Like many a dedicated archaeologist, Lara's traversed through countless unnerving, treacherous and downright spine-chilling locales on the hunt for those all-important items. Whether it's an ancient artefact of immense monetary value or just a mild hike to Marks & Spencer for a pair of nut-brown hot pants and a suitably sized bra, make no mistake, lovely Lara will be there first - most likely armed with a meaty array of firearms and indeed more cheesy clichés than, well, the contents of this entire review...

Primeval findings aside, Lara's most crucial find for Legend was that of rediscovering what had gamers' pulses racing before the anticlimax that was Angel of Darkness. Enter Crystal Dynamics. Responsible for the likes of Project: Snowblind and the critically acclaimed Legacy of Kain series, it's safe to say that Crystal D know their way around third-person action better than Homer Simpson knows his way around a sweet ring doughnut. The result? A game that not only delivers like a postman with an acute case of obsessive compulsive disorder, but in addition, encapsulates the endearing blend of action and exploration that the series originally fabricated.

So what mysterious artefact is up for grabs in Legend, then? Well, this instalment delves into the enigma of the killing of Lara's mother throughout a series of childhood flashbacks during the exposition of the story; apart from that, it's business as usual for everybody's favourite heroine. As the moniker implies, Legend derives its predominant theme from the King Arthur legend and, of course, the search for the magical Excalibur sword fragments. Okay, so it may sound a little nonsensical, but it serves a purpose to jet Lara off to various epic locales around the world, collecting various priceless and sentimental belongings along the way, as well as offering an abundance of compelling new gameplay scenarios in the process.

The preliminary level-cum-tutorial throws all manner of gorgeous set pieces and enemies to get in between your line of fire. Bolivia itself is beautiful, and indeed, the perfect location for Lara to show off her platforming wares. Sunlight beams down onto Lara's already bronzed skin, colossal waterfalls crash at her feet, while raging rapids collide into nearby rocks, dozens of scarlet butterflies flutter overhead, grass crunches and bends with a degree of realism like no other and each of the perfectly rendered character models boast lifelike animations that are simply beyond reproach, including the increasingly popular real-time sweating similar to the likes of NBA Live 06, thanks to the 360's additional horsepower. Leave Lara to her own devices for long enough and she'll let out a little whimper and stretch her arms, realign her headset and adjust her kinky black leather gloves before readying herself for action once more.

Level design is satisfyingly varied, so it's not all doom and gloom, trudging through murky, funereal labyrinths. In addition, the balance between leadslinging and platforming is utterly flawless. Yes, the beloved tombs are present and correct, so don't go getting your knickers in a twist there, Lara! But to not commend the programming prowess at Crystal Dynamics for the sheer quantity of environments available over the course of the levels would be foolish. Swan diving from mammoth waterfalls in Ghana, swinging from monstrous skyscrapers a-la Spider-Man with the addition of the grapple hook in Japan, cautiously vaulting from slabs of ice to avoid plummeting to certain death in Nepal and an imaginative level set in an abandoned family attraction, home to all manner of bizarre contraptions to overcome.

If this somehow isn't enough to whet your appetite, did I mention the testosterone-soaked motorbike sections? I kid you not, Legend boasts a wealth of motorbiking sections to help keep the gameplay fresh and exhilarating - as well as acting as a means to partially alter the terrain for the level's finale. These sequences are also host to some of the more spectacular set-pieces, with Lara swerving between obstacles, firing at multiple gun-toting scoundrels, igniting peculiarly placed chemical barrels and catching some air - as your rather eccentric support back at Croft Manor will inform you.

Acoustically, Legend's musical accompaniment is perfectly pitched for Lara's ever-changing blend of thought provoking platforming and high intensity gunplay. For the former, Legend's orchestral compositions are rather fitting for the picturesque locations within - setting an encouraging yet untroubled aura to flex those gymnastic abilities. The latter, however, sees the once tranquil qualities dissipate, in favour of an accelerated tempo and jazzy melody that sets an atmosphere riddled with panic and agitation. The composition almost always matches the situation and even the aesthetics of the level's theme on many an occasion. Bolivia's mountainous and indeed tropical characteristics have been depicted through the use of traditional instruments to capture the locale's flavour, whereas Japan's urban metropolitan, Tokyo, has been brought to life with mild echo of distant car horns and a droning crescendo as Lara ziplines from building to building, while solving those cherished Raider puzzles.

The puzzles in Legend are a mixed bag of both the inspired and the duller-than-a-knitting-convention formulaic. We'll start, if you don't mind, with the inspired, which mainly call upon the superb physics engine to help add an extra dimension to the generic and decidedly predictable puzzles that previously plagued Angel of Darkness. Everything in Legend has its own weight, allowing the player to really get creative and learn by trial and error, rather than being subject to archaic switch flipping devised by Zeus himself. Legend alerts you as to the engine's presence by easing you in slowly - the first instance presents Lara with a tilted and weathered tree trunk, left carelessly in the tranquil waters. The immediate response is that the trunk needs a counterweight to support our beloved femme fatal in order to reach a distant ledge and, after much rummaging, swinging and rock clambering, a suspicious looking boulder caught my eye ready for a good repositioning...

Other puzzles require you to think outside of the usual boundaries, triggering those childlike, playful and curious qualities that live within the very heart of even the coldest gamer. Legend presents Lara with a collection of ancient pressure pads, three to be exact, which demand voluminous metallic spheres in order to access a nearby door. The problem? Only two are discernible... This is where Lara's latest gadget - the grapple hook - comes into play, as within the rather commodious surroundings stands a relatively weakened support strut in need of pulling down to reveal the sphere in question. Nicely done, Lara. In fact, the fantastic physics engine also plays a vital role in the gunplay too, with prompts appearing during brawls informing you of the terrain's weak spots, like hazardous boulders that could topple onto unsuspecting foes. Nice. While gunplay tends to take a back seat to that of the gob-smackingly gorgeous adventuring and exploration, there's no excuse for such a weak execution. The auto aim is rather unrefined, habitually locking onto distant enemies, rather than those about to unleash hot lead into Lara's bewitchingly beautiful face.

The aforementioned formulaic puzzles do occur throughout the majority of Legend, their inclusion merely being to bulk out the game's already insufficient longevity. You know the drill, yep, it's those darstardly block puzzles again isn't it?! The type that require all the brainpower of a squashed toad, or alternatively, Jade Goodie. [A block puzzle would be easy though innit, wiv aat all those fiddly pieces to fit togevar! Jade-Ed] Longevity-wise, it's only the more sophisticated puzzles that manage to spread Lara's journey marmite-thin to the still-insufficient eight hour mark and while they do get your cogs moving (err... no pun intended!), once conquered you can breeze through the game on hard in a meagre three hours. But hey, 'quality over quantity' right? Exactly, and Legend is quality Raider through and through.

Every care has been taken to ensure that Legend is extremely accessible when compared to the unforgiving control mechanics of the previous instalments. Lara no longer controls like a tank - albeit a very voluptuous one - as the age-old grid mechanics have been replaced with a much more natural system that moderately corrects your jumps. Fall from a ledge and Lara hangs precariously before you order her to ascend. The overall effect is one of elegance and grace, rather than one of caution and constant attention. Here you'll get to experience what it's like to actually be Lara, without the low-cut tops that'll have your Dad thinking you've gone fruity! Even the in-game camera has been handled magnificently - being generally consistent in its positioning, yet also allowing for 360 degree movement. Monotonous inventory screens have been tossed aside in favour of a user-friendly interface on the D-Pad for using health packs collected from fallen enemies, binoculars for surveying the area, weapon switching and utilising your trusty flashlight. This is by no means a dumbing-down, instead it perfectly captures Lara's sophisticated acrobatics with a style that wouldn't feel out of place in Ubisoft's Prince of Persia - which hastily brings me to my next point...

While Crystal Dynamics have quite clearly produced a competent package that will delight the previously melancholy fanbase, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend doesn't endeavour to innovate the genre that its predecessors laid down the foundations for, which strikes me as being rather odd. The main campaign can be completed within around eight hours, but you'll play through again on account of the time trials and other unlockable bits and bobs, such as character profiles and the numerous outfits available. Gunplay is undeniably weak and indeed unrefined, with an auto-aim that tends to lock onto distant targets rather than those nearby. However, with gunplay taking a back seat to the fascinating exploration, these faults are merely quibbles. Crystal Dynamic's back to basics approach will delight both fans and newcomers alike. With its awe-inspiring locales, witty dialogue, amazing physics engine and headache inducing puzzles, this is a true return to form for Britain's lovable tomb raiding lass.

Reviewed by Ricky Lee Staines for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).