MenaceSG | Submissions List

Introduction

Tomb Raider is one of the longest, most recognizable, and most beloved series since it's original debut. Lara Croft has been recognized as a strong female lead, a sex symbol, and an all around super cool archaeologist on par with Indiana Jones. The series however, has shifted focused more upon her gun toting, super feminine charm rather than her prowess as a human being under severe and strenuous situations. Enter Tomb Raider, the reboot to the series which focuses upon Lara Croft's terrifying and gripping origin. From frightened student to hardened archaeologist, this story focuses upon Lara becoming what she never thought she would have to do: survive.

Graphics

I went into this game not expecting the best graphics, but expecting somewhat decent ones considering this came from the makers of Final Fantasy. Although the cutscene graphics at the beginning of the game were solid, the overall graphic content of the game was slightly above average. The landscape is beautiful and Lara's character is superb; however, the overall look of the game wasn't as great as I'd hoped. Nonetheless, the game is still gorgeous compared to many of the games out on the market today.

Sound

The many sounds which are located within the island Lara is wrecked upon are both terrifying and amazing. The sound effects make every aspect of this dark, haunted island come to life. Whether it be voice acting (which is beyond incredible, especially from new comer Camilla Luddington), or from the sound effects created during the incredible cutscenes. Accompanying the sound effects is the amazing soundtrack. The new theme for the game is haunting and chilling, showing how the island has had a dark past and how it still affects it's residents.

Gameplay

The gameplay is the single most important reason why this game stands out compared to the rest. It's simple enough to be picked up and played, but complex and smart once you get the gist of what is happening. Each weapon handles differently, but the structure of them is easy enough to grab a handle of and gun play is super fun to go through. Action sequences are extremely jaw dropping, keeping you on the edge of your seat with suspense.

Lastability

This game's single player campaign lasts for about 12-15 hours if you just breeze through it without looking for the rest of the hidden items. Looking for the hidden relics, documents, and GPS caches will tack on an additional several hours of gameplay. Once these are beat, however, there isn't much left to keep you coming back to it. There is a multiplayer that allows you to take on either the Solarii or the Survivors for different game modes. But they are mostly the same, stale game environments with sub par customization, and even more bland game mechanics. Although it's not trying to compete on the level of Call of Duty, it definitely doesn't set itself apart as anything worth remembering.

Overall

Aside from the lackluster multiplayer, the game's crowning jewel is focusing upon Lara's incredible and satisfactory journey from student to survivor. The thrills of each sequence, combined with gorgeous sound effects and heart pounding QTE (quick time event), make this game exactly what it set out to be: a survivor in the cutthroat gaming industry.