Rise of the Tomb Raider reviews

Tomb Raider is my favourite video game franchise and it never disappoints. It's graphically gorgeous(the environment, clothing, fabrics etc have crazy detail), plays great, tons of exploring(Tombs, Crypts, Caves) for items(although if you're a completionist finding some collectibles namely caches are tedious sometimes but there are secret maps you find that may reveal things you haven't yet found) also some side missions to keep you busy. Lara's character has grown and she's more tough than previously, the story is pretty good it is quite long, I'd say the same amount of time it takes to finish the previous game! It would take you two days to finish the story alone(not if you're playing it for 48 hour straight) The ending shows her next location as Square Enix had accidentally revelead that there would be a trilogy so a third game. The characters weren't bland. Also like to thank MightyApe, I was expecting just one DLC code(Pre-Order) but surprisingly I got 3 extra codes for outfits! One of them I really wanted and wasn't sure who to get, the T-Shirt is quite big but I love it(I could just go to a printing place and get anything tombraider printed on a blank t-shirt) the steel book case is great(it also comes with the original box case aswell, I wasn't sure) and the Poster is great.

Crystal Dynamics put a lot of effort into crafting this game and it shows in almost every detail.

The locations are beautiful, some of the tombs such as the first one you come across just look stunning. The variety of scenery is a welcome change from the bones and candles of the previous game.

Bug free – it seems virtually every game I get these days requires patches – this one I only found one error in the landscape tucked away in a hidden corner – otherwise I played a bug free game – which made a nice change.

Puzzles – these are well balanced – they require some traversing around the tombs and some thought but you shouldn't need to go online to find an answer – they aren't super simple but neither are they too hard

Combat – more of the same of the last game, I find it disturbing that Lara has such a high body count but they have tried to tie that in with the story a lot more.

Survival – in the base game this is a bit weak though there is a season pass/DLC that makes it more meaningful – pretty much shoot every animal you see as you need their skins for upgrades – I felt like I had committed some terrible crime against the animal kingdom by how many deer and rabbits I had slain by the end of the game.

Collectibles/cha­llenges – these are every where and make up half the fun of the game – I found I was often more interested in getting the collectible than in fighting the bad guys (it's always guys you fight because apparently the evil bunch don't recruit female mercenaries).

Story – a bit tired, you'll guess what's going on reasonably early on though if you play through the credits there's an extra scene at the end which adds value to Lara's character and sets up the next story. The game doesn't really give you enough time to converse with the other characters to learn more about Lara or them but this is an action game not a companion game.

Style of game – this is a hybrid RPG/Action game, there are lots of RPG elements in crafting, side missions, chatting to people, buying stuff, upgrading gear and it doesn't feel as linear as the last Tomb Raider – still it is primarily an Action game so there is only one way forward.

Overall I was wowed by the quality of the game and hope they go on to make another.

The special edition I got from Mighty Ape was disappointing though – the T-Shirt was not an official one and the size was too small, I had rang before my order asking for a larger one and was told that would be noted on my order but it wasn't, the poster is just one that goes up in a store with a big Xbox Exclusive bar above and below which felt cheap – within 2 weeks this version was on sale with over $20 off – I felt a bit ripped on that – 2 stars to Mighty Ape for being a bit cheap (first time I've experienced that from them) – but 8 stars for the game so on average 5 stars overall

Pros: Lots of weapon modification and skill tree options, lots of challenges to do, reasonably challenging on the hardest difficulty. Cons: Lara is the perfect example of a survivalist/ex­plorer, but she can't swim underwater for long without a re-breather, this doesn't make sense. Overall awesome game and great fun.

This is my game of the year. If you liked the last one you will love this.

Easily the best action adventure title released in years on any platform.

Good game play, and a back story to the upcoming movie

This Game is Amazingly crafted and has a really good gameplay. Cant wait for the next Game will be amazing.

I've been playing it for a few days now, and I really like it; it's got fun parkour and combat. Even though it's similar to Assassin's Creed, I know that I definitely like this more. I like the storyline, and even though it can get a little repetitive, I don't find it boring. Overall it's really fun and I'd recommend it!

Got it day one, played the crap outta it for the next week or so enjoying every moment of it. Improves almost every aspect of the first (2013) one and adds more. Hunting/gathering is now actually somewhat important and you don't have infinitely deep pockets to carry all your supplies, so you'll have to spend them as soon as you can. You can self heal which I didn't use too much as I took a stealthy approach for most of the game, but it was certainly helpful when a few firefights broke out. Much like the first one, if you sneak around before taking anyone out, you'll often hear conversations between the enemies that give you background on whats going on, or why the bridge in the background has fallen. Theres even a few references to Yamatai and Lara herself.

The environment is beautifully crafted and looks fantastic, Geothermal Valley has got to be my most favourite area to explore, especially when wearing the Sacra Umbra outfit as it looks like a fantasy game.

Also note, you cant remove the suppressor from pistols/rifles, once its on its on for good. Missed out on hefty revolver sounds for the rest of the game as it was one of the first things I got. Kinda wish it said that somewhere.

Its a Fantastic game and I loved it to bits unfortunately now I'm itching for a third one. If you liked the first one you'll love this one.