Eidos and Core are apparently not familiar with the saying "never keep a lady waiting." For the third time, Tomb Raider - Angel of Darkness, has been delayed.
The game was originally scheduled for a November 2002 release, it was initially delayed for February of the next year and then further set back to April 2003. The slip in the release was not really announced but the release date featured in the Core-Design website was just modified to mention a Q4,(April) 2003 release.
The delays have brought forward questions about the game's development and of the possibility of the game looking outdated before it is even released. What has already been shown of the game has not been very impressive. A year ago at E3 2002, Eidos presented a Tech Demo of the game, three months later a playable version was presented at a PS2 exhibition and met with negative criticism. Following those disappointments, it was announced that Core were re-building the control system from scratch.
It is understandable that a successful franchise such as Tomb Raider deserves all the attention it can get from its developers and that it would be a tragic mistake to release the game before its ready but getting the release date right is just as big a part of the development process as is everything else and in that sense Eidos have really let every fan of the game down.
If suggestions that the game has been overtaken, graphically, by developments turn out to be true it could mark the end of an era for the illustrious Ms Croft.
