Tomb Raider: Legend

For awhile it seemed like the awful Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness was going to be Lady Croft’s last adventure. It would have been sad to end the series on such a sour note but thankfully a new team took control of our favorite leading lady and turned things around with Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend on three consoles including the new Xbox 360. At that was left was to bring Lara to the handheld and as if listening to our prayers Eidos has done just that with Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend for the PSP. Grab your passport because this adventure plays a lot like the console versions.

The last time we saw Lara Croft she was sought after by Paris authorities for a murder she didn’t commit and her adventure took her away from the very tombs she was famous for exploring. Legend, on the other hand, is a return to the old form, going back to the bosomy explorer’s roots. The story takes us into Lara’s past as she begins to unravel a mystery that has haunted her since she was a child. We witness Lara as a child who survives a plane crash with her mother and then the painful loss during an expedition in search of a rare artifact. Several years later, on a similar expedition in search of the same artifact, a violent encounter in the tomb leads to the sudden disappearance of Lara’s colleague, who then resurfaces as her nemesis. Lara’s quest for the truth as well as the same artifact takes her around the globe in an adventure that connects these mysteries with that of the King Arthur legend.

If you’ve played the console version you will be pleasantly surprised that most of what you find on the PS2 and Xbox can be found in the PSP version as well. You’ll still be able to explore the interior of Lara’s mansion and you’ll still be able to locate hidden items inside. There’s even a multiplayer mode that the console versions don’t have but we will get into that a bit later. The main game is much like the console version only small bits are taken out to make the levels a bit shorter but not by very much. You will still find the same area layout and all the same puzzles. For example, the balance beam puzzle in Bolivia is there as well as the trap door puzzles in the Peruvian level. Aside from the same platform acrobatics, shoot outs and puzzle-solving, the game includes some great action sequences. For example, in Peru you’ll be able to chase down the enemies on a motorcycle while in another level you’ll be high above the streets of Tokyo.

The story unfolds wonderfully enough and many of the game’s best sequences do offer more variety. There are even hidden items to collect in order to unlock extras so there is no shortage of things to do in each level. Unfortunately, even with the main game intact, the limitation of the PSP become evident the first time you jump from a pole to grab that vine. The camera in this game is not your friend and you will quickly start wishing for a second analog stick to help things. You will die often in the game and mainly it’s a result of not being able to see a vine or see that steep drop right in front of you thanks to a bad camera position. Worse yet there are moments when you think that ledge looked a lot closer when it’s actually not and you plunge to your death. Combat is another weak spot in this version of the game. While you have unlimited ammo for your trademark twin pistols and you can pick up any weapon an enemy drops, you’ll have a hard time killing your enemy. You’ll find that some enemies require a lot of lead to permanently stop them in their tracks and that also includes the dangerous wildlife as well.

Lara also has a number of new toys in her utility belt including a grappling device that can be used to as a swing when vines aren’t around, to pick up distant items or to bring an enemy closer for a close-ranged attack. You’ll also have a personal light source and binoculars that can be used to identify things you can manipulate. Also new is the game’s multiplayer mode. Two players can play against each another using the Ad Hoc connection to play three different game modes: Master System, Treasure Hunt and Raid N’ Seek. Master System is basically a race that has you racing against a friend through an area complete with checkpoints. Treasure Hunt has you in a race to collect a hidden artifact before the timer runs out while Raid N’ Seek has you hiding your artifact and then seeking out your opponent’s hidden artifact before your friend finds yours.

As for the game’s graphics you will be blown away by how close it looks like the PS2 version of the game in almost every way. The locales are rendered beautifully and they look nicely detailed from afar as well as up close. Even the character models look good and our Lara looks more natural these days. The cutscenes look good and the visual effects and lighting are perfect. Overall, this is one seriously beautiful-looking game with some graphical glitches like awful clipping and bad camera angles.

The sound is also another major highlight that includes the stellar soundtrack that plays throughout the game as well as the solid voice acting. Lara’s lines are true to her character and her cheesy lines seem less cheesy thanks to the great delivery. There are some great sound effects but in order to really get the most out of the sound I highly suggest you play this one using earphones. It’s the only way you’ll hear the incredibly detailed sound effects like squeaking bats, water drips and the wind passing through the corridors of a tomb.

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend for the PSP is an impressive attempt to bring the great console game to portable form and, for the most part, it’s a job well done. Unfortunately, the technical flaws are too obvious to ignore and play a hand in keeping gamers from enjoying a fun adventure and one of Lady Croft’s finest moments. If you’re able to put up with the poor controls and awful camera, this is a game you might just want to buy if you loved the console version.

Gameplay: 7.2
You’ll start wishing the PSP had a second analog stick once you start the platform jumping and classic Tomb Raider-styled vine swinging. Even combat becomes an annoyance and even more so on the PSP thanks to questionable targeting mechanics. The adventure you embark on, though, is worth the price of admission.

Graphics: 7.5
Holy cow, the game looks just like the PS2 version of the game. The backgrounds come to life on the PSP widescreen and even the character models - especially our more natural-looking Lara - looks amazing. Now if only the camera gave us a better view of the action this would be a truly visually stunning PSP game.

Sound: 9.0
The soundtrack from the console version is completely intact in this portable version and it still sets the mood just right during exploration and the action sequences. Lara Croft is also voiced wonderfully and so are the secondary characters. There are some nicely detailed sound effects that are more evident using earphones.

Difficulty: Medium
You would think the hardest part is solving some of the game’s various puzzles but in this version the biggest challenge comes from wrestling with the annoying camera that will often play a hand in killing you more often than an enemy or a trap. The targeting system also makes combat a real chore. Oh, and is that jaguar in Bolivia wearing Kevlar because I swear I wasted two entire ammo clips to kill it.

Concept: 7.5
It’s the entire console experience shrunk into the PSP with the fun Croft Manor exploration, unlockable extras (like new outfits for Lara) and the addition of a multiplayer mode. While some of the levels feel a bit shorter, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find most of the game’s best moments completely intact.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Two players can go up against each another in a PSP exclusive head-to-head multiplayer game that basically has you racing against a friend through environments found in the main game. The best of the three modes is Raid N‘ Seek that‘s a mix between hide and seek and capture the flag. While it doesn’t seem like much the three multiplayer modes are fun and we thank Eidos for including them.

Overall: 7.0
Tomb Raider: Legend for the PSP is riddled with technical problems but it still managed to cram in all the great things we loved about the console version. Lara Croft’s return is a good one and even on the PSP the game is able to offer up an adventure well worth playing. While the console version is still the best version of the game, this portable version isn’t completely bad.