Tomb Raider The Last Revelation is the fourth instalment in the Tomb Raider video game series. It was developed by Core Design and published by me Interactive. It was released on PC, PlayStation and eventually on the Sega Dreamcast with exclusive graphical and sound enhancements. The game was a commercial success, selling 5 million copies worldwide, and was the last Tomb Raider game released on “Greatest Hits”. The Last Revelation is far and away the best of the sequels, mainly because Core has finally added some coherence to all aspects of the game.
Who would have guessed when we met her that Lara Croft assertive, independent, self assured, and a phenomenal shot – would prove to be such a tease? Having virtually defined a new genre of third person action adventure in 1996, the Tomb Raider franchise lures us back each holiday season much like an old relationship trying to rekindle itself with promises that “it has grown” and that “things will be different and even better this time around.” However, with the last two games, developer Core and publisher Eidos have disappointed even some of Lara’s most devoted fans. The series refuses to evolve beyond the basic yet beguiling formula: leap around ancient tombs, shoot foes (animal, human, and superhuman), and unravel the elaborate puzzles and traps that guard these premodern mysteries. Lara does have some new moves in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, but in the end, none of them takes her far enough in any new direction.
Nevertheless, The Last Revelation is far and away the best of the sequels, mainly because Core has finally added some coherence to all aspects of the game. There’s actually a story this time Lara mistakenly unleashes the Egyptian god Set after eons of imprisonment. Before the evil spirit wreaks destruction on the planet, Lara must put this gnarly genie back in the bottle. Frequent prerendered and in-game cutscenes punctuate the action, as Lara’s cliched German enemy Dr. Von Croy challenges her at every turn. At least we do see Lara having actual conversations, especially with her mentor Jean-Pierre, who adds to the plot by getting kidnapped later in the tale. And in the final leg, The Last Revelation takes a Hitchcockian turn, thrusting Lara into some of the world’s most familiar landmarks, the Sphinx and Great Pyramid.
Ultimately, Tomb Raider IV would have made a brilliant Tomb Raider II. The changes are great, but should have been made years ago. They are less impressive now that the basic play mechanics are so familiar. Fans who want one more spelunking adventure will be pleased that this is far and away the best of the sequels. Those of us who hoped our favorite gaming girlfriend would evolve into something better will be disappointed again, only less so this year than in the past. Core has breathed just enough new life into the old girl to make it worth one more go. But, we’re warning you, Lara: We’re not going to fall for this little game of yours again. All of us need to move on. This is it. Last time. We mean it this time. No kidding.
System= Pentium 3 CPU 733 MHz
RAM= 128 MB
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