Lara Croft is back in Tomb Raider: Underworld and anyone who spent too many hours playing the old games on a console will want to check out this latest version for N-Gage. In this re-boot of the old franchise, Lara Croft returns to what she does best – leaping and jumping around in tombs – or does she? Check out our Tomb Raider: Underworld review to find out for yourself…

Tomb Raider: Underworld is supposed to be something of a re-boot for the once all-conquering franchise. It’s an attempt to give new developing team, Distinctive Developments, a chance to show what they can do with the character.

So, we get to go back to what Lara Croft was made for – jumping and leaping about in a variety of tombs and underground dungeons. So far so good, and the graphics look suitably appealing with a muted colour palette so our hero stands out. The game locations, ranging from Mexico to the Arctic give some pretty good backdrops and visually it’s all a solid retread for Tomb Raider.

However, game play is a little less impressive than we were hoping for and to a large extent you feel as if you’re just being led from level to level. This game is essentially a Java port rather than an N-Gage exclusive, which may seem a little expensive for £6 when you consider it can already be bought from Ovi Store for non-N-Gage handsets. The only difference with this game seems to be the addition of Power Points, so you can save and develop your game.

What we like about this game is that the levels are quite short. This means you can play it on the morning commute and not have to get too engrossed. To be fair, there isn’t a great deal to get excited about, as the game play never really gets beyond basic move and jump and even the puzzles are a little pedestrian. The problem with Tomb Raider on a handset is the limited number of moves you can get away with.

Overall, Tomb Raider: Underworld is a short lived game that never seems to get out of first gear, which is a shame as Lara Croft deserves so much more. 

Details
Price: £6
Rating: 3+
Size: 3MB

DOWNLOAD: Tomb Raider: Underworld

Check out our Tomb Raider: Underworld image gallery:

Check out the Tomb Raider: Underworld video:

N-Gage: Learn more