PS2 Games Review : Indigo Prophecy

Indigo Prophecy is a game that actually gives the term "cinematic gameplay" some context, as well as some real heartfelt meaning.

The Good: One of the best game stories to come along in quite a while; deep, richly textured characters you will grow incredibly attached to; inventive gameplay mechanics excellently tie together with the onscreen action ; high-quality voice acting and soundtrack; great atmosphere.

The Bad: Story has its flaws, as it feels like it's missing a few key points of explanation; not exactly impressive on the graphics front; some of the more traditional adventure elements aren't great; camera can be a royal pain.

The term "cinematic gameplay" gets tossed around an awful lot these days. And it's often tossed around by game makers who simply throw in a few letterboxed cutscenes and minimalist heads-up displays and then just call it a day. Developer Quantic Dream's Indigo Prophecy is a game that actually gives cinematic gameplay some context, as well as some real heartfelt meaning. More movie with an interactive progression than video game pretending to be a movie, Indigo Prophecy eschews practically any modern gameplay convention in favor of a significantly more subtle mechanical interface. You take part in every action in Indigo Prophecy--from the biggest fight sequence, to the most minor of day-to-day tasks--and you do it all with simple movements of the analog sticks on your controller, or with some quick button presses that are more akin to a rhythm game than a typical third-person adventure. But where Indigo Prophecy truly shines is in its story, which is a deep, captivating, and sometimes disturbing tale of one average man's journey to solve a murder that he himself committed.

The average man in question is Lucas Kane, a handsome but worn gentleman who lives his life as any IT professional in the great city of New York would. Kane's life takes a decidedly dark turn one night, however, when he decides to visit a local diner. In the very opening scene of the game we find Lucas sitting in a bathroom stall, convulsing and carving bizarre symbols into his forearms. An unlucky schmo happens into the bathroom during this period, and Lucas, seemingly unable to control his actions, attacks him, stabbing him multiple times. Moments after the killing, Lucas returns to his senses, only to be equal parts horrified and stupefied by his actions. From here you take control of Lucas, and it's up to you to get him the hell out of there.

This opening sequence gives you an excellent glimpse into how thoroughly intertwined Indigo Prophecy's plot and gameplay are. Presented with a corpse, a murder weapon, and one of NYPD's finest sitting out in the restaurant, it's up to you to decide how to proceed. Should you take the time to hide the body, ditch the weapon, clean yourself up, and try to casually make your way out of there? Or will you simply make a run for it as quickly as possible? You can do any or all of these things, and the outcomes will vary from a very quick game over screen to you getting Kane the hell out of dodge. And first and foremost, that's what Indigo Prophecy is about: choice. Every decision made and every question asked takes the story in a slightly different direction. Of course, in most cases these changes are merely cosmetic, simply letting the core scene play out marginally differently while ultimately pushing you toward the same goal. But in more than a few cases, your choices will drastically change the flow of the story.

And what incredible directions they can be. It is with no amount of exaggeration that we state Indigo Prophecy features one of the best stories so far this year, as well as a remarkable amount of character depth. The game is like an unholy mixing of The X-Files, The Dead Zone and CSI, with sprinklings of The Matrix and Shenmue thrown in for good measure. But the incredible thing is that it never flies off the rails, no matter how ambitious its intentions are. The story dives into some truly morbid territory, with its ritualistic killings, deeply troubled protagonist, and downright intriguing backstory. We won't give any of the main plot points away, but needless to say, there's an awful lot more to Lucas Kane's plight than mere loss of mental and bodily control, including a series of past, similar murders and a mysterious cold front that's literally burying the city in snow.

You won't just experience Lucas Kane's story, either. Early on you'll be introduced to two other main characters, Detectives Carla Valenti and Tyler Miles. The detectives are the ones assigned to the murder Kane commits, and right from the start we get to know these characters just about as intimately as we do Kane. Carla professes herself to be the obsessive type, transfixing herself on any case that comes her way. Tyler's more the streetwise type--the cop you'd expect to see shaking down narcotics informants and busting up gangs during the day, while clubbing it up at night. Carla and Tyler are both playable throughout the story, and it makes for an interesting scenario. While Kane is clearly not culpable for his wrongdoings, here you are playing two law enforcement officers on the opposite side of the law from this accused murderer, with no understanding of the circumstances beyond the fact that one man killed another. In effect, you're helping two sides that are both intentionally and unintentionally working against each other.

Other characters are introduced into the fold, like Lucas' ex-girlfriend, Tyler's current girlfriend, and Lucas' priest-brother Markus (who is also periodically playable)--not to mention the villains behind all this. And even though the main three characters are really where the game devotes its focus, it doesn't leave the other ones underdeveloped. Lucas, for instance, goes to his brother not long after the murder in search of guidance. Markus shows a great deal of conflict during this scene. He loves his brother, but he can't begin to believe his incredible story. He wants to help but is also bound by his faith and his perception of reality. The game doesn't treat the terrible crime that Lucas has committed ambiguously, nor do the characters within it. Though some are willing to help, effectively Lucas is a man without a country.

All in all, this is a sharply written game with a lot of depth. With that said, it does have its problems. Namely, the later portions of the game take some sizable leaps, both in logic and coherency. There's a big chunk where it seems like the developer went from point A to point C without writing in a convincing point B. Getting into too many details beyond this would give too much away, but it basically boils down to key characters being too willing to simply dive headfirst into seemingly unbelievable situations, despite appearing much more cautious and intelligent earlier on. There are also elements that feel out of place, especially early on. Tyler's main storyline seems to act more as comic relief than anything else, and when he's not making wisecracks while on the investigation, he's investing time in his relationship or playing basketball against coworkers. In fact, the early goings of the game center a bit too heavily around mundane tasks in general. So basically, the story needed about 45 minutes cut from the first act, and it needed about 90 minutes more added to the last one.

It also bears mentioning that at times the branching paths of the story sometimes lead to problematic conclusions...especially in the end. There are three different endings to the game, and the big final conflict can either be pretty damned good or pretty lackluster, depending on how you end up there and how you play it. In fact, you actually get the best, most dramatic final battle if you intentionally lose during certain portions. Fortunately, once you've beaten the game, you can go back and select any of the game's 40-some-odd chapters to replay them however you like, ensuring you won't miss out on the best story paths and endings. That's good, because the first play-through is unlikely to yield more than eight to 10 hours of gameplay. But there are enough different options to squeeze at least a few more hours out of the game beyond that.

It's unfortunate the story takes these uneven turns, because it really is incredibly good overall. It's got far more emotional impact, drama, and character development than what's often required of a video game these days, and even with its rough spots, it has more than enough fantastic moments to keep you engaged as you play it.

Yes, believe it or not, you do actually play Indigo Prophecy. The reason we've talked up the plot so much is because your enjoyment of the game will hinge very largely on how into the story you get. The actual game portion of Indigo Prophecy doesn't really require an awful lot of skill on your part, save for certain sequences. Instead, it asks you to simply explore and engage the many environments, characters, and tasks before you by using simple, unobtrusive control mechanics that place you right in the thick of the scene--without relying on generic "action" buttons or heavy shooting sequences.

PS2 Games Review : Winning Eleven 2007

Konami's sixth Pro Evolution Soccer title plays a superb game of football but offers little in the way of new features.

The Good: The most refined Pro Evolution Soccer yet; more features than the xbox 360 version; online mode with support for eight players.

The Bad: Only a few little tweaks to the gameplay; little change to the master league mode; dreadful menu presentation.

The second word of "Pro Evolution Soccer" proves to be more appropriate with each passing year, thanks to incremental updates that never go beyond slowly evolving Konami's winning formula. True, the series has long offered deep and rewarding gameplay, but the lack of innovation has become increasingly apparent of late. The tweaks that Konami has made to the match engine have produced a more refined game, but there's not a hint of the revolution attempted by EA Sports in most annual FIFA updates. There are also only a handful of new features, chief of which are eight-player online support, an increase in the number of licensed teams, and an international challenge mode.

It will take you quite a few practice games to adjust to the new playing style of Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 (known as Pro Evolution Soccer 6 in Europe), which is even faster than last year's game. One of the more noticeable improvements is in player animation, with polish added to the already astounding movement. There's more tangibility in the way they interact with each other and the ball, and collisions and tumbles better reflect the physical nature of the game. Pro Evolution Soccer is a game that rewards real-world tactics, and the lifelike movement of the players only adds to this suspension of disbelief.

In terms of playing the game, Konami has made a number of tweaks that certainly make this the tightest Pro Evolution Soccer yet. It's now easier to dribble the ball while running, with players keeping it closer to their feet. However, defending players are much more effective at relieving you of the ball, and they're certainly favoured in one-on-one situations. As a result, you have to adapt your game toward making quick, short passes that are accurately directed to the intended player. You should definitely be facing the recipient when passing, as indirect passes often end up short or off-target.

Konami has also created an even larger gulf between the star players in the world and everyone else. Players such as Henry and Adriano are lethal at cutting swathes through a defence or outpacing nearly anyone down the wing. Teams like Inter and Brazil are unstoppable if you can combine a possession game with the use of the radar at the bottom of the screen.

Picking out players with a crafty through ball is now the most effective way of getting on goal. Previously dependable tactics, such as running along the goal line and pulling the ball back into the box, are now met with defenders ready to clear the ball away. Goalkeepers are now much better at deflecting powerful shots over the line, as opposed to spilling them in front of goal. And for the advanced players among you, there are around eight new moves including tricks, feints, and turns. In short, it's the most rewarding game of Pro Evolution Soccer yet, and even though EA Sports is chasing hard, this year's Pro Evolution game just edges out FIFA 07 on gameplay.

That's not to say that the game is perfect. In last year's game the referees were extremely card-happy and it hindered the pace of the match, but this year's game has swung too far the other way. Blatant fouls frequently go unpunished, and teammates are now eager to slide in for hard tackles when they're not under your control. It never resulted in a penalty kick during testing, but we've occasionally been punished with a yellow card as a result of a foul made on our behalf. Time your strikes right, and attackers are now much more eager to take volleyed shots if they're on the end of an accurate cross, but as in real life, only the best strikers can mix flair and accuracy. And while it was always difficult to score free kicks, it now seems nigh-on impossible unless you're using the world's best free-kick takers.

What's most surprising is how different the PlayStation 2 version is to its Xbox 360 counterpart. Whereas the "next-gen" version runs at a somewhat sluggish pace, the PS2 game is blisteringly fast and undoubtedly the more fluid game. The differences extend off the pitch as well, with the PS2 version allowing you to extensively edit player and team information so you can update rosters throughout the season. Many people like to save their goal replays to a memory card, and while this has been omitted from the 360 version, it has thankfully remained on PS2. Of the extra gameplay modes, the memorial match keeps track of wins, losses, and average goals between friends, while the international challenge pulls together three European and American cups of between six and 32 teams. Finally, Konami's online service lets you play games with up to eight players over the Internet, which trumps Xbox Live's support for only two players. On the other hand, the PS2 version lacks the Xbox 360 game's Teatro Blanco and Antlion Colosseum stadiums, although it does have more stadiums overall.

PS2 Games Review : FIFA 07

FIFA 07 plays a fast-paced and realistic game of soccer and boasts plenty of gameplay options for solo and social players alike.

The Good: Looks great; sounds superb; plays an enjoyable, fast-paced game of soccer; interactive leagues are a great new way to play online.

The Bad: Defensive players are a bit lazy; noticeable slowdown when there are lots of players onscreen.

Almost a year to the day since the release of FIFA 06, EA Sports has released that game's inevitable sequel, FIFA 07 for the PC, the PlayStation 2, and the Xbox. Last year's game could only be described as the best FIFA game to date; so the question, of course, is whether or not EA Canada has improved upon that game in any meaningful way. Not all of the changes that have been implemented since last year's game have been for the better, but there are more than enough improvements here to make FIFA 07 worth a look.

On the pitch, for example, you'll find that FIFA 07 plays a quite different game of soccer to its predecessor, though initially it can be difficult to figure out exactly what has changed. One of the few obvious changes to this year's game is that players accelerate and decelerate more realistically, which means that they can't turn nearly as quickly when they're moving at speed. This results in your needing to pass the ball more, and depending on your play style, you might find that your trick (right analog) stick gets a lot more use than it did last year when you're attempting to beat opposing players in one-on-one situations. Both passing and using trick moves are a little more challenging in FIFA 07 than they were in 06, and because that's true for both teams (and because tackling when you're on defense is still relatively easy), the result is often that ball possession changes more frequently.

Trick moves have become more challenging not because they have a lower success rate, but simply because the controls for them are a little less forgiving. The section on trick moves in the FIFA 07 instruction manual bears more than a passing resemblance to a special-moves list for a fighting game, and the tricks available to you vary according to whether your player is running or standing still at the time. Passing the ball hasn't become more difficult per se; you just can't take it for granted as much because the accuracy of your passes is now dependant on the positioning of your player in relation to both the ball and his intended target. A pass to a player directly in front of you when you have the ball at your feet, for example, is more likely to succeed than a pass to a teammate who is barely in your players' field of vision, particularly if you're trying to make that pass on your first touch after receiving the ball at waist height. Lengthy strings of one-touch passes, then, are more difficult in FIFA 07 than in previous games, which adds a nice risk-versus-reward mechanic any time you attempt one rather than take a moment to get the ball under control.

Shots at goal are also greatly affected by the positioning and balance of your player, as well as by how well he has the ball under control. If you try to play the game just like FIFA 06, you'll watch a lot of your shots fly wide of the goal and into the crowd. This can be frustrating at times, but the flipside is that spectacular, almost unbelievable goals in the game are now the exception rather than the norm, which is certainly a good thing. That's not to say that scoring goals in FIFA 07 is difficult, though, because it isn't. Defenders generally back off attacking players a little too much, and the goalkeepers, although good at stopping shots for the most part, are a little too prone to spilling the ball when they do. Worthy of note is the new "finesse shot" feature that, using a modifier button that needs to be held down when taking a shot, lets you unleash shots that are more accurate but less powerful. It's not a feature that we've felt inclined to use a great deal, but if you've already beaten the defense and rounded the keeper it's a great way to avoid embarrassing open-goal misses.

Another way that you can avoid potentially embarrassing mistakes, though in a much more subtle way, is to keep your team's momentum up. Your momentum, as indicated by a performance meter in the top-left corner of the screen, is an indication of how well your players think the game is going, as determined not only by the current score but also by recent events on the pitch. It's entirely possible, then, for your team to be a couple of goals down but your players will still be playing their very best football or, by the same token, to be winning a game but struggling to contain their opponents. It's difficult to quantify just how much of an effect momentum has on your players' behavior, but it's definitely noticeable, and we've enjoyed numerous matches in which the run of play has shifted between the two teams several times.

Matches like those, along with one-sided goalfests, are perhaps the ones that best show off one of FIFA 07's most improved features--in-game sound. The commentary from ITV's Clive Tyldesley and Sky Sports' Andy Gray isn't nearly as repetitive as it has been in previous years, and it's both accurate and well delivered to boot. Complementing the commentary team's efforts perfectly is the noise from the crowd, which changes dramatically according to what's happening on the field and which of the teams is playing at home. Many of the teams in FIFA 07 have specific crowd chants (it's generally just the name of the team being shouted over and over again, but it's still neat), and these will give way to thunderous applause and cheering or venomous boos and whistles as the action dictates. One especially nice touch is that if a home team is winning comfortably and passing the ball around without their opponents getting a touch, the home crowd will start to cheer every completed pass individually--mocking the away side in exactly the same way you'd expect them to in real life. Furthermore, when the crowd is quiet, you'll occasionally hear the players calling to each other, though it's far easier to make out what they're saying if you're on the practice ground with no crowd at all.

PS2 Games Review : SBK'07 Superbike World Championship

SBK '07 is a good mix of simulation and arcade-style racing, and it's a welcome change of pace from the Moto GP series of racing games.

The Good: Caters to both arcade and simulation players; accessible while also offering depth; fantastic bike and rider animations; highly customisable.

The Bad: Simple presentation; basic trackside detail and sound; limited number of tracks; no psp linkup or online play.

The world of two-wheeled motor sports is dominated by two disciplines--the glamorous Moto GP category on one side, and the more down-to-earth Superbike World Championship on the other. Compared to the custom-built vehicles of the former, superbikes are modified versions of those that are sold all over the world. As a result, Superbikes attracts plenty of interest from bike modders and manufacturers alike, with the famous phrase "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday" referring to just how important race outcomes can be. However, this interest hasn't led to any SBK video games since EA published an official tie-in back in 2001. It's fitting, then, that the same developer is responsible for bringing the license back to the gaming world for the 2007 season--and the game not only does the sport justice, but it's also a refreshing alternative to the numerous Moto GP games on the market.

The key goal for Milestone has been to accommodate both casual race fans and simulation enthusiasts in SBK'07. When you first start playing the game you'll find it to be a highly accessible arcade racer which can easily be picked up from the first race. However, switch to the simulation mode and it develops into an incredibly realistic reproduction of the sport. Basic skills such as braking and steering become a lot more difficult, while even on the straights you'll be wrestling with the power of the bike just to keep it under control. You can alternate between the two styles or tweak individual settings to reach a compromise. For example, you can turn on braking assistance, or turn off motorbike damage if you're finding it too difficult. As the game can be played in its entirety in any way you wish, it offers a customisable level of depth from the start.

SBK'07 offers all of the game modes that we've come to expect from the genre. The main focus is on the championship mode, which presents 11 official tracks on which to practice, qualify, and race. You're given the choice to skip the prerace stages if you like, and if you're playing on the arcade mode you'll find that it's not necessary to be at the front of the starting grid. You can choose a bike and a rider from 15 teams at the start of the game, although some riders need to be unlocked by winning races. The length of races can be altered to the length of your choice, while the difficulty level has three settings, rookie, amateur, and professional. Again, arcade players shouldn't have much problem winning races at the medium level, and even the professional-level opponents don't present too much of a challenge once you've learnt the tracks. Aside from the championship mode, you can choose to play individual time trials and races, as well as the full weekend of qualifying and racing for any of the venues. The challenge mode is perhaps the most difficult part of the game, as you're disqualified for having even one wheel stray from the track when you're racing. Nonetheless, the acceleration, skidding, time trial, and chase games let you hone your driving skills and win some bonuses in the process.

On the multiplayer side, two players can jump in and play any race from the game in either the quick race or time trial modes. Most options can be tweaked in this mode, including bikes, rider, and opponent artificial intelligence, but we'd have liked to be able to change the difficulty level for individual players to make it fairer. For example, if a real fan of the game is playing a rookie friend, it would have been fun to put the former player on the simulation mode and the latter on arcade. With many recent PS2 racers featuring an online mode, it's a shame that it's missing from SBK '07. It's also a letdown that no PlayStation Portable linkup mode has been included. The PSP game may contain fewer tracks and racers than its big brother, but it would still have been cool to transfer your career to the PSP to take on the move.

While the choice between racing and simulation styles is a big draw for SBK'07, the main reason that it succeeds comes down to a fantastic racing model. The excellent animation means that you really feel as if you're playing as the human being rather than the bike, and the game really conveys the struggle between man and machine in a convincing, compelling way. This is especially true at the simulation level, where merely accelerating too quickly is enough to send the front wheel up in the air. While the Moto GP games have also successfully captured this, the simulation mode in SBK will give dedicated players a very accurate feeling of controlling some of the fastest bikes in the world as well as tweaking them extensively should you so desire. Even with these issues taken away in the arcade mode, the game still challenges you to learn the basics of braking, accelerating, and cornering in order to win. The collisions also look bone-crunchingly realistic, giving you a dilemma over whether to cause spectacular pileups at the beginning of the race or try to escape unscathed.

While 11 tracks might not seem like that many, they're sure to be instantly recognisable to anyone with a passing interest in the sport. Silverstone, Brands Hatch, and Donnington make up a healthy collection for the British Isles, while Monza, Valencia, and Magny-Cours are sure to be popular with international fans. They're also all available from the beginning of the game, meaning you can visit your favourite circuit the first time you play if you wish. SBK'07 also has a healthy approach to unlockables, with plenty of bonuses available for those who want to win every race in every different game mode. For example, come first in a race and you'll be able to turn over three cards from a selection, with early bonuses such as ghost cars recorded by members of the development team. Work your way through the races and you'll unlock cheats, pictures, and videos.

In terms of presentation, SBK'07 is fairly simple. Like the sport itself, there's an unhealthy obsession with young girls in skimpy outfits, who adorn the majority of menus, loading screens, and videos. Each location features a short introduction clip which gives some sense of occasion to the proceedings, but the tracks themselves lack the sheer noise and atmosphere of a real racing event. Part of this has to do with the rather simple trackside details, but they've clearly been sacrificed in order to keep 20 riders moving without any effect on the frame rate. To give the developers credit, they've managed to capture the realistic movement and physics of the bikes while maintaining a smooth game. On the audio side, generic rock tracks combine with average crowd noise to create a fairly unremarkable soundtrack. Perhaps some commentary or more imaginative atmospheric effects would have improved this aspect of the game, but fans will be pleased with the audio reproduction of the bikes themselves.

The decision to make SBK’07 both an arcade and simulation game will let you choose the short of experience you want to get from it. If you simply want to jump in and enjoy the thrills of superbike racing without any of the spills, the arcade mode gives you the keys to some of the coolest bikes in the world. If, however, you take it more seriously and have an interest in every minutia of the sport, SBK'07 also caters to your needs. In either mode, though, SBK'07 is a fun, rewarding, and even educational experience, and one that should certainly be experienced by racing fans.

By : Guy Cocker

PS2 Games Review : Tomb Raider Anniversary

The success of Tomb Raider: Anniversary is twofold; it does well by the memory of the original Tomb Raider, and also makes a dynamic action adventure game that's fun to play in 2007.

The Good: Strikes a balance between providing an homage and delivering new, exciting content; acrobatic action adventure gameplay is challenging without being frustrating; lara looks great and moves effortlessly; adrenaline dodge makes combat more exciting.

The Bad: Lots of jaggy edges on PS2 version; doesn't take many chances with the tomb raider formula.

When Tomb Raider first hit in 1996, it was nothing short of groundbreaking. When the game industry was experiencing a sea change from predominately sprite-based 2D graphics to polygonal 3D graphics, Tomb Raider was a shining example of the sort of immersive atmosphere and exploration-based gameplay that was possible. There simply weren't strong, serious, and highly competent female protagonists like Lara Croft, though in a way, Lara Croft's role as a protagonist was almost outstripped by her roles of cover girl, female role model, and spokesperson for the maturation of video games.

While years of sequels that ranged from unremarkable to borderline offensive did a lot to tarnish the Tomb Raider name, developer Crystal Dynamics undid a lot of damage with last year's Tomb Raider: Legend, which focused on the strengths of the series--exotic locales, thoughtful puzzles, and incredible acrobatics--while modernizing the gameplay and streamlining the whole experience. Crystal D continues its good work with Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which effectively goes back to the original Tomb Raider and rebuilds it from scratch. Tomb Raider: Anniversary isn't as groundbreaking as the original Tomb Raider, but it's undeniably more playable.

Like the original, Tomb Raider: Anniversary follows pretty much the same basic tale of Lara's hunt for the Scion of Atlantis as she does battle with conniving businesswoman Jacqueline Natlas and her various henchmen. You'll explore ancient tombs and forgotten cities in Peru, Greece, Egypt, and more, performing plenty of death-defying acrobatics as you work your way through massive, ancient, and often deadly puzzles. The whole experience is highly evocative of the original, and there are certainly plenty of moments that seem specifically designed to create an odd sense of déjà vu; but nothing in Tomb Raider Anniversary has been regurgitated verbatim--everything is bigger and better. The environments are larger and more detailed, and existing puzzles have been elaborated upon, to an incredible degree. The experience just feels bigger, and there's so much new content that it honestly feels less like a remake and more like its own game.

A big part of that feeling comes from how much more talented Lara has become since the original Tomb Raider. Aside from a few, nominal differences, she's basically got the same abilities here as she had in Tomb Raider: Legend, which made her one of the most nimble action adventure heroes this side of the Prince of Persia. Her proficiency around ledges is incredible--she can shimmy across ledges, leap from one ledge to another, and scramble from one ledge to a higher ledge. She can swing from dangling ropes and horizontal bars, perform tumbling maneuvers to avoid projectiles, and climb up, leap from, and balance precariously atop vertical poles. All of these acrobatics feel natural, and not overly difficult to pull off, with the game allowing for just the right amount of margin of error. As good as Lara is, though, she's got her limits, which is a big part of what makes the action feel dangerous. If your timing is off just a little bit when jumping for a ledge, Lara might only catch it with one hand, which will have you furiously mashing a button to help her recover. Miss the ledge completely, though, and Lara's likely to expire, or at least incur a serious amount of damage.

She'll need to exercise each and every one of these abilities to their absolute limit in Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which features no shortage of ridiculous acrobatics. The game is essentially made up of a series of gigantic, unique set-piece puzzles. Sometimes the puzzles are traditional find-the-key, flip-the-switch-type affairs, but more often than not, the real puzzle is figuring out how to use Lara's ability to get from point A to point B. What's more, the puzzles are often nested several layers deep. While your overall goal may be to find four keys to open a door, you'll first have to figure out how to get to the bottom of a gigantic, crumbling tower, after which you'll have to figure out how to access four different doors, after which you'll have to figure out how to actually open those doors--and, of course, behind each of those doors lies a series of tricks and traps that you'll have to traverse before you'll get to the keys. Solving one of these overarching puzzles can be an involved process, with some of them taking well over an hour to complete.

The environments are your biggest adversaries most of the time in Anniversary, though through your exploration you'll regularly run into some antagonistic fauna like rats, bats, wolves, bears, tigers, gorillas, raptors, and the occasional Tyrannosaurus Rex. Combat is limited to gunplay, which operates with a simple lock-on system, and Lara can also tumble and flip through the air while keeping a bead on an enemy. New to Anniversary is the adrenaline dodge, which at specific moments allows Lara to dodge a charging enemy in slow motion. When time slows, a target will also slowly move toward the enemy, and if you fire the weapon right at the moment it locks on, it'll produce an instant kill, usually when the ferocious beast is just inches away from your face. It still feels like Tomb Raider combat, which has always been a minor part of the experience, but the adrenaline dodge is a nice little touch that adds a little more drama to the action. Tomb Raider: Anniversary also makes use of the same type of interactive cutscenes seen in Tomb Raider: Legend, where you'll have to quickly react to an onscreen button cue to keep Lara alive. It allows for some beautifully choreographed action sequences, but they're rarely very challenging.

What keeps Tomb Raider: Anniversary engaging throughout is the strength of the gameplay, as well as the quality of the presentation. Even though you're basically just going from one tomb to another, they feature enough individual detail to make them unique. The environments are also huge, using the occasional curvy hallway to mask load times, and aside from some minor gameplay contrivances, they feel pretty real. Lara looks great and moves with a natural grace that makes her incredible acrobatic feats look feasible instead of ridiculously superhuman, and the various wildlife you confront also moves convincingly. It's the little touches that bring the whole thing together: the way water glistens on Lara's skin when she gets out of the water, the way light refracts differently when she's underwater, or the tangible difference in atmosphere between different locales.

While the PS2 version doesn't look bad by any measure, a heavy layer of aliasing mars the presentation. The game can be played in widescreen, but we found the progressive scan support to have an inconsistent effect. On certain sets it smoothed out a lot of the sharp edges, while on others it made textures look muddy and text unreadable. The PC version fares much better, with support for higher resolutions and a generally crisper, cleaner look. It's also a really great-sounding game.

You'll hear plenty of small ambient effects like animal calls and dripping water, and Lara's grunts and yelps as she scales these incredible antiquities will resonate differently depending on the size of the room. Music is generally used sparingly, but it always swells to a flourish at all the right moments.

Tomb Raider: Legend did a lot to make Lara Croft feel relevant again, and Tomb Raider: Anniversary is another step in the right direction. The acrobatic action is consistently exciting and challenging throughout, and despite being a remake, the experience feels new and fresh. This is the best Tomb Raider game in years, and for the first time in a long time, that actually

means something.

By : Ryan Davis