So while I hurtle towards the conclusion of BORDERLANDS, I was reminded that TOMB RAIDER: UNDERWORLD was not the first game I beat. No, it was actually PORTAL.

For most of you, PORTAL was an “also includes” when you bought HALF-LIFE 2. When my buddy (and soon to be “hot s#!t” screenwriter) Jeremy let me borrow it, he said it’s like “Radiohead but as a video game.”

Naturally, I was skeptical. I play the puzzle shooter and found it fun. Once the puzzles got loopy, the game really got more interesting. And then once you think you’re done it kicks into this other place that’s pretty f**king cool. Yeah, I’m with Jeremy, I loved this game.

I should also mention that my buddy Sean, the one that got me hooked on BORDERLANDS, also let me borrow SPIDER-MAN: WEB OF SHADOWS and while it was fun web-slinging around Manhattan I found the narrative and missions too repetitive to recommend this game.

And there’s my alarm. Time for another DayQuil.

TOMB RAIDER: UNDERWORLD felt like a homecoming of sorts because I played the original on my PC about a dozen years ago (was it really THAT long ago?). The narrative is a bit of a MacGuffin but all you really want to do is jump and climb and hunt for treasures like an Indiana Jones in hot pants.

One thing surprised me: I don’t remember Lara killing quite so many animals in her last outing. Seriously, they could have called this “Tomb Raider: Nature’s Worst Enemy”.

Not everything about a reunion is roses.  The graphics are just how I remember them… which means they could have easily been so much better. No, wait, they’re improved, I know that, but I feel like I’ve seen the PS3 do SO much better. Also, occasionally the controls conspire against you (or maybe I’m still figuring out how to use all 20 buttons effectively). Lastly, the stupid camera often screws you more than it helps. When I’m standing against a wall, why is it only showing me rocks?  Why?!

But that’s me being nitpicky. The levels were expansive but the game was short and that suited me just fine. It was a great introduction to modern gaming without taking over my life.

Ooh, I also wanted to say that of all the things you can do in the game the best parts are swimming. I don’t know why but these levels were incredibly fun to play.

To wrap it up, this was a fun and great way to get me gaming without intimidating me.  Thanks ya sassy lassy.