Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft Critic Reviews

In gameplay terms Lara's latest adventures are by far the best... but don't expect an easy ride... I say if you can't stand the heat.... then get out of the jungle.

Tomb Raider III may essentially be more of the same apart from a few new bells and whistles, but with gameplay as engrossing as this, perhaps that's no bad thing. It still walks all over young pretenders like ODT.

The AI of Lara's assailants is markedly improved, the level design is ambitious (sometimes overly so) and there are a number of small, yet notable additions to the TR repertoire.

Although there is little different this time, the game continues the same path that made Lara a superstar.

If you're a diehard Lara fan, you're going to dig this intense game. But if you haven't experienced Tomb Raider before, be warned that its mind-bending puzzles and tense action will challenge even the most seasoned gamers.

The sad thing is that Tomb Raider III solves none of its original dilemmas, and as it stands now, the exploration-adventure genre -- one that was revolutionized by Tomb Raider -- is in the exact spot it was two years ago.

When in the first-person view, it is occasionally difficult to see what lies on the other side of Lara's back. It would have been helpful if she became transparent while in this mode, instead of making the player struggle with the angle. Fortunately, the instances where this affects gameplay are relatively few.

Lara's latest riveting adventure plays like her others, and if you're a fan, you'll be instantly hooked. The control and severity of the puzzles will drive you insane at times--but no one said it would be easy.

A solid game, worth the time of anyone who enjoys a good puzzle/adventure title. Those who lost interest in the series with "Tomb Raider II" may want to give it another look with the third.

Lara's back and she is sexier than ever. Which is what this is all about, isn't it?

Although the gameplay is as involving as it ever was, the lack of innovation means that you feel you're playing an expansion pack for "Tomb Raider 2" than a completely new version.

Globe-trotting Laura gets new weapons and vehicles.

This game plays much like it’s predecessors, and carries on the TR tradition nicely. However, it’s high difficulty and dark environments may scare off the first time players out there. Heck, it might even scare off seasoned vets!

If you're fiending for some more Lara, and I mean absolutely jonesin'... then I guess you could pick this one up. For the other 99.9% of us, go play "TR" or "TR2" again or even for the first time. Or better yet, forget about Lara Croft altogether.