Tomb Raider III
In a fit of political correctness, we never reviewed a Tomb Raider title. To rectify
this, and to prepare for Dark Angel, we looked at Tomb Raider I, II, and
III. There is a lot of play in these games. We found the first one simpler and easier to
understand where Lara was going. Later games have grown in complexity with more
characters and many locations. In Tomb Raider III, once you've worked your
way through the jungle, you can chose in what order you want to do London, Nevada and
the South Pacific.
For beginners, it is essential that you go through Lara's instruction course at
her house. There are many moves – almost 30, that you need to be able to handle if you
are going to get your heroine through these episodes. Actions consist of climbing,
shooting, walking, sliding, crawling, swimming, jumping, picking up equipment and
finding secrets. Dangers are not only of the human and animal kind but physical such as
knives, darts, fire, ice and earthquakes. The graphics are pixilated, making it a challenge
to estimate where to jump or climb. The scenes are varied and interesting. Swimming is
fun and using different vehicles is a nice change. The game requires a lot of manipulation
and attention, and sometimes can feel more like work than fun. An easier save strategy
such as named saves and quick saves would encourage novices to play through.
Lara is seen mostly from behind and so her double-D 36 endowment is not always in your
face. In fact, Lara gives the impression of being a very buff lady with a mind of her own.
Interestingly, it's the pictorial graphics, more than the game, that play up Lara's sexy
endowments.
Editor Review 8/02
Ages: Teen