R-TYPE Dimensions and Tomb Raider Beneath The Ashes
R-TYPE Dimensions is an updated version of R-TYPES 1 and 2. I downloaded the trial of the first level earlier. By pressing “Y” you can switch in real-time between the original 2-D in-game graphics and purty new 3-D vistas. It is 3-D in the way that R-type Delta and R-TYPE Final were – still side-scrolling but with 3-D sprites and scenery. It all looks bloody brilliant! Another cool thing about this is the addition of “Infinite Mode” which affords you infinite lives (R-TYPE games are notoriously hard and not particularly generous with extra lives). The best thing though, is that R-TYPE Dimensions allows you to play 2 player co-op on a single machine or using XBOX live. Not even R-TYPE Final (the seminal R-TYPE game on PS2) had this features, it had only a baffling (and terribly disappointing) A.I. mode, where you sat and watched random spaceships fight while you imagined you could actually fly them. Bugger that.
Lara goes down under in Tomb Raider: Underworld
I’m a massive fan of Tomb Raider and have enjoyed all the games to date. So today when I was offered 25 quid’s worth of whatever I wanted and saw the banner on Amazon for the new Tomb Raider game I was eager to investigate. I doubted I’d have much luck, seeing as I’m still on a PS2, but I was surprised to see I was catered for too. I’m not sure how the version I’ll be getting ranks alongside the others, but given that the game engine looks very similar to the Legend/Anniversary incarnation, hopefully the differences will be minimal. Coming to a total of £24.98 I was fairly pleased with my buy. Since I’ve been home, I decided to do a bit of research to see how the new adventure is shaping up, and here’s what I’ve found…
