A Dazzling 'Tomb Raider' Prequel

By AARON CURTISS

Dec. 30, 1999 12 AM PT

If ever there were any doubts about Lara Croft’s place in gaming history, “Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation” for PC and Sony PlayStation should dispel them.

“The Last Revelation” is “Tomb Raider 4” in the same way that “The Phantom Menace” was “Star Wars 4.” It goes back in time to tell the story before the story. And in many ways “The Last Revelation” plays like a whole new game--a fascinating and challenging adventure that is at once familiar and strange.

The genius of the “Tomb Raider” series lies in its choice of main character. In busty archeologist Lara Croft, female players find one of the few feminine role models in the video game world. Male players find a character they are more than happy to follow from a few steps behind. She is the star of Web sites, books and even an upcoming motion picture.

For a character that says relatively little, the mythology around Lara Croft is perhaps second only to that surrounding Boba Fett--although the bounty hunter from the “Star Wars” universe doesn’t sport his own line of chocolate bars, as Croft does. But who is she, really? “The Last Revelation” attempts to explain.

That Lara Croft is a rich, smart, sexy orphan, everyone knows. “The Last Revelation” opens with a 16-year-old Lara learning the intricacies of a life of adventure from her mentor--and future nemesis--Werner Von Croy. Von Croy’s lesson acts as a sort of training guide, teaching players about all the new functions in the game. For instance, Croft can swing from ropes and vines as well as scale some walls.

That initial training session does not end well and Lara is forced to leave her mentor for dead in a crumbling Cambodian temple. The story that unfolds is pretty standard stuff for an action game. Croft accidentally unleashes a long-imprisoned Egyptian god, who in turn promises nothing but bad things for humanity. As if fighting off a supernatural jerk weren’t enough, Croft has to deal with the irritable Von Croy, who didn’t die after all and is none too happy about having been abandoned.

In any case, few people play action-adventure games for the story. “The Last Revelation” delivers where it counts. I played on a PC, and the graphics were outstanding. The temples and tombs and tunnels all were lit with torches or shafts of sunlight that cast eerie glows. Croft herself has been completely re-rendered and her movements are more lifelike.

Much of the action remains jumping and climbing and shooting, but as in earlier episodes, Croft can drive motorcycles and planes in certain levels. That gives the game a nice change of pace because the one thing that still sticks with “Tomb Raider” is the control and camera angles. Although vastly improved in “The Last Revelation,” control and camera work remains difficult and sometimes frustrating.

On the PC, “Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation” requires a Pentium II 266 without hardware acceleration or a Pentium II 233 with hardware acceleration as well as 16 megabytes of RAM and a 4mb video card.

‘Dynamite Cop’

When the brain needs a break, there is always Sega Dreamcast. Four months after launch, Dreamcast has become the mainstay of my mindless toys. My most recent obsession: “Dynamite Cop,” a simplistic action game that could easily be renamed “Carpal Tunnel Cop.”

Success in “Dynamite Cop” depends on speed. After only a few minutes, I can feel the connective tissues in my wrist and forearm get sore as I tap, tap, tap on the jump, hit and kick buttons. But the fate of the free world depends on it.

See, a gang of whacked-out pirates has taken over a cruise ship whose passenger list includes the daughter of the president of the United States. Players assume the role of either Bruno Delinger, a martial arts expert with a monkey sidekick; Jean Ivy, a Navy SEAL who loves long walks on the beach; or Eddie Brown, a former NFL star now in the Navy. I had a hard time telling the three apart once play began, except that as Jean Ivy gets beat up, she doesn’t go shirtless like the other two.

Play is third-person and players move from spot to spot beating the tar out of whoever else is on the screen. The environments are completely interactive, meaning players can pick up items laying around and use them to pummel opponents. For instance, players can beat bad guys with a loaf of French bread or a shish kebab, but I found pistols and laser guns more effective.

“Dynamite Cop” is not for the faint of heart or the slow of thumb. The game moves extremely fast. Thinking just gets in the way.

‘Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage’

“Spyro the Dragon” was one of the first games on Sony PlayStation to take advantage of the system’s analog controller, giving players a freedom of movement and a refinement of control that no other system could boast. The sequel, “Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage” builds on those niceties and delivers a game that is easy to start and hard to finish.

Spyro is a cute purple dragon who saved the world in his first adventure. Now the dragon and his firefly sidekick, Sparx, have been tugged through a portal to a world called Avalar, where a dragon-riding meanie named Ripto is ruining everything.

“Ripto’s Rage” is easy enough for even small kids to enjoy quickly. The colorful environments are filled with cute creatures, and Spyro’s attacks--from a comical head bash to a hilarious flame throw--are tame enough that parents should not be worried. Most of Spyro’s time is spent collecting gems and completing the tasks set at the beginning of each level.

Although clearly designed for younger players, “Ripto’s Rage” has enough fun built into it to attract parents--and maybe even an older sibling or two.

Aaron Curtiss, formerly a Times editorial writer, is participating in a management training program, where he currently serves as assistant to the senior vice president of advertising. He has no financial dealings with the companies he covers. To comment on a column or to suggest games for review, send e-mail to aaron.curtiss@latimes.com.

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Essentials

Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation

* Platform: PC/Sony PlayStation

* Publisher: Eidos Interactive

* ESRB* rating: Teen

* Price: $59.99

* Bottom line: The best Lara yet

Dynamite Cop

* Platform: Sega Dreamcast

* Publisher: Sega

* ESRB* rating: Teen