Ms.Croft

How odd that you took off to New York on the 17th. I did too, but only to get a connecting flight to LA. I took off from Bristol though, and if you did, we may have been on the same plane at some point! Hope you had a great time! MsC

Final Score: 8/10. The magazine states that the gunfights are still rather rubbish, especially against enemies that "Stand around looking bored while you fill their guts with lead, then suddenly shout 'She's in range!' when you get close enough to bite their ears off." They state that the TR series needs to make it's shooting sections more Uncharted like (A PS3 game similar to Tomb Raider where he can hide behind cover and aim at enemies). They then go on to say that the shooting against non-human enemies is better stating that, "Not only is it more satisfying killing massive beasts that actually fight back, but it gives you an excuse to see Lara at her best--leaping around, flipping and roundhouse-kicking tigers in the face. Stay down, stripey!" They praise the enormous locations Lara explores saying that the environments look "Detailed and vivid." with details such as "parrots fleeing as you approach; under the sea jellyfish hang in water like fancy lampshades." The magazine praises the environments further saying "The game doesn't quite give you Assassin's Creed-style freedom to crawl all over the scenery, but the cleverly designed environments and Lara's flowing moves give you the impression that you can go anywhere and do anything. It's how exploration should feel.". They say that Lara's Field assistance is "A welcome addition." Another critique is the treasures you collect "From smashed pots. The only reward for all the bother of hunting out secret areas and risking your life is watching the total mount up in your inventory." (However, due to the absence of trophies on PS3, the 360 owners may find them more worthy of collection for achievements.) Their final paragraph states that "Minor annoyances are forgivable, but the embarrasing show of AI inpetitude early on may be enough to prevent some people from ever getting to the really hardcore adventuring. But trust us, it's worth gritting your teeth and blasting your way through the blips. Running around robbing ancient artefacts, desecrating temples and cracking intense puzzles is just as satisying as ever, and feels like vinage Tomb Raider through and through." The main improvement CD have to make according to this review is combat. And, having this review, I think I now know what happens in the beginning and for those who'd like to find out, read on. *MAJOR STORY SPOILER AHEAD* "Series regulars Natla and Amanda return, along with a murderous doppelganger who rocks a sl***y redhead look." I shall have my own review after it's released. MsC

I was told that the demo won't even be released on the Playstation store and that I'll have to download it for PC. Whether this is true or not I have yet to discover, however there is no mention of a PS3 demo on the net that I can see as fact. Thanks for the video, Tom! MsC

Oh I was right with the whole Helheim being the same as Avalon thing. And she can shapeshift...grr, that means she may be the imposter in Lara's manor... MsC

The only thing I can really think of is that there is an imposterLara and Zip has misunderstood what Winston said. Kinda like he's saying, "I know it looks like her, but it isn't her." Whereas Winston does know it's actually her and not the imposter. Lara obviously doesn't really wanna shoot Zip back, which is why she's asking him to wait...but I assume she says "Drop it Zip, or I'll drop you" later on in the game when we visit Croft Manor again to make him stop shooting her so she can explain that it really is her. The imposter theory is looking more true, though I still don't like it...it's not gonna effect my decision on buying the game though if it is. MsC

Nice, but the most interesting thing in that video to me is: "Look out!" "It's Lara!" "I know!" So why are you shooting her, Zip...? Are you really that evil, or fear Lara is? Thanks for that, Fusion! MsC

I know, it tends to be the innocent ones who get punished. The way I see it heading is PC games will be taken off the shelves and only available via hubs like Steam network so that it's harder to crack games. SecuRom is a pain the backside and I hope less games use it rather than more. MsC

If anyone hates CrystalD that's their own choice and opinion, but I personally believe CrystalD's version would have been the better version between them anyhow. Core's looked nice, but they were just the same areas graphically re-vamped; nothing looked that new (A part from a giant spider attack and moves). With CrystalD's version, at least theoretically we were getting a new game based on an old one instead of just a remake. Plus we were able to play Anniversary on PC and PS2 initially, whereas only the PSP owners would have had the re-make with CD. MsC

Hopefully I'll be getting it tomorrow for my PS3 as my laptop won't be able to handle it. I can't personally wait to get it, the official website for it shows some amazing videos. I'll re-post when I've played some of it. MsC

After listening to the beginning cutscene about 5 times, I've deciphered what she's saying I think...the quality is a bit low with the sound. Lara: None of the ruins are visible from down here, but if father did explore this site, I see no sign of it yet... Zip: I still don't see how Thailand is connected to Vikings, or ruins under the metahell (sp), even Avalon for that matter. Lara: Helheim Zip, various myths use different names, but they all apply to the same remnants of the ancient world. Alister: One of those remnants is still alive...I would hate to be Amanda if Natla ever gets free. Zip: *shiver noise* I would hate to be any of us. Thanks for the video Fusion! MsC

It will feature in the story mode, I can tell you that much... However, no one knows yet if we will be able to visit it outside of the story just to play in, train with moves, etc. I should hope we will be able to visit it outside of the adventure, but I have my doubts...hopefully though, my doubts will be crushed when the game hits the shelves! MsC

I'm not taking what someone's 'played' as official information. If they turn out to be right, good for them, but to play the entire Med level at a games convention seems a bit odd. It's like CD were letting people play the entire game instead of just a demo, plus the information this person has stated I've read previously in odd magazines (most of which were joking). And Fusion's right, the demo we'll eventually be able to play is of Thailand that we've seen at Leipzeg (sp). That's been confirmed already. MsC EDIT: I've also read in a magazine that the Kraken doesn't die, it just moves after being wounded (And this person states she/he killed it).

I wouldn't be so bothered if one of the expansions didn't take place directly after Tomb Raider Underworld finishes and lasted up to 6 hours...if it was just extra content like more outfits, or a separate level that had nothing to do with the story, I'd be fine...but this...this is just unfair. MsC

This sucks insanely! It's extremely unfair for them to do this if they don't each give the PS3 and PC some exclusive content too. Sony and the PC have had the game for 11 years! 11! And they get this in return... I'm not happy... MsC

I don't mean ignore them, I just mean I think it's unfair to compare a lot of songs from completely different eras...if Diamonds Are Forever came out today; Bassey, I would doubt, would have done it the exact same way in the same style. The style Bassey did it in during that time wasn't purely creative, it was one of the many common styles of that era, and today, it's just not as popular anymore as music is changing and mainstream audiences have different tastes, that's why I think it's unfair to compare them. To me, a good bond theme needs to be something that'll stick in your mind, that you'll remember and associate with that film (Not just because of the film title) and one that suits the tone. When I listen to the first part of Goldeneye, I know it's from that film, and when I listen to You Know My Name, I know it's Casino Royale...but, again...this new one...I don't know, it's just not gonna stand out for me. MsC

I liked Chris Cornell's version purely because it suited the film's tone. It was rocky and it was raw, just like Bond's actions were in the film. He was extremely violent in this one. I do agree with you that the old ones tend to be better. I love Goldeneye, it's one of my favourites but if I'm not comparing them, which I don't think people should, Cornell's theme was really good in my opinion. But, as for this one, which I'm not comparing to the others like I stated previously...it's just...bland, I don't think it has any longevity; I doubt I'll remember how it goes after the film's finished like I did with Cornell's, Bassey's...etc. Too much is going on with this song, it's being over-complicated and failing at trying to stick to one genre. MsC

I loved 'You know my name', it was perfect for re-inventing the Bond franchise, imo....I'm not so happy with this new one though, it seems a bit bland to me. Looking forward to the new film, however...hope they somehow manage to implement the theme into the new movie effectively. MsC

What's so special about what she's wearing in the last pic? I don't see anything that surprises me. Is it that she's wearing something different than what she is in the teaser trailer, because I still don't think the teaser trailer should be taken literally, but rather of a symbolic view...but we shall see in under 2 months! I like the one where she's balancing on that rather un-sturdy piece of metal...do I hint an adrenaline moment there perhaps? And Cargo hold on the wall...I wonder what could possibly be in there...(I think I know lol) Thanks for the shots! MsC

I can tell you what I think...in spoilers! That's what I believe Lara means by "Various Myths use different names but they all apply to the same remnants of the ancient world." MsC

! Now they say we have to escape from the manor! ("Once you've escaped from Croft Manor"). So, maybe the theory that the "lara" exploding the Manor isn't really OUR Lara Croft is right and what we really have to do is rescue her. From there, she probably chases the person impersonating her and that tried to kill her in the first place! Makes sense to me anyway!! BPanther I don't want this to be true...mostly because I think it's a silly plotline in the TR universe. Personally, I think the teaser trailer isn't meant to be taken literally, and is more about metaphors, but if it does turn out to be true, I'm more in favour of this: Like I said, I don't want there to be another Lara anyhow, impersonated or not, but if it is, I prefer that theory. As for there being no bosses, I'm kinda disappointed with this as I like them, or at least there being one final boss, like in TR2, but it's not gonna effect me buying the game or not. MsC

Lol, yes, I was hoping we would be able to swing it around, but with that level of power, I'm not so sure. Again, though, I hope CrystalD explain what happened to Excalibur, it seems to have just been forgotten about by Lara...or maybe it lost its power when it was used in the Dais in Bolivia... And Mike/tombraiderguy is back, if you are calling me educated, I wouldn't go that far, but thanks for the compliment lol. I just read a lot of books on ancient cultures before I go to bed MsC

Yes, I meant before he died (I remember specifically because I was overjoyed ). Also, if you look at the markings on the walls in the Med levels and then at Amanda's tattoos, they bear a striking resembelence to one another. And true, a glass tube wouldn't generally normally hold Natla, but like I said, maybe she's been weakened by the huge pillar being crushed on top of her and Lara needs Thor's hammer to stop her before she regains her full strength....or maybe the God that Lara needs to kill is the God of the underworld...not Natla. If there really are no boss battles, it kind of makes more sense as I have a feeling we won't be swinging the hammer around with us like we did Excalibur as it does have the power to level mountains. She'll use it in a cutscene most likely. Also, the seventh age is most likely going to be talked about in this adventure. I've done some research and the Mayans believed in 'ages', where at the end of one cycle of an age, a particular race (I think it also includes plants, water etc) would disappear on Earth and a new cycle would begin. If the seventh age is what kills humans off, then Lara may just be the one to do it...however, if CrystalD are sticking with the Mayans actual cycles, the end of the 5th age is apparantely 2012...when humans are supposedly dying according to others (Not the end of the world like so many believe), so maybe the seventh age is the end of the world... Also, the Mayan calander is separated into 7 stages of Man, which are known as ages. And, according to the Mayans, in the fifth age, humanity will realize its spiritual destiny. In the sixth age, we will realize God within ourselves, and in the seventh age we will become so spiritual that we will be telepathic. Finally, according to some calenders, the end of the fourth world (also known as an age), was August 12, 3113 BCE, when Atlantis fell...quite important to Natla, I would think. MsC

I personally think she's been recovering for the past 10 years and getting others (I.e. Rutland and/or Amanda) to do her dirty work. She does state that she cannot die in Tomb Raider: Anniversary, but that doesn't necessarily mean she can't be damaged, and getting a huge pillar crushed onto you is gonna do some serious damage. Also, you can see her wing at the end of the 2nd trailer and she's in a huge tube thing that looks like some containment tube or incubator a baby would be in. The boxes are from Amanda and Rutland in Bolivia: Redux, so that further backs up that they might be working with/for her. As for the ship...it does indeed look like it's currently sinking as the floor is hanging off and falling but maybe Lara's weight is causing that to happen, so I can't really be sure that it is sinking in those screenshots, but if Natla's gonna be anywhere, she'll be in the Med....I hope. MsC

*Spoilers ahead* We don't know for sure that what we're seeing in these screenshots is from the Kraken level. If Natla is indeed in the Med, like I think she is, Lara may visit her more than once and, therefore, visit the Med more than once. Or, Natla is in that ship...who knows...I love this game so much already. MsC

Wow, it's Wednesday Goodness! Here's some new gameplay videos of Mexico and The Meditaranean...they do contain *SPOILERS* though on how to possibly solve some puzzles, so don't watch it if you don't want to know. Mexico (Click) The Meditaranean Enjoy! MsC