Trinity34
19-03-04, 21:04
Roundtable #108: Rekindling Lara's Fire
What does Tomb Raider need to survive?
February 03, 2004
After the relatively poor sales performance and mediocre reviews of the last Tomb Raider game, publisher Eidos decided to give the reigns to Crystal Dynamics. The editors consider the following: What do you think the franchise needs to get back on top? What made the original Tomb Raider good (or was it never good?) -- and what's the magic that CD needs to bring back to the franchise? Do you even think the series can get out of the mire it's slowly been descending into? __________________________________________________ _____________________
Steve Butts, IGNPC: A better question is whether or not they should even bother. __________________________________________________ _____________________
David Adams, IGN Downloads: Hey, isn't CHiPs on?
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Chris Carle, IGN Guides: Although I have never been a fan of this series of games, there is a bigger issue at hand... when is it time for publishers to say "when"?
This franchise especially has been dead for years, and if it wasn't for a buxom main character who fuels the demographic's prurient desires (and I'm not knocking prurient desires, here), it would have been s**tcanned a long time ago. Instead, it has spun out into films and comic books.
It's all a part of the "cash in" thinking that has made endless sequels such a staple in this industry. Like Hollywood, the games industry is now about big money, and that means minimizing risk. There is nothing less risky given the demographic than an ass-kicking chick in a revealing halter top.
What the games industry needs is more balance. For every sequel of a Tomb Raider game, we need another Rez. For every Mario title, we need a Gunvalkyrie. We need indepedents making as many games as major corporations. We need less licensing and more innovation. And I know all of this isn't necessarily practical, but a stronger indie movement (especially on the console side) is needed. Now for what Tomb Raider could use.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Peter Schneider, IGN: Well, the game sold almost 300,000 units in the US last year, so I think you guys are a bit too quick to write it off as another franchise gamers don't need. Obviously, someone still wants to play these games. 300,000 is weak by Tomb Raider standards, but is still like 270,000 units more than Beyond Good and Evil, for example. I have to admit that I can't blame them. I really liked the atmosphere and direction of the first Tomb Raider, for example. It was pretty much Indiana Jones with a chick with Prince of Persia in 3D gameplay. The whole exploration feel was really cool. Alas, the series just didn't evolve. That whole "hit your button long before you jump" thing should have been gone by the second game. Same with the tedious block pushing puzzles and the outdated aiming mechanics.
Ironically, the answer to what direction Tomb Raider should go into has already been given by other publishers. Take the acrobatics from Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and add some of the shooting elements from Metal Gear, and I'll play the next Tomb Raider. With Crystal Dynamics in charge of the next game, we can at least rest assured that the cutscenes and voice acting will be up to par.
Read More.. (http://www.tombraidermovies.net/ign.html)
http://www.tombraiderforums.com/images/smilies/wave.gif
[ 19. March 2004, 22:06: Message edited by: Trinity34 ]
What does Tomb Raider need to survive?
February 03, 2004
After the relatively poor sales performance and mediocre reviews of the last Tomb Raider game, publisher Eidos decided to give the reigns to Crystal Dynamics. The editors consider the following: What do you think the franchise needs to get back on top? What made the original Tomb Raider good (or was it never good?) -- and what's the magic that CD needs to bring back to the franchise? Do you even think the series can get out of the mire it's slowly been descending into? __________________________________________________ _____________________
Steve Butts, IGNPC: A better question is whether or not they should even bother. __________________________________________________ _____________________
David Adams, IGN Downloads: Hey, isn't CHiPs on?
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Chris Carle, IGN Guides: Although I have never been a fan of this series of games, there is a bigger issue at hand... when is it time for publishers to say "when"?
This franchise especially has been dead for years, and if it wasn't for a buxom main character who fuels the demographic's prurient desires (and I'm not knocking prurient desires, here), it would have been s**tcanned a long time ago. Instead, it has spun out into films and comic books.
It's all a part of the "cash in" thinking that has made endless sequels such a staple in this industry. Like Hollywood, the games industry is now about big money, and that means minimizing risk. There is nothing less risky given the demographic than an ass-kicking chick in a revealing halter top.
What the games industry needs is more balance. For every sequel of a Tomb Raider game, we need another Rez. For every Mario title, we need a Gunvalkyrie. We need indepedents making as many games as major corporations. We need less licensing and more innovation. And I know all of this isn't necessarily practical, but a stronger indie movement (especially on the console side) is needed. Now for what Tomb Raider could use.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Peter Schneider, IGN: Well, the game sold almost 300,000 units in the US last year, so I think you guys are a bit too quick to write it off as another franchise gamers don't need. Obviously, someone still wants to play these games. 300,000 is weak by Tomb Raider standards, but is still like 270,000 units more than Beyond Good and Evil, for example. I have to admit that I can't blame them. I really liked the atmosphere and direction of the first Tomb Raider, for example. It was pretty much Indiana Jones with a chick with Prince of Persia in 3D gameplay. The whole exploration feel was really cool. Alas, the series just didn't evolve. That whole "hit your button long before you jump" thing should have been gone by the second game. Same with the tedious block pushing puzzles and the outdated aiming mechanics.
Ironically, the answer to what direction Tomb Raider should go into has already been given by other publishers. Take the acrobatics from Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and add some of the shooting elements from Metal Gear, and I'll play the next Tomb Raider. With Crystal Dynamics in charge of the next game, we can at least rest assured that the cutscenes and voice acting will be up to par.
Read More.. (http://www.tombraidermovies.net/ign.html)
http://www.tombraiderforums.com/images/smilies/wave.gif
[ 19. March 2004, 22:06: Message edited by: Trinity34 ]