Video Game Recommendation #5: Rise of the Tomb Raider

Game Stats

Console: PS4 / XBOX ONE / XBOX 360

Release Date: November 10, 2015

Genre: Action/Adventure

Rating: M (for blood and gore, mature language, and intense violence)

My Rating: 4/5

Why Am I Recommending This Game? I’d like to establish that I’m the person that has been recommending fluffy 3DS games for a while now, so Rise of the Tomb Raider is 300% out of my comfort zone. I have a friend who’s a fan of Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider franchise, so I decided to look over her shoulder one day while she was playing. From there I’ve watched a lot of online gameplay videos, and after acquiring a Playstation, I can proudly say that I’ve played through Rise of the Tomb Raider… on adventurer mode–which is the easiest mode to play on.  

Through its jumpscares, third person shooting, and puzzle solving tactics, Rise of the Tomb Raider provides an excellent story line to the ever-famous Lara Croft. As an individual who hadn’t played previous Tomb Raider games, this was perfect as my first experience with the franchise (it certainly won’t be my last). Most notably is how she is presented in this game; her cone boobs are no more! As an avid fan of customization, I was pleasantly surprised that her outfits could be changed. Each outfit has specific skill boosters, so choosing the proper outerwear can mean life or death in any given situation. You gain the ability to craft small bombs, smoke screens, specialty weapons, and (notably) specialty arrows.

Gameplay includes hidden tombs that the player can go off-mission to discover. There is so much to find on each level of the game, which give more clues and unravel the mystery of the ancient relic Lara needs to find (before the enemy). With these hidden tombs, you also discover new areas on the map which may lead to short cuts! My goal was to get everything with each level I was on, but when you’re threatened by enemies, hungry wolves, and a very aggressive bear, it’s necessary to prioritize. Once you unlock a level you gain fast travel to that area; you can fast travel backwards but unfortunately not forward, until you playthrough the whole game once. So if you do miss items on a level, you can always revisit to collect all the relics.

New DLC has recently been released for the game, one called Lara’s Nightmare and another called Croft Manor. Both titles give away what the gameplay will be like; Lara’s Nightmare is heavy combat, shooting, and jumpscares, while Croft Manor is exploring her decaying manor, no combat, but with an equal amount of jumpscares. Croft Manor is much more my speed, discovering hidden clues and finding documents to solve puzzles and unlock hidden areas of the mansion. Lara’s Nightmare is fast-paced, dark, and gruesome–though you do get some really cool weapons to use exclusively during that DLC.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing Rise of the Tomb Raider at my own, slow, play-early-morning-so-I-don’t-get-anxiety-before-bed pace. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is set to be released in September this year, and I’m highly anticipating it!

NOTE: This recommendation was brought to you by our guest reviewer Lauren.  Want to write a review of a video game you love (or of one you hated)? Email Kathryn at kathryn.ennist@hillsdale.bccls.org