TR Underworld: play thread

[Elliot Kane]

Despite Microsoft's best efforts to destroy screen capping in Win 7 (In all programs I tried bar one, the only result of trying to screen cap a game is a big black square. This is a known issue, apparently - and yes, it even happens when capping using PrntScrn on a standard MS keyboard...) I have got some sucky bitmap images from the one that worked.

They're BMP files, which means they don't come close to showing how beautiful this game actually is, but they may give you some idea.










As to the game itself, it plays very well. Once out of the first (Dark!) area, it really opens up into spectacular scenery, some great puzzles and a whole host of really impressive new moves, from rock climbing to pole walking.

The controls are smooth and actually designed for use on a PC, rather than the more recent 'console first, PC afterthought' attitude that seemed far too prevalent in the last couple of games.

Swimming actually works properly for the first time in the new generation of TR games, for one thing. Tilt the mouse in the direction you want to go and you go that way.

So far, this looks to be the best TR game of the new age. Whether I'll still think that by the time I'm done with it is something else, of course, but so far, so good!

[mysterd]

I got stuck in the final level and gave up.

I still am not happy that the console version got DLC's to purchase, while PC gamers did NOT even get such an opportunity.

I played the game w/ X360 For Windows Controller, BTW...

[Elliot Kane]

Let you know if I give up when I get there. Still a ways to go, yet. The DLCs don't make any real difference to me, as I never bother with them anyway, but I agree it's a bad thing to often them to console players but not PC players. It's like saying they don't care as much about the PC gamers. Might be TRUE, of course, but hardly politic to admit it...

***

Lara the biker chick:

[Elliot Kane]

Just finished. I really liked this one, actually. Only had to resort to walkthroughs a handful of times to work out what in heck to do next as for most of it the what is easy enough, it's the how that's the problem. Applying the usual 'pick the craziest method' to Lara works, as ever! ;D

I love her full range of abilities in this game, and at no time did I need three hands or controls that were missing from the manual (Looking at Anniversary, here ).

Little frustrated at some of the dark areas for being TOO dark, which to my mind is a cheat to make the puzzles seem harder more than anything else, but overall I liked it a lot. It certainly has to be my favourite of the more modern TR games.

On a scale of 1-10, I think I'd give it an 8. Solidly satisfying, but nothing I intend to play again in the next month or two.