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[Let's Play] Tomb Raider Underworld - JAN MAYEN ISLAND JULY 2015! NEW SET AFTER 6 YEARS

surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloveddreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
edited July 2015 in Games and Technology
Tomb Raider Underworld

tomb-raider-underworld.jpg

NOTE IT'S 75% OFF ON STEAM AT THE MOMENT GRAB IT

Tomb Raider Underworld was the follow-up to the reboot of the Tomb Raider Series, Tomb Raider Legend - (my lp of that is here). Tomb Raider Anniversary was in many ways not really a successor, and the tiny gap between the two - one year - suggests that Underworld was in development simultaneously.

Underworld contains a vastly expanded moveset, new combat moves, a hugely improved and actually quite impressive engine, and motion-captured animations. It looks fantastic.

However, it did not quite wow the critics as it might have done - it averages about 80% on metacritic.

This is for a number of reasons which I'll explore in the LP.

Before watching the LP, I suggest you watch the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXvkRP62SWw

Set 1 - The mediterranean

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHXaMltCZlg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyiF9v2uTao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ercajvnJA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r32iXrgWyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8TY09il1hs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUlJcnYVdko

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9P5_NfjWus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZXxgTStv0

Set 2 - Coastal Thailand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5HjVALwh1Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRy9jNj-GJ8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IRIra-OGB0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdBRDjxT96A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOSUVPPufg


Set 3 - Coastal Thailand Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEhx-L54Ozc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBhL2CfmP0c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODn-VXl28-I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tQMpZsAK8Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcukCdJHzWY


Set 4 - England
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oiFf_p-VIg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB9FnpyClvI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xl0LIcR2OI

Set 5 - Mexico - Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1glUaPRAjQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrjL5ipwEk8

Set 5 - Mexico - Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVwnwgmvR4U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zYCDtHsT1o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Dk_wHhhkU

Set 5 - Mexico - Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFlYjMSJ7s0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZMwygeindM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_UOBwOB7V8

Set 5 - Mexico - Part 4 - OH MY LAWD ITS ALL NEW AND STUFF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryTMU9vVxiQ

Set 5 - Mexico - Part 5 - I'm on a roll
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocz_u7Xv_ME

Set 6 - Jan Mayen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltumMxTMUSs

3fpohw4n01yj.png
surrealitycheck on
«13456

Posts

  • DissociaterDissociater Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Loved legends. Would have loved underworld if they didn't blow up my mansion!

    Dissociater on
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/dissociater
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Legend is my favourite Tomb Raider game. Underworld, on the hand, was... okay, I suppose. The story and environments just didn't grab me the way they did in Legend.

    Legend grabbed me by the throat and forced me to finish it. Underworld didn't have that power. The game froze near the end when I was playing through, so I switched off my system, went to do something else and simply never felt any desire to come back and finish it off.

    Even so, looking forward to this LP. Maybe it'll inspire me to put my copy back in and actually complete it. We'll see.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • NuzakNuzak Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    this is such a tease

    Nuzak on
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Nuzak wrote: »
    this is such a tease

    Isn't it just.

    I was going to turn my computer off and finish watching the rest of the Code Geass boxset I just bought when I spotted this. Now I'm working my way through a Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow LP on the Something Awful forum whilst I wait for this.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    this is such a tease

    My hard drive filled up halfway through recording, so while I rendered the first set of videos I wrote the first post. When I had finished rendering I realised I would lose the post if I closed firefox (which is a ram hog), so I just posted early while the first ones were uploaded.

    The first set is LONGG though, so i'm sure you'll be satisfied ;)

    surrealitycheck on
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  • BethrynBethryn Unhappiness is Mandatory Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    One day you will discover the gremlin that is eating all your hard-drive space (although I still blame PvP movies) and then you will not have this problem.

    Bethryn on
    ...and of course, as always, Kill Hitler.
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    First 2 uploads failed. GREAT

    Youtube, I loathe thee.

    surrealitycheck on
    3fpohw4n01yj.png
  • NuzakNuzak Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    THIS BETTER HAVE 50 DINOSAUR FACTS IN IT SR

    AT LEAST
    i'm using the tyrannosaurus was slow and warm blooded as an icebreaker in all my coversations recently, it's so cool

    Nuzak on
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    First 2 uploads failed. GREAT

    Youtube, I loathe thee.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I'm not sure dinosaurs are touched upon, but Lara's space-worthiness is...

    surrealitycheck on
    3fpohw4n01yj.png
  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Will follow this closely cause I never played Underworld and I loved Legend.

    Klyka on
    SC2 EU ID Klyka.110
    lTDyp.jpg
  • DragonatrixDragonatrix Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    Youtube, I loathe thee.

    As do I, which is why I use Viddler. It's much better.

    Dragonatrix on
    k0ysz.jpg
  • HedgethornHedgethorn Associate Professor of Historical Hobby Horses In the Lions' DenRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Klyka wrote: »
    Will follow this closely cause I never played Underworld and I loved Legend.

    Same here. After playing Legend and Anniversary for free via Gametap a year or two back, it's hard for me to bring myself to pay for Underworld, given that the consensus is that it is inferior to the other two.

    Hedgethorn on
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Dragonatrix wrote: »
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    Youtube, I loathe thee.

    As do I, which is why I use Viddler. It's much better.

    Gotta say that I'd prefer it if more people did. For some reason, Viddler videos seems to buffer far faster on my computer than Youtube does. I often have to pause Youtube vids for a couple of minutes at the start to let them get far enough ahead that I don't catch up.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    It's not exactly inferior, as such. In parts it's superior, in parts vastly inferior, but any judgement on the overall quality of the game is not worth very much. It's still very much worth playing, eitheer way.

    surrealitycheck on
    3fpohw4n01yj.png
  • DragonatrixDragonatrix Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Kitsuna wrote: »
    Dragonatrix wrote: »
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    Youtube, I loathe thee.

    As do I, which is why I use Viddler. It's much better.

    Gotta say that I'd prefer it if more people did. For some reason, Viddler videos seems to buffer far faster on my computer than Youtube does. I often have to pause Youtube vids for a couple of minutes at the start to let them get far enough ahead that I don't catch up.

    I usually have to do that as well, not to mention Viddler has several other useful advantages:

    + there's no time limit,
    + no false-claims,
    + generally better quality overall (subtitles seem to take a minor hit though... but nowhere near as much as on DailyMotion)
    + easy to download the source video for optimum quality if wanted

    The only real disadvantage it has, is a 500MB upload limit (as compared to the 2GB for Youtube) per video but if compressed properly not even that should be a problem.

    E; But I guess that's enough of a derail. If anyone needs a better host (other than self-hosting) they know where to go now.

    Dragonatrix on
    k0ysz.jpg
  • DissociaterDissociater Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    It's not exactly inferior, as such. In parts it's superior, in parts vastly inferior, but any judgement on the overall quality of the game is not worth very much. It's still very much worth playing, eitheer way.

    I agree with this assessment. The biggest killer for me, as I mentioned in my first post, was that in Legends, you finish the game, and then you go to your mansion and you can explore, find secrets, and you get rewards for it (new costumes, etc.). For some reason, they scrapped all that in Underworld. And all there is to do after you've won the game is time trials of the levels you already completed. It felt half-assed to me.

    Dissociater on
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/dissociater
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Dissociater wrote: »
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    It's not exactly inferior, as such. In parts it's superior, in parts vastly inferior, but any judgement on the overall quality of the game is not worth very much. It's still very much worth playing, eitheer way.

    I agree with this assessment. The biggest killer for me, as I mentioned in my first post, was that in Legends, you finish the game, and then you go to your mansion and you can explore, find secrets, and you get rewards for it (new costumes, etc.). For some reason, they scrapped all that in Underworld. And all there is to do after you've won the game is time trials of the levels you already completed. It felt half-assed to me.

    For me, it was the story. In TR: Legend, I always wanted to find out what happened next. In TR: Underworld, the story just seemed lackluster in comparision. For all that the gameplay was as good as TR: Legend, the story just didn't excite me. I suspect that if I didn't have TR: Legend to compare it to, I'd think a lot more of the game.

    One thing that certainly didn't help in comparing the two games in that regard were Zip and Alister. I didn't miss them in Anniversary because I knew going in that that was a prequel. When I got TR: Underworld and saw that they were back, I was pleased because I really enjoyed their interaction with Lara in TR: Legend and was hoping for more of the same.

    Unfortunately for me, both Zip and Alister are seriously underused in TR: Underworld. :(

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Unfortunately for me, both Zip and Alister are seriously underused in TR: Underworld.

    Yeah, I discuss that in the set!

    Lamely, video number 1 is one of the ones that failed. There are now 5 vids up, but they're in the middle of the set. I'm not sure what's making the videos randomly fail.

    EDIT: http://existenz.se/out.php?id=17275 ENJOY THAT IN THE MEANWHILE

    surrealitycheck on
    3fpohw4n01yj.png
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    Unfortunately for me, both Zip and Alister are seriously underused in TR: Underworld.

    Yeah, I discuss that in the set!

    Lamely, video number 1 is one of the ones that failed. There are now 5 vids up, but they're in the middle of the set. I'm not sure what's making the videos randomly fail.

    EDIT: http://existenz.se/out.php?id=17275 ENJOY THAT IN THE MEANWHILE

    What... What did I just watch. I... I... I don't know what else to say about it. I should say something, but I don't know what.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • KiwiKiwi Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Kitsuna wrote: »
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    Unfortunately for me, both Zip and Alister are seriously underused in TR: Underworld.

    Yeah, I discuss that in the set!

    Lamely, video number 1 is one of the ones that failed. There are now 5 vids up, but they're in the middle of the set. I'm not sure what's making the videos randomly fail.

    EDIT: http://existenz.se/out.php?id=17275 ENJOY THAT IN THE MEANWHILE

    What... What did I just watch. I... I... I don't know what else to say about it. I should say something, but I don't know what.

    ... I just loop'd that for 5 minutes straight. I don't think I can ever look at a horse the same way again.

    Kiwi on
    Twitter
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Here is Set 1 - the Mediterranean. In 8 parts. Enjoy!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHXaMltCZlg

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyiF9v2uTao

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ercajvnJA

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r32iXrgWyk

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8TY09il1hs

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUlJcnYVdko

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9P5_NfjWus

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeZXxgTStv0

    surrealitycheck on
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  • BonesNYCBonesNYC Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I watched the beginning of your TR:Legend clips last week and it inspired me to pick up that game again. Keep it up!

    BonesNYC on
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I watched the beginning of your TR:Legend clips last week and it inspired me to pick up that game again. Keep it up!

    Thanks! Have you played Underworld?

    surrealitycheck on
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  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Good God man.... 8 videos! I think that's a new record. The most I ever recall seeing in a single set before now is 5.

    Anyway, a nice first set. I'd forgotten that they stuck the fan-service in the first mission. Still, I suppose it gives you something to look at if you get bored of looking at the pretty environments. :winky:
    I'll agree with you that Natla was an absurd character, but she somehow managed to work in Anniversary. Yeah, she was over-the-top, but she didn't feel out of place in that game, at least not to me.

    But I do remember that her presence in TR: Underworld threw me for a loop. Turning the corner to find her dressed in a smart suit with her wings out and stuck in a glass jar as Amanda's prisoner...? o_O

    Yep. It definitely gave an indication of where things were going storywise.

    So the next set is Thailand. I vaguely remember that one. Looks very pretty and is somewhat reminiscent of Ghana in TR: Legend. Moderately annoying enemies - though not as annoying as enemies that appear later in the game.

    I'll be looking forward to it.

    EDIT: Not that I'm complaining that there are eight videos, mind you. The mind just boggles at how much time that must have taken you.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • DragonatrixDragonatrix Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Kitsuna wrote: »
    EDIT: Not that I'm complaining that there are eight videos, mind you. The mind just boggles at how much time that must have taken you.

    I'm more curious as to why he just didn't re-record quite honestly. I don't really have the time to sink ~80 minutes into watching one level of a game. By the time I finish this set there'll likely be another 2 or 3 to get through and if they're anywhere near as long... >_>

    Dragonatrix on
    k0ysz.jpg
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Because I AM SPARTAN

    and honestly next time I'll just divide the level in half. I wanted to get the first level done.

    surrealitycheck on
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  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    surrealitycheck wrote: »
    Because I AM SPARTAN

    and honestly next time I'll just divide the level in half. I wanted to get the first level done.

    This is probably wise. Until I watched the first set, I'd completely forgotten just how long the levels in TR: Underworld are.

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • NuzakNuzak Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    excellent set

    previews of the underwater level really interested me in getting underworld but it slipped off my radar

    the entire diving segment is really gorgeous and escapist in a way- i often think of games like crysis almost as holidays, since they feature such pretty and interesting backdrops, and tomb raider locales are similar in that regard

    Nuzak on
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    the entire diving segment is really gorgeous and escapist in a way- i often think of games like crysis almost as holidays, since they feature such pretty and interesting backdrops, and tomb raider locales are similar in that regard

    Only true of the first two levels sadly :/

    I'm going to see what I can do about that weird background click / fuzz.

    surrealitycheck on
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  • NuzakNuzak Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    also i see what you mean about lara talking to herself like she has chronic esteem issues and needs to confirm to herself that she knows all about the history of this ruin

    Nuzak on
  • Spartan 0092Spartan 0092 Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Oh, i was watching the other thread for Underworld, ohwell.

    Spartan 0092 on
    One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered.
  • KitsunaKitsuna Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Nuzak wrote: »
    also i see what you mean about lara talking to herself like she has chronic esteem issues and needs to confirm to herself that she knows all about the history of this ruin

    The art of monologuing. It's normally only practiced by scenery-chewing supervillians. Should we be worried about where Crystal Dynamics is going with the Tomb Raider series? Let's face it... it's only a small step from chronic self-esteem issues to full-fledged Supervillany. :mrgreen:

    Kitsuna on
    MGRSig2.jpg
  • Spartan 0092Spartan 0092 Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Surreal I love your random forays into archaeology, biology, space-ology. Keep up the great work.

    Spartan 0092 on
    One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered.
  • Darth_MogsDarth_Mogs Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    SR, I could honestly listen to you talk about Norse Mythology for quite some time. So I'm glad it's kind of the focus of this game. Great first set.

    That poor Squid, though. Wasn't doing anything to Lara. :?

    Darth_Mogs on
    Kupowered - It's my Blog!
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    That poor Squid, though. Wasn't doing anything to Lara.

    That's the most epic monster in the game, bizarrely!

    Set 2 probably going to get done today.

    surrealitycheck on
    3fpohw4n01yj.png
  • AmpixAmpix Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    My god, how did I miss this, it's been here for two days!? I really should check the forum better.

    Also, I'd say give viddler a shot. Being able to download the original video is great, because that always ends up looking the best. It also saves you the trouble of having to chop up your videos. Though the community is not as large, so you might get less views (if you care about that, that is).

    Ampix on
    steam_sig.png
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    What I might do is upload to filefront or something similar so that those who wish to download can, as well as to youtube.

    surrealitycheck on
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  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    I love the description of how "the bends" work. Lara is a fricken steel pressure tank.

    DisruptedCapitalist on
    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Next set recorded, will be uploaded tomorrow (god willing).

    surrealitycheck on
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