Meet Lara's new nemesis

With just over a month to go until Lara's latest adventure hits the shops, more details of Tomb Raider: Legend have been revealed - including news that she's set to face off with a mysterious figure from her past.

According to IGN, Legend will introduce us to Amanda Evert, a social anthropologist and old friend of Lara's. After studying all manner of crazy old belief systems, she came to the conclusion that spiritual enlightenment was possible by bringing together various strands of ancient religions.

Lara didn't think much of this theory, but that didn't stop the two of them from becoming mates, or from going on an expedition to Peru together with a load of graduate students. Whilst exploring a tomb which Lara believed was occupied by the last queen of Tiwanaku, or something, they accidentally awoke an evil entity which slaughtered the entire party - except for Lara and Amanda.

The two of them made a run for it, but Amanda set off another trap which closed off the room. The roof caved in and Amanda drowned, leaving only Lara to tell the tale - and to have loads of flashbacks about it in TR: Legend.

But wouldn't you know it, turns out Amanda didn't die after all, and now she's on the same archaeological trail as Lara. Amanda will stop at nothing to get what she wants - even if that means killing off her old chum. Well, trying to, anyway.

You can see more of Amanda over on Eurogamer TV - there are also some new screenshots, too.

It's also been revealed that it's not just Lara's physical appearance which has changed in recent years - she's also had a bit of a personality overhaul. Speaking to MTV, producer Morgan Gray said you can expect less wisecracking and a more sensitive attitude towards local wildlife. Although Lara will still kill off animals, she'll express regret when she does so, "Saying things like, 'That was too bad.'"

Apparently Lara is "Very cosmopolitan and elitist about the world views her and how she views the world," and will be "Posh and chic, but not overly so; she won't wear a baseball cap when she's dressed casually," for example.

Which can only be good news as far as we're concerned. Now all we have to do is wait and see whether Lara's new adventure can claw back some of the credibility lost with Angel of Darkness which, Gray conceded, wasn't helped by the fact that the design team "lost passion for their own game."

Tomb Raider: Legend is out on PC, PS2 and Xbox on April 11th, with PSP and Xbox 360 versions to follow soon after.