That a game would encourage players to “explore everything” only to reward them with a game-ending bug for doing so is a cruel brand of irony.

I don’t like irony. And I don’t like bugs in retail versions of games.

Yet there it is, written elegantly on the back of the box to incite our common inner-itch for spelunking with beautiful women: “explore everything.”

What isn’t written is more important. Perhaps a smaller runic font beneath could have clarified “at your own peril,” or maybe “to make the completion of this game a feat comparable to conjuring the Titanic.”

The bug is a direct result of your actions upon arrival at coastal Thailand. Begin the climb into the ruins immediately, and the glitch won’t happen. Swim into a nearby tunnel before climbing, however, and a lever allowing escape from the stage at its end will inexplicably vanish.

You’ll look for it. It won’t be there. “Explore everything,” indeed.

As is perhaps clear by now, I fell victim to this decisive bug during my first attempt at Tomb Raider: Underworld, the latest adventure of Lara Croft, a well-endowed - in more ways than one - British archaeologist with a penchant for, as her franchise suggests, raiding ancient tombs.

The glitch itself is frustrating enough, but that it precipitates the abrupt ruination of an otherwise enjoyable Wii game is perhaps worse. Thankfully, it can be avoided with prior knowledge and even fixed -- publisher Eidos has released a patch for players who don’t feel like starting over. 

Despite this hassle and inexcusable oversight by Eidos and developer Crystal Dynamics, however, there is plenty to like about Underworld. 

Most importantly, the game keeps the fundamentals of a solid Tomb Raider experience in tact. Acrobatic platforming and puzzle solving, hallmarks of the long-running series, are as enjoyable as ever in Underworld, and swinging across perilous chasms is still hold-your-breath fun.

Lara Croft still looks good, too.

It would seem impossible to render gaming’s most famous brunette bombshell otherwise, but Crystal Dynamics deserves commendation. Underworld is a relatively beautiful game, and the show-stoppers are its environments, which are often downright stunning ... for a Wii game.

That said, there are some technical graphics issues, and some places look significantly less appealing than others. But this is a Wii game; that Underworld doesn’t look like mud thrown at the television screen is testament enough to its much-appreciated graphical competence.

But good looks and controls are apparently hidden in different tombs.

Crystal Dynamics attempted to make the Wii version unique, adding exclusive features including new Wii puzzles, tools and pointer-based combat. The thought is nice, but the execution is severely lacking. The puzzles are painfully simple, and the tools are mostly pointless additions.

As for the combat...be happy your guns aren’t used often. The IR is wonky, and the entire system feels clunky and unintuitive.

The most significant problem with the Wii version is control, or more specifically, a lack thereof. For a game in which you’re leaping over canyons and climbing cliffsides, the controls ought to be tight. You should be able to stop on a dime and perform your moves flawlessly.

Only you can’t. Don’t expect to control Lara as precisely as you do Mario or Link. Underworld’s controls are adequate at best, sloppily implemented and often the hand that crafts your plummeting demise.

Poor controls are amplified by a shockingly inept camera. It tries to follow Lara, or so the game claims; I can’t imagine something trying to do anything with such dramatically poor results. The camera can also be moved manually, as if struggling to control Lara weren’t struggle enough. The Wii’s strength is smooth control. Tomb Raider offers the opposite, and I wonder how such an opportunity could’ve been missed.

I was excited as I pulled up to Lara’s mansion for our first date in years, and the mere sight of her advanced my anticipation; she looked better than ever. But as the date wore on, it was clear something was wrong. Maybe it was me. Maybe I expected too much. Maybe I created an unreachable mental standard, a Utopian ideal for Underworld.

Or perhaps it was her creators. Underworld shows Tomb Raider still has something relevant and fun to offer gamers, but a disappointing lack of development polish has relegated the enjoyability it has to offer.

It’s not you, Lara. It’s them.

Gameplay: 6.5
Raiding and spelunking is challenging enough without bad controls. Lara’s latest would be probably be a must-play if it controlled better.

Graphics: 8.0
Despite some occasional letdowns, Underworld consistently impresses visually and often prompts, “This looks very good...for a Wii game.”

Sound: 7.5
One of Lara’s best assets in Underworld is her musical score; epic and sweeping, it creates distinct mood and tension for each situation.

Difficulty: Medium
Most of the platforming is straight-forward, the combat is mind-numbingly simple and the puzzles are self-explanatory. Not too difficult.

Concept: 6.5
Underworld positions itself as a dramatic finale, providing closure to Lara’s epic new trilogy. Lofty ambition fueled development of this unique Wii version, yet strangely, the development effort seems half-hearted.

Overall: 7.0
Underworld shows Tomb Raider still has something relevant and fun to offer gamers, but a lack of polish has diminished its enjoyability.