I spent many hours in the company of Lara Croft, the treasure-hunting heroine of Tomb Raider, when the game was released, and now its sequel is wreaking havoc on my social life.
The opening scenes depict villagers defending the Great Wall against evil Mongols and a fire-breathing dragon; when a helicopter drops Lara at the battle scene centuries later, the game takes on a foreboding sense of history and danger. On her quest for the Xian dagger, Lara travels to a variety of exotic locations - the alleys of Venice and the overturned hull of a sunken ship. In her path stands an evil cult and its insane leader, plus half of Tibet.
The perspective in this game follows Lara like a camera, and the effect is nerve-racking. When she rounds a corner and brandishes her guns, you can't see what's coming until she charges into the face of danger. The effect is that of being a weak-kneed documentarian; you follow her blindly - as the soundtrack swells and your friends leave.
##### Tomb Raider II: US$44. Eidos Interactive: +1 (415) 547 1200.
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