Lara Croft: Tomb Raider pt. 2

sequal to part 1
On
March 28, 2011
Welcome Back

As my predescessor article "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider pt. 1", I listed the games from the first Tomb Raider all the way to The Last Revelation (aka Tomb Raider 4). I also put down some incredible memories I had with these games and listed the features that improved the game and the character. I want to put the rest onto here since it's a continuation of the series starting in 1996. Here, you will find the rest of the games (as far as I've seen) and the upcoming new Tomb Raider game that SquareEnix (FFVII anyone?) is developing.

So..on we go.



Now I didn't play this one much either since it was stolen from me (thanks to who ever did that!) I had a who I thought a good friend over who wanted to see the new game (back in 2000). Come to find out he not only took Chronicles, but the rest of my old school games! I was not happy at all. Anyways onto the game, lol.

This game was the sequal to The Last Revelation, continuing with the opening scene of a memorial for Lady Croft seeing a statue of her in stone with the rain and thunder booming around the service of people. Von Croy is still at the temple, trying to excavate ruins to find her. Unbeknownst to everyone, she's in Rome, searching for the Philosopher's Stone. Larson (Tomb Raider 1) returns along with DuPont to get it from Lara. She then goes onto another adventure for the Spear of Destiny. The bad guy, Mikhailov, is after it too. She retrieves it from the ocean but is apprehended. There are some scenes where you get to play a young Lady croft as she is on the Black Isle of Ireland. She then tracks down Von Croy in Egypt. After finding the her and her backpack, he declares they found Lara.

Again, new features are develoved which I found to be interesting and should have been introduced in the first game but to each his own with new options to try with more advanced games. This time Lara is able to walk tightropes, swing on horizontal bars, somersault froward from a ledge while crouching (basically dismounting from the ledge). Her body character, hasn't changed much (all except one article of clothing keeps getting smaller if you know what I mean, ok...it's her shirt.) She doesn't sport any new clothing or gear. Weapons though are recycled from the older games;the MP5 (submachine gun, Desert Eagle (from TR3), and revolver (TR4)). New equip is the TMX-Timex to track statistics and grapling gun (YEA!!)


I enjoyed playing the game, including the demo for the time being but it was sure worth it. But low and behold I was without this game for about 2 years then I was introduced to emulators and got a hold of a PS one emulator with that game, so I was pretty happy after that. One thing I really remember about this game was playing it whenever there was a thunderstorm (idk why) It seems like everytime I played TR it was storming out or was over at my friend's apartment, while it was raining and playing it on her TV. Then we would be off to Rickers or the store down the street to get Ramen or off to Snofono's (pizza place that was closed down).


Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (kinda cool pic). This is the 6th installment, coming from Chronicles and Revelation (sort of). I was so confused about this game. One it was not for the PS one but for PS2. I had to buy a PS2 (well my mom did) and I got this game along with DDR2. I love the gothic tones of the box with the gate, the bluish flames coming off of Lara and the fact she had make-up on. I was estatic to get home to play it.

Basically it was about Lara who stumbles upon Von Croy who has been murdered and is blamed for it. She tries to hide out and yet find the culprits responsible for her mentor's death. She travels all around France, searching for the culprits and also find some mythological artifacts, and creatures. One of which is called "The Angel of Darkness" or "Cubiclum Nephili" or "Sleeper". It's a hybrid of a human and an angel, we find out who does murder Von Croy.
We get to play another character, which is a new option in the series. You get to play Kurtis, who's apart of the Lux Veritatis. When Lara gets trapped in a room, you have to still find a way to get her out. She kills the "Sleeper" and basically finds Kurtis' weapon which quivers and flys away, as she smiles and makes her way out of the lab.

Ok..I didn't like this game at all. I didn't like the new set up of the keys to move Lara are all messy. The square button is the action button and the X button is the jump....it's was crazy, lol. Anyway..


At least she liked my make-up.

The graphics are upgraded, a little. I like gothic stuff so I love the atmosphere of the game and the Architecture, and the story line but playing the game was a headache. It was all pretty but that's it. Given, it's my own opinion but after a week of playing the game, I just gave up and returned it.

Then came the dawn of a new Lara...


I was smitting with the graphics on the front, but I was a little more hesitant with it since AOD had the same concept. When I started to play, I was mesmorized by the absolute beauty of the landscape, backgrounds and guess what ....Lara got upgraded!! (Duh, they released in in '06, it was time!)Her hair is shorter (yeah but it was really getting long, lol) and her shirts fit now...go figure!!

We start off on a brand new adventure. We also get to step back and look at Lara's past with her mother being sent to another world through a stone dais and a sword. Lara travels to Bolivia, Japan (my fave), Peru, London, Ghana and Kazakhstan. She tries to see if she can save her mother and get this sword re-assembed after the dias was destroyed. It is later known as Excalibur, the key to her mother's return. We follow her down different avenues of new heights, scenery and much more.

Legends is a whole new playground. The graphics are not repeated images, no more box-like pieces and everything is in proportion to Lara. Built with flowing water falls, snow, atmospheres, it's a whole new world!!(aaladin anyone, lol) With this new world, comes new outfits! I've always wanted to hack into the game and make her new outfits; would she look good in pink, orange, that sorta thing. I also found out Lara is a true lady. She gets to wear a dress and let her hair down from that ponytail for 10 years, but it's short live, lol. There's ways to get other alternative outfits as you play the game, unlocked artifacts and relics.

It seems a bit breezy up here!

New weapons, New features, GAH I was in the ecstasy of awe. I rented this from Blockbuster and had it beat in just a week! There's so much to do! The house has been re-modled, there are more puzzles to do at the house. You also get to see Zip and Allister, Lara's boyz as she still goes around the world in search of a new adventure. Zip is her computer nerd while Allister is her history nerd (aww..). There's not enough to tell what's in store for Legends. If you have a PS2, buy it and see for yourself. This one of the best.



TOMB RAIDER: UNDERWORLD!! (squeals!). When I first saw this, I thought that Lara died and was reborn or something, but whatever. In 2009, I thought that the Lara world died out with Legends and along with Anniversary edition, but I was wrong, lol. I was maybe on 6 mos in to my marriage in 2009, but my husband saw the oppertunity to purchase a Xbox 360. At the time I wasn't much into it since I already had a PS one, and PS2, but when he showed me the trailer for Underworld, I didn't care anymore about a Playstation. In other words: Got the 360, got Underworld.



What is there not to like about this game? Seriously. Graphics improved, new arsonal of weapons, Lara's body is more defined showing acutal muscle groups. If you liked Legend, you will love this.You still have the same options as you did in Legends,(oops!I just realized I forgot one major component.) The KILL shot! (like in Anniversary).You get a chance to zoom on the animals head, whether it's a dog, bear, spider (eegh), you hear her heartbeat and then a beep then the crosshairs meet just hit your right trigger and "Buh bye spiders!!".

That's great, Mysticwryter, but could you explain the storyline. They don't have all day, and either do I!

Oops! Sorry Lara! It's a continuation of Legends. We first come to see that her beautiful mansion which I loved is now burning all around her. You have to manuver her out of the house before it's destroyed! Yikes! At the end of Legends, Amanda tells Lara's mother is not dead, she's in Avalon, a mythical resting place of King Arthur. She goes through the Mediterranean Sea, discovering "Niflheim" a Norse underworld. Believing her mother is there, she tries to find a way to save her along with bringing of Thor's Hammer, gauntlets and belt. Mercenaries are after the Norse apparel. After being knocked out and stripped she makes her way out of the temple and on to Thailand, Mexico, and the Arctic. Remember the doppelganger in TR!? Well she's back and as bad as ever. I'm not going to sit here and go into anymore of the game. Just play it and let me know, lol.



There is one more game called Tomb Raider and Guardian of Light. I have not played this game, but I've heard some rather different sides of it. I've seen the set up, which reminds me of FF Tattics. What in the world? It look rather strange since I was use to the 3rd person POV. If you have played this game, let me know in the comments as if it's something worth playing. I heard it was available for 360 and PS3. How is the camera setting; the features? Kinda interested, but idk if I should get it.

Check this out!!!!



Ok..I don't want to get too hyped about it and send someone to the hospital due the the shock and awe. What I read on gameinformer and a few other sites, is that SquareEnix (you know the guys that made FFVII?) are making a new Tomb Raider game. I wonder what happened with Edios? Are they colaborating together? Anyway, from the article it said that SquareEnix is going to focus more on the graphics and storyline of this installment. If my eyes didn't decieve me, I believe that this game is going to rock my socks off. Given, I haven't read anything about a storyline, game play or even when it's coming out! From look at the picture, Lara seems younger (Square is going to focus on a past adventure or something like that), her hair is layered, short and she's covered in cuts, bruises and dirt. Where has this girl been? If anyone knows any more details as to what is going on, please send me a message or comment below. I think this is going to change how we view Ms. Croft.

Now....my fingers hurt!! We have come to conclusion of of my Lara Croft experience, history and development of the series. For anyone that is a fan like me, I sure hope you enjoyed reading this and going back in time for just a few short moments. Thanks to everyone who's helped me try to get my barrings about constructing an article. It has been a blast going back in time to see all these games, graphics and features alike.

I hope you enjoyed your ride!!



I wonder if there's a thunderstorm in my forecast??
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