Tomb Raider - Reviews

(4.5)

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5.3.2013

So, I think the last time I played a Tomb Raider game must have been...phwoar...10 years ago.I do however, recall Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider 2 being 2 games in just a half-dozen or so that introduced me into gaming back in the mid-90s. There are scenes from both games that will live with me forever. The first icey cave your run into and the wolves attack. The first swan-dive. The first Raptor. The first T-Rex. Running around in the jungles of India killing Tigers etc (was that TR 3 maybe?). Venice and the wooden boats. Ahh. Memories.I still have a Voodoo graphics card box up in my attic that has, I think, Tomb Raider 2 on the cover (Lara stood on a rock with a waterfall behind her if I recall).I confess to missing out on the "newer" versions of Tomb Raider, those made for the latest generation of consoles etc, but, Lara has always held a nostalgic place in my heart.And now, she's finally back.So, has Crystal Dynamics delivered? Is Tomb Raider worthy of Lara's icon? Has the wait been worth it?Yes. Yes it has.Now, it's easy to get sucked into reviewing a game with 5 stars on the day of its' release. You're excited. You over-react.So, realistically, I'm giving this game 4 stars.I'm not going to delve into the game's story, due to spoilers of course, but also because you can get a synopsis of the game's intro by reading a wikipedia page, can't you?One thing that bugs me, is people complaining that Lara is more realistic. She's more relateable. They want her to be some sort of badass that just goes on killing sprees. Right. Okay. Good for you?This is a PREQUEL. Lara is 21. This is her first adventure. Her origins story. This is the first time she's ever fought for her life. The first time she's had to kill.--------GRAPHICS--------Now. Graphically, on the PC, this game is truly, TRULY stunning. At 1920x1080, everything on Ultra, this game will test your machine as much as, say, Battlefield 3.Granted I play on a custom-built laptop, but my specs are:Intel i7 3840QM @ 2.8ghz Quad Core16GB DDR3 RAM @1600mhzNvidia GTX 680m 4GB DDR5.Crucial V4 256gb SSD.I have everything on Ultra, AA off, teselation off, and I get 40(lowest I saw)-70fps.Battlefield 3 gets 70fps with lows of about 30, so yes, the new Tomb Raider is relatively taxing once you wack up the detail.I tried all the settings on low, just to see how it looked, and it still looks pretty darn great.The level of detail of the characters, particularly Lara, the environment (except the water, that for some reason is toned down and barely ripples when you walk through it...disappointing I guess. It moves and sways of course, but the surface is..."flat" and doesn't really react to collisions on objects or Lara herself), is fantastic.Artistically, Crystal Dynamics have gone for a darker, grittier feel, and it shows everywhere. Lara gets covered in mud mixed with blood that washes off in the rain. Early on, she gets pretty badly injured and you constantly see and hear her pain and struggling.Her infalted air-bags are gone, kind of, but Lara looks like a young woman perfectly portioned with curves in the right places. Hot-pants are now cargo pants, and her vest covers her belly finally. She's still very, very sexy, so retains her sex symbol status in gaming, but she's far more realistic now.-----AUDIO-----Crystal Dynamics have truly hit the jackpot with Camilla Ludington. Not only did she do all the motion capture, she is the new voice of Lara.Quintisentially British as always, with this being an Origin story and Lara's first adventure at just 21, her performance and that of all cast members is superb.Lara is alot more vocal in this entry, and will constantly be making noise of exersion when she jumps or grabs a ledge, will shout with pain, will tremble in confined spaces or when she faces any form of environmental danger.Trees sway, birds chirp, wolves howl in the distance. You're in the wild, alone with nothing but Lara's wits and inner drive to survive.--------GAMEPLAY--------Standard 3rd Person action here. Camera behind. The usual Tomb Raider controls with some new aspects thrown in. Ledges where you slip require you to hit a certain key in the allocated time or Lara will fall and, inevitably, die due to the sheer drop below her.Combat is completely revamped. No more hopping around with 2 pistols on auto-lock and infinite ammo. This is far more realistic, and stays in 3rd person throughout.Uncharted and Gears of War comes to mind when you're firing, but hey, how else can you do action in a 3rd person game?The bow and arrow add an element of stealth to the game, which is actually the prefered way for Lara to move around. She can now crouch and hide behind objects. Choke foes to death from behind. Arrows can be used as distractions, but rather worryingly, arrows seem to be available a bit too much. To the point where just an hour or so in, I was thinking "why are there so many arrows around here?" Get into a gunfight and Lara for sure can hold her own, BUT, she's very fragile, even on normal difficulty.As expected in games these days, the "entry level" thugs at the start are your typical selection of only-wearing-a-shirt-for-protection bad guys with AKs. Easy to taunt and trick. These do get replaced with heavy-armour wearing foes with shotguns and LMGs later on, with some riot shields thrown in as well to mix up your tactics mid-fight, and for the most part the AI holds its' own. They'll spot you if you're not hiding properly, yet don't have eagle vision either to make it unfair.Lara can eaves-drop on foes and some humorous dialogue can be heard, as you crouch in the shadows (aka behind a low brick wall in the bushes).Weapons can be upgraded through parts you find in the world, to repair your bow, your AK47, your shotgun etc, from the rusted pirates' version to a shinier, more accurate and damaging version (standard stuff in gaming).These upgrades are done at "camps" you find in each area of the island, where you can rest up, catch your breath, fast-travel and perform said upgrades.Collectibles throughout the world give you an incentive to re-visit areas (often with different weather too) and gain XP to give yourself new moves and better upgrades etc, so the camp quick-travel is always useful.In my opinion, there are too many Quick Time Events causing button mashing, but the I've never been a fan of them. Also, a few too many "cutscenes" where you have no control of the awesome moments.Some of the QTEs are exhilirating, such as using your shotgun to blow away wooden obstacles as you crash down raging rivers (and these parts of the game REQUIRE weapon upgrades before you acces them).----------CONCLUSION----------After a long write with not enough detail no doubt, I can honestly say this is the one, latest game in the series that is worth a purchase, just because it gives you an insight into who Lara is and how she became the legend.It's darker, it's gritier, it's rated 18, and it's a well-told, emotional ride.----------ANNOYANCES----------I have only 2 so far.First off, there is a bug that is kind of irritating.When you grab a ledge or have a button to hit, it shows you which button to hit, otherwise you fall and die, or the object crushes you etc. Well...it usually shows you what button to hit, but not always. You die. Reload, try again, and there's the button you have to hit on the screen. Weird. But it does it numerous times, which is annoying, but hardly game-breaking.Also, Lara's attitude changes FAR too quickly from scared woman to killing machine.Her first kill (ie, ever), is a dramatic moment that will live long in a gamer's memory. It's horrifying. It's partly a rape scene. Lara's emotions are so relateable after she kills her first person. She breaks down. She's on her knees, dropping the gun in horror at what she has done.It's a powerful, unforgetable moment....but then 5 minutes later, she's slaying men left and right.It's not that the scene was bad or unrequired, it just seems they pushed the moment so hard but then showed no emotion about it from then on.This is a problem in games these days, and it's just story-telling being badly done. Far Cry 3 did it. Jason Brody is a teenager. Never fired a gun. Kills someone for the first time, it's horrific for him, sure, but again, 5 minutes later, he's using an AK47 like he's a trained killer.I kind of wish developers would ease us into being so proficient with weapons in a better way, especially when it's obvious the character has had no training at all.It's a nitpick some will agree and disagree on I guess.It's not a 4. It's not a 5. It's a 4.5.

7.3.2013

I was more than a little hesitant about this one. Far Cry 3 didn't float my boat in the way I had hoped, and neither did Dead Space 3. They were both part of respectable series of games. Neither one of them bad, but neither really living up to the hype. Much as I loved those `series', Tomb Raider has always been in a different class for me (in terms of gaming `love'). Some of the recent episodes of Lara I have deliberately decided to skip for fear of disappointment. This one, I had to have.First impressions are often crucial to how one ends up perceiving a game. In this respect, the new Tomb Raider (let's call it TR) gets off to a flyer.I'm running the game with decent rig,albeit with a 3 year old 5870 GPU and the visuals are frankly, stunning. The detail in the water, on the beach and then as you go inland in the forest, caves and the inevitable tombs is fantastic. Far Cry has always (for me) been king in this respect, but TR is visually even more stunning. I think the fact that Crystal Dynamics have clearly worked on the `atmospheric' side of the game definitely lends a hand to bringing the graphics further into people's consciousness. Audio is excellent. Lara is perfectly voiced, but the entire supporting cast is equally good. There are a number of cut-scenes, particularly early on, but they almost never feel excessive as you can feel that they lend themselves to the development of the story.So enter the new Lara. She's 21, bright, athletic (but not botox enhanced) and a little naïve. Voiced exceptionally well, she definitely feels like a younger Lara should. The game distinguishes itself from its predecessors by assuming a more mature tone. Gone are the cartoony characters and limitless ammunition with an almost indestructible Lara. She's now extremely vulnerable (at times seemingly excessively so) and clearly in the transformation phase from young woman to the confident Lara we've got to know so well over the years. The violence is far more graphic with blood and gore aplenty. Thankfully none of it seems excessive as it serves to effectively shape Lara and help her down the path of `maturing' as the game progresses.The gameplay resembles a number of recent games. Drake (on the PS3) springs to mind. It's not overly hard and feels a tiny bit like your being forced down a heavily scripted path. But at the same time, the overall experience of the game makes the linear and scripted nature almost seem irrelevant. The enjoyment factor is just too high.As with many new games, the cover system is automatic during combat. But this seems to work as it should, so no gripes. Enemy AI is reasonable if not brilliant. Still a challenge, but providing you stay in the shadows as much as you can, Lara should still prevail. Human enemies start off easy and gradually (and naturally evolve).The wolves are a little annoying as they spawn along certain paths, and you know in advance before you get there that, as this is a path you need to cross, the wolves will be there. But it's a small gripe and you can still `loot' the corpses for `salvage' (see below). There was talk of a `rape' scene in this game. Although I can see where that comes from, I don't think it ever really becomes a risk of rape. Although this is suggested at one point, as soon as Lara starts to resist and fight back, it becomes a survival scene as her assailant seems far more focused on killing her rather than getting her kit off.Weapons are varied (the stealthy longbow is a great addition) and can be upgraded through the interactive menus available to you at each of your camp sites. This is quite a good way to do it, and most importantly relies on only one raw material (`salvage'). So whatever you decide to upgrade, you will always use the same inventory of salvaged material to do so. There are also skill points, much like Far Cry 3 which are either `survivor' or `hunter'. Self-explanatory and I will not go further into this for fear of spoiling.There are a number of `tombs' to raid and even more to download as extra DLC. These feel a bit like `intstances' for those that play RPGs. I personally am really enjoying them as you get to do what Lara does best while simultaneously taking a break from the main plot. You get some nice loot and awards for each tomb you complete. The puzzles are not overly difficult and you have a type of `eagle vision' (think Assassin's Creed) that helps identify objects with which you can interact by their gold colouring. This is close to cheating, but you don't HAVE to use it if you don't want to. Everyone does though :-). Still, it means it's hard to get stuck, both while your raiding tombs, but also throughout the main game.Enough rambling. This game is great. A worthy addition to the TR games of old, if not perhaps the more recent additions. Any TR fan worth his or her salt will love the game. Those that are new will probably still love it for the attempt to focus on as many important details as possible. It's a joy to play, and the storyline keeps you engrossed without every becoming overly burdensome.My (extremely limited) gripes:It's a little easy at times. Both the gameplay and puzzles.Ammo is too plentiful. If you put limits on the ammo that can be carried, make it a real obstacle to the way people will play. If not, why bother?Cut-scene frequency and length.My verdict? Highly recommended - and visually beautiful to play.I'd give this four stars, but I'm giving it 5 to offset all the idiots giving it one star because of Steam related problems.UPDATE 11/03/13Having finished it now, I wanted to make a couple more points - for accuracy.Yes, there are more than a few QTE. But these are painfully easy. I don't understand a lot of the complaints. Also, you can often use them to perform 'finishing' or 'incapacitating' moves. I liked this. It can help immeasurably when you're heavily outnumbered. Just remember to be patient before hitting 'F'. Mashing it will not help....There is a 'fast-travel' function that allows you to go back to parts (earlier campsites) of the island you have not completed eg to collect missing relics and documents. In all my gaming years, I had never used this type of function before, but I did in TR. I was so engrossed in the storyline first time through certain areas that I had flown past them too quickly for my own satisfaction. There are treasure maps (that you need to find) for each area which can help you collect all relics and documents. A nice touch for those perfectionists out there.There is a third skill subset - the 'brawler'. Allows you to upgrade combat style and includes finishing moves and improved proficency with different weapon types.And one more minor gripe - The tombs are very easy to find, and include no combat. It's all about the puzzles to get to the hidden 'treasure'. As per my earlier gripe, this makes the tombs a little to easy. The puzzles of earlier games in the TR series are rocket science compared to these.But still a fantastic game and these updates do not affect my overall rating or appreciation of the game.

26.3.2013

Steam account & internet connection required to play.Having just completed the game for the first time(100% complete), i have thoroughly enjoyed the experience overall, however there are still some annoyances that i had to endure, in order to enjoy the story and the game as a whole. Having played the series since it's conception in the 90's, those games under Core Design will always be my favorites due to nostalgia. The first reboot with TR: Legend and it's subsequent games were enjoyable, but not to an extent that i feel any nostalgia or loyalty to them purely due to the lead character. This new approach with the involvement with the origin story is spot on.It rekindles the passion of past players like myself by getting to know Lara again & bring in new players, by allowing them to bond & grow with Lara through the game, and onto what will hopefully be a blossoming relationship.------Gameplay------Graphics- The first thing that hits you about Tomb Raider is the graphics, as the opening cut scene died away, i was sitting there watching the screen, thinking it was the cutscene still, but no, the game simply looks this stunningly real all the time. Amazing attention to detailSound- The ambient audio brings the environments to life. The music combines well, while not overpowering, albeit not quite a memorable score. Camilla Luddingtion is excellent as the new voice of Lara & the support is decent, bringing the characters to life, making the whole experience believable(Skyrim & Fallout 3/NV fans will recognise a few).Story- Shipwrecked by sinister forces, Lara must save her friends & get off the island of Yamatai by surviving against a savage cult & understanding the mysterious powers at work, that won't let them leave the island. Through this we grow alongside Lara, as this naive young 20 something gradually faces the harsh realities of life, through loss & hardship, she becomes a hardened adventurer(as do we).Setting- The island of Yamatai has many varied locations, so much so that it feel's like a one stop shop of globe trotting rather then a single locale. Although linear like the classic games, it gives the illusion of being wide & open to exploration due to the stunning backdrop all around. It's abundant history of it's past & current inhabitants via they're journals & remnants on the island, make it feel like another character.Combat- The combat offers enemies with different attack styles so that you don't just camp in one spot & snipe, it tries to keep you moving. With various skills to learn & unlock, as well as alternate fire modes for weapons, you have varied ways to eliminate them, including the introduction of a workable stealth mechanic, which was last attempted in TR: Chronicles, briefly.Level design- The levels flow well & the environments are easy to traverse while Lara look's good doing it. There are a few different ways to overcome obstacles, platforming has never been so engaging. Exploration & combat itself is fun and well paced through the game. Plenty of varied interactable scenery to use to progress or use as cover to combat advantage. Maneuvering Lara in combat is well implemented, she instantly takes cover when behind objects & can peak around corners, it's so fluid.Raiding- A decent amount of tombs to raid, albeit more of them & on a larger scale would be welcomed in future. Some of the other non-tomb puzzles were enjoyable, like the lift in the Research Base. But overall they weren't too difficult, other than a couple of the more challenging ones which were at least rewarding enough to make things feel nostalgic. Along with varied challenges to complete & secrets to find, which encourages exploration. The new campsite mechanic allows you to fast travel & revisit past areas, in order to find the secrets you may have missed, even right up before the very end of the game & after you have completed it even, at which point enemies have re-spawned.Mature content- This incarnation of Tomb Raider picks up where Angel Of Darkness tried to go, with a more mature theme. This takes the shape of strong language & gruesome, bloody discoveries that make this the most realistic & chilling raid to date.New mechanics- Using camp sites that you uncover at the start of area's, you can use gathered salvage to improve your weapons, bow, pistol, shotgun & rifle, with new upgrades. With Lara through experience points from kills or discoveries you can unlock new abilities for her to use. However these are more of a choice as to which order you want to get them, as eventually you'll obtain them all. Lara now has survival instinct, like The Witcher or Hitman, you can survey an area for enemies & update your map for artifacts or collectibles.------Annoyances------QTE's- I enjoy the odd quick time event, which to be fair was put to good use in places. But it was a bit too much after a while, especially in combat, and it began to disrupt my enjoyment of the game in places. By all means please keep the sections where we get to aim ourselves, like the early trap scene with the attacking wolves, more of those instead please. And lose the need to mash keys to open chests, it just isn't necessary.Characters- The characters are cliche & look like various characters from other games e.g Jonah looks like Vaas from Far Cry 3 & Reyes looks like Alyx from Half Life 2.Camera sickness- The motion of the camera in cut scenes made me a bit sickly.Lip sync- The lips on the characters don't move correctly to the voice actors lines. It's not so bad in the cut scenes, but in game is awful, if you like to zoom in on Lara's face *cough*.Checkpoints- Never liked them, i'd prefer control to save the game myself.Stability- I had no issues for about 80% of the game on my first playthrough, until i tweaked the graphics settings in game & it broke. Worked fine after restarting upto completion. Now on a 2nd playthrough after updating Nvidia drivers to version 314.22. Iv'e experienced a variation of some visual problems early on, with black screens at the end part of cut scenes, technicolor flashes & walls of texture. Iv'e set the games overall graphics to ultimate as opposed to custom, and it seems to have settled down atm after leaving the opening area(GTX 670 @ 1440p).In conclusion, annoyances aside which i hope the developers take note of & remove/improve upon in future. This new Tomb Raider game is the best one i have enjoyed outside of the Core Design days. 4.5/5 Highly recommended.

16.5.2013

Tomb Raider is a fresh reboot of the series of the same name, discarding the continuity built up over the previous eight games in favour of a fresh take on the premise and the central character of Lara Croft. Croft was very much a child of the 1990s: ballsy, confident, arrogant and a bit cartoonish. Her fresh incarnation is younger, constantly doubting herself and doesn't know how to chamber a round, let alone how to dive around dual-wielding pistols and shooting tigers. This is, much as it pains me to say it, a 'gritty and more realistic take on the character'.Tomb Raider is a curious hybrid of several game types. It's a third-person action game with a linear story, but which keeps the map open,allowing you to revisit previous areas to find more resources and new locations, once you have unlocked new equipment later in the game which allows you scale previously-inaccessible cliffs and blast open hitherto-invulnerable blockades. It isn't an open-world game - the island is portrayed as an interlocking series of explorable zones, not a wide-open space like the recent Far Cry 3 - but it throws in enough nods at an open world structure to make for an interesting hybrid. The semi-open-world structure makes for a curious incompatibility with the game's storyline, however, which is almost always urgently demanding you rush to the next objective and complete the next mission. This urgency is diminished when Lara decides to spend 2 hours painstakingly combing a forest for GPS trackers and magic mushrooms. Doing these side-objectives is important as it gives you more experience points which you can use to improve Lara's abilities, and also gives you more salvage to upgrade your weapons and equipment with.Lara is a fairly athletic character, able to scale vertical walls with the help of an improvised pickaxe, jump large distances and shimmy all over the place on rope bridges, some of which you create yourself by using a bow and rope-arrows. The game signposts where you can use these tools - literally by using a special view mode which highlights all usable objects in an area in bright yellow - but it can be fun seeing your destination and working out how to get there using the tools at your disposal. Tomb Raider is at its best when you have control for long periods and are given objectives without being hand-held through the whole thing. This is best exemplified by the optional tombs, which Lara has to explore (or 'raid', if you will) through her own ingenuity. Unfortunately, these tombs tend to revolve around one puzzle each and most of them about about 50 feet across in size, making them more like the 'dungeons' from Skyrim that consist of one winding passage and two rooms than substantial locations in their own right. Still, the idea is good.There is also quite a lot of combat, initially against animals (though, sadly, not tigers) and later on against human opponents. The gaming media has gone rather overboard in praising the scene in which Lara overcomes her first human opponent, kills him and then expresses realistic feelings of shock, panic and revulsion at having to do such a thing. All of this is effective in the moment, but undercut by Lara blowing away hordes of attacking nutcases literally a minute later without any qualms at all. By the endgame, in which Lara has to taken on an entire army of attackers in a temple forecourt spanning multiple levels and featuring tons of explosive barrels you can detonate to obliterate half a dozen foes at a time, this moral disconnect between story and gameplay has become absurd. Entertaining, certainly, but the game's musings on the desensitisation of killing and possible symptoms of PTSD ultimately feel like a sop to critics of videogame violence more than any real desire to explore the issues in depth (something else it shares with Far Cry 3).When the game stops wangsting about this stuff, it's often excellent. The freeform stuff is very good. Unfortunately, the main storyline is corncheese. It starts off trying to be grim and gritty and realistic, but by the end it's become an out-and-out fantasy involving undead creatures and spirit beings. Major story beats are transmitted through either cut scenes or particularly tedious Quick Time Events. The game's use of QTEs is obnoxious and over-the-top, taking over from the proper gameplay all too often. So do cut scenes, which are not differentiated from the gameplay either, often with the camera retaining its standard position over Lara's sholder, meaning (particularly in the first hour or so) that sometimes they end and the player has no way of knowing they're back in control until they die. Also, the game's moment of victory is in a cut scene rather than through player agency, which is a completely unfathomable decision. The less said about the supporting cast - Lara's fellow castaways who are only around to get rescued or provide awful dialogue about why Lara's next plan is going to fail despite her last three working fine and saving all their live - the better as well. From a technical standpoint, the graphics are excellent (despite the odd glitch), the controls are smooth, responsive and fully customisable (and you can remap the Enter key, which is awesome and inexplicably rare these days) and overall the game is fun to play.The problems prevent Tomb Raider (****) from achieving its full potential. The game's curious mixture of Far Cry freeform jungle stuff (including hunting and skinning animals), Prince of Persia style puzzle-solving using the equipment available, enjoyable combat (including one of the best and most natural cover systems I've seen in a game) and tons of bonus objectives all makes for an excellent gaming experience. But that experience is undercut by the game wrestling control away from you all too-often for indifferently-written cut scenes and repetitive Quick Time Events. When the game lets you play it how you want to, rather than how it wants to, it's superb.

4.4.2014

I still hold the first two titles of the "Tomb Raider" series in high regard. In my opinion, the level design, the puzzles and the degree of control you have over the player character makes or breaks this type of game. "Tomb Raider" (1996) featured huge sprawling levels, full of surprises and secrets to explore. Both the puzzles and the control scheme would match the qualities and the requirements of the level design. This was, in so many words, an old-school platform game set in a 3D world, and it was a joy to play.As the series evolved, the quality of the instalments varied considerably. I played and finished the first three titles of the series, but stopped playing halfway through number 4,skipped numbers 5 and 6 entirely, played "Legend" to finish and stopped playing "Anniversary" after having finished the first level. I did not bother to buy "Underworld" because I found that the series had run out of ideas and strayed very far from what made the series work in the first place.Picking up the 2013 reboot of the series, I was curious. I am impressed by what I found."Tomb Raider" (2013) is (once again) a game built around exploring huge environments. The exploration allows you to improve your gear, by collecting "salvage" which is used to add features to your weapons and tools. Also, the number of puzzles solved, story points completed, hidden locations explored, etc. contribute to collecting experience points, which can be spent on improving your character's abilities, even allowing you to specialize on a specific weapon, for example.The environments to be explored vary greatly. There are both huge open areas dotted with buildings, bridges and niches to explore, and tight indoor areas. As in previous titles, your gear allows you to climb the environment and even change it, which is used in puzzles and enables you to find secret bonuses. This may sound like faint praise, and as if these were features which should be taken for granted. But as the past has shown, it is hard to make them work in a game, and they are easily overlooked if the focus of the game shifts to gunplay and graphics. I found the level design to be good, often great. It certainly helped that the game's graphics and animations looked good, too, and let's not forget the game's sound which I consider one of the best I have heard in years.Exploration is not everything. You will meet wildlife and enemies which need to be evaded or fought. Early in the game, but not necessarily towards the end, you can avoid combat altogether. As the game progresses, however, you will need to spend experience points towards shaping how well your weapons or close combat abilities will work out in a fight.The last piece of what makes a "Tomb Raider" game for me are the puzzles. In this title I found that they were quite fair in that they did not appear to be overly simplistic (in other words, they would not make you feel "dumb" for even having to bother with them), and the harder puzzles were optional (and would reward you with extra experience points). The puzzles often used the environment, specifically how mass, weight and buoyancy of objects worked together. If have seen such "physics puzzles" before, but never done quite so well.The one element which I felt did not contribute to the game was the use of quick-time-events. These events first introduced in "Tomb Raider: Legend" and require you to push specific control buttons at specific times. Fail to follow the on-screen prompts and you will be punished by playing through the exact sequence again and again until you get it right.The problem, as I see it, is that while you spend most of the game being in control of the player character, the quick-time-events take that control out of your hand: you now need to follow exactly what the game tells you. Also, the sequences which you may have to repeat a few times to get the timing right, are not that interesting in the first place either. This lends them more weight than they deserve. They do not help the game's pace along, they rather succeed at annoying the player.Because this is another origin story (the last origin story was told in "Tomb Raider: Legend") and "reboot", Lara has to be part of a larger narrative in which side-characters shape how the story evolves, motivate Lara's actions and ultimatively explain how Lara became who she is in the context of the game series.I found the side-characters to be lacking. They exist purely for the purpose of having certain plot points in the story, one plot point each. There is very little room to grow beyond stereotype and cliché, and sadly, each character (without giving anything away) dies when he has fulfilled his purpose. Knowing the "Uncharted" series, which itself is a riff on the same theme as "Tomb Raider", it is hard not see the potential in telling a story with side-characters in which they get their due. In this "Tomb Raider" game the storytelling is much, much weaker than the scenario and the setup suggests. Length and contents of cut-scenes does not make up for poor characterization. Neither does a comic book which attempts to set up these characters if they do not contribute to the story through their actions.In total, the sum of the game's parts which work well make for an impressive title. The overused quick-time-events and the flat storytelling are issues, but they do not weigh down the overall game. Here is hoping that the next instalment of the series will grow beyond these weaknesses.

27.7.2014

When the reboot of Tomb Raider first came out I was very skeptical, being a fan of the franchise I couldn't see them bettering it's predecessors. But I was very wrong and as much as I loved the original games, this Tomb Raider betters the previous ones by being different but still keeping the elements of the originals intact. Having owning a copy on Xbox 360 and realising what a great game it is, it was only natural for me to buy the polished version on the Xbox One.Straight from the get go you see that this Tomb Raider is a darker, grittier and more of an adult game than the original carnation. It's a coming of age story, making Lara do some serious soul searching.The game is set on an island somewhere in the east nearing Japan, as Lara and her companions become shipwrecked while searching for a Japanese myth in which her close friend Sam is related to. Upon reaching the island, Lara is thrown into some serious business, getting caught by a weird occult.From that point onwards the story of the game really takes off, taking you through a cinematic roller coaster ride!The story of the game is very impressive, giving a good balance between a dark reality and using some classic Tomb Raider esque myths to keep that fantasy element alive in the series. Although it can become quite predictable in parts it's still a strong story throughout.The graphics in the game are a nice step up from the Xbox 360 version, giving more textures and shading to the world in which Lara has to survive. You'll see water shimmering as it drips down a rock in the moonlight, to shadows flickering in tombs as Lara narrowly squeezes through rocks with her flamed torch, it creates quite an immersive experience. Little things like Lara brushing her hand on a rock as she walks by all add to make the character more human than in the other carnations. My only criticism with the graphics is from time to time bugs seem to invade the game, I crawled into a cave and once in there the ground disappeared and also when travelling down a zip line a bit of shrapnel was frozen in the air. The most consistent problem which I noticed was when turning off your Xbox One, and then once turning it back on and returning back to the game, the sound of the game seems to have disappeared, I found myself having to start another game before reloading Tomb Raider again in order to get the sound back. But to me these are just minor things as they can easily be rectified.The gameplay is solid, gunfights are engaging but sometimes aiming can be a bit too sensitive. The AI of the enemies is pretty bog standard, as they seem to all have the same routed attack strategy. The stealth aspect of the game is pretty good, firing arrows off a wall to cause a distraction to the enemy whist sneaking behind them and chocking them to death is pretty cool. Theres plenty of collectables which is a nice touch, you'll find some relics which Lara will tell a story of that particular relic, flexing her archaeology skills. Also you can discover tombs which are hidden away in caves and bunkers as well as find documents which explain certain sides of the story from different perspectives, again it's a nice touch to the game.The climbing is really cool in Tomb Raider, using a pick axe to find her way up a mountain front and scrambling up walls. The previous Tomb Raider games have always prided themselves on puzzles, this version is no different, I think the only difference is that the puzzles are pretty easy, I only hope that the next Tomb Raider game will give you more of a challenge.As much as I've heard people think that this Tomb Raider had taken gameplay aspects from the Uncharted series, you've got to remember that Uncharted took a lot of things from the original Tomb Raider, so out of all honesty it is pretty much it's own game. The gritty side of it reminds me of The Last of us, but this game was released before the popular PS3 title, so it seems like Naughty Dog developers borrow a lot more from Tomb Raider than they would like us to think.In the definitive edition you'll acquire more outfits and some more multi-player maps but thats about it.The music in the game is pretty much your standard classical movie score, it does a good job of setting the atmosphere as well as creating a dramatic tension in places, but to be honest it pretty much will go un-noticed throughout. The voice acting is solid, but nothing really blinding in ways of performance. The sound effects are pretty realistic from the gun shots to the wind blowing and explosions.The multi-player is average, team death matches and levelling your characters up, it's a third person shooter swapping between two factions, but to be honest doesn't require too much skill, you will go back to every so often but it really isn't essential to the game.Overall this is an amazing game to play and a must buy for anyone regardless of what console you own, I would have given it 5 stars if it wasn't for the minor bugs and the average multi-player. The supporting cast that surrounds Lara seem quite disposable and pretty forgettable, but they all play their part in Lara's growing process. The story is strong and the gameplay and graphics are great, and this for me are the main things that make a game great! And now I can only wait in anticipation for the sequel next year!!Gameplay 4/5Story 4/5Graphics 4/5Sound 4/5Multi-player 3/5

26.2.2014

The iconic game of the 1990s, Tomb Raider gets a complete reboot in today's immersive HD graphics with a substantially enhanced storyline and vastly smoother gameplay. However, at only 15 hours playing time, it's a bit short.I loved Tomb Raider I, can't remember much about Tomb Raider II and III, and absolutely adored The Last Revelation. After that, Legend and Angel of Darkness were ok, but by the time we reached Underworld the graphics were so far behind other games that it was like a retro experience.Tomb Raider 2013 aka Definitive Edition completely reboots the series with a strong story driven plot, graphics that approach a high-end animated feature, impressive interactions with the environment,and, for the first time, a story-line that makes sense from beginning to end.Thinking back to the very first Tomb Raider, it was always a bit odd that someone had left health packs lying around a deserted tomb (and this carried on right up to Underworld), that everything ran out of bullets except pistols, which never did (this was eventually abandoned), and that weapons and ammunition were left liberally lying around for Lara to acquire. Of course, with the then-iconic but now low-res graphics of the original games, this was just one of the conventions of first-person shooters that we always accepted. Or how about this? Lara Croft is supposed to be an archaeologist, but she casually smashes any kind of ancient pot she finds, just to see if it might contain a health pack or some treasure. Oh, and the guns aim themselves.The new Tomb Raider is a masterpiece of thinking things through. We're on an island rather like Lost or that long-forgotten and little lamented series Bermuda Triangle. Ships get wrecked, planes and helicopters crash. What's more, a lunatic has been organising his own private army as he attempts some shocking occult ritual. Once you've accepted the premise, everything else fits into place. There's a valid reason for ammunition left lying around in some places, and, in other places, it just isn't there. Lara gradually finds bits to upgrade her weapons. There are no health packs. If she takes too much damage, she dies. Otherwise, she can recover. She even has to eat (though this gets forgotten later in the story). And, although she's only a beginner archaeologist, she really does have a reverence for what she finds, and there's quite a lot of educational value in the the relics themselves.If this sounds all too worthy, it isn't. There's plenty of fighting for survival, you have to aim every shot, and the short cuts scenes when the bad guys get you are truly stomach curdling.Story wise, this is a really solid adventure, though, to my mind, it doesn't have quite the apocalyptic ominousness of The Last Revelation. A lot of work has been put into interactions with the other characters, though this means that so many clues are left that you've worked out what's going on long before Lara has (though, to be fair, she is fighting for her survival). The graphics are simply amazing, though the times when rain falls on 'the lens' may feel a little overdone. We have day and night, thunderstorms (lots of them), mist, fog, slimy water, fire, and all kinds of other things which behave in the game rather like they would in real life. It all looks and feels like you're almost there.There are just a couple of downsides. The story is quite short. Serious gamers will be through it in a flash. Also, there's far too much help. This may be there to make it accessible for a new generation of Tomb Raider fans, but, apart from one or two GPS caches and a couple of the tombs, you should never be really stuck in the way that the first four games could hold you back. By comparison, the fights are really difficult. Ok, I had accidentally knocked the settings onto 'difficult' the first time I played through, but even if you put it on easy, the combat is significantly more challenging than the puzzles. Likewise, in certain scenes you have to do little more than press the button when it tells you to.The other thing is that the Tombs themselves are strictly optional. You can play right the way to the end without entering even one of them. Thankfully you can go back and finish them all up afterwards, as well as finding the GPS caches and taking on a variety of challenges, but by that point you have nothing riding on it. A lot of the things you've got to go through in the storyline are tomb-like, but the makers have clearly decided to differentiate 'tombs', which are physical puzzle based optional explorations, from the main story, whose difficulties are mainly finding your way around and fighting off the bad guys. This gives the game an ever so slightly bitty feel.With all that said, this is an amazing, brilliant, utterly immersive game which is graphically further ahead of its predecessor Underworld than Underworld is ahead of the original game.

6.3.2013

First caveat. I haven't finished the entire game. To be fair I've only had it for 24 hours and I like to savor the experience rather than race through a game in a single day.Now that said, if you think you might like this but are unsure, I recommend you buy it! I was impressed from the start. After a little hiccup with Steam was sorted (I've changed my wireless card since I last logged in and the installation got stuck until I realised this and re-authorised the account) the game launches with a simple, intuitive and likeable interface. Graphics setting are easily selected without a benchmark or constant tweaks and starting the game doesn't put you though endless choices to make but sets you right into the action.There are a couple of short intros and then the graphics get to shine.I'm still not certain if half of the opening sequence was a pre rendered video and then it cut into a scripted sequence in the game engine, or if the entire sequence was the game engine. That should give you an idea of how pretty things are. This is probably as photo-realistic as I've ever seen a game get. I'm running a two year old mid spec gaming laptop. I set the graphics to 'high' with the option of 'ultra' and 'extreme' above this. By comparison I run Far Cry 3 on maxed out settings. I tested out the higher options but noticed little difference but a clear drop in FPS.The game starts with some basic puzzles with a dark, frightening feel then puts you in a exploration and survival setting. The interface tutorial is handled during these sequences in an unobtrusive way. There are a couple of QTE (mash this key sequence to not die) segments but as long as they don't pop up any more frequently I think these added to the gameplay rather than retracting from it.I don't played many FPS or adventure games but in the past I've picked up the Far Cry series and Operation Flashpoint games because I've enjoyed the realism and open world. Tomb Raider compares to Far Cry 3 quite well, in fact you could almost believe Far Cry 3 was a major inspiration for it (world design, QTE, survival mechanics, skills and experience etc...) but I realise that the development length and close release means this is not the case. TR has a darker feel to FC3 and so far the world is significantly better designed. FC3's world was excellent, but it was also large and necessarily a lot of it was bland. So far TR's world seems like it has been intricately designed so that it is filled with detail and variety. The environment is also highly immersive. Lara really seems like she is "in" the environment as she responds and interacts with it. If she gets muddy it doesn't gradually fade away but stays until you walk through a waterfall. Noises in the game cause her to look around and respond with anxious mutterings.This brings me to one of the things I like about this game the most. Lara herself is rebooted to the extent that although she is clearly athletic she has no experience or confidence. She is alone and frightened. Early on she is injured, and this affects the way she moves and acts. She has no equipment and doesn't know what to do. This is implemented so well I can actually believe it. Gone are the days of a blocky and oddly proportioned heroin standing legs wide and holding a canon in each hand, leaping and rolling about in an arcade style. Now we have a small, realistic, frightened young woman alone and in need of learning rapidly if she is going to survive. Her movement, appearance, dialogue and demeanour are true to this. I'm hoping this realism won't be lost as the game progresses and Lara gains in confidence.These are the first impressions that have most piqued my interest but I have barely scratched the surface. Hopefully like FC3, TR will prove to be a game that continues to surprise and expand in depth, rather than becoming the all over too quickly affair of the last to Operation Flashpoint games. But from what I've seen so far I'm optimistic.I've rated the game 5/5 overall. Should my opinion change I will come back and update this review.For fun I've rated it 4/5. I retracted one star because, although I like the dark and gritty style, I do feel the opening sequence was a little too dark. It was bordering a little on horror rather than just suspense. This has been done before in other games (Max Payne springs to mind, as do previous TR games) and I think its both old and not really needed. Puzzles can be just as interesting and compelling without dark red lighting, candles, bones or bodies hanging from ceilings. It just wasn't what I was looking for. As a result I wouldn't play this late at night if you have a tendency to dream vividly! Nor would I think this suitable for under 18s, but thats IMHO.

5.6.2013

I haven't enjoyed a game so much in a long time. I was a fan of the original Tomb Raider games, and while this isn't quite in the same vein it's still an incredible game. Where to start?First of all, if you're not a fan that's okay. There are a few subtle references to Lara's later character, but just enough to give old-school player a buzz.The characters in the story were very engaging and realistic. There's lots of emotion which can be felt through the game and everything from expressions and voice acting to how a character moves helps to build on their personality. Lara's character really develops, starting as a scared little girl that she is and gradually turning into a hardcore survivor,as she's better known. The events of this game really show how she became such a beast!I have gotten used to the movement style in the Assassin's Creed and Batman games - essentially, free run and hope for the best. Tomb Raider has maintained something like the old movement system, though much smoother. You have to time jumps and dodges just right, and you have to put in a bit more; such as having to grab onto an edge before you slip if you fall a bit short. It's not exactly a revolutionary system, but it requires a bit more thought and care. There are also periodic "escape runs" such as when escaping from a falling building or a crumbling cave, which I found very enjoyable because they give you a real thrill.Also, you DO NOT want to let Lara die. Generally it's not bad if she's killed in combat, but some of the death animations are really brutal, too brutal for my liking. I suppose it's an incentive to keep her alive, but I felt that some of the impaling deaths, for example, were over the top. However the other adult theme in the story is bad language. There's a fair bit of it, but I felt it was justified in a way. The atmosphere creates a tension which is heightened by the language - it makes it seem more harsh and gritty. Plus the added thrill when in a combat situation we see Lara's Croft side showing through: "Oh s***, she's got a machine gun!" "That's right! Run, you bas***ds!"The visuals were very good through out the game. There are spooky caves and tombs which can be REALLY creepy, but some of the open air wrecks and ruins are really pretty in their own way. One area in particular is hundreds of scrapped planes and ships knocked together to make giant towers way above the tree line. They're really ramshackle, but for some reason it's beautiful - look at me, getting soppy. Rest assured, great visuals which really help with creating the desired atmosphere.Puzzle solving was a major aspect of the old games, and it's returned. The main story has a few interactive puzzles scattered along the way, none very difficult. The more challenging ones are in the tombs, which can be accessed at breaks in the main story. I thought this was a very good idea - it frees up the storyline so as not to slow down gameplay, but there's the added challenge to those who want it. My experience so far is that they're not quite as tough as some of the puzzles in the original games, but they're generally enough to make you chew them over a bit.One thing that I really enjoy in a game is an upgrade system; it gives me the feeling that I'm actively being rewarded for my exploits. And Tomb Raider has a very good one. XP points are gained by killing enemies, exploring area, looting salvage, etc. and when you have enough you can buy skills in whichever area you feel most comfortable, like combat or agility. By looting enemies and finding stashes around the map, you can collect salvage for upgrading weapons. The system is very flexible and it is entirely up to the player.I haven't spent much time on the multiplayer, but it seems to be pretty standard. Level up system by gaining XP, weapon upgrades as you go along, get more characters at higher levels. The usual. There are different gaming modes, but essentially boils down to mostly Survivor vs Solarii team matches. It's pretty fun, but personally I found it a bit bit hard to get into because everyone else is far more superior for having played longer.This game is brilliant. I was engaged the whole way through and loved the way it played. It was a reminder of all the hours I spent on Tomb Raider years ago, whilst still being a great game in its own right. This is how reboots should be made, and I can't wait for the next instalment!PS. PC gamers, this ran really well (better than I expected) on my rig: Intel Pentium G630 2.7GHz CPU, 8GB RAM and GTX 560 Ti running Windows 8.

31.1.2014

Like all Tomb Raider games this one doesn't lack on the action side nor the special effects department but the added bonus of next generation hardware gives the game that little added spark to truly give you a great gaming experience. Interesting to note is that the Definitive Edition comes with the DLC already at no added cost which saves you having to purchase it later down the road.First things first, the game looks beautiful and while I'm told it's not as good looking as the PS4 edition i have to say the Xbox One version looks very impressive and i fail to see any problems in that regard, indeed facial graphics, rain and even mud looks very realistic. Equally i have to mention the impressive audio with both characters,weapons and environments sounding as good as you are likely to get. I like the idea of using voice commands to do certain things (if you have the Kinect plugged in) although they aren't essential and you can make do with just the controller, indeed i would argue using the controller is easier as i have found the Kinect can get confused at certain points and you can get killed as a result, even opening the map by voice command can become a problem so best avoid using it until they fully work the integration out by means of a patch (hopefully).Exploration is essential to truly enjoying what this game has to offer although the game has a habit of pushing you through so take your time as there is lots to discover and pick up. Now to our favourite action heroine, Lara Croft .. mmmm, I can remember the very first Tomb Raider games from back in the day and the transformation since then has been staggering and has turned into the true hardcore action adventurer that we have today. Initially you start without any weapons and the techniques that you have available are incredibly limited but as you progress you get the weapons and some pretty special techniques for use in hand to hand combat and/or fire-fights. Most of the action occurs when you least expect it, often to be jumped on from behind and yes there is some button mashing moments but it does get you involved and excited as to what's waiting just around the corner.There's lots of content and things to collect in this game which is made even better by the fact that everything is different and there is little repetition throughout the long story, perhaps the main reason for the story being so exciting is the fact the game keeps the pressure on you to do more and not linger, aided by the fact it's so good that you yourself want to explore more so you have to find the right balance between exploration and getting on with what you need to do. I didn't own the Xbox 360 version of this game but i did manage to play it and i have to say the step up in terms of graphics is noticeable, sadly the multilayer aspect hasn't improved at all, it's very basic and largely boring even when you use some of the more exciting weapons and attachments that can be had. This game was designed for it's single player campaign and believe me with the amount it has to offer you don't really miss the multi player at all!Pros: Awesome story * Fantastic graphics * Combat is great fun especially when you get some of the better weapons * Lara is back and as good as ever * Lots to explore and collect * With the included DLC, Artwork book and Dark Horse comic (in digital form) it makes it even better valueCons: Multi-player is pathetic (but to be expected as they've put all their time and money into the main story) * Kinects voice commands need more work in this game as i struggled in getting them to work half the time.VERDICT: It looks stunning and plays very well with no bugs, glitches or issues surrounding game-play, I loved the amount you could explore and there's lots to do and places to go, you'll love the combat sections and general progression through the story as there's never a dull moment and taken together i have to say this is one impressive game, made better by the fact Lara Croft looks stunning.... especially covered in mud! RECOMMENDED!!

17.2.2014

The original Tomb Raider was the first game I ever played and one of my favourite games of all time. So when I heard that Crystal Dynamics were working on a new Tomb Raider game, I couldn't wait to play it. The game is a reboot which takes the series in a completely new direction and I couldn't be happier with the end result. Crystal Dynamics have done a remarkable job, taking inspiration from the fantastic Uncharted games and building on them to create the best Tomb Raider game in a long time. This Definitive Edition on PS4 is THE version to own and offers just a glimpse of what we can expect in the next instalment.The story begins with a small group of survivors who are shipwrecked on a mysterious Island after their ship,the Endurance, is torn apart in a violent storm. Unfortunately, being shipwrecked is the least of their worries as the island is home to a group of savage, cold-blooded killers who don't take kindly to outsiders. Lara and the other survivors must go to extreme lengths to stay alive and discover the truth about the Island before it's too late. As the story unfolds, we see Lara transform from an inexperienced, vulnerable girl into a brave and resourceful young woman. It's a gripping, well written tale of survival and like a good book you can't put down, I couldn't stop playing.The main campaign is a decent length, taking me well over twenty hours to complete on Hard mode. Although I did take my time, finding as many collectables in each area before moving on to the next. I recommend finding the hidden diaries as you progress through the game as they explain the history of the Island and it's inhabitants and flesh out some of the supporting characters who are otherwise a little underdeveloped.The atmosphere is probably one of the most important aspects of a Tomb Raider game and I'm happy to say, Crystal Dynamics nailed it. The level of detail in the various environments is breathtaking. As you progress from one area to the next it feels completely natural, like you're on a real island with a real history. Nothing feel's out of place. It's clear that a great deal of passion has gone into this project.The combat is a huge improvement over previous Tomb Raider games and can be approached in a variety of ways. Sneak up on unsuspecting enemies and take them out from behind, pick them off from a distance with your bow and arrow or run in guns blazing, shooting anything that moves. I preferred the stealthy approach because it made the game more challenging but also because you don't last long when you have five or six henchmen firing at you with pinpoint accuracy. Especially on the Harder difficulty.I did have a few issues with the game. Mainly with that fact that there were no swimming sections. I imagined swimming through submerged sections of the Endurance, or through underwater caves to get from one area to another. This would have been fantastic and added even more variety to the game. I hope they include these elements in the next game. Also, the mini-tombs are a little disappointing because they are far too short and not particularly challenging but they were still a lot of fun to complete. Finding these tombs often meant creeping through dark, narrow passages with only the sound of the wind and the crunch of gravel under your feet. It felt great and very atmospheric.I haven't tried the Online/Multiplayer features as it doesn't interest me in the slightest. The main campaign alone was worth every penny and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a lengthy and enjoyable single player experience.The series needed a refresh and this is exactly what I expected and more. If you're expecting an old school Tomb Raider game then you'll likely feel a little disappointed. This is a fast-paced, cinematic adventure and one of the best you'll find.

2.4.2014

I did not play Tomb Raider on PS3, there were a lot of games about at that time which I preferred to play (The Last of Us and GTAV being among them) so when this released on PS4 I snapped a copy up as I was pretty dry on the game front (as I imagine others are!). I won't review it as a full game but as a PS4 re-release game, if you want to know what the game is like there are some great reviews on the PS3 version.I was pleased with it from the get-go. Immediately I heard echoing sounds and clicks coming from the DS4 speaker (A feature I did not realise it had!) this gave it a little extra something and as you play journal notes and passages are read to you through the DS4.I did also notice that when firing at an enemy a disgusting splash of blood and matter can be heard through the DS4 to confirm your target is one with the weeds. There is also a very satisfying reload noise heard when ever you do so in game. A very nice touch!The game is really really smooth and looks outstanding. Tomb Raider plays in full and glorious 1080p and at times 60fps (with a minimum of 30fps at all times!! It really makes a difference and its such a satisfying thing that you just want to keep on playing past the end! The graphics are incredible and the Island of Yamatai is so gruesomely beautiful that you feel sick on some levels its so picture perfect (Shantytown). Every detail of the game is beautiful and you really do feel emersed in this world. Guards torches cut through forest mist perfectly, heat waves can be seen hovering above torches and campfires, Lara's hair blows in the wind as do flags and any textiles, smoke changes direction with the wind, water flows over rocks and looks (for the most part) good enough to drink. The game really is eerily beautiful and flawless to boot!The DS4 comes into its own again on this game and Tomb Raider takes full advantage of the tool it has on the speaker as well as the light bar on the front of the pad. This bar glows a bright white usually but when Lara Croft lights a torch it glows a flickering red, yellow and orange to mimic fire, in the dark this adds a neat effect to the experience. I have caught the lightbar in the TV reflection a couple of times which is annoying but no biggy.Movement in-game is like butter, no lag and glitching and Lara goes where you want her to go (in game obviously!) even chase/escape scenes are smooth and taking it in can be hard work its done so fast. Its come along way from the original Tomb Raider when Lara could get trapped inside a wall or just straight up jump through a wall to a plain of nothingness! Gone are the days of calling her a stupid b***h because she hasn't done what you wanted, game play is perfect and not clunks and glitches exist here.I have spoken to a few people and the general feeling is that if you have played this game fully on PS3, there is not enough to warrant another £40 splurge and you may feel cheated but if you have not played this game before and own a PS4 then its a must! With that said if you loved it first time you may want to replay in 1080p60 glory and I don't blame you, with The Last Of Us due for a PS4 re-vamp and re-launch in the Summer I will be doing just that with that game. Save your cash if you were not that wowed by the first release and wait for Watchdogs.So to confirm, buy if you love it and want to see it turned up to 11, buy it if you haven't played it and skip it if you weren't that bothered first time round!With it being early days in the PS4 game world, after seeing this I can only say im pretty damn excited to see the future and my fingers and toes are crossed for Uncharted 4, God of War 4, The Last of Us 2, Assassins Creed 5, the list goes on! Great game and it restored my faith in the PS4 purchase!

24.2.2014

I really enjoyed playing this and ripped through it in about two weeks getting 100% completion.It looks pretty spectacular on the PS4 and ran pretty smoothly all the way through, although had I already played this on a last-gen console, I doubt I've had wanted to do so again on next-gen, as there's no real new content.Clearly the developers have been influenced by the Uncharted games, but that in itself is no bad thing, and it still feels very much like a Lara Croft game, although, as other have pointed out, perhaps not as much of a Tomb Raider game as it could have been. Even with the DLC that came bundled in the Definitive Edition, the number of tombs is still in single figures,and perhaps worse still, most of them only have a single puzzle element: the element might involve a (small) number of actions, but it still tended to be a case of "do this and complete the tomb". That's not to say that some of the tomb puzzles weren't fairly ingenious, and used the physics engine to great effect, but each tomb was over with very quickly once you'd worked out what to do.I'm hoping that it's not just the rosy-tinted spectacles of my lost youth, but there's nothing here like the St Francis Folly tomb from the original tomb raider: in that you need to complete a tomb just to get to the main tomb, and even that first stage requires numerous actions and back-tracks or wrong turns, and the puzzle incorporates various elements: traversal, block-sliding, lever pulling, pressure plates, etc.I suppose it could be argue in this reboot that the environment is the traversal puzzle on your way to the tomb, but somehow it just doesn't feel right, and the fact that nearly all of the tombs are optional side missions dilutes their significance further.However, there are some great environments and set-pieces outside of the defined tombs: Shipwreck Beach is a stunning looking area with plenty of hidden stuff and traversal elements, and there are quite a few burning/collapsing building sequences that are pretty well executed (another nod to Naughty Dog there).Some have complained that there's too much shooting for a Tomb Raider game, but I remember plenty of shooting in the original series - normally shooting repeatedly at the same angry gorilla/wolf/man/dinosaur until it had finally absorbed enough hot brass to keel over. That shooting/jumping/dodging mechanic was of it's time, and so is the one employed here. Yes, it's derivative of Uncharted (again) and Gears of War, but it's largely well implemented, and had the devs gone down the line of back-flipping with infinite ammo, I think that would have been equally criticised.Story-wise there's the requisite supernatural element, along with an intriguing main enemy, and it's worth collecting the documents scattered throughout the game to fill in the back story and get under the skin of some of the NPCs. However, Lara's transition from wide-eyed innocent to mass murderer is a bit too sudden, although, to be fair, I'm not sure how else the devs could have handled this without dragging the game-play down. Also, it was pretty obvious from fairly early on which way the story was heading.Overall though this is a good to very good game, and although it does something similar to Uncharted, it does so with it's own style. If you're looking for a rerun (rather than reboot) of the original Tomb Raider, you're probably going to be disappointed on a number of fronts, but if you like the modern crop of action-adventure-cover-shooters, then you should find plenty to enjoy here, and I think this game should be viewed in light of its contemporaries, rather than its heritage.

26.3.2013

I have now completed this game twice and I found it just as engrossing the second time as the first. This is a really exceptional 'upgrade' to the Tombraider saga and has to be the best one yet , although , it is so different that you will still like all the older versions as well , for the contrast.This is really not a game for young kids , the action is very bloody and the language ! My dear ! I knew something different was at hand when one of the 'baddies' swore luridly at Lara early on ...( she gets him back though) .This particular edition is not very expensive so you really do get a lot bang for your bucks. I gather there are collectors' editions but I gave them a miss.There are still the usual puzzles to be solved ,secrets to be found etc etc and there is also a strong plot with plenty of characters to get to know. It has just the right level of difficulty in that , if you presevere , you will win through in the end. Plus there are loads of nooks and crannies to explore , upgrades to be made to equipment and specific combat moves to learn. Although I always forgot them and just ended up blatting away with whatever had the most ammo. Lara gets a new weapon , her trusty bow , but the iconic double pistols finally make an appearence ( as this is a prequel) in the last scene. There are also plenty of nods towards hwat we now must consider her fiture history in all the other games. It's clever stuff and well done.It LOOKS gorgeous. I have a fairly high end ( but hardly ultimate ) PC and was able to play it with all features enabled and the game remains stable and bug-free although I do have an AMD processor with ATI/AMD crossfire enabled Graphics Cards and I gather that this is the best combination to enjoy the game's graphical wonders.You do need to register with Steam in order to play the game ( to activate it ) so you can't install the game unless you are on-line and there does not appear to be an alternative to this process . Having said that , once the game is installed and activated you do not need either the disc or to be on-line to play. Not if you are playing multiplayer though , of course.The multiplayer element is something we haven't seen with tombraider before but I can't comment on it as I haven't used it ( not really interested , to tell the truth)There is one wrinkle. After you load up the disc and start the activation process in Steam the default behaviour appears to be to down-load the whole game , even though it is present on the disc. All you have to do is let that run for a few moments and then stop it . Start it again and it will resume , this time using the disc. Saves a lot of time. Steam will , however , automatically download any updates and apply them.Or you can just go and have dinner and leave it to it !Brilliant game , fantastic action ( really involving , makes your heart go a bit ! ) and looks wonderful. Highly recommended .23/06/2013Having completed the game a number of times now I felt that I should update a small part of the review above. You can , of course , save apparently an almost infinite number of times. I have no idea HOW many but I have at least 10 on there now ! So that bit was WRONG ! Sorry.

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