CHRONICLES: THE
BIG PICTURE
Copyright 2000 www.tombraiderchronicles.com &
Eidos Interactive
[ November 11th 2000 ]
Tomb
Raider Chronicles reveals four newly discovered,
and previously untold adventures, taking you on
a journey from the ruins of Rome, to the bowels
of a German U-boat, to the rooftops of a hi-tech
city in a search of four ancient artifacts. In
light of Lara's recent disappearance, those closest
to her gather together at the Croft Estate on
a gray, rainy day for a memorial service in her
honor. Afterwards, the friends sit quietly together
in the study of the Croft Mansion and provide
new insights about Lara's past exploits; exploits
that have until now remained a secret.
Lara's
New Moves:
Sneaking
technique: A new "sneaking technique" will enable
Lara to keep yet closer to the ground. She will
now be able to creep up on her enemies without
them noticing.
Parallel
Bars: Lara will be able to use parallel bars to
bypass traps or reach areas.
Search
for goodies: Instead of seeing Medi-packs and
other items lying on the floor, you will have
to actually search - i.e. open cupboards and such
like - for them. Lara will be searching in cupboards
and filing cabinets, she'll be able to pull stuff
out of them. She'll have to open doors, look through
them and find things. She'll also be able to climb
high shelves and search each level of them for
items.
Inventory:
There's far more combining of items, collecting
of items, looking at and investigating items and
seeing how they can be put together and used.
An example: getting some chloroform, retrieving
a cloth, putting the chloroform on the cloth and
she knocks them out rather than shooting them.
Automatic
search mode: Automatic search mode is added for
easier scanning of an area; finds will be shown
by an animated sequence. The Vehicles and Weapons:
Lara will have a few new vehicles to use this
time including a motorcycle and a deep sea diving
suit. New weapons include a Sniper Rifle and a
grappling hook.
The Beginning:
The scene
begins with the funeral of our heroine Miss Lara
Croft, feared consumed in the Temple Of Horus
at the end of The Last Revelation (aka Tomb Raider
4). As Wilson and several other guests begin to
reminisce of adventures entertaining Lara to the
covenants of the globe, the story cuts to Rome,
where, as Wilson narrates a particular favourite
adventure, Lara assumes her role and the game
begins.....
New Locations
& Outfits:
Rome,
Italy: Timeline - Before Tomb Raider and Unfinished
Business. The level (which includes training)
begins in Rome's Opera House where Lara, in evening
gown, is here to meet Larson and Pierre and buy
the Stone from them. A double-cross ensues and
the chase takes to the narrow streets of Italy's
capital. Rome features architecture highly reminiscent
of the Venice scenes from the second Tomb Raider
game, with rows of Mediterranean two-story buildings.
Rome includes the training level, and Lara will
wear her jungle outfit. This level is classic
Tomb Raiding with running, jumping and searching
for goodies!
Top:
Green, full length, sleeveless vest with a scoop
neck, made of cotton and lycra to keep her cool
in tense situations.
Shorts:
Brown canvas, always rolled to the top of her
thighs so as not to restrict movement when she
needs to move fast.
Belt
& Holsters: Both made of black leather, the belt
is clasped with a large brass buckle. The holsters
are secured with the garters to stop them flapping
about when performing dextrous feats of agility.
Boots
and Socks: Hard-wearing leather boots with rubber
soles for good grip, with warm cotton socks rolled
at the top.
Murmansk,
Russia (German submarine): Timeline: Occurs after
Tomb Raider 3
Talk
turns toward a picture of a German WW2 U-Boat
close to the fireplace. Jean-Yves reveals that
the ship was carrying the mythical Spear of Destiny
(the Spear that was said to have pierced Jesus'
side and is alleged to have magical powers) back
to Germany but, due to a mysterious explosion,
never made it. Flashback to Jean-Yves and Lara
(in arctic style camouflage costume )heading out
to Murmansk to find the Spear. The U-boat has
a 'X-files' feel, filled with action. This level
is a Russian submarine base where Lara must enter
the dock yards and submarine air ducts on the
military base. Lara will need to be stealthy,
sneaking around. the level features new weapons
and will be an action level. In the Russian submarine
level, you dive down in a deep-sea suit to gain
access to the submarine. In one of the levels
of Tomb Raider Chronicles, Lara has to infiltrate
a high rise Tower to retrieve an item. The item
is the IRIS and the Tower is the headquarters
of Von Croy Industries.
Hat:
Black, thick woolen hat to aid our heroine's disappearing
act into the shadows.
Top and
Trousers: Made of tough-wearing cotton (canvas),
camouflaged in such a way to blend into the dull,
miserable environment of the Russian coast, enabling
her to move swiftly but to be able to stop and
blend in at a moments notice.
Belt:
(Not Shown) White leather, to match the suit,
with a small buckle which will reflect little
light, which could give away her position.
Boots:
Black leather, with grey laces. Rubber soles again
to help keep her footfalls quiet.
Ireland
(island): The Black Islee: Timeline - Following
training in The Last Revelation.
Lightning
strikes and the candles go out. It's a hellish
night, and one that reminds Winston of the time
he spent out at Conussie - the Butler's old Irish
home. The teenage Lara once stayed there with
Winston and Father Dunstan and saw some strange
apparitions on one of the islands. The two Irishmen
don't explain what these apparitions are, but
the young heroine sneaks away on a boat to investigate.
This outdoor level is played without any firearms,
and young Lara, in her pigtails, must rely on
puzzle solving and her wits to survive. Father
Dunstan and Winston, the butler (aka Jeeves) will
be there for Lara. The Irish levels depend on
the use of cunning and guile rather than weaponry
to deal with their many puzzles and traps and
baddies. Lara will fight ghosts and goblins. Without
any guns, Lara will need find ways to trap these
supernatural foes. The whole level is played with
young Lara.
Top:
Sleeveless, cropped vest of cotton below a canvas
bodywarmer, to keep her just a little bit warmer
when she goes wandering off.
Shorts:
Hard-wearing canvas, again rolled to the thigh,
a fashion statement which moved with her into
adulthood.
Boots:
Sturdy leather with rubber soles, another necessity
she learnt young and never forgot.
Tower
Block: Timeline: After Tomb Raider I, Unfinished
Business and Tomb Raider 2.
We rejoin
Winston, Jean-Yves and Dunstan in a secret area
of Lara's Trophy Room. Winston pulls up a dusty
sheet and finds the Iris. As the light from this
jewel illuminates the room, we flashback to a
Tower Block, the Von Croy Industries logo shining
out in the dark. Cut to Lara, dressed in a Cat
Suit, who must use all her stealth skills to infiltrate
the building, dodge laser trip wires and claim
the mysterious prize. This is a high-tech level.
Lara will have a new companion named Zip, who
helps Lara infiltrate a high-security building
radioing her information about the building's
traps and changing tactical situation (to help
make the puzzles a bit easier.) Zip is there to
guide her, give her information and help her through
the levels and again it draws on using elements
of stealth and the new AI. There are quite a lot
of areas where she can't take guns because of
X-ray machines and stuff, so Lara will be able
to sneak around behind people more easily and
knock them out, as opposed to running in all guns
blazing. This level will require stealth and cunning
(aka Area 51) to sneak past guards. Von Croy Industries?,
Von Croy is sure to be somewhere.
Suit:
All in one bodysuit of tight-fitting leather,
reflecting the tiniest amount of light so she
can slip into the shadows with ease. Zips up the
back with a flap sealed with velcro, to stop the
zip glinting.
Boots:
Black, hard rubber, the quietist boots money can
buy, which is lucky, coz those guards have exceptionally
good hearing!
Platforms:
Tomb Raider Chronicles, the fifth instalment from
Eidos Interactive, will feature on the Playstation,
DreamCast and PC. Included in the PC version is
a level editor, for designing new worlds and malipulating
existing maps.
Release:
November 17th...apparently.
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