History VideoGame / TombRaiderAngelOfDarkness

[[redirect:VideoGame/TombRaiderTheAngelOfDarkness]]

[[quoteright:256:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Tomb_Raider_Angel_of_Darkness_414.png]]
[[caption-width-right:256: "D'you know it's going to be a real pleasure to shut you up."]]

->'' '''Narrator:''' There have been seventeen reported murders so far in this latest outbreak of Monstrum killings. It would appear to be the work of a single highly psychotic perpetrator. The name of the latest victim was just released: professor [[spoiler: Werner Von Croy]]. A female, described as Caucasian, brunette, and wearing a pony-tail was seen leaving the most recent crime scene... ''

'''Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness''' was released in 2003 and is the sixth installment of the Franchise/TombRaider video game series. It continues on from the events of ''The Last Revelation'' and ''Chronicles''.

It was the first ''Tomb Raider'' created for 6th-generation hardware, but also the last game in the series to be developed by Creator/CoreDesign, the game's commercial failure and negative reception spurring Creator/EidosInteractive into taking away production of the ''Tomb Raider'' games from Core Design. Subsequent entries were produced by Crystal Dynamics, an American developing studio.

The game sees the return of Lara Croft, but this time, as a wanted fugitive. The police consider her the prime suspect for the murder of Werner Von Croy, her mentor, the latest in a string of killings committed by a notorious serial killer only known as 'The Monstrum'. With her own recollection of the events surrounding Von Croy's death blurry at best, Lara sets out to clear up what happened, but unexpectedly ends up caught in a ancient conflict centering around 5 crucial Obscura Paintings, which, if they are all collected, can place the world in great danger. Joined by a mysterious stranger, she dives into the underworlds of both Paris and Prague, determined to clear her name.

The game is notorious for the mixed reception it has garnered; while it featured a gripping, dramatic storyline, pretty visuals, exploration and, as always, an amazing score, it was simply unfinished. A large amount of features were left in an obviously unfinished state, further marring the game experience, despite the fact that the game was delayed numerous times (it had orginally been slated for a late 2002 release). The blame is most often pointed at Eidos Interactive, [[ExecutiveMeddling for pushing Core to release the game, despite its unfinished state]]. However, Core is not entirely blameless, having missed numerous deadlines, and being too ambitious in certain areas. Predictably, the game got bad reviews and had one of the highest return rates for a game ever. Despite all this, the game does have its fans, mainly due to its well-executed storyline and fitting atmosphere, however purists tend to cite it as an example of Lara Croft being moved away from her origins as an archeologist and more towards being a deadly action character.

Released for the PC, Playstation 2 and the [[AndTheRest Mac]].

----
!!The game contains examples of:

* ActionGirl: [[Franchise/TombRaider Lara Croft]], naturally.
* [[AlwaysCheckBehindTheChair Always Check in the Drawers]]: Especially during the first few levels of the game.
* ArmsDealer: Daniel Rennes, the guy who owns the pawnshop, has some firepower for Lara, for the right price.
* BadassBystander: Janice has quite a fiery attitude.
* BadassInDistress: When Kurtis traps Lara, moments before gameplay switches between the two characters.
* BelligerentSexualTension: Lara and Kurtis, especially during the disarming scene.
* BewareTheQuietOnes: Kurtis.
* BossOnlyLevel: ''Boaz Returns''.
* ClearMyName: Lara knows she's innocent. The player knows she's innocent. Try telling that to policemen who don't speak a word of English.
** Actually subverted in the opening: the killing of Von Croy, a cutscene that pops up multiple times, at first is ambiguous as to who actually killed him. In fact, at first, the killer is completely unseen; the player is led to believe that Lara, who up till that point had been throwing a temper tantrum at Von Croy, had been the one to kill him; this is reinforced by Lara seeing his blood on her hands. Only later is the identity of the real killer progressively revealed, until the very end of the game, when it is revealed to have been Karel.
* ColorCodedElements: One of the puzzles in the game involves collecting and utilising stones based on the four elements: the fire stone is red, [[WaterIsBlue water is blue]], earth is brown and [[WindIsGreen air is green]].
* CoolShades: Lara sometimes sports these in cutscenes.
* CutscenePowerToTheMax: Lara manages to survive a fall that would otherwise kill her at the end of the ''Industrial Rooftops'' level and the ''Margot Carvier's Apartment'' level. Also during the cutscene at the end of the game, considering how high up Lara is when she drops down to the ground.
* [[spoiler: DeadSidekick: Kurtis.]]
* DeathIsCheap: Through a level-select cheat in the game, it's possible to return to previous levels once Lara has managed to get her guns back, namely the Parisian Ghetto level, and go on to kill the likes of Janice, Kurt, Bernard, Pierre and other characters. Of course, they will reanimate once you reload, game save or not.
* DemBones: One of the mooks in the game include a few reanimated skeletons.
* DummiedOut: Turns out the opening tutorial level was originally intended to be a little longer, or at least contain an alternate route, which can be accessed using cheats in the PC version. Also, two other characters were left on the cutting room floor. This was bound to happen, seeing the rushed state of the game.
* EatenAlive: Dr. Muller after getting too close to the mutated Boaz.
* EldritchAbomination: Kristina Boaz, after being fed to a larval mutant, transforms into not one, but two different hybrids.
* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench: Carvier and Janice.
* ExplosiveStupidity: Try leaving ''Von Croy's Apartment'' before the Cleaner shows up.
* FiveBadBand:
** The BigBad - [[spoiler: Karel.]]
** TheDragon - [[spoiler: Eckhardt.]]
** The EvilGenius - Muller.
** TheBrute - Gunderson.
** The DarkChick - Boaz.
* HeroicSafeMode: The opening cutscene of the game.
* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Janice. No matter how you choose to have Lara talk to her, Janice will be more than willing to provide you with the information you're looking for.
* ImmortalLifeIsCheap: Good luck killing the skeletons you come across.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice:[[spoiler: Kurtis]].
* JoinOrDie: The offer that [[spoiler: Karel]] extends to Lara to become "part of a benign new order in the world", after he reveals himself to be the real BigBad.
* KilledOffForReal: Werner Von Croy, during the opening cutscene. [[spoiler: Also Margot Carvier, Daniel Rennes, Louis Bouchard, Thomas Luddick, and Kurtis Trent]].
* LeaveNoWitnesses: Louis Bouchard and Gunderson will make sure of that.
* TheManBehindTheMan: It was [[spoiler: Joachim Karel]] all along.
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler: Kurtis]]
* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lara's strength/stamina bar increases when Lara performs specific actions at random occurences throughout the game. These were intended to be part of a more RPG-like skill system, which was clearly unfinished, almost to a comical degree. Lara mysteriously gains the ability to sprint when she ''opens a cupboard'', and somehow gains strength at one point by ''jumping''.
* NightOfTheLivingMooks
* NoGearLevel: The first couple of levels could really be considered as this, as Lara is unarmed and without her backpack up until the end of the ''Parisian Streets'' level.
* NonStandardGameOver: Taking too long to escape Carvier's apartment after finding the notebook results in the police storming in and arresting Lara. Likewise, getting too aggressive with Bouchard when you first meet him has him pull out a gun and he shoots Lara dead.
* NotTheFallThatKillsYou: It's a long way down in the ''Tomb of the Ancients'' level.
** SoftWater: As demonstrated in the ''Aquatic Research Area'' level.
* ObviousBeta
* PowerUpFood: health items are no longer limited to two kinds of medipacks.
** EverythingsBetterWithChocolate
* ProfessionalKiller: "The Cleaner" in ''Von Croy's Apartment'' level.
* RedShirtReporter: Poor [[spoiler: Luddick]].
* SeaMonster: The Leviathan.
* SerialKiller: There's one roaming the streets of Paris, hence the premise of the game.
* ShieldBearingMook: The most irritating thing when combating skeletons.
* SinisterShades: Eckhardt
* {{Spinventory}}
* StatMeters
** LifeMeter
** OxygenMeter: For your every-day swimming underwater purposes, and this time, surviving in poisonous gas.
** [[SprintMeter Strength Meter]]: If Lara is shimmying a strength/stamina meter is shown. The stronger Lara becomes, the slower this bar takes to deplete.
*** Oddly, sprinting in this game does not sap strength, unlike earlier games.
* StuffBlowingUp: Most notably the pawn shop.
* [[spoiler: SurprisinglySuddenDeath: Exactly what happens at the end of ''Boaz Returns'', when Kurtis is suddenly stabbed through the chest by Boaz's second form after winning the fight. Especially when you consider that Kurtis and Lara had good chemistry together]].
* TouchOfDeath: Eckhardt has the [[ShockAndAwe electric touch]], don't you know.
* TheUnfought: Marten Gunderson and Dr. Grant Muller.
* VendorTrash: The fun part about the ''Parisian Ghetto'' level is that you need to collect such things and sell them in order to proceed.
* WeHardlyKnewYe: [[spoiler: Margot Carvier]].
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What exactly happened to [[spoiler: Kurtis's body]]?
* WorldOfSnark: Most of the people Lara can interact with in-game are on the receiving end of her infamous snark, but manage to give as good as they get - particularly in the Parisian Ghetto.
--> '''Lara:''' [Approaching Janice, [[DontExplainTheJoke a prostitute]]] Not a lot of passing trade at this hour?
--> '''Janice:''' [Unfazed] Move along, ma cher - you make the place look crowded.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What exactly happened to [[spoiler: Kurtis's body]]?

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What exactly happened to [[spoiler: Kurtis's body]] after they died?

It was the last game in the series to be developed by Creator/CoreDesign, the game's commercial failure and negative reception spurring Creator/EidosInteractive into taking away production of the ''Tomb Raider'' games from Core Design. Subsequent entries were produced by Crystal Dynamics, an American developing studio.

The game is notorious for the mixed reception it has garnered; while it featured a gripping, dramatic storyline, pretty visuals, exploration and, as always, an amazing score, this was all let down by broken controls and various glitches and bugs, which made completing the game more difficult than necessary. A large amount of features were left in an obviously unfinished state, further marring the game experience, despite the fact that the game was delayed numerous times (it had orginally been slated for a late 2002 release). The blame is most often pointed at Eidos Interactive, [[ExecutiveMeddling for pushing Core to release the game, despite its unfinished state]]. However, Core is not entirely blameless, having missed numerous deadlines, and being too ambitious in certain areas. Predictably, the game got bad reviews and had one of the highest return rates for a game ever. Despite all this, the game does have its fans, mainly due to its well-executed storyline and fitting atmosphere, however purists tend to cite it as an example of Lara Croft being moved away from her origins as an archeologist and more towards being a deadly action character.

The game is notorious for the mixed reception it has garnered; while it featured a gripping, dramatic storyline, pretty visuals, exploration and, as always, an amazing score, this was all let down by broken controls and various glitches and bugs, which made completing the game more difficult than necessary. A large amount of features were left in an obviously unfinished state, further marring the game experience, despite the fact that the game was delayed numerous times (it had orginally been slated for a late 2002 release). The blame is most often pointed at Eidos Interactive, [[ExecutiveMeddling for pushing Core to release the game, despite its unfinished state]]. However, Core is not entirely blameless, having missed numerous deadlines, and being too ambitious in certain areas. Predictably, the game got bad reviews and had one of the highest return rates for a game ever. Despite all this, the game does have its fans, mainly due to its well-executed storyline and fitting atmosphere.

* RealWomenDontWearDresses: None of the women in the game wear them; Janice wears black leather pants and red jacket, Carvier wears a blue shirt, brown skirt and beige coat, and even Boaz is wearing nothing but a green laboratory coat and black pants and gloves.

* ShieldBearingMook: The most irritating thing when combatting skeletons.

*** Oddly, sprinting in this game does NOT sap strength, unlike earlier games.

* DummiedOut: Turns out the opening tutorial level was originally intended to be a little longer. Also, two other characters were left on the cutting room floor.

* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Lara's strength/stamina bar increases when Lara performs specific actions at random occurences throughout the game.

* PowerUpFood

** OxygenMeter: For your every-day swimming underwater purposes.
** [[SprintMeter Strength Meter]]: If Lara is shimmying, sprinting or is required to do something strenuous, a strength/stamina meter is shown. The stronger Lara becomes, the slower this bar takes to deplete.

The game sees the return of Lara Croft, but this time, as a wanted fugitive. The police consider her the prime suspect for the murder of [[spoiler:Werner Von Croy, her mentor]], the latest in a string of killings committed by a notorious serial killer only known as 'The Monstrum'. With her own recollection of the events surrounding [[spoiler: Von Croy's]] death blurry at best, Lara sets out to clear up what happened, but unexpectedly ends up caught in a ancient conflict centering around 5 crucial Obscura Paintings, which, if they are all collected, can place the world in great danger. Joined by a mysterious stranger, she dives into the underworlds of both Paris and Prague, determined to clear her name.

The game is notorious for the mixed reception it has garnered; while it featured a gripping, dramatic storyline, pretty visuals, exploration and, as always, an amazing score, this was all let down by broken controls and various glitches and bugs, which made completing the game more difficult then necessary. A large amount of features were left in an obviously unfinished state, further marring the game experience, despite the fact that the game was delayed numerous times (it had orginally been slated for a late 2002 release). The blame is most often pointed at Eidos Interactive, [[ExecutiveMeddling for pushing Core to release the game, despite its unfinished state]]. However, Core is not entirely blameless, having missed numerous deadlines, and being too ambitious in certain areas. Predictably, the game got bad reviews and had one of the highest return rates for a game ever. Despite all this, the game does have its fans, mainly due to its well-executed storyline and fitting atmosphere.

The game is notorious for the mixed reception it has garnered; while it featured a gripping, dramatic storyline, pretty visuals, exploration and, as always, an amazing score, this was all let down by very broken controls and various glitches and bugs, making the game nigh-uncompleteable. A large amount of features were left in an obviously unfinished state, further marring the game experience, despite the fact that the game was delayed numerous times (it had orginally been slated for a late 2002 release). The blame is most often pointed at Eidos Interactive, [[ExecutiveMeddling for pushing Core to release the game, despite its unfinished state]]. However, Core is not entirely blameless, having missed numerous deadlines, and being too ambitious in certain areas. Predictably, the game got bad reviews and had one of the highest return rates for a game ever. Despite all this, the game does have its fans, mainly due to its well-executed storyline and fitting atmosphere.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: What exactly happened to [[spoiler: Kurtis's body]] after they died?

It was the last game in the series to be developed by Core Design, the game's commercial failure and negative reception spurring Eidos Interactive into taking away production of the ''Tomb Raider'' games from Core Design. Subsequent entries were produced by Crystal Dynamics, an American developing studio.