Customer Reviews

Tomb Raider: Underworld

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I'm not one to put something down a lot. If I don't enjoy it, I normally won't take the time to write about it. However, being that I am a huge Tomb Raider fan, I find it is my civic duty to warn other fans of the atrocity that is Underworld. For those of us that don't have a next gen console yet, it was a welcome release (probably one of the last) for the PS2. However one has to wonder why it was even released for the PS2 at all. My only guess is for them to make the quick buck on us poor PS2 folk.

I'm going to start with something that really drew me to the Tomb Raider series from the beginning: The enemies, many of whom were animals. When you watch game play on sites such as YouTube where Lara is battling sharks underwater or getting ambushed by spiders in the jungle, your mouth waters in anticipation of being able to take on these creatures on the PS2 version, but hold that thought. Because even though you'll encounter jellyfish (which don't move) in the ocean level, you don't come face to face with a single shark nor do you have the ability to shoot your guns underwater either.

While you will encounter a few tigers in Thailand and even some giant venom spewing lizards who will crawl out of the holes in a wall in one location, that's really about the extent of the fun enemies. You'll encounter some black panthers in Mexico, too, as well as some supernatural enemies (which Tomb Raider is known for doing) in later levels, but the bulk of the game is platforming and exploration. Encountering enemies is few and far between which doesn't give it much depth. And what about that boss kraken in the underwater level?

It just sits there doing nothing! No excitement and in truth, it really can't be called a boss at all. In fact, there is not one single boss in this game. While I always get nervous going up against Tomb Raider bosses for their uniqueness and sometimes difficulty in figuring out a way to beat them, this game offered no challenges of the sort. Heck, even when you make it to the conclusion of the game, you'd assume there would be some sort of final confrontation, but you don't even get that - just a few fireballs thrown your way.

As to the platforming part, the camera tends to have a tendency to pull away literally making you a fly on the wall as you desperately squint to see where Lara is and where you can make your next jump. While this doesn't happen all the time, it's annoying when it does. Also, the camera gets caught behind ledges or walls not giving you a decent look at your surroundings and making you fight the camera and losing every time. It isn't until you move that the camera relaxes and by then, it may be too late.

As to the environments and tombs (another reason I liked the older games) aside from the platforming in a few locations that seem massive, there really aren't any nor are there any animals to bug you as you try and make each jump. In Anniversary, I remember having to deal with bats on a few occasions. But in this game nothing. And really, saying that the PS2 is last gen is a poor excuse, especially when the last gen version of Anniversary was so good. They could have at least given it that amount of quality.

Like someone previously said, it's like they ported this game onto the PS2 making it playable but removing all the fun features the next gen installments contain. Why do that to the fans that have been so loyal to the series? Those involved in making this version of the game need to issue a public apology to the fans and the sooner the better. This is just heartbreaking. Despite all this, I will say that the music is decent in terms of the overall soundtrack (like the few times you encounter animals or during the end credits) and while the graphics could have been better (especially underwater which almost looks murky) they're decent, especially for being a late PS2 release. However, the bad far outweigh the good. Keep your money and begin to save up for a PS3 before getting this title for that. Or, if your PC has the specifications, get this game on that.

Cons:
Terrible Controls - You eventually get somewhat used to them.
Low Quality Graphics - Blurriness, lack of colors
Full Motion Video Quality is low
Lack of ambient sounds/sound effects
Frame-Rate issues
Choppy Animation
Overall presentation is very low quality
Cannot invert camera controls
Glitches - (Not being able to let go of grappling hook at times, falling through platforms, unpredictable controls, etc)

Pros: Low cost

This game is a port of the Wii version, but with some differing content. Do not expect the level of detail that we saw in TR: Legend or TR: Anniversary. Those games were masterpieces. This game feels very choppy and disjointed. The graphics, while not always terrible, could be a lot better, as proven with previous PS2 titles.

Fans of "Tomb Raider" will definately want to pass this shoddy PS2 offering up. It's a very sad, deliquent attempt form the developers to port a next-gen game to as passed gen system. Sad but true...

"Underworld" is the lastest episdoe in the re-vamped Tomb Raider history. Oicking up where "Legend" left off, Ms. Croft must further explore unknown ruins and wrecks to find the secret to her family's history. On next-gen systems (with the equally shoddy Wii port excluded) "Underworld" is a solid adventure game, that while doesn't revolutionize "Tomb Raider", provides a fun adventure for Raiders to enjoy. On the PS2 players are treated to a game that is very un-Tomb Raider in it's polish (on the heels of the excellent "Legends") and seemingly devoid of any real point or purpose. Lara Croft moves like a tank, the puzzles are insanely easy, and the lack of real enemies is completely inexcusable. You'll spend the first level just running up and down corridors. With nothing to do, nothing to do!

The graphics take a leap backwards from what was done with "Legend" and "Anniversary". Muddled and lacking any great texture, most the levels will look the same to you. The cut-scenes are basically low res rip offs of the higher gen systems, and majoy parts of the game have been cut or drastically reduced. Not fun.

For fans of the series, it's obvious you'll need to pick up either the PS3 or Xbox 360 version of the game. The PS2 appears to be more a port of the Wii version, so stave off those too and hit the big guns. If you are unable to play anything but the PS2 version of "Underworld", by all means do so. Just expect to be sorely dissapointed and longing for the formers days of "Tomb Raider" glory.

My biggest complaint is that the animals/creatures you come up against aren't very challenging....the octopus doesn't move at all, and at one point I killed five tigers at the same time, and it STILL wasn't challenging.....the puzzles still get you thinking some, but as far as the game being adveturesome....it just isn't the same as the other games....

I've played all the PS2 TR games. When I first started playing this one, I thought the disc was defective. Odd cuts in the first section; took me a couple tries to figure out how to save the game; I still can't find any option for quitting the game (I just turn off the machine); twice (so far; I'm about halfway through the game) when trying to swim into water tunnels, Lara simply swam around the surface and wouldn't actually go into the tunnel at first -- took a bunch of tries since she would not submerge -- and finally I got lucky and got Lara to go into the tunnel.

Controls are bad when climbing walls; not fluid; have to stop movement in one direction before Lara will move side-to-side.

Camera sucks. Constantly getting in the way or refusing to let you look around for where to go. Sometimes I just jumped and hope it went okay.

Croft Manor graphics very murky and dark. Many places are very dark, difficult to see, even with my TV's brightness cranked up.

Some graphics (e.g., Mexico) a bit better, but not even as good as last two PS2 TR games. And if God of War can have great graphics on a PS2, why not TR?

Very short game. I'm not a fast or particularly adept player but I'm halfway through after a couple evenings of after-work playing. (Just look at the number of areas on walkthrough sites to see how few there are.) Compare to the lengths of older TR games. While no one should expect here all that goes into a PS3 or other version, this is unacceptable, especially given the release delays for the PS2.

I am enjoying some parts of the game; some are pretty pathetic; others rather blah. My incentive is to learn more of the story. Hopefully someday when I can afford a PS3, I'll get that version of TRU and see what the game really looks/plays like.

This game is *almost* as good as Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Anniversary. I honestly had a good time playing it. I did not start feeling ripped off until I logged into Youtube to get help with a level, and realized the PC/PS3 versions of the game had a LOT more going for them.

It's a completely different game on the newer systems - the difference is big as the difference between TR1 and TR Anniversary.

That's when I started noticing the holes in the PS2 version:
--FEWER features than TR Legend or Anniversary - especially when it comes to combat. Remember when jumping off of or dodging enemies would cause this nice slow motion mode? Not anymore. Instead, your guns are a too strong, which means most enemies are dead before you need to think about dodging them.
--Much simpler landscapes and puzzles. I did find it odd that many stages find Lara walking down long uneventful paths or hallways. In the next-gen versions these are filed with beautiful details, obstacles or enemy battles. Another example is that in the PS2 version, the Kraken on the first level is just a part of the landscape - it only moves in the cut scenes. In the next-gen versions you're actually worried about getting close to it.
--Very few battles in general. Most stages have only a few enemies in them.
--Glitches. Glitches have always been part of the TR series, but here may you find yourself missing a jump and moving through a solid pillar, or teleporting a few feet when you're trying to climb.

In the end, if like me you're still using a PS2, and you don't plan to buy a PS3 or upgrade your PC soon, it's still worth the $25-$30 to get this game.

Lara Croft has been the most played character in gaming history. A record like Wilt Chamberlain scoring a hundred points in an NBA game, Lara may never be surpassed either.

The two TRs that were the most similar in play and total gaming were #2 & #3. I still like their look on PC even today. #1's graphics were pixelated, but we loved it all the same. #4 & #5 are good too. Now, TR:AOD(1st PS2 game), everyone complains about, but everyone that slammed it, finished it, and maybe even played it again. No one ever says that they played the first level and quit or threw the game away, which I've done before(Doom3's one dimensional play). Tomb Raider will always be the thinking person's game, not the fast twitch kill 50 monsters in-a-row type of game. TR:AOD was a very good game with a not very good control scheme. I really liked the colorful graphics compared to the new incarnations of muted colors in Legend, Anniv., and Underworld. Another game that everyone complains about is Rez Evil4(pc), but is one best playing games around. Legend is the best of the new bunch, with few glitches and good play. Anniversary is good too, but it has some sections for me that my non-teenage hands can't move fast enough to maneuver. Spinning blades on walls and Centaurs are killing me from finishing that one, and I've been able to finish every TR game 'cept that one. PC version proved easier than the sloppy joystick of PS2.

OK, back to TR:Und#9, yes, #9. Why have we gotten nine TRs so far? Because we love to play the darn thing over and over again. Just like your spouses and friends, you complain about them, but you always keep coming back. Personally I'd like to see a combo of TR:AOD and the last three, with a few items from the oldies. Tomb Raider Underworld was like one reviewer said, which I also said to myself before reading his, "TR for Dummys". This is not a slam of the game. TR:U9 is totally unique in the world of TR games. Many of the decisions are removed from your grasp. You shoot at things only as a diversion from solving or maneuvering your way to the next level. All treasures are getable, whereas some TR games made this feat brutally hard. The older the TR game, the longer it will take to complete. This is the shortest TR game, which took me a record two days to complete! It does help that I've played them all though.

No guide is needed to play this TR. If you are new to any TR, maybe get a guide. The game menu even provides a handy hint menu if you get stuck, but won't exactly give you the answer. The older the TR game, the more you need a guide to play it.

I see A LOT of people complaining about bad camera angles. Think about this now. I guarantee you that these are people are accustomed to playing linear FPS games with not very demanding camera angles. The TR world is built on a multi-dimensional and spatial environment that no other game is required to perform. If any of you can remember executing blind hair raising cliff or ledge jumps over certain death in almost all of the early TR games of PS1, you wouldn't whine about it on Underworld. Oh, and if you miss that jump and die, you may need to retrace your steps back from somewhere else where you had a tougher jump to perform to get back to the other one that killed you. That is what makes TRs unique, performing the outrageous death defying no-look jump off into oblivion and then miraculously grab a ledge in the darkness if by magic. No other game maker, except Prey comes to mind, has designed jumping, falling, climbing, running, leaping, flipping up down and around caverns or buildings that are dizzyingly deep or tall or both. The design of the 'looking' scheme has got to be crazy hard to get right. Halo is wildly popular. It's simple, straight forward, great control scheme, you won't be stumped, but not multi-dimensional like TR or Half Life games, and kinda boring just shooting the same creatures from level to level with no-brain ease.

All in all, TR:U9 is a quick easy journey with Lara that you will enjoy with little frustration. The puzzles are fun and thoughtful. When I got stuck somewhere, it was always the 'chimney jump' I forgot about. I'm going to get the PC version too, just to see the better graphics, and these things always look awaesome on the PC.

I've played and still own every iteration of all the TR games, including the highly disappointing "Angel of Darkness" and the little laughers on the GameBoy color. I'm going to keep plugging through this game, because it's Lara Croft and the graphics are really decent, especially on the PS2.
But I have some SERIOUS ISSUES:
CAMERA CONTROL: basically the camera is broken in this game and there is no way to reverse the camera axes. I've always preferred both axes to be reversed and have played through the other TR games with this configuration. I may invest in the PC copy of this game, just so I can tolerate the camera, which involuntarily zooms and focuses on things while you're trying to look around. If you remember, in the original PC games, Lara would call your attention to places or items of interest in each area, but you could always disable it with a quick "0" on the number pad. This game refuses to relinquish camera control in a lot of annoying situations: like dangling 100 feet in the air, trying to look around before you take that leap of faith.
Not to mention that ALL THE WALLS SHOULD BEND FOR THE CAMERA. The camera is a non-entity and the walls should not restrict camera control. In the original EIDOS/CORE iterations, the camera was not allowed to enter the walls because it sometimes it allowed you to see into the next room. Nowadays the next area doesn't exist until it's been rendered, so it's not a problem. If I remember right, it was the original Half-Life engine that fixed this glitch and made the walls and the camera mutually exclusive.
LARA CONTROL: Maybe it's just the PS2 version, or maybe it's both of my controllers (which work fine on Legend and Anniversary), but I have to fight my controller to get Lara to behave. Again, not very pleasant when you're fixing to perform a death-defying move (which normally ends up in a deadly move).
LARA'S MOVE-SET: Lara has a wonderful new move-set, for the most part. I like the occasional flip or flair that she does when you jump or vault or whatever, but at the same time, she occasionally staggers and trips like the clumsy Wanderer in Shadow of Colossus. I've always expected Lara to be pretty much infallible like a superhero, which would be the only way she could be still alive after all that tomb crawling. Now, she has occasional drunken moments tripping down the stairs or falling of ledges. Mind you, she never falls down, but she looks pretty stupid in the process.

While I'm on this rant, Lara can't swim anymore, either!
AAAANNNDDD!!!! the game is full of graphics glitches that allow Lara to hang in mid-air, or cuts her arms in half when she's hanging from a ledge.

Anyways, you can tell I'm a little upset. Maybe someone can calm me down.
I'm going to go play a Steam game now and restore my faith in great game design.

I've been a fan of the Tomb Raider franchise since the beginning. I usually don't write reviews for anything, but in this case I will make an exception because this game is TERRIBLE! I'm very disappointed in the "Tomb Raider: Underworld" PS2 game in every aspect. I hated "Tomb Raider: Legend" as well (part 1 of this storyline), but not enough to write a negative review on it. Despite the fact that the PS2 version was pretty much "slapped together," I doubt that the PS3 version is any better. The whole substance of this game is just awful.

Oh, where do I start? Here is a list of why this game is so terrible:

* There are SO many bugs! Lara constantly gets stuck in walls when you're trying to jump to ledges, etc. Also, the graphics are horrible and sometimes when you'd run down a corridor to bring you to a new room in a level, all the graphics didn't totally load and you had to wait for them to appear 100% before you could look around the room.

* All the levels in this game are just obstacles to get from one end to the other - no challenging puzzles like in the old games, the levels were all just aggravating and annoying! It's almost like it would be only one annoying level and you'd be hoping that the good levels would be coming up, but they never did.

* There are no good puzzles! There were a few but they were too easy and really stupid and pointless. I loved how in the older TR games where the puzzles would be really challenging and really make you think, and once you figured it out you felt really smart and accomplished, but not in this game!

* All the levels were re-used throughout the game, they are so cheap! They are WAY too short and all redundant. The game was short the way it is, and as the story in the game continued, it brought you back to previous levels that you've already been to. Very disappointing! I'm so used to the enormous and expanded levels of the older TR games where you could really go exploring and find some cool artifacts and stuff.

* The controls and camera work are absolutely AWFUL! The controls are delayed when you push the buttons to move Lara, and the camera views ware terrible when you're trying to run and jump or perform a certain action. So many times I made a hard jump on a small landing surface only to have Lara keep moving and walking off the ledge. She usually stops on a dime in the older TR games, but not here.

* For most of this game, all Lara does is "jump" in the level, and she doesn't jump good on top of it all. The jumping controls are terrible and delayed.

* The level design is so terrible and unimaginative and "cheap" - most of the levels are composed of just long corridors weaving left and right and there is nothing else to them - no substance or imagination to the levels! Also, all of the levels look the same as you're playing them - SO many times I thought I was back-tracking in a level but I was going the correct way, the rooms in the levels are just so cheap and all look identical. It seems so amateurish like a college student made this for their senior project or something. I just can't believe professional video game developers made this game!!

* There was a temple in this one level that was totally pointless! There was nothing there for Lara to pick up and you wasted your time playing it it. Of all the other Tomb Raider games I've NEVER had an instance where there was a temple or building that was playable where there wasn't anything for you to find important inside.

* Lara barely had to use her guns for anything in this game. Isn't that the whole point? When she did actually get to use her guns, it was hard to control. The ONLY cool thing about the guns in this game is that she can do dual targeting, which came in handy a few times.

* In older TR games, Lara would look over at something in the level important and stare it to help you proceed in the level. In this game, she really only did that with the gold bars, which are secret packages, and aren't important in collecting because you don't need them to beat the game.

* There are too many cut scenes, and they are pointless! They do a lot of the work for you.

* The animation is crappy and choppy during actual gameplay.

* The steering for the motorbike is also TERRIBLE and it used to be the best part of all the Lara games, getting to drive all the awesome vehicles!

* When Lara dies, they put you back to the start of the level - there aren't enough checkpoints for you to save at in the right spots. Usually if you've cleared a part of a level, the checkpoint would start and save your game right before the next portion of a level, but not this game.

* The grappling hook and adrenaline rush seem useless and are basely used, it seems like they forgot to use them and just threw them into the game last minute to for the sake of having them in the game.

* The storyline for this game (and for "TR Legend") is inaccurate to the original Lara Croft storyline when the video game series started. Originally, the story tells that Lara took a plane ride with her parents and it crashed over the mountain, killing everyone except Lara. Stranded alone on the mountain, Lara took care of herself and braved the wilderness, which made her really strong and interested in becoming an archaeologist and adventuring. Now, like in the Tomb Raider movies where they changed Lara's back story, in the new games they are saying that both of Lara's parents were also adventurers, but this isn't true, they were both aristocrats. Lara became interested in artifacts and adventuring on her own after the plane crash, not her parents!

I hope the next Tomb Raider game will go back to being good again, like "Tomb Raider Anniversary." The game developers have even better technology to make the Lara games like they used to be, when they did a remake of the original "Tomb Raider game." I feel like replaying "Anniversary" because "Underworld" was so terrible and disappointing. Don't waste your money or time on this game, you'll be very disappointed!

I love the Tomb Raider games....until I bought this one. Lara Croft moves extremely slow and on the menu/options page, you have to hold down numerous buttons to get to where you want to go. I am very dissappointed in this game. The character doesn't just glide from one area to another and I find myself being frustrated through the game more than actually enjoying playing it. I would suggest renting this or borrowing from a friend before purchasing this like I did. Save your money.