Tomb Raider is the fifth game developed by Crystal Dynamics, and is considered a separate entity to all previous Tomb Raider Games, it is the second game to utilise the Underworld engine. When we saw the trailer at E3, Lara Croft was officially reborn. A younger, more believably proportioned Tomb Raider was coming, and with it, a darker tone for the adventure of everyone’s favourite female archaeologist
First let’s talk about plot. Surprisingly we come into the tale with Lara and her crew adventuring in search of the long lost burial ground of an ancient Chinese goddess. We also learn, that whilst intelligent, Lara is relatively green and she in no way exudes the confidence or prowess we have come to see as the norm with Ms Croft. A freak storm rips apart the boat on which Lara and her shipmates are stationed, and in the ensuing chaos she is captured by the islands inhabitants, a crew of mercenaries and psychopaths, hell bent on capturing and killing any survivors of the wreck, or at least that is how it seems. Throughout the game, Lara is pushed to test her skills, her resolve and resiliency as something seems intent on keeping them on the island, things build to an epic climax.
The game play itself is a greatly refined variation of the standard formula that has served the franchise so well previously, and if anything is stripped back to afford a more believable tone and pace to proceedings. The bow, as a game play mechanic, is simply flawless; its execution as both a weapon and a tool for survival is handled in ways that simply feel right, as though Lara would in fact consider these options in this situation. From setting fire to enemies cover, to pulling down gates with a rope tied to the bow, the mechanics are well thought out and executed here, giving strategy in a way that isn’t dumbfounding, as simple experimentation will often reap rewards. The pick axe is the next tool that is certainly worth mentioning, it is not only used to climb vertical faces, but to break faces, and knee caps, it’s not only a tool, but a melee weapon, another simple, yet integral part of the machine that is Tomb Raider. Between zip lines, reinforced barricades and hidden Tombs this game certainly has a lot to offer to a budding explorer, and even series veterans should find that the game is so well refined that it is difficult to see where they can improve these aspects.
Next I wanted to touch on the tones in the game. In the opening sequence Lara is captured and hung upside down. You interact with the environment, which can be both your best friend and worst enemy in this game, to free Lara who falls, is injured, and you are responsible for tending to the injury. This sets the tone for the rest of the game, from this moment to harrowing quick time events, Lara is pushed to the very edge, and you are the observer, yet the game pulls you in, making you root for Lara and it makes you hold your breath in moments that will shock and surprise.
The games look is its biggest strength however. Lara is beautifully rendered, her movements are fluid and her clothes seem more real than I have seen in a game for some time. The island itself is lush, gorgeous and well structured. Attention to detail is seldom spared here, with little or nothing left to chance, and it’s this painstaking stand point that is most impressive. In stark contrast to this, the games bleakest and bloodiest settings are a gruesome Jekyll to the beauty of the Island. The monsters are almost all men, men and savage dogs, and the violence perpetrated is the violence of men, and in that is the most noteworthy change in Tomb raider. Previous Tomb Raider games had always been gung ho and easy flowing violent games, where the enemies were men who were just greedy, but here in Tomb Raider Definitive Edition, Lara is up against men, who are monsters, but who are also survivors. These savage men are doing the violent things they are doing because they feel they must, and the violence Lara herself has to carry out starts become a burden when the men and women she is faced with are no different to her in some respects (although morally they are far more monstrous) Lara is left devastated with the violence that she must perpetrate and this tone carries on even when the level of violence ramp up.
This game is rated for adults for a reason. This is no longer the cheap titillation of teen hormones that Tomb Raider once represented; it is now a bold, dark and chilling tale of a woman’s struggle against the darkness, the elements, and against her own burdens. The game also offers a mechanic where players are given the opportunity to upgrade Lara’s gear, weapons and skills. Whilst this often feels a little unbalanced, it is a positive move to suggest that this Lara is one who has a lot left to learn. One who is not the dual gun wielding acrobat of old, but a tougher more believable character. By the end, Lara is not the Lara she once was, she is more, she is better. The tones and story used to build her as a character are much more robust and profound then the stories of old, and with the tone and bar firmly set, the future for Miss Croft looks bright. The move to reboot the series was one that was made at the right time, for the right reasons, and has actually been done in the right way. So if you still haven’t rekindled your relationship with Lara Croft do so and do it on Xbox One. Included within the definitive edition is all the DLC of the 360 version, and the graphics are sublime.
This brings me to the Multiplayer. There are team based and survivor versus survivor modes. Lara and her friends are all playable as are a variety of savages. Unlock new weapons and upgrades with kills, traps, achieving team and individual goals in the more objective based modes. Where this multiplayer differs from your standard multiplayer is that the game play is the same as the main game. You start with a pickaxe, a choice of weapon, side arm and a special weapon. All the skills you have spent time refining in the main game are important here, zip lines, rock climbing and jumping aplenty keep the matches frantic and prevent things like camping by having various paths to almost any point on the map.
Conclusion
To summarise just how good Tomb Raider Definitive Edition is, I would say it was the game to end the post launch lull of activity, and also the game that showed how big the gap is from last generation. The game that showed just how far Gaming has come and how far it can go. I give Tomb Raider 8 out of 10; there is room for improvement, but not much.
Neal out.
Neal was a community contributor to ICXM, writing 1 article in 2014 covering game reviews. ICXM operated as an independent Xbox and Windows gaming outlet through the early Xbox One era, when the platform’s library and policies were still being reshaped after the 2013 reveal, drawing from a rotating bench of editorial volunteers. They post on X as @neal_noakes.