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Old 30-01-14, 23:41   #1
ThatToastyBass
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Default For those who played the original before Anniversary - a question

Consider your favourite part of the 1996 original Tomb Raider - perhaps a level, certain scenery, a set-piece, an enemy a weapon or other character.

Of this favourite part, were you happy with how Anniversary replicated/revised/updated this? Give your thoughts or reasons.
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Old 30-01-14, 23:55   #2
Ward Dragon
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My most memorable parts of TR1 were:

Ambush bear in City of Vilcabamba: the whole layout of the village was different in TRA but I don't remember any similar ambushes that totally got me the way that damned bear did in TR1 when it blind-sided me after I entered a house.

Running like a little bitch when the T. rex showed up, then feeling clever once I found that alcove and shot him from safety: obviously not possible AT ALL in TRA (stupid QTE doesn't count as running).

Exploring Palace Midas, figuring out the general concept and being able to get to places I could see in the distance: the main appeal of the original level was totally gone in TRA, although the individual challenge rooms were improved.

Exploring The Cistern: I was a little disappointed with it in TRA because it was somewhat simplified and I had hoped it would be more colorful with more algae everywhere, although I liked it overall.

Standing on a ledge shooting the flying mutant near the Sphinx: I was disappointed that this moment wasn't really recreated. Instead there were several of them attacking at once on a larger ledge, but if they killed me or knocked me down I had to climb up again because of the damned checkpoints.

Atlantis: I was totally disappointed that they got rid of the "living walls" feeling of TR1, and that everything in general was simplified. The doppelganger part was done well though.


On the other hand, I did think that TRA improved upon some parts that I didn't remember too well or didn't like that much in TR1:

The puzzles in general actually require thought in TRA.

I like what they did with St. Francis' Folly, especially the star puzzles and the Poseidon Room. I didn't even remember that part of TR1, but they turned it into a huge (and beautiful) water puzzle.

I really like the huge statue area of Sanctuary of the Scion.

I never liked Natla's Mines to begin with, so I like that they tried to make it a little more puzzle-y with the fuses moving the crane different ways.

I like that they added an adventure-game sequence of item-based puzzles to the mansion.


And things I hated in TRA:

Checkpoints instead of save-anywhere

QTE's

How they had Lara kill Larson, and how they changed her motivation in general with her wanting to find the Scion because her father believed it would reveal where her mother went

How they changed Natla so she's not a mad scientist anymore
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Old 31-01-14, 00:35   #3
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Favorite parts of TR1:

1. Palace Midas... the whole thing, really. It was so intricate and well-designed, to say the least. The atmosphere was pulsating and the puzzles were wonderful. I loved seeing areas that I couldn't reach, and then reaching them later and seeing the entire palace from a different perspective. It was super cool. The original Palace Midas is still my favorite TR level (of the entire series) to this day.

2. I really loved the feeling of isolation that resonated from the City of Vilcabamba; specifically the area with the two poolrooms.

3. The main valley area of The Lost Valley.

4. The Sanctuary of the Scion was really a wondrous experience too. I didn't like the structural layout of the level but as a whole it had some really cool moments and sets. The two main chambers are just so enormous that they evoke a huge sense of freedom.


How did they stack up in Anniversary?




1. TRA's Midas' Palace strong improves upon the side "challenge" rooms that were in TR1's version, but it completely kills the sense of grandeur and intricacy that the original version had. I grimace a little when I play TRA's version just because of how gutted it feels.

2. TRA's City of Vilcabamba isn't really a bad remake, it's just not really outstanding in any way. It seems like they really condensed everything, especially in the village area.

3. TRA's Lost Valley looks brilliant and has a lot of fun climbing bits, but the fact that it's daytime in the valley and that the t-rex enters in a very anti-climactic way ruins a lot of it.

4. TRA's Sanctuary of the Scion is fantastic, in my opinion. It's not perfect, but it stands alongside St. Francis Folly and Temple of Khamoon as one of the best remakes in the game. Not quite as good as the original though.

I'll have to agree with most of Ward Dragon's summary. TRA does do a lot of great things - specifically many of the puzzles, especially in levels like St. Francis Folly. Egypt for the most part was very respectful to its original version. On the other hand, they really gutted a lot of Greece and Atlantis to the point where it's almost unrecognizable.
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Old 31-01-14, 00:52   #4
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I know it's a bit odd, but one of my favourite parts of TR1 particularly when I was younger were these two cutscenes:





Whilst the Anniversary ones are good in their own rights I just feel they over dramatized it compared to the original with the dialogue and button mashing when it didn't need it.

Natla's death in the original is quite rushed that she just falls but that darkness looks absolutely terrifying (whilst we see her fall into Lava in the TRA).

Parts of TRA I did like was the extra tutorial level in the beginning; it was nice to have something different from the original and I felt Egypt was well done. St Francis Folly in TRA was quite good I felt; I feel they adapted it well for a modern perspective.
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Old 31-01-14, 12:45   #5
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My favorite part of TR1 was when lara was in the greece levels because greece seemed so beautiful in TR1 it also did in TRA but Egypt seemed more beautiful in TRA than it did in TR1 and Egypt was my favorite part of anniversary. And yes i was satisfied with the remake more than the original but of my favorite part of the original it was still pretty good in the remake.
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Old 31-01-14, 13:08   #6
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My favourite level set in TR I was Atlantis. I really looked forward to see it in TRA, especially since Crystal kept it as a secret what it looks like while they released trailers for every other location. And indeed the beginning of Natla's Mines in TRA is very good, but everything after the death of Larson feels very rushed. Not only that they changed the whole appereance and creepiness of Atlantis but also its complexity and hard difficulty.

Another part I relly liked in TR I was the city of Vilcabamba. It was a very open and large area which gave you a lot to explore. But in TRA its not as half as big and you can't explore anything. At least Crystal added roofs to the huts so it's more clear that Lara is walking through a [s]village[/s] city.

I also loved that the temple of Khamoon in TR I looked really ruinous and old but in TRA it looks like it was built yesterday which destroys the whole feeling of it.

The things I like in TRA compared to TR I are St. Francis' Folly (though I prefer the idea of getting into the main room through a sewer which fits the idea of the monks originally not knowing about its existence) and the challenge rooms of St. Francis' Folly and Midas's Palace.
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Old 31-01-14, 20:07   #7
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I actually played TRA before TR1 but they are both my favourites - TRA my favourite from the trilogy and TR1 my favourite classic. I loved the lost valley in TRA, it was all beautiful and, especially the waterfall considering how much bigger it was, however, i didnt like the fact that he came in during a cinematic in TRA - it would be actually a bit scary without it. St Francis folly was beautiful and challenging in TRA ( The Poseidon rooms design and atmosphere is terrific), The colisseum was better in TR1 - there was simply more to it, however, the Centaur boss fight was one of the best parts of TRA. Egypt was done totally right in TRA - the traps, the puzzles - everything - it even got me frustrated sometimes. The QTEs when Larson and the others died were unnecessary, they could have left it the way it was in TR1. Atlantis wasnt my favourite part in these two games, although i liked that creepy feeling :P.
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Old 31-01-14, 21:28   #8
Eddie Haskell
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There is absolutely nothing that is better in Anniversary than the original...nothing at all.
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Old 31-01-14, 21:42   #9
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I think TRA's St. Francis Folly was as "classic" as CD ever got. That level was also one of the best CD levels following the originally pretty closely.

The TRex level was such an unbelievable gimmicky disappointment compared to the epic-ness of the original.
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Old 31-01-14, 21:48   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TRBeth View Post
I think TRA's St. Francis Folly was as "classic" as CD ever got. That level was also one of the best CD levels following the originally pretty closely.

The TRex level was such an unbelievable gimmicky disappointment compared to the epic-ness of the original.
I wonder how the level ever made it into the game in the form that it did, particularly after they had tested it with Joe and Julie Newgamer. They must have had sweaty palms and heart palpitations watching them test the level...
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