| Introduction
Created by CORE Design in the mid-1990s, the Tomb
Raider series has been an unprecedented success for
publishers EIDOS. Although the previous GBC versions
were well received, some gamers were critical of the
2D style graphics, which were something of a compromise,
compared to the groundbreaking 3D environments that
PlayStation owners had enjoyed for some years. This
time around, according to its press release, Tomb Raider:
The Prophecy (TR:TP) promises a more sophisticated game
for the GBA, and will hopefully please Lara Croft fans
despite the obvious lack of 3D.
GamePlay
As you'd expect with a handheld Tomb Raider, the
objectives primarily involve the kinds of things that
made Lara Croft so famous in the first place--puzzle-solving
and exploration. The main difference here though, is
that everything's far more simplistic, which will no
doubt please novice gamers.
For starters, the actual exploration feels very linear
in design, meaning that you never really get lost and
that you also follow a dictated path rather than discovering
it for yourself. Also, while you will occasionally be
charged with where to place an object in order to exit
a level, the majority of the puzzle solving involves
opening doors and retracting spikes. Of course, some
combat elements are also present, but to be honest,
a few shots can defeat most enemies.
The whole story is pushed along by various sections
of text, which also occasionally gives you hints on
what to look for and what dangers to expect in the next
tomb. Unfortunately, your actual progress can't be saved;
instead, there is a password system for each area.
This does significantly alter the way you play the
game, as it removes the strategy element from the whole
title; so if you used to save before a dangerous maneuver,
or ration the use of your health packs, now it simply
doesn't matter. It's also a little irritating because
if you happen to die just before the end of a section
you'll have to restart from the beginning. I realize
this is one of the pitfalls of this type of game, and
most of us don't save as regularly as we should, but
a battery backup should have been a must here.
Controls
Considering the number of moves Ms. Croft is capable
of, the control system is remarkably intuitive even
when performing a sideways somersault with pistols a
blazing. Players even get Laura's trusty backpack available
at all times, which appears to be able to hold an incredible
amount of goodies.
The developers have also paid particular attention
to the collision detection, so you'll find that you
can get very close to any type of danger without becoming
an unwitting casualty of it. Finally, although some
helpful text is available in the first few areas, a
full tutorial section would have been nice for anyone
new to games of this genre.
Graphics
The tiny Lara Croft in this latest Tomb Raider looks
wonderful, and the number of moves she can perform is
truly outstanding. Initially the various areas appear
to be just as good, but you'll soon discover just how
much terrain appears to have been duplicated.
It's not too bad, but every area seems to be constructed
using the same ladders, blocks or spikes in either outdoor
snow settings or indoor tombs. It's also a bit of a
shame that there's no FMV intro to take advantage of
the GBA's superior capability as compared to the GBC,
since this was always a feature that the original Tomb
Raider titles were famed for.
Sound & Music
TR:TP is one of the few titles where the intelligent
use of sound really enhances the overall gaming experience.
This starts with some great spot sound effects of Laura
grunting as she jumps, grabs or climbs. Other examples
include the wonderful gunfire effects, or the dogs barking
that you'll usually hear before you even see them.
The real star here though is the music, which is
not only excellent, but has been implemented throughout
the game in a classic movie score fashion to enhance
the onscreen action--great stuff.
Final Comments
While Tomb Raider is by no means a terrible game,
it's certainly not all we'd hoped for. Instead of the
in-depth adventuring and puzzle solving, the whole thing
appears to be a chain of flipping switches, opening
doors and avoiding danger. There's also the addition
of a rather irritating feature indicating what a flipped
switch has actually done but apparently with no option
to turn it off.
Obviously this is all wonderful for the novice gamer,
but Tomb Raider veterans will no doubt feel that this
alone cuts the need to explore areas and therefore completely
destroys one of the main reasons why they played the
original in the first place. On the plus side, the story
line is reasonably inventive and there's certainly enough
gameplay to keep you occupied for some time, but you'd
be well advised to try it before you actually consider
buying it.
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