It’s been more than a decade since Crystal Dynamics, the developer best known for the Tomb Raider series, first introduced gamers to its reimagined version of Lara Croft. 2013s Grave robbers portrayed Lara as someone capable of adapting to and mastering almost any situation while maintaining a certain level of emotional depth and self-awareness, a trait that is further explored in the game’s sequels.
The original was an excellent game that I played through no less than three times, with their last outing in 2018 Shadow of the Tomb Raiderhas its merits, I still stand by 2015 Rise of the Tomb Raider as the most compelling and interesting version of Lara Croft because it emphasizes her vulnerability. The result is a story that combines all the hallmarks of what you expect from a great Tomb Raider game: thrilling supernatural elements and a thrilling and romantic take on archaeology, all tied together with a fascinating and surprisingly emotional story.
After the events of the first game, Lara is still traumatized by her trial by fire on Yamatai Island and her father’s recent disappearance. Her search for her father and the restoration of her family’s legacy takes her to the cold peaks of Siberia and the path of Trinity, a “Knights Templar meets military contractor” organization with the pseudo-religious goal of world domination. Unfortunately, this leaves Lara alone in the unique position of foiling her plot by imposing a truth that no one else will believe.
Lara fully understands the gravity of the situation, but doesn’t allow it to inflate her ego. Instead, she becomes more concerned with the specter of death that inevitably follows her attempts to do the right thing. Lara, no matter how well-equipped or tough she is, can never fully atone for the fact that her past decisions have resulted in the deaths of so many people close to her. This theme is so pervasive that it even resonates within us RaiseThe gameplay is improved by presenting us with a Lara who must be more resourceful and cunning to overcome her surroundings.
Rise of the Tomb Raider doesn’t quite elevate Lara to the level of apex predator we’re getting into Shadow of the Tomb Raider, but she’s clearly far more capable than in her first adventure. The result is a character who is in the process of becoming the Lara Croft that players around the world know, a more confident and prepared protagonist who can still be humbled. This version of Lara shines when she’s in retreat, and Rise of the Tomb Raider
I admit that it is on standard difficulty Rise of the Tomb Raider Doesn’t present much of a challenge. For this reason, I consider Survivor Mode, the hardest difficulty level, to be the definitive Tomb Raider experience. While you won’t starve or dehydrate, at this difficulty the player’s health doesn’t regenerate, checkpoints are disabled, and enemies are far deadlier. As if that wasn’t enough, the game also doesn’t highlight interactable objects in the environment by default. While you can activate the “survival instincts” at any time during the playthrough, lowering the difficulty is not an option, making it even more clear that once the journey begins, there is no turning back.
This increased difficulty has the advantage of making the game more immersive, forcing you to carefully consider and prepare for each encounter. A handful of bad guys wouldn’t normally be a problem, but when just a few bullets can send Lara crashing into the ground, things get a little more exciting. For an added challenge, I rely almost exclusively on stealth kills and Lara’s trusty bow in combat, only resorting to firearms when absolutely necessary.
Rise of the Tomb Raider Some of the Metroidvania elements of its predecessor still remain to accompany you on the crucial journey, while the world feels more open and encourages exploration of its various regions. This is further reinforced by a more robust crafting system that forces you to scavenge for many of the materials you need to upgrade your equipment. The grave puzzles hidden around the world are not quite as challenging as those in Shadow of the Tomb Raiderbut still do a good job of mixing things up between looting and combat encounters.
2013s Grave robbers did a fantastic job of establishing Lara as a character, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a fitting capstone to the latest trilogy. But for me, Rise of the Tomb Raider was the climax of the Crystal Dynamic trilogy. Aside from its challenging gameplay, Raise offers a solid and complex narrative that shows us that the badass archaeologist personality archetype doesn’t always have to revolve around snappy one-liners.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is available on Xbox Game Pass.