Tomb Raider Review: A Reboot Better Than The Original?

The Bad

Gunplay might not be Crystal Dynamics’ strong point, even if we count the totally satisfying vibration that comes from hitting your foes. The key is to play around with sensitivity in the options, but that sweet spot that many games have through which you can pop off headshots with ease just isn’t there. You WILL get the hang of shooting after awhile, but playing on hard mode becomes more a game of frustration and memorization than gaming prowess.

Tomb Raider struggles to find its footing cinematically. Early portions of the game provide cutscenes that seem to jolt around unexpectedly and don’t really give us a sense of the over-the-top action we’re supposed to digest. We don’t wanna spoil anything, but the means through which Lara and crew are stranded are nowhere near as exciting as they might have been with a more thorough cutscene.

Multiplayer is mostly a snore and resembles Uncharted so closely that you may have to remind yourself which game you’re playing and which game is better. Hint: it’s not this one. Yes, it’s functional and we understand that everybody likes something different, but atrocious respawn times coupled with maps that are nothing new mean that most will probably play a match or two before moving on to titles that provide a more fully realized online component. More and more games are tacking these modes on and more and more we can’t help but feel that this hurts the overall package.

The Verdict:

Reboots are never easy and seem to create rifts between those thirsting for a new experience and fanboys who just can’t or won’t let go. These concerns do not apply to Tomb Raider. The campaign is one of the most fun and exciting gaming experiences in recent memory, and graphics that take advantage of every last ounce of current-gen computer power mean that every last gamer should experience this title. Certainly, there will be a sequel that is even better, but if you’ve ever wondered how Lara Croft became Lara Croft and didn’t care to see the Angelina Jolie version, this is the way.

Crystal Dynamics has just solidified their name as one of the best developers around these days, and given how much fun was had tearing through this game, we’re going to overlook how much they owe to Naughty Dog. You could imitate a much worse series than Uncharted, and once these guys get a crack at another, maybe next-gen game… well there’s just no telling how awesome it’s gonna be.

Source: Alex de Vore | Spiffycats