Tomb Raider Chronicles

Infobox VG
title = Tomb Raider Chronicles


caption=
developer = Core Design
publisher = Eidos Interactive
designer = Peter Connelly (music)
engine =
released = PlayStation: flagicon|USA 24 November 2000 PC: flagicon|USA 21 November 2000 Dreamcast: flagicon|USA 19 November 2000
genre = Third-person shooter/Platform
modes = Single player
ratings = ESRB: Teen
platforms = Sega Dreamcast, PlayStation, Microsoft Windows and Mac
media = CD-ROM, GD-ROM
requirements =
input = Gamepad, keyboard

"Tomb Raider Chronicles" is the fifth game in the "Tomb Raider" series and the sequel to "". It was developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. The game was originally released in 2000 for PC, Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation.

Storyline

"Tomb Raider Chronicles" opens just days after the events of "The Last Revelation". Lara is still missing and presumed dead. A memorial service at Croft Manor brings together three old friends of Lara: Winston, Charles Kane and Father Patrick Dunstan. While the rain outside is pouring, the three reminisce about Lara's earlier adventures. Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away Werner Von Croy coordinates the frantic dig searching for answers buried deep beneath the Egyptian desert.

Gameplay

Features

The gameplay of "Tomb Raider Chronicles" is closely tied to that of "The Last Revelation". In terms of movement, the only new additions to Lara's skills are the ability to walk on a tightrope, the ability to grab and swing on horizontal bars and the ability to drop from a ledge forwards while crouching. Several weapons from have disappeared but the MP5 submachine gun from Tomb Raider III and the revolver from "" have returned. A new tool takes the form of the grappling hook, which is used to latch on certain areas of the ceiling and swing across vaults. Only one vehicle (of sorts) appears: a high tech diving suit designed to penetrate deep waters.

The game consists of four sub-adventures and takes Lara to Rome, a Russian submarine base, a haunted island called the Black Isle in Ireland, and a high-tech building in New York. Secrets in "Tomb Raider Chronicles" are represented by a golden rose (much like the dragons in "Tomb Raider II"). In total there are 36 scattered throughout the game and when the player has found every one of them, a new special features menu is unlocked from the Options screen.

Characters

Reception

Although graphically praised as one of the best instalments in the series, the game was subject to numerous criticisms, primarily due to its lack of originality. Reviewers complained that the series were out of touch with contemporary game development.

The PC version of the game is notoriously problematic with level bugs. In the last stage, "Red Alert", loading certain save points may cause key items to disappear. Sometimes specific events will not be triggered at all. The game even felt old as the original Tomb Raider engine, and its “grid system” of level design, definitely showed its age. cite web |author=Gaming Target|title=Tomb Raider: The History of the Search For Ancient History|publisher=Gaming Target|work=Game Profile|url=http://www.gamingtarget.com/game.php?gameid=3447&section=1| accessdate=2008-07-10 ]

Some of the puzzles were also criticised, although trying to have a more modern approach than the typical Tomb Raider puzzles including elements such as pushing blocks, some of which were extremely hard due to how well Lara can interact with the environment not being made clear at all, Lara could perform new moves but they varied and players of the game were not told and they had to somewhat figure them out while stuck on a puzzle. Items one had to find were also more hidden, blending in with the environment, and due to some of their small sizes, extremely hard to find. An example of this is in the level, "Old Mill", where there is a coin that has to be picked up from a spot with a yellow background; it blends in almost completely and the player cannot progress until it is picked up, but if the player goes forward a short distance away from the coin a cutscene occurs (that cannot be skipped), and Lara is spawned in a different location, confusing players and due to such problems some parts of the game are extremely difficult without a walk-through or a player with a good sense of locating items. On the same level, a stick to light a fire with is in a dark room and the stick is of a brown colour, it makes it almost completely impossible to see and is very well hidden.

References

* Erikson, Peter (2000). [http://pc.ign.com/articles/165/165313p1.html "Some girls just don't know when to quit..."] . Retrieved 9 February 2006

Notes

External links

* [http://www.tombraider.com Tomb Raider Official Website]
* - info sheet on all ports of the game.
* [http://tombraiders.net/stella/tomb5.html "Tomb Raider Chronicles" at Stella's tomb Raider Site] - Walkthroughs, strategy and savegame files.
* [http://www.tombraiderchronicles.com/tr5/index.html "Tomb Raider Chronicles" at Tombraiderchronicles.com] - Contains images, walkthroughs and media related to the game.