![]() ![]() ![]() Instead, Lara's character automatically recognizes the object and climbs it - at least when she's precisely aimed at it. Players don't have to press a button each time they want to climb a ladder, crate or rope. A helpful hand icon appears on screen to indicate you have located something, and it's a major relief. Little items, powers-ups, ammo and the like once lost in the colorful plains of Lara's vast ground textures now shine in Resident Evil-style, glimmering to make themselves more obvious. Now, players can walk over thin planks using the L1 button, which is "steady walk." It essentially prevents Lara from falling or moving out of control, which is also essentially her default nature when controlled by the PS2's wily analog sticks. Over the years, the analog sticks were worked into the mix but the game still played better with the Dpad. Designed as a precise, grid-based adventure game, old iterations of Tomb Raider have relied on the strange precision of the PlayStation's Dpad to get Lara from point A to point B. ![]() In its own clunky way Angel of Darkness addresses problems that have plagued the previous iterations for years. But the action/combat aspects pale in comparison to 90% of the PlayStation 2's adventure or action-adventure games, and they actually hurt the rest of the game's best qualities. I like slow adventure games with good stories, puzzles and exploration. It's a slow, explorative adventure game based on solving 3D puzzles and physical discovery. While Angel of Darkness might tout its new action moves and stealth abilities, Core's sixth game in the series is without a doubt conceived as an adventure game at its heart. There are enough changes and fixes in the Tomb Raider repertoire to warrant a glass-half-full attitude for at least a few hours, but in the end each "fix" acts as a band-aid (instead of a cast) for a broken bone. See It Now | Gameplay When it comes to gameplay, however, Core's new game careens slowly down a well-trodden path, albeit with a new pair of boots. See tons of in-game footage from the final version and listen to narration from IGNPS2 Editor-in-Chief Doug Perry. Video Review Available! If you're an IGN Insider you can have access to our must-see video complement to this review. Showcasing one of its best new attributes, Angel of Darkness breaks the mold with a compelling storyline, a real character behind the bursting physique, and a set of intriguing bit characters along the way. Lara, to this point, has been defined by her extraordinary physicality, which never ceases to amaze even the brightest of plastic surgeons. Story Along with Super Mario 64, The Tomb Raider series may have introduced gamers into the vastness of 3D movement back in 1996, but it's never been known for anything dramatically revolutionary when it comes to storyline or character development. Angel of Darkness holds close the qualities that made the first two game so likeable, but it similarly retains many if not all of the same mechanics, gameplay tactics and problems that dragged the series down over the years. We also have a title far behind the times, one that's stuck in mid-transformation, presenting gamers with the undisputable notion that Core Design is struggling with Lara's present - and future. So, what have we got here with Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness? A fresh chapter that represents a relatively big step for Core Design, certainly a game that's better looking and more diverse than its predecessors, and one that is probably better overall than its siblings. ![]() Even more exciting is that she actually has personality, character and likeable traits other than her bursting physical attributes this time around. Lara herself is cast in a darker light, suspected of murder and caught in a trap that's far larger than she expects. It's one that delivers new moves, a new playable character, and a vast unexplored mystery to solve. Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness presents PlayStation 2 and PC gamers with a familiar adventure game, teeming with classic exploration gameplay elements, less frustrating puzzles, great visuals and an excellent sense of presentation. ![]()
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