REVIEW – Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action, adventure, platform video game. Published by Square Enix. Tomb Raider is the fifth title developed by Crystal Dynamics in the Tomb Raider franchise. Instead of a sequel, the company decided to revamp the series, and make this into a prequel to explain the origins of one of gaming’s most badass female heroes, Lara Croft. Tomb Raider was released on March 2013 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. In all honesty, at first I wasn’t sure to how to feel about this game. I was worried that they were going to change her character too much, and make her unrelatable to the Lara we all know and love… This was not the case. What we got was an incredible game, filled with action, some of the best platforming mechanics in recent memory, and a look into the history of Lara Croft.
Our story begins as Lara along with a team of explorers travel to find Yamatai, an island in the Dragon’s Triangle off the coast of Japan; however a huge storm hits their ship, destroying it, and leaving them stranded on an island. Now separated from her crewmates Lara must survive on her own, however she soon realizes that they are not the only ones on this island. And the game escalates to Lara either having to kill, or be killed. Now Lara uses her skills, and survival instincts to live, save her crewmates, and get off of this island.
When it comes to gameplay, it is what you can expect from action titles, however one thing that sets Tomb Raider apart from other games is the fact that every tool in Lara’s arsenal is needed, whether it is using your bow to take out targets from afar, or using it to secure a rope to get across an expansive area. Or using your pick axe to climbs rock walls. By setting up at base camp, you can learn new skills, and upgrade weapons, and perks, all while hearing Lara’s logs about her current situations. Combat can happen at the drop of a dime, and combat is fluid enough that games of this generation will appreciate while also appealing to longtime fans of the series. Allowing you to switch between guns and the bow are one of my favorites. Not to mention stealth kills are always a nice touch.
The game from a visual stand point is absolutely beautiful. Trees are tall, water is crystal clear, and mountains and hills are life-like. Character animations and feature all vary, and no two characters look alike, which is a nice touch, and shows attention to detail. I was happy to see traditional Tomb Raider platforming is still intact, and brought to the modern age. Climbing in this game feels, & looks very life like, and navigating tombs and cliffs gives off the same sensation. The sound of this game fits the tone of this game perfectly. It can be very quiet as you traverse jungle areas, while undiscovered, and hearing the sound of wildlife at night is very nice. And as fights happen the music picks up to fit the action tone, and adventurous music plays as you climb mountains, and travel along dangerous areas. Multiplayer for the game is not bad, however it felt kind of tacked on which can be expected whenever multiplayer is implemented in single player games.
Tomb Raider is a fantastic game, and it will capture you, and make you care about these characters, and the experience will capture you. Tomb Raider is a must play for all gamers out there, despite the multiplayer, I give this game a 4 out of 5
