Posts Tagged ‘Tomb Raider Underworld’
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Last weekend, in a bid to fill out my completion percentage, I decided to breath some life into stale releases with fresh downloadable content (DLC). For a couple of reasons I typically avoid DLC. By the time developers ship it I’ve long finished the game concerned and have moved onto something else. I also feel it’s rarely worth the extra cash, and accumulating everything I’ve spent on that one game generally leaves me thinking: “Wow, that was so not worth the £60 I’ve dumped on it”.
With the past few weeks, however, the completion force within me has been strong, and so I decided to revisit some of the older titles I had finished prior to the DLC. Because I had already whored Lara Croft for 1000 points in Underworld, I decided to chase after the additional 250 points. With it being a Tomb Raider game, I figured the extra Achievements probably wouldn’t be too hard to score.
Underworld has two expansions — Lara’s Shadow and Beneath The Ashes. Both are priced at 800 Microsoft Points, with a Gamerscore value of 125 Points each. Beneath The Ashes was the first to be distributed to Xbox Live, and so it was the first DLC I purchased. It was also the cause of controversy when a begrudged Crystal Dynamic’s employee divulged it was originally part of the retail game, only to be cut at a later point and re-branded as DLC. So, Crystal Dynamics are now charging extra for a level that was originally meant to be in the retail game. Cheeky, and just plain unethical.
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Tags: Beneath The Ashes, Crystal Dynamics, DLC, Lara's Shadow, Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider Underworld
Posted in General Gaming | 5 Comments »
Monday, July 27th, 2009
I don’t own Halo 3, but if I did I’d have 1750 GamerPoints to chase. I thought Fallout 3’s 1450 worth of Achievements were bad, but no, Halo takes the hardcore biscuit. Remember when retail games capped at 1000? Arcade games at 200? It seems this was only to be the case in the 360’s infancy, back when gamers payed little notice to the fruitless digits tagging alongside their GamerTag.
Now developers deliver additional Achievements, usually in the form of Downloadable Content (DLC). Whatever the case, it’s to keep gamers coming back, to give us a bit of replay value for what we pay (though, more often than not, we also have to pay for the DLC). However, there’s also a degree of agitation, for me at least, that comes with each increase in cap.
You see, gaming can be an expensive hobby, and I don’t always feel comfortable spending significant amounts of money on it. Especially right now, I’m watching every spare penny, with any pocket money being invested into my business. For that reason I’ve found it useful trading/selling games I’ve completed and am no longer needing. In fact, I believe the pre-owned market is what makes high street retailer, GameStation, the most money, and is - on the flip side - the biggest cause of concern for developers.
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Tags: Achievements, Beneath The Ashes, DLC, Fable II, Fallout 3, Halo 3, Tomb Raider Underworld, Xbox Live
Posted in Rants, Xbox Live | 19 Comments »
Monday, January 26th, 2009
Underworld performed badly sales-wise (and some of you may argue gameplay-wise, too). That, coupled with the economic downturn, has seen Crystal Dynamics cut 30 jobs. Shame, as I genuinely loved the latest Tomb Raider adventure. But being a long time Lara fan, I think I’m willing to overlook most niggles as my sentimental journey has such a hold over me. Regardless, poor sales and a waning interest in the franchise has prompted developers to, you guessed it, give Lara Croft another make-over.
If the developers think enhancing her bust or baring more skin is going to improve sales, they really need to stop and listen to the fans. For me personally, I think they should concentrate on prolonging typical Tomb Raider game-time, adding in longer levels and bigger puzzles - not necessarily making things more complex, just giving us a bit more to do and a few more levels to raid. I also want to see Lara doing what she does best; raiding tombs. None of this urban shite. Just good old fashioned tombs, caves and what-not. Tweaking the camera would help, too.
Tags: Aside, Crystal Dynamics, Tomb Raider Underworld
Posted in Asides | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
I love Lara Croft. She’s one hell of a woman. One who can swim the deep Atlantic seas and still emerge with her hair dry, untouched by the ocean. She’s also the only women to raid the stony tombs of the Mediterranean in her bare feet, and still have no sign of rough, leathery skin afflicting her heels. What. A. Woman. Which is why Tomb Raider Underworld was my first choice of game when offered some Christmas money to buy whatever I pleased. Within a £50 limit.
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Tags: Crystal Dynamics, Lara Croft, Tomb Raider Underworld, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Tomb Raider: Legend
Posted in General Gaming | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
So I’ve just (accidently) finished Fallout 3, and I’m actually pretty gutted it’s ended. You know you’ve played a great game when you’re disappointed to see the credits roll. Never-the-less, this paves the way for Tomb Raider: Underworld, The Last Remnant, and Grand Theft Auto IV - all of which are patiently sitting beneath the tree, awaiting my overly zealous hands to tear at the festive paper that adorns them, cradling them close to my body… Yeah, I’ve gone too far.
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Tags: Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, RPG, The Last Remnant, Tomb Raider Underworld
Posted in General Gaming | 9 Comments »
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008
Yes, I’m sad, I have a ‘Holiday Gaming Schedule’. It’s not laminated or anything. Far from it. In fact, all it is is a vague list of games floating around in my head, with a vague time frame to play them in. It goes a little something like this:
Finish Fallout 3 by Christmas as I will then have two new games to get stuck into; Tomb Raider Underworld, and - a bit of an oldie - Grand Theft Auto IV (both from my rock n’ roll Gran). My priority lies with Tomb Raider, being a big fan of the series. I’m not sure how long it will take me to complete it, but I point blank refuse to reference a guide for those inevitably sticky points, so it should hopefully take me up to my birthday, which is nearing the end of January.
By this point I can either console my lack of gaming birthday presents with Grand Theft Auto IV, or drop enough hints to secure myself a JRPG or two (Infinite Undiscovery and/or The Last Remnant would both put a smile on my face). Whatever games I don’t get round to playing immediately will be confined to The Big Drawer of Gaming for a rainy Sunday. Sounds like a plan, right? What’s your Christmas gaming agenda?
Tags: Christmas, Grand Theft Auto IV, Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant, Tomb Raider Underworld
Posted in Asides | 7 Comments »
Friday, October 24th, 2008
Wow, I almost didn’t give a second look to Far Cry 2, but with all the fantastic reviews that have been cropping up it’s hard not to take notice. Then again, today I’ll be picking up Fable II, then it’s christmas just around the corner with Gears 2, Fallout 3 and Underworld all on my wish list. And I’ve still got Condemned 2 to begin, with Infinite Undiscovery on my to-buy list. Argh!
Tags: Asides, Condemned 2: Bloodshot, Fable 2, Fallout 3, Far Cry 2, Gears of War 2, Infinite Undiscovery, Tomb Raider Underworld
Posted in Asides | 6 Comments »
I don’t have anything derogatory to say about Alan Wake. My advice to you? Spend a night in Bright Falls and soak up the eerie atmosphere. Alan Wake excels at thrilling you psychologically. Which is why it’s called a psychological thriller, I guess…
