Overview- Critic & User
Reviews - Videos &
Screenshots
News- Codes
& FAQs - Gameplay
Controls - Similar
Games
Bundles
Critic & User Reviews
Sort by
A "Tomb" Not Worth Raiding
posted by JMichaud (BETHESDA, MD) Dec 30, 2008
Member since Jan 2008
1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful
This is my first journey with Lara Croft, and if this game's any indication of future games, I hope it's my last.
Tomb Raider: Underworld has you as Lara Croft raiding tombs for treasure. But the story also has you looking for your long, lost mother who disappeared while looking for some ancient city or something.
But what this game really is about is you going from point A to point B by going through lots of jumping sequences and puzzles.
The jumps are a challenge made annoyingly tough by a camera that won't stay still; it just wants to wander about, getting all the wrong shots and too many close ups of Lara (yes, I know she's sexy, but even I got tired of that).
The puzzles aren't very good either; most are the "get to point a to hit switch B, then go to point C and hit switch D to open door E" There are a few clever uses of the Wiimote, but they are too few for me to remember.
Adding to the troublesome puzzles is interacting with key objects, which is made hard by clunky controls. Sometimes I wonder why it taking Lara so long to pick up a key lying on the ground.
But the worst part of Underworld is the experience. As I was playing it, all I felt I was doing was make several jumps and solve plain vanilla puzzles. The story's got no spice in it, the characters are forgettable, and completing a level doesn't make me feel like I accomplished anything important - it just led me to another level, and more jumps and plain vanilla puzzles.
The only reason why I think people will buy Tomb Raider: Underworld is to ogle at Lara Croft. SKIP IT.
Tomb Raider: Underworld has you as Lara Croft raiding tombs for treasure. But the story also has you looking for your long, lost mother who disappeared while looking for some ancient city or something.
But what this game really is about is you going from point A to point B by going through lots of jumping sequences and puzzles.
The jumps are a challenge made annoyingly tough by a camera that won't stay still; it just wants to wander about, getting all the wrong shots and too many close ups of Lara (yes, I know she's sexy, but even I got tired of that).
The puzzles aren't very good either; most are the "get to point a to hit switch B, then go to point C and hit switch D to open door E" There are a few clever uses of the Wiimote, but they are too few for me to remember.
Adding to the troublesome puzzles is interacting with key objects, which is made hard by clunky controls. Sometimes I wonder why it taking Lara so long to pick up a key lying on the ground.
But the worst part of Underworld is the experience. As I was playing it, all I felt I was doing was make several jumps and solve plain vanilla puzzles. The story's got no spice in it, the characters are forgettable, and completing a level doesn't make me feel like I accomplished anything important - it just led me to another level, and more jumps and plain vanilla puzzles.
The only reason why I think people will buy Tomb Raider: Underworld is to ogle at Lara Croft. SKIP IT.
Sort by