Tomb Raider Legend -- Controlling Ms. Croft.

The Tomb Raider series took the world by storm when it debuted in 1996 for the PlayStation. It was a large 3D action game with a focus on exploration and puzzles.  It introduced the world to Lara Croft. A female and very British modern day version of Indiana Jones. Lara Croft was easily one of the most nimble and acrobatic characters ever seen up until that point. She offered a wealth of moves with which to navigate your way through the ancient tombs of the game's locations. In the original outing, she controlled well enough. You had to press up to move her forward. No matter how the character was in relation to the screen, up was forward. It was by design so she could line up correctly for whatever jump or action she needed to take. The sequel focused more on making the levels much larger and filling them with far more complex puzzles. They added a couple of new moves to her repertoire. She was able to shimmy from side to side while hanging from ledges. It opened up further gameplay aspects. They also focused on upping the visuals. For the third game they left her controls alone and merely focused on new levels that were larger still and even tougher puzzles and combat. So began a trend that resulted in ever diminishing returns until the series was in danger of self-destruction with the sixth title Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. So what has Crystal Dynamics done about it with Tomb Raider: Legend? Lara now moves in whatever direction with the left analog stick. No more Resident Evil tank-like controls. Wherever you press the stick, Lara goes. She moves in three speeds depending on how hard you press the analog stick. She can sneak, walk, or run. The A button causes Lara to jump. Holding the A button longer will cause her to jump further. The B button will cause her to crouch. Holding the B button after crouching and moving the left analog stick allows her to creep around in a more stealthy fashion. Pressing the B button while moving will cause Lara to roll. The right analog stick allows you to control the camera. The left trigger has her readying her weapons. Holding the trigger down allows her to target specific enemies. While targeting pressing the right analog stick left or right will cycle through the enemies. The right trigger fires whatever weapon you have equipped. She can only carry two weapons at a time. Pressing the D-pad down will cycle between weapons. The right button allows Lara to throw grenades. Holding it down will result in a greater distance thrown. Pressing the D-pad up will have Lara use a medkit and heal herself. Pressing right on the D-pad will allow her to use the binoculars. The left and right triggers zoom in and out. Pressing Y while using them switches on a mode that allows you to scan the area for usable items and get some information on them. It essentially acts as an in-game help. Scanning something in the level might reveal it to be a mechanism, or something that can be moved or destroyed. It provides hints if you might be stuck. Pressing left on the D-pad will switch on and off the light source she wears on her shoulder.  Pressing the X button will have Lara use her magnetic grapple. She'll use this as a means of anchoring for allowing her to swing how she needs to for some environmental obstacles. It will allow her to interact with other types of environmental puzzles. Pulling items down, and assisting in moving them and the like. She's still as nimble as an acrobat in this version of the game, only now the controls are fast and responsive. They're not stop and go. No more lining up to the extent of the previous games. The game goes one step further and if you get close enough will allow you a saving grace. You'll latch on to a ledge or whatever you were jumping for with one hand and have a second or so to hit the Y button and pull yourself up. To that end they've also fully employed quick timer events for what used to be the toughest parts of the previous titles. The parts that had people pulling their hair out. So now they can have her doing the amazingly timed leaps and rolls needed to jump through a set of spinning blades for example without suffering the controls. This game's Lara Croft is the most agile and acrobatic of the series with an ease of control she has never known. The controls in this game are great and work flawlessly. The series has been successfully reborn in Crystal Dynamics' care in terms of control. What about the level and puzzle design? We'll save that for next time.