Ladies and gentlemen start your emulators, it is time for yet another episode of RetrOS, giving you guys your nostalgia fix as we review games of our childhoods.
In this episode, we turn the clocks back to 1997 as I take a look at the remaster of a cult classic action-adventure game. Is this game worthy of remembrance, or, should this game be lost forever in the pages of gaming history?
Let's find out!
The late 90s was in the middle of a golden era of video games. 1997 saw the release of the N64, Sony's PlayStation console took the world by storm, introducing games that were distributed on CDs
1997 had a lot of cult classic releases. For example, the first entry of rockstar's massively successful Grand Theft Auto series, the game that Sean the world that first-person shooters on a console are a viable idea, goldeneye 007, and finally, the most recognisable, world-famous JRPGs, Final Fantasy VII.
Speaking of which, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be released in a few days. Are you excited about that game? Have you preordered yet, or are you holding out for a possible release on other systems i.e. PC and Xbox Series X/S?
Let me know in the comments!
1997 saw the release of this cult classic. The game itself was the second entry of Core Designs' highly successful Tomb Raider series. The majority of people who played this game hailed this as a masterpiece, certain people hailed this title as the best game ever made.
The game's plot takes place one year after the first entry of the series, a cult is seeking an agent relic known as the Dagger of Xian, it is up to you to travel the world to find the relic first!
The accessibility scores are as follows –
Please note, the recently released remake of the original trilogy on PC was used to test this game.
Visibility 10
There are no colourblind modes in this game. To be honest, there is very little need for one. There are no colour-coded elements that can cause an issue for a colourblind player. So, a player with a visual impairment should be able to play this game with very little issues.
Audibility 10
Due to the remake, there are subtitles available in this game, however, the original release of this game does not. Also, there is no way of customising the game's font size and the menus, and subtitles.
This puts the player at risk of getting eye strain when trying to read the subtitles and text in menus. So, despite the shortfalls with the original release, this game is very suitable for a player with hearing impairments.
Mobility 11
In the PC version of this game, the keyboard and mouse controls can be fully customised to suit your impairments. The same goes for the game's original release on PC.
The remake has full controller support right out of the box. Better still, the button layouts can be fully customised. this game gives players a choice of which input method the player would prefer to use. So, a player with a mobility impairment will be able to play this game with no issues.
Gameplay 10
The reason why I chose this title out of the three of the classic Lara Croft Trilogy is that the PC version of this game was among the first video games I have ever played!
This game is an excellent blend of third-person action games of the era, mixed in with puzzle solving to slow the pace down.
Each and every level has three secrets. Silver, Jade, and gold. each one is progressively harder to locate and obtain.
For example, in the first level, the Great Wall of China, the silver secret is hidden in the starting area, and the Jade secret is in between two walls with spikes, which move towards each other. Finally, the gold secret is located in a large area, close to the end of the level guarded by 2T-Rexs (we interrupt this episode of RetrOS to bring you Dino Crisis.)
This rewards you for keeping an eagle eye out and thoroughly exploring each level. With achievements added to the remaster, there is an incentive to replay every level.
The remaster has two unique control schemes, modern controls, and tank controls.
modern controls change the way you control Lara to make it closer to a modern-day action game. Tank controls add a more classic feeling to the game the original 1997 release had. After all, when the game was released, tank controls were perceived as the norm.
It was featured in the classics, for example, Dino Crisis, Resident Evil (still does!) and the Konami survival horror classic, Silent Hill. If you are a mobility-impaired player, consider using tank controls as they perfectly replicate a legacy stick layout.
After all, due to the game's age, the level layouts are specifically built for tank controls. With the remaster, if you press the start button it will switch between classic and remastered graphics modes. However, when using classic mode, you are soft-locked to 30 frames per second.
In summary, tomb Raider 2 is an all-time classic which features the perfect blend of action and shooting mechanics, with a few driving sections, with puzzle-solving mechanics to slow the pace down.
The soundtrack is amazing. If you need further proof, go to YouTube, look up to Raider 2 Beauty Unfurled, or Tomb Raider 2 Cradle to Grave, kick your feet up, and relax.
In terms of system requirements, the game is extremely low-spec friendly. So, if you are looking for a low-spec, action-adventure game to play, I cannot recommend this game enough to you. If you own a PlayStation and don't own this game. You're doing it wrong!
OVERALL SCORE 102.5%
For
See you guys in the next review!
No comments:
Post a Comment