I got myself a GameCube copy of Tomb Raider Legend Friday night, and that's all I've been playing all weekend. I already knew this was a good one when I saw my cousin play his PS2 version of the game, and I nearly picked up the PS2 version for myself...but, I happen to really like the feel of the analog controls on the GameCube over that of the PS2, plus the built-in anti-aliasing in the hardware made me hold out for this release.

All I can say about this game are two words: KICK ASS!

I'm not a Tomb Raider fanboy by any means though. I got the original back in the day on the PS1, thought it was pretty cool for it's time, and eventually got part 2, and thought part 2 sucked shit. Part 3 came along and I didn't move a muscle in picking it up since part 2 stunk so much. Tomb Raider Gold and Tomb Raider Angel of Darkness (I think that's the title) didn't really do anything to win me back, and word had it that the real fans of the series were disappointed with these.

Well, along comes Tomb Raider Legend and I sit up and take notice. Right away I see a damned quantum leap forward in terms of graphical improvement. Not only are the settings and stages very pretty to behold, but Lara Croft herself got a real overhaul in her design. No longer are her tits ridiculously huge...she's been reproportioned to a more athletic and believable build. Her British accent is back, and she's back to her roots! No more gun battles taking center stage...there's fights aplenty and they're all good enough, but the real fun lies in exploration and problem solving.

Now...the real clencher? Lara has different outfits in the course of the game that you can unlock and choose to have her wear when you go back on accessible stages. Two of these outfits has her *drumroll please* barefoot! Yeap, sexy lil' Lara can barefoot her way through all kinds of peril if you so desire. The sound effects even reflect her barefooting! When you run you can hear her feet *skit skitting* along on the ground (as opposed to the clomping sound of her boots)...when she lands you can hear her feet slap the surface (a tiny slap or a hard fleshy slap depending on the height she falls)...and it may be my imagination but I think I've even seen her soles get dirty on certain outdoor stages as well!

Fun game, cool characters, good story, SEXY female lead character, and it even makes for some sweet barefoot girl fantasies! How many other video games can fit that last category? You folks need to check this out!

Wow, those are great news! I am sure Lara would look even sexier when walking barefoot through all kinds of perils and terrains!

I'm sure that in the near future, maybe 5 years far from now, we'll have all kind of "virtual reality" simulators. That we'll be able to design realistic characters, dress them the way we want and put them through any kind of scenarios. That the "adult games" will be more interesting than ever. That we'll be able to actually design our "perfect woman" with "parts" of famous artists or model girls, and make them for example run barefoot on gravel, on the street, etc. and that the simulator would reflect the way her feet would behave if they were real. Maybe I am crazy or going to far, but I thin this could be possible with the actual technology, a bit of imagination and in some time.

Thanks Lou for sharing this interesting experience!

Regards

DG

Yeah designing your own dreamgirl to play around with would be fun...but I have to admit, even though Lara Croft isn't really the kind of girl I would've designed on my own, I was pleasantly surprised with how much more sexy and appealing she's become in this latest game (and I know that her being barefoot nursed this along *lol*). I really hope that Eidos realize the potential they have in Lara and take her to new barefoot heights with her next games too, and that they don't drop the ball like they have in the past.

I've always wanted to see a sort of Die Hard movie but with a barefoot girl instead of barefoot Bruce Willis. *gag* Can you imagine the possibilities of a video game where you play a barefoot female character that has to face off with bad guys, and you have to take her bare feet into consideration for certain scenes? Just imagine...you can't go running easily over things like shattered glass, busted concrete, or heated grating, but there will be times where your girl either has to brave the terrain or she gets caught? It could take the whole "survival" aspect of video games to new and more realistic levels.

I think it's got potential! I sure hope some game developers are thinking along these lines too.

Here's a couple links to webpages with snapshots of Lara while she's barefoot:
http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/tomb-...i/701489p1.html
http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2006/04/11/...d_review/1.html

I have to admit, these pics really don't do her justice...you have to see her in action to get the full effect. Polygonal video games usually don't make for good screenshots, unfortunately.

Those are wonderful ideas! And imagine if it were a future game, with movie-like images...wow!!! Can you imagine your favourite actress running barefoot on a heated grating or on broken glass???? A true simulation of what her soles would endure??? And, if you keep her barefoot through the different stages of the game, her soles would become tougher, stronger each time...wow! That would be realism!


In the meanwhile, I am sure the brave girls of City Feet would cater for our slightly sadistic desires ;-)

How about a photo shot of a girl dressed like a barefoot Lara Croft, Paul???

Regards

DG