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Tomb Raider Dagger of Xian Information

The unstoppable Lara Croft is back in TRII, complete with the classic gameplay that made Tomb Raider the game of the year!

Join Lara in her quest for the Dagger of Xian, reputed to possess the power of the dragon. But beware, Lara is not the only one in search of danger! Warrior Monks and crazed cult members plot against you as you travel from the remote mountain peaks of Tibet, the canals of Venice and even to the bottom of the sea.

Tomb Raider Dagger of Xian Story Info

In the Great Wall of China rests an ancient artefact called the Dagger of Xian. Legend has it that those who drive the dagger into their heart acquire the power of the dragon.

In ancient China, the Emperor was the holder of this power, and with his army alongside him, his forces were invincible. Thus he staked claim to the vast lands of China. His final battle, however, ended in defeat. While people fell into submission all around him, the warrior monks of Tibet would not relent and courageously fought against his will. They succeeded in removing the dagger from the Emperor’s heart – and reduced him and his army to carnage. The Dagger was then returned to its resting place within the Great Wall and locked up for all time.

Now, three parties covet this dagger — but for entirely different reasons. Lara Croft, forever the adventurer, is one of these. On her travels she will encounter the other two.

Tomb Raider Dagger of Xian Gameplay Info

The gameplay of Tomb Raider II builds upon the basic set up of the original game. New in Tomb Raider II are an expanded range of weapons, extra moves, a small set of vehicles, larger levels and many enemies.

Moving around through each level has remained unchanged. Lara can still jump, grab ledges and push and pull blocks. New to Tomb Raider II is the ability to climb and a mid-air roll used to land in the opposite direction of which the player was facing. Ammo and medipacks are the staple of Lara's inventory, but this time flares have been added to her equipment, which are used to light up dark corners. When Lara lights a flare, she can either grab hold of it and run around using it as a torch, or throw it away to illuminate deep pits. By default, Lara still carries her pistols, equipped with infinite ammo. The shotgun and the dual-wielded uzi guns are also present. The magnums from the first game have been changed to automatic pistols. New are the M16 rifle, which requires Lara to assume an aiming stance to fire, the harpoon gun to be used underwater, and the grenade launcher, the most powerful weapon in the game.

Vehicles include a motorboat (in Venice) and a snow scooter (in Tibet). Both are used to travel long distances across the map and can speed up on ramps or run over enemies. The snow scooter comes in two types: a regular model and one armed with small machine guns.

For Tomb Raider II, Lara's appearance was given a make-over by the designer, Stuart Atkinson, giving her a free flowing pony tail, a smoother appearance, and several new outfits. In China and Venice, she dons her familiar Tomb Raider outfit; in the ocean levels she is bare-foot and wears a wetsuit; and in Tibet, Lara wears a flight jacket over her top. Also, in the bonus level "Home Sweet Home", she wears a short, blue velvet nightgown.

The object of the game remains unchanged from the previous game. Each level must be finished by solving various puzzles, collecting key items and performing difficult jumps. However, this time there is an emphasis on gun fights and the killing of human opponents as well. Secrets no longer immediately reward the player with weapons or medipacks. Instead, each secret is marked by a coloured dragon ornament: silver, jade and gold, according to the difficulty of their location. Only when Lara has collected each of these dragons in a level will she receive a bonus.

Tomb Raider Dagger of Xian Other Info

The level design of the wreck of the Maria Doria (itself named after the real ship SS Andrea Doria) reveals that the front part of the ship was turned upside down when it sank, referencing the movie The Poseidon Adventure.

Judith Gibbins replaced Shelley Blond as the voice of Lara for Tomb Raider II.

By inserting the Tomb Raider II disc into a regular CD player, audio and music from the game can be heard (just like in Tomb Raider 1).

Tomb Raider 2 was met with near universal approval and received perfect marks from several gaming magazines.