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18th September 2005:
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend
We take a look at what to expect when gaming's most famous heroine makes her triumphant return.
Posted by John Grothier - Xbox,PlayStation 2,PC - UK and Europe

After the disappointment of Lara's last outing Eidos have passed over the reins to developers Crystal Dynamics, best known for their stylish Legacy of Kain series. In Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend, gorgeous Lara Croft must travel the globe in search of an ancient English artefact and is pitted against rival forces led by a nemesis from her past...long thought to be dead.

In this new adventure the developers promise that Lara will truly come to life - the dual-pistol, wielding adventurer's polygon count and animation set has been increased significantly, presenting Lara in the finest fidelity seen to date. Although the main story is still under wraps we know that Lara will be going back to her roots with a triumphant return to the Tombs that made her famous. Indeed, Lara's new quest brings her to lost ancient realms that guard Secrets of the Past.

The Tomb Raider team members at Crystal Dynamics embarked on their own quest to rediscover Lara Croft. During their soul-searching mission, they unearthed past consumer surveys, conducted new research, re-read every game review, listened to lots of passionate pleas and opinions from gamers and re-played through every Tomb Raider product. From this introspection and open-minded search for a fresh perspective, Tomb Raider: Legend was born, and perhaps best of all, Crystal Dynamics have recruited Lara Croft's original creator Toby Gard as the lead character designer.

Already the game is looking stunning with some incredibly fluid movement and a completely revamped control system that will provide intuitive and fluid character movement. The game features a dynamic animation system that puts focus on continuous motion, giving Lara the ability to seamlessly handle any obstacle and interact dynamically with any surface. As with previous adventures Lara will be able to move and shoot at the same time and can use her physical prowess to combine gunplay with some unique signature moves.

In Tomb Raider: Legend players will also have a variety of choice as they must intelligently use the environment, technical gear and weapons to overcome some challenging situations for Lara. The all-new graphics engine handles physics, fire and water - to bring the perilous environments of Lara's world alive, and challenge the player to improvise solutions to obstacles.

This time around players will get the chance to visit a vast array of cinematic and exotic locations that will include ancient tombs, dangerous jungles, snowy mountain ruins and perhaps best of all, the developers promise us numerous unexpected surprises in between.

More on Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend - as we get it.

John Grothier

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Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend
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