Tomb Raider

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5047 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,086 out of 5047
  2. Mixed: 727 out of 5047
  3. Negative: 234 out of 5047
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  1. karvala
    Sep 13, 2013
    9
    This game is surprisingly good. I haven't played any other games in the series; they never appealed to me, and I wasn't expecting much from this, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a jack of all trades, and there is a little room for improvement, but it's still a very polished effort. Specifically:-

    (1) The story is fairly interesting and immersive, albeit decidedly linear. (2)    This game is surprisingly good. I haven't played any other games in the series; they never appealed to me, and I wasn't expecting much from this, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is a jack of all trades, and there is a little room for improvement, but it's still a very polished effort. Specifically:-

    (1) The story is fairly interesting and immersive, albeit decidedly linear.
    (2) The platforming is a lot of fun. It's not perfect, and generally a bit too easy, but still enjoyable.
    (3) The combat is very good. I'm not a great fan of third-person shooters, but this is a very polished example and genuinely fun,
    (4) Plenty of collectibles/side tasks to keep you busy while you're making your way through the story.
    (5) Terrific visuals; looks really nice on max settings.
    (6) Stable! I played the patched version through twice to full completion and I never had a single problem. Even TressFX worked fine on my nVidia card.

    After first beating it with 100% completion, I found myself immediately replaying it, which says how good it is. In a nutshell, there is very little wrong with it. Sure, a few of the QTEs are annoying, but there really aren't many of them (less than a dozen in the entire game) and they break up the routine a bit.

    Overall, it's a surprisingly polished and enjoyable effort. Good job!    … Expand
  2. beltrajo3
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. From the moment I started the game I was impressed. Visuals are gorgeous and down right awesome. The characters and the environments are well polished whilst being beautifully rendered. Music and sound design are quite excellent as well keeping you well immersed through out the game. Character voice overs are quite well done though the facial animations in my opinion left something to be desired. Rebooting Tomb Raider is probably one of the best things they could of done for the series. The game immediately introduces you to Lara and several characters your going to be interacting with as the game proceeds setting up the extremely gritty and powerful story that drives the game. You get stranded on an island with an immediate feeling that all hope is lost. As you progress through the game it does a good job of keeping the player on their toes due to Quick Time Events (QTE). QTE happen from time to time in the game but if you played a game like God of War then you're probably already used to that sort of thing. The game does a great job at pacing the story line and drawing you into the characters and then playing with your heartstrings if you're really invested. Worth the purchase for most I would believe.… Expand
  3. humanencounters
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    I am playing on gtx460 with the tressfx on. Graphics setting to ultimate. Frame rate stays around 30-40FPS in 720p. Game looks amazing! played for about 2 hours so far game is smooth, and no freezes, or reboots. The game does plays more like Uncharted then the old Tomb Raiders. Game feels polished. You can see/feel the level of detail the devs put into this game. A great step forwardI am playing on gtx460 with the tressfx on. Graphics setting to ultimate. Frame rate stays around 30-40FPS in 720p. Game looks amazing! played for about 2 hours so far game is smooth, and no freezes, or reboots. The game does plays more like Uncharted then the old Tomb Raiders. Game feels polished. You can see/feel the level of detail the devs put into this game. A great step forward IMO. I haven't played the console versions, but the PC on ultimate is some of the best graphics I've played. Its not all about the graphics though. The controls are also tight and responsive, and the game play up there with the best. I will be restarting the game on hard because the game does feel a little easy on normal.… Expand
  4. abasche
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    Why you should get this game"
    -Gorgeous scenery and graphics
    -Combat system is fun and dynamic -Cutscenes are not NEARLY as bad as reviewers are saying, really adds to the storyline and overall feel -Tomb raiding and puzzles are challenging and rewarding -Pulls you into the game (something that is VERY rare for me) Why you shouldn't buy the game: -Skill and crafting system is    Why you should get this game"
    -Gorgeous scenery and graphics
    -Combat system is fun and dynamic
    -Cutscenes are not NEARLY as bad as reviewers are saying, really adds to the storyline and overall feel
    -Tomb raiding and puzzles are challenging and rewarding
    -Pulls you into the game (something that is VERY rare for me)

    Why you shouldn't buy the game:
    -Skill and crafting system is limited(ish)
    -Little stealth abilities (usually enemies already know you're there)

    Conclusion:
    Buy it, buy it, buy it! Fun, enthralling storyline and gameplay. Worth your money.    … Expand
  5. keredd1010
    Aug 3, 2018
    9
    Wonderfully crafted game where you can tell the developers really put their heart and soul into it. Just the natural fluidity of Lara running down the scene looks so life like and non robotic that it amazes. So as far as graphics are concerned it deserves a 10+.The combat and RPG aspect is fun as well and very well done. There is no real open world in case anyone is wondering and the gameWonderfully crafted game where you can tell the developers really put their heart and soul into it. Just the natural fluidity of Lara running down the scene looks so life like and non robotic that it amazes. So as far as graphics are concerned it deserves a 10+.The combat and RPG aspect is fun as well and very well done. There is no real open world in case anyone is wondering and the game may be a little on the easy side as far as bosses are concerned. Another aspect that may disappoint hardcore Tomb Raider fans are the puzzles are a little bit too easy and unimaginative but I had an easy time forgiving that given the rest of the game is just fantastic. It's biggest flaw is the game is just too darn short.… Expand
  6. Andresitooo
    Jul 12, 2014
    9
    The game could use a stronger character development. The game doesn't have the most epic story line but still good. Aside from this this game is so freaking awesome. I don't know why ANYBODY would give this a red level score. Take this from a guy that has over 200 games and beaten most on steam and gamefly plus played a lot of more games aside from that. I haven't played other TR games soThe game could use a stronger character development. The game doesn't have the most epic story line but still good. Aside from this this game is so freaking awesome. I don't know why ANYBODY would give this a red level score. Take this from a guy that has over 200 games and beaten most on steam and gamefly plus played a lot of more games aside from that. I haven't played other TR games so i can't compare. As a game all together it I've really enjoyed it. I can only think anyone that's given it a bad rep are developers other companies.… Expand
  7. jim109109
    May 11, 2013
    9
    There is something special about a game that sucks you in and makes you feel so involved you forget you're playing; suddenly you are part of that game. Tomb Raider is one of those titles. It is an artistic achievement. The graphics, level design and sound effects make the overall experience better than the average movie. The gameplay is so fluid you feel like you are Laura, there is noThere is something special about a game that sucks you in and makes you feel so involved you forget you're playing; suddenly you are part of that game. Tomb Raider is one of those titles. It is an artistic achievement. The graphics, level design and sound effects make the overall experience better than the average movie. The gameplay is so fluid you feel like you are Laura, there is no awkwardness found in other titles such as assassin's creed. The character constantly does exactly what you want it to. Everything is realistic except of course the rambo style survivability which is to be expected in any entertaining title. It seems nobody has ever complained about your character being overpowered to survive onslaughts in any title for the past 100 years yet now that the main character is a girl it's an issue. I couldn't stop from beginning to end, and it was better made than Uncharted, and simply superior in many ways, namely controls, story, and environmental effects. There are however some good issues raised by some of the more critical reviews, for example the fact that the game is now more linear than a classic tomb raider game. To this I respond, there are two ways to make a great game, do something different or do like the rest but make it better. The second approach was taken. And still, being a classic tomb raider fan, it's in my book without a doubt the best tomb raider game yet.… Expand
  8. Cinetyk
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    In short, Tomb Raider provides an amazing adventure and a wonderful experience. It intermixes and balances very well exploration, action, combat and story, alternating between those just with the right frequency so you’ll never grow weary of any one of them in particular. And each of them is not just superficial: they’re deep enough and enjoyable. Throughout the game you’ll see Lara’sIn short, Tomb Raider provides an amazing adventure and a wonderful experience. It intermixes and balances very well exploration, action, combat and story, alternating between those just with the right frequency so you’ll never grow weary of any one of them in particular. And each of them is not just superficial: they’re deep enough and enjoyable. Throughout the game you’ll see Lara’s character develop and build, and you will witness and experience her becoming what you know from the past games. It’s her origin story, and after finishing it you’ll feel she is reborn. I’ll go into more detail. The environments are beautifully realistic and atmospheric making the exploration very immersive. The visual presentation is stunning with various downright jaw dropping and/or even “magical” settings. There’s a lot of diversity in the locations, they’re not repetitive. Also, they are very well interwoven with the story and the “culture(s)” present in the island, with lots of personality. The weather and time of day keeps changing making it a joy to watch and also provides encouragement to revisit locations. I didn’t find the main path of the game too linear; there are lots of open spaces off that path you can explore. You’ll encounter the optional Tombs there. The puzzles you’ll encounter are mainly on them and aren’t that long or complex, so you’ll not be frustrated or bored, but have just the amount of challenge to make you pause and think. The pacing of the game and the unraveling of the story is just masterful. The way the scale evolves is very pleasing and exciting. Lara begins inexperienced, with limited capabilities and very scared, trying desperately to be reunited with her colleagues. You feel her vulnerability and desperation in face of the extreme circumstances she’s in and only with the support and encouragement of the expedition’s captain is she able to build up courage and confidence, thus progressively gaining new skills and determination. The level up system used for this is superbly designed, as the experience gained allows Lara to develop new skills that not only increase the gameplay possibilities but also develop and define Lara as a character. It’s exhilarating to witness and feel Lara’s growth in skills, confidence and determination. And you are growing along with her in your skill within the game. It truly made me feel like I was living the adventure. One detail I loved is that Lara sometimes “talks to herself” as she progresses in the environments. She often will be thinking out loud about how she can get where she needs or do what she must or comment on the history on documents and relics she finds, providing insightful information. In the action sequences she will also react to what’s going on with screams, groans of pain, etc. All this made the game more personal and involving. I found the combat to be very enjoyable and diverse, with just the right difficulty as to be tense without being frustrating. Sometimes you’ll have the option of using stealth, which is preferable particularly in the beginning where you’re not that powerful. In regular combat the enemies try to take cover and to flush you out of cover with grenades or molotovs. If you camp a little some will also try to use suppressive fire wire others try to get close. When that happens, the melee combat with its dodge-counter mechanics makes things feel very up close. I had no complaints about the AI. One remark that could be made is that Lara maybe gets a little too powerful, taking down various groups of enemies when she’s so young. Still, she never feels overly “Rambo” or “arcade”, and as the combat is so enjoyable it’s easy to “forgive” this. And nevertheless you’ll die sometimes and are thus always reminded of the imminent danger: some death animations are just brutal and make you really feel them. The ending was epic and memorable without being insanely over the top as to make it unbelievable. To finish, being a fan of Tomb Raider since the first game I had very high expectations and was very pleased to be impressed. Personally, I would have preferred if there were a little more Tombs and them being a little longer, but as the game is so well balanced and crafted I’m more than satisfied.… Expand
  9. Ayebo
    Nov 1, 2014
    9
    One of the best games i ever played. Finally a Tomb Raider game for grown-ups.
    Graphics, sound & atmosphere are immersive...like playing an interactive action/thriller movie.
    Ayebos Rating: 9 out of 10.
  10. Sergeant_MarkIV
    May 2, 2013
    9
    Could have been a better game without the awful QTEs and the out-of-place regenerative health system. But the great plot, breath-taking scenarios, and the outstanding acting of Camilla Luddington can make this game worth your money.
  11. JEK
    May 18, 2013
    9
    So funny people try to put down this game when you can see the majority of the votes are positive.
    Well you can't please everybody.
    For me. This is the best tomb raider game I've played. The Graphics and story is fantastic. Never runs out of climatic scenes. The only thing that I noticed, the game is very easy to finish. Too little riddles to solve (unlike it's predecessors). But    So funny people try to put down this game when you can see the majority of the votes are positive.
    Well you can't please everybody.
    For me. This is the best tomb raider game I've played. The Graphics and story is fantastic. Never runs out of climatic scenes. The only thing that I noticed, the game is very easy to finish. Too little riddles to solve (unlike it's predecessors). But overall this is a very good game and I recommend this game. It's a little bit of psychological and dark kind of gameplay.    … Expand
  12. gamer27997
    Mar 9, 2013
    9
    the game is just below excellent. Has nothing to do with the previous titles in the series. The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is very good (has improved since the last game). Generally the game left me with a good taste of what can be done in the future from Squere Enix and Crystal Dynamics. I look forward to the continuation of the series. A new beginning for Lara Croft that doesthe game is just below excellent. Has nothing to do with the previous titles in the series. The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is very good (has improved since the last game). Generally the game left me with a good taste of what can be done in the future from Squere Enix and Crystal Dynamics. I look forward to the continuation of the series. A new beginning for Lara Croft that does justice to one of gaming's most iconic characters(IGN).… Expand
  13. Rogyapa
    Mar 29, 2013
    9
    Tomb Raider is great. Here's a quick rundown of all the things that make it great in my opinion: 1. Camilla Luddington feels appropriately vulnerable in parts of the story and bad-ass in others, and was a great casting choice. The acting in general, is great (though there's only 3 guys doing the voices for basic enemies, which is nowhere near enough).
    2. The bow and the ice axe feel    Tomb Raider is great. Here's a quick rundown of all the things that make it great in my opinion: 1. Camilla Luddington feels appropriately vulnerable in parts of the story and bad-ass in others, and was a great casting choice. The acting in general, is great (though there's only 3 guys doing the voices for basic enemies, which is nowhere near enough).
    2. The bow and the ice axe feel appropriately weighty and all the weapons deliver satisfying kills/executions. 3. Controls are absolutely fantastic (very responsive). The cover system is simple and very effective overall (no button presses necessary, just get close to it).
    4. If you've got a high level graphics card you'll be in love with the visuals. 5. The level design is fantastic, there are multiple ways around (at least in the bigger areas) and plenty of secrets to be found. 6. I really loved the UI, which was simple and effective (not quite Dead Space level UI but still great) Cons:
    1.The tombs are fun but there aren't enough of them, and they're all quite easy
    2. Game will force you to fight certain enemies for setpiece moments (like Uncharted), instead of being given the option to sneak around (this is relatively rare though) 3. the survival instinct button is basically like detective vision in arkham asylum and not necessary imo.

    Single Player is the only reason to play this, although multiplayer is fun if you can actually find people to play with.    … Expand
  14. mexranger
    Mar 10, 2013
    9
    I'm gonna keep it short and sweet, this game is fun, beautiful and a delight to play. I wasn't much of a Lara Croft fan in the past but this version has got a new fan. The developers should be rewarded for giving us a very good game. Go out and buy this game. Best thing is you can play it when you want not when the severs are working. Hint Hint Ea and Maxis
  15. FireDagger12
    Apr 11, 2013
    9
    The Game gives Everything you could want from an archeological adventure game. The Story was nice. The Gameplay and it is also graphically stunning... The ending was a bit weak but still it is worth the journey.... Great job Crystal dynamics Go on making good games..
  16. hellcat5
    Jul 28, 2013
    9
    I've played many tomb raider games over the years. I've enjoyed the puzzles, and play. I didn't know what to really expect for play other than what I saw from the videos of this Tomb Raider. As I got into playing it, it's THE best tomb raider game to date. Great animations, great camera, music, voice acting and story. They kept in the puzzle solving, moving it nicely into today'sI've played many tomb raider games over the years. I've enjoyed the puzzles, and play. I didn't know what to really expect for play other than what I saw from the videos of this Tomb Raider. As I got into playing it, it's THE best tomb raider game to date. Great animations, great camera, music, voice acting and story. They kept in the puzzle solving, moving it nicely into today's environments and play. I STRONGLY suggest if you haven't played this game, do. You won't be disappointed.… Expand
  17. heatbr
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    I wish give 10 but I dont play enougth, even to see the bad think that others talked about.
    My experience is going great with this game and for those want play old lara croft game, well just play the first and second game.
    This game give Lara Croft a human side never seem before and its fabolus.

    Icgoing to finish the game soon then back to talk more about.

    Easy goty and best buy 2013
  18. Fritzworth
    Mar 13, 2013
    9
    Judging Tomb Raider (PC version) on what it is a "you are there embedded in the movie" game it' is outstanding, and I think it deserves to be weighed on those merits. I'm not a big RPG/FPS/puzzle player, yet I found this game compelling enough to play to the very end (~20 hours). Plus, I love sniping with fire arrows. My biggest complaint was a two-part action sequence roughly 1/3rd ofJudging Tomb Raider (PC version) on what it is a "you are there embedded in the movie" game it' is outstanding, and I think it deserves to be weighed on those merits. I'm not a big RPG/FPS/puzzle player, yet I found this game compelling enough to play to the very end (~20 hours). Plus, I love sniping with fire arrows. My biggest complaint was a two-part action sequence roughly 1/3rd of the way into the game, where getting through depending upon making a series of correct move-left/move-right decisions in real time. Took me nearly 90 minutes to get through it, and I was ready to quit. Nothing else was that difficult/irritating. Highly recommended; your mileage may vary. ..fritz..… Expand
  19. Shrutesh
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    Ok for everyone reading the other reviews that say 'Its all QTEs', its not true, the first hour has 2-3 QTEs, and since then I have come across maybe 2 more in the next 5 hours or so of the game.... In fact even though I dont like QTEs this probably is the first game in which I do not mind them.

    Now moving on to the rest of the gameplay, having played ALL of the previous Tomb Raider    Ok for everyone reading the other reviews that say 'Its all QTEs', its not true, the first hour has 2-3 QTEs, and since then I have come across maybe 2 more in the next 5 hours or so of the game.... In fact even though I dont like QTEs this probably is the first game in which I do not mind them.

    Now moving on to the rest of the gameplay, having played ALL of the previous Tomb Raider games, I love this one, even though I miss some things from the previous games; most of all the huge tombs, exotic locales and intricate puzzles that were iconic of the tomb raider franchise are missing, they are replaced by a large interactive open world that ALMOST makes up for it.

    On the other hand the game-play is much more fluent and refined, the cover system is flawless and it never feels as if Lara is getting 'easy' kills. Exploring and finding salvage and artifacts is rewarding since they are not mere numbers (e.g. 12/42 bleh), they all give you insight into the history of the island and of the people involved in the plot. The upgrade and skill system is great and feels rewarding without it becoming a grind. The story (until now) is excellent and builds up a sense of mystery, you WANT to know that is the secret of the place, the voice acting is great and all of laras actions seem very realistic.

    All in all this is a great adventure game that stays loyal to the fan base and successfully tells the origin story of one of the most iconic characters in video game history, if this is the direction that Crystal Dynamix are gonna take Tomb Raider, then I am definitely looking forward to the future games in this series! (With a small prayer to have my huge Egyptian tombs back!)    … Expand
  20. vault2049
    Mar 9, 2013
    9
    Excellent game. It remains loyal to the original Tomb Raider while still being able to take a step forward and innovate. Platforming feels fluid, realistic. The interactive sequences are packed with adrenaline and are a joy to to watch, but there are too many of those. Graphics are stunning and the new hair TressFX looks gorgeous. Combat it's fun, but a little too easy. Gripping and longExcellent game. It remains loyal to the original Tomb Raider while still being able to take a step forward and innovate. Platforming feels fluid, realistic. The interactive sequences are packed with adrenaline and are a joy to to watch, but there are too many of those. Graphics are stunning and the new hair TressFX looks gorgeous. Combat it's fun, but a little too easy. Gripping and long enough story make Lara's adventure unique and exhilarating, with lots of collectibles you can go find later for even more hours of gameplay, hence excellent replay value. Interface it's awesome, only the subtitles look a bit strafalarious. Game runs smooth (even on low end laptos) and can either take advantage of DirectX 11 if the respective settings are enabled, or run nicely on DirectX 9 alone. Multi-player wasn't really necessary for this game, but it isn't bad at all, just a little bit too simple and nothing that hasn't come by before. Excellent reboot for this saga and, definitely, best game of 2013 so far.… Expand
  21. DeadlyCheese
    Mar 16, 2013
    9
    I really enjoyed this fine reboot of the Tomb Raider series. Being a great fan of the Uncharted series I was quite excited to play this game to enjoy an Uncharted like game on the PC and I can easily say I was not let down by Tomb Raider. This game involves some great graphics followed by some exciting game play which undoubtedly did not become stale throughout my experience of playingI really enjoyed this fine reboot of the Tomb Raider series. Being a great fan of the Uncharted series I was quite excited to play this game to enjoy an Uncharted like game on the PC and I can easily say I was not let down by Tomb Raider. This game involves some great graphics followed by some exciting game play which undoubtedly did not become stale throughout my experience of playing this game. Many complaints have been about the excessive use of quick time events however I believe that most of the time the quick time events were used effectively to enhance the experience rather than worsen it. The story is interesting with many items you can find along the way which will tell you much more about the lore and background of the island you adventure in. The character development is up to par however is definitely not perfect and the characters are also very well voice acted to give a real feel for the characters. The game also offers some RPG elements I really enjoyed similar to Far Cry 3. You can find upgrades for your weapons and loot salvage from well placed boxes and enemies in order to upgrade your weapons. The game also has a simple XP system which enables you to spend a point per level on skill points to increase the abilities of Lara which I found to be useful throughout the campaign. The handling of the weapons and cover system was also great. I found that Lara would cleverly duck behind obvious covering positions making shooting at enemies a pleasurable experience. Overall I really enjoyed this fantastic reboot of Tomb Raider. The atmosphere, the graphics, the fast and flexible gameplay, great characters and voice acting, really perfected my experience and I cannot wait for hopefully a sequel in the next few years.… Expand
  22. Eleci
    May 10, 2013
    9
    Modernized Tomb Raider is almost flawless gem, it has great visuals and gameplay, only thing that bothered me was the predictiveness of the story at some points. Ultimately it is one of the best games of the year.
  23. wavylife
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    This game is just as gorgeous as it is fun. I definitely recommend it to anyone on the fence about this game. It's a must have if you enjoy 3rd person shooters. I would go in depth about it, but since there are several thousand reviews already I'll just respectfully place my score and go on to the next one.
  24. Expospeed
    Dec 6, 2014
    9
    Tomb Raider is a fantastic game, filled with adventure and exploration. Even though it has limited replay value, the gameplay is simply excellent.

    1. Graphics: 9/10 - detailed and fantastic 2. Gameplay: 8/10 - great controls, and natural and fluid character animation make gameplay satisfying. Also, players can approach encounters as they see fit - stealth or all-out assault. Excellent.    Tomb Raider is a fantastic game, filled with adventure and exploration. Even though it has limited replay value, the gameplay is simply excellent.

    1. Graphics: 9/10 - detailed and fantastic
    2. Gameplay: 8/10 - great controls, and natural and fluid character animation make gameplay satisfying. Also, players can approach encounters as they see fit - stealth or all-out assault. Excellent.
    3. Story: 7/10 - interesting story, but rather simple.

    Overall, an amazing game.    … Expand
  25. Vicious0n3
    Jul 23, 2013
    9
    I wanted to give this around an 8.6-8.7 so giving it an 8 instead of a 9 would have been unfair.

    I played the first tomb raider game and I enjoyed it a lot as a kid. The puzzles were challenging at the time and the gameplay was fun. Hearing and seeing the T-Rex for the first time was just an awesome feeling. Going into Tomb Raider 2013 my expectations were kind of high. I've    I wanted to give this around an 8.6-8.7 so giving it an 8 instead of a 9 would have been unfair.

    I played the first tomb raider game and I enjoyed it a lot as a kid. The puzzles were challenging at the time and the gameplay was fun. Hearing and seeing the T-Rex for the first time was just an awesome feeling.

    Going into Tomb Raider 2013 my expectations were kind of high. I've played a lot of games since the first Tomb Raider including sequels that were somewhat underwhelming. I think the team brought Lara Croft into the new age of gaming very nicely. The story was done very well and while it was somewhat predictable, they played the mystical stuff out well like the world wasn't naturally filled with ancient Japanese goddesses. Also, getting to know young Lara and watching her grow into someone more familiar was great.

    If you've played any of the Uncharted series then the gameplay might seem pretty derivative but in a good way. It was a pretty familiar formula of some light platforming, shooting, and puzzles thrown in here and there. All were done well enough and have a good amount of polish, however I would have liked to see more tombs and varying levels of difficulty in the puzzles. I know mass market games of today play to the slightly more casual gamer, but in the age of the internet, people that had issues with puzzles could have just looked them up. Also, since the tombs were separate from the story anyways, some really long and challenging tombs would have been awesome. I would have really liked a side story that maybe tied all of the tombs together or just had a tomb that took longer than 5 minutes to get through. Also, quicktime events are starting to get old, especially when they're overused and I think this game was slightly guilty of quicktime overuse. It didnt ruin the game experience by any means but sometimes these events just take you out of the game more than anything.

    The game pacing was done really well too. I felt that you unlocked things at a good rate and the story kept moving along well. At one point I thought the game was nearly over only to find out that I was just passed the half way point. At about 9-10 hours the game was still a bit short but if they had tried to make the story longer, I think I would have become uninterested in it. This is where I think the opportunity to make longer and bigger tombs with higher difficulties could have added to the gameplay while not forwarding the story or trying to overextend it. Also, I should point out that I only completed 71% of the game when I beat the story so you could probably get a few more hours at least if you are really looking for everything.

    Multiplayer is worth mentioning I guess. It does seem like tacked on and I found it somewhat absurd that there are so many DLC purchases for maps and skins in multiplayer considering how shallow it felt. It wasnt horrible and I did enjoy the time I spent with it, but from what I played, I didnt see anything so new or exciting. If you really enjoyed the game I'm sure you could spend a few hours in multiplayer as well.

    Overall I had a lot of fun going back to the franchise after so long and I have to say, Lara is hotter than ever. I'm really excited at the prospects for a sequel to this game but my expectations are going to be much higher. If they released a sequel with another good story, updated and improved upon innovative gameplay, added even hours worth of tombs to raid with more rewarding treasures, and even if they got fresh with multiplayer by adding some coop tombs to raid filled with baddies to fight together as well as puzzles that required teamwork and rewarded you nice treasures, that game would be an easy 10/10.

    This game deserves a 8.7 for just the enjoyment level. Its not the deepest gameplay but the story grips you from the start and develops very nicely. Its not without fault and I really expected more tombs with difficult puzzles but in the end I had fun and thats what counts for me.    … Expand
  26. birdman3
    Nov 8, 2014
    9
    I ended up liking this game more than I thought I would. Lara Croft proves herself to be totally awesome in this game- her attitude grows from scared and sheltered to a much more confident self, eventually becoming the woman that we all know her to be. This journey is fantastic because it's gradual, and the player doesn't really even realize the shift until near the end, when Lara startsI ended up liking this game more than I thought I would. Lara Croft proves herself to be totally awesome in this game- her attitude grows from scared and sheltered to a much more confident self, eventually becoming the woman that we all know her to be. This journey is fantastic because it's gradual, and the player doesn't really even realize the shift until near the end, when Lara starts verbally taunting enemies and is fully confident in her abilities. Unfortunately, she's the only real character in this game- the rest are cookie-cutter stereotypes pulled from any other genre. Is this game just a ripoff of Uncharted? Maybe- the only thing that sets it apart is the upgrading system of weapons, where your weapons can pick up new and interesting powers along the course of the game. You can level up lara herself, but this is much less interesting- you end up getting lots of powers you could care less about and don't really use that often. Luckily, the gun upgrades are a bit more meaningful. I found the gunplay in this game to be highly satisfying, if only because I enjoyed challenging myself by using the bow much more than I used any other weapon. Finally, the ending to this game is honestly the greatest moment in gaming I've experienced this year. It was worth all the hours I put into beating the single player (only 11 hours) in order to reach the one climactic moment. I recommend this game to just about anyone interested in a mature journey (last note: there were quite a few F-bombs in this game, so be aware if you're sensitive to things like that).… Expand
  27. Orito
    Apr 5, 2013
    9
    Awesome game. Graphics are beautiful, you can easily get attached to the characters, and the weapon upgrades are enough to keep you interested never mind the story (which is great).

    I do have to down-rate this by 1 simply because I completed the game, on normal, just over 3 hours at 78% completion. A friend of mine who spent more time (~25 hours) in the game resulted in 83% completion.    Awesome game. Graphics are beautiful, you can easily get attached to the characters, and the weapon upgrades are enough to keep you interested never mind the story (which is great).

    I do have to down-rate this by 1 simply because I completed the game, on normal, just over 3 hours at 78% completion. A friend of mine who spent more time (~25 hours) in the game resulted in 83% completion. So I figure I didn't miss much on a normal play-through. Other then that, I hope to see Crystal Dynamics back with a sequel to this. I could take or leave Square Enix's production.    … Expand
  28. revial
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    Three hours in. Fantastic game so far. Great PC port, for those worried over that aspect of the game. Using latest 314 drivers, my nvidia card does the hair tesselation very well, so you definitely do not need a radeon to get that benefit of the PC port. Controls are very fluid and smooth with a keyboard/mouse. Some people hate QTEs, so if you hate 'em, too bad. This game has them. I thinkThree hours in. Fantastic game so far. Great PC port, for those worried over that aspect of the game. Using latest 314 drivers, my nvidia card does the hair tesselation very well, so you definitely do not need a radeon to get that benefit of the PC port. Controls are very fluid and smooth with a keyboard/mouse. Some people hate QTEs, so if you hate 'em, too bad. This game has them. I think they're a perfectly fine gameplay mechanic. I don't mind.

    Combat is, like the controls, fluid and smooth. I'm shocked, considering Crystal Dynamics has largely made...well...games far inferior to this in the past. :/

    Very cinematic gameplay that is a mixture of Uncharted/Assassin's Creed. The optional "Tombs" have, so far, been relatively easy. I was always a fan of the Tomb Raider stories/lore, but never a fan of the puzzle-based gameplay in the previous games, and while there's some small element of puzzles in the main game, it's definitely more of an action/adventure than an environment puzzle. Which I think is great.

    The story, and character evolution of Laura, so far, has also been great. It's audacious to say this only three hours in, but I can already see this being in the conversation for end-of-year awards when November/December rolls around.

    Just fantastic presentation, solidly smooth gameplay, and far more likable Laura now that she isn't wearing hotpants with Double D cups. I'll hold off on a 10 until I actually finish. ;D About the only thing I can think of at this point that would make me lower my score later is if they end it on a cliffhanger.    … Expand
  29. pani
    Jun 21, 2013
    9
    A reboot that's done right. It's an emotional experience that has already taught me some lessons through this heroic tale of a brave, young woman. It's gore is a little too over-done for my personal tastes and the game doesn't go quite smoothly especially at the Quick Time Events. The controls are excellent though but you still might want to use a controller.
  30. Patrick94
    May 8, 2013
    9
    A lot of people are calling this a "linear, scripted, on-rails game". This is far from the truth, Tomb Raider is a great action game, and yes it does have it's linear moments, with QTE's every once in a while, BUT as an ADVENTURE game Tomb Raider gets it juuust right, yes, it's not completely open-world, however the locations in this game are quite large for a third-personA lot of people are calling this a "linear, scripted, on-rails game". This is far from the truth, Tomb Raider is a great action game, and yes it does have it's linear moments, with QTE's every once in a while, BUT as an ADVENTURE game Tomb Raider gets it juuust right, yes, it's not completely open-world, however the locations in this game are quite large for a third-person action/adventure, and they encourage exploration, for example: The extensively large map is divided into different locations and at one point in the game (I'm about 1/3 of the way through the game at the moment) a certain event occurs where pretty much half of a particular area opens up for you to explore places that weren't available previously, so you can choose to carry on with the adventure OR choose to explore a bit more and find interesting stuff like ancient journals or upgrades for your weapons. Then there's the length of the game, my oh my was I surprised when I was about 10 hours into it and I realized I was just barely getting towards the half-way point of the map. This game is worth every penny, whether you want an extensive action/adventure experience, or you just want something to keep you busy for about 10-12 hours, it's all about choice… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best PC Game of 2013
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
17
#17 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Jun 10, 2013
    92
    The new incarnation of the iconic Lara Craft might very well be one of the best games out there right now. [April 2013]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Mar 30, 2013
    90
    Everything you could want from an archeological adventure, except having to press six keys to mantle. [Apr 2013, p.80]
  3. DarkStation
    Mar 19, 2013
    80
    While not every promising idea Tomb Raider has is pulled off successfully, it nevertheless turns in a tense and memorable ride that combines modern game design with its forebears’ adventurous spirit in some exciting ways. Some of its missteps may well come at the cost of your enjoyment, but most can’t hope to hurt the adventure in the long run. Although it never fully finds its identity, this is a game and a story worth seeing through.
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