and very attractive girl! Actually, Lara is climbing on the rocks of Bolivia near Tivanaku, the ruins of the ancient pre -mining civilization, following the advice of her university friend Ana Iman. Soon she encounters James Ratland and his mercenaries, exactly in front of which she catches a sudden flashback, in which the same young Lara finds a stone pedestal in one of the temples in Nepal, and which she accidentally activates, pressing the handle of a stone sticking out of the stone … lever.

Suddenly, the pedestal turns kaiser-slots.co.uk into Skype from the Great Patriotic War, and Amelia Croft begins to see some strange silhouettes and hear something, or even someone. As a result, the frightened Amelia pulls out a lever that turned out to be a magical sword from the pedestal, and under the flash disappears to hell, leaving her daughter alone in an abandoned and cold Nepalsky temple. Actually, before Lara saw Ratland, she noticed exactly the same pedestal here, in Bolivia. Passing a slightly tense scene of the acquaintance of Lara and Ratland, the second shows her a fragment of an ancient sword, which was stuck into a stone pedestal, and suddenly begins to talk about the dead girlfriend of Lara, namely about Amanda Evert. Not having time to hear questions from the puzzled tomb of the tombs, Ratland flies away by helicopter, and Lara enters the shootout with his mercenaries, after which he explores the stone structure and discovers that it is fully consistent with what is in Nepal. And to open the portal through which Lara intends to return the missing mother or at least find out what the hell is happening here, it is necessary to insert the sword into this stone pedestal, but, t.To. Our young twist does not have a sword, and as we already know, he is scattered in whole pieces in the world, we, in the person of Lara Croft, have to go on a fascinating journey to search for the parts of a magic sword. And while I was not taken to tell me about the plot even more and in more detail that I am well and quite often practice, let’s move on to the main part of my view, namely the gameplay!

As I already said, the legend became a kind of restarting the series, but the developers from Crystal Dynamics did not want to just throw all the developments of the Core Design studio on the landfill, but on the contrary, they decided to take the skeleton in the form of the main gameplay elements as a basis, and slightly adjust the croof of the control so that the newcomers of the series were comfortable to play comfortably. The fruits of their processing were quite convenient management both on the keyboard and mice, and on the gamepad, which in the game, of course, is also supported. All standard keys are in their places, WASD – movement, gap – jump, etc.D. Well, t.To. This is a game not about anyone, but about the Lara Croft itself, the player throughout the game will have to not only run around the locations, but also climb all kinds of rocks, protrusions, ropes, chains, stairs, vines and other sheer pieces that can be elegant in the phrase “Vertical gameplay”. It is also convenient to climb the rocks or protrusions of buildings, and sometimes the player can climb faster if he intensively press the action key. But do not rush, because sometimes Lara can grab the ledge or the crossbar is not very good, why you have to press the action key so that it does not fall down.

Plus, in this game, Lara became a real gymnast, who can easily not spin on the crossbars, thereby moving from one point to another, somersaults and give out pirouettes worse than Anastasia Volochkova in the best years, and even swing on the vines of your husband Natasha Koroleva. Among other things, sometimes Lara will have to swim in all kinds of rivers, lakes and other puddles, both on the surface and under water, which allows us to study every corner of the level for secret things, which we will talk a little later. And, you see, it would be illogical if Lara had gills or an implanted cylinder with oxygen, therefore the air supply is infinite, and periodically the player will have to come to the surface behind precious air. As in the case of carbacia on the walls, Lara will also be able to swim quickly if you intensively press the action key.

Periodically, to solve Lara puzzles, it will be necessary to pull and push various boxes or giant balls, which, for example, need to be placed on a pressure plate or recess, in order to activate any mechanism, go through a stone pancake with such a box, so as not to become a pancake, pass with a metal ball through a system of protection of the house to prove that even modern art has practical application, or practical use, or has practical use, or practical use, or practical use, or practical use, or practical applicationtrite in order to climb higher in some places. Another thing is that sometimes the player will not be clear what the game wants from him, where is what is located, etc.p., And therefore, Lara has several gadgets with her, which she every now and then uses in her work.

For example, with the help of binoculars, Lara is able to look at long distances or, if you switch the mode, highlight some objects, and find out if it is a mechanism, something that can be broken without difficulty, something explosive or something that can be calmly pushed away. The flashlight in some places will be the best friend for the player who is able to illuminate the dark room and some elements that the player may simply ignore or not notice in this darkness. On one of the chapters, by the way, this flashlight is replaced by lighting checkers, which are not very convenient to rush, but they are quite bright. Another indispensable gadget at Lara is its PDA, in which you can see various information useful for this level: description of weapons, purpose and number of collected artifacts. In addition, he is waterproof that, of course, “very important” and what SIP will mention in casual. Well, the last, but not by value, the gadget of Lara is a magnetic hook-cat, which allows us to draw various objects and mechanisms on ourselves, grab them for some ledges and, thereby, move from one edge of the abyss to another, and knock down some opponents from the feet. In general, the thing is also very useful. In addition, Lara can also carry the first -aid kits with which you can restore health that fall from killed opponents and which can be carried with you in an amount of up to three pieces.

Yes, there is humor in the game, and he can even make you smile

And since it was about the dead opponents, then it is worth moving on to another, no less important part of the gameplay, namely to shootings. After all, Lara Croft is known not only as a famous archaeologist, but also as a rather well -aimed shooter. Actually, the shootings are made quite conveniently and simply, because during the shooting Lara herself leads the sight of the opponents, and you can only choose who and what to shoot at. Plus, during the shootings, Lara can hit the enemy “from the foot from the turn from the run” into the chest if he approached her close. If Lara herself wants to come close and equip the skull of the enemy with ammunition, then she can either knock it down with the help of a tackle and shoot it in the air, or, jumping on it and pushing it away, shoot it or other opponents, while in the air in the Bullet Temaima. In short, spectacular, but not particularly effective, t.To. And without this, everything shoots well enough. But, in my opinion, the most unnecessary gameplay feature of shootings is that Lara can go into aiming mode. Well, t.e. This mode is not needed in the PC version of the game, but it is likely that it is very useful on the consoles. Yes, and what to hide, a couple of times the player is forced to go into this mode, so he was useful for me.

The variety of weapons in the game, by the way, is not so great, I would even say that it is extremely small, although for someone it will even be a plus, we are not playing in Max Payne. In total, Lara can carry one main weapon with it, namely classic pair pistols, and one additional one, which, like first -aid kits, sometimes falls out with opponents. This is a submachine gun, effective close to its rate of fire, an assault rifle that is indispensable when firing at long-distance distances, a shotgun, also effective near, and a grenade launcher, although it is rarely used due to the fact that Lara can also carry ordinary grenades in an amount of up to 4 pieces. There is, however, another weapon that give us at the very end of the game … and I do not think that you can guess what kind of weapon is, so the screenshot with it below.

The opponents, by the way, are quite the same in the game and do not pose a great danger, except that if they do not take in quantity. In fact, they are all cannon meat that they give the player to slightly diversify the main gameplay. And, with the exception of various models of opponents, they do not differ from each other. Everyone carries the weapon I described already with them, so the player will definitely not be limited in ammunition. I would also like to note that it is rare, but not only opponents of people, but also the opponents of animals in the form of jaguars, snow leopards and dogs, and, as if in flaws, it sounds (the author of the article does not support this), but it is not difficult to deal with them. Among other things, the game also contains full -fledged bosses, which are more skill opponents with an increased amount of health, but capable of setting Lara not a frail three. There are four such bosses for the game, and in the battle with each you need a special approach, and, often, not particularly complicated.

I almost forgot to mention that twice for the game there are levels at which Lara will be forced to saddle an iron horse and go in pursuit of bad boys. They are quite short and not very complicated, except that on the keyboard and on the gamepad, the motorcycle control is slightly clumsy, but in general everything remained as it should be. Lara can still shoot opponents while driving and use first -aid kits, generously scattered on the road. It is worth mentioning that at least these levels are short, but enough enough, so the player during the passage of them certainly does not get bored. Well, it is worth noting that the motorcycle is found not only at these two levels, but to fully ride a pink ducati on the roof of the Tokyo high -rise, you can clearly not succeed. Also a rare, but no less spectacular element are local QTE, which are found in almost all chapters of a single campaign. I will not say that this element came out irritating or undesirable, but I personally think that it is simply not needed. Unless see how Lara dies this way or another, sometimes even very cruel.

At the end of each level, the player will show a small final table with his statistics on the passage of a particular chapter, but the statistics themselves will not be interesting for the players, but the place where the number of artifacts collected for the level of artifacts is indicated. Agree, it would be strange if in the game about a girl-archaeologist who climbs the walls like your cat on a wall carpet and explores locations where it is possible and, especially, where it is impossible, there would be no collective element. Actually, artifacts in the game are represented in three types: bronze, which are often most at the level and which can be easily pulled with a magnetic hook. Silver, which are not very many at the level and which are already more difficult to find. And the gold, which is the only one at the level, and in order to get it, the player needs to solve a small puzzle in order to open the place where the artifact lies. Actually, from the number of collected artifacts at the levels, the player will be able to open various bonus materials, such as concept arts, models of characters or objects on locations, biographies, intra-game cats and, importantly, improvements for paired pistols and costumes for Lara herself, which are not just a lot, but a lot! Only variations of its standard appearance of pieces are five! And this is the analysis of the gameplay features of the game “Tomb Raider: Legend” I propose to finish, although I probably missed something. Nevertheless, as always, you should not forget about the other elements of the game, for which people fell in love with it, and by tradition I will begin with the graphic component!

And yes, it is good here, and not only by the standards of 2006. Elaboration of locations, work with light, the design of the environment, opponents and the English aristocracy of Lara Croft – all this, as for me, are made at the highest level. In total, the locations, by the way, are eight, even though the heads of a single campaign themselves are nine, and each is remembered in its own way. For example, Bolivia and Ghana, modern and different from the whole game of Japan, by the way, my personal favorite of all locations in the game, snowy and slightly cranberry Kazakhstan and Nepal, even the Croft estate, in which we will also be given to run and brief artifacts. I already mentioned the design of costumes, but here they are really very, just a lot. Among other things, in the game there is such a function as a schedule of a new generation that my vacuum cleaner does not pull, but which looks very, very cool for the same 2006, although I seemed to have heard that someone was dissatisfied with this, but this is already nit-picking and demagogy in an empty place.

But with the sound of the game there are some problems. T.e. not with the sound itself, whether it is the environment, weapons, steps, etc.p., Everything is pretty good here. He gorgeously complements the atmosphere during the passage, as for me, but the music of the game can rightfully wear the title of “no”. From the whole game you may remember a couple of beautiful melodies, and I’m not joking now. Personally, I remember the music during the chase on the motorcycle in Peru and during the escape from the monster in the memoirs of Lara, as well as music from the Croft estate. Well, the main topic that plays in the menu, where without it. Although, judging by the playlist on the same YouTube, there are about 90 different music in the game, and exactly about, because some of the sound fragments presented there are not music. Nevertheless, I would like to praise the composers for such an approach to creating music and its diversity, because they probably tried, and apparently the problem is in me, since I did not remember almost nothing of this variety.

Special mention, of course, is the voice acting of the game, which is generally pretty good, as for me. Of course, I am not Denis Karamyshev in order to meticulously study all the elements of the adapted text, and sometimes there are rather controversial moments that you notice when you go through the game in the original, but, again, in general, it always came to me. The voices are pleasantly selected that in the original, in the dubbing, and I only want to praise everyone for the work done. And the last, but not by meaning, from what I would like to talk about is about the plot that came out very well. He is interestingly served and talks about many events in Lara’s life, for example, how her mother died, and all this is very, very interesting not only to follow, but also to participate by passing the game. The ending, of course, is a little controversial, especially if you take into account what happened in the end in Underworld, but this is my personally my opinion on this subject.

So, the main advantages of the game can be considered an excellent plot, an interesting and elaborated gameplay, a good graphics, I especially want to highlight the design, sound component, and it is sound, ton of additional content, which is a pleasant bonus, and, perhaps, everything. To the disputed moments and minuses, I would attribute a musical component, as well as rare bugs and artifacts on a relatively good and suitable gland for systemic requirements. You can not believe it, but during one of the Boss in Japan, I walked with a shaking along the location with his textures and did not attack at all, which ruined the impression of the passage at that moment. To summarize all of the above, “Tomb Raider: Legend”, as for me, quite deservedly became a worthy restart of the series after the incomplete “The Angel of Darkness”, which managed not only to show a new and interesting story about the good old laru Croft, but also gave enough hours in which you were enjoyed by an interesting gayimple, simplybecause the game was interesting and cheerful to be. This game is still one of my favorite games in principle, and it is a pity that I rarely refer it, but I can assure you that this time I experienced almost all the same emotions as when I first sat down to play this game.

P.WITH. Taking this opportunity, I want to congratulate everyone and everyone who reads or looks, with the upcoming decade and new, 2020. This decade has become rightfully memorable in the history of the world, but it has become even more memorable and innovative in the world of video games. I am sure that we will find many more cool ambitious projects that will turn the entire game public upside down, and who knows, maybe in the twenties we will even see the long-suffering Half-Life 3, but … do not forget about what we all started and about those who opened this path to us this way. Thank you for your attention!