eXPERIAnce the Fun: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

   Lara Croft is a legend. And now that legend has made her way to Playstation Certified phones with Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. The app has been said to be almost an exact port of the original. This time, she is in a game without "Tomb Raider" in it's title. It's the first game from developers Crystal Dynamics to be a downloadable only title. Take on Xolotl, the God of Darkness, and stop his evil plans and save the world. The publisher is Eidos Interactive. The app has received positive reviews from gaming sites, even without Angelina Jolie in it. It's exclusive (sort of) to the Xperia lineup of  smartphones that include the Xperia S, Xperia ion and Xperia Play for $1.29.

A few things to be aware of:

-fixed 3D camera angle. 

-According to two user reviews, IT DOESN'T SUPPORT TRANSFER TO SD CARD, this can be a big problem for the Xperia Play, one of the 3 supported Android devices.

-the app versions have 10 levels of the 14 levels in the full version. 

-it is common for people to have issues with with the videos (cutscences). A method that might help remedy this bug is to try what this person did.  

Stefickk - August 1, 2012 - SEMC Xperia Play with version 1.2.284922

Great Game!! [by the way, problem I solved the problem with video in this way: - fully uninstall the game; - restart the phone; - download again the game; - restart the phone before launching the game. Many thanks to support!!]

                                                     -Source:Google Play review

Can I still play the game if I don't have one of those specific  phones? If so, how?

-Owners of other smartphones can bypass this lockout by using Onlive and purchasing it for different prices. This is probably not the ported version.

    *$3.99 for 3 days

    *$6.99 for 5 days

    *$14.99 for Full (unlimited play?)

 You'll need fast wifi to play it with Onlive though.

And by purchasing the game from Steam for $14.99.

If you find yourself wanting more after completing the game, There are downloadable contents for both games for additional costs. (at least for the nonported versions) I haven't seen any signs of the Ported App versions having any DLC.

DLC's for the console versions and PC versions of Lara Croft GoL are:

-Raziel and Kain Character Pack      (from Crystal Dynasty's other game Legacy of Kain)

-Challenge Pack 1: All the Trappings      (4 new maps)

-Challenge Pack 2: Things That Go Boom      (4 new maps) (not available for XBox360)

-Challenge Pack 3: A Hazardous Reunion       (4 new maps)

-  iOS can already get the application from the App Store for $2.99. It's been available there since December 2010!!! in this version you can. In Multi-player mode Play as Lara Croft, or the Guardian of the mirror, Totec. I'm not sure if the Android version has coop play(but I believe there would be complaints if it didn't). The original version received online two player mode. iPhones could play with iPads by using wifi and bluetooth for co-op.

All the listed prices are just as of right now (8/22/12) and I don't know if they are on sale or not.

The game isn't new. The actual nonported version of the game came out in August(Xbox Live Arcade) and September (Playstation Network) of 2010. So those are other ways you can get a hold of the game if you own those consoles. However, the Lara Croft game is fresh to Android. So although the game isn't exclusive to those Xperia devices, owners of those mobile phones get the perk of having it for the cheapest price. Wikipedia doesn't even have the game as being available on Android yet.

I have to admit, iphone's App Store have way better screenshots besides the big title headline image on top.

The pics are a lot more informative of how the gameplay in action looks.

Even interaction is shown.

And how the store system or menu looks like.

On Google Play the developer and distributor is Square Enix Ltd , more popular for it's RPG franchises like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts. Most of these exclusive apps are only exclusive for a while, however there is no indication if it will expire like the more commonly seen 30 day thing. Oh well, whichever gaming console or OS you have, Enjoy.