Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this is a remake of the 1996 classic. It's rated "T" with "mild suggestive themes" because voluptuous Lara wears ultra tight-fitting outfits including a catsuit and swimsuit, which you earn by playing well. The "violence" warning by the ESRB is for Lara's use of guns to shoot creatures and wild animals, but there isn't any blood.
Families can talk about if this game would be as successful if it were an unattractive "Larry Croft" instead of a beautiful "Lara Croft" (even the game makers agree sex appeal is a huge part of this franchise's appeal). Also, families might want to talk about how the game mixes in real-life adventuring and treasure hunting with a bit of a supernatural twist, a la Indiana Jones. Who does this game appeal to most? Girls looking to play video games with strong female role model, or guys wanting to play games featuring a super hot-looking heroine?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
How do you improve on a timeless video game classic like the first Tomb Raider?
If you're game publisher Eidos, you remake the original 1996 adventure by preserving much of its story, characters, environments, weapons, and enemies -- but give it a cosmetic makeover, enhance the puzzles, and expand the world.
LARA CROFT TOMB RAIDER: ANNIVERSARY is a relatively affordable single-player game for the Sony PlayStation 2 and Windows PCs, which reintroduces us to Lara Croft as she risks her neck spelunking through tombs, battling through ancient cities, and scaling cliffs. The story reveals Croft's quest to find a mystical artifact, dubbed the Scion, but she soon realizes the mysterious syndicate that hired her had an ulterior motive.
As in the original, you can first roam through Croft Manor to practice many of Croft's moves, including running, jumping, hanging on ledges, swimming, climbing, shooting guns, and using a grappling hook. Then it's off to Peru, Egypt, Greece, and other areas for her assignment in breathtakingly attractive environments. While the original game was advanced for its time, Anniversary greatly improves on the visual appeal by adding highly detailed characters, smoother animation, and realistic-looking indoor and outdoor scenery.
Larger levels and new pathways to explore mean you will be able to play through this adventure in different ways instead of following the same linear path as in the first game. Enemy artificial intelligence (A.I.) has also been improved, so the baddies who attack Lara -- such as supernatural creatures, giant rats, wolves, crocodiles, bears, and even dinosaurs -- behave in a smarter and more challenging fashion.
Along with tweaking Croft's acrobatic skills, the developers at Crystal Dynamics also enhanced the puzzle-solving component quite a bit. For example, you will have to closely study an environment to figure out how to get from point A to point B, which in turn introduces a new challenge, such as how to unlock a number of doors, many of which will lead to deadly traps.
While the game is an extraordinary remake, some nagging camera issues occur. Sometimes the camera locks behind Croft in a way that obstructs your ability to see what she's shooting at or swinging toward. On the PC version, it can be tough to juggle all the controls using the mouse and keyboard. Computer gamers might fare better with a gamepad.
Minor shortcomings notwithstanding, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary is an exceptional, value-priced remake worth playing through -- even if you've completed the original game multiple times. From its enhanced gameplay and visuals to its entertaining story and cut-scene sequences, Anniversary won't disappoint.
Eidos says Nintendo Wii and PlayStation Portable (PSP) versions are in the works.
If you enjoy this game, you might want to check out an earlier game called Tomb Raider: Legends or the movie versions based on these games: Tomb Raider or Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, both featuring Angelina Jolie.
Another recommended action-adventure game for the PlayStation 2 is Okami.
Reviewed: 06/24/2007
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Sexual ContentLara Croft is voluptuous in an unreal sense, and appears in skin-tight tops and short shorts; but players can also earn new outfits that reveal a lot more cleavage and skin. |
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ViolenceNo blood, but plenty of shooting creatures and animals with dual pistols. |
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Social BehaviorLara may be a sex symbol, but she's also a strong heroine with brains and bravery. |
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