Even though some of it is copied off of other games, Legend redeems the series with superb presentation and platforming.
The platforming is much better than the inconsistent shooting. Somewhat resembling the Prince of Persia series, Lara can swing on ropes, climb on platforms, shimmy sideways, hang on ledges, and dodge traps. The major new feature that Legend has is the "magnetic grappling hook" which lets you pull levers, cranes, and other iron devices from far away that can assist you in your journey. The camera is a bit of an issue, but most of the time it holds it can support itself and won't get in your way. To break up the action, Edios has thrown in some interactive cutscenes like the ones in Resident Evil 4, that keep you on your toes, but seem too easy. The motorcycle segments are the most frusterating parts of Legend; they feel like that they are driving on ice and the controls are too sensitive.
Tomb Raider: Legend looks and sounds great. Light flows through windows and rafters and illuminates the level in an eerie effect. The levels feel a bit recycled at times, but they all look very detailed and are filled with vibrant colors. The enemy types are repetitive, but the A.I. is impressive for a third person action game. The framerate is very steady and consistent except for some of the action sequences, but it never really makes the game unplayable. The sound effects sound exaggerated, but are a joy to listen to and are very varied. Even the voice acting isn't as corny as previous Tomb Raider games, Lara's accent and all.
Legend's big Achilles' Heel is its value, The whole game from start to end including cut secenes is 7 hours long, give or take an hour. There is no replay value whatsoever; no collectible tokens, high scores, time trials, or unlockable cheat codes. In addition, all 100% of Tomb Raider: Legend is single-player. A multiplayer online deathmatch would not have been a welcome fit, but a cooperative mode could have been a joy to play, especially if it had some unique levels that required teamwork to finish.
No matter how you look at it, Angel of Darkness sucked. It had so much going fo it, a good license, many fans, good graphics, and a sexy star. Legend makes it easy to forget that Angel of Darkness ever existed. It has phenominal platforming, decent shooting, an outstanding presentation, and revitalizes the series, even some parts are copied off of other games. Legend's only real downfall is its length, but no matter how short it may be, Legens is still a thrill ride from start to finish.