Dungeons & Dragons

Game: Tomb Raider II Starring Lara Croft
System: Sony Playstation
Release date: November 18, 1997
Developed by: CORE Design Limited
Published by: Eidos Interactive

Some video game formulas simply work and should not be tampered with. That surely was the thinking of the development team behind Tomb Raider II, which chose wisely to retain the original Tomb Raider engine instead of scrapping it and starting over from scratch. That is not to say that Tomb Raider II is simply a carbon copy of the original Tomb Raider; it is larger, more complex and much heavier on action than its predecessor.

Tomb Raider II begins with a short cut-scene that introduces the Dagger of Xian, a mystical instrument used by the mythical emperor of China to transform himself into a fearsome dragon. Players discover that a brave monk rescued the dagger and hid it deep within the Great Wall of China, where it has rested until now. Enter Lara Croft, the well-endowed (financially and physically) treasure hunter, who finds herself in China looking for the lost dagger. Along the way she discovers that another party, an Italian mobster named Marco Bartoli, is interested in obtaining the dagger. Thus Croft heads to Venice to find answers.


Like the first installment, Tomb Raider II is a globetrotting action-adventure game that is equal parts situational problem-solving, death-defying acrobatics and firefights with dangerous animals, mythical creatures and gun-toting henchmen. Croft travels from China to Venice to Nepal, even to a sunken ship at the bottom of the sea. Along the way she must use her brains, acrobatic ability and impressive arsenal to survive. Also at Croft's disposal, for the first time, are vehicles, which add diversity to the game. She can pilot a small speed boat in the canals of Venice or race across the snowy foothills of Nepal in a snowmobile.

Although it uses the Tomb Raider engine, Tomb Raider II is more action-oriented than the premier game. Encounters with enemies occur more frequently and preserving ammunition becomes more important. Thankfully, the game allows players to save at ANY point during the game, replacing the isolated save crystals found in the first Tomb Raider. Since the enemies are more dangerous (especially in the later chapters) and the traps more deadly, the ability to quick-save is something of a godsend.

Tomb Raider II also features the option to visit Croft's mansion independently of the main campaign, where players can re-accustom themselves with Croft's climbing, jumping and swimming skills or simply explore the mansion interior and grounds.

Score: 97/100