Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness

Written by Adam Woolcott on June 24, 2003

Full Review: She's a high maintenance gal, you know.

The Tomb Raider series has, at different points, been either the most revolutionary game franchise in decades, yet also one that was milked so much after it hit the jackpot that by the time the 5th TR game released in 5 years, nobody really cared if Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider franchise were to fall off the face of the earth. No question, the series created modern 3D adventuring, and also made a superstar character that outstripped the series itself Ц the famous Lara Croft. However, sometimes that sudden fame and fortune can go to your head, as Core and Eidos spent the next 4 years creating new Tomb Raider games with little to no gameplay advancements (and don't call analog control an advancement, you twits), and effectively ruined the series with constant rehashes of a winning formula. Yes, the games were still pretty good (with the exception of Chronicles), but one can only take so much of something before wishing for something else.

When the PlayStation 2 released in 2000, naturally Eidos and Core planned on creating another TR game Ц only this time, they would take their time and start from scratch, to create a Next Generation Tomb Raider. 3 years later, after delays and delays, that game is finally here Ц Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. Perhaps no other game has been as anticipated this year Ц if only because many wonder if Lara's latest adventure will actually be any good, or did Core just get lucky with Tomb Raider 1 and couldn't possibly repeat the success of the original. Now that the game has finally hit store shelves, we can safely say that Tomb Raider: AoD is a good, but not particularly great game Ц and like all past TR games, it all depends on your previous enjoyment of the series, and how much patience you have. It's a little different than past TR games, but it does maintain that feel of previous TR games, once you survive the slow start. Angel of Darkness isn't horrible at all, nor is it outstanding Ц it's just a good, flawed game that has a different value for each particular gamer, depending on your stance with Tomb Raider games.

Unlike most of the past Tomb Raider games, Angel of Darkness relies heavily on a storyline. The game begins with Lara visiting her mentor, Werner Von Croy (this is the guy who you did the training level with in Last Revelation, and then got caught in that thingy). They're arguing about something, and then all of a sudden, shots ring out, and Von Croy is dead. Lara realizes what's going on, but yet doesn't know what happened. Immediately, the police of Paris are after her, and she's on the run. From there, she's out to accomplish 2 main goals Ц clear her name, as she didn't kill her mentor, and also capture the Obscura Paintings, which supposedly have powers that could cause a world of hurt. Contrary to what many appeared to believe based on the early levels on the streets of Paris, Lara does actually go on some tomb raiding, complete with the usual booby-traps and strange inhabitants.

In a first for the series, Lara isn't the only playable character Ц along with Lady Croft, a strange fellow by the name of Kurtis Trent appears and you get to play in his shoes for a time. Not as often as Lara, but you do get a decent amount of playtime as Kurtis Ц his powers are much different than Lara's, leading to a slight bit of gameplay variety when switching characters. However, Lara is still the star of the show, regardless.

Progressing through the story and different locales is actually a bit different from past TR games Ц for instance, in the Parisian Ghetto (where a good share of the first few hours of gameplay takes place), you can go around the town at will, and actually take different paths to accomplish the main goal at hand. They all end up at the same place, but you can actually take a unique route each time you play.

The biggest problem with the story and the progression of the game is the slow, poor start. The game starts off with a generic, uninspired training level that is quite boring, and running through the streets of Paris can get tiring and given that this point feels nothing like a Tomb Raider game, some impatient folks might give up and forget about the game. The thing is, once you do get past the Paris streets, you'll get your first taste of classic Tomb Raider when you hit the sewers. Unfortunately, this is a mark of poor game design, when the game fails to fully capture interest immediately. Yes, it does pick up and the classic Tomb Raider design returns with a vengeance, but getting there might be a pain for some.

If you haven't played a Tomb Raider game before, describing the gameplay is pretty simple. As a pure adventure game, AoD consists mostly of solving odd puzzles and avoiding your death by making tough leaps and avoiding nasty traps whenever possible, with a small mix of fighting thrown in to spice things up. What always made TR fun were the crazy controls Ц but they were forgivable years ago simply because 3D gameplay was so new, nobody knew how to actually create great controls for the genre. Of course, 3D adventure games surpassed this control scheme, yet TR never changed Ц which is one reason for all the backlash against the game.

The control scheme has been improved for AoD Ц slightly. Lara (don't forget to include Kurtis as well, in most cases, but in other cases it's a bit different) does feel slightly more natural and less like a marionette, but is still hampered by menial tasks that are too complicated to pull off at first. At the very least, it's all analog for more pinpoint movements, but it's still got a pretty tough learning curve. To be honest, your own mastery/tolerance for the controls will make or break the game; if you can manage to get them down pat, the game becomes increasingly more rewarding and entertaining. If you don'tЕwell, you aren't weird, just dexterity-challenged a tad. Still, Core would do well to copy a game like MGS or Splinter Cell control-wise, to make Lara handle a bit better in the heat of the moment.

While the core of Tomb Raider is still here in Angel of Darkness, there are some new things. Most importantly, elements of stealth gameplay has been implemented into the game. Lara can sneak, hug walls, peek around corners, and pull off a stealth kill if she isn't detected. It's not completely necessary to be sneaky, but it saves on ammunition. Yes, unlike past TR games with unlimited ammo, Lara's numerous weapons have to be kept happy by feeding it clips or shells. It's not completely plentiful either, so while Lara has lots of firepower, conserving it for, say, a nasty boss fight would be a wise idea.

The coolest new addition tends to also be the most bothersome Ц this being the upgrading system. As you progress through the game, Lara gets stronger by doing particular things. If you break down a door with your shoulder, your arms get stronger to push heavy boxes, or give you more grip when shimmying across something (nope, this isn't unlimited anymore). Other improvements will increase your jumping ability or make you run much faster Ц which is good as Lara starts off in a jog when the game begins. The problem with this system is all the upgrades are hidden in a particular place; you have to find the right place to improve your skills, which can get tiresome if you've skipped it or just plain can't find it. It's a cool idea that rewards patient gamers (as it makes the controls more tolerable as Lara gets stronger), but wasn't implemented perfectly.

The level design in AOD is sharp, and an improvement from some past TR games. Using the PS2 engine, the levels are huge and full of trickery that sometimes isn't easy to spot, and loaded with head-scratching puzzles. Given the huge difficulty of the game (it's not easy at all, especially with all the tough jumps and wacky traps), Core lets you save anywhere Ц and you have to remember to do it yourself, as there is no auto save, or prompt to save either. While you could argue that it makes the game a lot easier (and it does, if only saving on frustration when missing a jump for the 298th straight time), being able to save whenever does help the progression of the game, as you don't want to be repeating the same tough jump or puzzle again and again. Still, it would have been nice have a prompt to save, just in case you forget.

One small other detail that's a real hassle Ц item collection. Lara will come across and collect many items Ц health, ammo, items to sell at a pawn shop for some extra Euros, keys, etc. But the game completely fails to explain what you've just collected, making you pause the game and scroll through your inventory to find it. This can get quite annoying after a while, breaking up the flow of the game. At the very least, there should have been a small bit of text telling you what you've picked up.

While the game has many unique traits to the series, it's still Tomb Raider at its heart. This is where the game will find its audience. If you've been a fan of the TR games and not turned off by the constant sequels, you'll be in heaven with Angel of Darkness, and able to tolerate the flaws and occasional lack of excitement. However, if you can't stand the series anymore, you might not as well bother wasting your time, as you simply won't like it. The strong learning curve and quirky problems with the game can be overlooked with time, but it will take a lot of time to build up that tolerance. Given how huge Angel of Darkness is, anyone who gets into the game will find a lengthy, challenging, if flawed game awaiting them Ц which might be good enough for some.

Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness manages to look very good, for the most part Ц if not in sheer detail, but in scope, a la the Grand Theft Auto series. With such gigantic levels that can create a bit of intimidation as to where to go, AoD is baffling to look at. However, the design itself is a bit outdated Ц not surprising given that AoD isn't exactly a brand new game, just one that's been constantly delayed. It's not bad, mind you Ц characters, especially Lara, look great (Lara's moneymakers happen to bounce around, just not as bad as the DOA girls Ц for the pervs out there) and while they might control or move slightly puppet-like, are realistic for the most part. Levels are detailed and you can easily identify signs or locales, but there's been much better on PS2.

Lighting effects are quite good, however Ц the nightclub level is the best place to demonstrate this, with all the different colored lights flashing about and moving around realistically. In dark places, it's almost impossible to see, which can be either good or bad Ц I'd bet Lara wished she had Sam Fisher's nightvision goggles. It's tough to see what's going on in the dark, but it demonstrates good lighting effects when finally getting to a lighter area. On the whole, AoD's graphics aren't benchmarks, but competent and far from poor Ц it's just that some places are stunning, while others are just average. Like Lara herself, the game is rather easy on the eyes.

Very little bad can possibly be said about the sounds of Angel of Darkness. From the stunning, outstanding compositions performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, which are intense pieces that play through most of the game instead of the dynamic music of previous games, to the solid voice acting, playing through TR is not painful for the ears. When in Paris, the locals sound like Parisians, and of course, Lara has that great English accent that would make British-babe loving Sony Target Senior Editor John Scalzo want to marry Lara just to hear her talk, even though it would mean having to hang with the insane Angelina Jolie (who doesn't voice her in the game, though it would have been a hell of a movie tie-in). It never comes off as fake or forced, and lets the story move along and maintain a serious tone without getting campy. Unfortunately, Lara doesn't make that Уah ha!Ф phrase when she comes across items anymore (always a favorite of Lara's obsessed fans), but does maintain all the grunts, moans, and groans of her climbing and leaping activities.