Lara Croft continues her late father's research, trekking across Siberia in search of the answers her father couldn't find, facing off against an ancient and ruthless shadow organisation. Follows Lara Croft as she continues her late father's research into myths of immortality. Lara, now more experienced and confident than she was in the previous game, treks across the Siberian tundra in search of the answers her father could never find. Lara also faces off against Trinity, an ancient and ruthless shadow organization that is hell-bent on finding the source of immortality, killing anyone who gets in their way. Lara races to find this source before Trinity can, and prove to the world that her father was chasing more than a myth. Just when you think it can't get any better it does, as much as I liked the first game, I actually like this sequel even more. Like any good sequel it takes everything that was great about it's predecessor and improves/adds more things to make it even better.<br/><br/>The graphics are great as usual, once again going for some of the nit and gritty which is fine I wouldn't want it any other way. I love the new location that it takes place somewhere in the Applelation mountains I'm not totally sure. I really like the use of the mountains which make it all the more suspenseful, being up high is both exhilarating and nerve racking at the same time, and the fact that there is snow and ice just makes the stakes even higher. But I really like the graphical display of the hidden village and the accent romantic arcetectual ruins you really feel like you've just gone into another world. The character animation is great as well, most notable Lara whom is hot as usual despite all of the dirt and scrapes she gets you can never ruin her good looks. Music is also great and memorable there are some orchastraic pieces as well as some thrilling action tunes.<br/><br/>But what's most important are both the story and the game play. The game play is great and has improved from the game having a longer campaign, OK the game would probably take 4 or 5 days to get though but I'm fine with that as long as like any relic it retains my interest. You actually get to explore a bit more, from finding hidden items, certain clues to solving puzzles to simply figuring out where the heck you are and what to do. As well as some side missions which are another addition to the game, which you can do or not it's up to you.<br/><br/>Platforming action is great as it is entirely responsive. One of the editions in the game is further in the game Lara gets an air breather, not to say that anything special but at least you don't have to worry about submerging for air which is a pain in the butt. And it adds something to the stealth action sequences where you can easily go underwater and submerge somewhere else to get the drop on the guy, or even drag the guy underwater using the element to kill him. Another element added is the run grapple where like Batman you run and jump off a high ledge but then throw your pick ax attached to a rope at a grab ling ring and can swing from one far ledge to another.<br/><br/>And of course there is the gun play which is great as you have the usual weapons and cover and hit action. Though once again Lara doesn't have or get to duel weld her pistols which is sorely missing, not that that's a big deal but that is one of her trademarks. But when I think about it story wise it makes sense, Lara is still beginning so I won't fret cause I know we'll see her do it yet. But one other element that's added is in making grenades of different kinds in those situations. From incendiary, explosive, to smoke which I feel helps a lot in welding the odds down.<br/><br/>The story I think is great where not just is it an expedition based on a lost Christian relic which is cool because once again it's something different which is part of why I love the franchise. But there is a personal touch as this was a incomplete expedition of Lara's late father, it's a bit sad as we then here what this expedition has cost him and his daughter. Lara as usual is Lara a doer which is what makes her all the more beautiful, we see that throughout time she has gotten stronger and better however she not totally smooth as we see she still has a way to go.<br/><br/>I like that we get a little on the psychological aspect of her which makes us sympathize is seeking some sort of closure for her late father. However this is really more her personal journey, it's sort of a simple story on a sibling trying to find their own path, living their own life and not in the shadow of their parents. You can also say the story is a bit Christian as it does have the theme on rising up which is a common in most of the biblical stories on the protagonists and good people getting downtrodden but learning to get back up and rise above all that adversity to live on and get stronger than before, which is what Lara is doing.<br/><br/>Overall, this was a great second outing for Lara whom has came up top and it won't be her last.<br/><br/>Rating: 4 stars I loved the Tomb Raider reboot. It was a lot more accessible and a lot less frustrating than the original series. I was dazzled by the size and scope of the island, the fast paced cinematic "escape" sequences, the simple yet captivating shooting mechanics and the boldness of delving so frankly into supernatural territory. Rise of the Tomb Raider just came out a few weeks ago here and I nabbed it as soon as I was able. It delivered everything I expected it would, a decent story with Lara's first encounter with Trinity and the race to find the "Divine source", an object that grants those that gaze upon it immortality before it falls into Trinity's fanatical hands. The combat remains fun, fast paced and somewhat easier with less need to take cover and instead allowing the run and gun approach. The traversal is more detailed this time around, with Lara having more tools at her disposal which unlocks areas previously inaccessible to her, like the Rebreather, Broadhead climbing arrows, and the ability to throw her pickaxe as a grapple hook. The crafting system has been overhauled, with Lara being able to craft bigger ammo and resource storage pouches as well as innumerous upgrades for each variant of pistol, shotgun, machine gun and bow. Most of these upgrades requires special animal hides, which Lara can acquire by finding hidden caches or through good old fashioned hunting. Bears and feral felines make an appearance this time as potential hunts for rare skins, but they won't go down without one hell of a fight… Lara can craft special ammunition on the go and accept side quests from allies who reward her with otherwise unobtainable rewards like new gear or attire. The tombs this time are more numerous and a lot more complicated to solve, at least the first time around. Completing them rewards Lara with unique skills like faster climbing, triple arrow shots and the ability to mine for rare metals required for the best weapon upgrades. There are also crypts in which Lara may find weapon parts and coin caches she can dig up to trade for weapon attachments and unique weapons. Unlike the previous game, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to acquire every skill and upgrade before the end, unless of course you enjoy grinding the same groups of enemies for hours, and so skill and upgrade choices need to be selected more thoughtfully and resources spared for the weapons you enjoy using most. The areas Lara visits are not as numerous as the previous game, but they are unquestionably larger, some maps may take hours and hours to complete while the transition areas usually take about an hour. Not every NPC is hostile towards Lara and there is one particular area that is home to a village filled with friendlies who Lara must help defend against Trinity. Some of these NPC's are quest givers, adding an RPG feel to the game. But there are unfortunately some hiccups that I need to mention (for X360). Traversal is somewhat clumsy, Lara might miss that ledge you are trying to grab, backtracking is a pain and sometimes impossible without using a campfire, and might even prove to be game-breaking if you press forward where you're not supposed to. I encountered such a glitch in Path of the Deathless where the game bugged out after I tried to fall through another previously traversed pitfall which I obviously wasn't meant to, and the game broke at this point where I got stuck, every time I tried moving past the last campfire I used the autosave would take me right back to the moment I fell in between the ice, with no way of continuing. This forced me to start from scratch all over again. The other technical problem I have heard about is during the final ascent you are forced to shake off someone who is trying to drag you to your death, then the game prompts you to shoot him repeatedly until he falls. When this happens, and you have no ammo, the game once again breaks as the autosave prevents you from going back and without ammo, you can't continue either. I have also found that some achievements don't unlock even when you have completed the requirements, especially the Compulsive achievement. One last thing I noticed is that the high diving challenge is extremely glitchy. So all in all… RotTR improves on the original by adding larger maps and more traversal methods, but ultimately lacks the polish of the original. Enjoy, but try to back up your saves…
Mardaril replied
371 weeks ago