Tomb Raider Review - An Icon Reborn

[Susan Arendt]

So how much platforming is still in it? Cos I hate platforming.
A lot of the last Tom Raider game I played was running up to a ledge and pressing jump and shouting FFS WHY DIDN'T SHE FRAKING JUMP?!!

Did you read the review? I felt like I covered that pretty thoroughly...

 

[AgentNein]

While the new Lara might be good (some might like her better, which is fine), this seems like a slap in the face for everyone who liked Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider franchise before.

I'll pass on this one.

Woah, no one's slapping anyone in the face, even figuratively. There's nothing that wrong with trying a new interpretation of an existing character. If you don't like it, you don't like it. But it's not destroying the previous interpretation is it? A character staying the same forever breeds boredom.

I say all this, yet I'm probably passing on this game too.

For me though it comes down to the fact that I enjoyed the Tomb Raider games for the whole raiding tombs aspect, oddly enough. Nothing like coming into a huge ancient space and trying to figure out how I'm getting from down here to up there without slipping off something and breaking my own neck. I understand why people and devs love the giving players lots of room for error ethos of most of today's games, but I miss the danger. In the original Tomb Raider you had to be super fucking careful when ten or so minutes from the last save point you were stories up on a small cliff or platform NOT to make one wrong move, which made perfect sense. It really captured the feeling of vertigo one might feel in such a situation. When you finally made it to your next location it felt like you just made it through a truly harrowing experience. Sadly as much as I respect the post-Core Tomb Raider games for what they fixed in the franchise, I miss the feeling of danger. I haven't seen anybody do this since the OG Tomb Raiders! Does it just not appeal to anyone anymore?

Can't take it personally though.

 

[jcfrommars9]

As usual, I'll have to play it myself. But so far, so good. I thought people were going to hate this game far more than I've seen thus far. I welcome the reboot. It's not like the last one was on anyone's "I love this game" list. The kill moves alone make it worth renting for me.

 

[RyQ_TMC]

Oh god this hurts... 'Laura Croft' Her name is not Laura.

Thank you. I was seconds away from ragequoting and skipping the rest of the thread.

"My arms feel stronger now!"

And now you ruined my evening. I need a tub of chocolate ice cream...

*snip*

You mention Far Cry 3 being longer, can you say how long approximately Tomb Raider is? The gameplay reveal and video reviews make it seem very Uncharted-y, and while I enjoyed that series, it has little replayability. Would be nice to know in advance if I'm not dropping hard cash for a 5-hour romp.

Anyway, I'm on the fence about this one. Gameplay seems very "modernized" (i.e. more linear and dependent on set pieces), which admittedly was already starting to happen by the time Underworld came out. New Lara's boobs aren't grotesquely large, but it seems the occasional gratuitous shot is still there. And then there's a bit we've seen in previous videos as well, where Lara wades in chest-deep water with a stringed bow on her. Come on!! That's just annoying.

Huh, I've gone from not really caring (don't have enough time to follow all the gaming news nowadays) to disappointed (after the "gameplay reveal" a few weeks back) to cautiously excited (once the reviews started rolling in). Might pick this one up for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else.

 

[Full]

Yeah, I thought the game would have some dissonance between the combat and the story, I had hoped it would take a page out of Far Cry 3's book in that regard, a little disappointing. Nevertheless, it still looks as I expected, and I might pick it up down the line if I'm in the mood for it.

 

[Coreless]

Let's take a look at the Modern Game Release Checklist-

[X] - New installment in a big franchise
[X] - People calling it the worst thing ever after the first teaser
[X] - Pre-release controversy
[ ] - Petition
[X] - Universally high review scores
[X] - People still calling it the worst thing ever before even touching it
[X] - Conspiratorial speculation over scores and/or discussion of inadequacy of professional reviews

Thank you for joining us on this installment of the MGRC.

Stay predictable.

^ This, I cant remember a single game that has come out post 2010 that hasn't been hit with this entire checklist. I have enjoyed numerous games over the last few years and I feel they are only getting better, but it seems the gaming community is only getting worse. A lot of times I just don't even feel like bothering with forums anymore because of the amount of non sense that is perpetuated from troll sites like Reddit and 4chan.

On topic: Game looks pretty good, so glad to see Lara is finally getting a proper game its been too long. Since this is the closest I will get to playing a uncharted like game on the PC, I am going to pick it up .

 

[Susan Arendt]

You mention Far Cry 3 being longer, can you say how long approximately Tomb Raider is? The gameplay reveal and video reviews make it seem very Uncharted-y, and while I enjoyed that series, it has little replayability. Would be nice to know in advance if I'm not dropping hard cash for a 5-hour romp.

Anyway, I'm on the fence about this one. Gameplay seems very "modernized" (i.e. more linear and dependent on set pieces), which admittedly was already starting to happen by the time Underworld came out. New Lara's boobs aren't grotesquely large, but it seems the occasional gratuitous shot is still there. And then there's a bit we've seen in previous videos as well, where Lara wades in chest-deep water with a stringed bow on her. Come on!! That's just annoying.

Huh, I've gone from not really caring (don't have enough time to follow all the gaming news nowadays) to disappointed (after the "gameplay reveal" a few weeks back) to cautiously excited (once the reviews started rolling in). Might pick this one up for nostalgia's sake, if nothing else.

Well, if you want to 100% it - find all the artifacts, journals, challenges, etc - you're probably looking at, oh...20-25 hours, give or take? I can't say I think it has much replayability, though. The magic is the story and character progression, and once you know what happens, it loses something. (Much like Uncharted.)

 

[bananafishtoday]

While Lara was overly sexualized in the past, she was also a bad ass. I liked that aspect of her. She relied on no one, had no shoe-horned love interest, and typically did not need to be bailed out by anyone. I'm just afraid to play this game and see Lara become the new Samus, plus the action looked a little bland. The tombs just seem like a challenge room in Assassin's Creed - there to convince players that they "haven't forgotten Tomb Raider's roots."

I still want to play this game, though. It should be judged for what it is, not what series it's a part of, and playing for myself is the only way I'll know for sure whether I'll like it or not. I like it when games go in new directions, so I'd be happy if this game totally made me eat my above paragraph.

Tbh, I'm not all that worried about her getting Other M'd after reading some of the early reviews. Other M used the origin story routine to rob Samus of agency, while Tomb Raider's narrative arc seems to take Lara from weakness to strength on her own terms and through her own actions. The whole plot sounds like, "Everyone's useless except you. Handle your biz." In other words, I get the impression that the "Ofc you won't identify with her, you'll want to protect her" bullshit was just a dumb comment that didn't reflect the view the game actually takes of its protagonist.

I'm more curious whether it's more a generic violent action game than a "Tomb Raider game" (platforming, puzzling, exploring.) Not worried though, that game could be great in its own right! It'll be amusing, to say the least, to see whether internet folks use "It's way too violent for Tomb Raider" as a coded way of arguing "It's way too violent for a female protagonist." (And I could also be misremembering Tomb Raider, as I haven't played any of them since the PS1 days.)

But yeah, I'm definitely getting it too. All I needed from early reviews was to know whether it's mechanically sound enough to be enjoyable. It is, so I want to play it so I can draw my own conclusions about the bigger thematic stuff.

Also I know we just came off the whole Aliens: Colonial Marines "Fuck Gearbox for keeping embargo until launch day just to stop people from cancelling preorders" thing, but... it's kinda torturous to be reading so many good reviews when the game doesn't come out for another week.

 

[RyQ_TMC]

Well, if you want to 100% it - find all the artifacts, journals, challenges, etc - you're probably looking at, oh...20-25 hours, give or take? I can't say I think it has much replayability, though. The magic is the story and character progression, and once you know what happens, it loses something. (Much like Uncharted.)

Thanks for the info. I'll be careful not to step into any spoilers then.

(And I could also be misremembering Tomb Raider, as I haven't played any of them since the PS1 days.)

AoD and Crystal Dynamics games dialed the amount of enemies down a bit, so upping the killcount might be considered "too violent" (assuming it happens)... Plus, the earlier games were more cartoony, this one goes more for "darker & grittier" feel. So I can see people complaining about it beeing "too violent" without a subtext.

As for the setting of the origin story, didn't they already changed it twice? Lara started off as a plane crash survivor in the Himalayas in the early games, then was the naive teen betrayed by her mentor in The Last Revelation, and I remember that Crystal Dynamics games had some mommy issues backstory... The "island plane crash" does seem cliched this generation - especially after the big buzz about Far Cry 3 - but I don't feel like it's an unforgivable break in series canon.

So happy this has been getting good reviews, I'm a huge fan of the series. Enough to have the read the books!

There are books? First I hear about it, and I considered myself a fan of the series.

 

[StriderShinryu]

It's unfortunate there's a disconnect between cutscene Lara and ingame Lara but, like Susan, I'm not sure I could come up with a way to remove that without altering the core of the TR experience. Either way, I just may have to pick this up at some point.

I guess a good sign that a AAA game is decent is that reviews are out more then a week before the game's release?

Hehe I'm thinking the same thing. It's getting to be just like the movies where generally when something is withheld from critics, there's a pretty good reason for it (aka it's most likely trash).

 

[Duffeknol]

Hm, this actually sounds really interesting. Note I said 'sounds', cause judging by the review it's a game I'd gladly play, but judging by the gameplay video it looks awkward and clunky.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

But I liked the dinosaurs from the old games. Yeah, you couldn't exactly take anything seriously, but I like a bit of levity in a sea of apathy and death.

 

[Blunderboy]

The Lara of the new Tomb Raider isn't the plastic princess that we're used to, she's an ordinary girl who, when thrown into extraordinary circumstances, makes the decision to live through them.

And sounds much much more interesting to play as because of that.

I'm glad this game turned out so well.

 

[FinalDream]

There are books? First I hear about it, and I considered myself a fan of the series.

Yup. The Amulet of Power, The Lost Cult and the Man of Bronze. Pretty good reads for a fan as well.

Spoiler: The covers

 

[Tombsite]

No-one is trying to rape you. But killing is difficult - whether it's an animal or a human - and in fact Lara is very seriously affected by the first human she kills - in the cutscene, anyway. In the gameplay, she's picking off guys left and right without any problem at all. It's the difference between the character as governed by the story and the character as avatar for the player. The two are somewhat at odds when it comes to the combat. It's certainly not a reason to avoid the game, but it does stand out.

This is my biggest concern. It really bothered me in uncharted (Drake has a kill count that is terrifying yet he act as pretty normal person), and here the difference seems even worse. I am seriously worried that taking down 6 guys with a bow and pickaxe in a minute will completely kill my immersion.

Also does Lara ever pick up a jacket? I like her new design but when I see her freeing in the rain or running around in the snow with out ever picking up a jacket from one of the, apparently, many people she has killed. Well once again it just kind of threaten kills my immersion (a nit pick I know).

 

[JudgeGame]

But I liked the dinosaurs from the old games. Yeah, you couldn't exactly take anything seriously, but I like a bit of levity in a sea of apathy and death.

TBH, I'm hoping sequels bring back some of the craziness the series is known for. On the other hand, I think it's positive that such an established IP can show restraint and not bombard you with inanity and ridiculous, over the top bullshit. I'd be fine with a Tomb Raider with just one, really impressive dinosaur.

 

[Able Seacat]

edit. Ohh damn. check out machinima review of this game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWQMMlCCEuU

Oh god this hurts... 'Laura Croft' Her name is not Laura.

I was just about to say this. Why do so many people get the name wrong?

 

[Susan Arendt]

No-one is trying to rape you. But killing is difficult - whether it's an animal or a human - and in fact Lara is very seriously affected by the first human she kills - in the cutscene, anyway. In the gameplay, she's picking off guys left and right without any problem at all. It's the difference between the character as governed by the story and the character as avatar for the player. The two are somewhat at odds when it comes to the combat. It's certainly not a reason to avoid the game, but it does stand out.

This is my biggest concern. It really bothered me in uncharted (Drake has a kill count that is terrifying yet he act as pretty normal person), and here the difference seems even worse. I am seriously worried that taking down 6 guys with a bow and pickaxe in a minute will completely kill my immersion.

Also does Lara ever pick up a jacket? I like her new design but when I see her freeing in the rain or running around in the snow with out ever picking up a jacket from one of the, apparently, many people she has killed. Well once again it just kind of threaten kills my immersion (a nit pick I know).

The hubs where you upgrade your weapons and skills are actually little campsites where she sits by a fire. So no jacket necessary. (Yes, I avoided the set up for a Phil Collins joke on purpose.)

 

[JudgeGame]

I just want to let everyone I can know that I am actually going to buy this game. When the first previews came out I was probably one of the loudest to voice my discontent with what was shown. In the end, the pretty awful previews were hiding a very good game and I'd like to think developers listened to some of the issues their consumers had with their product and did something to ameliorate it. Whenever someone dares to critisize a game, a lot of people become paranoid thinking the games industry might collapse if the audience demands better products or even just points out how future products could be improved. For the record, even if I or anyone else does rail on about what we don't like about games, it's only from a sense of true love for games.

 

[Tombsite]

No-one is trying to rape you. But killing is difficult - whether it's an animal or a human - and in fact Lara is very seriously affected by the first human she kills - in the cutscene, anyway. In the gameplay, she's picking off guys left and right without any problem at all. It's the difference between the character as governed by the story and the character as avatar for the player. The two are somewhat at odds when it comes to the combat. It's certainly not a reason to avoid the game, but it does stand out.

This is my biggest concern. It really bothered me in uncharted (Drake has a kill count that is terrifying yet he act as pretty normal person), and here the difference seems even worse. I am seriously worried that taking down 6 guys with a bow and pickaxe in a minute will completely kill my immersion.

Also does Lara ever pick up a jacket? I like her new design but when I see her freeing in the rain or running around in the snow with out ever picking up a jacket from one of the, apparently, many people she has killed. Well once again it just kind of threaten kills my immersion (a nit pick I know).

The hubs where you upgrade your weapons and skills are actually little campsites where she sits by a fire. So no jacket necessary. (Yes, I avoided the set up for a Phil Collins joke on purpose.)

Obviously you lack camping experience (also you have to help me out on the Collins joke because I have no idea what you are talking about)