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Dom Robinson reviews
Eidos Interactive Limited
- Windows 95/98
- Pentium PC 166 Mhz (200 Mhz recommended)
- 16Mb RAM (32Mb RAM rec.)
- Quad-speed CD-ROM Drive
- DirectX 6.0 (included on CD)
- Supports most major 3D acceleration graphics cards and compatible soundcards through DirectX 6.0
Tomb Raider III: Adventures Of Lara Croftis the third in the successfulseries of games from Core Design. This time round, our storybegins millions of years ago when a meteor foresaw the damage done in theHollywood films, Deep Impact and Armageddon, and turned the thenwarm climes of Antarctica into a place that’s colder than a pensioner’s housein winter.
In the impressive FMV opener, we see that nowadays the site is being excavatedby research company “RX Tech”, who are picking up unusual readings from themeteorite’s impact zone. In this zone they uncover the body of a sailor fromCharles Darwin’s voyage on The Beagle. A few of the sailors had, it seems,briefly explored the crater’s interior…
After reading the sailor’s journal it turns out that this isn’t the only placethat sailors had travelled to and died in…
One of these places in India – where Lara is currently searching for thelegendary Infada artefact. Unaware of its true history, she only knows that inlocal beliefs it was supposed to hold great powers and has been revered bytribes there throughout the years.
Soon she will discover much more…
Anyone who has played either of the previous Tomb Raider games willknow what to expect and for those not in the know, check out my review ofthe second gameHERE !and if you’ve never heard of Lara Croft, then you’re either dead or lying.
Installing and Running the Game
Installation is a piece of cake and barely takes up any space because thegame is played mainly from the CD, so there’s only really need for saved gamepositions. The game runs Windows 95 and 98 platforms.
After installing, you will then be able to select the various graphics andsound set-up options. A 3Dfx selection is available for PCs which are suitablyequipped.
Playing the Game
In-game Controls
Cursor Up: Run forward
Cursor Down: Jump back
Cursor Right: Turn Right
Cursor Left: Turn Left
Ctrl: Action
Alt: Jump
Space Bar: Draw Weapon
(Comma): Draw Flare
(Full Stop): Crawl
/: Dash
Keypad-0: Look
Shift + cursor key: Walk in that direction
End: Roll forward
Delete: Side-step left
Page Down: Side-step right
Escape: Display Menu Rings
Hotkeys:
1-8: Directly select available weapons
9: Use Large medi-pack
0: Use Small medi-pack
F5: Save game
F6: Load game
Starting The Game
Passport – main game options
The passport allows you to start a new game, load a previously saved one, orquit back to Windows 95/98.
Polaroid – Lara’s Home
This accesses the training level, and Lara will explain how the controls work.
Personal stereo – sound effects and music
This allows you to adjust the volume level for sound effects and music, eachon a scale of 1 to 10.
Key configuration
This selection shows the keys to operate Lara’s movements, and allows you toalter those you wish to change.
Actions
My review of Tomb Raider IIstated the additional moves allowed in that game, and what follows is a summaryof the new moves for game No.3.
Moving
Sprinting is now a possibility. Need a quick burst of energy? Don’thave another doughnut, just press the Sprint key. A small energy bar willappear and when that bar depletes Lara will revert back to a run.
Other actions
Lara is now able to Duck and Crawl by pressing the crawl key and holdingthat down whilst using the cursor keys. If Lara is not able to stand up, thenholding this key down is not necessary, but when she is able to stretch herpixelated legs, she will resume her erect position.
Monkey is not only the name of a highly-popular Japanese TV show from the1980s, but is also one-half of the phrase Monkey Swing and if Laradiscovers an overhead frame she may decide to “Monkey Swing” across it.To perform this, press the Jump key and then Action to jump and then cling ontothe frame. Keep the Action key held down whilst pressing the cursor keys tomove Lara in your chosen direction.
Pressing the Left and Right cursor keys will cause Lara to rotate, whilereleasing the Action key will drop Lara like a stone.
And one other thing…
Unlike the first two games, after completing the India levels, you will bepresented with an Area Selection screen, allowing you to choose which one ofthe three remaining areas to visit first: London, South Pacific or Area 51.
You can choose each of these in any order and upon completion, you shall finishup in Antarctica for the final leg of your journey.
Hints and Tips
Contrary to popular belief, there never was a “Nude Lara” cheat for the firstgame despite many magazines printing the supposed codes for it.
Level Skip Code :
While in a level do the following with Lara :
Take out your pistols (number 1 key). Then, walk one step backwards, thenone step forwards, turn around 3 full times (doesn’t matter which direction),squat then release button and then do a Forward jump.
All Ammo And Items Code :
While in a level do the following with Lara :
Take out your pistols (number 1 key). Then, walk one step backwards, thenone step forwards, turn around 3 full times (doesn’t matter which direction),squat then release button and then do a Backward jump.
Lara Bug?
It appears there is a bug in the game that will cause corruption of the mapdata. Standing on a certain tile in a certain room and saving the game willcause invisible walls to come up and prevent the player from completing thelevel. Core have released a patch which will rectify the problem on the PC, butthere is no such solution for the Playstation version.
In “Temple Ruins”, if you save your game in the room with the statue (at thebottom of the slope) and then go back into that room later in the game, despitethe fact that you don’t need to, then you won’t be able to go through doorsthat have already been opened, thus you won’t be able to complete the level.The solution is not to save the game in that room and never to return to it.
The patch will also fix problems that some PC owners (not including me) mayhave had with the sound, even though it affects the AWE 64 sound card (which Ihave). Core used compression sound in the game instead of the audio CD tracksused in the first two games.
Graphics, Sound and Playability
As in the first two games, the fluidity and movement of the graphics engine isunsurpassable. Crisp, fast and smooth graphics is what’s on show here andanyone used to this will know what to expect. Depending on your processor’scapabilities, a function is available to control the graphics definition aswell as the screen size, but a 3D graphics card will maximise your PC’spotential.
The sound effects and music match this too. From the music on the startscreen, to the special effects and music which shout out at you during the game,some may wonder why they haven’t been altered for this new release, but whensomething ain’t broke, why fix it?
The playability is as spot-on as the first game. The controls allow Lara to movesimply around the environment be it simply running, or running along up to aledge, performing a forward roll and then pressing Action to hold onto the ledgebefore swinging forward to clear certain items. Sounds like a complicatedmanoeuvre, but it could be the sort of movement you’ll need to perform manya time.
Overall
Three games on and the cult of Lara Croft continues. When Lara was portrayedin the media by model-turned-Pepsi Chart Show presenter RhonaMitra, Ms. Mitra was due to release a single early last year in the UKcalled Raiders. It never materialised in this country, but France wereallowed to hear her dulcet tones on an album entitled Come Alive whichwas more like an extended 12″ single, since most of the tracks are remixes,but on the plus-side, it was produced by Dave Stewart.
The Real Lara this time, is Man-O-Man chicken-skinned-bimbo-turned-modelNell McAndrew (real first name: Tracey). It was when she appeared nakedand bald that she came to the fore, but I really wished she’d been left at the”three” as she turned out as appealing as Sinead O’Connor’s lesbian sister.If they ever get round to making a Tomb Raider film, then I’ll be puttingin a vote for Kate Winslet. And why not…
About the game though, the skeptics are out wondering whether Lara was reallyup to a third outing. On the whole it feels more like the continuing adventuresof Lara with a few enhancements, than a brand new game, but it depends what youwant out of a game.
If you enjoyed the first two and want to experience some more then you won’tbe disappointed. The game itself isn’t particularly hard, but moreso aselection of scenes which will throw up traps and puzzles that you just won’tbe able to solve…for a while. Plenty of times you will want to scream asyou get to a point, and then fail to get any further. The simple course ofaction is to stop playing, come back to it later with a clear head, and thenyou’ll find the answer…until next time.
And that’s what makes this, which cannot fail to be one of the bestlooking, sounding and playing games of the 1990’s, so damned addictive.Although I’d lay odds on the next Lara adventure needing to be significantlydifferent to stay ahead in the ever-changing games market, no-one can disagreethat there are few games which can match up to what’s on display here, whichis an experience to behold.
If you’re after some more info on Eidos Interactive’s games, you can checkout their official Website atwww.eidosinteractive.com orthe official Tomb Raider side at www.tombraider.comGRAPHICS : *****SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC: *****PLAYABILITY: *****ORIGINALITY : ***ENJOYMENT : *****——————————-OVERALL : *****
Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1999.
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.