"I wish this pain wasn't so familiar. Like looking an old enemy in the eye. It wants to take me down. It wants me to lie just down and die. I won't. I can't!"
- Lara Croft, the Rise of Tomb Raider
For any fan of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider series, we had our share of ups and downs with the franchise. Well for the first time, we can say Tomb Raider isn't over-hyped.The Rise of Tomb Raider is a dark horse.
Analyst said it made the mistake of coming out on the same day as Fallout 4, but The Rise of Tomb Raider stays on it's own two feet and holds its ground with the best of them. The reasoning being, this game is exactly what you expect.
I tell you from the start that Lara really has it bad this game. Every 10 minutes structures are literally collapsing around her, attacks by bears, and salvage thugs that come at her with all they got will keep your heart racing. The timed actions sequences ensure you stay moving, and enemies will have you scared to move until you have a real strategy to take them on. I know you're thinking that i'm drinking the kool-aid, but this is really a good game. It's large, has a skill tree and level up system, plot driven missions, and a lot of action that keep you active and excited to stay invested. Now, here is the good and bad analysis.
Let's get the bad news out early. The Rise of Tomb Raider does not have much replay ability and the game is linear where you have to complete the current mission unlike Fallout 4 where you can explore the open-world and get to the main storyline when you feel like. The storyline is progressed by a mix of flashbacks for the plot and goals you set to learn the truth of a mystery that made her dad crazy.
Now here are the positives. First of all, this is a game about a survivor. The Rise of Tomb Raider has a purpose, and make you feel like Lara Croft has a vital role to play in order for you to finish the game. The days of Lara being eye candy are gone. She isn't bouncing around in a spaghetti strapped t-shirt and daisy dukes any more. Lara is clever, self-aware, dark, gritty, and hungry. Each level is filled with well thought out traps, puzzles, mysteries to solve, and personal challenges to overcome. You have to think to survive and completing the game is a given.
I swear, this game will make you think about how you approach your obstacles and have you second guessing on whether you are doing the right thing. Fighting enemies isn't limited to a gun battle anymore. There are elements of stealth and hand to hand combat that are designed well to make you feel like someone who doesn't have a lot strength for combat but compensates with her brain. Lara's fist fights with enemies get real graphic and rewarding. From gathering herbs to heal yourself, to upgrading a homemade bow to take on a giant bear, you really use nature to survive with barely anything. With hidden treasures, alternative paths and fast paced gameplay, I always felt like I was missing something.
Honestly, surviving against zombies and bandits in 7 days to die or Ark really drained me. Learning secrets, history, and testing my limits in the game made The Rise of Tomb Raider the most fun game that i have played in a while. It's definitely worth playing and a treat for fans that always knew a good Tomb Raider game was possible.
It's a great game that overcome the negatives people associated with the Tomb Raider franchise. Lara Croft showed strength, intelligence, leadership, the ability to make tough decisions, and kick butt when needed. It's cool when hardwork doesn't go unnoticed. The good resume is all here: solid story, good graphics, innovative combat, quality AI, and well designed gameplay from start to finish. I'm not one to give a game a perfect score, but The Rise of Tomb Raider comes close.
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