It's always exciting to see screenshots from Tomb Raider: Underworld appear in magazines, and then online, but it's frustrating, too. In the weeks or months between providing the screenshots and seeing them in print, the game has usually improved dramatically. This is true for demos as well, and I've even been telling previewers that what we have upstairs already looks better than the demo we're showing.

Now that we're in a position to post things ourselves in real time, I thought I would prove what I've been saying all along. I got the idea this week when I stopped by to talk to Pat Sirk, our Art Director, and on his screen happened to be the same area of Mexico we first showed when we announced the game. It looks phenomenal -- much more lush with tree roots and vines climbing down the walls, detailed ground, rich light and shadows, etc. -- and I knew I wanted to post a side-by-side of this area, showing you all how it has improved.

So here it is. This is one of the Mayan temples in Tomb Raider: Underworld, the way everyone saw it the first time, and how it looks this week. It looks like concept art but it's screenshot like all the others we've sent out -- I swear. This is what I mean when I say the game looks even better in the building than it looks out in the press. I hope you all agree.

Oh, and on a side note, I saw forum posts after my last blog where people were concerned that the unnamed days of the Mayan calendar weren't mentioned. No worries there. The unnamed days are very much a part of the Mexico expedition. But Xibalba is only one of the many underworlds that make up the whole of Lara's adventure, one piece of the larger puzzle, and so it didn't rate special mention in so short a summary.

Cheers,

Eric

P.S. Next week I'll tell you what that weapon on her back is...I think you can probably guess...

Thanks Tom!

It would have been more helpful if they had copied the angle of the first screenshot more, but I can see where he's coming from, there is a difference. The lighting in particular has made a major improvement to how realistic it's all looking...now I just wanna see this game in action with a trailer!!

Thanks again,

MsC

Wow.. wow.. wow... that's all I can say!!

Weapon... tranquiliser gun, maybe?

I think it's the spear gun

I was wondering if it was a tranquilizer gun, myself. Nice to see these new shots, and thanks!