Rise of the Tomb Raider™

In anticipation of Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis arriving on February 13, 2027, personally want to revisit the story and past journeys of Lara Croft. Previously just played Tomb Raider in the PS1 era, and try to finished the story trilogy available on Steam. In my opinion, "Rise" is the best of the trilogy. Gameplay wise, it took everything great about the 2013 Tomb Raider and massively improved upon it exploration areas are much larger, the crafting system is deeper, and the stealth mechanics are more dynamic. The tomb and puzzle designs to be far more challenging. The graphics were outstanding for a game of that era (2015), and it featured engaging sub-quests involving platforming and other fun challenges. However, regarding the narrative, the main story felt a bit cliché and predictable. For next year's remake, have big hopes that Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog will reignite the hype surrounding this franchise, which has so much potential 💯

Lara is acting like kid who saw you open a bag of chips at school, except that instead of a bag of chips, its a Divine Source

Amazing game. I had a great time playing with my daughter on Steam Deck. The overall action is very cool, also the puzzles and the platforming. Great game! And it runs great on Steam Deck. I set the graphics quality to medium and got a stable 60fps through all the game.

Ayo they got Sprint and less camera shake. The game is almost better than the first one in everyway. Almost. Sure they got the better graphic, better mechanics basically everything feels great the added survival mechanics, crafting and stuff however. I thought the story was OK. Nice puzzles. Babayaga side activites and croft manor(DLC) they were really cool. one thing really like about this game is that notes(documents) are not boring cause they got voice-over. why do other games dont do this anymore? Those ffing spirit soldiers were the worst part of this game for me hands down. they are too tanky. Also i dont like the game going towards more action oriented. story felt lengthy. As writing im at 84% gonna find some few collectables and on to the next. 4.5/5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5lCbfFZsng Honestly, the best entry in the reboot trilogy for me. The story takes you to some amazing snowy landscapes in Siberia, and the exploration feels great. Unlike the sequel, the pacing here feels a bit more balanced between the action, crafting, and raiding tombs. The climbing and jumping can still have those typical clunky moments, but overall, it's a super solid and fun action-adventure game.

[h3]A [i]contentful[/i] game which builds up on the premise set in its predecessor while bringing something for everyone[/h3] Its a good second game that continues the journey of Lara Croft in her fresh earlier days when she was still learning to be the legendary adventurer she is today. And it shows... [b]Setting :[/b] First let me get this out first. The location seemed boring to me. Its Siberian wilderness for crying out loud. Nothing but the [i]snow, snow and more snow.[/i] Not one you would call an exotic setting popular in adventure stories like Indiana Jones or Uncharted. In fact I preferred the brief time The game takes you to sunny Syria at first. However, don't lose hope. It gets better. Developers did a decent job of making a seemingly boring setting exciting and adventurous. And it introduced me to the legend of Lost city of Kitezh which I had not heard about before. Its always good when they bring lesser known mysteries of the world to the limelight rather than milking out the same famous legends. [b]Story & characters :[/b] It establishes on the premise set on first game ; we have Lara croft who is now actively following her lost father's footsteps to uncover mysteries of the world after her eye opening encounters on Yamatai in 2013. Young Lara's naivety is presented to the viewer clearly. [i](Who would think finding an artifact would immediately end famine, cure cancer or attain world peace otherwise?)[/i] She is still grasped in her father's death and his memories and her struggle to find a place in this world. As for side characters, first things first they obviously messed up Jonah's face model. I genuinely wondered for the first half an hour who the hell this character is. He looked drastically different from 2013 version. He does the sidekick role decently enough though, bringing Lara to earth from sky when needed! Jacob and Sofia make good rebels who are fighting to preserve their heritage. But the highlight of the characters undoubtedly goes to the villains : we have a dynamic duo who are so contrast to each other but matches each other perfectly. Them at the helm of the big bad enigmatic evil cult Trinity make a splendid nemesis. I would say this is a good introduction to the Trinity who acts as the main [i]'evil corporation'[/i] in Tomb Raider universe. Story is not a head-turner though, I preferred the first game's story to be honest. You may predict the plot twist a mile away if you connect the dots. I would give it a 6-7 out of 10 overall. [b]Content :[/b] What I noticed clearly is the inclusion of many game modes in 20 Years Anniversary version that super-amplified the replay value of the game and prevented the player from uninstalling it after playing the story once. I will present a brief summary of gameplay of these elements. [u]Story mode[/u] The main mode and the heart of the game, obviously catered for story lovers like me and is needed to continue the trilogy. Its more combat-oriented than the first one. There were more enemy encounters and sometimes it was too much for a Tomb Raider game. But to balance it out, there is a decent number of tombs and environmental puzzles to explore and solve. I loved The Hidden City acting as a mini hub in the later part of the game. It gave me the feeling of a civilization hidden from outside with people who fight hard to keep it that way. I would recommend playing the story in [b]Survivor difficulty or above.[/b] Anything below, you will lose the value of gameplay elements like healing and crafting which is the only thing that does justice to the word 'Survivor' of this series' title. [u]Baba Yaga DLC[/u] An interesting post story expansion brings the legend of Baba Yaga in Slavic mythology to life. Definitely a must play. Horror fans would welcome this. Loved the creepy enigmatic atmosphere and the plot overall. [u]Blood Ties DLC[/u] My favourite mode is this somewhat short but sweet episode that put you in the Croft manor to explore and solve its hidden secret.. [i](My inner Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie were awakened..)[/i] This will cater to people who love exploring old English manors and solving mysteries and puzzles leisurely. You can lay back and enjoy this at your pace. A solid ten for me which also cleared some loose ends in Croft family saga. [u]Lara's Nightmare[/u] This one is for combat enthusiasts and zombie fans. I hate zombies and this wasn't for me. Its set back in the same manor but in a literal nightmare filled with combat against zombie hordes. I had to grit my teeth to push through this annoyance. I would give top marks for scariness though. [u]Score attacks[/u] This one is for arcade mode fans. Its basically replaying story chapters to maximize your score and there are some difficult levels combat wise. Although it was not my favourite, I admit it offered a challenging gameplay that would push your limits. [u]Cold Darkness DLC[/u] Zombies again! But this one also incorporates solving puzzles and prioritize stealth over head on combat. I liked the puzzles which gave me some brain work. For people who love solving puzzles amid growing tension. [u]Endurance[/u] Now this will please fans of the survival game genre. It was my first time playing a survival game or a mode (not much of a fan there either) and I have mixed feelings. It was fun for the first half an hour but then it became repetitive. Procedurally generated maps of Siberian snowscape will eventually tire anyone out. But it was a fresh experience and I recommend trying some challenges in solo survival mode to see if you like it. [u]Endurance Co-op[/u] Now this had all the ingredients to be the highest point and the most enjoyable mode of all game modes but they blundered it by having the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of network requirements to successfully connect 2 players. Both sides need to have [b]REALLY GOOD[/b] internet connection to play a smooth lag-free and persistent session (and downgrade the steam versions as well to an earlier one). But its really fun once you connect and you will have hours of chaotic ridiculous fun where flamethrower wielding mercs, ancient warriors, bears and giant cats will gang up upon you by heaps and the 2 players have to overcome the odds. But again the connection issues are most likely to hinder your progress. [b]Achievements :[/b] You have a considerably long ride ahead of you, fellow achievement hunter ; 143 achievements that will make you fully embrace every mode I mentioned whether you like it or not. Hardest ones will be co-op ones obviously because of those god-awful network issues. Its a slow progress that will test your patience. This is a game that attempts to provide [b]something for everyone[/b] and the poor perfectionist has to pay the price!

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) In comparison to the first chapter of Tomb Raider trilogy, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a step up in almost every way. The story is good and intriguing, although still quite predictable. The characters are fleshed out and well made. Lara’s animations are absolutely fantastic, with an attention to detail that makes the game immersive. The level of polish is great, despite encountering very few bugs. For my taste, the game is still too heavily focused on somewhat repetitive combat. Still, the balance between puzzles, platforming, and combat makes the pacing quite enjoyable. The tombs were still a bit underwhelming, featuring just a single puzzle, similar to the previous game. The only inconvenience for me was the controls. Multiple times I missed a platform during a jump or grapple because the input felt imprecise. This was especially annoying while using the climbing arrows. I guess it might be related to the PC port. Or most likely a skill issue. I also like the idea of adding the original Tomb Raider skins into the game. It’s a small thing, but it adds a layer of personality and nostalgia. Overall, I would say this chapter of the Tomb Raider trilogy is well made and it is a really good game.

[h1]Sights & Sounds[/h1] [h3]Has it really been 10 years?[/h3] [list] [*] Don't get me wrong; AAA games absolutely do look better now than they did in 2016 when [i]Rise of the Tomb Raider[/i] was released. And yes, having a modern graphics card that lets me crank up the settings to maximum on older games does have an appreciable effect. But it feels like we've long passed the point at which these marginal increases feel like they truly matter. It sort of feels like games don't really [i]look[/i] much better than they did. They just [i]perform[/i] better now [*] At least hypothetically. When playing new releases, it often feels like increased GPU power is used as a crutch to bypass optimization that was necessary to hit smooth framerates on older hardware. Absence of limitation begets absence of innovation, after all. Even with all that power, I still feel like I have to wait for a few rounds of patches before new releases play like they should have on release [*] But all of that is just to say that [i]Rise of the Tomb Raider[/i] is a good-looking game. Like, really good, even for a decade old title. It's quite comparable to [i]Tomb Raider[/i] (2013) visually, though with some improved environmental textures: better, but not a sea change. You have to look at side-by-side comparisons to really appreciate the differences [*] I found myself liking the setting quite a bit more, though. The frigid Siberian surroundings offer a bit more visual variety even if tundra, forest, and snowcaps are just variations on a theme. It's a little more interesting than the rainforest, rainforest, and more rainforest seen in the prequel [*] The VA work is once again stellar, with Camilla Luddington reprising her role as Lara Croft. It was nice to see a little development of the character with regards to Luddington's performance. [i]TR2013[/i] Lara sounded a bit more naive and vulnerable, while [i]Rise[/i] Lara is bit more mature and worldly. You can infer what effects the intervening years have had on her personality and outlook [*] As for the soundtrack, it's fine. For an action game, it's totally competent and appropriate for what's on screen. Big booming percussion and hectic brass when the action ramps up. Strings when you're just wandering around and exploring. Don't expect anything to surprise your ears [/list] [h1]Story & Vibes[/h1] [h3]Chasing a legacy[/h3] [list] [*] [i]Rise of the Tomb Raider[/i] sees Lara once again following in her father's footsteps and trying to track down the locations and artifacts unearthed by his research. This time, she's pursuing one of his leads pertaining to something called the Prophet's Tomb. Despite being a site for housing a dead person, it's ironically a key piece of the puzzle for obtaining immortality [*] Of course, it's not as simple as simply figuring out where it is and snagging what's inside. A shady organization known only as Trinity has been spending a lot of time and energy attempting to discredit her and her father's research. At the same time, however, they're covertly following the same trail as Lara to seize the secret of immortality for themselves [*] This path leads Lara and her adversaries to the remote expanses of Siberia in search of the tomb. Unfortunately for the region's inhabitants, Trinity is hellbent on crushing anything that stands in their way. Despite some less-than-trusting initial contact, Lara will have to convince them she's on the level. With their knowledge of the terrain (and a suspicious amount of info on what she's looking for...), they'll be a key ally in the hunt for the Prophet's Tomb [*] I'll leave it at that to avoid any spoilers, but it's a pretty okay story overall. If you've played the first game, I'd recommend brushing up on the plot details before diving into [i]Rise[/i]. There's a surprising depth to the lore that the game doesn't spoon feed you. They just expect you to remember the people and events from the prequel (check the game's wiki if you don't believe me) [*] Vibe-wise, it's very in line with [i]TR2013[/i]: full of action and plot twists that keep you on your toes. Exciting but not all that deep. If you enjoy action movies for what they are, your experience with the [i]Survivor[/i] series' narrative throughline will probably be a good one [/list] [h1]Playability & Replayability[/h1] [h3]Eww, crafting[/h3] [list] [*] I hope you enjoy climbing and shooting, because there sure is a lot of that going on here [*] Let's start with the highlight. Vertical traversal in [i]Rise[/i] may not introduce anything all that new or exciting, but it does feel a bit more involved and interesting than some of its contemporaries (particularly the [i]Assassin's Creed[/i] franchise) [*] Beyond merely mantling chest-high surfaces and jumping from ledge to ledge, Lara is capable of climbing sheer surfaces and making some daring leaps over gaps thanks to her trusty ice picks. It's far more engaging than the "hold trigger and up on the stick" gameplay sported by the [i]AC[/i] games that came out around the same time. Not only are the mechanics more fun, but you'll actually be tasked with the occasional climbing/physics puzzle in order to proceed [*] While such puzzles do arise in the course of the plot-necessary sections, they're more creative and varied in the context of the challenge tombs that dot the maps. These were some of my favorite content in the game, and completing each one provides Lara with a multitude of useful skills [*] Combat could be more easily filed under "serviceable". Bow and gunplay feel very similar to the prequel. I found myself predominantly using the contextual cover system to hide from enemies while surreptitiously doming them with arrows. If that wasnt't an option, switching to an AR or shotgun to deal with groups out of cover certainly was [*] Unfortunately, should you find yourself in need of upgrades to your weapons, you'll have to engage with the worst system in the game: crafting. Unlike the streamlined gear progression system of its predecessor, [i]Rise[/i] forces you to go on wildlife culling tangents every few hours if you want to maximize your damage-dealing potential [*] It is, at best, a tedious interruption to the flow of plot advancement and exploration. At worst, it's a frustrating speedbump that'll force you to scour the environment and backtrack to find some elusive pelt or tooth that can incomprehensibly be employed in the service of making your pistol more accurate or something [*] Even if you don't wind up ever replaying the game, I'd at least recommend doing all of the challenge tombs and crypts. Not only do they provide some useful skills and gear, but also serve as some of the best content in the game [/list] [h1]Overall Impressions & Performance[/h1] [h3]A lateral move[/h3] [list] [*] All told, [i]Rise of the Tomb Raider[/i] feels like "more [i]Tomb Raider[/i]" and not necessarily "better [i]Tomb Raider[/i]". Yes, there are a handful of graphical upgrades. The setting is a bit more interesting, too. But the annoying crafting system sort of makes the comparison a wash [*] After playing the first few hours on my PC, I switched over to the Steam Deck. Sure the performance and visuals aren't quite as good, but it ran and looked good enough to make it a worthwhile experience on that platform [/list] [h1]Final Verdict[/h1] [b]6.5[/b]/10. If you enjoyed the prequel and want a fun but mindless action title to fill your time, you could do a whole lot worse than this. It'll run on basically any hardware that's been released in the past 10 years, and it tends to go on sale for 90% off during Steam sales (more if you buy the bundle). A cheap and entertaining way to fulfill your action game needs

Upgraded my gaming rig just so I can look at Laras butt in 4k on highest settings. 10/10 would goon, i mean play, again 👍🏻

Avaliar esse jogo é um tanto quanto desafiador, porque ao mesmo tempo em que temos um boom de melhorias e aspectos extremamente positivos, temos outros aspectos frustrantes que quebram bastante a imersão ou a vontade de continuar aproveitando o jogo. Em primeiro lugar, a história é extremamente fraca comparado ao Tomb Raider de 2013, e é exatamente nesse ponto onde a primeira decepção acontece. Assim que o jogo começa, você cria expectativas altas por absolutamente tudo que acontece na tela, e se você gosta de jogos de exploração seu entusiasmo cresce de forma absurda com os cenários magníficos e a quantidade enorme de coisas que você pode fazer, tanto que levei exatas 40 horas pra finalizar a campanha e ainda faltou bastante coisa para terminar. Contudo, conforme você vai avançando as coisas fluem de forma forçada, e as "reviravoltas" do roteiro lembram muito as novelas das 20h da globo; a história se torna extremamente previsível, chata, caricata, com um vilão que não é vilão de tão sem graça e com frases de efeito. Logo na metade do jogo você já começa a misturar os eventos com os arquivos e com os inimigos de grupos diferentes que aparecem, é um saco. Outro aspecto importante, a personalidade da Lara de início é empolgante, determinada, como uma típica girl boss que você tanto ama e não vê a hora de meter bala em todo mundo. Com o passar do jogo se torna extremamente caricata, chata. Ao contrário do Tomb Raider de 2013, ali você vê um amadurecimento constante da personagem com relação ao ambiente. Aqui, ela começa como girl boss, depois passa pra ingênua com declarações absurdas e lembranças chatas, e depois só fica chata mesmo. Com relação a gameplay, de um modo geral é bastante positiva, mas não perfeita. Por se tratar de um jogo de exploração, é capaz de te dar raiva. A maior parte das tumbas no jogo não são intuitivas para resolver, existem muitos puzzles que não fazem sentido. A ação no jogo esta no talo, e chegou um momento em que passei a pensar que nenhum dos desenvolvedores sequer JOGARAM o jogo antes de lançar ou produziram de fato o jogo, porque alguns diálogos não fazem sentido em orientar de fato sobre o que fazer, muitos cenários são chatos em questão de pular obstáculos, e existem habilidades que são repetidas ou muito semelhante a outras. Achei a quantidade de armas liberadas um exagero, assim como também achei os empecilhos do cenário uma chatice de resolver. Fiquei p da vida quando percebi que os cenários finais e os conflitos eram exatamente iguais ao primeiro jogo, achei algo extremamente reciclável e chato. Acredito que o maior acerto do jogo também pode ser considerado um erro muito grande; eles quiseram fazer algo muito maior do que o tomb raider de 2013 e conseguiram, trouxeram tudo do jogo anterior de forma ampliada e melhorada, mas erraram em coisas que considero absurdas. Rejoguei o primeiro jogo diversas vezes desde o seu lançamento e peguei a continuação somente agora, mas continuaria a rejogar o primeiro facilmente do que a sua continuação. Quanto as DLCs, achei também exageradas; a DLC da Baba Yaga tem uma história que considero muito maneira, mas a jogabilidade + cenário é algo complicado de colocar em palavras, prefiro dizer que não quebrei nada no meu setup por consciência da falta de necessidade disso. Por fim, acredito que Rise Of The Tomb Raider é uma continuação maneira, mas não páreo a mesma qualidade do primeiro. Olhando as opiniões acerca do jogo, muita gente comenta sobre os gráficos, e admito que são incríveis, porém, é maçante avaliar ou colocar em um pedestal um jogo somente por esse aspecto. As vezes o que é mais simples funciona melhor, e funcionou melhor pra mim.