SkylineRKR
Member
This game has recently been dropped on PS + and I am playing it for a good few nights since. Actually further than I ever got in this game, I am in level 11 or so.
The thing you might be most curious about right now; how is the port on PS5?
Its good. If you told me its a bonafide remaster and not a PS2 ver, I might've believed you were it not for the menu icons etc. The game generally looks amazing, the IQ is really good for a PS2 game. This is like the opposite of the botched TR Legend Ps2 classic. The game is 60fps, but truth be told there are some dips in large areas. Do turn off Progressive Scan, because it isn't meant to push 1080p. And I think changing Region to PAL will put it to PAL60. Very solid work.
Now some history about the game.
TR was dead after Angel of Darkness. But then came TR Legend and that succesfully rebooted the franchise. That game was short and easy, very accessible. I remember really liking TR Legend on the 360 and I was thrilled TR:A was announced; being a remake of a landmark classic. I was gutted when it turned out to be PS2 and Windows only, well after Legend had been released on 360. This was in 2007; the 360 was making waves and even the PS3 was out. Quickly rumors surfaced about a TR:A port on 360, possibly episodic. This was true and one of the weirdest things in gaming; they would release 2 packs on the Marketplace, and you could only start them if you had Legend. I don't know why. They also released a stand alone disc version for a fair price.
The funny thing is, I bought the disc day one on 360 but then ended up playing it for perhaps 3 hours and put it away. I didn't remember why exactly.
Now after 10 ish hours with the PS5 version its probably because of some things I dislike.
-The controls. They are modernized, kind of like Uncharted before Uncharted was out. Who invented it, TR Legend? This means Lara controls well overall, but a lot of things are automated. Which means jumps are hard to judge, and sometimes the game decides you wanted to go for that other ledge and you jump inbetween into nothingness. The tile based gameplay is more clear, if you understand it you won't fail a jump, ever. However, being a PS2 Classic this game has Rewind. And you'll love it.
-The combat. They tried to make it more 2007. Which is with evasions, slow mo.. more fancy. I hate the adrenaline dodge. When there is an obstruction or another enemy chances are you will clip and fail it. I also hate the knockdowns, you can be stunlocked pretty much. They tried to make it cool but failed with it. There isn't too much combat though, which is good.
-The T-Rex was a wow moment when I found it in 1996. Here its a required boss with adrenaline gimmicks and QTE.
-QTE. Its 2007 so its forgiven, and in this game very easy.. but its still shit.
On the plus side I must say I kind of enjoyed the centaur boss fight with the shields.
But is it a bad game? far from it. This game smokes the survivor trilogy in terms of complexity, puzzles and pacing. Lara shuts the fuck up in gameplay, and you aren't being swarmed by enemies. I probably prefer the original, esp. lately the remaster with modern controls (its good once you get the hang of it), but I greatly enjoy Anniversary right now. I dare to say I like it more than Uncharted too. It got better because of its dumbed down offspring.
So now about Underworld...
The thing you might be most curious about right now; how is the port on PS5?
Its good. If you told me its a bonafide remaster and not a PS2 ver, I might've believed you were it not for the menu icons etc. The game generally looks amazing, the IQ is really good for a PS2 game. This is like the opposite of the botched TR Legend Ps2 classic. The game is 60fps, but truth be told there are some dips in large areas. Do turn off Progressive Scan, because it isn't meant to push 1080p. And I think changing Region to PAL will put it to PAL60. Very solid work.
Now some history about the game.
TR was dead after Angel of Darkness. But then came TR Legend and that succesfully rebooted the franchise. That game was short and easy, very accessible. I remember really liking TR Legend on the 360 and I was thrilled TR:A was announced; being a remake of a landmark classic. I was gutted when it turned out to be PS2 and Windows only, well after Legend had been released on 360. This was in 2007; the 360 was making waves and even the PS3 was out. Quickly rumors surfaced about a TR:A port on 360, possibly episodic. This was true and one of the weirdest things in gaming; they would release 2 packs on the Marketplace, and you could only start them if you had Legend. I don't know why. They also released a stand alone disc version for a fair price.
The funny thing is, I bought the disc day one on 360 but then ended up playing it for perhaps 3 hours and put it away. I didn't remember why exactly.
Now after 10 ish hours with the PS5 version its probably because of some things I dislike.
-The controls. They are modernized, kind of like Uncharted before Uncharted was out. Who invented it, TR Legend? This means Lara controls well overall, but a lot of things are automated. Which means jumps are hard to judge, and sometimes the game decides you wanted to go for that other ledge and you jump inbetween into nothingness. The tile based gameplay is more clear, if you understand it you won't fail a jump, ever. However, being a PS2 Classic this game has Rewind. And you'll love it.
-The combat. They tried to make it more 2007. Which is with evasions, slow mo.. more fancy. I hate the adrenaline dodge. When there is an obstruction or another enemy chances are you will clip and fail it. I also hate the knockdowns, you can be stunlocked pretty much. They tried to make it cool but failed with it. There isn't too much combat though, which is good.
-The T-Rex was a wow moment when I found it in 1996. Here its a required boss with adrenaline gimmicks and QTE.
-QTE. Its 2007 so its forgiven, and in this game very easy.. but its still shit.
On the plus side I must say I kind of enjoyed the centaur boss fight with the shields.
But is it a bad game? far from it. This game smokes the survivor trilogy in terms of complexity, puzzles and pacing. Lara shuts the fuck up in gameplay, and you aren't being swarmed by enemies. I probably prefer the original, esp. lately the remaster with modern controls (its good once you get the hang of it), but I greatly enjoy Anniversary right now. I dare to say I like it more than Uncharted too. It got better because of its dumbed down offspring.
So now about Underworld...
oh well.
