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. pedRX
    Apr 25, 2013
    9
    Tomb Raider is by far one of the best games of this year because of this graphics, story, dramatic and intense moments and gameplay and characters.
    It has a lot of cutscenes but they are there to help the game do better and the con that is not that big is that there are a lot of quick-time events but they are infused well and you can notice when the cutscene ends and a quick-time event    Tomb Raider is by far one of the best games of this year because of this graphics, story, dramatic and intense moments and gameplay and characters.
    It has a lot of cutscenes but they are there to help the game do better and the con that is not that big is that there are a lot of quick-time events but they are infused well and you can notice when the cutscene ends and a quick-time event starts because of its great transition from one to another.
    Now to talk about multiplayer it seems like a pasted in not that good multiplayer because it does not do any thing new or interesting.
    Overall this game could have been a 10 if it wasn't for some things that draw it back and the multiplayer but still this might very well be one of the games of the year.    … Expand
  2. gun21000
    Apr 25, 2013
    6
    Yes, the graphics are amazing, voice acting is beyond perfect, the story is good, but not impressive. But why in the world its a "Survival" game when you find ammo literally everywhere, Lara pulls out weapons out of her ass, stealth in this game is none, enemy can see you through walls. Collectibles are another story: why does Lara need to light every Buddha statue when she sees it?!Yes, the graphics are amazing, voice acting is beyond perfect, the story is good, but not impressive. But why in the world its a "Survival" game when you find ammo literally everywhere, Lara pulls out weapons out of her ass, stealth in this game is none, enemy can see you through walls. Collectibles are another story: why does Lara need to light every Buddha statue when she sees it?! Doesn't that give away your position to enemies? Why does Lara pick up every artifact she can find? I mean, she is surviving not looking for treasure and where she puts them? Up her ass?! The ending was a little bit disappointing because every character mention a human being throughout the game, but do you get to fight it? NO! Of course not! You fight the same boss twice! TWICE! Overall the game is average.… Expand
  3. ntall1
    Apr 24, 2013
    5
    Easter Egg Hunt: Lara Croft Edition.

    Its a good reboot of the series if they didn't put an Easter egg hunt in every single area of the game. I like doing extra stuff in games I really do. But when its one dimensional and adds nothing to the game its completely pointless, and in turn takes away from the actual game. I like to fully complete my games so when they put in something like    Easter Egg Hunt: Lara Croft Edition.

    Its a good reboot of the series if they didn't put an Easter egg hunt in every single area of the game. I like doing extra stuff in games I really do. But when its one dimensional and adds nothing to the game its completely pointless, and in turn takes away from the actual game. I like to fully complete my games so when they put in something like this I try to do it. However.. by the end of the game I was so sick of finding useless stuff in each area that I didn't even want to complete the game. It started to feel like a chore.

    If you ignore the Easter egg hunting and just play thru the game quickly it is actually pretty good. Without the mindless task of searching the environment for a bunch of useless stuff the game runs at a pretty decent pace, and the story and voice acting are not bad.

    So to sum it all up. Tomb Raider isn't a bad game, but they bloated it up with a lot of useless game play in an effort to make the game seem longer than it really is, and in doing so they really took away from the speed of the game, and it really was not at all necessary. Without all the usless features in the game I probably would have rated it a 7.    … Expand
  4. Majestic
    Apr 24, 2013
    10
    I just finished playing the game, and having played through every game up until the recent installments I was really hoping that this reboot deviated from the worn down pattern of the old games. While they had their charms, especially the first two games, the games were now beyond repetition and consistently suffered from the usualy clunky controls and poor camera angles ("leap of faithI just finished playing the game, and having played through every game up until the recent installments I was really hoping that this reboot deviated from the worn down pattern of the old games. While they had their charms, especially the first two games, the games were now beyond repetition and consistently suffered from the usualy clunky controls and poor camera angles ("leap of faith jumps" anyone).
    The reboot delivered!, and I found myself quite immersed in the game, especially near the end. The gameplay is one of the better ones i've played in a while, and the very few times i missed a jump was probably my own fault. Lara's movement looks natural as she gracefully navigates her surroundings. And the game had some pretty epic setpieces. Having a reasonable computer i was able to play this game on the maximum settings (though nvidia cards still suffer from the tessalation bug), and the visuals were simply stunning (especially compared to the console versions), though some color pallettes are a little questionable, especially the shantytown looked a little murky (i've got a E-IPS panel, it's not me). The TressFX feature is also a nice touch, though this is only a option if you’ve got a decent graphics card. (Make sure you update your drivers if you’ve got a Nvidia card). Bottomline, it should be said that allot of time went into these visuals, and the Eidos/Square Enix gets some kudo’s for that.
    Replayability is good, meaning i will definitely pick it up again after a while. Reason being that the game gives you the option to continue the game to hunt for the collectables after the end. So for the completionists, there is no immediate reason to replay the game again shortly after, you can just continue.
    Besides the story there is enough for you to do, though this ultimately comes down to mostly collectables. There are also allot of Secret Tombs for you to discover, though these seem a tad bit underdeveloped. Having been used to the huge dungeons in Skyrim, i found myself scratching my head when I was done in about 5 minutes sometimes. These had allot more potential as it was really exhilarating when you entered them with only your flaming torch, not knowing what was in there.
    The story is no shakespear, but it presents itself well enough for you to care long enough. The only real issue with the story is the somewhat predictable characters, that sometimes display slasher-movie type stupidity (“Let’s split up!”). I've also got to mention that i do not share the statements that there are huge plotholes, everything can be explained with some common sense, and most of it is also explained in the books/documents scattered arround the island. I think it all comes down how well you're able to immerse yourself. Also there are people mentioning the disconnection between Lara’s story and the gameplay. She seems to quickly go from defenseless girl to badass. It is explained she is not new to this, but just never put it into actual practice (traning with Roth). Though i do agree it is borderline believeable.
    Bottomline, I’m glad Eidos/Square decided to reboot this series. The series didn’t age well, and it was ultimately a gamble for the studios investing allot in this game. I think they did an excellent job and i feel i got my moneys worth. I’m also glad a forgotten icon of gaming history finaly has some of her shine back. I'm anxious to see where the serie goes from here.

    I really hope though, that they keep the emphasis on single player next installment. Who really needs a Tomb Raider multiplayer.. it felt tacked on.    … Expand
  5. Munch1981
    Apr 24, 2013
    10
    Best Tomb raider by far ,not the same puzzle elements as before..... so some hard core fans may miss that but there are puzzles when the temple's are found,but the action is great a lot like Uncharted.
  6. SirRichard
    Apr 23, 2013
    10
    Jesus, I even registered here to write something 'bout this game... Regarding all the Cut-Scene-Quick-Time-Event comments: I play at PC and I hate those console-thingys were you have to manage 25 buttons with 4 variations to go through the game. Tomb Raider is always fair and uses Bullet-Time to give you the chance to accomplish great things, resulting in a huge 'hoaaahh'-Feeling. AndJesus, I even registered here to write something 'bout this game... Regarding all the Cut-Scene-Quick-Time-Event comments: I play at PC and I hate those console-thingys were you have to manage 25 buttons with 4 variations to go through the game. Tomb Raider is always fair and uses Bullet-Time to give you the chance to accomplish great things, resulting in a huge 'hoaaahh'-Feeling. And that's what a good game does (like Mass Effect, Half Life 2). Looking through my list of 100+ games on Steam so far, I can't recall a game where I invested more effort in a short time to play it through and find every bit of a puzzle.
    To sum it up well where shall I begin? The Story? The Gameplay? The Riddles? The Action-Sequences? Maybe the In-Game Cutscenes???? They are just all phenomenal!!!
    Damn it, I've never been a Tomb Raider Fan. Now I am.
    Give! Me!! MOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!     … Expand
  7. Xanifur
    Apr 22, 2013
    9
    One of the better story driven games I have played. I went into it not expecting much, but was instantly glued to my PC and couldn't stop until it was finished. Amazing graphics sound and story. Disappointed with Lara's development though, before you know it she will be mowing down waves of enemies, which doesn't fit her character at all. Definitely one of the best games so far thisOne of the better story driven games I have played. I went into it not expecting much, but was instantly glued to my PC and couldn't stop until it was finished. Amazing graphics sound and story. Disappointed with Lara's development though, before you know it she will be mowing down waves of enemies, which doesn't fit her character at all. Definitely one of the best games so far this year, recommend it highly, even over Bioshock.… Expand
  8. Troianman
    Apr 22, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I personally gave this game an 8.6 out of 10 (rounds up to 9) because it was extremely well done and reboots the series in an incredibly entertaining and refreshing way. The Lara Croft we are given in this game is not the same raider of tombs from the mid 90s that we knew and loved she is an inexperienced and younger version who has never ventured into a tomb and this is her first journey. By the end she becomes the Lara Croft that we know and love from the 90s but in an updated and pretty epic way. The very last moment of combat even pays homage to the dual pistol wielding protagonist we remember from our first adventure so long ago. I wish there were bears, I wish there were bats, I love that there are wolves but I definitely wish there were more throwback moments than there are, if only to satisfy the fans of the original series who took the time to play this version.

    The music is fitting for the time you hear it but isn't very memorable afterwards. The voice acting, especially for Lara is extremely well done, which is something I am very glad to finally be saying about more and more games these days. The combat is very well done when it allows you to do your thing but when quick time events are necessary to defeat particular enemies it gets a bit annoying and some of those events are slightly bugged so it sometimes takes a few tries which only adds to the annoyance factor. Sadly the game is very easy (even on hard difficulty), puzzles are not complex or in depth, you can easily get all upgrades, the game pretty much holds your hand the entire way but that ultimately detracts very little from a game that does a beautiful job of rebooting a series that many including myself feared might be dead after being run into the ground by so many terrible sequels.

    The characters other than Lara are unfortunately not very well developed throughout the game, with the exception of your main enemy. Through the journals you pick up over the course of the game you learn bits of information that you would not otherwise know even from Lara's friends/companions. However the only journals that shed any light on much of anything are those from your enemy, and there are a few others that have nothing to do with your group that add to the overall story of the game in a very interesting way. The reason I did not lower my score much for this is because her friends really do not matter in the long run. They are amusing at times but the majority of the narrative takes place without them and Lara is really the only character we are meant to care about.

    The island is beautifully crafted and I have not seen any version that does the game justice that is not on a PC with the graphics completely juiced. There are moments that I caught myself just running around and looking at the environments and smiling because they looked absolutely gorgeous on my PC. Even the particularly gruesome deaths that you cause look rather traumatizing at some points and they should as shooting people in the face with an arrow is not a pretty thing.

    One of the defining moments in the game is Lara's first kill and this is cut a bit short mostly because the game does not have several hours to let you recover from this but it still feels important and it should as the character will never be the same again. After this she slowly turns into the female version of Nathan Drake, which is kind of funny because Nathan Drake was highly influenced by the original Lara Croft but that link has no negative impact on the game as Uncharted is a great series itself and not taking that into account would have been a mistake that I am glad was not made. By the end her transition is very satisfying and very enjoyable to experience. While there are likely no life altering moments about this game that make anybody want to run out and become a game developer it is an extremely well crafted game that any fan of the original series should play as it reboots the entire thing in such a refreshing way that there will almost definitely be sequels to look forward to in the near future.    … Expand
  9. squeax
    Apr 22, 2013
    4
    Tomb Raider [2013] is an interactive visual novel about a girl with gravity defying hair who ends up stranded on an island in the South Pacific after an accident. During her quest to survive she will be injured one way or another about every 5 minutes or even killed if she does not correctly executes a quick time event.
  10. meediocre
    Apr 22, 2013
    8
    Thoroughly enjoyable romp, with some jaw-dropping settings, atmosphere and perilous Croft-action. Lacks some of the puzzles and and feeling of totally getting lost that used to be part of the staple for the original three games, so there's a distinct lack of a mechanical challenge for the player. The story is also rather standard fare, and that's why I'm giving this reboot an 8 out of 10.Thoroughly enjoyable romp, with some jaw-dropping settings, atmosphere and perilous Croft-action. Lacks some of the puzzles and and feeling of totally getting lost that used to be part of the staple for the original three games, so there's a distinct lack of a mechanical challenge for the player. The story is also rather standard fare, and that's why I'm giving this reboot an 8 out of 10. I cannot fault the game, however for its ambition and detail with the level-design. Combat was solid enough and upgrades to Lara's weapons and tools were a cool feature. Let's have a bigger and badder sequel soon please!… Expand
  11. GunslingerX1983
    Apr 21, 2013
    10
    Tomb Raider is a superb action adventure! I never expected to be this impressed by it but it is a very well made and balanced 3rd person action title. I really think i prefer this to Uncharted as well it has a more serious and dramatic tone to it. The atmosphere the game creates really sucks you in and leaves you in awe at every cut scene especially on PC. Well worth everyone's money.
  12. ScottReid
    Apr 21, 2013
    10
    I came here to give Tomb Raider 2013 a score of 10. I've done this. Tomb Raider has great voice acting, great graphics, great environments, great story, great characters, great multiplayer. great gameplay. I've been playing games all my life. I know games. Trust me. Buy this. You will not regret it.
  13. crisuxx
    Apr 20, 2013
    10
    Best tomb raider ever AND best game of 2013. The story is amazing the new lara is amazing the graphics is amazing and the gameplay is FLAWLESS the multyplayer is not as good as the single player however i've seen worst multyplayer.
  14. jim008
    Apr 20, 2013
    10
    This is how you reboot a game, it's really a 8 to 9 but I wanted to balance out all the idiots who gave it a 4 or less due to bad reasons. The quick time events are fine because it was the only way for me to actually feel surprised when I have to press something out of no where. None of them are even hard, you have like two different buttons to watch out for and sometimes you have toThis is how you reboot a game, it's really a 8 to 9 but I wanted to balance out all the idiots who gave it a 4 or less due to bad reasons. The quick time events are fine because it was the only way for me to actually feel surprised when I have to press something out of no where. None of them are even hard, you have like two different buttons to watch out for and sometimes you have to press left and right. If you get caught off guard, the death scenes are very well done. How can anybody say there's not enough exploration? You have the (keyword)choice of exploring an entire island and there's a ton of things to explore. I like the assassin creed like instinct thing, I guess some people enjoy mentally keeping track of where they are in the world but I prefer to not have to look at the map all the time. This does make the puzzles super easy though, I didn't google a single solution, they were all very straight forward and sometimes Laura will even blurt out a hint. The story definitely starts out pretty strong, but it gets pretty predictable towards the end. I was never sure if they were going to go with a scientific explanation or magic until about half way through. The game is a bit on the too easy side, the only time I died was from surprising quicktime events and the huge fire fights at the end. However, it's definitely fun, it's one of the few games in the recent years where I had to finish it.… Expand
  15. happy-argentine
    Apr 20, 2013
    7
    This was one of those cases when the game play got in the way of the story; and broke my immersion in a definite way. Cut-scene Lara was a scared, inexperienced, beautiful young woman; game-play Lara was a raging murdering psychopath with no remorse, perfect aim and adamantium bones, mowing through hundreds of beings in an efficiency rivalling trained SEALs. It's a great game, wellThis was one of those cases when the game play got in the way of the story; and broke my immersion in a definite way. Cut-scene Lara was a scared, inexperienced, beautiful young woman; game-play Lara was a raging murdering psychopath with no remorse, perfect aim and adamantium bones, mowing through hundreds of beings in an efficiency rivalling trained SEALs. It's a great game, well developed, AMAZINGLY acted and fun to play, but a missed opportunity in my opinion. I think a 7 out of 10 does it justice....oh...almost forgot: no end boss battle???? really???? WTF?… Expand
  16. Bulldozer
    Apr 19, 2013
    10
    There is only one word that could approximate a definition for this game: "Masterpiece".

    I'm an old TR fan to let it understand to the few people who can understand it around the world, there are not many ones who can say "in Tomb Raider II I entered THAT door", well, I'm one of them. I was waiting for a game like this since.... Well, back to the review, this game is 100% well    There is only one word that could approximate a definition for this game: "Masterpiece".

    I'm an old TR fan to let it understand to the few people who can understand it around the world, there are not many ones who can say "in Tomb Raider II I entered THAT door", well, I'm one of them. I was waiting for a game like this since.... Well, back to the review, this game is 100% well balanced, to point out few things I would improve: 1) the level design is "nearly perfect", only I'm missing a little the "how the F... I can reach that spot feeling, I hope that in a sequel this could be addressed cause the platforming is however rewarding as never but I feel that a bit more challenge could add to the experience. 2) Lara is responding in a perfect way, in the game you really feel you ARE Lara Croft and not just driving a mannequin, this boost that already spoken "I want more" from the (outstanding) environment. 3) the very well implemented RPG options could be implemented better, the first two survival skills for example, if I'm not missing something are pretty nearly useless throughout the game, adding more vicious animals to defend from and the need to feed yourself to keep health regenerating could have given a meaning to those. 4) When you have the right equipment there is too few backtracking that could be done in order to discover more, there are no reasons to explore again an already 100%ed sector except to gain some experience from enemies, a couple of "ok now I have this, let see if I can access that spot" per sector could have been an HUGE booster for the overall experience. 5) The upgrade system is well crafted and enough satisfying but hiding the upgrades in the menu could give that feeling of "what now that is thrown away from the complete visible list. 6) The above also works for collectibles, I hate games in which you knows in advance what you will find in them, this applies even to this beautiful game, knowing in advance how many collectibles I have to find is one of the worst part of this title, an "I feel like I'm still missing something in this area" would be a much more effective way to manage the whole thing, as well as get rid of percentage counters, as well as giving a more puzzle meaning to collectibles while being able to see them as you find them not in advance. 7) Tombs, those are very well crafted but really feels too short for a true TR lover, I'm expecting to see more of them and more complex along with some well crafted underwater mess on the sequel. 8) Secondary bosses: it could be nice to hear Lara commenting on her equipment and physically see the parts of it as well as seeing Lara assembling those parts ...and having secondary bosses to fight experimenting on them the new acquired firepower while tasting the new discovered within herself passion for raiding tombs. 9) the story: it's really well crafted but could be balanced better, at an emotional level the story requires you to keep going while the gameplay requires you to explore, well, it is balanced but it could be more, from a gameplay perspective everything that's "hurry on" is out of place in a TR game, also the acting is top notch but could have been polished aligning it with the above point of view. 9) Enemies: sometimes it's like I'm facing the old chapters enemies, well the AI is not that bad but sometimes is not polished as it should be resulting in too few options at your enemies to choose from making the mass-murder them a bit too easy while sometimes they can spot you too realistically when you don't have any chance to spot them making impossible to sneak past or avoid or stealth kill someone that even knowing you are somewhere on the island shouldn't know you are "right there". 10) Indicators: I think that a lens could suffice to point out the presence of something, no need to show the button everytime, it slightly detract to immersion.

    However the above are only my suggestions in case of an unlikely reading of my review by someone from Crystal Dynamics that, however, does not detract a bit to the gorgeousness of the game, the game is already 99,99%, the above only could boost it at 100% and a sequel to 200%

    Despite the above this game is a helluva BLAST that's worth every penny, a "back to those days" for TR fans and a good point to start from for those who are not...yet..

    Thanks SquareEnix, thanks Crystal Dynamics, playing it I can feel all the efforts you made to make not only a generic masterpiece but a Tomb Raider masterpiece, I'm one of the biggest fan of TR on planet Earth and you made me proud again of being, I sincerely hope it could have the success it deserves as well as seeing sequels of the same quality in which I will be able to hear the "Oh-hh!" turn in the well known "Ah-haa!", if you knows what I mean.. :)

    This stuff was for SQUEX and CD, to everyone else all I can say is that this game is truly one of the best games ever made, it looks gorgeous, it sounds great, it plays amazingly.    … Expand
  17. Scottixboy
    Apr 18, 2013
    5
    For the first 5 hours of game-play, you will come to love Lara Croft and her journey to being an official bad ass, Being ruthless and aggressive, Being stealthy. At this point, I was ready to give the game a 8-9 even 10 Score, That's how much I was falling in love with this title, The random Tombs hidden around, The great graphics, the very well scripted events. But then, about 5 hours in,For the first 5 hours of game-play, you will come to love Lara Croft and her journey to being an official bad ass, Being ruthless and aggressive, Being stealthy. At this point, I was ready to give the game a 8-9 even 10 Score, That's how much I was falling in love with this title, The random Tombs hidden around, The great graphics, the very well scripted events. But then, about 5 hours in, Lara Croft Turns into your average Dull shooter, It's difficult to explain why, but I think I know. First, The gun physics aren't great, but I can excuse that because I like to go into all the situations stealthy, which brings me onto my second point, At about 5 hours in, the game stops giving you the option to use stealth, You are FORCED! into Shooter situations which then, turns the game into a dull 3rd person shooter with a bad cover mechanic, So lets treat it like a shooter then, Well it has a bad recoil system that doesn't make much sense, seems like Lara is always firing from the hip and can't actually AIM a gun, the spread system is the same, just like firing from the hip bullets fly off in random directions meaning you need to use the rifles in a semi auto style, but that's difficult considering there's no firing mode options, The gun models aren't great either they look all washed out and fake, The upgrades system is very sub par. Now this takes me to my third point, You cannot go into and out-of stealth, the game decides whether you use stealth or not, and it's not like Splinter cell, Deus ex, Far Cry and Crysis, where the play can run and hide from the enemies giving them a chance to sneak up again, Nope, as soon as your detected, The AI knows where you are like they have some magical Laradar, You cannot hide after being detected, which ruins the entire stealth mechanic. Now my fourth point is about a common thing in gaming these days, Lara croft is plagued with the Button presses in uncontrollable action cutscenes(Known as quick time events) I personally think if these were more dynamic and would let user control effect the outcome, It would be better, as you would feel more in control of what your actually doing in a "VIDEO GAME" which costed you £40.

    BUT The game excels well in the "TOMB RAIDING" part of this game, Sadly there are far too little tombs and puzzles, some of them are too easy to solve, there is almost no challenge compared to the old Lara Croft/PoP/TLOZ games.

    So what are you left with? Your left with a dull third person shooter with poor shooting mechanics. A broken stealth system that has more quick time events than gameplay, An interesting story with a weak ending and finally a pretty puzzling mechanic which looks fantastic but is too easy and unsatisfying.

    I had high hopes for this game, It has it's good points, But they are overshadowed by the games crippling problems.

    If your interested in the story your better off watching a play through, if you want a proper jump puzzler, Go for Prince Of Persia: The forgotten sands, If you want a proper stealth-shooter game, get Far Cry 3.    … Expand
  18. Sizaki
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    I didn't expect much to be honest, with the quick time events and the awkward story. But it surprised me in every way. The quick time events just fitted perfect, even when it was in-combat events. The story was interesting and made you carry on for hours just to complete the whole story.
  19. max1c
    Apr 13, 2013
    7
    Being a big fan of original Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Anniversary this game is just OK. Tomb Raider 2013 being a typical console port actually doesn't ruin the game that much. Nice graphics and semi generic game play with some elements of cute story telling makes this a decent game. I have to admit that some parts of game play were pretty cool. However, this is just another genericBeing a big fan of original Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Anniversary this game is just OK. Tomb Raider 2013 being a typical console port actually doesn't ruin the game that much. Nice graphics and semi generic game play with some elements of cute story telling makes this a decent game. I have to admit that some parts of game play were pretty cool. However, this is just another generic shooter in which you kill literally hundreds of enemies which keep spawning and running at you. If you like puzzles and shooting this game is for you. Overall worth playing.… Expand
  20. iamthespark
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    This game exceeded my expectations! From the story to the gameplay (which reinforces the story), I was (or am, as I have not finished the game yet, but close!) captured into the journey and the struggle that is Lara's plight.

    This game really took me back to TR 1, 2, and 3, which I loved so much, but it is definitely its own game and no real comparison can be made between old and new.    This game exceeded my expectations! From the story to the gameplay (which reinforces the story), I was (or am, as I have not finished the game yet, but close!) captured into the journey and the struggle that is Lara's plight.

    This game really took me back to TR 1, 2, and 3, which I loved so much, but it is definitely its own game and no real comparison can be made between old and new.

    STORY

    The story is really "survival", first her own, then everyone elses'. The quicktime elements forces me to make snap movements/judgements, it forces me to be on edge, it forces me to wonder "what's around the corner", and that is exactly what Lara is feeling. These quicktime elements do an excellent job of connecting the gamer to the character.

    Of course, Lara is pleasantly fleshed out a s a character, but no one else is as she spends 99% of her time alone. So when people die, the gamer doesn't care. Its hard to make the gamer care when there isn't a chance to get to know the other characters, so I am not sure what the developer could have done to assist. They tried leaving books around, and some video, but that wasn't enough to connect. Perhaps if we got to play Lara before the crash.

    GAMEPLAY

    Lara is motivated to survive, and this is believable. There are no strange quests that have you bringing something useless to someone else, its all just centered around getting things done to live. Which makes sense.

    Gaining experience and having loot/salvage is also useful, so looking for boxes/items is valuable and also believable.

    The controls for the PC were easy to learn and I had no issues with my keys.

    Lara's clothes actually deteriorate though the game, which actually makes sense since she's battered ALL the time. I like that she's wearing full pants and two tanks, rather than short-shorts.

    TOMBS

    This is where I have my biggest beef. Its hard not to compare to previous games, it really is hard and as I said in the beginning, one should NOT make the comparison.. but the thing is called Tomb Raider, so.. here goes:

    The tomb puzzles are not puzzles. They are really easy "walkthroughs". Like.. lame easy. flick a switch and you've discovered the solution.

    I'm not sure what happened here. Did the developer think we (the audience) were 10 years old? or that we thought like them? Not sure. The tombs are almost useless (if it wasn't for the experience and the salvage). I'm only going through them now to confirm that they are all indeed that easy.

    Oddly enough, the hardest one I encountered was at the beginning with the plane.

    VOICE ACTING

    I think Lara Croft's VA did a great job in conveying pain, sadness and anger through the many different avenues that Lara communicates with the world.

    UPGRADING SKILLZ

    I wanted more from this, since I reached a point in the game that adding a skill didn't do much for Lara; though updating weapons did.

    CONCLUSION

    What surprised me about the game was the believable survival aspect of the game and how the gameplay reinforced that story, along with Lara's journey from innocent to survivor.

    I enjoyed the stealth side as well as the direct attack sequences, and I think I may always remember ziplining through the beautiful backdrops of the game.    … Expand
  21. sayedstafa
    Apr 12, 2013
    8
    It's like combining Uncharted with Batman Arkham Asylum. It has a similar cinematic feel such as Uncharted with platforming, 3rd person shooting, and a few puzzles to solve. The world is not quite open world like Far Cry 3 but it's more like Arkham Asylum, in which you move down a linear path but you'll end up revisiting a few areas and you'll have new gadgets/abilities to allow you toIt's like combining Uncharted with Batman Arkham Asylum. It has a similar cinematic feel such as Uncharted with platforming, 3rd person shooting, and a few puzzles to solve. The world is not quite open world like Far Cry 3 but it's more like Arkham Asylum, in which you move down a linear path but you'll end up revisiting a few areas and you'll have new gadgets/abilities to allow you to open up new paths. There's a lot to explore. Graphics look great. The TressFX hair is technically impressive but I turned it off because it would drop the frame rate a bit. The story was really predicatable. Overall, it was a good experience. I recommend using a controller to play this game because there are a lot of QTEs and it wont tell you which keys to press if you use keyboard.… Expand
  22. FruitCakeHD
    Apr 12, 2013
    6
    Tomb Raider (2013)

    Seems to me like a game that i won't really spend my money on its next title, hopefully. This game has absurd QTEs and buggy and glitchy platform parkours. Not to mention the unrealistic amount of times that there is a NDE (Near Death) in the story-line. Absolutely not worth the full price. Also the frequent frame drops with my 7970 makes me wonder if this is the    Tomb Raider (2013)

    Seems to me like a game that i won't really spend my money on its next title, hopefully. This game has absurd QTEs and buggy and glitchy platform parkours. Not to mention the unrealistic amount of times that there is a NDE (Near Death) in the story-line. Absolutely not worth the full price.
    Also the frequent frame drops with my 7970 makes me wonder if this is the standard game's coding and engine. Quite disappointing from Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics.
    Finishing the game for me is such a pain in the neck.
    The brighter side of the game is its retail version, it already gives the player 9/18 DLCs, not something you would see very often.
    Got it for S$52.90, did not really regretted or enjoyed.

    6/10    … Expand
  23. 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..
  24. Dynasma
    Apr 11, 2013
    9
    Tomb Raider was actually very enjoyable. The QTE's are well made and didn't afflict greatly the general feel. Awesome job with the graphics and animations.
    These little things such as Lara placing her hand on the mountain rock when she is near cliff to keep balance, or protecting herself from fire and wind really had me amazed. The sound was just supplementary, nothing special. The plot    Tomb Raider was actually very enjoyable. The QTE's are well made and didn't afflict greatly the general feel. Awesome job with the graphics and animations.
    These little things such as Lara placing her hand on the mountain rock when she is near cliff to keep balance, or protecting herself from fire and wind really had me amazed. The sound was just supplementary, nothing special. The plot was nothing special but still it didn't draw back from my enjoyment.
    The only aspect where I had problem with was the difficulty of the game. It's way too easy and the optional tombs have ridiculous riddles. Also the destruction of the environment at a time convenient to the plot had me 'meh' a little.
    Overall though I enjoyed the game. It's so well made it would not be fair to rate it lower. Recommended    … Expand
  25. diddupink
    Apr 9, 2013
    8
    Semplicemente fantastico, coinvolgente, non mi sarei mai aspettato un ritorno a questi livelli, se penso al primo mi vengono i brividi...il rapporto qualità prezzo più che giustificato.
  26. Spawn1942
    Apr 9, 2013
    9
    Im gonna go ahead and start by saying that i agree that the tombs in this game are to easy and i would have loved to see more difficult ones in this game, add some more challenge. That being said, this origin story for Lara and all the obstacles she has to over come is just amazing! visuals are great, especially if you have the hair effect on (adds some more flare), the dialogue isIm gonna go ahead and start by saying that i agree that the tombs in this game are to easy and i would have loved to see more difficult ones in this game, add some more challenge. That being said, this origin story for Lara and all the obstacles she has to over come is just amazing! visuals are great, especially if you have the hair effect on (adds some more flare), the dialogue is outstanding, some amazing action moments to break up some of the stealth (if thats the way you go) of the game, and this story is easily one of the best i have seen this year so far.Only reason i wont say a 10 is just cause of the tombs and i haven't tried the mulitplayer out yet. But i hope that this leads to more Tomb Raider games, hopefully with challenging tombs … Expand
  27. Knightshade
    Apr 8, 2013
    10
    It is rare that a game will come up and take my breath away and even more rare that it will hold it for so long. Tomb Raider is one of those rare games that accomplishes both. I'd like to start off by saying I'm no fan of the Tomb Raider series. I was always ambivalent to the series. I have never played one all the way through and never found any of them all that compelling that isIt is rare that a game will come up and take my breath away and even more rare that it will hold it for so long. Tomb Raider is one of those rare games that accomplishes both. I'd like to start off by saying I'm no fan of the Tomb Raider series. I was always ambivalent to the series. I have never played one all the way through and never found any of them all that compelling that is until now.

    It is rare that I come across a game with such a well-written story and such rich character development. Square Enix really outdid themselves this time. I have always been a huge fan of video games in general, but always wished they would focus more on good writing and character development something sorely lacking in a vast majority of games today. This game really came through in this department, and I feel I really understand the character of Lara Croft so much better now. It has drawn me into the mythos that I was so disinterested in before. I certainly cannot wait for future titles, and hope this game ends up where it belongs holding a place in history as one of the better examples of great story, writing, and character development in video games and perhaps even sparks a renaissance of good writing that this industry so badly needs.

    As far as gameplay, graphics, sound, and all the other aspects of what makes a game good or great Tomb Raider really hits the mark on each of these. The exceptional combination of each of these aspects of the game only help to support the real thrill here and that's being along for the ride of this great adventure with Lara and her crew. It really feels like I'm playing a movie but almost never do I feel like I'm doing so on rails. I feel in constant control, and always in a manner where my decisions decide the fate of Lara and her crew members. This is what a game should be. Highly Recommended!    … Expand
  28. slipperygun
    Apr 8, 2013
    9
    Great third person shooting and exploration. Quite brutal fatalities, this game is really gory and bloody. Decent Indiana Jones-esque story. Main character undergoes an arc. Starts out as a vulnerable everyday girl who nearly gets raped. Becomes a hardened survivor and merciless killer. If you're looking for a tough female protagonist who can really take a beating, look no further.
    Game    Great third person shooting and exploration. Quite brutal fatalities, this game is really gory and bloody. Decent Indiana Jones-esque story. Main character undergoes an arc. Starts out as a vulnerable everyday girl who nearly gets raped. Becomes a hardened survivor and merciless killer. If you're looking for a tough female protagonist who can really take a beating, look no further.
    Game is easy, so set it to Hard difficulty. Be warned, QTEs abound. You can "fast travel" back to most areas to fully explore them, but the lack of enemies makes it kinda boring. This should have a chapter select or at least manual saving.    … Expand
  29. pennti2
    Apr 8, 2013
    8
    While there do seem to be more cut-scenes and QTE's in the new Tomb Raider than what I was used to from the previous series, they compliment this modern version. Environments are linear at times, but beautiful and fluid. The pace is up to you for the most part, and there are plenty of in-game challenges with incentive to complete them though they're not as challenging as they were in theWhile there do seem to be more cut-scenes and QTE's in the new Tomb Raider than what I was used to from the previous series, they compliment this modern version. Environments are linear at times, but beautiful and fluid. The pace is up to you for the most part, and there are plenty of in-game challenges with incentive to complete them though they're not as challenging as they were in the old Tomb Raider. They completely did away with the drawn-out arbitrary puzzles (finding batteries on far corners of the map just to open a door which allows you to drop a crane allowing you to find a key, etc), but there are themed optional tombs that teach you (if you decide to complete them) various ways to use the environment, while presenting some interesting but isolated challenges. The new Tomb Raider is a little simpler and a little easier, but polished. They made sure that Tomb Raider was still an experience, while, for better or for worse, removing some of the user's responsibility. Because it isn't a grueling challenge to beat, the ending doesn't feel as satisfying as you'd hope, but it leaves the door open for a continuation of the series which I am sure will offer new challenges. In this way, the franchise can move forward without getting boring. I'm looking forward to the next installment.… Expand
  30. emacinnes
    Apr 8, 2013
    9
    After quite a number of lacklustre entries in the series, none of which really got the controls down correctly, this one, for me, just nails it completely, with excellent controls, fluid movement, a strong sense of danger, awesome set pieces and a generally coherent story that stays focused throughout the entire experience, staying (mostly) true to it's new tone, with a mild case ofAfter quite a number of lacklustre entries in the series, none of which really got the controls down correctly, this one, for me, just nails it completely, with excellent controls, fluid movement, a strong sense of danger, awesome set pieces and a generally coherent story that stays focused throughout the entire experience, staying (mostly) true to it's new tone, with a mild case of Terminatoritis setting in later on, but the game never letting the mythology bog down the proceedings, while also not being paper-thin and directionless either. Level design is strong, and interactions with the levels are generally glitch free, falls to your death will be at your own making, rather than Fudgey Fingers Syndrome. The downside, some of the companions are a bit underwritten, they could have maybe used some additional development, one obvious "turncoat" in the bunch, but nothing that really distracts. It's like getting a birthday cake and somebody accidentally bent one of the candles slightly out of place. Unfortunate, but the cake still tastes great.

    The multiplayer is weak sauce though, standard deathmatch fare, but not necessary either. In the aforementioned cake analogy, this cake came with a complimentary sachet of ketchup. Inappropriate, but easily discarded. There are other, much more robust, multiplayer experiences out there, that it's half-hearted inclusion here I suspect boils down to either a poor marketing decision to tick a bullet point, or round 1 of multiplayer practice for the technical team for something more ambitious to come later. With the DLC bizarrely choosing to focus on the multiplayer only, I suspect the latter to be closer to the truth. Co-op multiplayer on the other hand, was a sorely missed opportunity here, the game practically begging for it, with two distinct characters. In the absence of the other player, then either AI controlled and/or player hot-swappable between characters. See: Mass Effect, Portal 2, Splinter Cell Conviction, any Lego game. Maybe in version 2.0.

    Technically, it's a very strong package. Beautiful vistas, great camera direction, massive draw distance, great effects mostly, reasonable AI. Couple of dodgy fire animations here n there when Lara is literally up to her neck in it, but an otherwise stellar effort visually. The only really negative technical point was that on first playthrough, the game was really unstable, crashing regularly, but a quick Google on this issue, and subsequent disabling of the Tesselation feature in the graphics options sorted that. Clearly a misstep in the QA process there, between Square, Crystal Dynamics and NVidia.    … 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

All reviews »
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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