Tomb Raider Underworld

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Tomb Raider Underworld

Developed by Crystal Dynamics

Published by Eidos Interactive

Lead Designer: Eric Lindstrom

Written by: Toby Gard & Eric Lindstrom

Music by Troels Brun Folmann & Colin O'Malley

Platforms PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, Nintendo DS, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Mobile phone, N-Gage 2.0

Release date(s): Europe: 21 November 2008 - North America: 18 November 2008

Rating: ESRB: T - BBFC: 12 - PEGI: 16+

Tomb Raider: Underworld is the eighth installment in the main Tomb Raider Series. It is developed by Crystal Dynamics, and is published by Eidos Interactive, and continues from where Tomb Raider Legend left off, with Lara in persuit of the truth about the whereabouts of her mother, Amelia Croft.

The game was released on 18th November 2008 in North America, and 21st November 2008 in Europe, and on January 2009 had sold 2.9 million copies, and had reached it's sales targets by September 2009.

The Game

Tomb Raider: Underworld marks the first game in this flagship series that is designed specifically for next generation consoles (although also being released on Playstation 2 and Nintendo DS). Lara Croft uncovers proof of the existence of the mythical hammer of the Norse god Thor, a weapon rumoured to have the power to smash mountains into valleys and destroy the gods themselves.

Norse Mythology features heavily in the game, and it is used as a vessel all other Religions, Myths and Legends descend from. Many sites visited throughout the game have a Nordic theme, and many characters from Norse Mythology are mentioned and certain concepts are also touched upon.

Setting an epic journey around the globe in motion, Lara visits the ruins of ancient civilizations, collecting clues that lead her to a forgotten power that could lay waste to all civilization. Exploiting the power and capabilities of next generation consoles, Lara must hunt for clues across larger than life environments, seen with exquisite, detailed clarity. Solving multifaceted puzzles, facing foes both animal and supernatural, players have the aid of enhanced weapons and abilities, as they explore the secrets of the past.

Also coming to the Wii and Nintendo DS consoles, Tomb Raider: Underworld for these systems features exclusive additions not included on other platforms. The Wii version includes an archaeological toolkit exclusive to this console that allows players to excavate hidden areas and secrets with the aid of a compressed air gun, acetylene torch, chisel and pliers.

Through out the game Lara Croft realises that taking these artifacts may be the prime cause of destroying the human civilisation in the future.

Information

Tomb Raider: Underworld was released in North America on 18th November 2008 (United States and Canada, one month later in Mexico), followed by the European shipping date of 21st November 2008 and 5th December 2008 in Australia. It was developed by Crystal Dynamics, with help from Nixxes Software for the PlaySTation 3 and Games for Windows (PC) version.

The Wii and PlayStation 2 versions were developed by Buzz Monkey Software and the Nintendo DS version by Santa Cruz Games. It's published by Eidos PLC (with distribution work in North America by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment) and was released on Games for Windows (PC), Nintendo DS, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

Development

Tomb Raider Underworld was confirmed by Eidos on January 10, 2008, but there were some rumours about the name when it was discovered that Eidos had filed for a trademark on the phrase Tomb Raider Underworld in late 2007. After some time, Eidos filed another trademark, reserving the right to provide "computer games that may be accessed network-wide by network users."

Firstly, Eidos said that the games would be released on June 2008, but shortly after, they revealed that the game would only be shipped on November 2008, because they decided to make the game also for Playstation 2, Nintendo DS and Wii, when before they said it would be released only for PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Promotion

A week after the game's release, the Tomb Raider Challenge was announced on the 28th of November 2008, offering fans a chance to win a Playstation 3 and Tomb Raider Underworld Game Pack per day, as well as the chance to win a trip round the world and various other prizes in a main challenge. The daily challenges ended on 18th of December 2008, and the winner of the main challenge was be announced on the 9th of January 2009. The challenge was exclusive to Australian and New Zealand residents.

Plot

Underworld continues where Tomb Raider Legend left off. Lara searches various locations around the world, initially to find the Celtic paradise of Avalon, but soon finds a deeper thread of monomyth theory running through the ruins she explores, starting with a ruin covered in proto-Norse ruins underneath the Mediterranean Sea.

She soon meets Jacqueline Natla, the Atlantean god-queen who was her antagonist in both the original Tomb Raider and its remake Tomb Raider Anniversary. She is the prisoner of Amanda Evert, the main antagonist of Tomb Raider Legend. Natla tells Lara that Avalon is in fact the Norse underworld of Helheim and that this is where her mother went to after the events in Nepal when Lara was a young girl. She directs her next to a coastal temple in Thailand.

In due course, Lara learns that her father was actually employed by Natla, but became wary of the artefacts that she was trying to locate. He removed evidence of the location of Thor's belt, Megingjörd and kept the artefacts recovered from Thailand in the crypts and cellars of Croft Manor.

Lara explores the passages underneath her home and discovers the location of the belt, but a Doppelganger, similar to that seen in the original Tomb Raider and its remake, destroys her home and attacks her companions. Lara then goes to Mexico to the Mayan underworld of Xibalba, where she recovers the belt and also finds out about a mysterious substance closely linked to the Norse ruins and the legend of Thor called Eitr.

Travelling next to Jan Mayen Island, Lara finally recovers Mjolnir, Thor's Hammer. She goes next to the Andaman Sea in order to question Natla more closely about the location of Helheim, and ends up freeing her, as they agree to meet at a location in the Arctic Sea.

Underneath the sea ice lies a large ruin similar in design to that of Atlantis. Here Lara discovers the ultimate fate of her mother, Amelia Croft. Afterwards, Natla's true intentions and the real meaning of the 'Seventh Age' is revealed. Lara puts an end to Natla's plans, uses Thor's Hammer to kill her, and saves the world once again.

Alternative Extended Ending

A video which surfaced online in January 2009, allegedly extracted from the Playstation 2 game files, revealed an alternative extended ending to Tomb Raider Underworld.

In it, Amanda Evert attempts to attack Lara with a boulder after they have left the Nepalese temple. Lara turns and shoots Amanda in the leg, before walking away, leaving her helpless and immobile.

Locations

There are many different locations which Lara Croft is visiting throughout the entire game. The levels are, in order:

Mediterranean Sea

Moves

In Underworld, Lara now has over 1700 animations. Some of her new moves are:

Shooting two enemies at once.
Climbing horizontally.
Can climb while shooting.
Can hold an object in one hand and shoot her pistol in the other.
Free-climbing.
Can use poles as a weapon.
Pushes vegetation away while running through it.
Can cartwheel.
Can sprint.
Can shoot while swan diving.
New grab move

Music

In June 2008 it was revealed that Troels Brun Folmann has taken the role of 'Music Supervisor', after handing the job of lead composer to Colin O'Malley.

Underworld's music will be purely orchestral in style. It was said that there will be a change in the way the music will appear in the game: it will sound more like the original Core Design games, meaning that some pieces will only play once and will be triggered on specific events and that the score is made more of musical fragments. This has become known as 'Micro Scoring'.

The game's main theme was revealed on June 20, 2008, this being the sole piece of music composed by Troels Brun Folmann for Tomb Raider Underworld.

Features

In a fact sheet released by Eidos, it was revealed the features of Tomb Raider Underworld.

• 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.

• Treacherous and unpredictable challenges: 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. She can also Hit enemies with a pole which will be useful in the game.

• 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.

Exclusive Wii features

• Built specifically for the Wii: Level design and environmental challenges are designed to take advantage of the unique capabilities of the Wii Remote and Nunchuck.

• Exclusive Multi-Tool: Excavate hidden secrets with this modernized and expanded tool kit that includes:

• Compressed Air Gun: A high-powered instrument used to clear away dirt or silt.

• Acetylene Torch: An advanced, multi-purpose torch used to weld metal objects, set fire to objects, and melt ice.

• Chisel: Pry apart objects or chip away sediment in order to discover hidden secrets.

• Pliers: Extract elements from ancient devices.

• Exclusive Active Aim Combat System: The combat system has been enhanced for more fluid character control and more precise aiming with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk.

• Expanded Camera Control: Take more control of the camera using the Wii Remote. If the Wii Remote is not pointed at the screen, the camera will follow Lara automatically. If it is pointed at the screen, the game will enter a “free look” mode.

Online Features

Downloadable content is confirmed for the Xbox 360, in form of chapters. "Beneath The Ashes" and "Lara's Shadow".

Several magazines mentioned the fact that you could take pictures with Lara's camera and upload them to Xbox Live, however this feature was dropped from the retail version of the game.

Adrenaline Moments

Various magazine previews and interviews have revealed that the Interactive Cutscenes of the past two games will not be returning. Instead, they have been replaced by Adrenaline Moments in which time slows down at certain points in the game so that the player has a few extra seconds to react to a hazardous situation using the normal controls (no button prompts).

Wii Differences

The Wii version has few differences from the other versions of the game:

• There are no medipacks, instead, Lara's health is restored automaticlly.

• There are 35 treasures in total, the treasures are golden bars, there are no relics in the game.

• The level design is different, free climbing is replaced with aligned ledges climb.

• In the begining of Jan Mayen Island level, there's a bike sequence in a icy maze, where in the other versions, the level begins after a cutscene.

• Lara's gear is different, the Camera and the PLS are not accessible, the PDA is visible on belt, the Field Assistance doesn't have voice instructions and the Sonar Map is replaced with photographs of areas of the level that you should pay attention to.

• The weapons system is also different, there is no Speargun nor Tranquilizer Gun, Lara can carry only one weapon per a level (including Mjolnir) and its ammo is unlimited.

• Lara cannot use her pistols underwater, and cannot use them on her Motorbike, instead, there's a sub-machine gun attached to it.

• There is no Player Tailoring.

• There is no possiblity to select outfit before the level begins, but you can select different outfits in Treasure Hunt mode.

• In Treasure Hunt, you can replay levels with all the cutscenes, enemies alive, and puzzles unsolved.

• There are two pre-rendered cutscenes in the game, the cutscene after Alister's murder, and the second half of the ending cutscene.