Tomb Raider: Anniversary Review

By Ellie Gibson Published 7 December, 2007

Not remotely.

Version tested: Wii

The original Tomb Raider was the first game that ever made me yelp with fear. Since then I've played them all. I've spent hours running and jumping, shooting and swimming, pulling levers and pressing switches. I've spent hours marvelling at Lara's grace. I've spent hours wanting to murder her for refusing to do what she's told. I've visited Angkor Wat wearing my hair in a plait and short shorts and big boots (though I drew the line at suspenders and water balloons), and been told off by a security guard for trying to swing on a vine. I love Lara. Yes, a bit like that.

So I loved Tomb Raider: Anniversary, as did Kristan. That is to say, I loved it on PS2 and Xbox 360. As for the Wii version... I never thought it would come to this, but here we are: I'd rather play Angel of Darkness.

The problems begin at the beginning. I've played the first level of Tomb Raider, in various incarnations, dozens of times. Never, until now, have I been killed by the first set of bats Lara encounters. Bats. Well, you might think, the Wii must use a different set of combat controls. Surely a bit of practice is all it takes. Right, wrong.

Point and shoot

Shooting involves pointing the remote at the screen and pressing B. A bright blue dot shows where you're aiming, and when you're on target it becomes a red circle. Pressing the Z button locks the camera onto the target (in theory), but not your aim. So you have to keep pointing the remote in the right place at all times.

'Tomb Raider: Anniversary' Screenshot 1

Yes, there is a photo of The Angkor Wat Incident. No, you will never see it.

Try doing that, and keeping Lara out of harm's reach (using the Nunchuk to move and A to jump), when you're confronted with three wolves. Or even two bats for that matter. It's like playing a fundamentally flawed light gun game. Time Crisis and Duck Hunt work because you're stationary, and all you have to worry about is aiming, firing and reloading. The Wii version of Medal of Honor Heroes 2 works because although your character can move, there's plenty of cover. So you can remain stationary and take out enemies (also stationary, apart from popping out of cover now and again) before moving ahead.

The shooting in TRA Wii just doesn't work. The remote is ridiculously sensitive; the blue dot on the screen jiggles nervously even when your hand is absolutely still. Get anywhere near the edge of the screen and the dot will jump and stick to it. This makes aiming trickier than it should be when you're shooting a lock. When you're shooting a raptor, trying to keep Lara safe at the same time, it's ridiculously hard.

It's also confusing due to TRA Wii's appalling camera. It jumps around madly, often picking bizarre and useless angles to show the action from. Making Lara jump and roll about, the traditional and effective method for dodging attacks in Tomb Raider, sends the camera into a complete tizzy. It just can't cope, whirling and jumping around like it thinks it's Jean-Luc Godard.

The camera can't stay trained on the enemy even if you're holding Z. Often you're shooting blindly at enemies you can't even see on the screen, wondering where you're supposed to point the remote. Next thing a bear leaps back into shot from a direction you weren't expecting, and it's all over. The amount of rage this generates is such you better make sure you're wearing that wrist strap.

Shake and bake

'Tomb Raider: Anniversary' Screenshot 2

No.

There are other features unique to the Wii version of TRA. None work as badly as the combat system, but all feel tacked-on and pointless. Using the grapple is done by shaking the Nunchuk, which just about works consistently. There are tedious puzzles where you have to use the remote to take rubbings of symbols, then waggle it to turn stones and match the right symbols up. This is often fiddly as the gloved hand you control jiggles about too much. And it's boring.

To look around environments, you press C and move the Wii remote to rotate the camera. Again it's too sensitive and you get stuck at the edges of the screen too easily. The camera won't always go where you want it to. At one point, while Lara was hanging from a ledge, I couldn't get the camera to show where she had to jump next - so I had to drop down, survey the entire room from the ground, memorise the route and do it all again.

It's not all terrible. This is Tomb Raider. The storyline and level design are pretty much the same as in the other versions. The graphics are as good as those in the PS2 game, though there's a disgraceful amount of frame-dropping going on. There are still moments of wonder and beauty. The atmosphere, however, isn't the same. It's hard to feel the same sense of loneliness and immersion when you're constantly accompanied by a quivering blue dot.

Dino crisis

'Tomb Raider: Anniversary' Screenshot 3

Flying without wings.

Perhaps the T-Rex set piece sums it up. It was that roar and the giant shape lumbering out of the darkness which made me yelp back in 1997. They ruined it in the first versions of Anniversary with the bright lighting and the boring cut-scene and the Quick Time Event nonsense. It was the videogame equivalent of Greedo shooting first.

It's the same in the Wii version, except instead of pressing buttons you wave the remote and Nunchuk as directed. It feels silly. There's no yelping. Just some stupid arm-waving followed by an over-long boss battle that's almost impossible to win due to the dreadful camera and ridiculous targeting system.

I still love Lara. My love was strong enough to survive all those times in Tomb Raider PSone where she walked off ledges and swam into walls and missed ropes, even though she wasn't. It was strong enough to survive Angel of Darkness and those awful films, and it's strong enough to survive Tomb Raider: Anniversary on the Wii. If you haven't played the PC, PS2 or Xbox 360 versions, do. They're brilliant. This isn't.

4 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (114) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • morriss #1 4 years ago

    Oh dear. I was almost tempted by this.

    Btw. Shouldn't it be: "Right? Wrong!"

    ;)

  • systems #2 4 years ago

    That's a shame. Another daft control scheme strapped on a decent game then.

    Re:"The remote is ridiculously sensitive; the blue dot on the screen jiggles nervously even when your hand is absolutely still."

    This can happen in any game and is remedied by the sensitivity menu on the Wii. I have to modify mine quite often when I get the "cursor shakes".

  • Killerbee #3 4 years ago

    Ouch.

    Still, I bought the PS2 version way back when it was released, so I don't feel too bad now for not waiting for this.

  • Murbal #4 4 years ago

    /sharp intake of breath

    Now, do I tell my colleague who's just had this turn up in the post?

  • SEVQA #5 4 years ago

    get your tits out Croft! = 10/10

  • miiiguel #6 4 years ago

    I don't understand why Wii can't have "normal" controls for games as this which obviously don't work with the numbchunk.
    There seems to this need of "better new and bad, than normal and perfect".

  • woodnotes #7 4 years ago

    lol

  • haowan #8 4 years ago

    Eidos will not be happy with this development

  • ZeroAX #9 4 years ago

    lol. well i hope after mario galaxy they will understand you can make normal controled games on the wii likewise to new super mario brothers did to the ds

  • UncleLou #10 4 years ago

    Daft. Silly Eidos.

  • Blerk #11 4 years ago

    Eidos will not be happy with this development

    But will Ellie be in the dole queue by Monday morning? :-)

  • JohnnyWashnGo #12 4 years ago

    Fer christs sake, the game worked perfectly well using the traditional control system, why bother to change it just because the system supports it?

    I am sick of companies shoveling games onto the wii and strapping on new control systems just because they can. Whatever happened to making a game that played well?

    I was kinda looking forward to getting this game for the Wii but looks like I will have to pass. Still, maybe this will teach 'em that you have to think about the application of the wand and nunchuk and not just add it as an afterthought.

  • Steroyd #13 4 years ago

    Oh no a bad Eidos review, run Ellie, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!

  • Triggerhappytel #14 4 years ago

    Ellie in shit game review shocker. Give her some good games to review, damnit!

    "It was the videogame equivalent of Greedo shooting first."

    Although I happen to disagree with the point you're making, this is still a great line. I enjoyed the new T Rex battle, although the QTE sections were needless and a bit lame.

  • manic_mouse #15 4 years ago

    "I don't understand why Wii can't have "normal" controls for games "

    Because traditional control schemes are broken and rubbish, that's why we needed the Wii!

  • Muddtallica #16 4 years ago

    Ugh. As everyone other than Eurogamer realised, Resident Evil 4 on the Wii was awesome; I was kind of hoping this might work the same way.

    Clearly not.

  • Telepathic.Geometry #17 4 years ago

    Holy shit, 4/10 for the Wii version and 9/10 for the PS2 version? Those controls must really be fucked up. :(

  • Kryon #18 4 years ago

    ^^ Nah, RE4 was only worth a purchase on the Wii if you hadn't played it before, the new control mechanism added nothing to it and it looks like TR is meh on Wii as well. The Wii is for party games and Mario, nothing more, nothing less...

  • morriss #19 4 years ago

    You know Ellie and Dave McCarthy are married, right?

  • Telepathic.Geometry #20 4 years ago

    This review does seem pretty harsh, I'll look forward to seeing a reader review on it methinks...

  • Darren #21 4 years ago

    So it's not only the PS3 that gets sub-standard multiformat games then.

    The comment about the lack of camera control in Tomb Raider Anniv, highlights one of my gripes about the Wii which is: while the controller and Nunchuk are great for some games, games that require camera control aren't quite so wonderful due to the lack of a second analogue stick and triggers. I found it irritating in Zelda: Twilight Princess for example: the GC version allowed you to control it, the Wii version doesn't. I'm sure I'd find it equally annoying in TRA on the Wii.

  • Eighthours #22 4 years ago

    The "Curse of Ellie" strikes again! :)

  • miiiguel #23 4 years ago

    "Because traditional control schemes are broken and rubbish, that's why we
    needed the Wii!"

    I don't agree, I think the Wii controls are cool, and work in some games, but I also think Wii owners could/should be allowed to play classic games the classic way. There's no reason why they shouldn't.

  • Telepathic.Geometry #24 4 years ago

    @miiguel: I think the problem is, the classic controller wasn't packed in with the console, so the game generally needs to be wiimote + nunchuk compatible!

  • Mr_Bogus #25 4 years ago

    This review has actually changed my opinion of "not bothered" to "actually want to play it". Out of sheer curiosity.

    The only part that holds me back is the bit about frame rate drops, that ruins games for me.

  • miiiguel #26 4 years ago

    TG: makes sense..., still think they should find a way for it to be classic-mode/compatible.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 12:26

  • nickthegun #27 4 years ago

    "Never, until now, have I been killed by the first set of bats Lara encounters"

    That actually made me lol. I can imagine someone whirling the remote around screaming 'GET OFF ME YOU FUCKERS!'

  • Telepathic.Geometry #28 4 years ago

    Oh yeah. I mean, for me the fact that the PS2 version garners a 9/10 with a dual analogue and the wiimote + nunchuk gets a 4/10 suggests that the couple of days work it would have taken to include classic controller support would have been well spent. How did they not spot it?

  • Darren #29 4 years ago

    The TR engine must be an absolute heap of crap considering that all versions of Anniversary, be it on the 360, PS2 or Wii, suffer from framerate issues. I mean this game doesn't even run at 720p on the 360 and still has a disappointing framerate so what chance did the poor old Wii have of coping with it? LOL

  • Garulon #30 4 years ago

    Wiimote ruins another game shock.

    Why didn't N pack a classic controller in the Wii box? At least then companies would just fallback to that without worrying about lost sales, rather than jamming a control system that obviously doesn't work into a port.

  • tobsen #31 4 years ago

    Who would have ever thought that Nintendo, out of all companies, would proof that commercial success of a platform and the quality of its games can be totally unrelated.

    I have so much fallen out of love with this company in just a single year, unbelievable. But I guess they now rather want my mother and sisters as customers anyway, so it's likely mutual.

  • Steroyd #32 4 years ago

    Why didn't N pack a classic controller in the Wii box? At least then companies would just fallback to that without worrying about lost sales, rather than jamming a control system that obviously doesn't work into a port.

    That goes against the Wii's existance and Nintendo's belief's, if devs can just port anything without any hard work, not that making them use the Wiimote has changed anything.

  • Aretak #33 4 years ago

    We're going to need a bigger shovel.

  • JetSetWilly #34 4 years ago

    Sounds exactly like the lock-on free aim mode of Metroid Prime 3.

  • Sid-Nice #35 4 years ago

    More proof that the Wii is just a mini-gaming-gimmick.

  • Hughes. #36 4 years ago

    OUCH!

    Ellie no likey!

  • chicknstu #37 4 years ago

    Another crap Wii game.

  • erp #38 4 years ago

    :(

    PS2 version for me it is then.

  • manic_mouse #39 4 years ago

    @miiiguel

    I was being sarcastic there, I agree with you. Nintendo are the ones who are trying to ram down people's throat that traditional controls are inferior to the Wiimote. And we'll get onto that in just a sec...

    "Why didn't N pack a classic controller in the Wii box? At least then companies would just fallback to that without worrying about lost sales, rather than jamming a control system that obviously doesn't work into a port"

    Because, as I feared on the announcement of the Wii, it appears to be a one-trick-pony. Nintendo have invested so much on the Wiimote as being the sole reason for the Wii's existance to the point where they've crippled the console in pretty much every other way. Take the Wiimote away and the Wii is quite possibly the worst console ever produced in comparison to it's competitors.

    Which means that games either NEED to use the Wiimote or they're going to be a pale imitation of the bigger and better games you see on the PS3 and 360. With a classic controller the Wii is essentially the GC 1.5, and the games will reflect this. Why buy a Wii (or Wii multi-format games) if you're just getting downgraded versions of what you could get on a 360 or PS3?

    Wii games NEED to use the Wiimote or they have pretty much no reason for existence. The people who bought the Wii over traditional consoles aren't going to want to buy normal games, since the other consoles do them better, and thus making normal games for the Wii probably wont sell (hence why the traditional "blockbuster" games are on 360 and PS3 normally). There's also no technical reason to make them on the Wii, aside from the Wiimote.

    IMO the problem the Wii has is that it relies TOO heavily on the Wiimote as it's raison d'etre. Games designed specifically for it generally work very well and are enjoyable. But the thing is, it's not as versatile as a traditional controller and doesn't work for every type of game perfectly. Hence we get shoe-horned Wii controls on games that would work better with a standard controller.

    In the majority of normal games the Wiimote is a solution looking for a problem. The Wiimote was supposed to be the solution to "bad controls" by simplifying and improving game control, but going by the number of games released on the Wii with terrible (and sometimes unplayable) controls I would say it's caused more problems than it's fixed.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 13:16

  • erp #40 4 years ago

    @Darren

    Yeah those have been my recent thoughts about Wii controls too, and it seems my related fears for this game were unfortunately proven well founded. :(

  • Killerbee #41 4 years ago

    I definitely support the call for developers to offer Classic controller (or better: Cube controlller) support for games that are ported from other consoles, but you can't really blame them for trying to fit the game onto the Wii's control scheme.

    TBH, from the sounds of the review, the problem isn't so much the choice of controls (although waggle is never really a good idea, is it?). but more the fact that they've completely messed up the sensitivity of the remote pointer. Yes, it does sound a lot like Metroid Prime 3, but MP3 offered a choice of different control schemes for those that liked free aiming and those that don't, and they got the sensitivity pretty much spot on as far as I'm concerned.

    Camera control needent be an issue in a game like this either. I for one, much prefer the camera style adopted by God of War, for example, than having control myself, but that does mean level design needs to account for that. And I never once missed the second analogue stick in Zelda: Twilight Princess.

    The thing I'm most surprised about is that this took so much longer than the PS2 version to arrive and they added precious little extra content and messed up the controls. That's the real crime / tragedy of this title imho.

  • andromeda #42 4 years ago

    i dont no why i hate the wii so much, perhaps...
    ....cos it promised to change the way it played and failed so dismally...
    and the smeggy adverising behind it. My gran was never suppsoed to play fuckin games, shes supposed to be finishing my damn sweater for the winter months

    oh yeah so theres always SMG ;) ok, one game that is bearable.
    I borrowed a wii and copy of Prime 3 , being a huge samusfreak, and gave it back after one night, so nonplussed with the pointless controls i was. How i longed for a standard controller!

    Hurry up and die Wii!

  • TheDudesRug #43 4 years ago

    Still, Zelda's a good game. Right?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #44 4 years ago

    As already pointed out the control scheme shouldn't be that bad in theory. Metroid Prime 3 has just the same control method (moving around, only camera locked and you still have to aim). It works really, really well and I never had a problem with it - it seems like it's just a case of bad implementation here, which is sad.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #45 4 years ago

    Still, Zelda's a good game. Right?

    It was good Gamecube game, too, though, and not significantly better on the wii (apart from being in Widescreen).

  • andromeda #46 4 years ago

    lol

    [link url=http://www.ukresistance.co .uk/2007/12/wii-rape-alarm-sports-pack-for-299.html#comments
    ]http://ww w.ukresistance.co.uk/2007/12/wi...[/link]

    what a sorry state

  • Diomedes #47 4 years ago

    Wow ,the PS3 frame drops when it gets direct ports of X360 games and the Wii does the same with the PS2 !

    Well ,if actually the Wii has demostrated anything is that it effectively controls worse that the traditional joypads ....

  • Fitzmogwai #48 4 years ago

    I saw Ellie's name at the top of the review and knew it would be a shitty score.

    I now offer the prophecy that Ellie reviewing a good game will be a sign of the End Times. If Ellie awards a 9 or a 10 to a game, the skies will rupture, the earth will crack open and armies of angels and demons will begin the eternal war that dooms humanity.

    Please, EG, heed my words and continue to keep her away from the good stuff for all our sakes.

  • SimonM7 #49 4 years ago

    Crap controls is the most vague complaint you could possibly offer in terms of Wii games. I haven't found a SINGLE thread of consistent criticism towards ANY game related to its controls.

    It's like some people just can't wrap their head around them, regardless of their actual implementation. You're saying things like "How could Eidos miss this?", well maybe they reckoned it worked really well?

    I'm NOT saying every game on the Wii controls well, but I'm saying SSX Blur, Excite Truck, Resident Evil 4 and more are nowhere near the flawed mess some make them out to be. It's incredibly obvious just how personal these problems are.

    Therefore when I read a review like this, particularly after RE4 Wii (which was an AWESOME game where the controls totally added to the experience) the criticisms sort of mean.. nothing to me.

    I'm stuck still not knowing whether to try it out or not. It would be nice if someone who's invested in the game and don't need to have a review thrown out in X amount of time could come in here and give some insight into how it performs after a while.


    The Wiimote is so new, even now a year later, and you need only recall how awkward it was to play any game for the first time when you hadn't had two generations of the same pad. It's like the gaming nation expects something brand new to feel just as *obvious* as the third generation Sony pad.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 14:20

  • Telepathic.Geometry #50 4 years ago

    RE4 and Excite Truck control really well actually. :)

  • Aretak #51 4 years ago

    "It's incredibly obvious just how personal these problems are."

    No. Things mentioned in this review, such as the cursor flying towards the edge of the screen and the camera being awful are quantifiable flaws. I didn't see anything in that review saying that the controls were fundamentally okay but Ellie couldn't get on with them. It sounds like it's just plain broken.

  • DrDamn #52 4 years ago

    @manic_mouse

    Good post. Whilst I don't agree with all of it it's good to see posts like this in amongst the usual crap we get here.

  • TheDudesRug #53 4 years ago

    That's an excellent idea. Then they could raise the standard of this game to be on par with the other quality Wii releases.

    Can't be too hard to score another point out of ten.

  • miiiguel #54 4 years ago

    manic_mouse, to be honest I didn't get the tone (written speech is toneless + not very good at english, I do portuguese and Unix better).
    You're totally correct, while I stand by the fact that classics are classics, I don't want to see a coloured version of Casablanca, for instance. Does that make the movie bad ? Don't think so.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 15:01

  • Beek4257 #55 4 years ago

    So in some way, the Wii version is closest to the original TR1 experience, what with the awful control system and unplayable camera-angles.

    Ah, the memories...

  • SimonM7 #56 4 years ago

    @ Aretak

    Which is my point. According to the RE4 review those controls were fundamentally flawed too. Who's to say whether YOU'RE not getting to grips with it or if it is indeed "broken"?

    If it doesn't work FOR YOU, and that's a consistent impression you get, of course you'll claim it's broken. So indeed, these problems are personal.

    We were lead to believe it was impossible to get the UBERS to work in Blur, but that's simply not the truth. I can pull them off at the drop of a hat, it just took some figuring out.

    With all due respect I don't care that you take these impressions as fact and use it to prove my point "wrong" by saying "it sounds like they ARE BROKEN". I've been told this before and it's turned out to be inaccurate too many times for me to be as trusting.

    What troubles me way more are these alleged graphical issues. I'm at a loss for what version to pick up now to be honest. If the 360 version looked like Legend I'd be all over that, but apparently it doesn't, so there doesn't seem to be a need to power on that helicopter emulator in my living room just to have it honk out the PC game. I might just grab the PS2 version after all.

  • Kryon #57 4 years ago

    Wii + Gimmick controller = LULZ

    Wii - Gimmick controller = Expensive GameCube (Hence LULZ anyway)

    Wiilol.

  • symbiote #58 4 years ago

    Shit graphics? Check
    Wonky controls? Check
    Wii? Check

  • Kryon #59 4 years ago

    I reckon in ten years time the Wii will be remembered only for it's ridiculous sales figures rather than actually being a step forward in the evolution of gaming. "Oooh look! A GameCube with a light gun" ...Meh.

  • Sid-Nice #60 4 years ago

    I'm so pleased that I sold my Wii for Ł50 before all this Christmas Wii madness.

  • Katsumoto #61 4 years ago

    Its true, if you hadn't you'd have no doubt had to go and buy this!

  • Kryon #62 4 years ago

    I sold mine too but CEX gave me Ł230 for it (dunno why, it was crap)

  • Toonster #63 4 years ago

    I'm pretty sure Kryon is just annoyed because the Wii hasn't been released in pink, yet.

  • Kryon #64 4 years ago

    ^^^ I wish it had, then a at least I could have palmed the peice of shite off to my Mrs and pretend it was a gift for her all along. You are right though, the console should have been produced in Pink from the start, I mean it's obviously meant for women and homosexuals isn't it. You got Cooking Mama yet Toonster mate?

  • Katsumoto #65 4 years ago

    Despite the irrelevant sales figures (clueless casuals) the Wii must surely go down in gaming history as one of the silliest consoles of all time.

    Even the Amiga CD32 had better games than the shite served up on this horrible little thing.     If you want, I could find some shit 360 games and then make the same generalisation?

    Oh look - the last 3 games EG reviewed on 360 got a 5 each. The last 3 wii games, excluding this, got 8, 7 and 5. From this crass simplification I deem the 360 a "casual noob lol" pile of shite in comparison to the wii.
    Edited by 2 at 07/12/07 @ 17:31

  • Katsumoto #66 4 years ago

    Btw Kyron, I assume you're around and making jokes about homosexuals. Let me just reiterate - I WANT TO BUM YOU HARD. Because I have a Wii and am therefore gay. And, as you are no doubt aware, all gay men fancy you. They want to ram you in.

  • Kryon #67 4 years ago

    Fatsumo, mate, we all know you fancy me, that's OK though, I must admit, I've fantasized about shitting in your mouth a few times myself ;-) xxx

  • Toonster #68 4 years ago

    You got Cooking Mama yet Toonster mate?

    Nope, don't own a Wii.

  • Kryon #69 4 years ago

    ^^^ Good thing the Wii is small, should fit nicely in the closet with you.

  • oerhoert #70 4 years ago

    It's amazing that after a year of great entertainment on the Wii, from Excite Truck, WarioWare, Trauma Center, Table Tennis, Mario Strikers Charged, Tiger Woods 08 and Kororinpa through to Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption and Super Mario Galaxy, you guys are <em>still</em> complaining about the Wii lacking games, being a gimmick, etc.

    I myself haven't finished Twilight Princess yet, I'm damn far away from completing Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (killer game btw), and I've only touched on the optional parts of Super Mario Galaxy, which I'm looking enormously forward to return to. For me, there is so much to play on the machine -- and I'm not even counting Super Metroid or the other classics on VC here -- it's hardly even funny.

    It's just boring to see people still don't get the point: It's a viable, entertaining and innovative games machine that, of course, isn't anywhere near perfect wrt. the games library. The same could be said about the two other machines, although the 360 has the upper hand in sheer volume.

    Grow up, people.
    Edited by 2 at 07/12/07 @ 18:30

  • smelly #71 4 years ago

    Crying shame was looking forward to this.. ah well.

    symbiote : prick? Check


    @oerhört: You're expecting a load of 360 fanboys like kryon to grow up? Unlikely, it'll take another 5 or 6 years for them to hit puberty. I find it funny they weren't going "hahaha another shit wii game, wii is shit when metroid 3 and mario galaxy were reviewed.

  • drumbaby #72 4 years ago

    What a surprise...plus I'm looking forward to another buggering-up of yet another grown up game by putting it on Wii...Monster Hunter 3.

    The EG review should be a real laff riot. :)

  • smelly #73 4 years ago

    @manic_mouse: I can see where you're coming from. But do people moan that the 360 and ps3 are "one trick pony's" because they only offer "more power" over their predecessors.

    After all you could state that their "gimmicks" are having more power, or in the case of the ps3 - 2 gimmicks - more power and a blue ray drive.

    And of course the ds was just a "gimmick" too.

    Like it or lump it, it's the same with any game on any console - the "gimmick" is only as good as the way a game uses it. On the 360 and ps3 there are SOME games where 3rd party developers have done a shit job and the games look like shit. Therefor the "gimmick" of more power is lost. However, does this mean all the 360 and ps3 "gimmick" of more power is pointless just because on or two games are developed badly? no. Of course not. There are still games which use the power well.

    Same for the wii. Just because some 3rd party games implement the controller badly doesnt mean the controller is pointless or not worth it- because there are games out there that use the controllers very well (mario galaxy, metroid, wii sports, rockstar table tennis, godfather, scarface, yadda yadda).

    So one poorly made/converted game doesnt make a console pointless - no matter how much 360 owners masturbating into their socks while posting on forums try to tell us it does.

  • smelly #74 4 years ago

    I also find it interesting how these things go in spirals.

    On these very forums:

    I remember when everyone slagged off the dreamcast and i defended it.. Obviously you were all right on that one - but i'm still a sega fanboy (from back in the day - they've gotten crap recently).

    Then when the xbox came out - everyone on here was slagging that off too (presumably as everyone owned a ps2) - and i defended that. I find it funny that nowadays most of the slagging off of other consoles should therefor come from 360 owners.. my how times have changed!

    :-D

  • MMAN #75 4 years ago

    "the videogame equivalent of Greedo shooting first."

    Haha, that's the best summation I've ever seen of why the TRA T-Rex introduction is inferior to the original one, despite the technical improvement.

  • Tiel #76 4 years ago

    Eurogamer and all other game journos will have to slate a few Eidos titles soon to prove that they aren't in their pocket.
    And so it begins.
    Of course I also have no doubt that the game is in fact rubbish.

  • smelly #77 4 years ago

    "Eurogamer and all other game journos will have to slate a few Eidos titles soon to prove that they aren't in their pocket. "

    See, i dont get why this is "big news" all of a sudden and only related to eidos and gamespot either.

  • old_skool #78 4 years ago

    I said this a long time ago when Nintendo first revealed the Wii (Revolution). The controller is just not made for all types of games, in fact no controller is suited for all types of games. People at the time of its announcement clamoring about it being a gun/steering wheel/bat/sword/ ,well it just doesn't work that way. Plus the fact that you can't rest it on your lap. It's ideally made for short burst of play, generalised movement, you know, the casual stuff. Tomb Raider is hardly meant to be played by the casual gamer. It's pretty ironic that its biggest strength is its greatest weakness.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 20:58

  • smelly #79 4 years ago

    @old skool:

    Sorry, but you're wrong. In terms of gameplay/controller mechanics tomb raider really isnt that different to mario galaxy. 3rd person adventure, pointing at the screen to shoot.

    it's not that this game isnt suited to the controller - it just (apparently) uses the controller badly.

  • old_skool #80 4 years ago

    Mario Galaxy is in essence just a collection of mini-games. And take this comment from the review,
    " Try doing that, and keeping Lara out of harm's reach (using the Nunchuk to move and A to jump), when you're confronted with three wolves. Or even two bats for that matter. It's like playing a fundamentally flawed light gun game. Time Crisis and Duck Hunt work because you're stationary, and all you have to worry about is aiming, firing and reloading. The Wii version of Medal of Honor Heroes 2 works because although your character can move, there's plenty of cover. So you can remain stationary and take out enemies (also stationary, apart from popping out of cover now and again) before moving ahead."

    Although it a platformer the game is different by design. Nintendo does get the controls right but it is largely due to their level design which is complimentary to the controller.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 21:30

  • old_skool #81 4 years ago

    BTW there is nothing wrong with Tomb Raider's design per se, it's just a case where this game was designed for a different controller and rather succesfully as its previous scores indicates.

  • oerhoert #82 4 years ago

    Oh, c'mon.

    Galaxy just a collection of mini games?

    The Wii not fit for third-person adventures?

    Sorry mate, this just ain't cutting it. If you want to be critical, it'd help if you actually criticised the things about the machine that really suck, like the responsiveness of the channels and the online shop, or the lack of any systemwide multiplayer system, or even the graphics. To claim that the machine can't do third-person adventures is just plain stupid.

    Why on earth shouldn't it be able to, really? It has six buttons plus a d-pad within close reach, one regular joystick, and a pointer device as well as multiple accelerometers in each hand. More than enough to do third-person adventures perfectly well.

    If this is the best you've got, there isn't even an argument to be had here. Then again, perhaps I should've known better.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 22:08

  • old_skool #83 4 years ago

    Of course its a collection of minigames,cleverly disguised though, you go to each level or galaxy either to collect stars, do the odd puzzle or do a race. If you actually read my post properly then you would have seen that it is the level design that's the problem. Yeah we can just cut out those huge open spaces, and design the game that although there's multiple enemies close by you only face them one at a time. Even turning in Metroid Prime was a bit awkward but hey that's no problem if the enemies don't sneak up behind you. So much for the element of surprise.

    /Edit

    And the design of any game goes hand in hand with its control scheme.
    Edited by 1 at 07/12/07 @ 22:22

  • oerhoert #84 4 years ago

    If that's the case, could you please state your definition of a "minigame", as well as explain how, let's say, the "Dino Piranha" star fits that definition?

  • old_skool #85 4 years ago

    A minigame by my definition is a short level. The Dino Piranha you must do in 4 minutes, its a time trial or a speed run.

  • smelly #86 4 years ago

    "Of course its a collection of minigames,cleverly disguised though, you go to each level or galaxy either to collect stars, do the odd puzzle or do a race."

    Oh come off it.. using that logic halo 3 is just one big mini game as all you do is walk around shooting things

  • smelly #87 4 years ago

    And it doesnt alter the fact that mario proved this type of game is possible - it's just that this game does it badly.

  • SuperZ #88 4 years ago

    Really good review, enjoyed reading it.

    I never thought I'd say it but I quite fancy getting a Wii again for SMG, Metroid and Endless Ocean.

  • old_skool #89 4 years ago

    Mario Galaxy just emphasises my point, each level is short, you can do the levels in less than 10 minutes, in fact you can do most levels in 5 minutes. So you won't get any strain holding the controller, there's enough of a pause/break for you to recover from fatigue. An attack is just a general shake of the controller, nothing taxing at all.

    There's of course nothing wrong with Super Mario Galaxy but you must realise it's made for the Wii. To quote my first post,"It's ideally made for short burst of play, generalised movement, you know, the casual stuff."
    Edited by 1 at 08/12/07 @ 08:13

  • Ryze #90 4 years ago

    Is the 360 version the best then?!

    /hugs new Elite

    /delays Wii purchase until SSBB gets 8/10 or better with online play

  • Brianstorm #91 4 years ago

    @ old skool

    So how would you describe Zelda, which worked perfectly on a gamecube pad and the wii controller. It seems if the developer had tried to implement a standard control set up with the Wii nunchuk and remote it would've worked fine, there is absolutely no reason for it not too. the fact they tried to tack on gesture controls seems to have spoilt the game.

    I also find it interesting that most trolls own a 360, must be something about the demographic.



  • Kryon #92 4 years ago

    The Wii is crap.

    /End of thread.

  • old_skool #93 4 years ago

    So how would you describe Zelda, which worked perfectly on a gamecube pad and the wii controller. It seems if the developer had tried to implement a standard control set up with the Wii nunchuk and remote it would've worked fine, there is absolutely no reason for it not too. the fact they tried to tack on gesture controls seems to have spoilt the game.

    @Brianstorm
    I suggest you to read Eurogamer's Zelda review, you'll find it quite revealing.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #94 4 years ago

    Standard 2 stick game pads would have worked fine for Mario Galaxy too, but the Wii really can?t control traditional 2 stick design videogames for shit.

    Yeah, right. That's why traditional 2 stick games like Resident Evil 4 and Metroid Prime are both uncontrollable and don't play very well at all.

  • pyrat6 #95 4 years ago

    "Plus the fact that you can't rest it on your lap. It's ideally made for short burst of play, generalised movement, you know, the casual stuff."

    Wrong. You can easily play most wii games with your hands resting on your lap. Or on the setee either side of you - or on the arms of your armchair. Get the idea ?

    As for Mario galaxy being minigames "each level is short, you can do the levels in less than 10 minutes, in fact you can do most levels in 5 minutes". Can you think of any mario games where the levels can't be done in around ten minutes ?

    Besides I usually play for an hour or so without problems. Either you have very weedy arms - or your just making stuff up.

    At least Kryon is funny.

  • dk_rare #96 4 years ago

    All of the new Raider games suck. Not even Wii can save them.

  • Lemming81 #97 4 years ago

    You have to laugh. Not every game on the Wii is AAA, so the fanboys have to come on and slag off the console: "Only good for party games", "one trick pony" etc.

    The GAME is crap because the DEVELOPERS didn't get it right. Not the console.

    It's convenient how you forget that the best selling HARDCORE gaming titles are, wait for it, on the Wii (Galaxy, Twilight Princess, Metroid 3 etc..), not to mention being the only contender in the casual market as well.

    Enough with the hate for a console that is clearly enjoyed by all and kicking the competition despite inferior hardware. It's just getting sad now.

    I think 360s are great machines, and if a shit game gets a bad review (like Kane and Lynch) I don't sit there going "LOLz shit console!11"

    Grow the fuck up.

  • VMerken #98 4 years ago

    The best version is the PC one. All the graphical effects, all the resolutions (I played it at a limited-by-my-monitor 1440x900), and you can use a USB X360 controller.

    Now if only the game wasn't a dumbed down ParkKours copy of the original.

  • Skywise #99 4 years ago

    @oerhört: don't get upset by the trolls calling the Wii a collection of minigames. They might have had a point at lauch time, but atm it's totally ridiculous to say that.

    Anyway having them troll about the Wii is better than them buying one, in which case you might meet them online (shudders)

  • old_skool #100 4 years ago

    What I find funny is that any critisism or slightly perceived negative opinion is strongly defended by labelling people as trolls. My opinion might be flawed, I never said it's the truth, it was my observation. If you can't counter an argument with some decent logic then you're just a fanboy.

  • oerhoert #101 4 years ago

    Well, yeah, but then that original argument actually needs to be built on decent logic as well. I, for one, highly doubt that there are many who share your sentiment that the only requirement for anything to be called a "minigame" is that it's short. In that case, as has been said, Super Mario Bros. is a game consisting of 32 mini-games, Doom is a game of mini-games, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater as well. Do you really hold this to be true?

    In my book, a "minigame" is defined by the nature of the gameplay - "minigames" in my book are games that are simple and slightly shallow, meaning they're there for the variation, not for being the main attraction. If the game design of a game holds up through hours and hours of play, however, I'd call it a game. Tetris, Lumines, Zuma are all games, in my book. Portal is a game. Halo is a game, although most encounters are intense, two-minute showdowns. Etcetera.

  • pyrat6 #102 4 years ago

    @old skool.

    Pot. Kettle. Black.

    I am always happy to discuss opinions and observations as long as they contain some 'decent logic'. Too many discussion degenerate into mud-slinging when the posters :
    - come out with tired cliches (the wii is for minigames, there are no good games etc)
    -invent 'facts' purely as a tool to back up their prejudices or
    -just come out with random insults.

    Your comments just about fell into the second category - but I still countered them with (I hope) reasonably decent logic.

    The only thing worse than trolls are troll feeders. Easier just to ignore them. Except Kryon - he amuses - and besides has a pretty mouth.

  • old_skool #103 4 years ago

    @oerhört

    My original point was that the Wii, specifically its controller, is ideally designed ( the magic word here is ideally ) for games with short burst of play, general movement. I can accept that your assesment of what a minigame is is truer than mine, I'm not averse to changing my opinion. Its just when I played Galaxy it just seemed to me ( and yet again it's just my view ) like a long chain of minigames. I don't mind it, it's entertaining. I can however not accept that because one game works on one platform and doesn't on another because of the controller the blame lays squarely at the developer. Just like Tomb Raider Zelda had camera issues too but they solved it mostly by taking away the camera controls from the player and employing the z-lock. Just how would Tomb Raider play with a z-lock targetting option? And Zelda isn't platforming heavy at all .

    All consoles have their strengths which ultimately is their greatest weakness.
    The PS3 has bluray and cell, but it's expensive and difficult to develop for.
    The XBOX360 allows for easy x-platform development with the PC, unfortunately there's just too many FPS on it, it caters primarily for a few type of gamers, the hardcore. Microsoft acknowledges this, why else push an Arcade 360.
    For the Wii its the controller and it's relatively cheap due the cheaper tech. The evidence is there for all to see that games developed on other formats doesn't translate too well on the Wii. The visual quality drops and the control is not that good.
    Edited by 1 at 09/12/07 @ 19:10

  • Piggy #104 4 years ago

    IGN Tomb Raider: Anniversary Review Wii = 7/10

    IGN



  • Skywise #105 4 years ago

    @old school: [fyi I don't count you as one of the trolls]

    "My original point was that the Wii, specifically its controller, is ideally designed ( the magic word here is ideally ) for games with short burst of play, general movement."

    Wario Ware proved to me that the Wii controller was far more capable than I hoped. I think precision movement could work too. As the whole point of the remote is to swing it, I agree with the short bursts of play (until my fitness improves at least)

    Also, you seem to give the Wii controller the blame for the poor TR camera, but those seem unrelated to me. If all 3rd party developers continue bringing out substandard looking games which control poorly, I don't want to hear them complain a few years later that only Nintendo games are selling well on the Wii.
    With Galaxy Nintendo has proved Wii games can be beautiful and control well.
    Edited by 1 at 10/12/07 @ 01:01

  • Kryon #106 4 years ago

    Gosh! It seems that Wii fans will never enjoy a good Tomb Raider game but atleast you guys can come on here and have a good hard mass debate over Lara, infact I'd wager that most of you are actually playing Cooking Mama while mass debating, good for you!

  • pyrat6 #107 4 years ago

    I prefer playing Roasting Mama. But you need two controllers and have good co-ordination.

  • Kryon #108 4 years ago

    Roasting Mama eh? Sounds good man, I'll bring my Wiimote over to yours later, hope your mum's OK with it though ;-)

  • Beek4257 #109 4 years ago

    ?

    How the world has changed in 2 decades... A Tomb Raider forum about control issues and consolewars and ... Mario?

    I mean, come on! It's TR. What about Ms. Croft's BOOBS?

    /despairs

  • pyrat6 #110 4 years ago

    @kryon

    As fit as my mum is (hell, a couple of beers and I would) I did say *playing*.

    You are one of the people that the BBFC warned me about.

    (that's enough disturbing mental images for one day)

  • smelly #111 4 years ago


    [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=89051 ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...[/link]

    3/10

    therefor the 360 must be EVEN MORE crap.

    *sigh*

  • Skywise #112 4 years ago

    @smelly: poor me then as I own both and no PS3 :p

  • grussbarbar #113 4 years ago

    Well, this'll probably not be read by anyone anymore, but I just felt I had to comment on this review.

    After completing the game a few days ago, I actually (honestly and completely) feel that the Wii controls are very well executed. The mini-game like "puzzles" are lame, but just about everything else felt near perfect to me. There has been a lot of attention given to detail here. When you shimmy along a ledge or climb up a ladder or pole, you can move the nunchuk in Lara's movement rhythm to go faster. This feels right. When you want to swim faster you'l have to shake the nunchuk, which is extra cool when you're chased by a crocodile and have to really make an effort to stay in front of it. Throwing the grappling hook with the nunchuk is pretty standard by now, but it does feel right. And yes, dodging in combat feels right to me too, as well as having to aim manually. It's a lot harder than with auto-aim, but that should be so in real life too.
    I should add that I too did die a few times when I was surrounded by enemies. That being said, I learned to just aim true and just be good enough not to let myself be surrounded by enemies. If you aim well enough and damage/kill most enemies before they're near you, fights in TA anniversary will not give you any problems, and then the Wii controls bring out a very dynamic and engaging battle system, wherein the player dodges and shoots physically. Very cool and very well done, in my eyes.

    To recap, for me personally, the controls of the Wii version have enhanced the Tomb Raider experience in every way imaginable.
    Edited by 1 at 17/02/08 @ 20:01

  • Giobbi #114 3 years ago

    I am very very late...
    But I agree completely with grussbarbar, I have completed the game on wii and really enjoyed it.
    Also fighting are better than in usual tomb raider.

    And just moving the camera was rewarding here :)

    In my opinion this review is veeery bad and it gives a wrong idea of the final result the developers achieved with the final version of the game.

    If the reviewer had problems with this tomb raider for wii maybe it was because of her ability, they were not problems of this game itself as if you are used to the wii controls schemes this game has no problems at all, it is very well executed.