Can the Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness Remaster Save This Infamous PS2 Disaster?

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Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness (AoD) is notoriously known for nearly ending the series. This game was an attempt to move Lara Croft into the next phase – specifically, the PS2 era – with a promise of innovative gameplay elements, multiple story paths, enhanced visuals, and intricate level designs.

Excited as a die-hard Tomb Raider enthusiast, I eagerly awaited this game’s arrival. I can still picture myself as a child, engrossed in all the trailers and bonus content leading up to its launch. However, unbeknownst to many, the game was plagued with issues behind the scenes. It clearly wasn’t cooked enough and needed much more time to bake properly before it could be served.

Regrettably, AoD lacked the additional development time and was forced to leave in a highly incomplete form. Numerous elements were eliminated at the last second to produce a functioning product, leaving many components to ship in an unpolished, rough state. The game felt more like a hastily assembled prototype rather than a finished product, held together by makeshift solutions and good intentions, which was evident to gamers.

When game developer Aspyr disclosed their plan to enhance the remaining parts of the original Tomb Raider series, including Angel of Darkness, my curiosity was immediately piqued. The remastered versions of Tomb Raider 1-3 from last year serve as a nearly flawless representation of remasters, prioritizing improved graphics, user-friendly upgrades, and contemporary control schemes to cater to new players.

However, I’m curious about the process of enhancing an incomplete game such as Angel of Darkness, which was criticized for its clumsy controls, confusing plot, and faulty elements. As soon as my review copy of Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered arrived, I immediately dived into AoD to assess any changes made (or not).

Visuals and character models

To begin with, let’s delve into the visual aspect. The Tomb Raider 1-5 Remasters have impressively revamped the appearance of the older games. From refining lighting effects and character models to enhancing map textures, these updates align with contemporary expectations without compromising the original aesthetic charm.

Using AoD, we’ve yet to experience everything it has to offer completely. We’ll initiate with the revamped character models that truly impress. The fresh design of Lara is just what I envisioned for a contemporary take on her character, boasting an increased polygon count for a more lifelike look and enhanced cloth textures that heighten realism and detail. What’s more, she even blinks during cutscenes now!

Additionally, it’s worth noting that many other characters like Kurtis, Eckhardt, Carvier, Bouchard, Janice, and others appear visually updated. However, quite unexpectedly, not every character you encounter has been revamped in this way. Certain characters, such as Marten Gunderson, the city guide, and various enemies including Boaz, have not received updates yet.

It’s surprising when characters like Eckhardt and Gunderson appear together in a scene, as the disparity in detail and quality between their models is significant, given that only one of them has been recently revised. Moreover, it’s important to note that even the updated models aren’t flawless. For instance, I discovered that the front hair on the new Lara model doesn’t move realistically with her actions, while her ponytail does.

AoD’s revised map textures show a blend of results. While they generally maintain the original’s style, it’s due to the fact that the enhancements in the new textures are quite minimal. In many instances, these new textures are either enlarged versions or re-drawn counterparts with little extra detail or dimensionality added.

To be frank, it appears that some of the revised textures may actually reduce detail in specific areas. The environments in AoD often have a rough and dirty feel, but the updated visuals seem to be deficient in much of that grit and filth, leading to rather flat and uninteresting-looking settings. On multiple occasions during my gameplay, I found myself preferring the older, lower-resolution textures over the newer, higher-resolution ones due to their lack of detail.

Quite frequently, I’d toggle between old and new visuals, not for the sake of seeing contrasts, but because I was often unsure of which graphics mode I was in. In certain regions, the difference is minimal to the point that I question if it would even be beneficial to revise textures in those spots.

It’s equally disheartening to see little progress made in terms of refining the lighting or adding intricate details where there were none before, as seen in other Tomb Raider remasters. These games have truly shined by incorporating extra elements like rocks and vegetation into areas that were previously sparse, but unfortunately, this level of enhancement seems to be missing from AoD.

As a tech enthusiast, I’ve got to say that the revamped visuals are commendable, but they have the potential to be truly stunning. The overhauled character models are impressive, no doubt, but the unchanged map textures, static lighting, absence of extra details, and failure to update random characters make the other reimagined Tomb Raider versions really shine brighter. Here’s hoping that future updates can enhance these aspects.

Combat and modern controls

The long-awaited remaster of AoD offers a control setup that’s easier on players, addressing criticisms about its original controls which didn’t align well with the game’s layout. In this updated version, Lara Croft handles similar to how she does in Tomb Raider: Legend, reflecting the contemporary control scheme found in other classic remasters.

You’re absolutely free to revert to the traditional “tank” control style if it suits your preference better. I myself find the tank controls more accurate, mainly because they offer a higher level of precision compared to the modern ones. In essence, the contemporary controls deliver quick and streamlined movement but at the expense of accuracy. On the other hand, the tank controls require more mastery but provide superior precision.

In my observation, regardless of the control setup, Lara Croft seems to be moving with a noticeable briskness in the remastered version. Previously, one common criticism was that she moved quite slowly in the original game. Now, whether it’s her initial steps, full-speed runs, or halts, everything feels more fluid and responsive overall.

I believe the fresh, up-to-date controls should provide a chance for newcomers to truly experience the game for the first time without being deterred by the old tank control system, which previously might have been a stumbling block for players.

In terms of one aspect that hasn’t significantly evolved regardless of the control setup, it’s the combat experience. Unfortunately, combat in the original game was less than satisfying, and regrettably, the remaster doesn’t seem to make much headway in enhancing this aspect. Although Lara moves a bit quicker overall, she still targets enemies while firing and strafe-moves in a way that feels clunky and unnatural.

With Kurtis, it’s noticeable that he now has the ability to wield the Chirugai Blade, a weapon you’ve seen him use in cutscenes. This weapon can now be utilized by the player, but unfortunately, the control scheme is quite uncomfortable. When this blade is equipped, Kurtis loses his jumping and strafing capabilities. His movements become slower, and surprisingly, the blade isn’t particularly strong.

It’s not beneficial that they’ve added an awkward animation to Kurtis when he’s wielding the blade in battle. He seems more like a jumping grasshopper, and his reaction time decreases noticeably. However, one positive aspect of the Chirugai Blade is that it has a button for a temporary shield, though I didn’t find much use for it.

To put it another way, an enhancement in the remastered version is that Lara once again wields her famous twin pistols. Although she uses these pistols in several cutscenes in the original game, players could not actually use them to fight. However, with this update, players can now find and equip the pistols during gameplay!

In this game, the player has two options for dual-pistols: either the Vector-R35’s or the Scorpion X’s. Both sets will function as dual weapons, which means they’ll go through 9mm ammo at a rate double that of single weapons. Unfortunately, Lara doesn’t possess the ability to shoot two enemies simultaneously when using dual wielding, unlike in some earlier versions of the game.

Story continuity and restored content

The remastered version of AoD aims to rectify several significant problems that were present due to the incomplete nature of the initial game. These issues include inconsistencies within the storyline, ambiguous tasks, missing features, and incomplete level sections. In many cases, these aspects have been revised, restored, or completed altogether.

In its initial release, the early version of AoD was incomplete, leaving players often unsure about their upcoming tasks. The remastered version intends to rectify this issue by inserting additional dialogue at crucial points to provide context for the player, and resolving some inconsistencies in the narrative flow as well.

In the classic game AoD, there’s a noticeable continuity issue concerning Lara Croft’s outfit. As she transitions from “The Strahov Fortress” to “The Bio-Research Facility,” her attire mysteriously changes from cargo pants to cargo shorts, despite these levels being supposedly separated by a corridor.

In this updated version, you’ll notice a line has been inserted to clarify a continuity issue – it seems Lara is expressing her preference for comfort by saying, “Wear what’s comfortable, I always say.” This appears to be her explanation for changing her outfit from pants to shorts during the transition scene. It’s plausible she had packed those pants away in her backpack as she moved into a warmer setting.

In the updated version of the game, Lara appears to engage in self-talk more frequently than I recall from the initial release. This serves as a guide for players by offering insights on specific tasks and locations. It seems these interactions only happen when the level layout isn’t immediately clear. Additionally, it looks like they’ve reinstated the blood effects in the game as well.

You’ll notice numerous minor enhancements scattered throughout the game, which I appreciate. What’s more, I admire Aspyr for their diligent efforts to reinstate some missing sections and mechanics within levels. One of the most significant changes can be observed right at the beginning of the game. From now on, Lara will guide the player by offering them a choice: either climb a ladder or enter a new area that was previously inaccessible through a doorway.

Initially, this off-limits section was created due to time constraints, but Aspyr has since completed it and it’s now fully functional within the game. It serves as an alternate training ground for players to familiarize themselves with the controls, seamlessly fitting into the game’s intricate branching storyline narrative.

Aspyr has made an effort to reinstate a previously omitted function within the game, enabling Lara to buy and sell goods during her Paris adventure. Items discovered and money earned in this part of the game now serve a purpose since they can be sold to pawn brokers for extra cash. This extra cash can then be used to purchase improved weapons and health supplies.

In a vacuum, this is an excellent enhancement for the game. Yet, it’s important to note that this specific mechanic is only used in this part of the game. After leaving Paris, there isn’t another pawn shop where you can buy or sell items. Consequently, any items and money you acquire beyond this point seem purposeless.

Starting a project like this, with an incomplete game, can present some challenges. Even if you manage to revive one of its numerous abandoned features, the issue lies in the fact that the remainder of the game wasn’t fully developed, making it impossible for those features to reach their full potential. Regrettably, AoD lacks significant sections, such as a central hub world, which would have allowed players to revisit an area and engage in activities like buying, selling, and trading items for money.

Refreshingly, it brings me joy to witness some of the original content reinstated. As a child, I used to explore the hidden training ground in the initial level, uncovering glitches that granted access to this secret realm. The thrill back then was immense, and now, being able to officially visit a polished version feels like a childhood dream realized for me.

Features, enhancements, and bugs

If you expected the remastered version to resolve all issues that the original game (AoD) had, you might find yourself feeling let down. Although I’m certain Aspyr has made every effort to tackle bugs where possible, there are still numerous bugs that I found during my gaming experience.

For instance, a distinctive character from my PS2 days was frequently seen when enemies, upon being defeated, would leap into the air. This occurrence was predominantly noticed on The Serpent Rouge, although I also observed it in a few other locations. It’s a chance event, so you might not see it every time.

Additionally, I encountered an issue that made Lara stand still twice. This problem occurred independently on two distinct levels, appearing seemingly at random. When it did happen, there was no way to unfreeze Lara other than loading a prior save, as none of the buttons responded. The game itself wasn’t frozen; only Lara was affected.

In this game, the artificial intelligence guiding enemies seems to have some flaws. On several occasions, I found that AI opponents either failed to notice me or became trapped in a corner, unwilling to engage in combat. This problem was present in the original version too, and unfortunately, it persists even in the remastered edition.

Additionally, I noticed that the background music often paused, particularly during transitions to new areas. It appeared the only solutions were to reload the saved game or continue playing until another loading area triggered the music once more.

It seems that certain sections lack texture detail, even in enhanced visuals. For instance, during the scene where Lara and Bouchard converse in a vehicle, there appears to be no view outside the windows, or perhaps the windows were intentionally made opaque.

Similar to previous remastered Tomb Raider games, Anne of Green Hills (AoD) includes a handful of new elements to boost its playability. For instance, you can now switch Lara’s attire instantly once they’ve been unlocked, and her signature sunglasses can be activated, which she will wear throughout the game. Additionally, an option for boss battle health bars has been included, making these encounters more manageable.

In addition to regular gameplay, there’s a feature called “theater mode” that allows you to control a camera and capture various shots of Lara in different positions. However, this current theater mode differs from those in Tomb Raider IV and V, as it does not offer the ability to establish keyframes or create cinematic video sequences. This functionality seems to be absent in the AoD version for unknown reasons.

Final thoughts

The remastered version of Tomb Raider AoD shows a commendable effort in improving the game. Yet, it’s not flawless. The upgraded map and object textures are impressive, but there’s still potential for refinement. Additionally, there are persistent bugs that I hope will be addressed in future updates. In essence, the game excels at reinstating cut content when feasible, and resolving problems such as player movement and narrative consistency, which significantly boost the overall quality of this iconic Tomb Raider title.

Regrettably, despite Aspyr’s best efforts to polish this game for today’s players, Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness remains incomplete. No matter how hard they try, there are limitations when key parts of the game are simply absent. I’m a fan of Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness and its remaster, but it’s important to be honest about its shortcomings, and that’s not a criticism of the remaster itself.

The remastered version simplifies access for contemporary audiences, particularly PC gamers, as it significantly reduces the challenges associated with the original Age of Defenders on PC. The original PC version was problematic, often tricky to configure and prone to malfunctions. This updated edition resolves these issues, making it effortless to commence gameplay by merely launching the game and initiating a new save.

If you’re interested in the development hell that Angel of Darkness endured back in 2003, be sure to check out Steve of Warr’s excellent retrospective. He breaks down the good and the bad of the original AoD in great detail.

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2025-02-14 19:22