A row has erupted around reviews of the new Lara Croft video game, Tomb Raider: Underworld, after some journalists claimed they had been asked not to post reviews that gave the game a low score.

The situation first came to light on the microblogging service Twitter, after one reviewer said he had been asked by the PR company representing Eidos, the game's publisher, to hold off posting a review of the title if he gave it a mark of less than 8 out of 10.

Several other games websites picked up on the story, although the PR company at the centre of the row has denied trying to influence reviews.
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Negative Gamer writes:

"Over the past few days there have been numerous articles on various sites about Eidos' apparent underhanded tactics regarding Tomb Raider reviews."
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Eidos responds to the allegation that they are telling reviews to hold off on posting reviews that score less than 8.0 out of 10.
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Eidos UK PR firm Barrington Harvey has confirmed that British sites are being asked not to post Tomb Raider: Underworld reviews with scores lower than 80 percent until Monday.

The game releases today for 360 and PS3.

Gamespot UK journalist Guy Cocker revealed the tactic in a Twitter post on Wednesday that said: "call from Eidos–if you're planning on reviewing Tomb Raider Underworld at less than an 8.0, we need you to hold your review till Monday."

More through the link.
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Console Monster writes: "Compared to yesterday's Xbox Live Marketplace update todays seems to be a little bit on the short side. Here is the full Xbox Live Marketplace update for Thursday 20th November 2008:

Name: Guitar Hero World Tour Raconteurs Track Pack
Price: 440 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions

Name: GHWT Raconteurs Solute Your Solutions Single
Price: 160 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions

Name: GHWT Raconteurs Hold Up Single
Price: 160 Microsoft Points
Availability: All Xbox Live Regions..."
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Everyone's favorite acrobatic archaeologist is back this week with the release of Tomb Raider: Underworld.

And while you may be familiar with Ms. Croft's past titles, Crystal Dynamics' Eric Lindstrom, the creative director of the game, gave MTV Multiplayer some new things to try when adventuring in Underworld.
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dailygamesnews.com - Eidos has announced they have shipped Tomb Raider: Underworld ready for release in UK stores this Friday.
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Eidos Interactive Ltd.today announced that Tomb Raider: Underworld has shipped to retailers for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows, PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Wii and Nintendo DS.
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Two chapters are coming, one by year's end, the second with a new playable character.
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The Gathering is an annual event organised by the Xbox 360 community team. It gives the most dedicated Xbox 360 fansites from across Europe the chance to meet up, chat with developers and play some games that won't be out for ages yet.
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Eidos Interactive, creator of some of the world's leading video game properties, today confirms that the new official Tomb Raider: Underworld website has just gone live. Created entirely from in-game footage, the interactive site showcases some of the epic locations found in Tomb Raider: Underworld and takes players on a journey to the depths of the Kraken Room in the Mediterranean, on the muddy bike trails in Chiapas, Mexico and deep into the hostile jungles of Thailand.

Every section of the site is playable and...
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Aeropause writer Jeremy Yerby looks at the best titles coming out for the Xbox 360 in the month of November. Some of the hightlights include Gears of War 2 and Mirror's Edge.
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NextGen Player writes:

"I received a note from Festival Arcadia today announcing that at the premiere gaming event they will be hosting a Virtually Fashionable runway show featuring the star of the upcoming Eidos Tomb Raider: Underworld game - Lara Croft.

According to the press release, the fashion show will feature "ten of Quebec's best-known fashion designers are creating costumes for famed videogame icon Lara Croft. Two of these outfits will be incorporated into Lara's official wardrobe as downloadable content for Tomb Raider: Underworld post launch."
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Sony Computer Entertainment UK managing director Ray Maguire has told VideoGamer.com that "nothing is ever exclusive" in response to questions surrounding exclusive DLC on Microsoft's Xbox 360.
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Is now available on the Xbox Live MarketPlace, the demo of the new game Lara Croft, Tomb Raider: Underworld
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Xboxist.com writes:

"The Thailand section featured in the demo includes a nice mix of swimming, climbing, animal extermination and puzzle solving, giving gamers a taste of what they can expect from the final retail version of the game, which ships on November 18th."
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There is still "no final answer" on the chances of a PS3 demo for Tomb Raider: Underworld, developer Crystal Dynamics has revealed.
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From PS3 Attitude: "Since lists appear to be all the rage recently, I would like to put in my two cents about Tomb Raider Underworld."

Excerpts:

"When I see a trailer for Tomb Raider's story and I hear the word epic being blasted in rapid fire (3 times in 37 seconds) I listen. I listen loud and clear. This story is going to suck. Epically. Enough with the hype and the marketing jargon. If the game is any good we will do that for you. Perhaps they are in (epic) damage control already. If they realized that this latest (epic) game has really nothing (epic) to bring to the table, at least they can hype the (epic) crap out of it.

Epic."

"Another "revolutionary" enhancement is the ability to shoot while grabbing on to a pillar, ledge or balance beam. Thank god for the power of the PS3 to finally pull that one off."
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Tomb Raider: Underworld developer Crystal Dynamics has revealed the truth behind the controversial Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable content deal that has left PS3 and PC gamers out in the cold.
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Gamasutra: "Middleware developer BabelFlux says Crystal Dynamics has licensed its NavPower AI middleware package for upcoming title Tomb Raider: Underworld.

NavPower is a 3D AI motion planning tool featuring NavGraph auto-generation process, character steering, full 3D dynamic multi-core processing, streaming, and integrated visual debugging."
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