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If it's Christmas then it's time for Lara to put in an appearance - and lo and behold, here she waddles, rising like lazarus from the pyramidal rubble, done up to the nines in latex and Lycra with a few new gymnastic moves and a precious artefact or two to dig up... Guess we'd better get ready for another Yuletide spent switch pulling puzzle solving and endangered species shooting. Except, by complete surprise, Tomb Raider: Chronicles is actually far from the seasonal cash in that we expected. As it turns out, it's a genuinely exciting game, well worth shelling out your pre-Christmas moollah and depriving great Aunty Lil of her annual crate of Just Brazils.

Rather than opt for the full scale dirt digging pseudo-occult adventure, Chronicles is a collection of four adventures set prior to her 'death' in The Last Revelation, showing off the best that videogaming's favourite female icon has to offer.

Kicking off the proceedings is a temple-raiding run around Rome, in which our Lara shows off her new tightrope-walking skills (superbly animated, by the way) then bumps into old cronies Larson and Pierre before doing battle with a laser-shooting God stuck inside a Roman helmet. Yes, really...

From the opening sequences, you can see where Core's taken the series. The unwieldy levels of the last two Tomb Raiders have been shrunk down into something more like the original game. So while it makes the adventure shorter (but only slightly) it also means the gameplay's tightened up, and you actually have a much better idea of what you're supposed to be up to.

This applies throughout the levels, and is the crux of what makes Tomb Raider: Chronicles the best of the series. Whether it's the trawl round the bowels of a Russian sub or a romp across a craggy Irish rock as a sweet sixteen year old, the game never fails to hold your attention. The final level, in which Lara sneaks round the HQ of Tomb Raider 4 foe (and man responsible for her 'death') Von Croy is probably the best Tomb Raider level ever. Think of Metal Gear Solid meets The Matrix, with a rubber suited Lara sneaking around chloroforming laser-wielding enemies and you'll get the picture. Tension and action in perfect game balance.

This is the last of Lara for PSone. Next year it'll be Tomb Raider: Next Gen, but in the meantime enjoy Tomb Raider: Chronicles - Core's done it again. And, of course, she isn't actually dead...

Graphics 90%
Rome's temples glisten beautifully.

Sound 100%
She grunts and, yes, she groans.

Gameplay 99%
Refined above and beyond all others.

Lifespan 90%
Secrets add to the replayability.

Overall 100%
It's tricky to keep ideas fresh after five outings, but new development blood has kept Tomb Raider at the top.