This review is for the Nintendo DS game, Tomb Raider : Legend, developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive. The game is similar to the earlier Tomb Raiders, best known on the Sony Playstation, and involves exploring your environment, defending yourself and solving puzzles.

The general style of play hasn't changed from previous games, you can run, jump, swing, grab onto various rocks and ledges and also go swimming and riding, amongst many other activities. You're safe from too much damage however, as there are frequent first aid packages to find, and if you die, you just go back to the last save point.

You start your game in Bolivia, before moving on to Peru, Japan, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Cornwall (which seems a strange choice!), Nepal and then back to Bolivia. Before you start the game proper, you can if you want play the training level, which as with previous versions in this series, is set at Croft Manor. To unlock some of the areas in the training level however you need to complete the first Bolivian level.

Controlling the game isn't that easy, and can be frustrating at times when things don't go right. The fighting elements do work well in principle, as you have to use the stylus and touch screen to fight enemies, but it doesn't feel very pure when playing and doesn't really work well in practice.

The graphics in the game aren't the best I've seen, but are way above average, and they do vary from level to level and are interesting enough. There are eight different levels, and the scenery does vary widely showing some effort has been put into this. However, the camera angles in the game aren't as fluid, and it can be frustrating when you can't see the action in the desired angle. The background music and the sound effects are good, especially the music, and there's a lot of it. This music, and the generally impressive graphics, do add lots to the atmosphere of the game.

In terms of the long-term interest in the game, despite the problems in the game, there is enough here to make you want to complete the game. However, this isn't likely to take that long, probably no more than around ten hours of game play. This is a disappointingly small amount for a game of this depth, and there could have been even more levels and more challenges.

If you are a games player that likes completeness, then after finishing the game, you can play through again and try to find all of the hidden and secret objects in the game. If you obtain these, then you are able to unlock some extra features, such as some mini games and also some additional graphics. They're not fantastic extras, but they are appreciated and do at least act as an incentive to keep playing the game.

You are able to link your Nintendo DS up to consoles owned by friends, but there isn't much activity to this. There are no games which can be played by other players, simply a feature which lets you see your high score. Some work could have been done on this, even if it was just allowing you to play the mini games with friends.

The game is currently available on Amazon for ten pounds, but if you're happy with a second hand copy, at time of writing, these are available on sites such as eBay and Amazon for around six pounds. The game is rated as 12+, so is only suitable for older children.

In summary, this isn't a bad game, and actually is nearly a very good game. Unfortunately it's limited by being slightly too easy and controls which aren't that smooth. But if you can obtain the game cheaply, and were a fan of the earlier games in the series, then this isn't a bad game to get. Good graphics, good sound, sometimes clunky controls, but you're likely to want to play your way to the end.