Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary

By Dave McCarthy Published 2 February, 2007

Happy birthday Lara.

Originally conceived as a celebration of Lara Croft's 10th anniversary, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary is now a celebration of eleven years of Lara. Obviously good timekeeping isn't a prerequisite for lissom archaeologists, but is Lara's platforming action more impressive than her punctuality? Eidos recently offered a sneak preview to provide an answer in advance of the game's release.

Like Lara's most recent outing, Anniversary is being developed by Crystal Dynamics, with the involvement of her creator, Toby Gard. It's essentially a reworking of Lara's original adventure, released on the Saturn, PlayStation and PC back in 1996, but Eidos is keen to stress that this isn't just a plain vanilla remake. They like to use the analogy of Peter Jackson's King Kong, which featured the same locations and story as the 1933 original, but brought them right up to date and fleshed them out with additional background narrative. In the same way, Tomb Raider: Anniversary follows the plot of the original, which sees Lara hired by a mysterious syndicate to retrieve an artefact called the Scion, and it ranges across the same locations, including Peru, Greece, and Egypt. But the game's levels are arranged differently and the puzzles, while similar, are solved differently.

'Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary' Screenshot 1

The Anniversary character model is technically on a par with that used in Legends…

In order to show how this works, the demonstration consisted of one of the game's opening levels, set in the mountain caves of Peru and scene of a memorable cog puzzle in the original. It's still the scene of a memorable cog puzzle; it's just it's a different cog puzzle.

The level opens with a camera sweep showing a waterfall that, as anyone who remembers the original puzzle will notice, has been dramatically enhanced. Originally getting to the top of it involved a pretty simple climb. Now, its sheer size means that scaling it is a considerably greater challenge, involving exploring the surroundings to work out a route to the top using Lara's enhanced repertoire of moves. Indeed all the moves she'd learnt for Legend are back, as is the fluid analogue control - like the last Crystal Dynamics Lara, she's more akin to Spider-Man or Prince of Persia than her earlier ungainly incarnations: grabbing hold of ledges instead of falling off, performing precipitous handstands, and leaping into swan dives. She's even got a grappling hook - and while purists might take issue, it's worth pointing out that, while players couldn't use a grappling hook in the original, Lara certainly could, and did, in at least one cut-scene.

The level is characterised by a marked attempt to return to the sense of archaeological isolation that distinguished the first game in the series; the sense that this is a virgin territory, untainted by human presence for thousands of years. Consequently, most of Lara's enemies are now animals, and Crystal Dynamics has put a lot of effort into honing the AI till their behaviour is believable. Now wolves hunt and attack in pack formations, for example, and bats bears, and dinosaurs all behave in convincing ways. They also sound convincing, and the audio in general contributes to this sense of isolation, with the occasional wolf-howl echoing round the cavern, and antique ropes creaking loudly as Lara swings on them.

'Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary' Screenshot 2

…As are the environments, and Lara's acrobatics.

Solving the cog puzzle requires players to find three missing cog pieces, which are scattered round the cavern and as Lara explores her surroundings there are teasing glimpses of hidden areas, such as the underwater cavern that tantalisingly reveals itself whenever she plunges from the top of the waterfall. Indeed, returning the cogs demonstrates the multiple routes that typify the new game's design: once you've found them you can retrace Lara's steps; use a hidden tunnel by leaping across a broken rope bridge and use it to climb downwards; or simply plunge into the waterfall.

And again, after placing the first cog there's further evidence of the way the environments have been dramatically scaled up since the first game, thanks to the fact that Lara has to leap onto the moving cogs and scale the highest reaches of the cavern in order to access the second and third missing cog locations. Then, finally, it's into the Lost Valley, lined by dwellings built into the rock face, all linked by detailed networks of pathways - it's a lot closer to the original vision in the design documents than could have been realised with the blocky 1996 version. And after a quick fight with some raptors, there's the familiar sound of giant dinosaur footsteps before the demonstration teasingly stops.

'Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary' Screenshot 3

The power of the PlayStation 2: bigger cogs.

It's certainly a good-looking game, thanks to the use of the same game engine as Tomb Raider: Legend (indeed it continues the trend for a lot of attractive games at the tail-end of the PS2's lifespan). Lara's skin glistens after she gets out of the water, her clothes dirty as she rolls around on the floor, and the environments are as architecturally interesting as those in Legend. Indeed the folk at Crystal Dynamics claim to have learned a lot from the development process of Tomb Raider: Legend, and they aim to respond to a lot of the feedback and criticisms levelled at that game - particularly with regard to the amount of handholding.

As the game's director of design, Noah Hughes, puts it: "One of the great things about working on this game has been the ability to respond directly to the feedback that we got from people who played Legend. One desire going forward was to maintain the degree of accessibility that we achieved on Legend, while upping the challenge for players that wanted it. Tomb Raider Anniversary presents a time in Lara's career when she didn't have her trusty tech team to rely on. In addition to enhancing the isolation and atmosphere of the locations, this allowed us to put the game's hint system back in the player's hands. Players can refer to Lara's Journal for more info if they wish, but it is left up to them when they need a hint, and when they do not."

So: is Lara's platforming action more impressive than her punctuality? Let's just wait and see - but surely marrying the fluid control of Legend with the story and settings that made the original such a success can only be a good thing.

Picture of Dave.

About Dave McCarthy

Read more articles from Dave by visiting the Dave McCarthy archive page.

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Comments (69) Latest comment 5 years ago

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  • Aretak #1 5 years ago

    Odd that there's no 360 version of this one.

  • lambtron #2 5 years ago

    Oh god its on PSP - hope there isn't a treacly framerate and camera issues this time :/

  • Der_tolle_Emil #3 5 years ago

    I so want this to be on the 360 too :/

  • Triggerhappytel #4 5 years ago

    I really want this to be good. I just played Legend for the first time a couple of days ago, and despite my massive scepticism I was hugely impressed. I hope this version scrubs up as well, but with the excellent level design of the original, and I will certainly buy it.

    Here's hoping...

  • Blerk #5 5 years ago

    a marked attempt to return to the sense of archaeological isolation that distinguished the first game in the series

    \o/

    Sounds fabulous - please don't mess it up!

  • mankell #6 5 years ago

    I demand a smutty comment on knocker size.

  • Carpathian #7 5 years ago

    A 360 version would be good - to not have a clue for every next jump would be appreciated too. As it's only on those three platforms though I guess I'll be passing and maybe waiting for the inevitable budget PC release way down the line.

  • therev #8 5 years ago

    I'd get a 360 version. Odd that there isn't one.

  • Carpathian #9 5 years ago

    mankell: I demand a smutty comment on knocker size.

    Ooooooer !! You'll need doors like St Pauls for knockers like that !
    fnar ! fnar !

    That do you ??
    Edited by 2 at 02/02/07 @ 13:41

  • chronom4n #10 5 years ago

    this is something i am looking forward to... Tomb Raider was my first ever platformer/RPG that i had ever played. Hopefully this time around it will be even more enjoyable. Although one thing i remember in the first one was the ending.... a bit of an anti-climax.

  • Derblington #11 5 years ago

    I cannot wait for this game! It's everything I wanted Legend to be...

  • Artemis_Matsas #12 5 years ago

    "and dinosaurs all behave in convincing ways"

    Eh? and how would we really know that???

  • mattigan #13 5 years ago

    Not on 360? They've missed a trick there, I thought that Legend was Ace and would buy Anniversary in a second if it was released on the 360.

  • Darkedge #14 5 years ago

    I'll join the gang of people who would like this on 360..
    Sort it out! Anyone started an online petition to get this released on 360 yet?

  • Trendyninja #15 5 years ago

    So what's the official reason behind there being no 360 version? I'm quite gutted about this as Legends on the 360 is one of my favourite games.

    The first Tomb Raider is the only Tomb Raider game in my opinion that had the atmosphere just right. Never have I felt such strong feeling of isolation an lonliness in a game. I just hope they can re-capture this updated anniversary version.

    I've recently bought Legends again for a bargain price of £14.99 from gameplay.com. I'm keen to unlock all of the acheivements.

    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 13:56

  • Goban #16 5 years ago

    This sounds great, just the Tomb raider I've been waiting for since, well, the first one.
    Please don't cock it up.

  • JonFE #17 5 years ago

    Considering that this is running on the TR:L engine (already ported to the x360) and is a remake of the original -and best according to many gamers - TR, it is strange that an x360 version isn't in development (or announced); it would, probably, tempt more x360 owners to buy it, than TR: L.

    Maybe a Sony-exclusive deal (hopefully timed :) is in effect...

    EDIT: Other than that, a faithful remake is more than welcome in my book :)
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 14:02

  • RexRunti #18 5 years ago

    I am really looking forward to this. And in someways I hope this is the start of a trend to bring old classics upto date. (Deus Ex with good graphics anyone?)

    It certainly brings back memories of giant dinosaurs, killing kids on skate boards and classic lines like "I feel stronger now".

    Oh and I would prefer this on the 360 Eidos but will get it on the PC otherwise.

  • Lionheart #19 5 years ago

    I think I'll jump on the wagon as well.. GET IT ON 360!!!
    Most important comment so far is Xiphos', agreed!

  • Blerk #20 5 years ago

    It certainly brings back memories of giant dinosaurs, killing kids on skate boards and classic lines like "I feel stronger now".

    ?

    Is this a completely different Tomb Raider you're thinking of? There weren't any skateboard kids, and the "I feel stronger now" was from Angel of Darkness.

  • Chtulie #21 5 years ago

    A non-exclusive pS2 game that doesn't have a Wii port? Who'd have thought.

    Anyway, my biggest hope is that the camera will be improved because that was the biggest problem I had with Legend. Especially considering how clearly linear the levels are, it shouldn't be all that hard for the camera to anticipate the next move and turn or move accordingly to give a good view of that. Rather then the Mario Sunshine kind of camera from the first game.
    Or at least a button to quickly centre the camera behind Lara.

  • IAmBatman #22 5 years ago

    My only hope is they're remaking TR2 as well and the 360 version is being held back so they can include them both.

  • ZuluHero #23 5 years ago

    me too - 360 version please! I've not bothered to read the thread fully, so someone might have already said this, but surely if theres a PC version then a 360 version would be easy?

    pah :/

  • Feanor #24 5 years ago

    "Tomb Raider Anniversary presents a time in Lara's career when she didn't have her trusty tech team to rely on."

    Yay.

  • Nikanoru #25 5 years ago

    Oddly enough I bought Legend on the 360 and was a little disappointed at how linear the exploration felt.

    Hi, welcome to Gaming anno 2007.

  • Nikanoru #26 5 years ago

    There weren't any skateboard kids

    Someone's a bit forgetful (or hasn't actually finished TR1 to the end :p).

  • Flabio #27 5 years ago

    Indeed, the skateboard kid with the twin uzi's always felt a bit out of place in the original Tomb Raider.

    Natla was a kick ass villain though.

  • Xerx3s #28 5 years ago

    You don't want a 360 version as it will most likely be a direct port with some improved graphics.

  • space_ace #29 5 years ago

    this game should be given out for free, like an anniversary party, right? eh?

  • Steve007 #30 5 years ago

    No 360/PS3 version :-(

  • Derblington #31 5 years ago

    "You don't want a 360 version as it will most likely be a direct port with some improved graphics."

    Errr, that's exactly what we'd want.

  • Blerk #32 5 years ago

    Someone's a bit forgetful (or hasn't actually finished TR1 to the end :p).

    There was a skateboard kid? I hope they take that out, then. :-D

    Gimme a break, anyway - it's been... what? Eight years since I played it? Eight years?! Shit!

  • SBfistfun #33 5 years ago

    Sounds promising.

    Tsk Troll indeed

  • ecureuil #34 5 years ago

    PS3 and 360 versions would be nice.

    I'm really looking forward to this game, and "a marked attempt to return to the sense of archaeological isolation that distinguished the first game in the series " can only be a good thing.

    The sense of isolation is what makes Tomb Raider so good.

  • dirigiblebill #35 5 years ago

    Surely if Sony had an exclusivity contract on this a ps3 version would be a no-brainer..?

  • Blerk #36 5 years ago

    There is, of course, nothing to stop you from playing the PS2 version on your PS3. ;-)

  • ZuluHero #37 5 years ago

    "Gimme a break, anyway - it's been... what? Eight years since I played it? Eight years?! Shit! "

    erm, so you didn't play it 10 years ago like the rest of us? :p

    You should remember the skateboarding kid better than any of us then! ;)
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 14:59

  • krudster #38 5 years ago

    Eidos *always* hold off announcing the 360 version until the last minute for some unfathomable reason. I bet my *house* it comes to 360. The same thing happened with Hitman Blood Money, TR Legend and Just Cause. It basically guarantees them an extra news hit near its release.

  • bloodflowers #39 5 years ago

    Another vote for a 360 version.

  • Blerk #40 5 years ago

    erm, so you didn't play it 10 years ago like the rest of us? :p

    No, I didn't buy a PSOne 'til late '97. :-)

  • Keir_Eidos #41 5 years ago

    krudster, is it a nice house? ;)

  • ecureuil #42 5 years ago

    How about a PS3 version?

    PS3 will be out here by the time this game is released.

  • morriss #43 5 years ago

    Hope you're right, Krud. Why 360 though and not PS3 do you think?

    /non-loaded, serious question

  • Starmaniac #44 5 years ago

    "Another vote for a 360 version."
    You see, it is the Anniversary version game of the original that was made for PlayStation and PC. It makes sense to celebrate the event on the succesors of those platforms.

  • AcidSnake #45 5 years ago

    That skater kid is one of the few things I remember actually...
    Never owned the game, but played it a few times at a friend's house...

    BTW, no gamesindustry.biz newsletter today?

  • ZuluHero #46 5 years ago

    "You see, it is the Anniversary version game of the original that was made for PlayStation and PC. It makes sense to celebrate the event on the succesors of those platforms. "

    but not a reason for missing out the new 'cooler' consoles :)

  • Blerk #47 5 years ago

    Why 360 though and not PS3 do you think?

    Well, the PS3 didn't have a version of Tomb Raider Legend so they'd have to get the engine going on the PS3 first. Probably more important to get the actual game finished on the platforms they already have a working engine for I'd have thought. Maybe PS3/360 will come later? Or maybe they won't! Maybe it's a conspiracy! :-D

  • Der_tolle_Emil #48 5 years ago

    There will be a 360 version eventually I guess. The engine is already available so from a business point of view it's easy money.

  • Kami #49 5 years ago

    Personally can't wait. Back to the beginning, before it all went so awfully pear-shaped...

  • Frogger #50 5 years ago

    I'm really disappointed. I just wanted the ORIGINAL one with updated graphics. Not this revisited-inspired thing.

    Well, I'll just not buy it then...

  • Lionheart #51 5 years ago

    @ Frogger
    Why would you want it exactly the same? =S
    I see your point but if you've played the "original" as many times as I have (alot) then you'd walk through that game in about 2 hours. You'd know exactly where everything is and where to go and once the "better graphics" shock had warn off you'd be pretty bored
    Well i think so anyway

  • Der_tolle_Emil #52 5 years ago

    I played the original, not to death, but at least a bit. I would not want an original one. I am used to the legends controls now (and Lara's agility plus her abilities to grab ledges etc) and using the original control scheme again would be a major step back. Probably way too much back to appeal to anyone who not truly loved the original. And it could possibly ruin the game for fans of the original too. Besides I look forward to sections that are new and only work because of the new controls. So personally I am very glad that it's not a true port but a revision.

  • zozart #53 5 years ago

    I really hope there is a 360 version; Legends was easily the most engrossing game I've played on my 360 so far, _and_ I'd already completed it on PC!
    Edited by 1 at 02/02/07 @ 18:27

  • dirigiblebill #54 5 years ago

    I hope they make the gunplay fun this time round.

  • the_dudefather #55 5 years ago

    tomb raider 1 vs tomb raider legend

    tomb raider has:
    +bears
    +raptors
    +t-rex
    +crocodiles
    +etc


    tomb raider legend has:
    -armed goons
    -one or two leopards
    -giant propane tanks left on train tracks


    hopefully the lovely TRL engine and control plus TR1's settings and enemies should make for a great game

  • HelloWorld #56 5 years ago

    Admittedly i have only played demos of both the original and the new legend one, but i get the feeling that the controls/mechanics/animation have lost something. The old one felt more physical and you felt more in control, although it took some learning, and the new one felt a bit loose and unrealistic. Kind of like a car with too much traction control. Maybe i'm just seeing the old one through rose tinted glasses.

  • squeakyg #57 5 years ago

    Bah, I can't bear to see 640x480 resolution games running on my LCD. That's the irony of hi-def... it makes standard-def look hideous. An Xbox 360 version is essential.

  • krudster #58 5 years ago

    Ok, stop worrying about the lack of 360 version. This is a tried and tested Eidos tactic to get sites like us to re-report on games already announced.

    Hitman Blood Money belatedly announced on 360:

    [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=63727 ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...[/link]

    Tomb Raider Legend belatedly announced on 360 at X05
    [link url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=11999
    ]    http://ww w.gamesindustry.biz/content_pag...[/link]

    Just Cause belatedly announced on 360
    [link url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=15562
    ]    http://ww w.gamesindustry.biz/content_pag...[/link]

    Do you see a pattern forming here....?

  • Dirtbox #59 5 years ago

    Prince of Persia with tits.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #60 5 years ago

    Prince of Persia with tits.

    That is exactly the reason why I bought Legends. More for the Prince of Persia part though.

  • ctrl-k #61 5 years ago

    Dirtbox:
    Prince of Persia with tits

    Funny, but true. It could have been the other way round - tomb raider with swordfights. They never did nail hand-to-hand combat i the TR games (in fact some of them were maybe the worst implementation of melee I have ever experienced. Remember AoD?) In fact - a whip would have been the ultimate tribute to at least what I felt was the the true inspiration. AND it could have doubled as a grapple.

  • Dazed_and_Confused #62 5 years ago

    I'm new to gaming and recently bought a 360 so I hope what you say is true krudster. It'd give me the chance to see what all the Lara Croft fuss has been about all these years!

  • erp #63 5 years ago

    he said "going forward".

    burn him.

  • ctrl-k #64 5 years ago

    Prince of Persia / Tomb Raider hybrid:
    http://ww w.ctrl-k.co.uk/storage/temporar... - NSFW
    Somebody call EA - I smell $$$

    /bans self
    Edited by 1 at 03/02/07 @ 23:21

  • ecureuil #65 5 years ago

    Admittedly i have only played demos of both the original and the new legend one, but i get the feeling that the controls/mechanics/animation have lost something. The old one felt more physical and you felt more in control, although it took some learning, and the new one felt a bit loose and unrealistic. Kind of like a car with too much traction control. Maybe i'm just seeing the old one through rose tinted glasses.

    Yeah, you are, the originals control like a dog these days. Lara turns like a tank.

    I enjoyed the square-by-square jumping system, but it feels rather cumbersome these days.

  • Nikanoru #66 5 years ago

    I think for many people, liking the controls in the old games depends how you look at them. Are they all about the rock climbing and acrobatics and stuff? Or is it about the combat? If it's the latter for you then, well, great, but I kinda feel you've missed the point of (early games in) the series.

    "HelloWorld" is right about feeling more in control with the old, uhh, controls. The newer ones are like Prince of Persia; because the camera-relative controls make you unable to direct your jumps precisely at all, they built in this very large error margin, sorta pulling your character into the correct path. Basically, taking control away from you to make up for the lack of precise handling. PoP is an especially obvious example of this.

    This is not just something I made up. This is not an opinion, or a rose-tinted-glasses effect. Ask the game designers themselves, they created the system, they had to make the compromises.


    "ecureuil", I think this would be the reason why you feel the old jumping system was "cumbersome". Flying a plane feels cumbersome when you're used to sitting back and letting the autopilot take care of things. Which I guess is a problem with many games today, heh. Too much autopilot.

  • Xerx3s #67 5 years ago

    Gimme a break, anyway - it's been... what? Eight years since I played it? Eight years?! Shit!

    It's been 10-13 years since doom and I still know every secret and such.

    /cries

  • deepspacefox #68 5 years ago

    Pissed off about no 360 version?
    Maybe you all shouldn't have abandoned the Playstation just cos Sony delays its console.

    /Waves small "Sony Rules" flag while backing away nervously/

    Edited for typos
    Edited by 1 at 04/02/07 @ 13:58

  • jimbob101 #69 5 years ago

    Without the motorbike section and human enemies that take a 30 bullets to die, it's got to be better than TR:L

  • GameBoy1 #70 5 years ago

    Ever so slightly humourous how the universal clamour in this thread is for an Xbox 360 version! Well, you can add me to the baying mod. Get the finger out Eidos for chrissakes! If this game turns out to be a 15 hour non-linear exploration version of Legend, I will be ESTATIC!