Tag Archives: tomb raider underworld

New Lara Alison Carroll’s told GameInformer that keeping up with the launch of Tomb Raider: Underworld has been a “crazy” experience, one that’s taken her all over the world.

“It’s been crazy,” she said. “I was travelling yesterday so I came from LA and flew over to New York for today, and then today we have had interviews all over New York. I have been ferried around everywhere and it is very exciting, I am meeting lots of new people.

It doesn’t appear to be slowing down, either.

“I’ve got some more dates in the UK next week and then I think I am going of to Italy a couple of weeks after that, but the last two months have been absolutely crazy, I have been all over the globe,” she said.

“I have been all over Europe, and then I’ve been to Australia, Singapore, Dubai, all over Scandinavia, Belgium, Amsterdam, South Africa, and now I am in the States. So it has been a really crazy time.”

More through there.

Eidos’s British PR firm, Barrington Harvey, has issued a statement on the subject of UK Tomb Raider: Underworld reviews after it came to light this afternoon that sites had been requested to not publish score for the game lower than 80 percent until Monday, three days after it goes on sale.

The story arose after Gamespot UK journalist Guy Cocker wrote on his Twitter on Wednesday that he had been told that, “If you’re planning on reviewing Tomb Raider Underworld at less than an 8.0, we need you to hold your review till Monday.”

VG247 then contacted Barrington Harvey to be told by a rep: “That’s right. We’re trying to manage the review scores at the request of Eidos.”

When asked why, the spokesperson said: “Just that we’re trying to get the Metacritic rating to be high, and the brand manager in the US that’s handling all of Tomb Raider has asked that we just manage the scores before the game is out, really, just to ensure that we don’t put people off buying the game, basically.”

The following statement is from Simon Byron, one of Barrington Harvey’s directors. In its entirety:

Barrington Harvey is not in the position of telling reviewers what they can and cannot say. We love Tomb Raider and believe it merits a score of at least 8/10, but if someone disagrees that’s entirely their prerogative. No problem at all. Seriously: no problem.

Our original NDA stated that in order to receive an advance copy of the game, reviewers agreed not to post reviews ahead of 5:00pm, Wednesday 19th November 2008. Nothing else. No further obligations whatsoever.

As you can clearly see from the scores posted so far, Barrington Harvey has no issue with scores of below eight out of 10 being posted online. The Eurogamer review in questions caused “problems” in so much as it originally contained a couple of minor factual inaccuracies which, to its credit, the site has quickly rectified and addressed (without, quite rightly, changing the context of the review).

Any site, be it Gamespot or whoever, is entirely within their rights to post whatever score they want and no-one is under any sort of obligation to delay any review.

As an ex-journalist myself, I firmly believe in editorial integrity and the right to express an individual opinion. As an agency, we never – ever – make demands of the press in terms of awarding scores; at the end of the day, they are free to score as they wish.

Barrington Harvey has been working hard to ensure the launch scores of Tomb Raider Underworld are in line with our internal review predictions over the launch weekend – but to suggest that we can in some way “silence” reviews of the game is slightly overstating our influence.

Tomb Raider: Underworld releases today for Xbox 360 and PS3.

Update: Barrington Harvey’s isued a formal statement on this. See it here.

Eidos UK PR firm Barrington Harvey has confirmed that British sites are being asked not to post Tomb Raider: Underworld reviews with scores lower than 80 percent until Monday.

The game releases today for 360 and PS3.

Gamespot UK journalist Guy Cocker revealed the tactic in a Twitter post on Wednesday that said: “call from Eidos–if you’re planning on reviewing Tomb Raider Underworld at less than an 8.0, we need you to hold your review till Monday.”

Said a Barrington Harvey rep on the phone this afternoon: “That’s right. We’re trying to manage the review scores at the request of Eidos.”

When asked why, the spokesperson said: “Just that we’re trying to get the Metacritic rating to be high, and the brand manager in the US that’s handling all of Tomb Raider has asked that we just manage the scores before the game is out, really, just to ensure that we don’t put people off buying the game, basically.”

British site Eurogamer has already gone live with a 7/10 score, an act the rep said had caused “problems”.

OXM UK has also posted a 7.0 score.

The news is unlikely to go down well. Eidos’s efforts at controlling review scores are still fresh in the mind: it was a row over Gamespot’s 6/10 review of Kane & Lynch that cost popular US journalist Jeff Gerstmann his job.

Tomb Raider: Underworld’s Metacritic average stands at 78 percent.

Whoops. The Tomb Raider: Underworld review embargo’s up, and the first spread won’t be the scores Eidos was hoping for. Not bad, like, but not the promised beast.

Everything so far:

• IGN – 7.4
• PSM 3 (via CVG) – 8.3
• 1UP – B
• Eurogamer – 7
• Videogamer – 8

Game’s out on Friday for PS3 and 360.

Eidos has shipped Tomb Raider: Underworld, for release on Friday in the UK.

“Tomb Raider: Underworld brings to life a realistic world that fully compliments Lara Croft’s bold personality,” said Crystal Dynamics boss Sean Vesce.

“We continue to innovate on the brand that defined the action-adventure genre and we are excited to introduce fans and gamers to an immersive, believable world that they can explore and conquer.”

It’s out on DS, PC, PS2, PS3, Wii and 360. Don’t forget that you’ll need the 360 version if you’re wanting to play the two extra content chapters planned for December and early next year.

Press release after the break.

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One can never have enough Lara. Eidos put out a decent gameplay trailer of a sinking ship section in Tomb Raider: Underworld today, showing tilting corridors, slow motion, shooting, fighting, fire and all sorts. Looks proper adventurous, it does.

After the break. Game’s out next Friday for 360 and PS3.

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Tomb Raider: Underworld is go, seemingly. Eidos put out yet another dev trailer this afternoon showing members of the team talking about the game’s environments and how they’re used in play.

After the break. Game’s out next Friday.

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We’re only reporting this because of the phrase “experiential website,” but there we are. Apparently Tomb Raider’s got one, Eidos announced this morning.

“Every section of the site is playable and provides visitors with a set of diverse mini challenges based around some of the events that take place within the Tomb Raider: Underworld game,” said the firm in a statement.

“Those completing the challenges on the site will be rewarded with a series of exclusive unlockable items.”

How more amazing could that possibly be? You’re tired of life, right? Take a look.

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Eidos has released a PC demo of Tom Raider: Underworld. Get is from Fileshack.

It’s a 1.2Gb download and, like the 360 version released earlier this week, contains an introductory level in Thailand.

Go get.

Major Nelson’s updated his blog to inform us all that the Tomb Raider Underworld playable demo is now available for download from Xbox Live.

All we’ve got so far is that it’s available in all regions. As soon as we get more, we’ll update.

By Mike Bowden

It’s a Mexican bike trailer from Tomb Raider Underworld: how can you now watch it?

Looks alright. More jumping, less motorbikes, probably. Game’s out on November 21.

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After the break. See Lara ride around on her motorbike through some jungle on a muddy, road. The handling looks a little to loose for our liking, but I guess we’ll know soon enough.

Game’s out November 21.

By Mike Bowden

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MTV’s posted up new detail on the Tomb Raider: Underworld 360 DLC, citing an Eidos spokesperson as saying the content will only ever be available on the Microsoft machine.

Also, that story’s named the two new chapters. Apparently they’re called “Beneath the Ashes” and “Lara’s Shadow.” The former arrives by Christmas, followed by Lara’s Shadow in early 2009.

More through the link.

Speaking in the latest dev movie for Tomb Raider: Underworld – found on CVG – lead animator Primo Navidad has claimed that the latest edition of Lara Croft has around 2,000 animations.

There’s a ton of new gameplay footage in that movie, showing off Lara’s new moves and giving yet another look at those lovely environments. And some tigers. Lest we forget.

Take a look.

Eidos and Microsoft have just confirmed that the Xbox 360 version of Tomb Raider: Underworld will include exclusive DLC.

Two “chapters” are to be released via Xbox Live, totalling “up to” six hours of extra gameplay.

A demo for the title has been confirmed for October.

“We’re thrilled that Xbox owners will be able to extend their Lara Croft adventures with exclusive ‘Tomb Raider: Underworld’ episodes,” said Microsoft third-party boss George Peckham.

“We look forward to continue working closely with our great publishing partners to deliver the most robust gaming experiences, only on Xbox 360.”

Update: According to this Eurogamer story, the demo will also be exclusive to 360. Thanks, yupyup.

After the break.

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Hot diggedy. Eidos put out a new trailer of the Mexican level of Tomb Raider Underworld this evening and it’s looking shit-hot, to be blunt.

The movie shows a sequence of moves and bit of puzzle-solving, and there’s probably a good case there for saying something like, “This could be a real step forward for action-platforming.”

But we won’t make it. After the link.

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The BBFC’s rated Tomb Raider Underworld at 12, as you can see here.

Game’s out on November 21. Don’t be showing it to all those under-12s in you house, clearly.

On PCGH. These look as though they’ve been grabbed from a promotional movie, or something. Hardly the most savoury thing to wake up to on a Sunday morning, but there we are. Help yourself.

EG’s got a movie of the story aspects of Tomb Raider Underworld up, and it’s all looking very good. Thor’s Hammer, vikings, Mexico: nothing can possibly go wrong with this. Watch it.

Eurogamer Network just confirmed that the first Eurogamer Expo will take place on October 28-29 at the Old Truman Brewery in London and will feature many of the season’s biggest hitters.

Confirmed for the event are “Street Fighter IV, Prince of Persia, Mirror’s Edge, LittleBigPlanet, Tomb Raider: Underworld, Far Cry 2, Fallout 3, Saints Row 2 and many more.”

“Gamers have been crying out for a credible gaming event for years and publishers haven’t had anywhere to show off their biggest games at the most important time of the year. We’re delighted to bring them together under the Eurogamer Expo banner,” said Eurogamer boss Rupert Loman.

The ticketing sounds a bit “different”. According to the announcement, “To guarantee a ticket for the Eurogamer Expo, gamers should make a £5 donation to UK videogames charity GamesAid. More details on how to register interest are available on the official website, and the event will be split into 11am-4pm and 5pm-10pm sessions on both 28th and 29th October.”

The show’s site’s here. Press release after the link.

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