Rating of
4/5
A Reboot That Finally Works
Chris Kavan - wrote on 01/02/14
So many different characters are getting the "gritty reboot" treatment - be it in TV (Ichabod Crane - badass from history!), movies (Batman and Superman are now officially depressing) so why not video games? Now, let's talk Lara Croft - Tomb Raider. When it first came out, there was one reason this stood out from the other action heroes - well, two reasons and they were both pixelated. That's right - you play an action hero... with boobies! Hooray for misogynistic video game developers! And the sequels (not to mention the two movies starring Angelina Jolie) did little to dissuade the idea of a "sexy" adventurer. But last year (by just a couple of days as I'm writing) Lara Croft was reinvented - and as an origin story it was dark but it was done right.
Presentation: Definitely some good-looking graphics going on here. While the game takes place on an island - it does tend to suffer from some rather drab visuals (a lot of rain and dark forests) so like most modern games - don't expect things to be too colorful. But the environments are well done - whether you're exploring some ancient Japanese ruins (which sometimes start on fire) or scaling a mountainside - it is pretty. Two areas stand above all others - the ascension of the radio tower (where you eventually get to see a full panoramic view of the island - stunning) and a very awesome parachuting sequence that, while short, is quite exciting - even for an action video game. The characters are likewise very well done. Lara is just starting out here - so she's young - and, for once, they make her seem like an actual human! While the brunt of the story obviously focuses on her - there are secondary characters (Sam - her best friend), Roth (rugged father figure), Mathias (insane cult leader), Whitman (major d-bag) and Grim (stalwart ship captain) - who get some development as well.
The music, while not going to take any place on my "best-of" list - still fits the game quite well. But I liked the background sounds even more - wolf howls and other animal noises, the weather (which plays quite a big part in the story arc) and just the creaking, crumbling all around you - now that was well done and no matter what environment you find yourself in - it just works. Enemies are varied enough to keep you on your toes (some rush at you melee - some snipe at you with bows or hide and throw dynamite - and later in the game armored enemies make you dodge and strike back) - and from scruffy island cult natives to fully-armored samurai warriors - they look much better than the standard generic enemies you usually come across (even if you still seem to kill far too many for what an island could ever subsist).
I only encountered a few glitches - including one time where an entire room suddenly became open to the world (which I fell through and died spectacularly) and another where I had the screen glitch out completely. The lone DLC I downloaded had to be reloaded as a certain jump didn't work (but as soon as I reloaded it - A-OK). It's not perfect - but nothing broke the game entirely.
Story: Origin stories are always tricky - in this case we find Lara Croft as a recent graduate or archeology. Along with an ambitious archeologist and her best friend Sam (a much more free-spirited young woman than herself) they are aboard the Endurance - in search of the fabled lost Japanese kingdom of Yamatia - which Lara believes is located in the Dragon's Triangle (an area much akin to the Bermuda Triangle where ships go missing all the time). A sudden storm shipwrecks them on an island where they soon find out they are not alone and Lara must go from being an academic to saving her friends (and herself). A dangerous cult calls the island home, revolving around the mysterious "Sun Queen" Himiko - who still holds sway and seems to command storms that prevent anyone from leaving the island.
As you progress through the game you pick up log books, unlock diary entries and the like and you get a better sense of both the people that managed to survive and also the history behind the island. While I do think the game eventually drifts too far into the "supernatural" territory - for the most part, it does have a compelling story and makes an excellent introduction for a character that has been around for quite a long time. It's also a nice concept to watch Lara go from innocent student to bow-wielding badass (complete with plenty of scars - physical and emotional). By the end of the game there is not doubt where her future lies. That transformation is the driving force behind the game - and while it does seem a bit outlandish at the situations she can survive - this is a video game - reality doesn't always factor in to the equation.
Gameplay: Taken in the third person, you control Lara in all aspect - shooting, traipsing about various locations (yes, including tombs) and doing lots of exploring (for those who are into collecting things like I am). The game also features a leveling-up system that gives you the opportunity to unlock various abilities (from scrounging for more ammo and XP to better fight skills) - as well as a system that allows you to upgrade your weapons (faster reload, more ammo capacity, different ammo types, etc). The game does make you jump around - quite a bit - and areas can be a bit convoluted at times - but I never had to consult a FAQ and everything is quite doable if you search all those nooks and crannies around you.
I absolutely love the way you shoot the bow in this game. It has one of the easiest, yet fluid, methods for firing. Plus, it's the best weapon in the game - stealthy yet powerful (and later, fire arrows!). If I ever use a bow in another game - I hope they follow the lead of Tomb Raider and make it just the same (because I don't know how it could be better). Granted you also get the requisite pistol, shotgun and rifle - but you hardly have to use those as all (unless you really want to). The only thing I missed was the ability to throw some projectile - a grenade or makeshift Molotov would have been nice. You do eventually unlock a grenade mod for your rifle, but not until pretty late in the game. Granted, you don't run into a group of enemies that often (stealth is always the way to go over running and gunning) but the few times you do - it would have been nice to have a group-clearing option.
The game does have a stealth element. Sneaking up on enemies from behind allows you to take them out silently and your bow never makes a sound (unless your ammo is on fire). Believe me - this is the way to go as attracting too much attention is a sure call to a quick death. You make camp at various times in the game (and it autosaves) and most areas don't push you too far back if you die (though in the open world with no objectives, falling to your death can often lead to a long walk - or climb - ahead). Each area gives you plenty to explore - hidden tombs, GPS tags, relics and notes are scattered about. This gives you experience while also unlocking promotion art and character models in the Extras.
I even downloaded the DLC tomb - every tomb is essentially a mini puzzle (though I found them all pretty easy to "solve" if you will). It's just a little extra for your time - I don't know if she really raids anything this time around as she is pretty much busy trying to survive. All in all for a third-person action/adventure types game I had little trouble in controlling where I was going.
Replayability: Aside from the obvious difficulty settings - the only real reason to pick this up again is to collect anything you might have missed. The game does give you a "free roam" option after you beat it and there are no objects you can miss (aside from some annoying dialogue options so a new game is only an option if you really want to experience the story again (not a bad idea, really - just not something you want to revisit right away).
Overall: This is how you reinvent a character - a good story with good characters and a real transformation. If this is the direction they are going to go with Lara Croft - I'll gladly go along on another adventure.
Presentation: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replayability: 3/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
