UK Release Date: 25-07-2007
Platforms: PC, PS2
Publisher: Eidos/Crystal Dynamics
Price: £29.99

Following on from last year’s Legend, Eidos and Miss Croft return with Anniversary.

On the face of it, this seems nothing but an update of the original Tomb Raider; but is much more once you start playing. For a start, using the engine created by Crystal Dynamics for the previous outing gives the whole thing far greater depth. The levels are larger, the graphics, naturally given the decade of technological progress since the first game, are fantastic. Dark creepy tunnels open into huge vistas as the camera sweeps and the sparingly used score effectively ramps up the tension when required.

This time Lara is back to basics. No torches, light sticks or magic binoculars, just a trusty pair of guns and her wits. That a couple of new abilities: La Croft can now balance on top of a pole and wall run a-la Prince of Persia.

As usual there are complaints from some quarters that the game is too short, but I didn’t find it so. It carries all the familiar trademarks of the TR series: repeatedly dying whilst attempting the same apparently simple jump and puzzles ranging from infuriatingly obscure to just plain infuriating – all of which is forgotten once the puzzle is finally solved.

Welcome back, Lara!