Tomb Raider is yet another one of those games I have watched develop over time. In fact, I still remember playing the 2nd or 3rd version of Tomb Raider while I was still in school, and when Pentium processors were the standard of the day.
The game has come a long way since then and the latest reboot raises the bar even higher. Stunning graphics, intense combat and a character development
|
Pros |
|
Amazing story tracing Lara’s rise from nerdy academic to fearless adventurer |
|
Superb combat engine |
|
Great environmentals |
|
A decent selection of tombs, relics and puzzles |
|
Cons
|
|
Single Player campaign is the only interesting feature |
|
Outside Lara’s character arc, the story is predictable |
Gameplay
The developers deserve credit for crafting a journey that transforms Lara from a nerdy academic to a full blown explorer. Her character suffers a lot of psychological and physical punishment in the early game but one is almost left in awe as she pushes herself to survive, eventually turning the tables on the natives.
As players follow Lara’s character, as it develops into the fearless charismatic leader we have known from previous games, it becomes clear that this is the right note for the new tomb raider series.
Lara’s origin story is set on a mysterious island that was home to a kingdom called Yamatai. However, while the ruins scattered around the island are beautiful and inviting, you quickly wake up to the reality that the Yamatai have a very dark history and not entirely friendly towards shipwrecked sailors.
Much like the island of King Kong or the island from Lost, you stumble on structures and items that hardly belong in an ancient bygone era. There are World War II bunkers, abandoned ships and scattered aircraft, neatly co-existing with the more ancient structures, which is stunning in itself.
One of the first weapons lara gets a hands on is a simple bow, which is useful in an island where almost everyone wants to kill you. From then onwards Lara can start developing her skills by hunting animals. As the game progresses, she gets access to more powerful weapons (shotguns, grenades, rifles, etc.).
The combat engine is intense and exhilarating. Players familiar with played Assassin’s Creed or Batman Arkham Asylum’s stealth missions might find themselves at home because there are lots of opportunities to perform silent stealth kills. Players quickly face situations where they must improvise on their combat skills and transform themselves from prey to predator.
Don’t expect the AI to be passive, however, there is constant pressure to evade and survive and most times the enemy is relentless. When confronted with full-scale firefights, expect to be targeted with grenades and molotovs, which make camping (gamer-speak for taking cover) is not a long-term option. Players must then quickly switch between melee and ranged weapons to take out enemies while dodging enemy fire.
.jpg)
Another interesting element in the game is the fact that players can collect and upgrade different weapons. So you might start with a half-broken axe but as the game progresses, you can modify it into an all-purpose tool that is essential for survival. As the weapons improve, so does the combat flexibility.
The effect of the weapons is also enhanced by the superb sound engine, which deserves a lot of credit. There are few other games that managed to sync background music and sound effects in such an effective manner.
Keeping in mind that Lara is also an explorer and not just a survivalist, the game includes a number of relics that provide a historical insight into the island. Stumbling on journals, on the other hand, sheds some light on the lives of the island’s inhabitants, those in the past and the present.
.jpg)
Of course, no tomb raider game would be complete without tombs to explore, and there are plenty on the island. Like Assassin’s Creed, there is a certain environmental puzzle that must be solved first. Finishing these missions provides experience and in some cases parts for weapons and the locations of other goodies.
Verdict
Lara’s origin story in single-player campaign is certainly the star attraction of the game. The story is deep and consuming, and the combat is exciting. While the game does shares a lot in common with other third-person action adventure games, there is certainly some unique tomb raider DNA here, and it does justice to the fans of the series.
By Navam Niles
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
0 Comments