Your take on Tomb Raider: Underworld
Thursday, December 4th, 2008 at 8:01pm by David
I’m reviewing Tomb Raider: Underworld for Wii and I’ve hit a snag. I can’t finish the intro level. There’s something about how they want me to jump across a chasm, shoot a grappling hook, and swing somewhere, but I constantly die. I’ve worked on this for 15-20 minutes. It’s very wonky and frustrating and gives me little hope for the rest of the game if the intro training level is this messy.
This is the first time I’ve played a Tomb Raider game and I’m simultaneously enthralled by graphic quality and the drama of the cut scenes but repulsed by the difficulty level of the movements. It’s as if I’m expected to understand what I’m doing without really being given my motivation or much direction.
So I turn it over to you, our dear readers: Are you a Tomb Raider fan? Have you played Underworld? Do you like it? Am I just missing something here?
December 4th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Do you mean the area where you go ff your boat and swim to the cliffs and climb up on the first level? I only played the DEMO for the 360. There was an area where I simply had to jump right across from me almost behind me really, but the camera did not show where I was jumping, and thus I was stuck at the beginning for a good 10 mins. The game takes some time to get used to and I think it almost assumes you have played the others and can figure out where to look/ jump/ climb.
Also, I never like how the shooting in this franchise worked…
December 4th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I have played many Tomb Raider games, most recently Tomb Raider: Anniversary on the Wii. It took me about an hour to get used to the Wii control scheme, and it was a very frustrating hour. I found that most of my problem came from a combination of poor controls and a worse camera. But, having gotten over the initial hurdle I found the game very enjoyable. Tomb Raider games are about atmosphere for me, and even though the controls never felt completely natural I still had a good experience. So I would recommend giving it some more time and see if the overall atmosphere of the game gives you the motivation to keep playing, because the controls are never going to be great, just tolerable.
December 4th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
You’re missing a good game apparently.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Ever heard of gamefaqs.com? or I could send my little sister and she can get you past the tutorial stage.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
ouch, tylor. harsh. i have heard that the control scheme in underworld is a little wonky, but i haven’t played it myself.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
tylor, why the vitriol man? He’s just asking a question.
December 4th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Never understood the appeal of the Tomb Raider games. Good luck with the wonky controls, most 3rd person games nowadays seem to have them.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Doesn’t the Wii Version have a glitch where you can’t complete the final level?
December 4th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Yeah, on the final level there is a lever that is missing in the Wii version that is necessary to complete the game. You have to contact customer support and have them give you a game save that is past that point if you want to complete it. This is the kind of thing that makes a hard drive necessary, so they can just patch the game like they would on 360 or PS3.
December 5th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Or they could’ve cared about the Wii version more and the lever would be there.
December 5th, 2008 at 1:12 am
I’ve loved the Tomb Raider games since Legend on the gamecube. I’ve played it on GC/PS2/Wii and 360. They all have similar control/camera Issues. I really enjoyed Anniversary on the Wii. As one poster noted, the controls took a little getting used to. I would go one step further though and say, once you get used to them, the Wii controls work famously. Yes, they are more challenging to master, but once you do, you really do have a better control over Lara than you do with a traditional controller. I haven’t played underworld yet. I was hoping they would release a fixed/patched version of the disc and then I would pick it up. I like the series enough I’ll probably own it on Wii and the 360 or PS3. I own legend on GC/PS2 and 360 and I just picked up Anniversary for the 360.
December 5th, 2008 at 8:00 am
I’ve never liked Tomb Raider. My old roommate loved them back in the day (’99 or 2000) and I enjoyed watching him, but playing it is another matter. I hated the control and I really couldn’t stand shooting. What’s up with all that flipping around . . . who the hell does that?
Anyway, I can understand why people like the games though. My old roommate was in it for the puzzles. Since you, David, are reviewing it, one must put their time in. So bite the bullet and swallow your frustration and just keep trying.
Oh, and if you can’t get somewhere, try looking around. You’re probably going the wrong way.
December 5th, 2008 at 11:52 am
couldn’t get into the tomb raider games, quit now while your ahead. haven’t you seen the game’s fans?
December 5th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
The lever in the Wii version isn’t there obviously because the QA department didn’t play through the whole game… even once!
December 6th, 2008 at 10:05 am
all the tombraider games suck you cant have a female action hero it just doesnt work anyone who buys a tombraider game is gay!!!!!!
December 6th, 2008 at 10:09 am
tylor way to go the tomb raider games suk big time,logan p forget any thing good you have ever heard about a tomb raider game because they suk.
December 6th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Infendo’s own Derek says:
Didn’t have any problems with the tutorial stage at all, and aside from some wonky controls, I actually enjoyed what I played.
It’s surprisingly good-looking, too. One of the prettier Wii games, at least in terms of the environments. Thailand, in particular, looks pretty decent.
But then it happened; at the end of the Thailand level, you’re supposed to grab a lever to exit and finish.
The lever isn’t there.
Eidos has a patch, so I’ll have to download it, put it on an SD card, load it onto the Wii. Ugh, what a mess.
Anyway, that’s my experince so far.