Guilty_AI
Member
So i just finished the first 1996 tomb raider for the first time, and it reafirmed 2 beliefs i have.
-Old games have better level design than newer ones
-Controls are much more of an obstacle to playing them than graphics.
Overall i liked the game. Its the first tomb raider i ever played and i didn't know exactly what to expect from the old titles.
It seems to follow the platformer formula many games at the time were going for, in this case i can't help but think it was trying to be a 3D prince of persia, and i suppose it did a good job if so.
Atmosphere, ambience, music, levels, i think it nails a lot of things even for modern times. The biggest blemish on it for anyone who'd want to play it today are the controls. It just screams "old game" on every aspect. The annoying camera work, shooting that relies on auto-lock, the really-really slow reaction time... fighting enemies was a complete nightmare, especially considering they liked getting close and personal and were often used for traps. The precise requirement for jumping was also a bit annoying but nothing quick-save couldn't solve.
I also can't help but feel they rushed the last levels, where i even inadvertedly broke one of them or would find some exploits.
The way the game literally ended with a big "THE END" still image using some lens-flare effect also screamed a last minute job (and made me chuckle a bit).
-Old games have better level design than newer ones
-Controls are much more of an obstacle to playing them than graphics.
Overall i liked the game. Its the first tomb raider i ever played and i didn't know exactly what to expect from the old titles.
It seems to follow the platformer formula many games at the time were going for, in this case i can't help but think it was trying to be a 3D prince of persia, and i suppose it did a good job if so.
Atmosphere, ambience, music, levels, i think it nails a lot of things even for modern times. The biggest blemish on it for anyone who'd want to play it today are the controls. It just screams "old game" on every aspect. The annoying camera work, shooting that relies on auto-lock, the really-really slow reaction time... fighting enemies was a complete nightmare, especially considering they liked getting close and personal and were often used for traps. The precise requirement for jumping was also a bit annoying but nothing quick-save couldn't solve.
I also can't help but feel they rushed the last levels, where i even inadvertedly broke one of them or would find some exploits.
The way the game literally ended with a big "THE END" still image using some lens-flare effect also screamed a last minute job (and made me chuckle a bit).
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