When I worked at GameStop, I was running through the Uncharted series and my store manager urged me to play the newer Tomb Raider titles once I was done. Since then, Shadow of the Tomb Raider released and Tomb Raider (2013) was offered for free on Steam. To this, I say better late than never as it was nestled in my backlog for quite too long in 2020. My response after completing it is, “Boy, did I miss out!”

Tomb Raider is an effective reboot for the series, which was stagnant for half a decade after Tomb Raider: Underworld in 2008. There were several ups and downs under the series’ belt at this point, with dozens of iterations appearing to the point of oversaturation. Luckily, Crystal Dynamics had plenty of time to work on the rebooted title, including a delay, as the game ended up releasing at the end of the 360/PS3 life cycle.

This extra time benefitted the game greatly, as it’s a highly-visceral, engaging romp that has a breakneck pace in its action. There’s a huge emphasis on survival in the early-goings, requiring the player to get their bearings by hunting and making do with minimal resources. As the game progresses, Lara can rest easy at campfires as she earns a variety of upgrades to her survival instincts, combat actions, weapons, and more.

Like Uncharted, there’s a steady mix of combat and platforming. On the cursed island of Yamatai, Lara must embark on steep climbs, and face off against other shipwrecked inhabitants and highly-violent environments. It always seems like you’re walking on thin ice with bridges breaking and countless enemy forces. Almost every encounter feels like a fight for your life and getting from point A to point B is never a breeze. If you are to fail, you’ll be met with a gruesome death cutscene.

The fluidity in the animations contributes to the deep immersion spectacularly. There are coats and coats of polish on the game, making me praise things I’d otherwise overlook such as the dynamic camera, the attention-to-detail in the setting, and the fact that while all of this takes place in one locale, no two areas feel the same. In addition, Lara is a more-than-respectable main character, acting selfless and steady-minded from start to finish.

Tomb Raider went on to spawn two sequels across the eighth generation of video games, with Rise of the Tomb Raider earning even more praise than this title. Nevertheless, in a time of lukewarm/failed reboots like Bomberman: Act Zero and Bionic Commando, Tomb Raider succeeds in revitalizing a high-profile franchise that was left in a murky spot. Other companies took note and we received more thought-out, successful reboots like DOOM and God of War.

In totality, Tomb Raider (2013) is a faithful, smart reimagining of the series that was a staple on the PlayStation 1. If any ire is to be had, it’s that the sections where you’re on a slippery slope with minimal control are a slog and that the game is over before you can blink. Otherwise, the title comes with a full recommendation from me, especially if you were a pensive fan of Uncharted and are craving more.

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Tomb Raider

$19.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Gorgeous Environments
• Excellent Camera
• Worthwhile Combat

Cons

• Sliding Sections are a Pain
• Short Story