Rise of the Tomb Raider is every bit the thrilling action-adventure video game that fans of the series can be proud of. Developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix, Rise of the Tomb Raider is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Tomb Raider reboot, which released in 2013. Initially time-exclusive to Xbox, the game is now available on PC and will be available on the PlayStation 4 in due course.
Quite often sequels do not do the original any justice. Rise of the Tomb Raider, however, is a huge step up from the 2013 reboot and is a sequel worthy of its predecessor; providing gamers a more extensive gaming experience from the gripping plot to the addictive gameplay and stunning visuals.
Befitting its name, Rise of the Tomb Raider portrays Lara Croft as having risen out of her naiveté and innocence; more of an adult now and far more experienced than she was in Tomb Raider. Heeding the demands of fans, Crystal Dynamics successfully brought Lara back to the key element of the Tomb Raider series; tombs. Tombs play a much bigger part in this sequel with much more unique and captivating tombs to explore, a larger number of relics to collect and more puzzles to solve, making for an improved gaming experience.
In relation to plot and narrative, the Videogame Writers Caucus, part of the Writers’ Guild of America, recently judged Rise of the Tomb Raider as the best written videogame of 2015. The story centres on Lara’s quest to follow in her late father’s footsteps to uncover the tomb of the Prophet of Constantinople and to find an artefact that promises immortality.
The unique crafting system, an innovative new feature in Rise of the Tomb Raider, allows players to construct weapons from materials taken from their environmental surroundings. Whilst often compared to other popular action-adventure games, the likes of Uncharted, Rise of the Tomb Raider doesn’t allow for extensive globe-trotting, however, does indeed keep the delightful open world formula, allowing players the ability to explore every nook and cranny of the environment Lara is in.
Let’s not forget that visually, Rise of the Tomb Raider is stunning, with Lara’s environment looking crisp and clear, allowing players a greater and rather realistic feel for the game. In terms of gameplay, the sequel did well to enhance the level of stealth mechanics within the game, with violent attacks no longer being the only option when dealing with the enemy.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is by far one of the better action-adventure games I’ve experienced, being almost on par with my favourite game series, Uncharted. As a fan of ancient history, treasure hunting and mythology, this game’s narrative certainly did well to hook me and based on my time with the game so far, it certainly is worth recommending.