Set mostly in Southern Mexico around Chiapas, Lara Croft sets off to uncover the lost Mayan underworld of Xibalba through use of portals located on our world. The Mayan legend holds that their 300-day calendar year included five extra missing days, days in which, according to legend, the portals opened. It's Lara's task to open the portal once again.

In Underworld, not only will Lara Croft and the environment she explores look much better due to a new graphics engine, but gameplay itself is being revamped. Interaction with the environment is of special note. If Lara's knees become muddy from crouching the rain will soon wash it away. Lara will also push through foliage with her hands or leave footprints in the ground, she will also be able to destroy parts of the enviroment, and the people and animals she kills will remain where they died.

Other additions to this Tomb Raider installment include a new melee combat system and the ability to pick up objects even if they aren't integral to progress in the game.

Underworld is set for release in Q4 2008 by developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Eidos Interactive. It will be available for PS2, PS3, PC, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS. A demo for Xbox Live Marketplace came out on October 28, 2008 at 1.3 GB along a PC release of this demo days later. The Xbox 360 version will feature 6 hours of exclusive content in the form of two single-player chapters titled Beneath the Ashes and Lara's Shadow. The first being released on XBL this holiday, and Lara's Shadow being avaliable in early 2009. There is no news whether this DLC will be available for other systems.

The game will feature a lot of swimming parts.

Gameplay

Tomb Raider: Underworld will be a different experince with the most other Lara Croft games because it is more opened ended. For a start some of the ruins and temples you visit are outside giving you the chance to explore more and giving the game a less linear feel. As in most Tomb Raider games, "Underworld" will have secrets and things to collect, so you are going to have to play the game more then once going through multiple paths to find everyhing.

In terms of action the shooting has been revamped, so that Lara can shoot at two enemies at one time when using her famous pistols.