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Old 09-04-21, 14:46   #1
Sat42
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Cool Finished Chronicles (no walkthrough)

Haha that's it I am done with the original Tomb Raider series!

SPOILER ALERT for those who haven't played:-

Tomb Raider Chronicles is actually very good (would give it the same rating as Tomb Raider III, 8/10), as expected it isn't as good as The Last Revelation (mainly because the exploration side of the experience is significantly reduced, primarily a result of the decision to forego the hub system of maps) but it does have a better boss fight than any actual "boss fight" in TR4 (the latter eschews boss fights by transforming major encounters into "escape room" situations, subverting expectations - and it's fitting given its design goals, but the end result is that the game really only has miniboss fights).

I could just feel the fanservicing from the start in this one LOL
The main menu flyby of Croft Manor with the series' main theme (actually got a chill down my spine from this), that first chapter, the intro FMV to chapter 3 with teenaged Lara, and the last chapter with the whole Iris artifact affair.

But damn, for this game, supposedly a last foray into this universe (or continuity), that aspect works. Yeah the individual adventures sometimes seem to ignore previously established stories - but overall I think Chronicles is as strong as The Last Revelation from a storytelling perspective (which is to say: the narrative is good, no more, no less). It helps that the FMVs are excellent!

It's like a classic Blizzard-styled expansion (i.e., excellent expansion with high production values!).

Some thoughts:
- chapter 1's Larson and Pierre: a real pantomime, in fact it even strays into Looney Tunes territory towards the end - remember the moment Pierre falls off the cliff? just add this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUL5w91dzbo and its perfect (someone make a mod for this ) overall it's unexpected, and memorable!
- Trajan's Market: very good level (and the most serious one in chapter 1) and the best in the first half of the game.
- chapter 2's Russian submarine adventure: really like the visual detail put into the last level, some rooms look very good graphically with all those special effects (coloured and dynamic lighting, animated transparent textures, etc.); also, a good story
- chapter 3: all very good, great change in style and excellent atmosphere at times. The first and second levels actually succeeded in spooking me out in a way that I hadn't experienced in the series since Tomb Raider II's yetis.
- chapter 4: all very good too, it's smart to go with a real challenge as a send-off. Yes, Red Alert is buggy, but it's otherwise so strong I can forgive having to count on multiple saves to get through (first time round I got a corrupted save just after a lift leading to 2 soldiers jumping through ceiling glass; I had to restart the level with my save at the end of the previous level, but it wasn't more than 15 min to get back to where I was). Hell, they even have the helicopter chasing you à la Half-Life.

As far as I'm concerned, "that's all folks" as far as the original story goes. In the end, Werner presents us with Lara's backpack, which means they found her final resting place, she died doing what she loves as the other one said, for this we should celebrate not grieve, etc.

Time for reboots!

And I will start with The Angel of Darkness, which I know everything about except for the most important part - story and levels! I know the synopsis so yeah, I get that it is a "partial" reboot - Lara didn't die *shock* but that's mostly it in terms of retcons. Won't start immediately, but will eventually share my impressions.

Last edited by Sat42; 11-04-21 at 20:15. Reason: Spelling mistake
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Old 09-04-21, 17:41   #2
dg1995
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Unfortunately, I used a guide to find my path in level 2.

Since for some reason I didn't think that I can open that hatch.(I tried doing it by I was at the wrong angle)
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Old 09-04-21, 18:25   #3
HaniHeger
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sat42 View Post
- chapter 3: all very good, great change in style and excellent atmosphere at times. The first and second levels actually succeeded in spooking me out in a way that I hadn't experienced in the series since Tomb Raider II's yetis.
- chapter 4: all very good too, it's smart to go with a real challenge as a send-off. Yes, Red Alert is buggy, but it's otherwise so strong I can forgive having to count on multiple saves to get through (first time round I got a corrupted save just after a lift leading to 2 soldiers jumping through ceiling glass; I had to restart the level with my save at the end of the previous level, but it wasn't more than 15 min to get back to where I was). Hell, they even have the helicopter chasing you à la Half-Life.
Look how casual he talks about these levels

the audacity

Last edited by HaniHeger; 09-04-21 at 18:27.
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Old 10-04-21, 10:36   #4
Sat42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HaniHeger View Post
Look how casual he talks about these levels

the audacity
Haha After having played through the whole original Tomb Raider series (expansions included), I really feel, like, comfortable with this stuff!

@dg1995: yeah that kind of hatch can take some tries to open, I remember other places where they could be fairly well concealed also (e.g.: in the restroom in Escape with the Iris) the first time these hatches were introduced was in The Last Revelation, I remember the first time I came across one, I left without opening it it's only because I wasn't making progress elsewhere that I eventually returned to it and tried to open it!
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Old 11-04-21, 18:06   #5
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I did like Chronicles for the most part, though it was obvious this game was made by a team that really didn't want to make it.
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Old 13-04-21, 01:30   #6
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Congrats! I'm glad the VCI bugs didn't get you in the end
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