This is both one of the best games in the series and one of the worst. I'd say its a 50/50 split between levels I enjoyed and levels I didn't enjoy. I also love this concept for a Tomb Raider game. A little 'best of' game. Although I can see how fans were pissed at this game when it came out. It's not really what everyone was expecting after the Last Revelation.
Rome: Perfect all the way through and the quintessential example of a Tomb Raider experience. I don't think I even needed to check a guide that much here.
Russia: Apart from ammo problems at the start, this is a really enjoyable set of levels. I especially love the claustrophobic submarine level, which then changes itself up when it starts to sink. It was an ingenious concept to explore.
Ireland: At no point during these levels did I have any idea of what I was supposed to be doing or how to do it. Plus, there's one part where a little imp dude can chase after you, and seeing as you don't have a weapon, you just have to die.
VCI headquarters: I thoroughly enjoyed Zip's first appearance in the series (which up until now I thought was in Legend). And I'm always a sucker for a stealth level. But I don't know if early Tomb Raider controls and stealth tactics were supposed to go together. I enjoy the spectacle and a few of the concepts used here, but it loses a little in the execution. It falls victim to the classic 'last level in a Tomb Raider game' problem, and I was struggling with ammo near the end. And the last level of this game is very underwhelming. You think it's going to be an epic chase scene across rooftops, but instead its just more stilted maneuvering around air ducts. That first cyborg room I hated with an absolute passion, as the only way to kill it is to either tank it and use up 5 health packs, or to spend half an hour sniping it from a vent. And this level has a few glitches where parts of the level don't spawn in properly if you save during particular sequences, which I am adamant was done on purpose to ensure you spent more time failing to do the tough sections.
Overall, I'd say the game balances out. It's a solid entry in the series.
Rome: Perfect all the way through and the quintessential example of a Tomb Raider experience. I don't think I even needed to check a guide that much here.
Russia: Apart from ammo problems at the start, this is a really enjoyable set of levels. I especially love the claustrophobic submarine level, which then changes itself up when it starts to sink. It was an ingenious concept to explore.
Ireland: At no point during these levels did I have any idea of what I was supposed to be doing or how to do it. Plus, there's one part where a little imp dude can chase after you, and seeing as you don't have a weapon, you just have to die.
VCI headquarters: I thoroughly enjoyed Zip's first appearance in the series (which up until now I thought was in Legend). And I'm always a sucker for a stealth level. But I don't know if early Tomb Raider controls and stealth tactics were supposed to go together. I enjoy the spectacle and a few of the concepts used here, but it loses a little in the execution. It falls victim to the classic 'last level in a Tomb Raider game' problem, and I was struggling with ammo near the end. And the last level of this game is very underwhelming. You think it's going to be an epic chase scene across rooftops, but instead its just more stilted maneuvering around air ducts. That first cyborg room I hated with an absolute passion, as the only way to kill it is to either tank it and use up 5 health packs, or to spend half an hour sniping it from a vent. And this level has a few glitches where parts of the level don't spawn in properly if you save during particular sequences, which I am adamant was done on purpose to ensure you spent more time failing to do the tough sections.
Overall, I'd say the game balances out. It's a solid entry in the series.