US gaming magazine Play has hinted at the treats in store for Lara Croft fans when Tomb Raider Underworld arrives on the shelves next year.

The new game, developed by Crystal Dynamics, is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2008 and will be available for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

The adventure takes place after the events of Tomb Raider Legend. " The emphasis is on bringing Lara's world to life - a lush, vast interactive world that reacts and remembers," says the article.

Play describes Lara Croft as "pure woman versus wild" with "more natural fluidity to her movements" thanks to Crystal Dynamics' use of a hybrid lighting model that combines dynamic lights and light maps.

Other technical triumphs include footprints in the mud that are subsequently washed away by the rain.