For anyone wondering who the Paul in my latest video was, he was a friend I very recently found out took his own life due to ongoing mental health problems.
We both spent over 3 years at Film School together but sadly I lost contact with him for many years.
I wanted to dedicate this video to him because I wanted to honour a person who helped inspire a lot of what I do today with editing and filmmaking, but also to try and raise awareness for people with mental health issues.
People like Paul should never feel like suicide is the only option, no matter how hopeless you may feel there is always someone on the other end of a text or phone call willing to listen to you and try and help.
Please look after yourselves, your loved ones and stay safe ♥️
Man do I remember how hyped I was for this game. I was just entering high school, and I would constantly visit forums getting every scrap of information I could, right up until I opened it on Christmas Day. And it did not disappoint! Looking back, sure it had some problems, but with the titles Square Enix have turned out, Underworld felt like the last authentic official Tomb Raider game (or so I hope not).
Sorry it took me so long to get around to this, but man, dude, awesome job as always on this one. I've been following you since before your retrospective began and this is the title I was most looking forward to. The Legends trilogy is my favorite, and Underworld always stood out to me as one of the most memorable entries. I really hope we see more of this Lara again someday, and I'm so psyched you got to tackle this amazing trilogy. Keep up the great work, dude!
OMG!!Finally someone perfectly described the weirdness in her moves in underworld! In legend and anniversary they were so smooth and satisfying, in underworld it just doesn't feel good, she looks like a mix of a monkey and a frog while executing most of them.
As to her face,it borderline looks ugly,they tried so hard to make her look good I guess that it just became ugly and platiccy.
Great review as always,can't wait for more.especially the Ps2 version that i played first which technically cut half of the game
I remembered feeling meh about this game, but I recently went back and replayed it, and honestly, it's so much better than I remembered. The combat is quite clunky and Lara is a little janky sometimes, but in my opinion, this is the closest we've gotten to the classic Tomb Raider formula in modern times (not counting Anniversary). It's way more puzzle and exploration focused, while the combat takes a back seat. I play Tomb Raider for the puzzles and platforming, and I really felt combat was spread out enoug that it didn't feel like it was a constant thing to worry about. Legend felt like an action game strung together by platforming sections, whereas Underworld feels like an adventure game with combat.
On the topic of Toby Cam™, I honestly didn't notice it until it was pointed out in your streams. Maybe it's because I'm a woman and just see Lara as kindred, rather than the opposite sex I'm "supposed" to feel attracted to. It's not that I can't see Lara as sexy or even that I can't recognise how she was used as a sex symbol in the early days, but more just that I see her as badass female representation first and foremost, and don't really think of her in a sexy way. Or maybe I'm just mentally a child and the concept of sexual attraction is foreign to me 😂
Ahhh, I didn't know this teaser for Underworld, but it seems like Dead Island took the ideas from it for its hyped teaser in 2010 or 2009. Interesting.
I prefer this over Legend because the level design is just so much better. Some levels are so huge, almost feel like open world. I do agree with the flaws but they didn't stop me from liking it. My biggest complaint is that there's no kind of extra game modes and no cool unlockables.
You know what I've found through watching your retrospectives.. is that Angel of Darkness seriously tainted me on newer gen Tomb Raider. Ever since playing that, and almost immediately trying to return it to Argos and then trying to trade it in when that didn't work, I just went back to the Core Design Fab Five and never played a new TR game again.. its about time I let the vendetta go. I own all of the newer ones on next gen consoles.. I should give them their due.
I liked the trailer with the Thor song and this was a excellent video. I have to agree with most that is said in it. Tomb Raider Underworld wasn't a bad game as it looks great. But it was like in the previous games very short. Untill recently i wasn't even aware it had DLC and since i have the same trilogy as is shown near the end on the ps3 it never was available to me. But having seen it now i don't miss it at all. It's very contradictory to the main story and honestly the doppelganger was a nice gimmick in previous games but that's about it. I can't say it's a very smart decision unshackling a evil clone of yourself,especially now it's free to i don't know kill of Lara and take her place. I could even see how they could have made a follow up game with the double now being Lara's new Enemy. But regardless it wasn't the greatest story ever written. I think it was made to wrap things up and to show what the new Lara would come to be in the future. I did not have a bad time playing due to the artstyle and exploration but story wise it was like a cow rechewing the same grass. The taste being less fresh. It was basically Legend retold with a few winks to Anniversary in terms of style. Which concludes this Saga. Still without a doubt it beats the next one by miles.
Don't make us wait years for the next one. I don't think I could handle it and I'm really intrigued on your thoughts as I actually love the survivor series.
I've just finished watching your Tomb Raider Retrospective videos for the second time because I just find them so interesting and well put together…also they have me cackling like a goblin at times 😆 eagerly awaiting the next Retrospective video!
Bro I've watched you religiously and watched all these retrospectives on loops and SOMEHOW youtube failed to lemme know this dropped! I swear the algorithm works against you! I try to plug your channel whenever I get the chance! TR fans exist, and you should be a TITAN in this genre.
I've really missed this style of video, too many youtube personalities were forced by the algorithm to switch to streaming to make ends meet 🙁 I've loved this series, just grabbed the CORE games to relive my childhood, and moving into the CD era games for the first time soon!!!
I'm currently going through a tough time right now, but these videos have been keeping me distracted at night when I can't sleep. Your commentary, observations, research, and humor is really fantastic and well thought out. I sincerely enjoyed this video series. Thanks for making it and with such genuine enthusiasm and interest. (:
Been waiting for this video for so long I completely forgot about to check it, Underworld was my first real Tomb Raider game and I absolutely adore it's experience. Thanks for the well made review.
In the early 2000s there was a video review where one reviewer said about Tomb Raider: "I like being a man and I'm not going to play a woman" – you can only hope that he changed his mind, he would miss out big time. Steve, these retrospective videos are amazing! Thank you for all the time, love and energy you put into these! ♥
I have the PS3 Trilogy and the 360 version as well as all the DLC anyway and am somewhat annoyed by the glitch concerning one of the Achievements! Ah, well, it's not the first time, is it… I am also somewhat tempted now to get the PS2 version, jus to see this little gauntlet you mentioned! I think the CEX here has one in, too…
13:30 Thanks for noticing this issue with Lara's animation! I don't understand why so many people though, including you, call it a "nitpick".
To me, the acrobatics and the platforming of these games has always been one of the main reasons to play them. I have always loved being in awe at looking and, well, performing from the keyboard the amazing jumps and climbs, and I always wanted them to be as realistic as possible. It's one of the things Tomb Raider: Legend has done so well. Lara's jump height and length is pretty realistic, she no longer boosts 4 meters in the air, and her moves still look beautiful and mesmerizing. I mean, of course it's not "complete realism", it's still platforming, and it's forgivable to see her sliding the zip lines with her bare hands for example.
But even in TR:L and TR:A, while the acrobatics were really good, they still were a bit junky, especially when combining jumps to bars and poles. Especially when you compare them to, say, Prince Of Persia: Sands of Time, where they did a really good job on how fluid all the acrobatics look, even if confined to basically only 4 directions.
So, seeing Lara's animations in the Underworld was the most disappointing change they did. And not only the moves look junky, like you mentioned, where the game seems to skip a few frames and shows no connecting animation between two different moves, I hate how unnaturally fast she moves. When she moves across a ledge, she doesn't look like a believable human, but more like an insect rapidly climbing across a wall.
It's really sad and surprising to see these flaws and at the same time see that the developers worked hard on making some other aspects of the game more realistic than in the previous games. And even the free-climbing move was obviously created to make the surrounding nature feel less arcade-like.
This game is full of controversy, both story-wise and gameplay-wise, and the issues start right at the foundations.
Omg Underworld! Underworld changed my life in the best and worst way! Which really makes me cringe now 🤦♀️ Alister's death caused what I call "the Great Depression of 2009". I grieved his death MORE THAN MY GRANDAD'S. Throughout that era in my life, I wrote the WORST FANFICTION OF ALL TIME! 😭😭 Basically a personal diary type thing, events that occurred in Alister's everyday life. Which involved Zip's younger sister falling head over heels with Alister and ended up with a restraining order. I wish I could remember her name! I took loads of time fleshing out both Zip's and Alister's backgrounds. Like I came up with Alister's ethnic roots. Half-Scottish and half-Indian. (Because why not?) But I deleted it because I was so embarrassed by it. I wish I had saved it now for all the nonsensical lore I came up with 🤣🤣🤣
omg, why are you talking so much trash about this game. I really liked it incl. movement, puzzles, … For me Underworld is the best Tomb Raider after 2 followed by 4! Combat movement & npc were indeed weird 😉 But further, this game was a great step in the right direction qua feel, levels & puzzles!
Stragely for me the "final Boss" of This game is probably my favorite part of the game and my favorite final Boss of The séries, because instead of a terrible Boss fight with the akward combat system of tomb Raider that nearly killed what for me was a MasterPiece from start to end(natla on anniversary) we have a Boss fight that IS a platforming puzzle… Y'know… The best thing about thosse games
For anyone wondering who the Paul in my latest video was, he was a friend I very recently found out took his own life due to ongoing mental health problems.
We both spent over 3 years at Film School together but sadly I lost contact with him for many years.
I wanted to dedicate this video to him because I wanted to honour a person who helped inspire a lot of what I do today with editing and filmmaking, but also to try and raise awareness for people with mental health issues.
People like Paul should never feel like suicide is the only option, no matter how hopeless you may feel there is always someone on the other end of a text or phone call willing to listen to you and try and help.
Please look after yourselves, your loved ones and stay safe ♥️
https://t.co/ZW2pAZGs8a
Man do I remember how hyped I was for this game. I was just entering high school, and I would constantly visit forums getting every scrap of information I could, right up until I opened it on Christmas Day. And it did not disappoint! Looking back, sure it had some problems, but with the titles Square Enix have turned out, Underworld felt like the last authentic official Tomb Raider game (or so I hope not).
Will you be doing the latest tomb raider games soon ?
Finally you uploaded this. Been a while since your Anniversary video and we all needed this. I feel stronger now!
Sorry it took me so long to get around to this, but man, dude, awesome job as always on this one. I've been following you since before your retrospective began and this is the title I was most looking forward to. The Legends trilogy is my favorite, and Underworld always stood out to me as one of the most memorable entries. I really hope we see more of this Lara again someday, and I'm so psyched you got to tackle this amazing trilogy. Keep up the great work, dude!
OMG!!Finally someone perfectly described the weirdness in her moves in underworld! In legend and anniversary they were so smooth and satisfying, in underworld it just doesn't feel good, she looks like a mix of a monkey and a frog while executing most of them.
As to her face,it borderline looks ugly,they tried so hard to make her look good I guess that it just became ugly and platiccy.
Great review as always,can't wait for more.especially the Ps2 version that i played first which technically cut half of the game
The last Tomb Raider game. The series had a good run. RIP Lara Croft. ⚰
36:04 this scene almost killed me:) very good video dude!!!
Great video!! It’s probably one of my least favourite TR games and really signalled an end of an era for “classic” Lara.
Okay, a quick aside: did you voice Langley in the Inigo mod for Skyrim? You seriously sound just like him
omg after 14 years i can finally play the dlcs for the first time ever as i am a pc player THANK U SO MUCH
Great work man I love watching these all together as soon as a new one drops
That instant replay of Amanda getting yeeted was priceless! Haha
finally the most sexy lara…..
I remembered feeling meh about this game, but I recently went back and replayed it, and honestly, it's so much better than I remembered.
The combat is quite clunky and Lara is a little janky sometimes, but in my opinion, this is the closest we've gotten to the classic Tomb Raider formula in modern times (not counting Anniversary). It's way more puzzle and exploration focused, while the combat takes a back seat. I play Tomb Raider for the puzzles and platforming, and I really felt combat was spread out enoug that it didn't feel like it was a constant thing to worry about. Legend felt like an action game strung together by platforming sections, whereas Underworld feels like an adventure game with combat.
On the topic of Toby Cam™, I honestly didn't notice it until it was pointed out in your streams. Maybe it's because I'm a woman and just see Lara as kindred, rather than the opposite sex I'm "supposed" to feel attracted to. It's not that I can't see Lara as sexy or even that I can't recognise how she was used as a sex symbol in the early days, but more just that I see her as badass female representation first and foremost, and don't really think of her in a sexy way.
Or maybe I'm just mentally a child and the concept of sexual attraction is foreign to me 😂
Ahhh, I didn't know this teaser for Underworld, but it seems like Dead Island took the ideas from it for its hyped teaser in 2010 or 2009. Interesting.
when can I expect the next episode of this retrospective to be released I just love it so much🤪
I prefer this over Legend because the level design is just so much better. Some levels are so huge, almost feel like open world. I do agree with the flaws but they didn't stop me from liking it. My biggest complaint is that there's no kind of extra game modes and no cool unlockables.
You know what I've found through watching your retrospectives.. is that Angel of Darkness seriously tainted me on newer gen Tomb Raider. Ever since playing that, and almost immediately trying to return it to Argos and then trying to trade it in when that didn't work, I just went back to the Core Design Fab Five and never played a new TR game again.. its about time I let the vendetta go. I own all of the newer ones on next gen consoles.. I should give them their due.
I liked the trailer with the Thor song and this was a excellent video. I have to agree with most that is said in it. Tomb Raider Underworld wasn't a bad game as it looks great. But it was like in the previous games very short. Untill recently i wasn't even aware it had DLC and since i have the same trilogy as is shown near the end on the ps3 it never was available to me. But having seen it now i don't miss it at all. It's very contradictory to the main story and honestly the doppelganger was a nice gimmick in previous games but that's about it. I can't say it's a very smart decision unshackling a evil clone of yourself,especially now it's free to i don't know kill of Lara and take her place. I could even see how they could have made a follow up game with the double now being Lara's new Enemy. But regardless it wasn't the greatest story ever written. I think it was made to wrap things up and to show what the new Lara would come to be in the future. I did not have a bad time playing due to the artstyle and exploration but story wise it was like a cow rechewing the same grass. The taste being less fresh. It was basically Legend retold with a few winks to Anniversary in terms of style. Which concludes this Saga. Still without a doubt it beats the next one by miles.
My first time playing this game was the awful PS2 port. Great video 😺
Don't make us wait years for the next one. I don't think I could handle it and I'm really intrigued on your thoughts as I actually love the survivor series.
The face looks a bit…Kim Kardashian? Very plastically and fake.
I've just finished watching your Tomb Raider Retrospective videos for the second time because I just find them so interesting and well put together…also they have me cackling like a goblin at times 😆 eagerly awaiting the next Retrospective video!
Honestly, the animations were my biggest gripe. I really can't ignore them. Haha
Lara's explanation to the police officer had me in stitches
Bro I've watched you religiously and watched all these retrospectives on loops and SOMEHOW youtube failed to lemme know this dropped! I swear the algorithm works against you! I try to plug your channel whenever I get the chance! TR fans exist, and you should be a TITAN in this genre.
The entire Austin Powers bit went on so long but was so perfect
That scene was just the right amount of corny. I didn't burst out with laughter, I did chuckle though.
And I thought Bacon Lara 2.0 was going to do a Bane style Back Breaker there for a split second
"gwyneth paltrow's north goop" L0000L XDD
THANK YOU FOR THE DLC STEVE!!! =D YOU'RE THE BOSS!!!
I've really missed this style of video, too many youtube personalities were forced by the algorithm to switch to streaming to make ends meet 🙁 I've loved this series, just grabbed the CORE games to relive my childhood, and moving into the CD era games for the first time soon!!!
Subscribing right away (with the bell 🙃) because those TR retrospective were so amazing, thank you for the content mate!
-Jesse 😄
I'm currently going through a tough time right now, but these videos have been keeping me distracted at night when I can't sleep. Your commentary, observations, research, and humor is really fantastic and well thought out. I sincerely enjoyed this video series. Thanks for making it and with such genuine enthusiasm and interest. (:
14:26 For a woman it's hard to bribe a gay dude.
Been waiting for this video for so long I completely forgot about to check it, Underworld was my first real Tomb Raider game and I absolutely adore it's experience. Thanks for the well made review.
In the early 2000s there was a video review where one reviewer said about Tomb Raider: "I like being a man and I'm not going to play a woman" – you can only hope that he changed his mind, he would miss out big time. Steve, these retrospective videos are amazing! Thank you for all the time, love and energy you put into these! ♥
I have the PS3 Trilogy and the 360 version as well as all the DLC anyway and am somewhat annoyed by the glitch concerning one of the Achievements! Ah, well, it's not the first time, is it… I am also somewhat tempted now to get the PS2 version, jus to see this little gauntlet you mentioned! I think the CEX here has one in, too…
you just couldnt help but put ricky astley ther could you? XDDDD
13:30
Thanks for noticing this issue with Lara's animation! I don't understand why so many people though, including you, call it a "nitpick".
To me, the acrobatics and the platforming of these games has always been one of the main reasons to play them. I have always loved being in awe at looking and, well, performing from the keyboard the amazing jumps and climbs, and I always wanted them to be as realistic as possible. It's one of the things Tomb Raider: Legend has done so well. Lara's jump height and length is pretty realistic, she no longer boosts 4 meters in the air, and her moves still look beautiful and mesmerizing. I mean, of course it's not "complete realism", it's still platforming, and it's forgivable to see her sliding the zip lines with her bare hands for example.
But even in TR:L and TR:A, while the acrobatics were really good, they still were a bit junky, especially when combining jumps to bars and poles. Especially when you compare them to, say, Prince Of Persia: Sands of Time, where they did a really good job on how fluid all the acrobatics look, even if confined to basically only 4 directions.
So, seeing Lara's animations in the Underworld was the most disappointing change they did. And not only the moves look junky, like you mentioned, where the game seems to skip a few frames and shows no connecting animation between two different moves, I hate how unnaturally fast she moves. When she moves across a ledge, she doesn't look like a believable human, but more like an insect rapidly climbing across a wall.
It's really sad and surprising to see these flaws and at the same time see that the developers worked hard on making some other aspects of the game more realistic than in the previous games. And even the free-climbing move was obviously created to make the surrounding nature feel less arcade-like.
This game is full of controversy, both story-wise and gameplay-wise, and the issues start right at the foundations.
Omg Underworld! Underworld changed my life in the best and worst way! Which really makes me cringe now 🤦♀️ Alister's death caused what I call "the Great Depression of 2009". I grieved his death MORE THAN MY GRANDAD'S. Throughout that era in my life, I wrote the WORST FANFICTION OF ALL TIME! 😭😭 Basically a personal diary type thing, events that occurred in Alister's everyday life. Which involved Zip's younger sister falling head over heels with Alister and ended up with a restraining order. I wish I could remember her name! I took loads of time fleshing out both Zip's and Alister's backgrounds. Like I came up with Alister's ethnic roots. Half-Scottish and half-Indian. (Because why not?) But I deleted it because I was so embarrassed by it. I wish I had saved it now for all the nonsensical lore I came up with 🤣🤣🤣
I'm pretty sure it's still arson even if you own the property.
49:10 Yeah laughter is the correct response to this 😂
omg, why are you talking so much trash about this game. I really liked it incl. movement, puzzles, … For me Underworld is the best Tomb Raider after 2 followed by 4! Combat movement & npc were indeed weird 😉 But further, this game was a great step in the right direction qua feel, levels & puzzles!
Stragely for me the "final Boss" of This game is probably my favorite part of the game and my favorite final Boss of The séries, because instead of a terrible Boss fight with the akward combat system of tomb Raider that nearly killed what for me was a MasterPiece from start to end(natla on anniversary) we have a Boss fight that IS a platforming puzzle… Y'know… The best thing about thosse games
29:55 bruh LMFAO that was unexpected 😂
After this game, ALL the newer Tomb Raider games are complete and utter shit.