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How Metascores Are Calculated
76
Age of Booty
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Master your surroundings: Reach new heights with the broadest range of acrobatic abilities and utilize objects within the environment to uncover new paths to explore. Explore epic and unknown worlds: Discover ancient mysteries of the underworld hidden within the coast of Thailand, frozen islands of the Arctic Sea, the jungles of Mexico, and more. Each level is an elaborate multi-stage puzzle masked within an interactive environmental playground offering more flexibility over how the area is solved. New range of combat options: Choose to pacify or kill, target multiple enemies at once with the new dual-target system, and shoot with one hand while suspended with the other. New state-of-the-art gear: Utilize the latest technology in Lara's upgraded inventory to navigate the world including: Active Sonar map: A revolutionary new tool that emits an active sonar ping to create a 3D image of Lara's surroundings, perfect for uncovering hidden items and locations; Multi-purpose grapple: A claw-like device with a high-tension cable designed for climbing, rappelling, performing wall runs and manipulating objects within the environment; All-terrain hybrid motorbike: A unique vehicle design built to drive on everything from mud to snow and ice. [Eidos Interactive]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 91
Gaming Age
So while it's got enough faults to keep it from being a GOTY contender for most, it's still the best Tomb Raider title I've ever played, and I'm really curious to see what's next for the franchise once again.
 89
Games Master UK
Nothing truly revolutionary here, but in many ways it's the finest Tomb Raider to date. [Christmas 2008, p.70]
88
Game Informer
In tone, Underworld hits the target dead center, delivering the perfect mix of isolation and discovery with larger dramatic encounters. No modern cities mar Lara’s excursion this time – this is tomb raiding from beginning to end. Remarkable visuals sell the experience, and a moving score deepens your involvement. The formula behind the game is ready for some fresh ideas, but as a wrap up of old ideas, Underworld hits the sweet spot.
85
IGN UK
Despite its failure to move the series forward, Underworld is still fundamentally an incredibly enjoyable experience and a real return to captivating tomb raiding on a grand scale. It might be the same Lara we’ve enjoyed over the years but there’s no denying the lady’s still got style.
84
Cheat Code Central
Tomb Raider Underworld was far more enjoyable than I ever thought it would be. The expansive environments, solid platforming sequences, challenging puzzles, and adventure-filled storyline should appeal to anyone who loved the Prince of Persia games and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune. Disappointingly, combat is fairly mediocre, and a lot of technical inconsistencies are troublesome. Nevertheless, Underworld is a very good game.
83
PSM3 Magazine UK
Overall Clumsy combat, but enough quality puzzling to thrill lapsed fans.
83
Play UK
Crystal Dynamics has revived the core values of the original Tomb Raider games and reminded fans what drew them to the series in the first place. It’s an enticingly open action-adventure game with a seriously sexy lead.
82
3DJuegos
Tomb Raider Underworld is a fantastic proposal for fans of puzzles and platform gaming. Sadly its camera and control issues let down its many virtues. Nevertheless the new adventure of Lara Croft is brief but intense, and has plenty of good puzzles and great environments.
80
Total Video Games
Epic without ever pushing boundaries for the series, Tomb Raider: Underworld is a game that fans of the franchise will no doubt relish.
80
GameDaily
Like her previous two games, Underworld is a welcome, if slightly flawed, addition to the franchise.
80
Playstation Official Magazine UK
Running around robbing ancient artefacts, desecrating temples and cracking intense puzzles is just as satisfying as ever, and feels like vintage Tomb Raider through and through. [Dec 2008, p.92]
80
VideoGamer
A visually stunning, epic adventure that continues Crystal Dynamics' excellent run. We reckon it's the best completely original Tomb Raider (Anniversary was, of course, a remake) we've had in years, and is only let down by the odd control quirk and camera issue.
80
games(TM)
It’s no longer a culturally significant event, and even Lara’s charms are beginning to lose their edge. But make no mistake, it warms our hearts to see Lara back doing what she does best. [Christmas 2008, p.98]
80
Boomtown
I really did enjoy the experience, as unchallenging as it felt (whether because the puzzles rarely required timing threatening death beyond falling, because the enemies even have visible health bars or due to the friendly checkpoint system) but felt that it was too quick to get through to justify a full £40 purchase.
80
Cynamite
Okay, the new Tomb Raider adventure is not really innovative. But Lara has never looked so good before. The gameplay is smooth and the puzzles are great. But the stupid motorcycle trips, the camera and the senseless gadgets are fun-killers.
79
IGN AU
This should be a much slicker product. Still, it’s good fun for the most part, and at the end of the day that’s why we play, right?
75
PTGamers
Tomb Raider: Underworld is ambiguous, offering the best and the worst elements of the series. The camera is awful and there are quite a few bugs. It lacks polish, but still manages to be a good Lara Croft adventure…. And she's as beautiful and agile as ever.
75
Kikizo
With a little more originality, and gunnery to match Lara's athletic prowess, Tomb Raider: Underworld would rank among the best the genre has to offer.
75
Variety
An opaque plot, tacked-on combat and distracting camera issues prevent it from competing with the top tier holiday titles, but Underworld gets enough right to make for a modest success.
75
1UP
Underworld is an incredibly abrupt experience, so much so that it makes me question whether content was removed from the complete game to be made available later as the previously announced downloadable content. Six levels in (seven if you count the prologue), the game just...ends. Sure, the last level is a cool showpiece, but it lacks any sense of built-up narrative and even a final boss -- simply a closing cut-scene that wraps up most of the loose ends all too handily.
74
IGN
Tomb Raider Underworld is a decent game that Lara Croft fans will enjoy, but it’s not quite the experience that will live up to or even surpass that of Legend.
70
GamePro
Overall, Underworld is a decent enough effort. It has slick controls, interesting puzzles and a story that's actually pretty interesting. However, it never fully compensates for a lack of compelling action and overall polish.
70
GamingXP
After a pause, Lara is back and is searching for antiqu relics in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, and she discovers a mystic glove, which makes it possible to use the hammer of the Norse god Thor. TRU promised more than we get.
70
GameSpot
Tomb Raider Underworld will satisfy fans of Lara's previous adventures, but it does little to address previous games' problems.
60
GameSpy
While it's likely worth it for fans to get closure from Underworld, expect to trudge through a large amount of frustrating gameplay to get it. Suffering from a distinct lack of polish, Tomb Raider Underworld seems like it could have benefited greatly from a little more attention. If it didn't have so many technical issues, Underworld could have been a brilliant conclusion to Lara's latest trilogy.
60
Playstation Universe
A lack luster adventure, Lara looks great, but gameplay is predictable and thwarted by camera issues.
50
Playstation Official Magazine Australia
What bothers us most about the entire package is this: quite clearly Tomb Raider Underworld was created without the intention of delivering a functional game...Honestly, post "Uncharted", there is absolutely no excuse for a game such as Tomb Raider: Underworld. [Christmas 2008, p.94]
50
Game Revolution
Both Lara and her series are well past their prime, and both try in vain to look half their age. Though she might be worth a few hours of your time, Lara’s best days are far behind her.
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