Lara Croft leaps to new heights in ‘Rise of the Tomb Raider’
By Kimberly Wallace | Game Informer Magazine
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Platform: Xbox One, Xbox 360
Style: 1-Player Action
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
ESRB: M, for Mature
Crystal Dynamics set a solid foundation when it rebooted the revered “Tomb Raider” series back in 2013. With a bigger world, more varied combat, and more high-octane action, “Rise of the Tomb Raider” is better than it predecessor in every way. Just as Lara remains determined to keep moving forward, so does Crystal Dynamics with the franchise.
The most exciting parts of “Tomb Raider” occur as Lara makes her way through harrowing situations, and the stakes have only been increased since the last entry. Expect plenty of close calls, death-defying leaps, and exciting escape sequences; I often felt like I was just escaping by the skin of my teeth. “Rise of the Tomb Raider” features a quasi-open world that’s split between hubs each in which Lara is surrounded by resources for crafting along with hidden caves, hideouts, and tombs to explore. She must platform, solve puzzles, and break through obstacles to navigate them. Siberia’s brutal, snowy landscapes are great venues to test your survival instincts, offering high points to climb, dangerous wildlife to fend off, and collectibles stashed on high ledges and concealed paths.
The excitement of exploring tombs is one of this sequel’s major improvements. They are much more expansive than caves, usually featuring one big puzzle, where you use Lara’s tools to eliminate obstacles, and platform using her pickaxe to land big jumps. For example, one tomb was flooded and had me using Lara’s rope arrow to get a boat around and find ways to drain the water. The puzzles are deep, requiring you to pay attention to things like water levels and timing your jumps to reach moving platforms.
The action excels just as much as the exploration and puzzle-solving. Just when you think it can’t get any crazier, it does. I reveled in reacting on the fly, whether it was taking out a swarm of enemies or racing to flee a collapsing tomb. Combat is more strategic now, providing even more ways to tackle every situation. Sometimes you can plot and sneak up on enemies for surprise attacks, and other times they come charging in at you, forcing you to react in the moment. I loved using a stealthy approach, but throwing Molotov cocktails or firing arrows to land perfect headshots were just as entertaining. Unfortunately, later sequences often feel like Lara versus the world, and get repetitive as you’re eliminating wave after wave of enemies.
When you’re not in the adrenaline-inducing moments, you’re searching for supplies and secrets. The world is large and littered with cool collectibles and hidden tombs. Finding documents and murals show points of the interest on the map, but the lack of a minimap is unfortunate, since it forces you to pause to check the map. Still, I loved stumbling upon a weapon upgrade and collecting resources to craft new gear. That’s where “Rise of the Tomb Raider” excels; you progress by finding a new item or getting a new tool that suddenly changes how you traverse the world. Similar to the fun of “Metroid,” returning to previously explored areas opens up new secrets with new goodies to track down.
The expansive world and depth of exploration is the real draw of “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” but the story also provides some interesting threads. Lara studies her late father’s research, determined to prove the secret to immortality is out there. The story is predictable, but has memorable moments, especially as it reveals more about her relationship with her father and the evil organization called Trinity. I won’t spoil anything, but the last scenes turn everything on its head, making me excited to see where Crystal Dynamics takes the narrative next.
“Rise of the Tomb Raider” captures the thrill of being an adventurer and leaves you thinking about Lara’s next move. You have daredevil sequences, heroic moments, fun exploration, and exciting fights that even Indiana Jones would envy. If Crystal Dynamics keeps raising the bar from here, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Lara.
