Picking up where Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation left off, Tomb Raider: Chronicles begins at a memorial service for the intrepid heroine Lara Croft. While friends and family recollect her past adventures through full-motion video sequences, you'll guide Lara through four previously untold scenarios.

These scenarios take place in the city of Rome, aboard a German U-Boat, from a remote island located in Ireland, and within a technologically advanced tower. You'll use the full-grown adventurer in addition to the 16-year-old introduced in The Last Revelation as you advance through the game. Levels highlight certain aspects of the Tomb Raider series.

Rather than blasting enemy forces, the use of deception and puzzle solving is required on the Irish levels. Whereas the Rome levels are built upon exploration, the German U-Boat is crawling with baddies. Receiving instruction from a faithful companion named ZIP, the tower levels require stealth tactics and strategy.

Stealth is one of the many new features in Tomb Raider: Chronicles. Unlike previous titles in the series, enemies react to both sound and sight; in certain missions, for example, you'll want to be as quiet as possible. Lara is also given some new moves (tightropes, suspended bars) and commands with corresponding animations.

Our faithful heroine can search through top-secret file cabinets and desk drawers while looking for clues and key items. Speaking of which, this game offers an assortment of interactive items as well as an improved version of the item combine feature.

Lara also has access to new weapons including a sniper rifle and a grappling hook gun; all the weapons you loved in the previous Tomb Raider games are also intact. In addition to the aforementioned stealth tactics, the heroine can now engage in sneaky hand-to-hand combat. Here, she'll secretively incapacitate the desired enemy with chloroform or another substance/weapon.

Tomb Raider: Chronicles also features two new outfits including camouflage gear and a cat suit complete with matching headset. In addition to improved lighting effects and engine refinements, the game incorporates more full-motion video sequences than any previous title in the series. Finally, the developers have overhauled the line of sight, so Lara's weapons will not lock onto the target unless it is obviously visible.

The body of Lara Croft is missing -- will reminiscing about her past adventures unravel the unsolved mystery? Tomb Raider: Chronicles awaits!

Tomb Raider: Chronicles (Sega Dreamcast, 2000)