Given Tomb Raider's British heritage, a game themed around Arthurian legend was probably long overdue. Granted, Legend plays pretty fast and loose with the Arthurian cycle, casting it as part of a common global legend in the same way that multiple ancient cultures have a flood myth, but that sort of syncretic blend of world legends is part of the fun of these globetrotting treasure-hunting narratives.

I probably owe Tomb Raider: Legend a revisit at some later point, once I've better put the Tomb Raider series into context. As of this writing, this is the only mainline, non-Survivor Tomb Raider I've finished. I know Legend is sort-of the start to its own reboot trilogy, but I feel like I'm missing why it was well-received by not tracking the original run of Tomb Raider's decline in quality through Chronicles and Angel of Darkness. As its own thing, I found Legend fine, not really remarkable but not really offensive. But I suspect that sort of game was precisely what Tomb Raider needed at that point in time: a fresh run in a new set of hands several years after Angel of Darkness broke the series' foundation.

Um, game's a bit janky. A lot of the general jumpy climby stuff in what I've played of the original series feels like that, where it's easy to fling one's self off a cliff in a wild direction despite the game's best efforts, so I sort of feel like that's a problem a lot of this genre ran into before Uncharted really smoothed out gameplay feel (or maybe that's just a consequence of my playing on PC?). But there are a few set pieces that feel very much of its era, taking big swings that don't completely connect. Those motorcycle sequences, for example: neat idea, something that you couldn't really do on PS1, barely something you could do on PS2 if this game is anything to go by. That one bit where you're climbing down a tall, tall chamber is surprisingly rough, too, since between the crumbling platforms and some of the jumps down, it was easy to overshoot and wind up taking too big a jump and ragdolling on the next platform. Plus there was that one boss fight against the guy (don't remember his name) who just kept screaming "DAMN YOU LARA BET YOU WISH YOU COULD DO THAT HUH BET YOU WISH YOU COULD DO THAT HUH FINE WE'LL DO IT YOUR WAY FINE WE'LL DO IT YOUR WAY DAMN YOU LARA DAMN YOU LARA BET YOU WISH YOU COULD DO THAT HUH". Like, dude, chill.

But Legend is one of those where jank adds to the experience, so don't read this as much of a complaint. I do think all the ideas the game advances are sound, even if they are rough in execution. Anyway, the times where the game really does come together are quite fun. Not a lot of the game's stuck with me, but that one level, where you start out at a crummy roadside tourist trap about King Arthur that transitions into Arthur's actual tomb, is suuuuch a fun concept. Definitely worth the visit for me all on its own.

I don't know how to wrap this one up, so here's a video I took during my playthrough that I titled "tombraiderlegends.mp4".

As far back as my memory can reliably take me, Tomb Raider: Legend was one of the first video games I ever played. Of course, that meant I completely sucked at it; a level that would take me 20 minutes now took a few hours back then, and I never actually finished the game until a couple years ago. It doesn't exactly hold all that magic of a grand adventure that I once thought it did; it's quite the short journey, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable, in fact I think that's to it's advantage. It's a nice bite-sized and fast paced adventure with plenty of unique stages, that never stops being fun to play, despite it's shortcomings.

Lara is an icon, I mean, everyone knows that, but her characterisation is totally at it's (second) best in this game and I'll stand by that. Legend's best decision was to have running dialogue between Lara, Alister and Zip throughout most of the levels and their chemistry is just so entertaining. This allows her to regularly show off her intelligence and sass very well, giving me many chuckles. They also weren't afraid to let her show a little more of her inner emotions in this entry which was quite nice.

Legend gameplay itself, mmmmmeh? It's enough to keep you engaged throughout and it's certainly not boring by any stretch. I haven't played TR 3-6 so I don't know how much of the parkour elements are new, but I do know that the grapple is a pretty awesome addition that is fun for traversal, and is used in some neat ways for puzzles. I don't have any problem with the gameplay per se, it's just nothing notable. Like the combat is just mindless easy fun. OH YEAH, and the bike sections, I think people mostly hate them but I find 'em pretty fun, although I can imagine if you play on hard mode or something they can get old and frustrating quickly.

Mediocre level and puzzle design is made up for with how well they are integrated into the environments. Whether it's underground in an ancient tomb, on the top level of a skyscraper, or on the cliffs by a waterfall, all platforming is cleverly built into the scenery so as to not take away from the spectacle. My favourite stages in this regard would have to be Peru, Japan and Ghana (such a pretty stage), but they all do it fairly well.

Can we talk about that for a second? I honestly like the Survivor (reboot) games quite a bit, but I think I would like to return to this more "world tour" kind of progression. Lara is a world explorer, playing this and some of the classics has reminded me that I appreciate "exploration" the most when you are taken to many vastly different and unique places all over the world. The newer games tend to stick to their one place, and while I understand that does allow for a deeper exploration of the history that's being revealed, something about this old style of going from place to place felt like a nice road trip of the world Lara visits, that the average person doesn't get to see, and I hope we get a bit of a revisiting of that in the next entry. Also it means more excuses for Lara to try different outfits :)

Playing this game on PC game definitely hurt the experience a bit with all it's bugs, and I would say stick to the console version if you can help it... At least that's what I would say if I didn't find out after my playthrough that turning on vsync fixed pretty much ALL of the issues. PC gaming is such a headache sometimes...

I plan on playing TR6 Angel of Darkness soon since I've become so curious to see first hand why everyone despises it, so much so that Eidos gave the development of Legend to a completely different studio, I can't wait...

Despite how fresh Legend was at that time, it was a downfall after the classic series.
Let's start with stories and dialogues in Tomb Raider games. They were always bad and cring. But the good thing about classic games is that there was almost little story, they were mostly about the gameplay and levels. Legend, like any other modern game, tries to show as much movie as possible. So it is not just bad sometimes anymore, it is bad almost all the time!
Of course, the gameplay was also simplified for a new generation. It fixed many issues of the original game but also lost the core: now it is just a linear action game with some one-room puzzles instead of adventure where every level is one giant puzzle you have to investigate and solve.
For sure, many people will like dumb action more but as the successor of previous games it was a large step backward.

Feels unfinished and bug galore. It also is short. Way too short. But it looks nice, controls are quite smooth. Pacing is amazing, the balance between puzzles, platforming and combat is very well done. I don't know the story behind this development yet but the final product is surprisingly very good. Of course the story is bland and character designs are... well, very mid 2000s.

But Lara's depiction here is quite in line with her original timeline and the dynamic with the rest of the crew is somewhat entertaining. Takes some inspiration from the Angelina Jolie's movies to build up the new universe, it shows, especially with her partners. And that was one of the few okayish things those movies had so I'll take it.

Crystal Dynamics' first try with Tomb Raider I'd say it went quite well. I don't know the general reception of the fandom with this game but for me it was a very enjoyable experience.

I have four other games that I know like the back of my hand, that are also my favourite games. This is the 5th one in that category.

And this game is like comfort food, a fun story story and the banter between Lara, Zip and Alister is brilliant. And last year when I started yet another replay on a fresh file getting all the rewards on the first level from memory felt so good.

This game has a special place in my heart, and it's a great starting point for anyone new to the Tomb Raider games, controls easy to master and a few QTEs to memorize but you'll get them after a few tries. And you get rewarded for exploring every nook and cranny of each level for the rewards hidden within them.

This game is very silly. But really, all the Core era games were very silly too. There's something about Legend that's just extra cringe. It must be the extremely dated mid-2000's veneer. Those character designs are firmly of their era, especially Amanda. Some concept designer's idea of their perfect edgy goth gf.

I've played this game a billion times. I can't have an objective opinion on it really. I can say with all certainty that the camera is dreadful but everything else gets a pass, no matter how flawed it all ends up being. What can I say? I'm just a Tomb Raider girly.

i fucking adore this game it is so beautiful to me. truly the root of my lesbianism. nothing makes me happier than figuring out nostalgic puzzles from my childhood while telling my friends repeatedly that Lara Croft is The Woman Ever. she slays so hard. second mission is literally one of the most fun, shenanigans filled things i’ve ever played. i could not recommend this game more it is genuinely so fun even though it’s janky as hell.

tl;dr: it’s buggy sometimes, it’s silly always, and it never takes itself too seriously. also lara is SO hot.

Местами кривоватая, но очень ламповая и душевная игра. Понравились разнообразные локации, боёвка (которая в отличие от Anniversary тут работает и не бесит), вайбы шпионских боевиков, ржекичные диалоги Лары и её команды, прикольные боссфайты и как тут нашли неплохой баланс между уходом в экшен и сохранением исследования и решения головоломок. Под конец даже дают помахать мечом в битве с боссом, это было весело. Правда сам финальный боссфайт легковатый и ждал чего-то более эпичного. Сюжет хоть и пошло средний, но лично меня смог зацепить и мне искренне интересно, как история будет развиваться в Underworld.