Ign: Tomb Raider Legend Info & Hands-on, Glowing words about 360 version Options

[LowProfileWurm]

From: IGN Xbox360

I'm not going to copy and paste the whole thing (unless someone asks nicely), but these are the parts I found interesting:

February 7, 2006 - I'm just going to say it: Tomb Raider Legend is the first game since Tomb Raider 2 that's worth your time and money. Crystal Dynamics' upcoming version of the famed action-adventure game, a series that helped forge PlayStation's fame in the late 1990s and pushed the first major female videogame character into the worldwide spotlight (no offense to Nintendo's great Samus, of course), really should be called Tomb Raider 3.

The 360 version is beautiful. The game is the same content on all platforms, so you won't play anything different on the Xbox than you will on Xbox 360. Although admittedly, the PSP version does offer mini-games and neat additions the others don't. But the Xbox 360 version is the high-end floor model. It's the showgirl. Lara's character features 24 MBs of textures alone and it contains 12 times the texture memory capable on the PS2. She's comprised of 20,000 polygons -- so her model is entirely re-done from the ground up on Xbox 360. And I have to say, this version of Lara Croft is sexy. For a character that lost her charm long ago, it's nice to see Ms. Croft looking so realistic in design, so carefully crafted, and as a result, so hot. This is the best looking version of Lara Croft you've ever seen.

The latest build puts to bed some of my fears, which sprung up due to the clunky demo that is about to hit retail stands. In that short demo, you'll find some very basic combat, which isn't the focus of the game. Combat always has been an area in need of improvement in Tomb Raider. But it's never been fixed. Even though I played the demo twice, I missed a bunch of hidden action moves in Lara's new repertoire. Her trademark twin pistols do make a comeback. She runs and strafes around enemies when you press the lock-on button, and she can certainly perform the classic side-ways strafe flip to boot. But the list gets better.

Edit: Eh, one more...

Bullet time has been used and abused in many a game, but this is sparingly implemented so it makes for great variety in combat. Lara can also reach out and gun-butt her enemy too, another little satisfying move. Oh, and that rappel line you've heard about so often? It too comes in handy during a fight.

There's more, but I gotta get back to work. Enjoy.

This post has been edited by LowProfileWurm: Feb 8 2006, 05:02 PM

[twistedsymphony]

AWESOME

I think game developers need to realize that making spending the extra time on graphics for the high performace version can increase your profits across all platforms as you can use the high horsepower version as your "high-end floor model".

[miggidy]

Here's what Gamespot had to say about the X360 version:

The first version of Tomb Raider: Legend that we checked out today was running on the Xbox 360, and it appeared to be a very similar demo to the PS2 version we played of a couple of weeks ago. The main difference, of course, was the quality of the visuals, which appeared to be taking advantage of just about every graphical bell and whistle that MS's new console can offer. The standout feature of the visuals was undoubtedly the normal-mapping techniques used to add detail and textures to what would otherwise be artificially smooth surfaces. This was evident not only on cave walls, ancient tiled floors, boulders, and such, but also on the delectable Lara Croft, who now boasts realistic skin textures that look good even when you give into temptation and zoom the camera in for a close look at her. Other eye candy that we found particularly tasty during our presentation included the realistic shadows being cast by each and every object, and the convincingly animated pools of water, which performed their reflecting and refracting duties with aplomb. We played the game on a 720p HDTV, incidentally, and although we only got to see it running at 4:3, we were told that widescreen support will also be included.

Read the rest http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/tombra...tml?sid=6143861!

This post has been edited by miggidy: Feb 8 2006, 07:40 PM

[LowProfileWurm]

Good find Miggidy.

IGN said their was lots of self-shadowing in the game (so the people who miss it in Oblivion will be happy ). I'm really looking forward to this resurrection.

[miggidy]

IGN said their was lots of self-shadowing in the game (so the people who miss it in Oblivion will be happy ).

Haha! That's exactly why I highlighted that part in the quote I posted

I wonder if these guys bitch every time the freakin groundhog doesn't see his shadow?

[redwolf]

GameSpy
http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/tomb-raider-l...d/686667p1.html

Unsurprisingly, the PC and Xbox 360 versions will lead the pack in graphics. Normal, diffuse, parallax, and several other types of mapping will gives these versions an extra edge, with four to eight times the texture data of the other games. Much like those notorious basketball players, Lara will gleam when wet, and dry off over time. Similarly, rolling around in the dirt will give her that not-so-fresh look. Further, real-time lighting adds extra dazzle to her flashlight, and the Xbox 360 version will feature Live! awareness and achievements. The one disappointment so far is that the 360 version will only run at 30 frames per second. Its 720p widescreen looks nice, but not so much that it shouldn't be humming along at 60.

The Xbox version, by comparison, is actually the one version that does run at 60 fps. While it lacks most of those fancy effects mentioned above, it still features significantly more detailed textures than the PS2 version, and the smoother framerate is a treat. The PS2 version is the least impressive of the console SKUs, but that's to be expected, and it still looks very good. Xbox and PS2 both support widescreen, by the way.

[miggidy]

30 frames per second?

Ok now that is very disappointing....
It doesn't mean I won't buy this game but we all know the 360 is capable of running this game at 60 fps.
I'd rather have the game late with 60 fps than early at 30 fps

[LowProfileWurm]

My only solace here regarding the 30fps... does Tomb Raider really need 60fps? I mean, we survived hundreds of games at 30fps just a few years ago (in fact, I remember when 60fps was a buzz word). She'll be running, jumping, shooting and puzzle solving. None of those really require 60fps. I'd be miffed if a RACING game or FPS didn't run at 60fps, but Tomb Raider? Compared to Burnout, Lara might as well just be standing still.

I'd rather them ditch the self-shadowing ala Oblivion and get a tad higher framerate somewhere around 40 or so. And that groundhog comment made cry.

This post has been edited by LowProfileWurm: Feb 8 2006, 11:26 PM

[redwolf]

30 frames per second?

Ok now that is very disappointing....
It doesn't mean I won't buy this game but we all know the 360 is capable of running this game at 60 fps.
I'd rather have the game late with 60 fps than early at 30 fps

i don't think there is a playable 360 version given to any of these review company.

cos according to IGN (link above from the original poster)

In today's demo we played the Xbox and PS2 versions and watched the Xbox 360 game.

not sure if they're talking about a premade or realtime demo of a video.

if there was a actual "playable" demo for the 360 version GameSpy have, let just hope it's an old build, and since it's gonna get about 1 month or so extra for the development of 360 version, they may fix/tweak it.

[Deftech]

I hope the 60 fps whining is a joke. and I thought I was a whore

you will all get Legend and you will like it, regardless of frame rate. Bow to Lara and kiss her sexy tender feet!

[prankfurter]

sounding really good... cant wait

[BanjoK]

That game looks amazing. I cannot wait to play it.

[miggidy]

My only solace here regarding the 30fps... does Tomb Raider really need 60fps? I mean, we survived hundreds of games at 30fps just a few years ago (in fact, I remember when 60fps was a buzz word). She'll be running, jumping, shooting and puzzle solving. None of those really require 60fps. I'd be miffed if a RACING game or FPS didn't run at 60fps, but Tomb Raider? Compared to Burnout, Lara might as well just be standing still.

I'd rather them ditch the self-shadowing ala Oblivion and get a tad higher framerate somewhere around 40 or so. And that groundhog comment made cry.

You won't hear me arguing over 60 fps, so Def I'm not much of a graphics whore.
30 fps will do this game just fine, every other game in the series was fine with the same frame count.
But I'd sure love to see Lara in her full 60fps/720p glory

What I don't like here is that this particular dev (as well as others) is/are cutting corners.
What makes this worse is that they're doing it just to make sure the game is ready in time for a multi-platform release date.

Oh well, life goes on

This post has been edited by miggidy: Feb 9 2006, 01:30 AM

[twistedsymphony]

30FPS... pff.. just put it in 1080i, it can't run faster then 30FPS anyway

[LowProfileWurm]

What I don't like here is that this particular dev (as well as others) is/are cutting corners.
What makes this worse is that they're doing it just to make sure the game is ready in time for a multi-platform release date.

Oh well, life goes on

The real problem is that it is cross platform. They aren't using an engine tailored to the 360. They are building it on PS2 and then adding visual goodies as they can. It's not that they are cutting corners, they simply are constrained by the lowest common denominator... the PS2. As soon as PS3 comes out, and PS2 dies, we'll start seeing games tailored to next-gen systems. But for now, I'll take what I can get outta Crystal D.