Tomb Raider: Underworld
A better looking Lara This screenshot highlights all of the new rendering trickery - note the use of volumetric fog, HDR, shadow maps and normal mapping The developers were very keen to show off the all-new game engine for Tomb Raider: Underworld, and the selected level, based in the jungles of Mexico, was a suitable choice. As one would expect for a modern renderer, all the usual bells and whistles are being applied: lots of polygons everywhere, to produce smooth curves; motion-captured animation; normal mapped surfaces with high resolution textures; HDR rendering, with bloom, depth-of-field and some motion blur, for post-processing effects; real-time shadowing, from multiple light sources, using filtered shadow maps; a global lighting model. Particular focus was made of the new Lara Croft model - nothing radical, but more "natural" looking than previous renditions. The range of preset moves and animations has grown (for example, moving Lara through vegetation will force her to brush branches and leaves out of the way) but the level of interaction with the environment has improved too. In the past, contact with water would simply result in a visual reaction and although that still happens, wet surfaces and objects now behave differently to dry ones. Previously Lara would be able to climb all objects with equal ease, but this is no longer the case in Underworld.
Speaking of climbing, Crystal Dynamics have tried hard to make levels look a lot more natural than before too, and this means regions that can be scaled are less obvious; to counter this slightly, there's now a bigger range of objects and surfaces that one can precariously cling to. Lara's repertoire of acrobatical manoeuvres have expanded slightly, with a greater chance to balance on narrow paths, and at long last: the ability to reach across narrow gaps, instead of jumping them. Generally, the graphics aren't massively better than those in Legend and Anniversary, but they're more wholesome and effective. Much of the rendering wizardry is very subtle, and had the developers not pointed them out, I dare say one would certainly miss them on first sight. For example, Lara's pony tail moves differently whilst wet, compared to being dry, and light reflecting off coloured surfaces will taint Lara's skin with the same hue. As before, the model will look wet and muddy, depending on what environment Lara has been rolling around in, but water will eventually dry, and mud can be washed off in rain showers or rivers. For PC owners, the primary rendering model is DX9 - DX10 is being considered, and they certainly have the time to implement something if they wish, but hopefully they won't. If they move: shoot them Motion blur and depth of field are subtly used The above heading is a play of the phrase "if it moves, shoot it" because the most notable change to the combat mechanism in Tomb Raider: Underworld is the ability to target two enemies at once. This means when everything turns to shooting, rather than puzzle-solving, one can be guaranteed of a lot more action on the screen. We're not talking about the pits of Hell from Doom here, it's just more involving - for example, if there other humans present, they could well be fighting the beasts too, as you arrive on the scene. Naturally though, most living creatures (be them human, ape, big cat or spider) will take an instant dislike to Ms Croft... In addition to the new targeting system, various objects in a level can now be picked up and carried around. A length of wood will make a handy weapon, should you be short of bullets, and can also be used to interact with various puzzles. Remember poles sticking out from walls in previous Tomb Raider games? Now you can stick one in yourself, or yank it out and smack somebody with it.
Related Stuff Games: Tomb Raider: Anniversary
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