Ever since I played the original Tomb Raider for the Sony Playstation, I have been hooked on the 3rd person action adventure genre. Sure, Mario 64 came before it, but Tomb Raider was more realistic, more violent, and more engaging in an 'I'm Indiana Jones' sort of way. Lara has never seemed to fail to capture my attention, and the same is true with Tomb Raider Trilogy for the Playstation 3.
The game is a culmination of three games that were released for various platforms over the past 5 years. Tomb Raider: Legend and Tomb Raider Anniversary, which are included on the disc, have never been seen before on the Playstation 3, so it's nice to see them upgraded with new HD graphics. Tomb Raider: Legend almost looks like a PS3 game, the graphics are that good, and Anniversary looks great too, although it has already gotten the Hi Res update on the PC.
The formula is similar to anyone who knows anything about the Tomb Raider games, however, there are some big differences. First of all, is the control. In the old Tomb Raider games for the Playstation, you had to press forward to make Lara move forward, and no matter where the camera was, that is how it worked. Forward to move forward, sort of like Resident Evil 2. Well, Crystal Dynamics has redone the entire game engine, and it's now a whole lot easier to move around. The results are amazing. It makes exploring the vast environments so much more fun, and easy.
The graphics need to be mentioned here, because although Tomb Raider: Underworld, (the latter game of the bunch) is of course the best looking, the other two games don't look that bad at all. Legend has received an upgrade to the polygon and textures, as well as High Definition output to the tv, allowing for beautiful environment and characters that only the PS3 can allow. The games runs smooth throughout, with no slowdown at all.
Sound is beautiful, and the soundtrack on all three games is well orchestrated. From fast action violins, to trumpets, and slow music for the wandering/exploring sections of the game, it all fits perfectly to create the mood. And, of course, Lara's voice acting is some of the best you'll find in any game. That goes for the other characters as well. All three games implement the same idea: Lara is trying to uncover mysteries from all over the globe, from Peru, to Tokyo, in order to unravel the game's story. The story in all three games are very good and thought out, and I don't think it will take long for another movie to be made of this series. Again. Lara is such a recognized character, and everything she does seems to evoke mystery and wonder. This is an amazing collection titles for your PS3, and there are easily over 100 hours to be put in here. At around $40 for the whole trilogy, you are really getting a bargain in game value. And for Tomb Raider fans, there is a custom PS3 theme, and avatar for your 'Home' character, as well as Developer Diary videos for each game, and a few videos of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Life. You can't go wrong with this collection if you're a fan of Lara like I am.
Graphics- 9.1 out of 10
Sound and Music- 9.0 out of 10
Gameplay- 9.1 out of 10
Presentation- 9.1 out of 10
Overall- 9.1 out of 10
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