Adventurous anniversary

Tomb Raider's new series allows gamers to explore exotic locales around the world.

You know you've been playing video games a long time when companies start to remake games you don't remember as being old.

That's the case with Tomb Raider: Anniversary, a reshaped version of the original Tomb Raider, the game that moved the testosterone-dominated industry forward with the introduction of a strong, iconic female lead character – while simultaneously setting the women's movement back by casting that heroine, Lara Croft, as the Playboy Playmate equivalent of Indiana Jones.

Further evidence I've been playing games too long: The original Tomb Raider was released in 1996, which didn't seem that long ago to me – until I tried to remember playing it. I couldn't.

That, however, is a blessing in disguise, because Tomb Raider: Anniversary feels new to me, even the parts that were taken from the original. In fact, the game play is hardly dated, probably because the developer took Anniversary and adapted it to the game engine of last year's Tomb Raider: Legend.

This means that protagonist Croft can perform a host of updated moves she was incapable of doing in the original game. For example, she can now use her grappling hook, which was introduced in Tomb Raider: Legend; she can balance on one foot atop poles and columns, using them to leap to other platforms; and she can swan-dive into water, a move that serves no real purpose but looks pretty cool.

Of course, the heart of the game is raiding tombs and solving puzzles, and Anniversary delivers an experience that rivals the enjoyment of the original. As in that game, Lara goes after an artifact called the Scion of Atlantis, an adventure that takes her to exotic locales around the world. While in search of clues that lead you to your eventual goal, you must jump, climb, shimmy, spelunker, swing and shoot your
way to traverse obstacles on your often circuitous way from point A to point B.

But there are still aspects that mar the adventure. The camera often fails to allow the player to pan back far enough to survey the area, making it frustrating to figure out just where Lara needs to go.

Also, the combat – Lara must dispatch various beasts, from bothersome wolves to giant T-rexes – is simplistic, save for the addition of one new feature: When an enemy charges you, you can press a button that turns the action to slow-motion, allowing Lara to acrobatically dive out of harm's way and causing two targeting reticles to move toward each other; when the circles are superimposed, firing a shot will instantly kill the enemy. It's not exactly original, but it works.

Bottom line: For the most part, it's a happy Anniversary.

- Rating: Teen.
- Platform: Sony PlayStation2 and PC


REVIEWS

Spider-Man 3
Rating: Teen
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2
Activision-owned developer Treyarch's fifth Spider-Man game offers a slightly better experience on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 than the latest film. Vicarious Visions, which created the other versions of the game, has had less luck with the Wii and PlayStation 2 titles.

The Spider-Man 3 games feature washed-out Manhattan locales that aren't much of a leap from current-generation Spider-Man 2 games. Aside from Spider-Man, the male characters have an expressionless, zombie appearance.

Spider-Man 3 has an open-world aspect that allows players to swing from skyscraper to street lamp and take in the rather ho-hum sights. New this time around are underground levels, including the subway and sewers.

All versions are plagued by a camera perspective that often hinders gameplay, especially during fast-paced fighting. The Wii's motion-sensor controllers work for swinging and shooting web lines, but the combat controls are a complete mess. All the games have a rushed feel. The developers should have spent more time fine-tuning gameplay and investing in true next-gen visuals.

- John Gaudiosi/Los Angeles-Washington Post

Driver '76
Rating: Mature
Platform: PlayStation
Ah, the '70s, full of polyester pants, fishtailing muscle cars and guns that appeared to fire blanks. OK, the polyester pants were real, but the other two surely exist in Driver '76, a pale attempt at an open-world gangster game similar to the popular Grand Theft Auto series.

The plot finds Ray, a mechanic, trying to impress the crime boss father of a beautiful young lady. The only way to win his favor is to steal expensive things from the streets of New York City. Driver '76 does an impressive job using the graphic-novel approach to introduce missions such as stealing cigars, timed delivery runs and ramming truckloads of fish, but they are rather dull.

Most of the 40 cars handle poorly. Upgrades can be purchased with proceeds from completing the game's 27 missions, winning races and demolition derby mini-games, but they do little to improve your ride.

Money also buys weapon upgrades, but guns feel useless. The cars look good, but load times between missions are inexorable. Delays of several seconds can occur during a race across town. As a result, it's tough getting kicks out of Driver '76.

Dawn of Mana
Rating: Teen
Platform: PlayStation 2
When Square Enix makes a game, you expect the complete package - gorgeous graphics, a strong story and interesting game play. With Dawn of Mana, a third-person action role-playing game, you get all of the above, along with a frustrating targeting system and a botched leveling system.

Dawn of Mana finds Keldric, the game's hero, using special powers from the mysterious Mana tree to save a magical kingdom called Illusia.

Keldric's arsenal of weapons includes the ability to turn his arm into a vine that can ensnare victims or hurl objects.

The Havok physics system, which makes objects react convincingly when smashed by a flying boulder, is on full display here. It makes combat fun, despite a flawed target lock system that rarely engages the closest enemy. Players will usually find it easier to aim manually, but it is still a hit-and-miss affair. What's worse is that the leveling system completely resets between chapters. Combat and health points increase gradually as enemies are defeated, up to a maximum Level 4, but all upgrades are lost when advancing
the story line.

- George Mathis/Los Angeles-Washington Post