Tomb Raider Underworld (Xbox 360)

First I want to say that I think the negative reviews for this title are pretty baseless. The Official 7.0 score is ridiculous. I give it an 8.5. Perhaps its a reflection of 7th generation gamers who suddenly develop ADD as soon as things get a little tricky. Secondly, this game is in no way "short". Tomb raider Legend was short, this game isn't. Don't be misled "there are less levels than usual but each is huge and intricate. If you play the game properly, you'll get just as much gameplay for your money as any previous in the series.

It's a great return to form, with tomb raider feeling exploratory again. While I will say some of the puzzles are fiendishly hard, it's nothing someone of average intelligence can't handle after committed investigation. After the first few puzzles, you pretty much know what to expect. It's not a game you pull a walkthrough guide up straight after buying - the idea is to play it, explore and use your grey matter. Graphics are incredible, with notable improvement and extra detail in animation. The game is as atmospheric as it ever was. It features some original classical scores and familiar sounds from throughout the series. The enemies are a little sparse and the combat system is too easy with aid settings enabled. The addition of a slow-motion-matrix type feature is put to good use through various fights and dodging blade traps. The inclusion of a sonar map however is pretty useless. What would have been great is if it featured areas you'd visited and areas unexplored. A lot of time is spent wasted, especially if you have a terrible sense of direction like me. Laras hints are pretty vague and sometimes it's easy to miss an objective. At least players get to admire the lush rain forests, tranquil coast and ancient ruins on their travels. It's actually quite relaxing to play after a hard days work for an hour or so. There were a couple of problems with positioning Lara for jumps and a few camera mishaps. But this minor hassle has plagued the series from day one. Most should expect unavoidable familiar limitations. Having said that, Vehicle control has been improved greatly. Although the Mexico level is probably the most linear of all, Laras brilliant motorcycle helps compensate on this and a couple of other levels. It's also great to be able to use your vehicle as an effective weapon. There's a real sense of accomplishment when you complete this game without a walkthrough. It's made me want to purchase the previous tomb raider anniversary, (a title I never got around to trying). If you liked the original versions on Playstation or PC, you'll love this improved return to form. Ignore the naysayers in my opinion, buy it and judge for yourself. Really not as bad as some of the negative reviews are making out I feel.