Kombo : : : PS3 | 360 | Wii | Cube | Xbox | PSP | DS | Forums | Podcasts

AROUND KOMBO:
REVIEW
God of War Collection
The PS2 games upgrade to PS3 visuals
REVIEW
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Why are you not playing?
PREVIEW
Tony Hawk Shows Off RIDE
Preview of the RIDE and skateboarding peripheral
Tomb Raider: Legend
Console
PSP
Publisher
Eidos Interactive
Genre
Action / Adventure
Developer
Crystal Dynamics
Release Date
06/20/06
8
ESRB Rating
Teen
StumbleUpon Toolbar  
Tomb Raider
June 30, 2006 | 11:24 AM PST

by: Matt Furtado

Tomb Raider has made its debut on the PSP finally with Tomb Raider: Legend. The game is essentially the same game as the consoles counterparts but with exclusive minigames included into the PSP package. The game features the same levels and puzzles from the consoles version but now it's portable so you can have Lara in your pocket where ever you may go. However, does this title fair as well as did on the consoles with its transition to the PSP?

Gameplay
Tomb Raider: Legend allows players to take control of through 8 levels through 4 different continents. You'll travel from Bolivia all the way to Tokyo and Peru throughout the game. Before getting into each level you'll have to wait around 20 seconds before the game is fully loaded. The loads are long but aren't in any way terribly long. As you explore and go through each of the levels you will have some basic objectives to complete before being able to move forward. Players will have to solve a variety of puzzles in order to open new doors and passage ways in order to have Lara gain more access to the level. The game doesn't only feature puzzles but platforming as well. In some cases you will need to have Lara jump across ledges, climb vines, and a variety of other ways to journey through the level. Of course, the platforming and puzzle sections of the game are by far the most fun. The puzzles are not very difficult and this allows players to be able to advance in the game without getting stuck on a puzzle. To solve many of these puzzles you will use on of Lara's many gadgets she comes equipped with. These include a grapple that can pull down objects and allow Lara to swing to across crevices.

The game also has some shooting involved at times. Lara comes equipped with twin pistols, grenade launcher, and a chain gun. To shoot enemies you'll simply press the L button to lock onto an enemy and shoot. If you want to add some style to your shooting you can do some fancy slow-motion moves like jumping off of an enemy and then shoot him in the head. You will encounter a variety of human enemies as well as animals in the natural environment surrounding you. The shooting is very easy to use and are in most cases very easily disposed of. However, not all is perfect in the shooting and platforming sections of the game. Often in the game the camera will become a nuisance. Because of the lack of a second analog stick, like the console versions has, the PSP runs into camera problems during the shooting and platforming parts of the game. Players will often have to manually fix the camera by using the square button and then moving the camera with the analog stick. Although it sounds very easy to fix the main problem is that you must stop all moving and fix the camera in a still position. If you don't fix the camera and attempt to jump blindly you'll almost certainly die and have to wait for the game to reload once again.



Exclusive to the PSP version of the game are some multiplayer minigames. The minigames are only available in ad/hoc mode so you can play with your local friends. The minigames take place in levels from the single player games and has two players going head-to-head in a few different minigames. Some of the minigames will have players racing across a whole level and see who will finish first. Another minigame is along the lines of hide and seek with the players hiding an artifact and making the other player go out and find theirs. Unfortunately the minigames aren't as much fun as they could be and they suffer from the same camera problems from the single player game. The minigames will provide a nice break from the single player game and can be fun at times. However, the minigames are not something to get overly excited about.
< previous | page 1 of 2 | next >
Screenshot Gallery

6-8-06

6-8-06

6-8-06

6-8-06

Got something that we should post on the site? Send it to us!
November 20, 2009
Happy Friday! Check out the new feature content we have available. Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Make sure you think about what you're most thankful for... Also, make sure you become a fan of Kombo on Facebook!!!

-- Ken Cauley, Editor in Chief

Kombo Breaker
FTW
Do you and your family celebrate Thanksgiving?
Vote!
(11/20/09 | 8:47 AM PST)
IBM Ending Cell Processor Development
DiRT 2!!!
  • DiRT 2 for Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3
    Enter to win!
    E-mail us and include your full name, age and mailing address to enter.

  • Software
    Hardware
    All Time
    Weekly
    8.75m Japan
    26.08m America
    21.86m Others
    56.69M 
    1.19m Japan
    19.24m America
    12.94m Others
    33.37M 
    3.89m Japan
    10.32m America
    12.48m Others
    26.68M 
    28.36m Japan
    39.12m America
    46.54m Others
    114.01M 
    13.12m Japan
    17.80m America
    21.88m Others
    52.80M