Tomb Raider Underworld launched late last year and since then has received some additional costumes for the intrepid adventurer Lara Croft. However, up until a few a days ago there was no additional content that was promised exclusive to the Xbox 360. Beneath the Ashes is the first of two mission based downloadable episodes and features Lara searching the basement of her Mansion to uncover more clues and information regarding the strange happenings in the main game. Essentially the extra mission can be played independently of the main story as an exercise in merely hunting for treasures, fighting enemies and navigating the terrain.

Gameplay:

Rather than describe the naunces of the gameplay, which if you've purchased the full game, you'll be well aware of by now. If not, then by all means take a look at our review by clicking here. Having spent a considerable time with Beneath The Ashes or BTA as it will now be refered to as, I can safely say that the level design itself is very solid and perfect fodder for beginners and well-versed tomb raiding adventurers. There's one large puzzle which spans across several areas, and then a couple of smaller puzzles to keep the grey matter well exercised. Some sporadic moments of combat with spiders, bats and a new thrall enemy type help break up the solitary nature of the level.

You'll find lots of opportunity to use the grapple hook, and this has been cleverly interwoven into some of the puzzles. However, for the record, I will state that the puzzle solving is not neccessarily as taxing as you might expect. It's all very intriguing and keeps you entertained, but once mastered, its simplicity becomes even more apparent. BTA manages to provide enough of everything in it's 2 hour+ adventure, and if you're a sucker for getting everything that's on offer, then you could potentially play the game again for kicks and for the treasures you missed. However, I will warn that starting a fresh game resets everything you've found, and the game does not auto save for you. So, if you're after treasures in one play-through, be sure to hit the save often.

Graphics:

BTA looks just as good as the main game, but offers a more darker confined experience. There's no lush undergrowth as the cold cobweb filled walls echo a dark and moody undertone. This certainly is a nod to the classic levels of series and also a perfect excuse to show off the game's impressive lighting and shadow effects - which were perhaps not so apparent in the main game. Sadly Lara still has some inconsistent actions, but these seemed far less than in the main game. I will assume that the title update has played a part in this.

Lara is looking just as good as you would expect, but the inclusion of six new outfits, (of which four of them are bikinis) present Lara in a new light. She's bearing a lot more cleavage and skin which not only is pleasing on the eye, but a more rounded excuse for showing off the game's impressive dirt and sweat model. The additional costumes are interesting in their own right, and can be used throughout the main game as well, so that's definitely a plus point.

Audio:

The sound felt a little underwhelming, as there was little if any music at all, and with the main game offering some impressive orchestral pieces, BTA seemed very empty in this regard. Perhaps this was deliberate, but it just felt somewhat devoid of personality for the eardrums. There's little speech as well, bar some minor scene setting at the start, some radio chatter, and the ending scene.

Longevity:

I've spent the good part of 5 hours playing BTA and maybe a little longer having been distracted, and playing through three times. I think the game length is very much subjective, because what is easy for one person, might be a little more tricky for the next. I would hazard a guess that for the average player you could expect around 3 hours if you're hunting for all the treasures and relics in the one play-through. For the record, I did complete the game in around 30 minutes ignoring all the treasures and with the knowledge of what I needed to do. For me, this highlighted a major lack of ambition for Crystal Dynamics because, doing speed runs has been part of the series, and so its omission in both the main game and BTA feels somewhat like shooting itself in the foot. BTA would have benefited greatly from having a time trial mode and possible leaderboards, so people could try and out do each other by playing in the most precise of ways. Sadly, once you've truly exhausted what's on offer for your 800 points, you'll be hard pushed to return and play again.

Overall:

In closing, Beneath the Ashes is a commendable slice of Tomb Raider adventuring, but still feels like it was part of the main game, that was either left on the cutting room floor, or withheld for the purpose of exclusive content. Whatever the case, as it stands, if you're a fan of Tomb Raider and are looking to boost what's on the disc, then you'll find much enjoyment from BTA. It's certainly worth the price of entry. If you're struggling with the main game and the lure of a bikini clad main protagonist doesn't appeal, then perhaps BTA is not going to be such a priority for you. The only thing that really hurts downloadable content of this nature, is the replay value. Unlike multiplayer maps which offer plenty, once you're done with BTA, then it is rather final. So you have to bear this in mind whether you feel 800 points is worth the few hours entertainment you receive in return. I'm going to say yes it is, but then again, I'm a sucker for heaving bikinis and sassy leading ladies.