Without prevaricating, beating about the bush, delaying the bad news or wanting to string things out and defer judgement, NO. From the first level to the last, this game is a mess. Some nice graphics and some really well animated new moves can't save this horribly overhyped and overdue game from the bargain bin. It plays much like any other Tomb Raider with the addition of cinematic cameras that refuse to let you look around and merely serve to confuse you - IT'S AN AWFUL IDEA. Graphical glitches that see Lara, her new buddy Kurtis and enemies disappear into scenery are the least of the game's troubles. Ridiculously unpredictable deaths (some due to difficulty, some due to bugs) and long (and seemingly unnecessary) loading times mean that completing the game will seem more like punishment than pleasure. Lara will climb things she shouldn't be able to and hang from invisible ledges. She moves way too sluggishly and transitions between positions are slow - trying to get Lara to put her weapon away and crawl takes an amazingly long time - it's a mixture of slow button response and animations that don't flow together at all.

   

A darker, more adult Tomb Raider was supposed to add stealth elements, but other than a few guards to avoid when you don't have any weapons and crawling past some sentry guns that's about it. Never mind, Lara still shoots stuff - auto targeting everything just like she did in every other game - except now she aims at things that you don't want her to and continues to remain locked on to enemies for annoying seconds after they're dead. You still can't aim her guns and make her shoot where you want her to - Duke Nukem: Time To Kill managed this in a Tomb Raider-style game years ago, so why can't Lara in 2003? - This raises another question; in a game that's supposed to have a heavy stealth element, why is there no sniping? (There are a couple of levels that would have been perfect for such activities). Another wasted opportunity comes in the form of the interesting new character Kurtis. He possesses the ability of farsight (he can view things remotely) and telekinetic powers strong enough to lift a person and open locked doors - but you only see these in cut scenes and never get to play with them - WHY? Another feature of several past TRs and something that I'm amazed to see left out is the use of vehicles - no Land Rovers, canoes, motorbikes or snowmobiles - the poor pedestrian girl doesn't get so much as a ride on a pushbike or a skateboard… Oh, and if you expect Lara's new hand-to-hand combat to make things exciting then don't, it's never more sophisticated than pressing X to make her break some poor unsuspecting security guard's neck, or repeatedly tapping X to make her punch, double punch or spin kick - You'll soon forget about that nonsense and get her guns out.

   

The style of the gameplay will feel instantly familiar to fans (including the clumsy menu/inventory system), and exploring some of the levels is quite enjoyable - but the constant 'trial and error' (make that: 'die 'n' reload') nature of many levels just isn't sophisticated enough for this generation of consoles, games or gamers. The attempt to do away with so many keys, buttons, valves and levers by making Lara's attributes (jumping ability and general strength) improve throughout the game doesn't really make much sense or change things either. Lara will simply suggest that she isn't strong enough to make a jump or climb yet, letting you know that you need to go and faff around somewhere else for a while until her muscles get stronger - is it just me, or is this daft, or what? The game's locations are unexciting and unspectacular (never something that you could criticise past Tomb Raiders for) and the boss battles that were often the highlight of a level are simple matter of shooting the right bit repeatedly or simply running away.

I could even nitpick and tell you about insignificant things like the unintentionally amusing ragdoll physics, enemies that die from gunshots but appear to have been hit by a rocket launcher, subtitles that don't keep up with the dialogue and at least one spelling mistake in the end credits, but I won't bother; these things just suggest that the game just hasn't been given the time or attention it deserved and needed. It's a catalogue of irritations, gaming no-nos and wasted opportunities. If you do buy Angel of Darkness after reading this review, be sure to keep your receipt - because even if you're a serious Lara Croft fan I reckon you'll be hunting for it before long.