Tomb Raider Legends Review

I remember way back in 1996 when I played the first Tomb Raider on the original PlayStation.  I was blown away by the 3D environments and the innovative controls.  I will never forget the first time I was chased by that T-Rex....I could not believe that I could get so immersed in a game.  Fast forward a couple of years later to Tomb Raider 2 which was also a phenomenal game but the learning curve was steep and the warning signs of what was to come was readily apparent. 

   

Tomb Raider 3 was a complete exercise in futility; it was unbelievable hard and unforgiving with incomprehensible jumping from platform to platform and controls that had once been intuitive were just plain clunky.  It was clear that Eidos (the developer) had rested on their laurels for too long and series had taken a major turn for the worse.  Several failed attempts to bring the franchise back to prominence failed as the games continually got worse and by 2003 the Tomb Raider franchise for all intents and purposes was dead.

So as you can imagine it was with great trepidation that I fired up Tomb Raider Legends in the good ole' PS2.   I'll cut to the chase and let you know that this is a very good game.  It's not a genre redefining title like Resident Evil 4 or GTA but it is a fun diversion for a couple of weeks.  It's kind of like watching an 80's action flick - you'll have fun while your playing it but you won't remember it a month later. 

The gameplay is solid with completely reworked controls.  Thankfully Lara Croft no longer turns like Frankenstein's monster and her movement is silky smooth.  The game is never overly frustrating and the sound and graphics are fantastic by PS2 standards.  It never ceases to amaze me the performance developers are able to squeeze out of this machine.  The story kept me engaged and I wouldn't hesitate to check out the next game in the series.  It appears that Crystal Dynamics was able to do what Eidos could not, resurrect Tomb Raider and make it fun to go spelunking again.  Now Crystal Dynamics where is the next gen version of Soul Reaver?!