Put Lara in the palm of your hand! (No, not like that!)

Tomb Raider: Legends review

by Wootini

When the PSP was released, everyone marveled at the amazing graphics, and soon enough, PS2 games were ported over to the handheld with only minor drops in the visuals. Yes, it's impressive, but it also makes for a lot of shovelware with very little original material. However, Tomb Raider: Legends, is actually a fine example of making it work. With a long commute, I have more time to play handhelds than home consoles, so a PSP version of the new Tomb Raider was just what I was looking for.

The story is relatively inconsequential, and plays out in cut scenes as a vague bridge between the massive areas you'll explore as intrepid adventurer Lara Croft. Something to do with the magical sword Excalibur. But who cares, right? It's all about the exploring, and it's amazing at what the PSP is able to accomplish. Graphics are impressive, with good animation and environments that look amazing for a handheld. Voice work is well done as is the music. Controls can get a little sketchy with the lack of a second analog stick forcing you to use a button in combination with the nub for camera control, but overall, the learning curve is smooth.

It's surprisingly easy to guide Lara through her latest adventure, even if the small PSP screen makes it hard to notice those little switches or hidden pathways. Tomb Raider's appeal has always been exploring the elaborate dungeons, and the levels here don't disappoint. Even the addition of above ground skyscrapers and abandoned buildings to the underground caves doesn't interrupt the flow. Actually, it makes for a refreshing change of pace. Like a breath of fresh air! (Sorry.)

The PSP version contains all of the levels from the PS2 and Xbox editions, with the added bonus of time trials and some local multiplayer. But since all I wanted was to play the main adventure, I didn't bother with either of them, so I can't honestly give my opinion of them. There are also the usual unlockables, with hidden treasures to find in each level, which helps with the replay value. The only real complaints I had with this game was the sometimes wonky camera and the motorcycle stages. I couldn't wait for them to be over. But all in all, as a portable port of Tomb Raider: Legends, the PSP game succeeds admirably.