It seems like the gaming world is going through a season dominated by “reboot” instalments of various popular franchises. The latest game to be “rebooted” is no other than Tomb Raider which introduced the world to Lara Croft, a female hard as nail protagonist. Critics of the game might argue that Lara is nothing but a gender equivalent of Indiana Jones or the male protagonist from uncharted series, but the truth is, over the years she has developed a distinctive personality of her own. The latest instalment in the series follows the very first exploits of the young heroine, chronicling her transformation from a ship wreck victim to the fearless and death defying iconic figure, we’ve all come to know.
Plot
Lara Croft and her fellow adventurers are aboard a ship called “Endurance”, which is bound for a mythical Japanese island. This island is rumored to be home to “Sun Queen”, which wields mystical powers. The perilous journey begins with the band getting ship wrecked in the most inopportune of places known as the Dragon’s Triangle. The ship’s crew is split into two factions as their vessel capsizes and sinks leaving Lara to fend for herself as she washes ashore an isolated island. The rest of the story is quite fast paced compared to the slow start, which will find the players indulging in QTE’s and quite a few adrenaline pumping sequences.
Game Mechanics
The island of the sun queen, which is the setting for the game, is beautifully rendered. The graphics truly depict a savage paradise complete with breathtaking visuals and equally deathly plateaus, which Lara must traverse to survive. Remaining true to the action-adventure genre there’s an elaborate crafting system, skills upgrades, and for those who like to milk a title to the max, a generous amount of side quests. The combat system which wasn’t the most praise worthy part of predeceasing games in the series has gone under considerable revamping. Lara has an arsenal of weapons at her disposal including the bow, pistols and shotguns. The tempo of the game varies and dictates making the best use of each weapon and adjusting playing style. From secretly hiding behind a tree and using bow and sniper rifle stealthily to delving into the foray headfirst with a shotgun, players will have to do it all.
The game’s main theme is surviving the inhospitable terrain and making do with whatever resources Lara can scavenge from her surroundings. But to my disappointment, the two key ingredients hunting and foraging although introduced early in the game, are quickly discarded. Platforming in Tomb Raider is deeply satisfying and would at times make the players gasp, as Lara leaps across cliff sides, hangs on to precariously dangling ropes or climbs down the face of a misty mountain.
Tomb raider game review Verdict
Leaving aside the steep price of $60 (which left quite a vacuum in my gaming budget) the game is incredible. The graphics are crisp and incredibly life like and the voice acting is truly admirable considering the fact that there’s a new lady voicing Lara. It’s a must have for every fan of the series, who were anxiously awaiting the resurrection of one of most beloved female icons of the gaming world.
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About Today's Guest Writer:
This article is written by Melissa . After 5 years of studying and working in Sydney. She moved back to her hometown. And now she is working as a freelance writer.
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