Anniversary Unappreciation Thread

[Mek]

Originally Posted by SnatchingEdges

My favorite complain was that one that said CD turnt a simple, easy challenge room into a bigger, more complex one (fire room in Midas).

If you think about my previous post here, then what you wrote isn't what I was saying in that post. I only gave the fire chamber as an example of a more general design aspect of Tomb Raider: Anniversary. I was complaining only about that aspect, not about expanding the chamber. I wrote: "Too big and complex to be left unexplained.".

If you look at the fact of expanding the chamber alone, then of course it is an advantage, because the game is more complex. What is wrong is that there is no more concept in that chamber (and in Palace Midas in general) apart from traps. I gave the chamber as the example, because it shows the direction of designers in Anniversary (they used their time to expand it instead of developing a better overall design) and because it constitutes a significant portion of Palace Midas in Anniversary. In the original Tomb Raider there was a concept other than traps: you had many real-world elements like the aqueduct and other places.

[Felipe]

Originally Posted by Mek

If you think about my previous post here, then what you wrote isn't what I was saying in that post. I only gave the fire chamber as an example of a more general design aspect of Tomb Raider: Anniversary. I was complaining only about that aspect, not about expanding the chamber. I wrote: "Too big and complex to be left unexplained.".

If you look at the fact of expanding the chamber alone, then of course it is an advantage, because the game is more complex. What is wrong is that there is no more concept in that chamber (and in Palace Midas in general) apart from traps. I gave the chamber as the example, because it shows the direction of designers in Anniversary (they used their time to expand it instead of developing a better overall design) and because it constitutes a significant portion of Palace Midas in Anniversary. In the original Tomb Raider there was a concept other than traps: you had many real-world elements like the aqueduct and other places.

I agree. Geometry in TR1 made sense (in most parts) as it tries to recreate releavant spaces to said tomb. Everything had a reason to be there and it made the enviroments more believable. The chamber in TRA, altough big and fun to play, was very video-game-y since it had no apparent reason to exist on the Palace but to create a challenge for Lara. It feels artificial, like something ripped from Super Mario 64 and slapped in an Ancient Tomb.
Anniversary is still a decent game, but it falls short on delivering an experience that makes justice to the first game.

[SnatchingEdges]

Lol TR1 fire room was just a corridor with fire. Now we have an actual challenge with detours to find a secret.

I'm gonna complain when they simplify a level. Oh, and I also am going to complain when they improve it, bc... you know... uh... geometry. Yeah, that's it, geometry.

[Yeauxleaux]

The fire challenge room was one of the highlights of Anniversary.

I liked their take on the whole Midas' Palace level. Yes, once again it was overall quite simplified and linearised, but the expanded challenge rooms and just the more logical and aesthetically pleasing visual design made up for it.

I don't buy this silly "everything needs to be relevant and explained" argument either. Lots of stuff across all 5 classic Tomb Raider games made no logical sense for being there. The fire room in Anniversary was no more or less sensible or architecturally purposeful than the smaller one in the original. That's fine, in fact I like that the older games had wacky stuff that was a bit mysterious and didn't make a lot of sense sometimes, it made them fun. The lack of it in the recent games for the sake of realism is sad.

[Mek]

Originally Posted by SnatchingEdges

Lol TR1 fire room was just a corridor with fire. Now we have an actual challenge with detours to find a secret.

I'm gonna complain when they simplify a level. Oh, and I also am going to complain when they improve it, bc... you know... uh... geometry. Yeah, that's it, geometry.

This is not about geometry. This is not about the chamber. This is about DESIGN. Average design and no vision and clear concept behind the design of levels in Anniversary. A quote from my previous post in which I gave the fire chamber as an illustration:

"I think that the biggest and most objective disadvantage of Tomb Raider: Anniversary as a game (apart from rating it as a remake or a Tomb Raider) is that the design of environments is average and there is no clear and cohesive concept behind it"

This is not just an excuse to spread some hate on Tomb Raider: Anniversary. It is a real characteristic of the game. Compare it to The Last of Us or The Last of Us Part II. First, environments in those games have a huge amount of details when compared to Anniversary. In contrast, Anniversary gives the impression of being empty. Second, all elements of the environments in those games are chosen such that they fit together perfectly and they can be understood instantly. In Anniversary, they don't. If you say that I can't compare a game from 2013 or 2020 with a game from 2007, then compare environments of Anniversary with environments of Legend. They are incomparably better in Legend.

If someone has still doubts, I think that Anniversary is better with the fire chamber expanded than if it was the same but without this expansion.

[CheshireBitch]

Originally Posted by Mek

compare environments of Anniversary with environments of Legend. They are incomparably better in Legend.

in Legend it made sens yes, in anniversary it's bigger but doesn't make sens at all ! I agree with you !

[xdesperado_]

The only level I really can't stand when replaying TRA is Obelisk of Khamoon, those rooms with the blade traps in the walls always infuriated me.

Natla's Mines is another level I didn't like as much compared to the TR1 version.

[AngelOfDrkness]

Oooooh, a place to rant about Anniversary!

I recently replayed Anniversary, so I can list my personal likes and dislikes about it while they're still fresh in my head:

LIKES

• Some interesting new takes on TR1 locations.
• Nicely detailed environments and textures.
• More fleshed-out puzzles.
• Being able to explore Croft Manor (even if it is the Legend incarnation).
• Secrets being actual artefacts á la TR2/Chronicles/Legend, rather than just ammo pickups.
• Unlockable bonus content.

DISLIKES

• Massively cut down levels (in particular The Colosseum, Tomb of Tihocan, and Atlantis).
• Awkward combat that was somehow even more cumbersome than in the original (ie. 'Adrenaline Dodge'. Ugh).
• Dull, desaturated lighting. The original game was only in 8-bit colour and still managed to look more vibrant.
• Shoe-horning in Legend's mummy and daddy issues subplot.
• Innaccurate platforming that results in Lara refusing to grab poles and ledges and instead plummeting hundreds of feet to her death, in spite of clearly being close enough to grab said poles and ledges. Call the classic block system clunky, but at least it worked.
• Poorly designed platforming that resulted in more 'deliberately' designed environments which just felt unnatural and unrealistic, even when compared with the original game.
• The complete redesign of Atlantis, replacing the disgusting organic structures that really helped create the sense of a place defiled by Natla's unnatural experiments with a generic looking tomb.
• No Pierre pop-ups! What happened to my cowardly Frenchman taking pot-shots at Lara when her back was turned then turning tail as soon as she returned fire??
• Not being able to kill Pierre ourselves.
• Lara doing a Lady Macbeth after killing Larson. Cringe.
• QTEs. Enough said.

Don't get me wrong, Anniversary isn't a bad game, but it's just... disappointing. After how refreshing Legend felt, I was really hyped for a remake of the original in the new style, but it just didn't really work out. And playing it back after so many years, it doesn't feel any better.

[Zenx]

LMAO. Is this the first "unappreciation" thread ever?

The OP really went in. Tbqh TRA's biggest sin is that it tried to replace a game that was already perfect and it doesnt really add much, a lot of flashy graphics but no substance at all.

[SnatchingEdges]

Originally Posted by Zenx

LMAO. Is this the first "unappreciation" thread ever?

The OP really went in. Tbqh TRA's biggest sin is that it tried to replace a game that was already perfect and it doesnt really add much, a lot of flashy graphics but no substance at all.

Replace? It's a remake.

TR1 is not perfect.