I think the main differences between Tomb Raider and Uncharted is the focus of their gameplay.
Uncharted is very action oriented. The trailer we saw of U2 played out very much like the trailer of a Michael Bay movie. It's fast paced with a lot of emphasis on the fire fights, where the platforming seems to be the means to navigate from one fight sequence to the next.
Tomb Raider is more exploration oriented. Lara has a diverse set of maneuvering skills (climbing, rapelling, swinging, shimmying, chimney jumping, vaulting, etc...) and each environment is essentially a puzzle. It's not simply the character getting from point A to B, but HOW to traverse the complex environments. Figuring out which combination of maneuvers to use in various spots to successfully navigate the catacombs.
In addition is the mechanism based puzzles, where trying to figure out the correct arrangement of structural objects (sometimes exploring to locate keys needed) is required to get through the settings.
Also the exploration aspect of the games is not just the environmental navigation, but also discovering the roots of various cultural mythologies. And that is what really set TR apart from other games. Lara is a very knowledgable lady, well versed in the legends of ancient civilizations and how they influenced the modern world. When I play a Tomb Raider game, I am taken in with a sense of wonder of learning about old myths and relics, and a feeling of discovery in entering a lost and vanished world, only touched again for the first time in centuries. So in TR games, the combat with the natural wild life and rival mercenaries comes secondary.
Its by no means my intent to undermine Uncharted. I have no doubt it excels as a cinematic action game. But I have always loved the mythic feel of the Tomb Raider games :)
Log in to comment