Chronicles: An In-Depth Look (2000)

The Croft Times

Tomb Raider Chronicles will be, as you all know, the fifth game in the Tomb Raider series. It follows the events of The Last Revelation: Lara is missing, buried inside an Egyptian temple, presumed dead. The game starts with Lara's memorial service outside Croft Manor. Some friends, like Father Dunstan, Pierre and Winston, as well as Lara's parents, are present.

After the service, Lara's friends meet and talk about her. At this point we learn two important things: this was a memorial service not an actual funeral, and there's an expedition, leaded by Van Croy, in search for Lara. For Lara's fans these tips are good news. After the tragic end of The Last Revelation and the beginning of Chronicles, this is the first ever indication that Lara may not be dead.

Afterwards, Lara's friends start to talk about her past adventures and experiences, with each memory flashback leading to a game level. Each level, or chronicle, will be a full adventure and completely independent from each other. In Chronicles the plot is a sequel to The Last Revelation, while the game play is a prequel.

Some of you might consider this as a time waste, as a way to make more money without actually doing a new game. Something like a 'best of Lara', which actually doesn't progress a bit into the story line. Just some new levels put together. Well, you're true to a point. The full plot of Chronicles could well be the introductory FMV of a brand new game. This was in fact Core's intention. The events detailed in the Chronicles' plot would be the intro and lead into the much talked about 'Next Generation' game due out next year, while the fifth game in the series would be a movie tie-in. But due to the fact that the movie's plot kept changing almost on a weekly basis, together with the fact that the game would be released about six months before the movie, Core was unable to keep to the original plan and had to scrap the movie tie-in altogether.

But why not release 'NextGen' now? That would be really a new game, with the new features everyone cries about for the last couple of years, right?

Wrong! The 'NextGen' game has been in development for 18 months now, and Core doesn't want to release it until it is truly perfect. That is why it was postponed to the end of 2001 instead of the original announced spring release. Add to that, the fact that it is being developed for the PlayStation2, and that not a great number of people will have one to play this Christmas or even next spring. The market right now still belongs to the original PlayStation and the Dreamcast. Also, from what we've seen, we've serious doubts that the majority of PCs in existence today could do true justice to 'NextGen', hopefully that will be different by the end of next year. So we're stuck with an 'OldGen' game that doesn't bring us anything new? Wrong again! Taking this route allowed Core to do two important things as far as we, the true Tomb Raider fans, are concerned:

First it allows Core to release some truly amazing levels, that otherwise may have never seen the light of day due to plot restrictions. Due to the nature of Chronicles, the developers don't have any constraint on the kind of levels they include in the game.

And second, since this is the last game in the traditional Tomb Raider format, it also allows Core to release the much-wanted level editor. They have been working on a 'release edition' for the last year, and it is now ready to be given away. Until now, the level editor was an in-house development tool without the necessary features to be released to the general public. Core also didn’t want the existence of unofficial levels that could ruin their planned storyline. So, as far as game play is concerned, Chronicles will be absolutely amazing. It will come with some great plot-independent levels, and it will allow the release of some other never-seen-before levels, as well as some all-time-favourite levels, through the level editor. Of course many fans will also enjoy the possibility of developing their own levels, and we're quite sure there will be some great fan-made levels in a few months.

Of course, Chronicles will also have some improvements over the previous games. It will add some new movements like the tightrope walk and the parallel bars swing, new weapons like a sniper rifle and a grappling hook, but more important it will add a new level of interaction with the enemies and particularly the environment, improving a lot over what was done in The Last Revelation.

Lara will be able to search things in drawers, filing cabinets and cupboards. She'll be able to collect, combine and look into items trough a revised inventory system. She'll be able to move and use things in the environment, and she can, for instances, throw a grappling hook into the scenery and then grab the rope and climb it. Even the baddies will be able to move things around and use them. They might grab a chair and fall asleep, allowing Lara to pass by them stealthy, or maybe knock them unconscious, or even chloroform them. The game engine was improved even further in the PlayStation and even more for the PC and Dreamcast versions. Even more bugs have been sorted out and the game should run much more smoothly. We were unable to confirm if our all-time-favourite 'corner bug' is still in there!

Some important features that were tweaked include line-of-sight issues; Lara will not be able to lock her weapons if the player doesn't see the enemy, which in turn are able to hide more effectively. The enemies will also be able to hear Lara approaching, giving stealth play a new dimension.

Visually the game will look better than ever, and there will be a larger amount of full motion videos and cut-scenes. Each level, as well as the beginning and ending sequences, will be presented in high quality FMVs. These are being developed by Ex Machina, the company responsible for the Seat commercials, and are scripted to enhance cinematic appeal. We've seen the introductory video and we can assure you it looks great!

The levels by themselves should leave any true Tomb Raider fan happy for a couple of months. There are levels for everyone's taste, and your very first contact with them will be in the game's main menu. The background flyby camera sequences that first appeared in The Last Revelation will depict scenes of every level in the game, and alone will give the urge to play! These sequences are truly amazing, and demonstrate very well what the game levels will be about, as well as some features of the improved engine. The game will start with a Rome level, with traditional Tomb Raider game play. It will start as a training level and will spawn into its own adventure. Very traditional and very fun!

It will be followed by a Russian submarine base level. This level has a high level of stealth, and the best course of play will be 'think before you shoot.' It will feature new weapons, and it will be a must for fans of action levels and 'X-Files' alike. As a side comment, Core started to develop this level a few months ago, and it is in no way based on the tragic event of the Russian submarine that sink with over 100 people inside last August.

Then we'll find an Ireland level featuring young Lara Croft. After her appearance in The Last Revelation's training level, this will be young Lara's first full level adventure. It will be a favourite for young and older players, particularly for the ones who enjoyed (like we did) Tomb Raider III's 'Area 51' level, because as teenager, Lara won't carry her faithful pistols, or any other weapon for that matter. It will be a pure adventure based level, and Lara will have to use her cunning and agility to avoid all the traps and enemies.

The final level will be inside an office tower block. This will probably be the best and most innovative level in the game. It will look different, feel different, and will have a very different game play. It's a high tech level and Lara will have a companion named Zip, who will give her information and will guide her through the level. There will be a new AI system and Lara will have again to resort to stealth. Due to X-ray machines there will be areas where Lara can't take any guns. Overall it will be a fun and challenging level. The level looks and feels a lot like 'The Matrix', and even Lara's new black catsuit resembles Trinity's suit on the movie.

Overall, Tomb Raider Chronicles is a great game. The new moves and weapons, the improved AI and game play, the new search and improved combine options, the new higher level of interaction with the environment and enemies, and best of all, the plot-independent approach to level design, as well as the included level editor, will make any fan very happy.

Chronicles may be the last one using the traditional technology, but it certainly will be the best Tomb Raider game ever! You can get it next November for the PC, PlayStation and Dreamcast.