Tomb Raider is beautiful, unexpected, and stunning. The creators jeopardized the entire history by taking the series in a previously unseen route – cinematic, action, and savagery. In one scenario, Lara Croft appears from a blood river filled of ugly human corpses like a grim avenger. Blood runs down her face, and we realize she isn’t, and probably never will be, the Lara we once knew.
Tomb Raider gets off to a fast start, and the opening few minutes establish an intriguing sense of suspense and loss. A split second later, he pulls you into a flurry of more and less dramatic occurrences that quickly quiet your pulse. Everything occurs prior to the events in the first installment of the series. The ship crashes off the coast of an enigmatic island. Lara regains consciousness after being pummeled and tortured by the sea waves. She quickly contacts her surviving pals. A terrible battle for existence starts, but the island conceals a horrible history that the heroine must confront. Surprisingly, Lara Croft has never been more captivating than she is right now. It has nothing to do with the tank top, facial characteristics, or melancholy sighs. If it were feasible, I would remove the first enemy’s clothing or the skin of the boar and wrap it around the heroine, who was shivering from the cold. She’d still be sexy since her appeal is based on her personality, not her attractive buttocks. Though she does look terrific in jeans!
The script, directed by Rhianna Pratchett, skillfully blends themes from the Lost series, Verne’s novels, and Pratchett’s “Nation” with gore film aspects. The grandiose tale, while predictable, stays entertaining and, most importantly, not dumb. Lara Croft, lost and apprehensive about the future, develops within herself a superhuman drive to survive in the face of the series of events. The heroine’s motive appeared genuine to me, and the action made it clear why Lara makes certain decisions. Of course, it’s tough to resist teetering on the brink of tragedy in such a stunning entertainment game, but the developers expertly mix the tempo of the action, crucial sequences, and dialogues to keep this journey from devolving into ridiculousness. The plot is also particularly violent, not just in terms of how the heroine gradually removes her opponents, but also in terms of the many events and locations we will see. Lara’s first human killing is intriguing. This was not a thrilling experience, but in that one instant, I felt a connection with the heroine, and I was eager to find out what happened to her. Sure, we’re running around with a loaded gun and bullets flying around, and three hours later we’re effectively finishing off the enemy with an ice axe that splits the skull – the simplifications don’t hurt the eyes or ruin the fun, especially since the new Tomb Raider is just an action adventure game. Not a narrative about individual survival sanctified by philosophers, but an enjoyable, participatory film. I’ll use the words “cinematic” and “action” repeatedly. Tomb Raider is no longer a game about solving riddles and activating devices. You won’t spend an hour seeking for a lever or a broken stone tablet before attempting to figure out how an old machine works. Instead, you’ll find smaller, easier, but well-executed puzzles that will enable you to unwind for a time while still enjoying the action at a Hollywood pace. This is a fantastic way for enjoying the action and situation when we don’t have as much free time to go around the boards constantly.
The island is not an open environment where we may go for a walk in any direction and complete extra jobs. We advance in accordance with the narrative, discovering and crossing new locations. Each place was thoughtfully and imaginatively planned. Something is constantly changing! We’re walking through a lovely forest full of animals, and then we’re climbing over rock ledges that are interlaced with gorgeous waterfalls. We come to fascinating crypts, communities, and, eventually, ruins of World War II and ancient civilizations. Tomb Raider is breathtaking. Beautifully built sites contrast with tiny, gloomy caverns, which we will travel to reach spectacular ancient temples and ruins. Although there aren’t many attractions, concept artists, graphic designers, and special effects experts have created some absolutely amazing locations. While the wind blows against the wooden shutters and the light seeps through the crevices in the roof, we admire sculptures and strange murals engraved in stone and embellished with flowing water; we examine the Far Eastern, old architecture of the temple. The game looks great on platforms and is well-optimized. It only flies on powerful machines, giving visuals with machete-sharp textures and even more spectacular light and shadow play. The sceneries here leave an indelible impact, and the variety of settings, including rain, fire, storm, sun, and snow, only whets the urge to continue the experience. Lara spends nearly the whole game asking herself, “What am I doing?” and “I can do it!” as though the authors intended to aggressively justify her developing ability to kill adversaries in varied, imaginative ways. It was not a required process. At first, we only have a bow, then a handgun, then we gradually obtain more weapons. We may improve the heroine’s talents as we explore new regions, locate secret treasures, and acquire experience. There are bonfires in each site where we can “set up” camp. For starters, such a camp allows for quick transit between visited locations on the map, as well as the collection of other objects or the discovery of secret tunnels. Second, in a small camp, we may discuss how to develop Lara and how to adapt the equipment. The method is really straightforward and formulaic: we may either make the archaeologist more focused on survival or a savage hunter. The decision is only clear since we will activate practically everything over extended play. We will gradually obtain the extra talents and modifications required to traverse the island and combat opponents. The gradual introduction of dramatic, gory finishes feels natural to me. The temptation to simply shoot all the screwed up individuals on this island becomes palpable in the face of circumstances. Without any pity. All of this is consistent with Lara’s emotional condition and developing self-confidence.
Combat, on the other hand, is an essential aspect of the new Tomb Raider, and there is a lot of it, as befits an action game. Lara may sneak up on an adversary and kill him off stealthily, in addition to wielding a shotgun, a rifle, and a jagged ice ax blade. The stealth components are simplified, but they fit very well with the overall ambiance of the game. Rain, severe winds, and us vs many armed crooks. We use an arrow from the bow to smash the light. We approach the first guard and strangle him. The second one collapses seconds later, and the third gets shot in the head. If we fail or make a mistake, reinforcements will be called, and Lara will be forced to run like hell. Surprisingly, the opponents are composed. They zigzag, evade, and hide behind objects. They slither down the ropes, close the gap, and attack from the flank. The combat field is restricted, yet even during scripted times, you may run about and have a great time. Individual game aspects are dosed fairly carefully by the creators. Platform segments in which we must find our approach to the goal are linked in suitable proportions with battle. All of this is supplemented with a slew of interactive stories and magnificent animations in which our duty is to click the right buttons and see fireworks on the screen. I was astonished that these weren’t dull times; in fact, they fit right in with the game’s personality. Tomb Raider is not tough, and there is a button that underlines essential features for people who are less astute. Thank you; I used it frequently. Unfortunately, the creators treat us like children till the end. In the environment, all surfaces that we may bounce off or climb on have a particular texture. Even when we try to think, our gaze is drawn to the white painted boards or rough walls. Lara sprints across roofs, walks across fallen trees, passes caverns full of skeletons, and crosses rivers and cliffs using arrows with ropes attached. There is, however, nothing more enjoyable than discovering an abandoned temple, where, as in the past, we must contemplate for a long in isolation and rearrange the gears to reveal magnificent statues hidden beneath the wooden construction. As is fitting for Tomb Raider, ardent collectors of milestones, crypts, treasures, and trinkets will have a busy time here. We shall uncover the mysteries of the island and its people through audio records, and we will learn about the supporting personalities and connections on board through footage from before the ship accident.
The script has a few weak spots, some technical problems, and some silly solutions, such as the necessity to burn a package hanging in a hammock that is within reach. It would be wonderful to have a bit more freedom and additional ways to the objective. However, finishing the game and discovering everything takes many hours. Crystal Dynamics took a risk in updating the series’ image. I feel that this is a good direction for the brand’s future generation. It’s a new start, a new door, and a new hand. Right, incorrect – appealing, unique, and delivering many hours of excellent entertainment.
And what about Lara Croft? In my mind, she was always a flesh-and-blood lady. But he now possesses something far more significant. Your own spirit and individuality.