Latest Lara Croft has gamers agog

Eidos will release the highly anticipated latest edition of its Tomb Raider series in the US today.

In Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness for the PlayStation 2 console, the gaming world's most famous heroine, Lara Croft, returns to PC screens with "a new edge to her personality".

The game's developer revealed in a statement that Lara "returns as both hunter and hunted relying on her ingenuity, athleticism and a new edge to her personality".

The game also introduces a new playable character, Kurtis Trent, who works alongside Lara to help clear her name from a murder suspicion and clean up a desperate situation.

"Players must traverse an intricately detailed world, taking them from the back streets of Paris to the depths of Prague," said the company.

The launch will be accompanied by a blaze of publicity centring on the game and forthcoming release of the Paramount Pictures Tomb Raider film sequel The Cradle of Life, scheduled for US release on 25 July.

The latest Lara Croft adventure will hit the shelves in the US today, but dates for the UK release have not yet been confirmed.

According to Eidos, Tomb Raider is the most popular computer and console video game series of all time, with more than 28 million units sold worldwide.