The previous game in the Tomb Raider series, Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness, was a catastrophe on all points. The Tomb Raider franchise was never about stealth and cityscapes, or running down endless corridors for 10 minutes before encountering traps or hurdles. It wasn't about impossible stunts that even a 12-year-old with spidey senses and a four-pack of Red Bull couldn't accomplish.

Then there was the endless barrage of bugs that choked the title, like ledges that were impossible to grab even though that ledge was the only way out of the level. Now Lara Croft is back, and Tomb Raider: Legend knocks it out of the ballpark this time around and brings back the fun we all experienced the first time around. It took them six sequels to get it right but this is the best chapter of the series, yet.

This game gets back to basics, hunting for treasure to stop a super-villain from doing something quite esoteric that could destroy the world. It features Lara Croft doing the best Indiana Jones she can and of course looking as sexy as possible while doing it. it really does bring the Indiana Jones aspects to life. She's snarky, smart, sexy, funny, ruthless, tough as nails, and vulnerable. They really fleshed out the persona, made her less of a Barbie doll with big guns (puns intended) and more human.

This time around she has two guys backing her up. One, called Zip, is the techno-geek providing all the gadgets and gizmos for Lara's adventures and also the very valuable recon info. Then there's Alister, her research assistant, hitting the books and supplying her with archeological info. The two geeks battle it out over the communications with endless bickering that serves for hysterical comic relief.

At first glance, the "Legend" in the title seems like too much hype, especially after the disasters the last few dismal chapters were. But this has nothing to do with Lara Croft being legendary (though she is, because if you don't know who she is by now, you're either too old or have been living in a hippy commune with no electricity).

The adventure begins in Bolivia where Lara finds a piece of broken sword. And after adventures in Bolivia, Peru, Japan (the only city-based chapter of the game), Ghana, and Kazakhstan, it becomes clear that this sword is Excalibur. So Lara is delving into the greatest of western folklore, the Arthurian legend. A legend among legends. The sword does indeed have magical attributes.