Tomb Rider (2012)

[Fiach]

Underworld €7.49 st green man gaming. Dunno if thats a good price, but it would appear to be.

http://www.greenmangaming.co.uk/#link6

[fragger]

Here's a couple of links to info about TR 2012 - it looks like an awesome game! This site provides a rundown on what the game will be about, plus a trailer:

http://tombraiders.net/stella/tomb9.html

This page has a 2011 E3 interview with a couple of devs and features a look at the game itself. It looks amazing, especially the fire effects (the second vid on the page is the E3 one):

http://tombraiders.net/stella/images/TR9/tomb-raider-media.html

It seems that the game will be mainly aimed at the console market, but it will also be available for PC and the devs have elsewhere claimed that they are making sure the game will be fully keyboard and mouse supported. I hope so - I'm finding that I'm not the only one who thinks the PC controls for Legend aren't quite up to what the game demands and in fact this is one of the biggest criticisms of the PC version. Phew, it's not just me then...

I'm looking forward to TR 2012, which apparently is going to be titled simply "Tomb Raider".

[Art Blade]

which apparently is going to be titled simply "Tomb Raider".

Until they change that to "Rage2."  :-D

[fragger]

Don't say that...

:)

[fragger]

I was just re-reading JRD's initial post in this topic about how after TR4 the devs made changes to the next game and lost the plot with it (and a great chunk of their fan base, including me). I hope the people behind the new game are not going to make the same mistake. The new TR looks to be a significant departure in game concept and in how Lara is depicted, and if they're not careful they'll blow it again. I hope they learned from their predecessors' mistakes. As Frasier once said: "It may be an unwise man who doesn't learn from his mistakes, but it's an absolute idiot that doesn't learn from other people's!" :-()

I noticed one of the guys being interviewed at E3 said something very roughly like "The Tomb Raider series is getting a bit stale, we need to inject new life into it". Maybe so, but the last time they tried to do that they killed it.

We'll see I guess.

[Art Blade]

"Rage3," then?  :-D

[fragger]

Geez, it's getting worse... :-()

I need to amend my previous post - it was TR6, "Angel of Darkness", that went down with fans like a pork chop at a bar mitzvah, not TR5, "Chronicles", which actually wasn't bad at all.

[Jim di Griz]

Well, the game should be here today, postman willing...anyone else getting it?

[Art Blade]

I hear "delayed" until Spring 2026



:-D

[Jim di Griz]

Aaargh - I must have been asleep for fourteen years then! It's already here... ^-^

I'd better not look outside just in case it's an apocalypic wasteland full of roaming Morgoth tribes...no, wait, that's normal for Southampton  ;)

[Art Blade]

 

[fragger]

 

2026!? I'll be old by then! Oh, wait... too late.

I'll probably get that one Jim, being a big Lara fan. Or should I say, a big fan of Lara :-()

[PZ]

Careful how you word things, fragger 

I was not planning to get the game, but am interested to read of your adventures and impressions.  I played one of the original Tomb Raider games when it was on PC and found it entertaining.

[Jim di Griz]

Oh, it's quite different from the original games, not only by dint of such fine visuals, the game is also open world.

So far a lot of style-similarites with FC3 - not just due to the location as it has been raining lots more than FC3 (there again I suspect that fans need to see Lara wet...) be warned that there is some button-prompt gameplay, though not too much.

Gameplay sees pretty smooth with intuitive controls for most actions, though some of the dodge actions seem a bit out of keeping with the rest, too swift really. Other times, doging a wolf's leap for example works well.

Plenty to explore and shoot at plus familair element from other games.

More to follow.

[Jim di Griz]

What a beautifull, visual game this is turning out to be. No surprise I suppose considering all the stuff we've seen over the past age. If you liked Uncharted then you'll love the visuals in TR - mostly because they are very similar indeed to 1 and 2.

You become very easily absorbed in the flow of it. You are being hounded a bit from quite early on and the gameplay is nicely suited to this.

Although I mentioned it's open world, there are limitations but plenty to explore and find. I had to force myself to stop just now - definitely unusual for me to do so much at the first sitting. There is also fast travel between camps, so don't panic when a route back gets blocked or collapses.

Gameplay is for the most very easy, with intuitive button choices and plenty of moves. The AI are pretty stupid and slow unfortunately, at least they are on normal difficulty. For those who hate button prompts, then be ready as this has quite a few and there are some with very tight timing, meaning you'll die several times in a row...and end up all annoyed.

The customisation and skill upgrade menus are very nice indeed, as is the map. You can see each section of the island unfold and scan back over the areas already visited. Some you will not get all of the relics or loot straight off as certain skills need to be unlocked first.

Storylines never seem popular with the vocal minority of gamers but this one seems to have a pure TR style story behind it and is unfolding nicely so far.

I was a little concerned that this might well turn out being another FC3 and not just because of the similar locale. Like I said though, it is a lot closer to Uncharted 2, which fits the story better. Doubtless there will be all kinds of commentary about that on the web but for me it fits well, almost like a kind of thank you to ND for what they made from the same source material.

Quite a few puzzles in the game so far and these are closer to the Portal style of doing it, where you need to do one thing in another chamber to let you do what is needed in the main one - you'll see what I mean when you play it.

So, I'm apparently at about 14% in now and approaching the radio tower. It's been pretty much terrible weather all the way up the mountain all to keep her wet I suspect, and that's something they have made superbly - the weather that is  ^-^

I'm sure there's lots more I've forgotten to mention but there is also a lot going on. I hope those who are getting this enjoy it as much as I am.

[fragger]

Careful how you word things, fragger 

Oh, believe me mate, I try to be :-D

Thanks Jim for the rundown thus far. An open-world type approach sounds like quite a major departure from previous TR titles.

I may go shopping tomorrow 8) Please tell me I don't have to be online to play it...

[Jim di Griz]

Not sure about the PC version but we currently cannot connect to PSN due to the ISP having issues with a local exchange, and I played the game fine without - so no connection required  :)

[PZ]

You've got me interested with the open world nature, and the look of the Uncharted series, which I loved playing despite their linear nature.  I'd probably like an open world Uncharted-like game  ^-^

[Jim di Griz]

Be aware that it's closer to Uncharted 2's style of open world. The difference is you can go back to areas previously visited. I think they slightly misappropriated the label 'open world' as it's only open in that aspect.

I'm only a short way in and like I said, there are things you can't do until later on - so maybe parts of the maps will open up further once the relevant skills have been applied. For instance, there are three routes out of one of the first areas, only blocked by dried shrubbery. I'm sure that'll open up if I can only upgrade to fire arrows...maybe not though.

I'll keep you posted but it'll be a few days before I can play again - damn ten hour shifts...

[PZ]

I'll keep you posted but it'll be a few days before I can play again - damn ten hour shifts...

w@&k sure does get in the way sometimes!  My luck is that I'm usually the most busy when the greatest number of interesting games have been released.

[Fiach]

Be aware that it's closer to Uncharted 2's style of open world. The difference is you can go back to areas previously visited. I think they slightly misappropriated the label 'open world' as it's only open in that aspect.

I'm only a short way in and like I said, there are things you can't do until later on - so maybe parts of the maps will open up further once the relevant skills have been applied. For instance, there are three routes out of one of the first areas, only blocked by dried shrubbery. I'm sure that'll open up if I can only upgrade to fire arrows...maybe not though.

I'll keep you posted but it'll be a few days before I can play again - damn ten hour shifts...

You get Fire arrows after you do the parachute trip Jimi, this is accessed from one of the areas near where you go to rescue the pilot, you will recognise it as the sort of valley area where you can create alot of ziplines criss- crossing each other as you decend.

The game is very good, it's kind of ironic, Uncharted ripped off and refined Tomb Raider, then Tomb Raider ripped off and refined uncharted.


*walks off humming "The Circle of life" and kicks Simba in the a$$.

[Art Blade]

 :-D

[PZ]

The game is very good, it's kind of ironic, Uncharted ripped off and refined Tomb Raider, then Tomb Raider ripped off and refined uncharted.

  I call that justice

[Jim di Griz]

Cheers Fiach - I thought there'd be something along those lines soon as fire arrows is one of the upgrades for the bow - as are napalm arrows.

How are you keeping by the way? Long time no hear from.

I still maintain that the adapting of each others' w@&k is a purposeful nod by both parties. They seem to approve of what the other has done with their idea - like I paraphrased (possibly somewhere else) immitation is indeed the highest form of flattery.

[Fiach]

Cheers Fiach - I thought there'd be something along those lines soon as fire arrows is one of the upgrades for the bow - as are napalm arrows.

How are you keeping by the way? Long time no hear from.

I still maintain that the adapting of each others' w@&k is a purposeful nod by both parties. They seem to approve of what the other has done with their idea - like I paraphrased (possibly somewhere else) immitation is indeed the highest form of flattery.

I'm good mate, thanks for asking :)

Been real busy and havent been playing anything worth posting about, old school RPG's like Baldurs Gate series on the old Infinity Engine.

I'm halfway through TR (had it on pre-order for ages), but I have been playing it slowly and savouring it, exploring every nook and cranny, backtracking as I get new skills etc. Makes a change compared to other games, running from one action set-piece to another :)

Didnt know about the Naplam arrows, Thanks for the heads up! Currently I'm doing a Rambo impersonation, covered in blood, in an area called The Pit. :)