The Verdict
If you've enjoyed Crystal Dynamics' reboot, then chances are you'll love Rise of the Tomb Raider that much more. Lara's latest adventure is bigger and better in nearly every way. The settings and environments are bigger, the tombs are plentiful, the combat is exciting and Lara herself is once again brought to life thanks to Camilla Luddington's fantastic performance.
Xbox One owners have yet another game to add to their list of must-own games this Holiday season, while unfortunately PS4 owners are left in the dark until next year, most likely.
The Positives
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Rise of the Tomb Raider is certainly bigger and better than its predecessor in a lot of ways. Set pieces are bigger, there are more survival challenges, more tombs to explore, more equipment to collect and upgrade and bigger maps to freely explore. Suffice to say, fans of the first will find a lot to love about the sequel.
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It's also a pretty gorgeous game in a lot of ways. The character models and their facial capture looks great, as well as Lara's TressFX hair, and likewise some of the bigger setpieces and tombs look downright gorgeous, in a torn-down, decrepit sort of way.
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Lara is once again a completely likeable and believable character. Maybe less so than her wide-eyed, vulnerable self in the first game, but her convictions for pushing her to do what she does are equally as strong. This time she's not fighting just to survive —though her exploits certainly lead to that regardless— she's on a quest to finish her father's research.
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The game is fantastically divided into equal parts puzzle, exploration, and combat. You're never stuck doing one thing for too long, unless of course you get stumped on some of the puzzle sequences. This is great for the game's pacing. You'll go from scavenging for upgrade materials to finding a hidden tomb, which will test your puzzle solving skills, only to run into a pack of wolves which you'll have to utilize your survival instincts on with some quick arrows to the head. It's wonderful how these systems work with one another.
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Where the Uncharted games may have had annoying and drawn out combat sequences, RotTR makes each encounter feel completely visceral and on the spot. This is mostly due to the ability to craft makeshift explosives and other weapons on the fly, giving Lara an arsenal of deadly items to dispose of enemies with. But even the gunplay feels great. Whether you're using the now iconic bow, or any combination of firearm from handguns to shotguns, each feel unique from one another, and extremely powerful. Besides the Green Arrow, Lara is possibly the only one who would bring a bow to a gunfight, and come out victorious. Maybe Katniss too.
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The explorable hubs were one of my favorite locations of the game, and easily some of the biggest time sinks. Here, you'll be presented with a checklist of things you can do, most of it optional, but all of it very rewarding. Of course, like any good exploration game, much of it is gear-gated until you acquire a specific item to progress. These areas also contain NPCs that will give Lara specific missions that can reward with extra XP or money. Succumbing to exploring every nook and cranny can feel rewarding but ultimately, it will make progression and item upgrading that much faster. Not that Lara necessarily needs that since she's already a force to be reckoned with without the upgraded draw-string on her bow, but having tangible rewards tied to progression is the ultimate carrot on a stick.
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The tombs are also much more emphasized this time around, since the game is Tomb Raider after all. However, a plethora of these are relegated to optional challenges. While it would make more sense to have these tied to the narrative, the fact that they're actually hidden away and must be found first, actually gives them a feeling of mystique and a sense of wonder. There is something largely satisfying about stumbling unto a hidden tomb. The way they're designed not only brings upon a sense of wonder, which always has me intrigued with what I'll find, but also a sense of dread. So many times I'd stumble into a tomb, wondering just how the hell Lara would get herself out of it.
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Survival Instinct, which is basically Witcher Sense, which was basically Detective Mode from the Batman games, makes a return from the last game, and also makes hunting for collectibles and even solving puzzles a lot easier this time around. Those that want the challenge can opt to not use it, since you're never forced to, but since collectibles blend in so well with the game's environment, for me it was a must. You can also later upgrade this to see collectibles highlighted without bringing it up, or even to spot rare animals easier, which when hunted, will allow for better upgrades.
The Negatives
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Being an Xbox One timed exclusive is shitty, especially since the prequel appeared on both consoles. I understand a lot of money was involved, and it's nice that Xbox fans snagged such a great game, but those with Sony consoles are left in the dark, waiting for a game that ultimately deserves to be played now.
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There are some minor framerate issues during cutscenes of all things. While the gameplay generally holds up, the cutscenes seem to dip below 30 quite frequently.
The Neutral
- Personally, I didn't care too much about Expedition Mode, but I will say it's leagues better than the throwaway multiplayer mode of the first game. However, I'm sure many will find enjoyment out of it. You basically create your own missions with various modifiers. You can give Lara or the enemies big heads, you can make her only use her bow without upgrades but increased damage, etc. You string together five objectives and then upload those for others to play. It's basically retreading the same ground as the single player, only with remixed objectives and gameplay mechanics. If that sounds like a fun time, then you're bound to get a lot of enjoyment out of this mode.
Reboots can be a tricky thing. On one hand, when you're rebooting a game or franchise, you'll get a few noticeable upgrades such as a new graphics engine, new game mechanics, etc. On the flip side though, you have to keep your older fanbase in mind. Altering and changing things up too much could alienate fans that loved the previous games. Just look at Thief. For Crystal Dynamics, the reboot of Tomb Raider seemed to go rather well. The action and suspense was always high, the gunplay and bow mechanics were great, and the character herself got a great origin story that nearly made us feel her pain the whole way through.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is a follow-up to said reboot, and of course with a sequel, you have to go bigger, you have to be better. Thankfully, Rise certainly is. Much like the Uncharted games, and their gradual implementation of grand set pieces and high-action sequences, Rise of the Tomb Raider delivers on all fronts. It's equally exhilarating, as it is challenging. You'll wrack your brain on many of the tomb challenges, and then relieve some stress by dispatching a slew of soldiers with your handcrafted make-shift bombs.
It's impressive that Crystal Dynamics was able to up the ante so well. If you're an Xbox One gamer this Holiday season, consider yourself pretty lucky.
Let's check out what Rise of the Tomb Raider does well, where it falters, and our final verdict.
