Tomb Raider

Blog Post: Tomb Raider - Video Review

Craigaleg — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:32:00 GMT

Score: 9.0 / 10

Tomb Raider

PC - Xbox 360 - PS3

Developer: Crystal Dynamics

Publisher: Square Enix

Release Date: March 5th, 2013

[View:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzvCwqjTuHE]

Pros:

Beautifully detailed environments and landscapes
Continual action that keeps you guessing
Dynamic camera adds excitement to the exploration
Simple, satisfying cover shooting

Cons:

Hidden tombs are short and too easy to solve
Button prompts for QTEs take time to adapt to
Skill tree loses potential to customize Lara to a preferred play style

Lara Croft has always been the seasoned adventurer that looks danger in the face with two pistols at the ready. She was always confident, headstrong, and fearless; but in the latest reboot from Crystal Dynamics, this prequel shows a younger, less adept Lara. The unsteady hand when she first raises a weapon, the heavy breathing as she sneaks past guards, and the utter fear in her eyes as she narrowly escapes danger time and time again show a more human side to the classic hero we all know. Through it all, the game never paints her as a damsel in distress, but rather showcases the building of one of gaming's most iconic heroines.

One of these boats is bound to have a Band-Aid

Lara's struggle to survive the island is nothing easy, and there are subtleties to the game that really add the appropriate tension. Lara grabbing her side in pain and bracing against the wall as a player moves close to it, quieting herself when guards approach whilst cuing the player that an opportunity for stealth is ahead, or the sporadic breathing when moving carefully across a rusted ledge all bring that extra sense of peril. It is this attention to detail that not only makes Lara more sympathetic, but amplifies the overall thrilling atmosphere.

This attention to detail is not only applied to the mood, but assists in crafting a visual marvel. There is more than one instance where the game will let you look out over a cliff to your destination, and oftentimes I would forget that I could control my character with the misinterpretation that I was in a cut scene. Textures are finely detailed, and the lighting's play with shadows brings memorable moments in cave exploration where your only source of vision is the torch at your side. It is the blockbuster set pieces that bring everything together. Climbing a burning skyscraper while being fired upon by the enemy as debris and bullets fly past your head, all while backed by a fully original and very fitting soundtrack is a common occurrence that gets your heart pumping and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

How did they find a helicopter?

The campaign is an evolving adventure that plays on the unexpected. Alternating between cover shooting gunplay, scripted set pieces, and seamless platforming you never know what could be around the corner. A firefight could erupt and before you can finish everyone off, you find the platform you are on will shake and tip sideways turning into a timed platforming climb. There are consecutive upgrades and new enemy types also thrown your way, which keeps you trying new tactics and new gear in both terrain traversal and shootouts. The minor inconveniences of the campaign were the quick time events, in which the timing and display take a few attempts to adapt to. The unfortunate result of failing these is a surprisingly gruesome death sequence. I found myself striving to never miss a QTE due to this facet, as watching Lara thrash and and convulse is like transitioning from an action movie to a horror film.

The collector at heart will find that despite a linear path, Tomb Raider does not feel like a closed off string of rooms. Exploration of each area reveals plenty of collectibles, optional challenges, and even hidden tombs; assisted by the helpful "hunter vision" that highlights enemies in addition to objects of interest. These tombs offer a challenge room usually involving a physics puzzle to progress. Sadly these puzzles are fairly straight forward with only a few that actually take time to solve, and for being labeled a tomb they are awfully small. Regardless of your optional task, you are rewarded with scrap metal that can be used to upgrade weapons and unlock new secondary firing modes for most weapons. There is also a leveling system to specialize in certain skill trees, but you tend to fill out all three branches by the close of the game, missing an opportunity for the game to offer players a chance to outfit Lara to their preferred method of approach.

I am channeling my inner Katniss

A competitive multiplayer is also available, featuring the expected four survivors vs four scavangers matchup. These includes deathmatch, king of the hill, and capture the flag inspired game modes. The interesting twist in each map is the ability to rig traps for your enemies, involving various rigs that can crush your opponents or set them on fire. Slight differences between the factions like the Scavengers ability to zip up rope lines will matter little as you swap after each round; giving even time with both allegiances. The mode comes complete with unlockable characters, weapon modifications, and player loadouts. It can be fun to play around with, but feels very cookie cutter to what you have seen before.

Crystal Dynamics took a risk in going back to the beginning, but it was a risk that paid off. Tomb Raider looks and feels like the adventure game its daring heroine deserves. I found myself asking what they could do to a top a particular sequence, only to turn the corner and find one just as thrilling. Lara's new voice and look is a perfect fit for this reboot, and the attention to detail in both gameplay and look give an incredible, seamless display. Daring shootouts, frantic scrambles across collapsing structures, and relentless foes push Lara in every chapter, and you find that as her resolve strengthens, so does your determination to see her through to the end.

Blog Post: Tomb Raider's Back, and She's Better Than Ever

codforlife — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:12:00 GMT

Tomb Raider has been rebooted, and the series has never been better. This is the best Tomb Raider game ever made, and Crystal Dynamics has proven that they know Tomb Raider.

The story is pretty good, and really is the poster girl for an origin story. It really shows where Lara came from and is very interesting, although after your first kill, fighting people all the time feels sort of forced, but I didn't mind as much because I'm a huge COD player. The graphics look amazing. It almost reminds me of the graphics of Dead Space, because they look alike, which isn't a bad thing, because Dead Space looks amazing too. The controls are great. They will come natural to anybody who's played Gears Of War. The guns and other equipment are interesting in the fact that they change as you upgrade them. At first, I had a crappy bow made of twigs. By the end, I had a competition bow that could do all these really cool things, like flaming arrows and rope arrows. The equipment is used throughout the game, which many games with many puzzles can't say. The rope arrow was early on, but it was still tied into puzzles throughout the whole game. Combat can get pretty wild, with at least 5 natives charging you at a time, though you never feel outnumbered, because Lara Croft can beat 10 baddies easily, showing how well the game controls. The ending went a lot different than I imagined. I won't say anything, but the happy ending thing is usually played out too much, except for in this game, where it makes sense.

There is a multiplayer component, and while it works like it's supposed to and can be quite fun from time to time, it doesn't compare to COD or Gears Of War. It isn't broken, but I don't see anybody being on it by this point, so good luck testing it out for yourself.

This is a great game, and proves that women are just as relevant as men in the gaming world. This is easily reccomended to puzzle lovers, shooter fans, or those looking to jump into the Tomb Raider world for the first time, because the story is definitely gonna be different than the originals.

Wiki: Tomb Raider Guides

Anonymous — Sun, 19 May 2013 08:17:00 GMT

Guides for Tomb Raider

Blog Post: Good, but not memorable

Lelita2992 — Sat, 18 May 2013 04:40:00 GMT

Beat Tomb Raider, and it was good. Though I honestly don't remember most of the game.

The characters weren't noteworthy enough for me to care about, they just seemed background noise. After playing the Uncharted series and those games being so amazing, I wasn't as blown away as perhaps I should've been by TR. The tombs weren't engaging enough, just a bunch of timing "puzzles". Instead of actual puzzle solving. It felt like the developers were holding back because they were afraid to make the tombs too challenging for newcomers. Introducing hunting in the game was a no brainer for someone trapped on an island with no readily food sources, but then never having to do it again after the tutorial (I'm looking at you AC3 also) was disappointing. I had hoped that Lara would've had to survive on the island i.e.; food, water, rest, first aid, etc. that we would've had to participate in otherwise her health or stamina or aiming or something suffered. Too many cut scenes where I would've enjoyed more interaction with; climbing the radio tower, dodging the Oni on the bridge, outrunning a crashing plane, etc. to feel more involved in the story and characters. Her impersonation of Frodo with the whole "SAM!" over and over again started to irritate me. We get it, you're worried about your friend because it's your fault we're in this situation in the first place, except for that fact that Sam is an idiot who trusts far too easily. Locked camera sections felt like I was taken away from the overall experience of the beauty and deadliness of the island. So many times I wanted to look around me as I walked along rope ladders, beams or in tunnels but being unable to do so. Lara's story arch seemed underdeveloped, she has one freak out over her first kill, but then has no problem turning into a one woman killing machine. I would've appreciated the entire game having moments of her reflecting or reacting to all the death and chaos she is dealing out, but the developers seemed to scared to explore what someone goes through having to kill and endure psychologically. Which leads to the story being pretty easy to figure out, there were no surprise twists or turns, I felt Lara was being pretty dense in not figuring it all out sooner. Finally, the ending was lack luster, they built it up to Lara perhaps having to do a truly character changing decision, "Hoshi faced a terrible choice. I feel as though I am following her path. But what choices will I be forced to make?", not a damn thing you had to do that made any sense to the buildup that's what. This could've resulted in any outcome but I feel the developers coped out, and I found it unsatisfactory (but that could be due to the fact that I had just beaten Bioshock Infinite just before it and that game blew my mind).

I know I sound like I'm ripping on TR but in all honesty I did enjoy it. The mods you could make to your weapons were cool, seriously taping a rocket launcher onto a shot gun? That's awesome. The combat was hectic and close knit, but that made it intense and real about surviving cannibalistic cult followers with the aiming being pretty damn spot on. Seeing a vulnerable, dirty, bloody, hurt character was a nice change of pace from the usual untouchable, unstoppable cold characters we're accustomed to. Glad to see that a female is leading the charge here ( I know ME series allowed you to play femshep but the intention of the game still felt that it was designed with a maleshep). Seeing Lara getting the job done, being a passionate, willful, smart and strong woman was a breath of fresh air from a male dominated industry. Seeing her struggle, to push past the pain and fear to ensure her survival to the point of unbelievable, but believing that whatever it takes the human body and mind to push past those insecurities and life and death situations to become a survivor.

Blog Post: Uncharted Better Watch Out

NumbKillinSkull — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:05:00 GMT

In 1996, Core Design wowed adventure seekers in their new game Tomb Raider. It soon lost its luster, however, after the very disappointing Underworld. Crystal Dynamics is starting all over. Giving you the opportunity to see Lara's first adventure, and how she grew to become the fearless explorer she is today. But does this game suffer from severe monotony like the past iterations? Or is there hope for the future? We'll soon find out...

Lara and her crew are shipwrecked on a mysterious island. Already inhabited by a dangerous group of people, Lara has to use all that she has to overcome her obstacles. But she later realizes that there is more going on in this island. Lara is likable. She pities the deer she had to kill for food. But during the game, she grows, and does whatever she has to do for herself, and her friends.

The island itself is beautiful. Looking at the island from a high vantage point is beholding to the eyes. It's not all just jungle, though. It opens up more as you progress through the game. Surprisingly, the game is fairly open. You're free to go wherever you please. You can fast travel to previous location if you want to explore that location more, or if you want to find some collectibles. But the game never forces you to go back to any location. There are optional tombs to explore as well. A lot of these tombs are fun to complete. They provide a little challenge in the form of puzzles. You're rewarded nicely after completing the tombs. There is a lot of set piece moments, too. These moments contain some of my favorite moments; they give Uncharted and Call of Duty a run for their money. Unfortunately, though, the game is plagued by boring quick-time-events that only requires you to press the "Y" button. I wish there is a little more variety in that area.

The enemies are fairly lackluster, too. You're going to mostly battle human survivors. The survivors will use their bow and arrows and machine guns to attack you. Some will rush in with melee weapons. The encounters are so predictable. They're fun if you use your bow, but if you use any other weapon, you're not going to get excited. The A.I. isn't stupid, though. They'll run behind cover if they need to. A few guys will also try to flank you if they have an opportunity.

Like I said previously, the bow is the best weapon you can use in the game. You can hold down the trigger for a charged shot, or you can just shoot them all out quickly. It's so satisfying to use! The other guns aren't as great, unfortunately. The machine gun's cross-hair expands far too much. This gives the game an unnecessary challenge. You always have to stop shooting after five shots, so you can line up your shot again. Conserving ammo is very necessary. The shotgun is very useful - especially when upgraded. At least you're able to carry all the weapons you achieve. Being able to pick up more than two weapons is always nice. The upgrades are definitely the best part. You can upgrade your bow - making it more deadly. There are other upgrades that give you more ammo after looting a dead survivor. Of course, you have worthless upgrades, too. One of those upgrades allowing you to hit people with your pickaxe. If I already have my pickaxe, why do I need to upgrade it to hit people?

The equipment in the game is also very cool. I get a nice Metroid aroma when I unlock new equipment. All the equipment you receive are necessary. There's not one thing you won't need to use or throw away. Climbing with your pickaxe feels very good. This is the first game I've played that made climbing fun. All of the equipment is fun to use.

The worst part about this game is its worthless multiplayer. Multiplayer was completely unnecessary. The game modes are very unoriginal Like the campaign, the gun combat is atrocious. The maps are completely unbalanced. There's always one spot someone is camping at. The best part about the multiplayer is being able to use traps. It's sad that a lot of the achievements in the game are for the multiplayer. If you want a more fun multiplayer game that's similar to this, but superior in every way, play Uncharted 2. I recommend completely avoiding Tomb Raider's multiplayer, and giving the campaign all of the focus and attention.

I recommend this game to all gamers. If you avoid its rather weak multiplayer, you'll have a good time! Crystal Dynamics did a wonderful job with this game.

Setting: Average
Characters: Average
Story: Thumbs Down
Weapons: Thumbs Up
Overall: 5/10

Wiki Page: How Not To Screw Up in Tomb Raider

Jack Minesinger — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 03:16:00 GMT

1. Expect the unexpected

Lara Croft is a crafty little one, and is determined to frustrate you as you move forward in this game. So the main point of this bullet is to make sure that you are always aware of your surroundings if you are on hard, or medium difficulty. Numerous times a quick time event would activate when I wasn't paying attention, or some wolf would blindside me out of nowhere as soon as I thought everything had calmed down. And the enemies, oh the enemies, they constantly flank you with heavy melee runners and shotgun runners that you couldn't possibly be ready for. So always keep on your toes and never relax, because I guarantee you, there is never a moment in this game where you feel like you are 100% in control of the combat.

2. Kill everyone, no matter what

For those who like the stealthy kind of playthrough of a game, will find this sort of disappointing. There are some points in the story that allow you to slip past enemies, but don't, because no matter what scenario you are in, a firefight will ensue, and those enemies that you left to live another day, will come up right behind you, and empty an entire clip into you before you can even turn around to return fire. So you can still be stealthy, you just have to make sure that you kill everyone along with that. For example, there's one small section of the game set in a nighttime forest, where you only need to kill a few enemies to reach the objective, leaving about two dozen alive. But when you get to the objective, you learn that three enemies are blocking the entrance. It is possible to silently eliminate them all with your bow if you're quick enough (which I was and you will likely be able to as well as long as you aim for the head and have Survivor's Instinct on), but there is and always is a fourth guard behind them that will always notice you, and alert every enemy on the map to your exact position the second that he sees you. And he will always see you. So my advice for that, and any other section like it, kill everyone, just make sure you do it quickly and quietly enough, if possible.

3. Upgrade Brawler

This is one of the categories that Lara can sink skill points into, and it is by far the most helpful. Due to the ridiculously overconfident AI, who charge you carrying deadly axes, Brawler is the category that will help you deal with these enemies. You start off with no melee attack, your only defense being whatever weapons you happen to have on you, which are not helpful when enemies get within melee range. Brawler will give you the ability to stun enemies, perform quicker stealth kills, melee attack (which you need more than anything else), the ability to strip the armor off of some the stronger enemies, and even instantly kill some of the weaker ones. It will quickly get you out of some of the hairier moments in the game, especially towards the end, when you can't break cover because of heavy machine gun fire, yet you've got several melee enemies charging you.

4. Upgrade two weapons primarily

I personally, upgraded the bow and the machine gun. The point of this advice is to make sure that you have something that far surpasses what the enemy has by the end. If you spread the upgrades around, you'll end up having nothing even close to going toe to toe with the enemy. And by the end of the game, if you are not even on at least the same level as the enemy, you will die, you will die a lot, and you will curse the day that you thought that evenly distributed your upgrades was a good idea.

5. Survivor's Instinct is your friend

When in combat, this will be one of the most helpful things that you can have. Survivor's Instinct highlights any hostiles that are in the area, and since many areas are often dark and crammed, many enemies will be hard to spot up to the point where they've killed you. Now Survivor's Instinct turns off the second that you move, so the best way to utilize it in combat would be to find an entrenched position, take cover, turn on SI, and quickly begin picking off enemies. This may be unavoidable in some scenarios as many enemies will throw dynamite or flank you, but it's all a matter of regathering your strength and finding a good position from which to hide in.

6. Look before you act

Before zip-lining or slipping into an area, look ahead if you can, just to see if enemies are there or not. If there are no enemies, they saw you, and are waiting to ambush you the moment that you land or step even two feet into their territory. If you can see enemies, they will either spot you right away, or will be completely oblivious to you until one of them spots you and alerts the others. So make sure you know what kind of situation you're getting yourself into before you throw yourself into it. I won't spoil anything, but there's one moment towards the end of the story where a massive army of enemies were all marching in neat little rows like Nazis, and I thought that they would all spot me within seconds, so I got to the highest point I could, and fired a hell-storm of grenades at them. Where upon a cutscene began, featuring me getting my face shot with a million arrows.

7. Learn the QTEs

Any combat oriented QTE is Y/Triangle, and the timing on them is annoying as ever. If you hit them before the selected time that you're supposed to when you're fighting a boss, you get knocked flat on your ass. If you hit them after the selected time that you're supposed to, you get knocked flat on your ass. Some QTEs are X/Square, where you tap repeatedly to escape something, like a wolf attack or a cultist murderer rape attack (just kidding, he only wanted to strangle her to death). And of course, the waggle of the left stick/controller for a different escape attempt. If you memorize these, you'll do fine, but trust me, even when you do one of the "fake" QTEs, where you are technically in full control, but if you go in the wrong direction or hesitate in any way, you will get murdered in a nasty way by nature. No matter what you do, these QTEs will kill you at some point, just try to master them by the end so that the final boss encounter and other final boss encounter aren't ruined.

8. Master the combat

As I mentioned before, there is almost never a moment where you feel like you are in control of the combat. Enemies will charge and flank you, suppress heavy fire, toss dynamite, Molotov cocktails, and send heavily armored enemies with riot shields and machetes. Yeah, many times, this actually happens all at once. You will be overwhelmed, very quickly, and you will have to master the way to handle combat, and that is to be fast and skillful, but mostly, stay in a position, until you are pushed out. But trust me, in these claustrophobic environments, you will be moving in and out of cover like Spec Ops: The Line. You will be frantically switching weapons as well, since you will run out of ammo on the machine gun and pistol very quickly, and you will find yourself relying incredibly heavily on the bow. It will be hectic, and you will either be near death, or die quite a few times if you don't work on your combat skills.

9. The actual tomb raiding in Tomb Raider

I honestly have no clue what you get if you go into these small, incredibly linear tombs, that just take you away from the main story path. The game claims that they have some kind of reward at the end, so my guess for what that reward might be would probably be a great deal of weapons-upgrade points. There also might be a part for one of the weapons which unlock more upgrades, but I would never tell you that you need any of these. One of the best bows in the game is just given to you later in the story, same thing with the pistol. Even with the machine gun and shotgun I upgraded just fine by finding their parts in random storage crates or on the bodies of heavier enemies. So honestly, unless you want to relive the first few games, except see how much they've been butchered, then I would not recommend going into any of those tombs. I was only able to find about two anyway, and when I did I just thought it more sensible to just ignore them, considering that my main priority was getting off of the island.

Blog Post: What can I say other than I loved this game!!! ^_^

bear_shinn — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:23:00 GMT

After the PSP and XBOX 360 versions started coming out we were all waiting for the series to come into it's own.... I can honestly say that with the scale of the island, the ability to truly climb and move through levels as you see it, the amazing cover mechanic and gunplay that give you moments you can't help but smile to yourself when you hit the aim button and say "Bead".... ^_^ I can easily say "Tomb Raider" has a better feel to it than "Red Dead Redemption", "Alan Wake" and even "Mass Effect"!!! I even tossed in my favorite DeviantArt Entry for the Tomb Raider contest!!! Not only is she out numbered in the early morning light, but she's got nothing more than her melee weapon against 3 armed opponents!!! [View:http://fav.me/d5y16nh:610:0]

Blog Post: Proving That Not All Reboots Are Just Cash Ins

xTheCrowing — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 18:27:00 GMT

When I first heard they were rebooting the Tomb Raider franchise I remember feeling excited but I slightly cringed initially as well. Tomb Raider holds a very special place amongst gaming nostalgia for me, Tomb Raider 2 was the first game I got for my PS1, way back in the day. In fact the first thing I remember playing on my playstation was the demo of Tomb Raider 2 that came on the playstation underground demo disc that boxed with the PS1. But there have been quite a few Tomb Raider projects announced and released since then and not many aside from The Guardian of Light of have lived up to my expectations of how great I remember Tomb Raider being. Now of course that same game wouldn't live up to my expectations today, part of how I remember it was shaped largely by the emergence of new technology in the gaming industry and the fact when I was younger, I had never really played another game quite like that so it was a breath of fresh air. A new adventure so to say. But all nostalgia aside, the game goes above and beyond living up to all the expectations I'd set for it. While this may seem trivial to many gamers, one of my biggest hopes upon the announcement of the new Tomb Raider title would be that it would receive a mature rating. Why you might ask? I just simply felt the world Laura lived in was more gritty, and raw than it had previously been portrayed as being. Laura's struggle is one for survival, the game should be graphic as to better immerse the player in her world by providing more realistic consequences when she makes a mistake.
I also felt it that telling the origin story of a young Laura Croft was the best way to go, in doing so it was easier for the development team to start with a clean slate. But this also allowed for the chance to tell a much more gritty story of what made Laura into the hardened adventurer she is. A lot of people have criticized the fact Laura's story is supposed to be much more emotional and make you invested in the character by her hesitation to kill, a loss of innocence so to speak. However with that being said there were parts in the game where Laura was forced to take rather aggressive approaches with the enemy. I did not feel this was an issue at all. The story is one about survival, the ability to adapt and doing what it ever it takes to survive. And when put in the situation of kill or be killed, we're all going to want to live so we pull the trigger.
Tomb Raider features an amazing story, and awesome character growth. Control wise, everything feels and controls like it should. Visually the game is amazing, I personally think this is one of the best looking games we're going to see this console generation. The music fits the game perfectly and helps to accentuate the mood. I had a lot of fun with Tomb Raider, over all this is an awesome game and well worth the $60 shelf price, this is a game I have already recommended to many friends. However my big hesitation and what kept me from giving it a perfect score was the multi player. I personally didn't think Tomb Raider really needed multiplayer features, but the trend in games seems to be if your game doesn't have multiplayer its not a worth while game. The multiplayer aspect of the game seems largely tacked on, I found it to be rather dull. And as of right now there are now plans for single player DLC but all DLC is currently supposed to be focused on a lackluster multiplayer that just isn't going to be able to compete and offer the same thrills as the big 3, Battlefield, CoD, and Halo. I felt that the decision to also have multiplayer achievements and trophies was poor choice seeing as how dull it is, people aren't simply going to want to play it, so the people who try to conquer and 1k games are going to have a much more difficult time with this one. But over all Tomb Raider is an awesome product and in my humble opinion easily in the running for game of the year.

Blog Post: A Well Grounded, Mature Reboot

boxcar182 — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 02:31:00 GMT

When i first started up Tomb Raider I honestly didnt know what to expect. I did not follow this game that much and frankly didn't really care. Then i saw all the reviews rolling in, the game was meeting the critics with praise and talking about how great the game was, so i decided to give it a try. The critics were right,this game is simply amazing, a very well polished game that Crystal Dynamics worked extremely hard on.

Past Tomb Raider games dealt with the obvious raiding or tombs while facing off variety of enemies from humans to zombies to even dinosaurs. This reboot "sort of" keeps the franchise grounded, now what i mean is that what happens to Lara Croft and how she interacts and trys to survive is a little realistic. She goes up against human enemies and hunts deer and rabbits to survive. However there is a little supernatural twist in the story that the Tomb Raider series is use to, this does not hurt the game in anyway because personally the story was actually quite interesting to follow and i did not want to put my controller down until i was done.

the gameplay is as smooth as any 3rd person shooter game out there, if not better. Lara moves through the environment with alert body language, and when in combat she leans down taking cover trying to avoid gun shots or arrows. The cover system is nice, there is not a certain button to make you stick to cover she will naturally duck behind a wall when a fire fight occurs,

The games environments are truly amazing, there is a lot of variety in the level design from caves to castles to ruins, its never a dull area. The cave elements are especially cool, i got a vibe of inspiration from the horror movie The Descent (theres a certain part in the game i swear is a reference to it) which is awesome because being in the caves brings out a certain dread of being claustrophobic, its pretty intense.

The mature tone is a welcome and breathe of fresh air for the franchise, Crystal Dynamics would not be able to tell this story without the M rating. Lara goes through some brutal confrontations through out her journey on the island and the mature theme doesn't prevent the developers to hold back on what they are trying to tell.

I recommend this game to anyone looking for a interesting story about a young girl trying to survive brutal conditions with a little twist thrown in. Crystal Dynamics did an outstanding job breathing fresh life into this series, i can not wait until we see Lara next adventure.

PROS
+interesting story
+amazing visuals
+gameplay is great
+mature theme is done perfect

CONS
-Laras situations can seem a LITTLE silly
-human AI intend to have the same model

Blog Post: A stunning example in a reboot getting it right

Bryan Timm — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:56:00 GMT

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Back in 1996, the original Tomb Raider was released for the Sega Saturn and introduced the world to a game it had never seen before. It showed us a 3D world filled with dangers and traps around every corner where we could pull off acrobatic maneuvers and stylish gunplay. But best of all, it starred a women named Lara Croft; a modern-day, beautiful, established explorer, confident and prepared for any situation she found herself in. Over the years, Lara became one of the most recognizable characters in gaming and the Tomb Raider series evolved with the consoles it was played on, but its basic gameplay formula of treasure hunting never really strayed from its roots. After nine core titles, a few spin-offs, and some movies, publisher Square-Enix decided it was time to re-invent the series, starting with Lara herself. As if to signal the start of something new for the series, the developers at Crystal Dynamics titled her new adventure as simply Tomb Raider.

Lara starts the game as an assistant on an archeologist’s TV crew. Young and inexperienced, it’s immediately clear she’s nothing like the Lara we’ve come to know and it helps make her a more realistic and relatable character. The crew’s out at sea trying to find the remains of an ancient Japanese empire, but a mysterious storm capsizes their ship and washes the separated crew ashore a nearby island. From here, Lara encounters conniving enemies and exhilarating set pieces as she sets out to find her friends and uncover the island’s mysteries.

And what an absolutely gorgeous island it is. This game has that rare quality where some of the screenshots could easily be mistaken for concept art. From the jungles to the abandoned villages to the World War 2 bunkers, everything you see will grab your attention. The character models are great as well, especially Lara’s. Much like Batman in the Arkham games, you’ll permanently see all of the burns, scars, and ripped clothing Lara sustains on her adventure, along with any new guns or pieces of equipment she acquires.

Speaking of equipment, you’ll be picking a new item up in almost every area of the game and they all have their uses both in and out of battle. For example, you can use rope that you find to pull enemies off of ledges or create zip lines to travel to areas that were previously inaccessible. Once you find those new areas, you’ll be able to look for collectible items such as GPS caches, treasures, and documents that reveal more of the island and its inhabitants’ history. And you’ll want to collect these items as doing so will reward you with weapon upgrades and new abilities.

In my playtime with the game, controls were almost always a non-issue as they were well explained in-game, smooth and uncomplicated. Lara also utilizes one of the best cover mechanics I’ve ever seen. Instead of pressing a button to transition into cover, Lara will automatically do so as she approaches it, allowing the player to focus more on shooting enemies instead of protecting her. You also eventually gain the ability to use melee combat, but the game makes gunplay such a focus early on that you typically never want to resort to it. There are also a few moments involving quick-time events, but these are mostly contained to the earlier cut-scenes and when you dodge and counterattack an enemy.

Multiplayer has been added for the first time in the Tomb Raider Series, where you’ll play on a team of either the survivors of the crashed ship or the inhabitants of the island. You have your basic “Deathmatch” and “Team Deathmatch” modes, but they also have modes that provide different objectives for each team, such as one side trying to capture key points on the map while the other has to collect batteries that drop off of enemies they kill. The multiplayer offers a progression system similar to Call of Duty or Halo, but unlike those games where the new weapons you unlock have different benefits but aren’t necessarily better in order to keep matches balanced, the newer weapons and abilities you unlock in Tomb Raider are clearly better than the older ones. So if you end up fighting someone who’s 20 levels higher, you stand almost no chance of winning simply because of the vastly superior weapons they have. Had they implemented matchmaking features pitting only players at similar levels against each other it would be much more fun, but instead it punishes newer players so they may end up steering away from the multiplayer.

That may not be a bad thing, as the multiplayer ends up being a very mixed bag. The maps offer traps that players can set and a few offer environmental effects, but the overall gameplay feels sluggish and unrefined. It’s a decent first attempt at multiplayer for the series, but feels as if it was added at the last second and fails to impress in the way the single-player does.

Crystal Dynamics has achieved with Tomb Raider what every attempted reboot should strive for. It maintains the characters and essence of what the series is about while reinventing its gameplay to make it more accessible for the newer, more modern player. There are a few questionable design choices, but when the game hits its highpoints it becomes an unforgettable experience. Crystal Dynamics’ risk and vision has paid off, and the result becomes arguably the best game in the series and a standard for all other adventures to meet.

Final Score: 9.5/10

Blog Post: Maverick Reviews: Tomb Raider PS3

Maverickx25 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 03:47:00 GMT

My favorite game genres are Adventure, Platforming, and Stealth, hence why my three favorite gaming franchises are Uncharted, Metal Gear Solid and Assassin's Creed. The new reboot of Tomb Raider interested me for these very reasons. It was also marketed as a “survival action” game, which immediately thrilled me. Throw in collecting salvage in order to upgrade gear and skills, telling a more grounded and realistic story that shows the famous Lara Croft go from a naïve and unsure girl to the great explorer we all know her as, and you have a recipe for greatness. And that's exactly what it is...at first. Upon completing the game, I felt slightly short-changed, for a few reasons. I should have a subtitle for this review that should read: “Survival Action...but they lied about the first part.” Or instead of “A Survivor is Born” (the game's tagline) it should read “Another Merciless Killer is Created.”

That being said though, the game is solid technically, and a marvel graphically. The level design is varied, and environments are beautifully exotic, while the animations from Lara to the wildlife are silky smooth. The games controls are tight, although the aiming felt a little clunky at times, as well as the quick-time events and cover system being a little too finicky, but it's not enough to where it becomes cumbersome. And anything to do with the platforming is oh-so good. Also, the bow and arrow. Mmm mmm MMM, do I love me some bow and arrow. And the sound effects for the game are all spot on.

The open world layout is very similar to Batman: Arkham Asylum, where you have a giant map, with a linear progression, but with giant open areas to explore spread throughout, which greatly adds variety to the combat and platforming. After you clear the game, or even prior to, you can back track to these areas via fast travel camps and search for any collectibles you missed (and oh, are there TONS of collectibles), which range from antiques and treasures, to journals that show character insight, as well as reveal secrets about the island. Also located around the map are a number of tombs to raid (hehe, get it?), which allows players to take a nice breather from the chaotic action and throw in some very clever environmental and timed puzzles. Finally, there's a great upgrade system, which allows you to customize your gear and learn more skills to make platforming, combat and exploration easier. Didn't grab everything your first time through? No problem, because have we got a deal for you! Just hit continue and you can jump right back into the game to pick up and find anything you didn't tackle your first time around. IT'S THAT EASY!...erm, yeah. Speaking of easy, even on the hardest difficulty does the game not present any real challenge...which kind of goes into the next section of the review.

Now remember when I said in the first paragraph that the game was marketed as a “survival-action game?” (Go and check, it's up there). It's at this point where I feel jipped because everything above that made the game stick out and be amazing, is now dragged down to just being “decent and fun” because of how it goes from being an alleged survival-action game, into being a mindless action murder spree.

When someone says “survival” what's the first thing that comes to mind? For those who are smart, your answer should be “health.” This is the game's first misstep, because in all of the great survival games, the player has a health bar that they need to monitor in order to “survive” (see what I just did there?) through the game by finding and/or crafting healing items. The second and third thing that should come to mind when thinking of a survival game is salvaging items and materials to craft any tools and gear you need, and the scarcity of ammunition to fight back.

What does Tomb Raider do? It has regenerating health where the screen becomes distorted and white, and blood fills up the screen. I remember how in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, if you got shot by an arrow, you had to remove the arrow, disinfect the wound, stitch it up and throw a bandage on it, which was all done so you can begin to regain your health, and all had to be done by finding those materials throughout the game.

The“salvage” system, which in a survival setting, usually revolves around acquiring materials that will aid in your non-death (I.e- stick+rock+vine+knife= arrow). However, all that “salvage” is is a name for the in-game currency, which can be found on enemies, in chests spread throughout the environment in chests, nets or even animals. For the sake of stream-lining the crafting system by putting all of those acquired items under one name, it's forgivable. However, the last thing that immediately changes this from “survival” to straight “action” is how often you find ammunition for your weapons. I can understand being able to pick up some off of enemies or even finding a camp that might have some lying around, but it's located everywhere, and never once was I afraid of running out of ammo during the game. But in Tomb Raider? A “survival” game? Sit behind that log, that wound will heal itself. Then, go and pick up whatever ammo and useful items are on those guys you killed ,sit down at your campfire and make yourself stronger. Solid, but not survival by any stretch of the imagination.

Which is odd, because in certain story-driven moments, Lara becomes wounded through during certain scripted moments and cut scenes, and you have to find first-aid or bandage up your wounds. The same goes for hunting. The first time you kill your deer (which has significant character impact, because it's the first time Lara has killed anything), you have to do it because you need food. However, throughout the rest of the game, animals are only used as a source of XP, which kind of ruins the illusion.

Finally, we have the story, the characters and the tone, all which are good, mostly bland and inconsistent respectively. The story, without spoiling anything, does its job by balancing set-pieces and the mystery of the island without letting one side over take the other. But on the other side of the coin, the game takes forever to end. Around the 75% waypoint, it began to drag and I was getting antsy. The score, while appropriate, is forgettable. The characters are all stereotypical and one dimensional (the angry Scotsman, the strong-willed African-American woman, the old, yet wise mentor and the shady-predictable boss), with Lara being the strongest (but not by a wide stretch). Due to the the tone bouncing all over the place, her transformation is not only questionable, but also unsympathetic.

The first time she kills her deer, and the first time she kills someone it's do to one thing: survive, the first time from starvation, the second from being murdered. Both of these scenes show Lara feeling remorse for having done the deed, and for each of those kills bearing weight. But that's pretty much it for that. Throughout the rest of the gameplay (and between cutscenes that are supposed to show Lara's humanity, by crying when people die or whenever she has to kill) she mows down (and sometimes quite brutally and savagely) anyone who stands in her way, turning her from someone fighting for her life, to a killer who finds plenty of ways to make her victims suffer (which are rewarded with even more XP than a standard kill). Why silently pick off a guard with a well-placed head shot with your bow, when you can rush the guard, whip out your machine gun, and pump him full of bullets from his stomach to his chin? While this makes for a good action game, it doesn't bode well for a game that is supposed to be fixated on a believable and sympathetic character who is only trying to survive. Also, she screams WAAAAYYYY too much when she gets hurt. It started to get annoying after awhile.

Finally, there's the multiplayer, which is essentially trash. The graphics are muddy, the shooting and hit detection inconsistent (especially with explosions), the climbing useless and the upgrading system is competent, yet nothing new. It feels like a completely different game, and makes me wonder why they added it in at all.

As I stated before, the game is solid, but it has a case of mistaken identity. I enjoyed my time with it and I can't wait to play the sequel. The devs did a fantastic job at putting together a game that's extremely fun and takes many great concepts from other games, even if it wasn't executed as well as the games it borrowed inspiration from. I just wish it was a survival game, ya know? Instead, it ended up being a pulpy and brutal action blockbuster with no sense of humor (almost reminds of this other treasure hunting fella I know...almost; at least he was funny).

FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10 B

Blog Post: Maverick Reviews: Tomb Raider 360

Maverickx25 — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:52:00 GMT

Maverick Reviews: Tomb Raider

FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10 B

Blog Post: Maverick Reviews: Tomb Raider

Maverickx25 — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:33:00 GMT

Maverick Reviews: Tomb Raider

FINAL SCORE: 8.5/10 B

Blog Post: Tomb Raider was amazing!

Ryan — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:45:00 GMT

i love to play games that let me explore areas and see what they have in store for me to see and places to go. I love games like fallout 3 and skyrim for this reason and when i got tomb raider it gave me that same kick... and with its emotion in it just set if off to be one of my favorite games.

one of the big things that a lot of people are saying is that it’s like uncharted... I just beat uncharted 1 and I see where a lot of people are coming from but uncharted focuses more on the combat while tomb raider focuses more on the puzzles and story. Granted I have not played the other uncharted but I think that is very close to what these two games franchise.

The game got me to care about the characters and I explored a bit to find the journals of characters that are there with you and told me as the play what their motives are and why they are there with you. The puzzles where not really that hard, I found them really interesting though. After getting the achievement that said I got all the tombs after doing like 5 I was like is this it? I felt like a game that was called tomb raider would have more raiding but the items that you find around, historical items, gave me the feeling that I was an explorer in this area. Kind of wish that the game was longer I did kinda power though it sort of fast. The game was very good and I have very few grips with it sure the multiplayer isn’t out of this world but it can kill a few hours here and there.

Blog Post: Tomb Raider - A Triumphant Return to Form

markus1142 — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 03:45:00 GMT

There have been numerous discussions over the past few months, regarding whether a game featuring a female protagonist can find success. Crystal Dynamics took a bold chance in rebooting Tomb Raider, and in focusing the story on the events of her life before the exploits that made her a gaming icon, they've given us the best Lara Croft yet.

Graphics: Visuals can get a bit muddy in cramped or indoor spaces, but the game's many wide-open environments are beautifully detailed and gorgeous to play through. A notable amount of detail is paid to Lara's facial expressions throughout the game, and these nuances help bring the young heroine to life.

Audio: The sound effects are solid shooter fare, but the soundtrack is perfectly simplistic and sets the right tone for the game's many sequences. Voice acting and dialogue for the supporting characters can be a bit hammy, but Lara's dialogue elevates the game's many cinematics to a new level.

Gameplay: The game relies on its roots as a platformer, and Lara does than her share of running, jumping, and climbing as she explores the island. Streamlined cover-based mechanics have her dynamically press up against objects, rather than use a dedicated button. Solid shooter mechanics, skill trees, and weapon upgrades round out the experience.

Innovation: The gameplay may not be anything groundbreaking, but it's done well and easy to pick up. The game's greatest strength is its stellar heroine; while some studios hesitate to cast a female protagonist, Crystal Dynamics has breathed new life into one of gaming's most famous leading ladies. The result is a heroine that is not just surprisingly human, but may be one of the most relatable video game protagonists of this generation.

Replayability: While the campaign itself can be completed in about 10-15 hours, achieving 100% completion can easily double that. Once the campaign is complete, Lara is free to return to the island at her leisure. Exploring the island's tombs or just observing the game's day-night cycle adds a degree of tranquility to Lara's otherwise harrowing adventure. Beyond the campaign, a sadly mediocre multiplayer offering tempts players to grind it out for the last few achievements/trophies.

Overall: 9.5/10

"If you look at what sells, it's tough to justify [a female protagonist]" - Epic Games art director Chris Perna

"We were all on board [for a female protagonist,] and then Activision killed it, said they don't do female characters because they don't sell" - Anonymous source, about True Crime: Hong Kong

“I know I’ve been in discussions where we’ve been asked to push Ellie to the back [of The Last of Us' box art] and everyone at Naughty Dog just flat-out refused.” - creative director Neil Druckman

Despite a gaming community that today is almost evenly split between male and female, the industry itself seems to continue to hold on to the notion that a game featuring a heroine is a risky move. Several reasons are given for this. Some are as outdated as "women don't play video games," while others point to poor sales of some games with a female lead. Others claim that men can't relate to playing as a female character, despite this not preventing women from playing as male characters all these years.

Much like Lara herself, Crystal Dynamics had the odds stacked against them by releasing an action game with a female lead - or so we would be expected to believe. In reality, Tomb Raider logged over one million unique players in its first 48 hours after release, and first week sales figures appear to set it on track as not only the best selling entry in the series, but the most successful launch of early 2013.

Arguably the biggest factor in Tomb Raider's success is the way it shattered that last stigma: that male gamers can't relate to a female protagonist. Rhianna Pratchett's writing and Camilla Luddington's voice acting are both spectacular, and together they bring to life one of the most uniquely relatable protagonists in recent years. This newest Lara is driven not by fame nor glory, but by the desire to save her companions. Despite the danger ahead, she places herself in harm's way time and again.

This selflessness is particularly evident when it comes to father figure Roth

By shedding the silent protagonist role of earlier games, Lara is given a voice, one that makes her truly compelling. Her spoken lines early in the game betray her fears and insecurities, gradually giving way to confidence and determination. When angered, she yells with a righteous fury; when discovering relics, she speaks with a sense of awe and reverence.

Playing through Lara's ordeal, I was hard pressed to imagine a male gamer finding her to be a hindrance, an obstacle preventing him from enjoying the game. The game will certainly not appeal to everyone, but I can't see a well written heroine being the reason for that.

The gameplay itself is solid, and should come as second nature to fans of third person cover-based shooters. The charismatic protagonist with a historical background no doubt invites comparisons to the Uncharted series, itself a spiritual successor to previous Tomb Raider games. When that series' later entries appeared to lose their magic, Uncharted found success, implementing many of Tomb Raider's platforming mechanics and gameplay styles, and anchoring them around a genuinely lovable character.

Nathan Drake's adventures are in the spirit of a Hollywood action film, full of explosions, shootouts, and catchy one-liners. Lara's ordeal is decidedly more serious in tone, and while it has its share of set piece moments, there's little levity to be found. Her dialogue is devoid of the cocky, sarcasm as a defense mechanism attitude found in so many other shooters, replaced by trepidation in the face of peril, and genuine care for her friends.

It's this concern for her companions that drives her to undertake dangerous tasks, in hopes of leading to their rescue

While the gameplay may be familiar, it's not without its share of tropes and flaws. Lara is presented as an inexperienced college graduate, who is forced to fight and kill not only to save herself, but her friends. While placing a focus on using a bow and arrow early in the game feels like a natural fit, this eventually gives way to Lara acquiring a small arsenal, mowing down scores of enemies at a time by the end of the game. This "overnight Rambo" aspect of Lara's transformation is at times at odds with her personal narrative. There are times when she pleads with enemies to stop attacking, not because she's afraid of them, but because she doesn't want to have to kill anyone else.

This same rapid transformation was one of the reasons Far Cry 3 was criticized, and although Lara is a much better written protagonist than Jason Brody, her shift from underdog to one-woman-army still breaks the immersion somewhat. So too does the fact that she can wade through gunfire and recover to full health in moments, but cut scenes and cinematics still require her to tend to other, lesser injuries. Tomb Raider is far from the only game guilty of this trope, and certainly not the worst offender by any means, but what makes for fun or inviting gameplay sometimes goes against the flow of the narrative. By the same token, those gameplay mechanics make the game approachable in a market dominated by shooters employing the same damage system, and it's good to know players used to other games should have little difficulty picking up and enjoying Tomb Raider.

By the game's end, climbing the wreckage of a World War II aircraft will be one of the safer things Lara's done

Given Lara's reluctance to kill, it would have been nice to see some non-lethal options offered to her; at one point, she's challenged by the antagonist on the topic of how many people she herself has killed. Giving players the option to spare or avoid enemies altogether would have fit better with Lara's personality, but it's a minor point of criticism alongside an overall spectacular game.

And although quicktime events rear their ugly head here as well, they're spaced out enough that they don't undermine the game's enjoyability.

Tomb Raider offers a competitive multiplayer mode alongside the stellar single player campaign, but it's disappointingly flat and uninspired. While some asymmetrical objective based modes are offered in addition to the usual deathmatch, the gameplay lacks the polish of the campaign, and it's even worse to see several achievements that require you to grind out to the higher levels.

It's a shame the single player's polished gameplay didn't carry over to the multiplayer mode

Far better in terms of replay value, one thing the game does better than most is invite players to explore the environment. It may not be on the massive scale that Skyrim offers, but the island is full of nooks and crannies, little cliff edges and locations off the beaten path that reach out to the player's curiosity, and the option to continue playing after completing the campaign is a great way to go back to the island. With your friends' lives no longer in danger, the island takes on a whole new feel.

Missions occur during set times of day or weather conditions, but a very gradual day-night cycle can be observed after completing the campaign. Returning to the island's more scenic locations can reward players with gorgeous sunrise vistas, or a full moon illuminating the sea at night. One thing I wish Tomb Raider incorporated from Far Cry 3 is the camera; the game is simply full of beautiful scenery, and it would have been nice to have a way to save some of the moments.

When it's not full of armed men trying to kill you, Yamatai can be downright breathtaking

Exploring the island's tombs or discovering relics is particularly satisfying, largely because Lara likes to think out loud. Once again, the excellent voice acting brings Lara to life, in these cases letting a youthful wonder rise to the surface, as Lara examines ancient relics with the joy of a child opening a present on Christmas morning.

If there's one shortcoming to the game's single player experience, it's that it's a little limited. Progressing through the island sometimes feels linear, and the tomb puzzles are usually somewhat simple to figure out. As much as the exploring takes a back seat to Lara's quest to save her friends, I hope the next game expands on the exploration and puzzle-solving, as I found them equally worthwhile alongside the campaign objectives. Of course, with a game this enjoyable, it's easy to find oneself asking for "more, more, more."

And there almost certainly will be more, given the game's across the board critical and commercial success. Players who complete the game may notice, in a blink-and-you-miss-it moment during the closing cinematic, a note in Lara's journal hinting at what her next adventure may be. It's a great nod to the Croft that exists underneath it all through this ordeal, the young woman fascinated with the world, eager to discover its secrets and untold stories.

It may not be clear where her future adventures will take her, but one thing is certain: Lara Croft is back, and better than ever.

Blog Post: Reclaiming Glory

vestryboy — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:48:00 GMT

In my opinion Tomb Raider was a game that helped shape the action-adventure genre. Specifically the certain mix of treasure hunting, puzzle solving and shoot-em up action. The franchise may have lost some of their fans along the way and also gotten into a niche of providing the same type of story game after game but this entry has the potential to reclaim it all. Not only does Tomb Raider stand side by side with a game like Uncharted, it surpasses it.

The game does not start off slow, it throws Lara right into the deepest depths of pain and torment from the beginning and does not let up. This game is not afraid to hurt here. Main character Lara starts as an inexperienced girl focused on fame and evolves into the warrior we all know she is. She (Lara) has to overcome inexplicable odds to escape the situation she is thrown into.

Upgrades come over the natural course of the game. You are not overburdened with new abilities and weapons at one particular point.. The game does a good job of teaching you how to use everything it throws at you. Their are also plenty of throw away moments in the game. The developers put huge set pieces in the game that look and work amazing and they never get repetitive. Also, check points are very abundant and when death occurs, the scene is usually so interesting there is little or no irritation. At some points I would jump off a cliff just so I could see what would happen.

The puzzle aspect is done well. They never get over complicated but usually take a little time to figure out. Gun play likens itself to Uncharted. Switching weapons is done with the d-pad and aiming can be changed from left and right shoulder with a click of the left stick. Running and gunning has a good flow to it. Although, some firefight situations seem like they take less skill and more grinding through it.

The only thing that keeps this game from getting a 10/10 to me is the multiplayer aspect. It seemed kind of glitchy from what I played. Some players or even myself would move through objects or warp a couple of feet from where they were just standing. The levels and game modes are not really anything special and if you are a new player it seems I was easily killed by others.

All said and done I loved this game, One of the first things I usually do is look at the achievements but this game is so fun and enjoyable I did not do that until I finished the campaign. This game is worth anyone's time looking for a good experience.

Blog Post: Tomb Raider - Review

Buddy Acker — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:49:00 GMT

I’ll admit I was never a big fan of the original Tomb Raider. I enjoyed it when I was younger, but as the years progressed I realized how wonky the controls are and how truly bad the camera is. But one aspect of the game has withstood the test of time: the persona of Lara Croft. I never viewed Lara as a sex symbol. I’ve always thought of her as a cool lady who kicks a lot of ass (she is). She has always been, in my mind, one of gaming’s best protagonists.

That’s why, when I first saw the new Lara in the January 2011 issue of Game Informer, I was concerned. That isn’t Lara Croft, I thought to myself. I had no qualms about the new Dante in DmC: Devil May Cry (because, let’s face it, the old Dante is nothing special), but rewinding gaming’s leading lady and transforming her into a scared young woman seemed like a strange decision. I was, however, excited for the gameplay changes Crystal Dynamics promised.

My excitement has been proved well-founded. Ms. Croft controls better than she ever has. I played through Tomb Raider: Legend as I was working on this review. I missed several ledges in that game while jumping with Lara, and most of the time it wasn’t because of any fault of mine. The controls, while much improved over the older games, were still a little touchy. I hardly missed any jumps in the reboot, and the ones I did miss were wholly my fault.

Some may say the revamped controls are stolen from the Prince of Persia or Uncharted games. Their argument is probably a very valid one, but I love the change. These are the controls the Tomb Raider games have needed since their inception. Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith; Lara can handle it this time. The tools Lara acquires as the game progresses, such as a pickaxe, make navigating the various environments all the more easy and fun.

Speaking of the environments, they are beautiful and a blast to explore. The game is kind of linear, yet kind of open world. It is what you make it. If you wish to explore, you’ll find a lot of ground to cover. If you simply want to complete the game, the game won’t prevent you from doing so. That’s the beauty of what’s available here.

Should you explore, you’ll find a plethora of collectibles to hunt down, challenges (which are really more collectibles) to complete and, oh yes, tombs to raid. It’s worth seeking out these things thanks to the deep upgrade system. The more XP Lara gains the deadlier she and her weapons become. It’s similar to what Far Cry 3 offers, and it’s just as awesome in Tomb Raider as it was in that game. I became obsessed with hunting down everything.

Then there’s the story. It’s exciting and interesting, and it made me realize I was wrong about the new Lara. She starts out as a girl who seems to be incapable of defending herself and quickly becomes a killing machine. It all happens quickly, but it serves the story. I haven’t played many games in which the gameplay effortlessly serves the narrative. Tomb Raider handles it with aplomb.

And don’t worry about rape scenes; none exist in the game. I don’t like spoiling story elements, but it’s impossible to spoil what isn’t there. What is there is far better than any scenes of sexual assault could ever be. The only thing I didn’t care for is the ending, which is really random and crazy. Then again, this is Tomb Raider we’re talking about here.

Tomb Raider doesn’t rest on its laurels. It takes the series in a bold new direction. The sloppy controls and poor camera that plagued the former games are gone. The old Lara Croft is gone, replaced by a human being with emotions and the like. I’m a fan of some of the other games, but I never considered any of them must-plays. I absolutely think Crystal Dynamic’s new vision is worth checking out. It’s my favorite Tomb Raider yet.

– – – – – – – – – – – – –

Multiplayer

The major misstep in Tomb Raider comes from its multiplayer offering. It’s annoying and boring. If the tagline for the campaign is “A survivor is born”, the tagline for the multiplayer should be “Leave no survivors”. Prepare to die a lot, and when that happens, prepare to stare at a lengthy respawn timer. The weapons feel bland and the environments are soulless. It is the very definition of “tacked on”. Stick to the campaign.

Blog Post: Great Game

Kpb17 — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 17:55:00 GMT

I thought this game was a lot of fun. Anyone that likes Uncharted or Assassin's Creed would most likely enjoy this as well. The game looks great and the weapon and skill upgrades are a lot of fun to get and use. Lara's story is excellent and intriguing, but the other character's stories aren't as good. Also, don't count on getting much out of the multiplayer.

Blog Post: How a Reboot Should be Done!

Ana — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 21:11:00 GMT

Reboot… that dreaded word causes many gamers to cringe. We don’t always take kindly to the retooling of some of the most popular games of our childhoods. Companies hoping to make a quick buck off of our nostalgia for the games of yesteryear though seem to believe they can put out a half-baked rehash and call it a day (I’m looking at you Metroid: Other M.). If we’re lucky we find something that lives up to the past like New Super Mario Bros Wii. Sometimes, and this is rare, we are handed gold. The new Tomb Raider reboot is such.

Gold is pretty and shiny and this new entry does not disappoint. Whether you play on the Playstation or the Xbox you will find that the landscapes are rendered beautifully, Lara and the crew of the Endurance look great and the ruins on the island have an authentic feel of decay. Simply put Tomb Raider is gorgeous but it is the attention to detail that sells the visuals. Seeing Lara go through hell and back is accentuated by the grime, blood and bandages that end covering our poor Heroine. These details make her seem real, well as real as video game character can be after falling 15-20ft, landing on her neck (which should have snapped it) and getting up and walking away.

While visuals help ground a game in realism it is the emotion in the voice acting that bring this game home. We have all encountered terrible acting or poor scripting that has jarred us out the adventure de jour and reminded us that we are merely controlling an avatar. That is not the case with Lara. You can hear her fear, her pain, and her determination in her voice. None of what she says feels forced or rehearsed. You believe her. The supporting cast is just as good and this includes the villains (They don’t say “Get that…B!tch.” on a loop.). Voice over on the journal entries and documents you find scattered about the island, while serving to get rid of tedious reading (That is a joke. I love reading as must you if you are reading this.), smoothly and efficiently adds history to both the island and supporting cast.

Game play flows smoothly as well. Weapons and their upgrades are acquired one by one allowing you to become familiar with how they function in this particular universe, not that they are any different from any other world, and opening up new areas should you wish to use the fast travel feature to jump between camps. Fights can be point and shoot, stealthy, or a combination of the two depending on your preference or current situation. But nothing is smoother than the transition from ‘level’ to level’ which usually triggers a movie scene or a Quick Time Event. Should you fail a QTE you are simply taken back to the beginning of the scene no harm no foul. So no pressure unless you are a perfectionist… sucks to be you.

Speaking of perfect multiplayer most certainly isn’t. In fact it is quite lackluster. It feels hastily tacked on almost as if it were an afterthought which it probably was. I’ll stick to Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty and Mass Effect for my multiplayer needs.

Overall the game is excellent. It far exceeds my expectations for a reboot as well as a Tomb Raider game in general. It makes me want to shout out loud to companies far and wide “This is how reboots should be done!...Minus the multiplayer.”

Blog Post: One of the best games of the year.

LaLiLuLeLo — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:46:00 GMT

Although I never got into it, Tomb Raider was one of Playstations best exclusives back in the day. I don't really remember much...other than being killed by a tiger due to awkward control schemes which ultimately turned me off. So I'm going to be honest, I'm not sure what makes this franchise great so I'm going into this without experiencing past games. But hey, what better time to do so when it's a reboot.

You play as a stunningly beautiful young Lara Croft who is characterized later in the game as being a little wet behind the ears. The tomb raiding expeditionist has yet to become the woman that some of you may remember, but, all that will change when Lara and her team --who are trying to search for the lost civilization of Yamatai aboard the Endurance-- encounter a terrible storm leaving them shipwrecked on an island in the Dragon’s Triangle.

The island is said to be cursed. All ships and air-crafts who venture too close will be swallowed up by an unnatural storm and met with a horrible death. The entire island is littered with debris that has been salvaged by other stranded humans who were fortunate (or unfortunate) to survive. The ones who dwell there have formed a sick cultic religion where they worship The Sun Queen (the one believed to be controlling the storms). The leader of this bands of misfits is Mathias, and he has captured Lara’s best friend Sam. It is believe by those that she holds the key to getting off the island and plans to hold a ritual for the Queen in hope of becoming free.

From the very start, Lara is brutally beaten where you, as the gamer, begin to feel every bump, fall, scrape and unforgiving punches to the face. Her will is continuously being stripped and her spirit is constantly being broken...or at least it should be, but the girl keeps on getting up and keeps on fighting despite all the obstacles in her way. Tomb Raider might have its own story line but, the character development, Lara’s will to survive and save her friends is really where the true enjoyment begins and ends.

The game does an excellent job depicting the growth of the female protagonist using verbal dialog explaining her training; how well she is able to adapt and overcome this harsh environment. You can see the wear and tear as her journey takes her deeper in to this relentless, cruel world. She becomes filthy and bloody; scars, cuts and other wounds start to appear gradually; bandages and wraps show the pain and suffering she has endured. I have never seen a character go through so much in a short amount of time. If she comes out if this without an STD or gangrene I'll be amazed!

While trying to avoid panning the camera around to catch the lovely figure of Croft (you pervs!) you will have to do everything in your power to make sure your friends make it out alive. Lara becomes very resourceful herself; building weapons out of ropes and lighters. She is also able to customize her firearms when scavenging items during her travels. When you scavenge an item you earn points, and possible upgrades. You can use these points towards 5 of the main weapons you use to make them stronger and easier to handle.

The gameplay itself is extremely fluid. The platforming is a bid arcadey but it eliminates the frustration when jumping from point A to point B. I have full control over my character when I’m in the air and I didn’t feel that suction effect found is other games. The gunplay feels perfect as well. I felt it took some skill to pull off precise headshots. If I had one bad thing to say about the combat, it would probably be the dodging mechanic. I felt it was a bit too loose making it hard to control.

There was also a survivor horror feel to the game which I loved. I also enjoyed the freedom of being able to take a conservative approach in most instances.

The plot gives birth to a beautifully sculpted and believable world from a wet and dreary forest; to mountainous terrain, to an old frail Japanese village. It was awesome to even see all the scrap metal from the abandoned ships and planes being salvaged to create a little shanty town. It makes you ponder how long these poor souls must have trapped there to build such towering structures.

Every area is designed with extreme thought; it’s never too big and has you wanting explore every nook and cranny. It creates a nice pace for the gamer as I never felt rushed. I went on my pace and was able to be immersed in the world that has been given to me. There are also well designed rooms that require you to plan ahead and some thought provoking tombs.

There is a multiplayer component that stacks you up against other players in your run of the mill game modes like TDM but during my brief time with it, it was laggy, buggy and some weapons are way over powered. It is completely passable so don't waste your time.

Anyway, Tomb Raider is a fantastic blood pumping; nail biting, edge of your seat game. All of its interactive quick time events and set pieces keep you immersed even when you are just watching a cut scene, it’s over the top, nonstop action and explosions, the trials and tribulations of a young woman growing in front of your eyes make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It's all surrounded by a captivating soundtrack, and fun fluid gameplay.

At the end of the game the developers wrote " We worked our hardest to bring you the best game we could possible make". My response? You certainly did Crystal Dynamics.