New Tomb Raider

Hi all,

Anyone have any thoughts on this game? It's due out in a few days and I am anxious to see if it will be something I can handle.

I really enjoyed Underworld but Legend and Anniversary were a little too much for me. I would not have made it through them without the help of Stella's save games.

I've been reading the reviews of the new TR and have mixed feelings. They indicate that it will have the same controls as Underworld but will be adding several elements that may require more finger dexterity than I will be able to handle. It has mentioned some RPG elements that may or may not be a good thing.

Anyway since it is due to be released on 4 March (at least from Steam) I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts.

I'm a sucker for Tomb Raider games, so I've not bothered with any reviews, as it's inevitable that I'll buy it ... [short break whilst I pre-order on Steam] ... see? Told you so.

Hiya Oldman, I haven't played the TR games, so I am no help. I know we have an enthusiastic TR group here, so hopefully you'll get the info you need.

Gremlin, play play play and come back and let us know what you think

I'm a Tomb Raider addict! I love and have all the TR Games. I watched a video of the complete new TR Game that included an interview with the creators. It looks excellent. Gremlin and I are on the same page when it comes to TR games. I never get tired of replaying them.

Best Buy stores is showing they will have the game for XBox 360 and Playstation for $59.99. I'm hoping for a PC version.

Kaki's Sister, there is definitely a Steam version for PC, where the cost should be about $40, not nearly $60! The only downside is that you don't get a physical disk or box, but there is an upside - Lara Croft and the Guardians of Light comes as a free extra.

Gremlin is right it is $45 if you preorder from Steam plus 3 rewards which you can see on the site. If you already have the steam application you can preorder directly from the Steam app.

I'm going to wait until you two have been playing for a while and then try to pick your respective brains for input on the difference between this one and Underworld.

I'l be awaiting your comments on the game.

I was so hoping for a hard copy version!

This is a game that I'm actually looking forward to (except for SimCity 2013). But I might have to invest in a new graphics card just to play it

Going to go with the Survival Edition though for about $63 (428 SEK)

Smiley, sounds like a great reason to get an upgrade to me. What is in the Survival Edition?

Gerry, hi!

I see where you saw a video of the
new TR game the other day. Was it
the PS3 or PC version?

What's the difference between the PS3
TR Underworld game that was released
in November, 2008, and the one being
released in a few days? Is this an
upgraded version with better graphics?

Thanks, Gerry!

Aser

Aser, Feeb88 posted a link where you can watch an interview and a video of the new Tomb Raider. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9i_U9y4BWI

This is a completely new game and nothing like TR UnderWorld.

Thanks Gerry

What do you think, Aser?

I have never played a Tomb Raider game. Is there respawning of bad guys in this game? I like a game where there is no respawning (except for specific quest purposes)such as in the Elder Scroll games. The Sacred games had ridiculous respawning.

True, it's a good thing that I have a GTX 550 Ti as a spare

In the Survival Edition you get

Gerry-- thanks for the TR link, although
I didn't have much luck with the You Tube
video. I did play the PS3 version on the
Best Buy site and it looked great!

Looney4labs--I've never played a TR game
before, but this trailer sure makes you
want to try one! I'm going to wait, though,
for some opinions on the game itself.

Aser

Assuming the new game sticks with the pattern of the previous eight(!), bad guys won't respawn. There is always a slight worry when the game is described as a 'reboot', not knowing what they'll change, but it would seem that such a story-driven game as TR isn't likely to change in this fundamental aspect of the game.

(No, they've added multi-player content (how on earth can everyone be Lara at once?) to the game .... grrr!)

Thanks, gremlin, for your reply. I like things to stay dead. I'll now consider being initiated into Tomb Raider.

Gremlin Twins! Triplets

Just a suggestion Rowan. If I were just starting out on TR I would take advantage of the deals on GOG.com.

They have the first 3 games for 9.99. Plus 4 & 5 for 9.99.

Then you could start exploring the more current TR games.

You can go to Stella's site for complete information on all the TR games.

I agree with Oldman. GOG has great deals on the early games -- updated to run on modern computers. And ***Stella's site*** is the best for Tomb Raider information.

Maybe she has a doppleganger Gremlin

I played the last TR in my Playstation 3 and this new one with a $60 price tag, I will have to seriously consider getting the PC version for
$40 or going all out and spending that ouch! $60.

Marie

If I were recommending a newcomer to Tomb Raider, I probably wouldn't suggest going back to the original games. Even though they were wonderful at the time, they now look incredibly dated (unless your idea of modern 3D graphics is Minecraft ;)), so I'd suggest starting with Tomb Raider Anniversary, and Underworld. You get the original story (more or less) with Anniversary, plus a up-to-date take on where Lara's got up to since then.

If, after playing those, you feel the need to fill in the back catalogue, that's the point at which I'd go back to TR I, II and III. (IV (Last Revelation), V (Chronicles) and VII (Legend) less so. I'd only bother with TR VI (Angel of Darkness) if I were going for the complete set. (In fact I bought the job lot of the existing games for GBP 10 from Steam at Christmas, and it's only since then that I've played and just recently completed AoD for the first time - boy was it buggy and frustrating with the 'new' control scheme)

Hmmm! Much to think about. Thanks for all the suggestions. Nice problem to have: How many to buy.

Rowan, Joystiq gathered up many reviews of this game and put them all Here. Giving them a quick scan might help you make up your mind.

Well I broke down and preordered TR from Steam and it was activated early this AM. Have played about 30 minutes and got through the initial escape from some tunnels which is more or less designed to be a tutorial.

So far, I like it and the controls are pretty much the same as Underworld. I haven't gotten to the point yet where I find a weapon so will see how combat goes and if I (being combat challenged) can handle it.

The graphics are fantastic the movements are flawless so far.

From looking at the gameplay video I think the first weapon Lara gets is a bow for hunting so I'll probably be trying that out pretty soon.

I'm playing on easy so let's hope that easy is "EASY".

Oh, dear, oldman, you are making my credit card finger itch! I love that the controls are like Underworld. Although I loved Guardian of Light, I hated the controls.

Keep us updated on your progress oldman. "Easy" is the best way to play the first time out!

Well I got through the first part of surviving on the island all right and now I find that there is a lot of Quick Time video sequences that I didn't like in other versions. It has gotten me stopped in one area until I can figure out which controls are to be used.



Later when I'm less frustrated, I'll check out the boards and see what the correct key pressing routine is.

This is what I didn't like about Legend and it looks like Eidos has decided to put this back in to this game.

I've read the boards and there is a lot of discontent about the QTV sequences so I'm not alone.

Awww that stinks, Oldman. I hope that scheme is not repeated often.

Well I got past that point. Learned on some other sites to hit the F key at the point where I was stuck then I had to hit the E key when it told me to and then quickly shoot the sucker with my right mouse key. It took a while for me to get my fingers moving to the right keys fast enough but I finally made it and have progressed a little further.

I really like the game so far and as I said earlier the graphics are fantastic. The voice acting is really well done and all with the exception of the Quicktime events (that's the correct term I guess) it's a really good game.

I hope you don't run into more of those "key sequences" oldman. I don't like them either. Glad to hear you are enjoying the game and able to progress without to much trouble! Enjoy!

Woot Oldman, so glad you got past that. I read this morning that the game has sold over a million copies already.

I've seen TV ads for the game. It has probably helped with sales. I wonder with all those sales if there will be a PC version in a box in stores!

Well I got to the end of the game but missed a lot of goodies and achievements. The game said I did 60%.

There's a lot to like about this game but a lot to dislike as well as far as I'm concerned.

As I said previously, the graphics are superb and the game is so real that, for that reason, I rate graphics a 10. Sound was fantastic, voice acting was fantastic. All in all the gameplay was good and somewhat on a par with the previous TR games. You can't really compare this game with any of the other TR games as it's a completely different Lara and unique feel.

That said, the combat was overdone for my taste. Some I'm sure will disagree but then I'm not all that good at combat. If it weren't for finding a trainer to give Lara Maximum health I would not have made it through the combat. The Quick Timed Events were frustrating to me as you had to push a key at exactly the right time, not too soon or not too late, or you died. I did manage to struggle through them though.

There were several jump sequences that were challenging but the fact that I was able to get through them means that they are do able. The good thing about them is that the auto save brought you back to the begining of where you died so you didn't have to go way back to repeat them.

Overall, I like the game but only because I was able to make Lara immune through the combat sequences. At first I thought the quick timed events were going to be a game breaker but I finally figured out what to do and I only died about a dozen times before I hit the right key sequence at the right time.

Anyway that's my opinion and after a breather I will do another playthrough and try to complete a larger percentage of the tasks.

Thanks for the info on the game oldman. It sounds like one for me! Good Luck the second time around! I'n hoping to find a boxed version!

Thanks Oldman. It's always great to get hands-on information from Boomers.

I am stuck AGAIN.. That darn Russian guy keeps on killing me.. I reckon that I have died about fifty times and counting.. There must be a cheat or someway that I can get past this point. I am just about to get the hammer and do horrible things to this keyboard, I am so frustrated..

Drongo, sometimes a break and coming back to it fresh will help. Have you googled to see if there is a you tube video or a tip or trick to help you past him?

Drongo this was one of the most difficult quicktime events for me. I must have died 20 times before I could finally get through it.

You have to hit the keys at the exact moment they appear in the little circle on the screen. Too soon you die, too late you die and there is no leeway.

The screen doesn't give you the right keys as well for the PC. So when the first circle shows up you hit the F key immediately and then once again the F key and then you grab the gun and I had to tap the E key I think and then you are able to shoot the guy but it has to be done at exactly the right time or you die.

It's very frustrating. Here is a Video on YouTube that shows the exact sequence.

Hope this helps.

I've finished the game too, at 93% (I spent a lot of time searching for GPS caches, treasure maps, and all the optional tombs. Then once I'd finished the story, I went back and finished upgrading weapons, and finding more of the challenges. I've not yet done all of them, but I'm up to 95% now.

I've had a blast playing the game. The bow is definitely my favourite weapon as it's so much more accurate and stealthy than the guns. (That was the key to keeping the combat on my terms most of the time).

The timed events were okay - most only took two or three attempts, but the Russian guy was hard!

The optional tombs were fun, though I could have done with more.

The overall pacing of the game was fantastic - it builds to climactic scenes over and over again, but there are always times you can chill out and explore instead.

My overall impression is that I loved the open-world exploration stuff, and this is a game that's worth taking your time over!

Haven't bought the game yet as I needed to replace my video card. Congrats to oldman and gremlin for finishing. But does this mean it is a short game? It seems to me that the game hasn't been out that long.

Thanks Oldman and Gremlin

Rowan, no it's not a short game. Steam tells me I've played 27 hours in the last two weeks (i.e. since the game arrived on my PC) to get to 95%. That's an average of over 2 hours a day since the release date. And I know that there was a 3.30AM in there last weekend too!

Gremlin, did it let you select the difficulty level?

Yes, looney, there's Easy, Normal and Hard. I played on Normal, and I'm about to try Hard. I think the difficulty level only affects combat, but I'm not sure about the 'quick time' sequences.

Let us know if you think about it.

Congrats oldman and Gremlin! I'm looking forward to playing!

Finished the game a few hours ago and my first impressions of the game are that it's a good game with stunning graphics and plenty of puzzles that forces you to think twice in most places. Sometimes even have to look for a video walkthrough just to solve the puzzles.

Some of the pros and cons are taken from Angry Joe's site
Here

Pors:
Nails its Survivor Story Atmosphere.
Excellent Sense of Progression.
Beautiful Graphics & Environments.
Tombs, Collectibles & the Island itself.
Intense Combat & Cinematic "Running" Sections.
Perfect Blend of Action, Survival, Platforming, Relic hunting & Puzzle Solving.

Cons:
Needless Copycat Multiplayer.
Could use a bit more Tombs.

Cons added (PC version):
Removal of the first Tomb in the Coastal Forest from the game (DLC)
Only 10 mixed soundtracks from the game (Survival Edition)
Downloadable Multiplayer weapons from Hitman: Absolution (Survival Edition)
Requirement of Steam for a Singleplayer game

Conclusion:
While you get plenty of value for your money, the ending is a bit of a let down. Plus that you won't get enough salvage to upgrade all your weapons.
Since I have no interest in Multiplayer I would rather have enjoyed downloading the full 20 soundtracks from the game instead of a weapon pack from another game. And of course Steam, while I get why they made that decision, it feels more like a slap in the face for those who likes hard copies.
Which also brings forth the next question. Is it worth buying the game on a disc now days when the game itself is downloaded from Steam?

Thanks Smiley

I think the "buy the game on disk" question depends on how much you like the game and if you just like to have a physical copy, collect for the boxes, or are afraid the download site will close and you won't be able to play in the future.

Will there be a hard copy to buy? I like having a hard copy because my gaming computer is not used online and there is always the possibility of problems from the downloading site as L4L said.

I found a DVD version at Amazon.com so it's probably available at retail brick and mortar stores as well.

In fact I saw an advertisement on TV the other day that indicated that it was available at Walmart.

Kaki's Sister, sometimes the disk versions still require an internet connection to register and/or play. Left 4 Dead was like that - I still needed to connect to Steam to play it.

Just like oldman pointed out, hard copies are still being made. But you have to be sure to check for either "internet connection required" or "Steam"

Thanks oldman, Draclvr and Smiley. If I can get a hard copy but have to activate online then I guess I'll eventually use my gaming computer online just for TR.

Definitely agree with you there.

Biggest Con: there is a multi-player mode. Period. This is Tomb Raider, I don't want ANY multi-player content, it is entirely irrelevant to me and Lara!


That Tomb is available if you're playing the PC game, it's a free download from Steam.


A good deal of my games these days are Steam games; it's no longer an issue for me, and it's not as if they're requiring an "always on" connection, it's only idiots like Blizzard and EA that think that's a good idea in a single-player game.


I disagree, the ending worked well for me. Loads of open-ended possibilities, which is what you expect from an 'origins' story.
You can get enough salvage to upgrade all weapons. I nearly did it today, but I was about 100 points short at the final 'fast travel' camp, so I missed out on 100% completion by just one weapon upgrade. (I was playing 'Hard' combat level too :), it's not much harder than 'Normal' though, the bad guys are a bit tougher, and can aim slightly more accurately, that's about all I could tell)


I've stopped worrying about Steam being online, but then my study is stuffed to the gunnels with hard-copies, whereas Steam copies only take up space on my HDD when I want them to, and I can still play games I bought on Steam in 2009 without having to root around in dusty piles of DVDs, or worry about a disc being missing, or leant to a friend....
My only long term concern with Steam is if they go out of business, or I can no longer get to my games.

Thanks Gremlin, I have discovered that I very seldom replay a game, so have stopped worrying about the hard copy issue as well.

I love replaying the TR games! I get better at the challenges every time!

Gerry, I just read that this Tomb Raider was the best selling in the franchise's history.

Actually it's 2.50€ for that Tomb on Steam

I wonder if it is different for the US?

No idea, but here's what I found out after doing some search.

IGN



Pre-Order Offers

Looks like a day one DLC

Thanks Smiley

L4L maybe all that TV advertising helped increase sales!

Off topic: Well, Square Enix reported a slightly less revenue from sales. So the President is stepping down.

Link

On topic: There are rumors about a new Tomb Raider game being planned.

Here

And anyone who is expecting more single player DLC content. There won't be any for the time being (being focused on the multi player).

Yes, I saw those and thought it was a good example of how statistics/numbers can be interpreted.

I prefer single player too. That's what adventure/action gaming is all about for me!

Yes, I was very disappointed to learn that. The first three TR games all came with Gold versions with extra content about six months after release, in a sort-of pre-DLC-era DLC. I wish Crystal Dynamics would do that too, though given the way the story of TR 2013 ended, that's a bit trickier to imagine.

The other way they could add Single Player DLC for TR 2013 would be to insert more and more elaborate tombs into the existing game, giving another reason to replay the existing story.

But I'm not holding my breath.

Gremlin I still have and play the Gold versions of TR along with the originals!

They were quick to roll out a whole selection of "micro-transactions," however, to milk every last cent out of the game. In much the same fashion as Dead Space 3 (where one could purchase resources with real-world money rather than scavenge for them in-game - way to kill the horror, guys!), impatient players may simply buy skills and weapons as $0.99 downloads. Like all this tacked-on co-op and multiplayer business, it's a becoming a disturbing trend in modern gaming. Easily enough ignored for now, but give 'em an inch...

(Of course, in the very same post, I must reluctantly confess to shelling out a buck for the Aviatrix skin, because, well...badass bomber jacket Lara. Who could resist that? I regret nothing. :P)

On the topic of profits, it's frankly a bit mind-boggling that three million sales in as about as many weeks was deemed "ineffective" by Square - especially considering that this doesn't include digital copies, which is looking more and more like the future of distribution. Not to mention the aforementioned record-breaking first week sales.

But all this is secondary to the game itself, which is easily my favorite Tomb Raider (then again, I've only played a few). My first playthrough's save is currently stuck at 99% (I'm literally one pesky mine away from a perfect completion score at this point), and I'm usually not the type to seek out every collectible and side quest in a game. Most of my gameplay quibbles are minor ones, and already covered in this thread (QTEs are the bane of gaming, and, really, the game should probably be called Room Raider, with the actual tombs brief as they are rare).

Micro-transactions do seem to be the wave of the future.

99% WOW Fee88! Impressive!

And yet. That one, pesky, mine...

By now, I'd settle for an accidental detonation. (Sorry, Lara.)

Re. the last mine:
... I got to 100% in the end, on Hard mode too. (not that Hard is much Harder that Normal anyway)

Hmm. If that's the one I immediately thought of...

...then I've already got it! Thanks, though. I almost didn't click; it'd be a shame to get this far only to have to resort to a walkthrough for the last one friggin' percent. I'm sure I've walked/waded by it many times, too, wherever it is. It's funny, that I ended up having less trouble with, say, the dreamcatchers and sun emblems, and they were much smaller. I'll find it eventually; truth be told, it's sorta on the back burner while I replay the story, anyway.


Now that earns a "WOW!" and then some.

Woot Woot Gremlin!

Feeb88

Excellent Gremlin!