PSP World

Tomb Raider Legend

It's probably fair to state that the Tomb Raider series of games are some of the most influential computer/console games of all time. I say ‘some’, as after the first two outings the series lost its way a little. Whether this was allowing a little too much exploration or the production of the unforgivable Angel of Darkness, many considered it an irretrievable franchise and the two movie outings did little to help. It surprised everyone then when not only was Legend announced but also a new developer: Crystal Dynamics. We already know that the game has been well received on the PS2 and other consoles but this is the first outing on the PSP so how does it handle its Tomb Raiding?

Legend begins in familiar territory with Lara travelling through Bolivia using the tried and tested Tomb Raider route (i.e.: the most difficult and life threatening). This involves our heroine dangling from cliff ledges, jumping small gaps and swinging across the larger ones. Although this may appear tough it is actually when the going is relatively easy because at least you have a route, which will quickly change when you get to one of the many mind-bending puzzles. It's here you can see how much freedom you have as objects can now be moved anywhere rather than only within the strict grids that have dominated the rest of the series. Obviously this means that solving the majority of puzzles is a bit harder but there is extra help at hand, which we'll talk about later. The adventure will take you though many countries and the core of the game is back to what Laura Does best: Tomb Raiding. It's not only about completing all your objectives; collecting extra artefacts leads to bonus missions being opened up both in Croft Manor and also in the Multiplayer section. These add a much need replay element to the game, not to mention a chance to battle it out with a friend on a variety of missions.

Breaking up the platforming action are the bike rides and there are a handful of these that link various areas of the game. This is generally a case of staying on the bike (not hitting any of the many trees on your route) and shooting the various henchmen who are pursuing you. You'll also get to pull off some great jumps thanks to the odd ramp mysteriously placed at every gap in the terrain. There's also a fork lift truck which you'll have to master but as for what that's for... well you'll just have to wait and see.

One significant difference with Legend is the amount of help you can tap into. Not only are you constantly in touch with the boys back at mission control, who'll feed you hints and tips, but you're are also equipped with a RAD (Remote Analysis Device). This has divided the adventure community as using it to scan any environment gives you vital information about what can be moves or what is a mechanism which may require activation. However from the average gamer’s point of view it does cut down on much trial and error exploration and you don't have to use it if you don't want to. Other additions include the interactive movie section, which are very reminiscent of the old Space Ace/Dragon's Lair arcade machines. This generally occurs when you are in a perilous situation of some description with the required button appearing on the screen. Pressing it in time will generally mean you land back on terra firma but any delay will result in Laura's demise.

Visually the game is not nearly as pretty as its console counterparts and if you've been playing the X-Box 360 or PS2 versions you're going to notice some significant differences especially in the lighting department. There are also some sever frame rate issues which occasionally happen when absolutely nothing is going on which is a bit of a first in console games. On the plus side the main model of Laura is incredibly well animated and the environments never become so blocky that you can't see what's going on or what you should be doing. The cut scenes are also very well done and because they are presented in a widescreen format they make the whole experience feel very cinematic.

We've certainly come a long way from the standard of audio in the first PS1 games. Both the music and voice work are of a very high quality especially when you consider that there's no real 'Hollywood' talent. The music is both atmospheric and, occasionally very haunting adding much to the games overall atmosphere.

The control is problematic to say the least and while this has plagued some of the other Tomb Raider games you'd imagine they'd attempt to get it right this time around. No such luck unfortunately. There are problems both with Laura's movement and re-positioning the camera. These begin very early on in the game when something as simple as jumping from one ledge to another can be incredibly frustrating because the analogue stick doesn't always recognise exactly where you want to go. The camera angles are similarly problematic mainly because they are also altered with a combination of the analogue stick and the 'square' button. Clearly this works when you are quietly exploring but attempting to 'line-up' a succession of platforms before you jump (whist also avoiding gunfire) is not as easy. You will become accustomed to the various control 'quirks' but they really should have been ironed out before the games release.

What's most impressive about this PSP version is the simple fact that it's all there. The developers have managed to cram all the console levels onto the tiny UMD. There's even PSP exclusives and Croft Manor, which add much needed replay value to the overall package. With all that you'd image that it would have scored much higher and, to be honest, if it wasn't for the control and frame rate issues it would have and we can only hope that these will be given the utmost attention for the recently announced 10th Anniversary Edition (which should be released before the end of 2006) and which is also PSP Bound. There's also the question of the game’s length (around 10-12 hours), which as we pointed out can be stretched if you choose the more traditional approach and leave your RAD behind. On the plus side this is still Tomb Raider back at its best and the game is an incredibly enjoyable romp despite its various shortcomings.

By Andrew Blanchard

Review Round-Up

IGN: 7.2
"It packs everything from the console version, even a bonus multiplayer mode, so handheld owners won't feel cheated when it comes to content. Having said that, the drop in performance is significant, making a once-polished title irrefutably tarnished."

GameSpot: 6.2
"If you can get past the poor controls and irritating camera, Tomb Raider: Legend on the PSP offers the same fairly enjoyable experience as its PC and console counterparts."

GameSpy: 7.0
"While it's more or less the same game we played on our consoles earlier this year, Lara's latest is still an enjoyable adventure."

GamePro: 6.5
"In the process of being brought to the PSP, Legends changed into an occasionally enjoyable though altogether disappointing title that mimics much of Laura's older works than the material it supposedly draws from."

Aggregate Rating: 6.9