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My thoughts on Tomb Raider
Toxia
Member UncommonPosts: 1,308
Just finished my runthrough of the new Tomb Raider, thought i'd throw out my opinion of it.
Score: In terms of general gaming (If you've never played a tomb raider before) this game is solid 8/10.
In terms of an actual Tomb Raider game, i give it a 3/10.
Besides the names of the characters, there is zero in common with an actual Tomb Raider game. The puzzles take up one room, are sparse, and require almost no thought outside of very common sense. The scale of the tombs themselves is disheartening. Whereas in past games a tomb was literally a whole level, with multiple rooms to explore and complex puzzles to work out both within a room and between the actual rooms themselves, this game has made tombs into a very short, tacked on sidequest, with a tiny entrance, a room with the 'puzzle', and the tiny little room with the chest. When comparing it with the Tomb Raiders of old, i am very dissapointed.
When looking at it as a standalone game( pretending it isn't TR) the game is pretty darn good. If you liked the Uncharted series, this game is the one for you, and going in with that mindset will leave you with an enjoyable game experience.. While linear as F***, the corridors you venture down are packed with on your toes action, shooting, and if you fail, punishing deaths. The gunplay is smooth, the enviroments are beautiful, and the upgrade system is okay. Rather than finding your weapons in hidden areas, you'll gather salvage from around the island and use that in turn to purchase your uprades, as a sort of currency.
Replay value is a little lower than i'd like. My first playthrough complete, I ended with 82% completion rating. I'm not sure what all goes into that, but i have little urge to play through again. Perhaps for another look at the story, or going back in to find any tombs i may have missed, but overall, a one time play for me.
Wrappin-it-up: If you are thinking about buying the game, think about what you are buying it for. Do you want some classic Tomb Raider puzzle platforming madness? I'd pass. Do you want some action filled, bullet spraying, QTE quick timing adventures in the vein of the Uncharted series(Closest game i can make the comparison to)? Then this game might be right up your alley.
The Deep Web is sca-ry.
Comments
I angered the clerk in a clothing shop today. She asked me what size I was and I said actual, because I am not to scale. I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at a store, oftentimes, I will drop it... so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential. --Mitch Hedberg
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
I'm finding lots of ammo all over you can also melee kill guys so ammo isn't really a big deal..aside from that I'm not that far in yet.. But so far its been very linear but very funI angered the clerk in a clothing shop today. She asked me what size I was and I said actual, because I am not to scale. I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at a store, oftentimes, I will drop it... so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential. --Mitch Hedberg
It's one of the better games this year...Well..for me anyway..:) I'll gladly give it a 9/10 heck Ill give it a 10/10 if it werent byggy with Nvidia hardware..Also..It's one of the best looking games i have ever played and that is with tesselation off , since that can't be used until Nvidia releases new drivers..
And..It's a new start for Lara , don't you think she will end up in larger "tombs" later ..I think it was a perfect start for her..
No, honestly, i dont think that. The last Single Player game i played before TR was DmC. Since they are both reboots, i see it as TR's dev's just going for the uncharted's fanbase, as if you took all the identifying factors out of each, DmC would still very much feel like a DMC game, whereas tomb raider wouldn't be assosciated with this new game. Rebooting is great, as long as you stick to what you are rebooting. DmC did it right, TR did it very very wrong. IMO, they wont make TR #2 anything like the past games either, It would change the entire playstyle of the new series. I'm sure a new generation is wetting their feet on TR, so doing that would leave them lost as fuck.
The Deep Web is sca-ry.
I only played one of the Tomb Raiders back on the PS1. I haven't seen or read much about the new TR, but my initial impression from reading short blurbs about it was that is was meant to be a more story-focused game detailing Lara Croft's early years. It's not to say that something like that should detract from the mechanics that made Tomb Raider what it is, but it just seems most games in general are being made to be more accessible and not take as much time to complete.
Unfortunately, this game may end up with other more recent games in that they plan on expanding on the original game with DLC content. Hopefully it's not stuff that's on disc already.
Im loving my first playthrough of Tomb Raider (im about 50+% progress).
One thing i have to say. For a game like Tomb Raider that is supossed to have a lot of exploration and Tomb Raiding and mistery i strongly believe that Tomb Raider should have a huge open world like Skyrim or at least like FarCry 3.
Any indiana Jones inspired game (Uncharted included) should be like that. Its all about exploration and mystery in those games. Following a main storyline while doing side missions that rewards avid explorers with actual information that could affect the outcome of Lara's main story depending on what intel she gathers.
These features, added to the already good game that it is TR could easily get the game a 10/10 hands down.
Here hoping a sequel would aim in that direction.
another great franchise ruined by the current generation of "frustrated wannabe film director" game devs.
sick of games that get played at you. Want games you play not bloody watch.
+1
As someone mentioned above nothing in common with good old Lara.
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I angered the clerk in a clothing shop today. She asked me what size I was and I said actual, because I am not to scale. I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at a store, oftentimes, I will drop it... so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential. --Mitch Hedberg
I give it a 9,5/10.
It was fun and intense, its story was very easy to follow thanks to the epic scenes and dialogs, Lara herself appeared as a very charismatic character, vulnerable but lethal. The jumping puzzles were rather simple most of the time, I'll give you that. There weren't superhard places to get to through nearly impossible to spot cracks in a wall, and that I did miss, but as usual in the game industry for the last few years, games are made for the lowest common denominator, so we are stuck with playing something that a 12 years old kid is meant to beat at ease.
I made the combat more interesting for me by playing on Hard difficulty off the bat, the rest was a really well done game, more of an interactive movie, which for me it's a good thing if well done (here's a huge fan of games like Shenmue and Heavy Rain). I would have liked if the game was a little longer and had more and harder to find secrets, I completed at 95% in the first try without doing anything more than following the landmarks on the map.
It's still enough for me to consider it a possible GotY, at least in its own genre.
My opinion is my own. I respect all other opinions and views equally, but keep in mind that my opinion will always be the best for me. That's why it's my opinion.
From what I've gathered so far (and now your impressions) it means I'd best wait for a discount day/week to get the title.
I don't think that that the reboot turning away from original is bad in this case. Tomb Raider franchise was slowing down, the sales of last 2 games were poor and the series could have been permanently killed off with another bad release. The mix of action and puzzles just isn't something that attracts large crowds these days, they had to take another approach. Outside of its loyal fanbase the Tomb Raider series has faced a lot of criticism for just being eye candy with Lara's skimpy outfits and lack of worthwhile story for an adventure game. With the new release they have built up Lara's character to a very respectable action/adventure hero without taking away her origins of tomb raiding. While the gameplay of tombs is obviously lacking in this one, they have opened up the potential to combine some of the old gameplay with the new action driven story for a much bigger playerbase. This was a gamble, but I believe in the long run it will save the series and bring it to higher popularity than ever.
On another note, giving Lara concrete emotions and backstory is a major step forward in improving female characters in gaming. Developers still greatly hesitate to release a mainstream game with a main female protagonist because reception predictions for it would be a wild guess. While we have gotten many action oriented female characters, they just about always play second fiddle to the main male protagonist. Lara Croft has long being the icon of an action female character with many of today's characters based on her. However, her lack of distinct personality and oversexualization have also led to reinforcement of the typical negative stereotypes of women, which of course are as rampant as ever in gaming these days. While there is nothing wrong with Lara looking like a supermodel, she deserved to get a unique and complex story like most of the lead male characters in top action games. It is not perfect, but the new Tomb Raider has taken a major step forward in rediscovering the character.
I am on about 20 hours for about 80% completion. Certainly not the longest experience, sure, but seems to have become the industry standard so it may be harsh to judge this game on it's own for that.
I am a long term TR fan, I have played them all pretty much (the only one that goes unfinished is Angel of Darkness), and I have to say I love this game. Is it pretty 'shooty'? Yep. Is it a bit too heavy on the quicktime? Yep. Is the story path a little easy and handholdy? Yep, it can be.
BUT
It has provided me with an engaging, immersive, and fun experience that is fully worth the money IMO. I am even really enjoying running Lara around the island post story for completion (it just feels something like she would be doing...)
The one solution to any problems I have with it would be to make the optional tombs harder and far far FAR bigger. This would have appeased the old school TR fan, made it feel less shooty, diluted the quicktime, made it feel a little less linear, and added quality playtime to the game, all without putting off the casual new player (who could just choose not to do them) or getting in the way of the story/ character development.
Now that they have the engine and whatnot nailed and they know that there is a market for a TR game again I am hoping that for the next one we will see something like happened with the Batman Arkham games with the content being ramped up for the sequel.
I loved the old TR games, but the fact is the AAA market wasn't interested in 'good old Lara' anymore. If they had made an old style TR game then everyone would have been criticising it for being just 'the same old shit'.
TBH, most of the people saying that 'it sucks, it isn't TR' that I have spoken to or seen haven't even bought a TR game in over 10 years. What right have they to complain it's 'not TR' now?
Without this interpretation the franchise would be dead, and I like it too much to want to see that. Like I say, I took it for what it was (not what I demanded it be) and I really enoyed it.
Totally agree, OP. A great game, but not a very good Tomb Raider game.
Also, I'd like them to not have as many quick time events in future titles.
<childish, provocative and highly speculative banner about your favorite game goes here>
It's just another "game" in the evergrowing mass of products for the lobotomized motion-dyslexic.
I personally will never understand how it can be called a good game when in fact all it is, is a mediocre pretty but soulless movie.
(No personal puns intended)
There was a lot not to like about the game, but overall it worked quite well. Melee combat was clunky and repetitive, sticky cover wasn't sticky enough, exploration was shallow and unrewarding, mechanics were re-used repeatedly with little variation.
The scramble/dodge/roll concept was a nice idea but poorly implemented. A lot of effort had been put into the animation in general, but the move list was so limited that combat soon became a monotonous cycle of dodge, arrow to the knee, finisher. Starting the game you have no melee options, which proved frustrating until history's biggest noob learned how to swing an axe at something other than a rusty door/container. Any attempts at a stealthy approach were largely defeated by scripted events throwing waves of enemies at you, aside from a few sections which handled it rather well, with the hunting lodge region being an example of how it should be done. I didn't mind any of this so much, as Tomb Raider has never been about fighting, and the opportunities for instigating World War Three in a 4,000 year old ruin are bound to be limited. I'm more interested in seeing how they handle this in the sequel. Shooting stuff was smooth enough, but you'd have to try pretty hard to get that wrong these days.
Aside from weapon upgrades and a meagre supply of experience, you're never encouraged to stray from the path set before you by the plot. When you do, it is often to "explore" a room with a single puzzle. Or to repeatedly spam your map placing markers on items before scratching your head for a few seconds as you look for the right path to your towering beacon of glowing blue archaeological knowledge, frankly I'm amazed there are still ruined cities lost in South America if that's what a degree in archaeology can do for you. Survival Instincts, GPS, and miles of pristine white rope destroyed what little pleasure there was in picking your way through the environment.
To my recollection Lara falls through several planes, a few aircraft try to land on her head, and she slides/stumbles down slippery slopes roughly fifty times. It almost became an inevitability that once a rotten board gave way you could expect to find yourself hurtling down a muddy funnel waiting for time to slow down so you could easily dismantle obstructions with your shotgun (or face when it didn't slow down.) It got old very fast. What they did get right was the timing of slip ups as you clambered across rock faces and rickety wooden structures. "Oops" and other more colourful outbursts were frequent as the above-mentioned sequences began, there was rarely any indication that it was about to happen, which made that split second reaction to crumbling masonry and collapsing floors/ledges all the more palatable.
I would have liked to see them use the camera she needlessly carries around with her for something other than watching vlogs about herself (women...) A dynamic map would have been nice too, the digital one they give you is a step beyond what I'd expect given that they can't even find a working satellite phone. A survivor mode would have been nice too, where hunting actually means something.
Despite all that, I enjoyed the game. A lot. It was far from perfect, but oozed potential which I hope isn't wasted in the following games. Tomb Raider was always going to be about setting the tone for future releases, and it will be interesting to see what direction they take next.
almost finished with the game.. honestly one of the most fun games I have played in the last 5 years.. the detail in Lara and the enviornments is insane, I just love how they made her react to everything around her as well.. also so many sequences are so intense i find myself holding my breath till its over.. yes its a very "action" based game but the pacing is fantastic and the sequences are heart pounding.. I feel sorry for her further I get she takes so much abuse in this game and i love how the game portrays it like when you are searching for the medkit on the helicopter
oh also once you get all the brawler skills unlocked melee combat is surprisingly satisfying.. although i still enjoy my bow the best:P
I angered the clerk in a clothing shop today. She asked me what size I was and I said actual, because I am not to scale. I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at a store, oftentimes, I will drop it... so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential. --Mitch Hedberg
hmmm, I just had a guy in one of the businesses downstairs tell me that the game was amazing and a high recommendation.
I suppose it is, as always, a "to each his own" scenario.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
It's um... somewhat like watching a good action movie with a search for tiny items on the ground sidegame. Really fun and exciting the first time through, but I'm not going to ever want to pick it up again or anything.
game is amazing.. just depends what you are looking for.. if you want a puzzle platformer then you will not get much of that like the old school tomb raider games here.. if you want a fast paced game with amazing visuals, insane heart pounding sequences, interseting story, fun platforming, and enjoyed the uncharted games there's a lot ot like here... also the actress they got to play Lara i feel did a fantasic job
but like said above it's more of a once time through game.. don't expect much longevity out of it
I angered the clerk in a clothing shop today. She asked me what size I was and I said actual, because I am not to scale. I like vending machines 'cause snacks are better when they fall. If I buy a candy bar at a store, oftentimes, I will drop it... so that it achieves its maximum flavor potential. --Mitch Hedberg
I am a Tomb Raider fan from the very first and loved them all other than Angel fo Darkness but...the old series was played out adn had nowhere left to go mechanic wise and story wise so a reboot was needed.
So Whislt I think the new games mix of puzzle and combat is too much in favour of the combat rather than puzzles and traversing,I still enjoyed the hell out of the game and feel the spirit of Tomb Raider is definitely there.Does it borrow heavily from Uncharted...yes but Uncharted originally borrowed heavily from the Tomb Raider series which borrowed a lot from Indiana Jones storywise and Prince of Persia(Original series) mechanic wise so....