Let’s be honest, Tomb Raider has been done to death. Since the series imploded with Angle Of Darkness on the PS2 (and we promise not to mention that abomination again) it’s constantly struggled to regain the perch it once sat proud. The likes of Legend and Anniversary did an excellent job of reinvigorating the franchise, but there’s still a large portion of fans who disregard both of them, saying even they failed to capture the magic of old. However, Crystal Dynamics’ latest effort, also known as Underworld, is without doubt the best entry in years and potentially the greatest Lara Croft adventure in history.

A problem many seemed to have with more recent attempts is how they more or less forgot the point of the game. Rather than send our heroine off into a deep, dark dungeon to hunt for lost treasure and the like, she spent an awfully long time shooting enemies… and then shooting animals… and then shooting zombies! While combat is all well and good – and when used at the right time perfect to add a touch of diversity into the Tomb Raider universe – it was relied on far too much and lost the unique identity Eidos’s product was once known for. In regards to Underworld, events have swung back in this direction. Every tomb you enter is intimidatingly huge and just begging to be explored, which is exactly what you’ll do. Crystal Dynamics must’ve done some serious research as every piece of negative feedback has been addressed in some way, in particular the amount of handholding that takes place.

Past titles have been far too guilty of telling you exactly what to do before you’d even have the chance to realise you were at a puzzle. Any sense of thought or intellect was thrown out the window in favour of the quickest and easiest passage. With Underworld, though, there’s hardly any guidance whatsoever. On numerous occasions you should expect to find yourself scratching your head as you try and figure out just what the hell you’re supposed to do.

While this may sound frustrating, it really isn’t. On the contrary, having to use the old noggin to figure out the solution is exceptionally satisfying; it’s rare to play a game that doesn’t feel the need to patronise its audience. There are certain moments where a touch of advice would be beneficial (on the odd occasion you’ll have to assume certain moves can be executed) but the simplest of touches has ensured this never increases the blood pressure to a worrying degree. At any time you can open Lara’s PDA and get a hint of what needs to be done next, or if you’re about to hurl a controller across the room, an outright description. Such a straightforward addition has opened up Tomb Raider’s accessibility no end, meaning those who were seduced by the relatively undemanding predecessors as well as the so-called ‘hardcore’ can both play the way they want.

Crystal Dynamics’ third attempt is a testament to the developer as it’s obvious the team has really found its stride. Whether you’re delving into the unforgiving caves in Thailand or investigating the darkest depths of south Mexico, the level design and pacing is phenomenal. Again, it’s hard to come up with a credible debate that Legend’s settings didn’t slowly start to merge into one another, but once more the boys and girls in charge have learnt their lesson and ensured it hasn’t happened again. One moment you’ll be tearing through a ship as it capsizes (which is very reminiscent of a popular war game that hit shelves late last year) and the next you’re being dwarfed by a gigantic statue of Shiva as you try and insert ancient jewels into her hands.

Even when Underworld fails it doesn’t do so to any significant degree. Lara’s bike is back, an occurrence that almost had us in tears, but is far less intrusive than before. Used to traverse the larger archaic areas, you can mount and dismount at your will – there’s no unnecessarily drawn-out biking sections in sight, thank goodness. Furthermore, the story is beyond nonsensical. Fans who have been following it for the past few years may get something out of it but aside from one serious twist it’s more or less a trouble-free way of integrating proceedings without separating it into Mario-esque levels. Terrible it certainly isn’t but the narrative is not a particular highlight.

Due to the nature of time there’s no way to actually prove this is the supreme entry in the Tomb Raider cannon. Advances in technology evidently help and if the IP hadn’t been utterly destroyed this return to good form may not have been as surprising. Thing is, such happenings are a reality and the latest version almost manages to cover them up completely.

Tomb Raider: Underworld is an unquestionable highlight and one that has put the exploits of Lara Craft on a course back to the big time. Forget the atrocities that went before, our favourite female has returned.

Simon Miller