Tomb Raider Legend Demo [PC]

You can now download a 500 odd MB demo of TR: Legend at www.tombraiderlegenddemo.com by Edios, and Crystal Dynamics.

My view - using my experience; and information I've gathered from different sources:

I have to say, there are drawbacks to this game and few positives. Which should have been expected since it's changed manufactures (Crystal Dynamics produced this sequeal, not Core) but are very irritating to the TR fanatics.

The drawbacks however outweight the positives. One major drawback in the new series of TR is the fact control is completely different - it's almost similar to Angel of Darkness... but worse. And any TR fan will know AoD sucked. You have to pretend you are in Lara's shoes, so forward on screen isn't necessarily forward in Lara's perespective. This makes the game harder to navigate, and is definately a very annoying aspect of the game.

In previous games, forward was forward as you saw it on screen no matter what. The same new rule applies to all other directions.

Control Configuration is totally different from the previous six games. For example, space no longer takes out weapons, intead it's the jump button. To shoot you now press G to lock your targets, your mouse to toggle between enemy targets, and H to fire your bullets. These changes are probably to accomedate new features... but are very hard to get used to if you're a TR fanatic like myself.

Anothor MAJOR drawback is the way you save your game. In the previous six editions you could save your game at any point and load it again at that point. However, in Legend you now have to save your games at check points (it's not automatic, so you'll have to save the game yourself). If you don't save your game at each check point you end up loosing whatever data you have accumulated between each check point... so basically, by loading a saved game, you'll start at the last check point you saved the game at. Annoying especially if you forget to save!

No matter if you save your game at a certain point, it'll load at the last check point you saved at.

The positives in the game are few and far between, the obvious one is the graphics and the realism of the surroundings and Lara herself.

Playing the demo feels as though you are playing a completely different game rather than a sequeal - which just happens to star Lara. I don't look forward to the sequeal as much as I did, personally, I feel the gameplay is worse (Bring back Core!) however the story and plots might be better... we'll have to wait and see.

TR Legend if released on 7th April in Europe. So, if you can be bothered to download the Demo wait, if you really wish to pay for the game.