Tomb Raider: Underworld

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 224 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 128 out of 224
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 224
  3. Negative: 54 out of 224
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. G
    Dec 5, 2008
    5
    I have been looking forward to this game, I played the first TR when I was a teen for days and loved it and Underworld, although absolutly beautiful to look at is really only part of a game. And in parts it feel like you are being hand held through what are quite basic puzzles and poor enemies. And you dont even get to battle the villains at the end! everything gets wrapped up in a cut I have been looking forward to this game, I played the first TR when I was a teen for days and loved it and Underworld, although absolutly beautiful to look at is really only part of a game. And in parts it feel like you are being hand held through what are quite basic puzzles and poor enemies. And you dont even get to battle the villains at the end! everything gets wrapped up in a cut scene. It just seems like 90% of production focused on the visual (which is stunning) and 10% on making the story interesting or engadging. It could have been so much better, maybe the good part is in the DLC, pitty I have a PS3.… Expand
  2. AndrewP
    Jan 19, 2009
    5
    A game with huge potential marred by bugs and inconsistencies. Leaps of faith and random deaths are the order of the day as one tries to discover which paths are allowed and which are decorative. Clumsy and over long character animations don't help matters and neither does occasionally getting stuck in the scenery. Disappointing (and short).
  3. darthfredy
    Jan 10, 2012
    5
    Cameras cameras cameras ! the same old TR problem not sadly solved in this episode. The end of the game is so...frustrating. To keep on existing, TR needed an HD episode and EIDOS gave us, but the franchise is breathless.If you want to discover TR, try Anniversary and wait for the reboot!
  4. twos
    Dec 5, 2013
    7
    Overall a thoroughly enjoyable game, have to say most of the issues you will run into will just be frustrating game play problems since the enemies and puzzles themselves are fairly easy, game had some great graphics and an entertaining story. It is worth playing but if you haven't played the new tomb raider that is a far far better game.
  5. WinstonM.
    Nov 24, 2008
    7
    I appreciate that they have eliminated the @#*! mindless repetitive button mashing boss levels of TRL and the idiotic button matching cinematic of TRA and TRL... The environments and art are awesome... still... the tombs could be deeper and more lonely/atmospheric, the puzzles more involved, the levels longer/deeper and the music more like the original TR (adds to the mood). I like that I appreciate that they have eliminated the @#*! mindless repetitive button mashing boss levels of TRL and the idiotic button matching cinematic of TRA and TRL... The environments and art are awesome... still... the tombs could be deeper and more lonely/atmospheric, the puzzles more involved, the levels longer/deeper and the music more like the original TR (adds to the mood). I like that Lara is working mostly alone (Alistar and Zip can go take a hike; Winston was best as an old codger at a training level Croft Manor) Don't get me wrong, I love how far the graphics and stories have come... just a few tweaks in the direction of the the original TR and TR2 and it will be PERFECT! ... ps. Making us purchase game levels that should have been in the game in the first place under the guise of "extra content" is CHEAP. Fire the guy that suggested that.… Expand
  6. FredrickO
    Nov 30, 2008
    6
    I must say that after finishing this game I am thoroughly disappointed with this entry. It's by no means a bad game, it just feels unfinished. Underworld is marred by an incredible amount of technical issues and riddled with bugs. At one point Lara got stuck to a ledge and couldn't move so I had to turn off the game and restart it again as this game does not have a "Quit Game" I must say that after finishing this game I am thoroughly disappointed with this entry. It's by no means a bad game, it just feels unfinished. Underworld is marred by an incredible amount of technical issues and riddled with bugs. At one point Lara got stuck to a ledge and couldn't move so I had to turn off the game and restart it again as this game does not have a "Quit Game" option..!! Completely idiotic! In order to return to the main menu you actually have to pause the game and go to the dashboard (Xbox 360) and then from there restart the game. It's infuriating! And Underworld is probably possessed by the worst camera system ever! I have never had a problem with the camera in previous games but this is quite the nightmare. Not good. And also.. there is waaaay too much of motorcycle riding in this game, I would have loved it if only the controls were so horrendous. Remove this feature in future games please. Or improve the controls.. I loved Legend and Anniversary and the amounts of unlockables in those 2 games and it actually gave me incentive to go back and replay the game, but Underworld has no interesting extras, only boring and completely pointless artwork. And also there is no "replay level" option in Underworld, only "treasure hunt" a simple mode where you just go about finding all the missing treasures and relics with no enemies to hinder your progress and all the pussels already completed. In a word. Stupid. If I want to play the game again from the beginning with the story I have to start a "new game" and if I choose to do that it will rewrite all previous checkpoints in the game. It ticks me off. And it really makes me cry as the storyline is actually really very good and interesting.. Yes it's fun on occasion and the environments are impressive, but it's short (6 levels + 1 prologue level and 1 story level, though granted they are big) and the technical issues and bugs really hurt this game. Bad. Not even Angel of Darkness had this many faults. And yes AOD is by FAR the best in the series despite its faults. And I'm damn proud to say that! It just seems that the developers focused more on the environments and the myths/legends surrounding the storyline than actually focusing on the game as a whole. It's really sad to say. A good game, but disappointing next to Legend and Anniversary. It feels rushed and incomplete. A few more months and it would be a classic. As it is now it's another "AOD" fiasco.. And Crystal Dynamics.. if you read this, if you do not add a "Quit Game" option and a new sensible saving system in future DLC or Patches, I swear I will never buy a future Tomb Raider game again! I don't think anybody will.. hopefully. MAKE IT RIGHT NEXT TIME!!… Expand
  7. GM.
    Nov 21, 2008
    5
    I'll give the game a 5 out 10 because it feels like half a game. It's short, and it's all too obvious that Eidos decided to cut an amount off the end that they could offer as DLC without much effort on their part, which I'm sure we'll see in the months to come, at least, 360 owners will. PS3 owners who were unfortunate enough to buy this game will be left with the I'll give the game a 5 out 10 because it feels like half a game. It's short, and it's all too obvious that Eidos decided to cut an amount off the end that they could offer as DLC without much effort on their part, which I'm sure we'll see in the months to come, at least, 360 owners will. PS3 owners who were unfortunate enough to buy this game will be left with the poorly implemented end cutscene, nothing resembling a boss battle or satisfying ending exists here. After Anniversary, I had high hopes for Underworld, it seemed like they were finally back on track with the Tomb Raider series. Sadly, that doesn't appear to be the case. I would recommend PS3 owners not even think about buying this game, you are only half the story at best, and officially at this point you won't be getting the other half. XBox 360 owners, I will say whether or not you buy the game should depend largely on how much you're willing to pay down the line in order to get the full story. What's on the disc isn't worth $59.99, that's for sure. The camera is also pretty abysmal at times, and the game seems to assume what you were wanting to do in some cases, and even if you're off the mark, it will shift perceptibly to put you where you want to be. I guess for a casual gamer, it would be good and fine, but for a gamer who enjoys the challenge of trying to land a difficult jump, it removes the challenge while offering up more frustration in the process when you realize what it's doing on the backend to push you through an already short game (less than 6 hours in more cases) Again, not recommended, sorry Eidos, time to go back to the drawing board I suppose.… Expand
  8. MikeS
    Dec 4, 2008
    6
    After twelve years of thee franchise I would naturally expect the graphics to be much improved, and in TRU they certainly are) However, in the same timeframe I find it inexcusable that they haven't fixed the horrible camera and controls. I found TRU looked impressive but sucked big-time trying to play on the PC. From what other platform players (XBox,PS3,Wii) have to say, the PC After twelve years of thee franchise I would naturally expect the graphics to be much improved, and in TRU they certainly are) However, in the same timeframe I find it inexcusable that they haven't fixed the horrible camera and controls. I found TRU looked impressive but sucked big-time trying to play on the PC. From what other platform players (XBox,PS3,Wii) have to say, the PC version is comparatively useable! That speaks volumes as to the contempt Eidos must have for end-users. Crystal Dynamics may well have rescued the franchise but it may also contribute to its demise if it does not address fundamental gameplay issues. I played the entire game in two days without resorting to any cheats or walkthroughs...that tells you how mediocre this effort really is.… Expand
  9. bens
    Nov 22, 2008
    6
    What a shame. I have been playing the tomb raider games back since the original, and have loved them - sometimes over my better judgement. But come on Eidos: do you really think we do not know we are playing the same game year after year. You need to be innovative. Incase you did not notice many of the best games today are just that. It's just plain lazy, and clearly a businessWhat a shame. I have been playing the tomb raider games back since the original, and have loved them - sometimes over my better judgement. But come on Eidos: do you really think we do not know we are playing the same game year after year. You need to be innovative. Incase you did not notice many of the best games today are just that. It's just plain lazy, and clearly a business desicion not to innovate. I can no longer play the same game again. I knew every jump, every more before i even came to it. Just stop now as Lara deserves better treatment than this cut and copy gameplay over the past few years. And i like short games but 6-7 hours just does not cut it for a full priced game. I am a long time fan and you have finally lost me. I look forward to prince of persia, he mas not be as "sexy as lara" but he is a hell of allot more fun.… Expand
  10. TheIcemanCometh
    Jun 10, 2011
    5
    I am a fan of this type of game - exploring, climbing, navigating, puzzle solving etc. Some of my favorites in this regard are Uncharted and Enslaved. Tomb Raider: Underworld holds no candles in comparison. The two largest problems with this game are the camera angles and controls. Many times, the game expects you to be perfect in the platforming, but the controls don't allow you to be.I am a fan of this type of game - exploring, climbing, navigating, puzzle solving etc. Some of my favorites in this regard are Uncharted and Enslaved. Tomb Raider: Underworld holds no candles in comparison. The two largest problems with this game are the camera angles and controls. Many times, the game expects you to be perfect in the platforming, but the controls don't allow you to be. And if you're not perfect? You're likely dead, because you're too high off the ground. I have died likely HUNDREDS of times in my playthrough because of the problems with this game. Some of the graphics are great, and some are not. The story is OK and I have run across no glitches.… Expand
  11. MJaques
    Apr 12, 2011
    5
    A sub-par effort from Crystal Dynamics. Underworld does a few things right in it's next-gen leap - some well designed areas, and some nice graphical effects. Sadly, it chooses to copy and paste it's level design every few hours of gameplay. AI is functional, but very much braindead. Soldiers will stand in the open soaking up bullets, and animals will run at your in a straight line, rotate,A sub-par effort from Crystal Dynamics. Underworld does a few things right in it's next-gen leap - some well designed areas, and some nice graphical effects. Sadly, it chooses to copy and paste it's level design every few hours of gameplay. AI is functional, but very much braindead. Soldiers will stand in the open soaking up bullets, and animals will run at your in a straight line, rotate, and repeat. Puzzle elements are what you would expect - scaled up versions of the last-gens, which mostly work well, and are enjoyable, but they get brought down by glitches that sometimes make the puzzle harder, and frustration builds up quickly for most gamers who play this. Overall, a half-decent game not really worth picking up. TR fans, this might be for you, otherwise, not recommended.… Expand
  12. wesker2012
    May 28, 2012
    6
    Game was decent.
  13. harryjc
    Oct 29, 2014
    6
    This game could've been really good, but it's held back by a few things (in no particular order):

    1. There are plain errors and bugs in the game. There are parts where you get stuck, or jitter, or you can't control yourself. They can be overcome but they detract from the experience. 2. The combat is awful. The targeting stinks, especially when there are multiple enemies. Your    This game could've been really good, but it's held back by a few things (in no particular order):

    1. There are plain errors and bugs in the game. There are parts where you get stuck, or jitter, or you can't control yourself. They can be overcome but they detract from the experience.

    2. The combat is awful. The targeting stinks, especially when there are multiple enemies. Your character doesn't know which enemy to stick to it seems. Also, what happened to the 'bullet time' that they had in the last game?

    3. Awful camera angles. This is a huge, huge annoyance. You're required to jump here and there, but sometimes you just can't see. This game doesn't even have a transparency effect so you can see properly. It's hard to hit landings a lot and it feels very unfair. This makes the game feel overly repetitive. Due to bad camera angles you die over and over again, and you have to keep trying.

    4. Your preferences don't save. Camera controls won't stay inverted. They keep going back. What the heck? First time I've encountered this in a game.

    5. Awkward menu and navigation. It's a pain to select what you want. I have no idea why they thought this wheel would be a good idea.

    6. Constant loading. Hate it. Every time you die it has to reload. Why don't they just let Lara have multiple lives, so she can get back up, and keep going?

    7. Saves don't save at a specific spot. There's really not point in having custom saves. It's identical to autosave. You just go back to a checkpoint area.

    However, it wasn't all bad! I liked the story and I liked how you could get clues to help you along. Also, it was fun to explore, even though it was sometimes a pain.    … Expand
  14. SuperkenGaming
    Jan 29, 2018
    6
    Tomb Raider: Underworld
    Great ingredients with a poor recipe
    Tomb Raider Underworld is an action adventure game staring lara croft after thors hammer… And if youre expecting a great experience like that of Tomb Raider 2013 or Rise of the tomb raider… youre just not going to get that here.. It has all of the pieces of whats to come.. Its just that its all poorly executed… Youll notice    Tomb Raider: Underworld
    Great ingredients with a poor recipe
    Tomb Raider Underworld is an action adventure game staring lara croft after thors hammer…
    And if youre expecting a great experience like that of Tomb Raider 2013 or Rise of the tomb raider… youre just not going to get that here..
    It has all of the pieces of whats to come..
    Its just that its all poorly executed…
    Youll notice from the start that everything about this game is awakward…
    Its prince of Persia meets present day tomb raider with none of the smoothness…
    The camera is all over the place and the platforming is just extremely stiff…
    You never get a sense of where you should be climbing to or what you can and cant jump onto while traversing walls..
    That being said I still with there was much more focus on this as well as combat…
    Combat is sprinkled in here, you get unlimited ammo and some sticky bombs to take care of the rare encounter with enemies.. but theyre too rare…
    This game is entirely focused on puzzle solving and switch throwing and this is its ultimate downfall
    Tomb Raider Underworld feels like a chore…
    The gameplay and setting are mixed up so that it doesn’t feel boring..
    But the game just never gives you a break..
    every corner you turn its puzzle room after puzzle room…. Figure out how to climb to these 4 different locations, pull a switch, go forward and do this over and over for 8 hours
    It becomes an eyeroll and it feels overwhelming
    The pacing is awful and thankfully with the reboot the figured out how to pace these moments out..
    Let the player explore for 30 minutes or an hour not having to worry about switches and puzzles…
    Relax and enjoy the platforming..
    Despite again the platforming feel awkward, I would’ve taken moments like this over the constant climbing around the room like spider girl…
    Its interesting to go back and see where tomb raider used to be compared to where it is now…
    Unfortunately at least for this title.. it isn’t fun to go back though..
    I give Tomb Raider Underworld
    a 6/10    … Expand
  15. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 10, 2023
    7
    A quality platform adventure that's glossier and slicker with more fluid movement and improved combat compared to the previous game. Lara may look better in a wetsuit but Nathan Drake still rules the roost however.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
39
#39 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
21
#21 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 57
  3. Negative: 0 out of 57
  1. Edge Magazine
    80
    While it’s occasionally fiddly, it has pace and spectacle and style to spare. Underworld is that rare game that manages to provide a real adventure to go along with its action. [Christmas 2008, p.95]
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    80
    One of the finest adventure games you're likely to find on the 360. [Issue#39]
    Read full review
  3. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    70
    We really enjoyed our time with Miss Croft, but it is more of the same and 'dependable' isn't exciting enough. When you take a look at the gaming world around her, you wonder if it isn't time for another re-invention, not of the character, but her universe.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »