Possibly one of the most successful games of 2013 was the rebooted Tomb Raider, developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix, starring the infamous Lara Croft. Choosing to instead reboot the series instead of making a sequel, the developers chose to take a journey back to Lara’s beginnings, showing the origin of the character. Tomb Raider follows Lara and her friends as they set sail for Yamatai, an Island which has some affiliation to Himiko, The Sun Queen. However, following a ship wreck, Lara and her friends are positioned at the mercy of the Island, and indeed its mysterious inhabitants, and Lara must battle several foes to save her friends and get off the Island. Whilst the gameplay elements revolve more around survival, it is part adventure (as opposed to horror) as well, as elements of exploration and discovery are included in the gameplay as Lara can hunt for hidden tombs and treasures, climb walls, scavenge for salvage and other food items and hunt animals, and also try to collect GPS’, diaries and other artefacts.
In the game, the player takes on the character of Lara, on her adventures and journeys as she attempts to recover her friends and figure out how to get off the Island. Along the way (in addition to collecting artefacts and exploring tombs) the player also gains skill points which can be used to purchase various hunting, survival or brawling skills, whilst also collecting salvage to purchase weapon upgrades. The weapons Lara can wield range from a simple bow (which later has the add-on of being able to throw modified arrows) to a handgun, rifle, pistol, and even a climbing axe, which can be used to strike enemies eventually. Various expansions and modifications for the weapons can be found in sections of the world, and the located camp-sites can be used to teleport back to certain areas after acquiring the right type of weapons.
The cover system that Lara follows is one where she will automatically duck behind cover whenever enemies are near and then pop back up again when all the enemies have been eliminated from the surrounding area, which is a sure fire way to alert players to when there is danger around (in case you didn't notice the bullets flying at you). This form of seamless cover elevates and intensifies the gameplay, as often you will come across certain areas which will trigger cut screens and indeed, cause guards and other enemies to appear who will instantly attack you – requiring that you be alert at all times, lest you find yourself in a corner without any cover and no-where to go. Additionally, there are certain sections of the game which require you to press buttons on your console (if you use the PS3, then these are usually the square, triangle or circle buttons) in order to avoid certain attacks and not fall off ledges, which ultimately result in instant death if you fail to press accurately and in time with the timer. Left, right and centre, there is constant action – buildings disintegrate underneath your feet, roofs give way and send you plummeting down, scenery catches on fire and objects come hurling towards you at alarming rates – all making for an intense, action-orientated gameplay.
There are also several scenes in which the player will be required to guide Lara through trees and rivers, in order to avoid getting impaled. Despite this, Tomb Raider is less ‘jumpy’ scary and more adventurous, and whilst there are gruesome scenes and plenty of bodies scattered round the place, there are several checkpoints so that if you do fall prey to the Island’s inhabitants, you won’t lose too much of your gameplay, you’ll just be teleported back to the last checkpoint, or to the beginning of an action sequence.
If exciting gameplay and riveting quests and challenges weren't enough to attract your attention, then the infamous Lara Croft should be. Tomb Raider features a surprising amount of character development, as the player is able to see Lara’s development from a reluctant and terrified young trekker, to a full-blown fighter and ‘Tomb Raider’, with a whole heap of awesome weapons to wield. Croft is voiced by Camilla Luddington (replacing Keeley Hawes) in the game, and her performance as the adventurer is sublime. Luddington’s Lara commands attention on screen, despite being slightly timid to begin with, but as Lara is put through her paces she truly shines on screen, showing the vulnerable sides to the character as well as her strengths.
The other cast members on the Island with Lara include Roth, who plays out as a sort of Father-figure to Lara, helping her through her psychological torture and offering her gun assistance, to the friendly Sam (a little too trusting of some people) who is kidnapped. Of course, there is also the ominous Sun Queen Himiko and a mysterious Mathias who occupy the villainous roles and the latter’s antics on the Island are certainly questionable and become more clear upon discovery of his journals throughout the game. Whilst some characters are not developed to their true potential (or nearly as much as Lara), this is a minor detraction from the overall game quality.
One of the most impressive aspects of Tomb Raider is its incredible graphics and visualisation, which reels you in and encourages players to full enjoy the exciting landscape and characters. Croft is beautifully stylized, with her messy ponytail and (often) blood stained clothing and mud-covered trousers being accurately displayed through top-of-the-notch graphics. The various settings, areas and camp-sites are distinctive and feature remarkable structures that stand out amongst the rest of the landscape, and not one area is the same as another. This type of variety helps keep gameplay exciting and adventurous, as opposed to repetitive and boring, which can be the case with games which opt for similar settings. The various challenges and activities Lara encounters are complimented with suitable visuals which are quite impressive (especially on the PS3 version of the game) and encourage you to get lost in the Island along with Lara.
With one of the most well-known gaming characters at the helm of this adventure, Tomb Raider proves itself a worthy reboot despite some scepticism that it could truly perform after some dodgy additions to the former gaming series. Lara Croft is back and bolder than ever in this new exciting adventure amidst the ominous shores of Yamatai, with all of its secrets, mystery and hidden treasures (and horrors). From the exceptional graphics, to the intense and engaging gameplay, Tomb Raider features Lara at her finest, and offers an exceptionally thrilling journey that any eager gamer will enjoy.
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