Game Review: Tomb Raider 2013

Joelene Pynnonen reviews Lara Croft – Tomb Raider 2013.

The origins of Lara Croft are finally revealed in the latest game in the franchise. Starting out on her first archaeological expedition, she and her team are trying to locate the lost island of Yamatai off the coast of Japan. A storm strikes the ship they are on, and Lara finds herself on an island, separated from her friends and surrounded by danger.

Storyline: The story here is simple but solid. Stuck on an unwelcoming island and forced to fend for herself, a young Lara Croft must find the means to survive.

The lack of strong female characters in gaming has been much lamented and greatly documented. As such, I went into the game with some scepticism that the female action hero would be handled well. It quickly became apparent that my doubts were misplaced. Tomb Raider has undergone a much needed transformation in the latest instalment. Lara has always been strong, resourceful, and independent, but previously she has lacked humanity. In Tomb Raider 2013, her character gains nuances that rely more on her personality than her appearance. Though the game is violent in nature, Croft’s first kill is handled with the respect and sensitivity it needs.

Although she is young, Lara has a strongly developed sense of duty, choosing to risk her life for others even against the advice of her friends. She’s stubborn and likable, giving gamers someone that they can identify with.

Gameplay: As always, Tomb Raider is a great adventure. The island of Yamatai is full of dangers that make for some pretty intense action scenes. Murderous cultists, wild animals, harsh weather, and evil spirits are all obstacles Lara must overcome to get away from the island safely. With predatory animals roaming the forests while enemies scout the buildings, there is more than enough danger to keep the game interesting.

The survival and exploration aspects, too, lend their own flavours to the game. Hunting and salvage earn Lara skills points while there are tombs to be explored and puzzles to be solved for weapons parts.

The settings are varied and often gorgeous. Lara goes from tumultuous oceans and panoramic mountaintops to dingy cave systems and spine-tingling tombs. Atmosphere resonates here, supported marvellously by the musical score.

Gameplay is smooth and the mix-up of survival, exploration, shooting and fighting keeps Tomb Raider fresh and exciting.

Qualms: Quite a few of the movie scenes would have been more entertaining as gameplay scenes. In the initial scene, for instance, there is a great deal of action but none of it is playable.

Overall: I’m partial to action-adventure stories, so Tomb Raider is right up my alley. Lara Croft is self-sufficient and likable, as are the supporting characters. While I think that the gameplay could have been taken further, this was an exhilarating adventure that is definitely worth playing again.

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, Nixxes Software (PC)

Release Date: March 1, 2013

Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC