Tomb Raider Underworld

Well before I go any further I am not a Gamer by any sense of the word. I am a 40 something Mum who's 4 Children banded together to buy me a DS For Christmas.
I Like Lara Croft and Have Legend on my PC, I decided to get this for myself to practice using my new Console its quite entertaining. Yes I know that the graphics are not as good as the PC but I didn't get it for that. I am finding my way around the game quite well and have got much further than my Kids thought I would! I have had help especially from my 11 year old Daughter who grabs it of me saying, 'come here mummy, you do it like this'
With my limited experense of DS, or other games consols for that matter,I would recommend this game for the inexperienced, not hardened game fans. I am sure there are better games out there for you, but if you want the DS for puzzles then dont bother with this game. My son recommends you get it on PS3 or PC.
I doubt this review will be any good for most of you out there but for us 'older generation of new to it gamers'Try it, if nothing else its good for a laugh!

I'm not a big gamer and only play DS, PSP and PC games occasionally. I have however always enjoyed the Tomb Raider games for the PC and they usually keep me occupied for quite some time! So, how does the DS version fair? I found the game to be thoroughly enjoyable - the innovative interactivity of the bottom screen is something that's completely new for the Tomb Raider games and I think there should have been more uses for it in the game. It's an action/adventure game that involves exploration, fighting and both logical and creative thinking. I enjoyed the cinematics throughout and thought the overall story was definitely entertaining. There is also clearly a puzzle element to the game not just in terms of the 'mini games' you get to play but also in terms of having to figure things out within the levels.

This is the kind of game where you won't have to consult the manual - the first few levels are tutorials which teach you what you need to know about controls and I suppose it gets you into the mindset of the game so you get an idea of how to think if you want to complete all the levels and finish the game. The fact that I completed it in a week tells me that overall the game wasn't too much of a challenge!:) I think if you are a serious gamer, you will most likely find this one too easy. There is always ample ammo and health packs available and Lara is never in any real danger - she has limitless lives so if you die during a level, you will just restart from the most recent flag point you passed. This is good for someone like me who might otherwise struggle but for the serious gamer I can see how it might reduce the sense of satisfaction associated with completing a level.

To conclude, this is probably not one for the serious gamer as it is fairly easy - I really enjoyed it though! It's got a bit of everything in it so it will certainly keep you entertained for a while. Maybe too easy to justify the cost of the game but you can always sell it once you've completed it so I think it's worth buying!

In my eyes, the fairest way to review this and any other multiplatform game appearing on the Nintendo DS is to not compare it to it's console equivalents. Take the game for what it is, on what platform you've decided to buy it for - therefore, I won't be saying anything along the lines of "The graphics don't match up to the Xbox version, nor does the gameplay" etc.

Tomb Raider Underworld is the third game from developers Crystal Dynamics, a team thought to have rebooted the dwindling Tomb Raider franchise back in 2006 with their release "Tomb Raider: Legend" - Underworld follows Lara Croft on her quest to find answers about her mothers presumed death, taking her to locations all around the world (and not just our own.)

The DS gameplay is everything you would expect from a 2D platforming game, the face buttons are used to control Lara's actions and the touch screen is intermittently incorporated into several mini games (such as solving various puzzles) - The controls work well and the touch screen incorporation is a welcomed feature, it does seem however that Lara doesn't react to button presses swiftly enough, there seems a slight delay (particularly when swinging from a poll and looking to jump off.) - It isn't a huge issue, but it is something that most gamers are going to notice when playing. One negative point in regards to the gameplay, is that it is extremely easy - puzzles are quick and simple & the platforming has almost no challenge at all.

The graphics are mediocre for a console that is capable of good looking 3D games, they aren't by any means "bad" - but it seems as though more of an effort could have gone into making the game look something special. The game is quite dark, too; so I'd recommend setting your DS to the highest brightness setting.

The story in Underworld is interesting enough to keep players hooked, and the addition of full CGI cut scenes (taken from the console versions of the game) are particularly impressive. Sound quality isn't amazing on the DS, but wearing headphones is sure to enhance the experience. If you haven't played Legend, you'll be able to grasp the story with ease but if you want to fully immerse yourself in what is going on - it's probably best to give it a play through; just so you know exactly what Laras emotional motivation is.

Overall, Tomb Raider Underworld for the Nintendo DS is an enjoyable game that is more than worth the purchase; but sometimes feels less than spectacular. The control scheme is easy to pick up and the graphics, whilst not amazing are good enough to portray the action. Any hardcore Tomb Raider fan with a particular love for handheld gaming should pick up the game, but those looking for a deep and challenging adventure are probably better off looking elsewhere.