A dying franchise rebooted with a Hollywood esque approach breathes fresh air into the famed Tomb Raider series
Tomb Raider follows Lara Croft, a young and ambitious archaeologist bent on discovering the lost Kingdom of Yamatai, with an expedition led by Doctor James Whitman and a few other un-noteworthy supporting characters. Initially, Tomb Raider does not hold anything back, nor does it have you waiting for anything to happen. Almost immediately you're thrown into a dangerous environment bent on killing you at every turn. Croft takes incredible beatings as she falls incredible heights, stabbed, shot, impaled and attacked, and this all happens in the first 20 minutes of gameplay. I found myself constantly wiping my hands off because of how sweaty my palms had become from the QTE (quick time events), constantly creating a movie esque tension that is rare for games. The game really puts you at peril, which creates a strong connection between you and the character of Lara Croft, despite her inconsistencies as a character whole, and never quite developing to her expected potential. She still seems rather indecisive throughout the campaign, but this could be because of her age. The first time she is forced to kill another human being, you are jolted into an intense emotional scene that you really are connected to. Unfortunately, this scene is spoiled by the almost jarring insurgence of death/destruction/action that IMMEDIATELY follows after.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment for Tomb Raider is the inconsistency in actual TOMB RAIDING. There is never really 'exploration' but a linear path driving you from next bad guy hang out to next bad guy hang out. The fun things like exploration, discovering and travel are put aside so hand guns, shot guns and bows can be front and center. I am not going to lie, it is rather satisfying to hit someone in the head with a bow, or shotgun down an approaching enemy, but the fun quickly runs out.
The supporting characters, and story as a whole lack a certain polish that I would have liked to see from a game with obvious graphical standards. The game is beautiful, so gorgeous I found myself pausing just to take in the breathing life that was all around me. This game is simply stunning on a PC running on max (hell, even medium it looks bold). It's a shame this attention to detail could not have been made to the supporting characters, or story, which tries so hard to be mysterious but for me, failed to ignite an interest.
Camilla Ludington takes over for voice acting duties for Lara Croft, and does a solid job, but nothing absolutely mind blowing (insert Martin Sheen (Mass Effect). She gives a believable presence to the character, a vulnerable innocents but sometimes lacks overall conviction. However, Lara Croft remains memorable, where as the other characters, I struggle to remember. Roth, Captain and friend of Lara's is probably the only next rememberable character, and that's nto saying a whole lot.
I have picked apart this game a lot because the small things really took myself out of the immergence, especially in the second half of the game. Tomb Raider takes more chances than most games do these days, and for that it should definitely be credited for. This is a big budget game, full of action, suspense, peril and wonder. It was rare for me to be so attached to a game, an attachment I wish would've continued throughout. Regardless, Tomb Raider is a worthy experience for any gamer wanting a solid story, with gorgeous graphics (oh, and the in game music, GREAT).