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. Hiei987
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Quite surprised how good this game to be turned out to be, easily one of the best action-adventure games in years. Very fluid gameplay, top line graphics and action filled engaging story. This is one of very few games where QTEs aren't too annoying and actually play a good part during action scenes. Gameplay is a good mix of stealth and firefights, the AI isn't too great but that is prettyQuite surprised how good this game to be turned out to be, easily one of the best action-adventure games in years. Very fluid gameplay, top line graphics and action filled engaging story. This is one of very few games where QTEs aren't too annoying and actually play a good part during action scenes. Gameplay is a good mix of stealth and firefights, the AI isn't too great but that is pretty common these days. Story is a great twist on typical Tomb Raider adventure, people who like the concept of the Lost show will love it.… Expand
  2. Just1nsane
    Mar 5, 2013
    9
    This is one of those games where you get so involved with the character and with the visuals surrounding it. The story line is amazing the sound effect are awesome. The multiplayer is even not that bad I actually enjoyed playing a litle bit of it. I think this is one of my favorite so far this year.
  3. Macdealer
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    This game is just insanely good. I was thinking it was just a hype, like Far Cry 3, Skyrim (that I thought a little tedious), but no, this game is just the top 5 best games in this generations (PS3, Xbox360, PC), that soon the generation is over. Awesome graphics, awesome dinamic, and I think the best was the sound, that was marvelous. People that are giving yellow scores is theThis game is just insanely good. I was thinking it was just a hype, like Far Cry 3, Skyrim (that I thought a little tedious), but no, this game is just the top 5 best games in this generations (PS3, Xbox360, PC), that soon the generation is over. Awesome graphics, awesome dinamic, and I think the best was the sound, that was marvelous. People that are giving yellow scores is the "Uncharted" fans. Altought I have to say I love Uncharted series, there's no match to Lara Croft and this games just raised the bars that Uncharted brought. They're just jealous. At some points I got goosebumps playing the game. Well, if you have any doubt, don't waste your time, play this game now. There's no way you can regret.… Expand
  4. Taroth
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Excellent gameplay, solid plot, and wonderful graphics. For a modern day 3rd person shooter it is awesome. Deeper than Uncharted, multiple routes to take through quests, and a level up system similar to Far Cry. It is a combo game that doesn't fail in anyway except for the lack of puzzles. Add some serious Tomb Raider puzzles and this may have been the best in the series. As it is, I'm onExcellent gameplay, solid plot, and wonderful graphics. For a modern day 3rd person shooter it is awesome. Deeper than Uncharted, multiple routes to take through quests, and a level up system similar to Far Cry. It is a combo game that doesn't fail in anyway except for the lack of puzzles. Add some serious Tomb Raider puzzles and this may have been the best in the series. As it is, I'm on a second playthrough already. They did a great job of making you feel that no matter how skilled you play the game, Lara may not actually succeed at her goals. Pros:
    TressFX hair.
    The island is the star.
    Great pacing to the story and to Lara's development as a character.
    Nice job of making the player feel that they may not succeed at their mission until the last second. Cons:
    Massive performance drop with TressFX hair on (don't use this on anything but a top Intel chip processor and AMD 6970+ or NVIDIA GFX 660ti card, it killed every other set up I used).
    No puzzles (well they exist, but are short and very easy).
    Water could be better and Lara can't swim.
    Freedom of movement around the island comes very late in the story at which point you don't care about exploring any more. PC controls are not as smooth as the controller, again making the PC feel like an afterthought. Many people complain of crashes, but I had a smooth experience. Final Judgment:
    It is worth the $50 only if you like replaying games. It is short and a one time play for people only interested in the story. My first playthrough was about 8 hours and I completed 84% of the collectibles and challenges. Maybe a 6 hour game if you plow through the story.    … Expand
  5. fryzee
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    I don't often write reviews but... wow. I Am absolutely blown away, I didn't expect anything from this game. I enjoyed the old games, (1,2, Angel of darkness, underworld) but this one just blew me away, the intro was great and it kept me going, the adrenaline doesn't stop and the action just keeps coming, I even feel bad for Lara after everything she goes through.

    The graphics are    I don't often write reviews but... wow. I Am absolutely blown away, I didn't expect anything from this game. I enjoyed the old games, (1,2, Angel of darkness, underworld) but this one just blew me away, the intro was great and it kept me going, the adrenaline doesn't stop and the action just keeps coming, I even feel bad for Lara after everything she goes through.

    The graphics are sensational (I'm running a gtx680), the hair effects look amazing most of the time, but they have their glitches and screw ups (like the effects disappearing for a second and her hair looking bland during intense cut scenes, it could be a driver thing or something they could patch). As mentioned the story is thrilling and keeps you wanting more, the side quests are worthwhile and brings back old Lara memories. The gameplay is solid, the free running reminds me of assassins creed mixed with old school lara. The bow is great, the guns can feel a bit clunky at times but still suits fine considering she wouldn't be a gun expert. Point blank confrontations with enemies are awkward at first but goes nicely with the story, but once you adapt and learn abilities it works out great and flows greatly.

    Overall a true underdog for me and a very nice recreation of Lara. Good job crystal.    … Expand
  6. zaphod6502
    Mar 5, 2013
    10
    This Tomb Raider is a mature adult-oriented version and better for it. The storyline evolves as you play the game and you really feel for Lara's struggles as she battles through the islands lush locations.

    The gameplay has depth and combat has a visceral feel. The controls are simple and do not get in the way of the action or story. The graphics and sound are state-of-the-art and rival    This Tomb Raider is a mature adult-oriented version and better for it. The storyline evolves as you play the game and you really feel for Lara's struggles as she battles through the islands lush locations.

    The gameplay has depth and combat has a visceral feel. The controls are simple and do not get in the way of the action or story. The graphics and sound are state-of-the-art and rival anything seen and heard in other games released in the last year. Do yourself a favor and upgrade your computer. The Ultimate graphics setting is absolutely beautiful.

    The UI is excellent and highly polished and most importantly functional. The new collection and achievement systems encourage you to explore the island. They also have the added advantage of giving you experience and items which in turn can be used to add skills and upgrade weapons.

    A definite Game Of The Year contender.    … Expand
  7. Jeshua
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    Tomb Raider plays and feels more like an action movie than a game, but that is not a bad thing. The problem is that it turns, for the most part, the player into an expectator with "little" (choice-wise) to do other than follow the predetermined path and manage QT-Es to stay awake (but let's be fair: extremely well implemented QT-Es).

    Trying to gather the collectibles spread around the    Tomb Raider plays and feels more like an action movie than a game, but that is not a bad thing. The problem is that it turns, for the most part, the player into an expectator with "little" (choice-wise) to do other than follow the predetermined path and manage QT-Es to stay awake (but let's be fair: extremely well implemented QT-Es).

    Trying to gather the collectibles spread around the map may distract you from the game's main selling point: it's character development and the interaction with the environment, but those menial exploration tasks can be left to after the endgame the completionist in me wanted to ditch the sense of urgency and collect everything on the first play-through, but that spoils the mood.

    The voice acting is solid, the graphics are stunning and Lara's character is unbelievably well done, but the rest of the crew is unmemorable to say the best, sometimes falling into "I wish friendly-fire could be turned off" territory. The narrative is very common place (again, not a bad thing), but the action feels... unnatural (too much killing, even if "justified").

    The difficult is set very, very low: the (environmental) puzzles are okay, but ammo is pretty much infinite, making fragility the only problem for Lara, but again no complaints here: dying over and over again has always been a selling point for this franchise (really!).

    In this reboot we don't have huge, over-the-top and out-of-this-world Tombs, neither did we get underwater sequences (in fact, on my gameplay Lara drowned at least a dozen times) but yes this is solid environment and survival exploration with the most loved female explorer ever. This game truly turns Lara's character into all that she is know even a dose of sex appeal is there, when she isn't mass murdering entire armies.    … Expand
  8. 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
  9. tazdevil41
    Mar 5, 2013
    6
    I am trying really hard to love this game as there is so much to love.
    The quicktime events need to go though. They are just so frustrating on PC and drag down the experience.
    Who on earth thought adding so many was a great idea? The game was strong enough to work without these elements and it seems to just be lazy programming that resulted in them. Leave them as an option if people    I am trying really hard to love this game as there is so much to love.
    The quicktime events need to go though. They are just so frustrating on PC and drag down the experience.

    Who on earth thought adding so many was a great idea? The game was strong enough to work without these elements and it seems to just be lazy programming that resulted in them.

    Leave them as an option if people want it that way but there should have been an option to skip as an instant death over and over again for not pressing a button on a controller or a key on a keyboard within a millisecond is pretty cheap.
    Visually this game is great and sound and exploration in parts is fun too but please no more quicktime events ever     … Expand
  10. SirZ
    Mar 8, 2013
    4
    This game about a shooting, oceans of blood and Lara's falling. No adventure and challenging puzzles. This is not a Tomb Raider it's regular shooter with old famous name beyond which there is nothing.
  11. behastie
    Mar 5, 2013
    5
    I've only been playing for a couple hours but I really had to quit. This game isn't awful and if you really like the run of the mill AAA shooter genre then you might find this game worthwhile, but if you aren't a fan of quicktime events or linear set pieces then you won't enjoy yourself that much. Just about everything that Lara does is a quicktime event: fighting wolves, fighting people,I've only been playing for a couple hours but I really had to quit. This game isn't awful and if you really like the run of the mill AAA shooter genre then you might find this game worthwhile, but if you aren't a fan of quicktime events or linear set pieces then you won't enjoy yourself that much. Just about everything that Lara does is a quicktime event: fighting wolves, fighting people, climbing things; all of it is just onscreen prompts. Crystal Dynamics has made less a game and more a movie that occasionally checks to see if the audience has fingers.… Expand
  12. Ciugi
    Mar 5, 2013
    5
    Which generation do you belong? Despite all the marketing tricks, TressFX (top notch performance-eater!) and a famous franchise title Tomb Raider, this game is a great example of a dumbed-down experience. Linear levels, scripted events... Every linear element is there to pretend you're an idiot who cannot learn how sand-box works, make your own decisions that could matter, change theWhich generation do you belong? Despite all the marketing tricks, TressFX (top notch performance-eater!) and a famous franchise title Tomb Raider, this game is a great example of a dumbed-down experience. Linear levels, scripted events... Every linear element is there to pretend you're an idiot who cannot learn how sand-box works, make your own decisions that could matter, change the outcome, etc. You're thrown into a pile of garbage. Follow your only path and do only what game tells you to. You're too stupid to decide. If you like games which take your hand and lead from point A to B all the time, you'll like this. Otherwise, prepare for a nightmare. And BTW, story is average. I don't play games for SFX. Ignore this game, if you truly love freedom. Ciugi out.… Expand
  13. Lorenna
    Mar 5, 2013
    5
    It could be any other game..besides Tomb Raider. Its very easy and its more of a movie you interact with than a game. Its about 70% Quick Time Events as far as I can see..which are very buggy to say the least. I have to keep restarting the client as they just don't work..and after googling it seems to be a common problem. For anyone who's a fan of the older Tomb Raider games likeIt could be any other game..besides Tomb Raider. Its very easy and its more of a movie you interact with than a game. Its about 70% Quick Time Events as far as I can see..which are very buggy to say the least. I have to keep restarting the client as they just don't work..and after googling it seems to be a common problem. For anyone who's a fan of the older Tomb Raider games like myself..don't get too excited. Its still enjoyable...just not as a Tomb Raider game. Its not even Lara..they messed with the character too much.… Expand
  14. Daverid
    Mar 7, 2013
    4
    Having never played any Tomb Raider games before I went into this with an open mind ready to see what the fuss was about. Sadly it was anything but 8/10 worthy. The start of the game is just about the only reason this game scored a 4 from me, as it really kicked off to great satisfaction. At the start it really feels like Lara is completely down and out and quite literally fighting for herHaving never played any Tomb Raider games before I went into this with an open mind ready to see what the fuss was about. Sadly it was anything but 8/10 worthy. The start of the game is just about the only reason this game scored a 4 from me, as it really kicked off to great satisfaction. At the start it really feels like Lara is completely down and out and quite literally fighting for her life. Things like having to search for food and shivering until the fire was complete was extremely nice touches. Then it just started to go downhill, and it didn't stop. I came into the game expecting a Action/Adventure/Puzzle/Platformer and what I got was a ACTION focused, semi-adventure with minor Platforming elements and a couple of crappy puzzles. The story was interesting but sadly the writing team completely ruined any intrigue the story had. Poorly timed cutscene interaction combined with strings of conversations which felt like they came straight out of 'Short story writing for dummies', ultimately made for boring character interaction and a few chuckles at strange conversation flow. Characters were extremely cliched but thankfully so few of them get any sort of development that you don't have to cringe to much at watching them become fully evolved walking Cliches. Lara's development is less 'Girl to Hardened Survivor' and more, 'Is this girl stupid, why would she ever want to go on an exploration ever again?' There was extremely few puzzles and they were all ridiculously easy. Tombs where the puzzles were, however, extremely gorgeous and it's probably worth going inside for a look but then not even bothering to do the puzzle. Platforming was there but extremely watered down. There was a moment where I was jumping around little rocky cliffs and I found a way to reach the ground, however upon landing on the ground from a tiny jump I died. I had hit a 'DeadZone', which frankly is a disgusting thing to have in a game and it really made me think twice before bothering to try any interesting platforming for the rest of the game because there was probably not going to be anything there or a deadzone. However I did continue trying and every platform stage is very 'hand-holdy', you never really get a chance to just jump around, you always have to use your tools and because of this just about any place you'd reach by platforming was extremely spelled out and the game practically guided you in bright yellow. The Graphics weren't anything to be overly proud of, if anything a bit below average for a 2013 AAA title (Probably slightly worse then Deus Ex Human Revolution and a little better then Mass Effect 3). Artstyle was probably akin to Mass Effect 3, very sort of standard video game, slightly cartoony realism. The opening Cinematic was fairly meh, not even close to the quality of the Openings to say; Deus Ex: HR, Witcher 2 etc. Cutscenes were well done but the Camera got a little funky from time to time and of course QTE (Quick Time Events) were just rife throughout which really detracted from them. On that matter the QTE's were a massive annoyance, having to use them for something as simple as a 'Stealth Kill' was just absurd, and then having to use them in practically every aspect of the game was just over the top. My final point, and this is where I'll sum up as well, is that simply it's sad when you play a game labeled as a; Action/Adventure/Platformer and the most polished and fun part of the game is the standard boring 'Call of Duty' style shooting elements. Based off how the game started I was expecting Alot of Adventure, Alot of Platforming and a bit of Action and then about 25% of the way through it just started to deteriorate rapidly and turned into a full on Action game with some basic Platforming. The final 50-60% of the game just felt like I was running from one scripted shooting encounter to the next, it didn't even feel like an adventure. It feels like they've tried to do what alot of Video Games lately are doing and attract the Call of Duty/Battlefield market. Which clearly has worked for them considering all the rave reviews from the same people who praise those lame shooters, but for someone like me who hasn't experienced a proper good Action/Adventure/Platformer since Donkey Kong 64, I was once again extremely let down.… Expand
  15. xmo28726
    Mar 10, 2013
    3
    The QTE's outnumber the actual puzzles, the controls and camera are clunky way too often that is, when you do actually have control (the game's ai will modify your trajectory so no precision is needed). The combat is repetitive, headshots basically line themselves up and you can dodge the ai's attacks damn near blindfolded. The gore is over the top and the plot feels shaky. Overall itThe QTE's outnumber the actual puzzles, the controls and camera are clunky way too often that is, when you do actually have control (the game's ai will modify your trajectory so no precision is needed). The combat is repetitive, headshots basically line themselves up and you can dodge the ai's attacks damn near blindfolded. The gore is over the top and the plot feels shaky. Overall it feels less like a genuine exploration platformer and more like one of the old FMV games on the original Playstation in the mid to late 90's. What we need is a Tomb Raider that goes back to the series roots that is, actual *Tomb Raiding* large expansive tombs, small and confined tombs, traps that try to kill you at every turn and require actual dexterity to evade, and jumps that require forethought, practice and flawless execution in order to progress. This game is not that, it's basically snuff-porn for people who like their victims filthy and drenched in gore.… Expand
  16. wrexmer
    Mar 14, 2013
    2
    Cut scene, quick time event, cut scene, quick time event, cut scene, quick time event, I freaking hate developers who ruin games like that. I just want to control the character myself, Is that too much to ask nowadays? If I want good story, I go and watch a movie or read a book. Why do devs have to put this linear cinematic push a button garbage into video games?
  17. Rastrelly
    Mar 10, 2013
    1
    This is an awful step away from the basic Tomb Raider concept. If this game was called not "Tomb Raider" it could get away with 5 or 6 as a boring action/"movie". But we are presented with THIS instead of acrobatic puzzle with big open levels what a good Tomb Raider game should be. So it does not deserve even 1 point.
  18. jpalomo
    Mar 7, 2013
    4
    Tomb Raider (the reboot) is less of a game and more of a movie. First lets get the pro's out of the way:
    -The game is visually appealing. The atmosphere is set perfectly for each moment of the game.
    -Lara, the player's character, is well developed throughout the story of the 'game'. -Voice acting is good. Thats it for everything good about this game. Now for the con's: -Even though    Tomb Raider (the reboot) is less of a game and more of a movie. First lets get the pro's out of the way:
    -The game is visually appealing. The atmosphere is set perfectly for each moment of the game.
    -Lara, the player's character, is well developed throughout the story of the 'game'.
    -Voice acting is good.
    Thats it for everything good about this game. Now for the con's:
    -Even though Lara is a great character, almost every other character is boring and 2-dimensional. You don't feel any connection with any of them.
    -Way too many cut scenes! Especially at the beginning of the game. Also, there are some sections which severely restrict the player's control. This isn't fun.
    -The dreaded quick-time event. There are also too many of them, and they appear when you least think. You never know if it will be a cut scene, or a random quick-time event. They aren't built into the combat system very well either. The only time I ever died was to this atrocity of a gameplay mechanic. Also, did I mention they aren't fun?
    -The so-called "platforming" is ridiculously easy. This is the one area they could have went crazy with, but they decided to play it safe and make it so easy even a toddler could beat it.
    -Hand-holding gameplay. Are you lost? Just use your 'survival instincts' to point you the direction you need to go. You seriously don't even need this because the areas are smaller than they look, and the game is mostly linear. You miss all your shots on the wolf pack thats about to eat you alive? Don't worry, we will toss some QTEs your way so you don't die right away. Regenerating health? Check. Frequent checkpoints? Check. Lackluster AI? Check.
    -Simplistic puzzle elements. Once in while, you get puzzles. Needless to say, most of them require little to no thinking on your part. There usually only a few elements to the puzzle, and even if you get stuck, you can use your 'survival instincts' to help you point out the elements.
    -Music is forgettable. I don't think I need to explain this further.
    -Story is average.
    -Lack of varied weaponry. You got your bow, pistol, and shotgun. Thats it, unless you want to count the axe that you use to pry open doors among other things.
    -Multiplayer mode... I don't even want to get into this. Tomb Raider has always been a single player game.

    tl;dr version:
    Overall, this game is just too generic. It looks pretty, but thats about it. I am disappointed in how it turned out.    … Expand
  19. Yddraiggoch
    Mar 6, 2013
    2
    Pro's -

    Graphically very pretty.
    Nice to see an incarnation of Tomb Raider where Lara Croft's haven't grown by a cup size between releases and not look like silicon implants.
    Better story line (but only just).
    Nixxes have made this a half-decent port from console.

    CONS

    Typical consoletard linear gameplay.
    Short probably less than 15 hours gameplay.
  20. Deadlychris
    Aug 8, 2013
    2
    This game shouldn't be put with the other tomb raider games, a series that used to be about well, raiding tombs has turned into a sloppily slapped together mess of cutscenes, quick time events and cover shooting. Also regarding the Characters trudge through hardship and injury to get to the end. There isn't one. She gets stabbed through the hip with a rusty pipe,10 minutes and no medicalThis game shouldn't be put with the other tomb raider games, a series that used to be about well, raiding tombs has turned into a sloppily slapped together mess of cutscenes, quick time events and cover shooting. Also regarding the Characters trudge through hardship and injury to get to the end. There isn't one. She gets stabbed through the hip with a rusty pipe,10 minutes and no medical attention later, POOF, healthy again.… Expand
  21. Yuzu
    Jan 4, 2016
    3
    This game... ugh. The most disappointing thing about this game was the very easy puzzles and little to no challenge and possibly the most movie like game I have ever seen. This game wishes it could be like The Last of Us in the sense that it feels like a movie. But unlike The Last of Us, this game is boring, easy, and outright simple. Skills are simplified to hell and back, upgrades forThis game... ugh. The most disappointing thing about this game was the very easy puzzles and little to no challenge and possibly the most movie like game I have ever seen. This game wishes it could be like The Last of Us in the sense that it feels like a movie. But unlike The Last of Us, this game is boring, easy, and outright simple. Skills are simplified to hell and back, upgrades for your weapons are also stupid simple, and like I said before, the puzzles take little to know brain power. A monkey with autism could understand this games simple and easy mechanics. This isn't a Tomb Raider, it's a 3rd person shooter that acts like a first person shooter.

    For most of this game you are climbing things, going across zip lines, shooting the massive amounts of terribly stupid enemies the game throws at you and then you repeat that for the rest of the game. The ending is absolutely unsatisfying and about the only part of this I enjoyed was the beginning.

    Honestly, play this game one time and then just burn it or something. Oh and don't pay full price, not worth it.    … Expand
  22. praXis
    Sep 3, 2014
    7
    Like quick-time events? Goofy cutscenes? Button mashing? Over-the-top gore? This game is for you!
    Like pathfinding and puzzle-solving to gain access to... you know... tombs? You probably want to buy something else.
    Very pretty game with some nicely designed big maps, but gameplay is uninspired at best, and annoying as hell at worst. Combat and movement is laggy while the camera jerks    Like quick-time events? Goofy cutscenes? Button mashing? Over-the-top gore? This game is for you!
    Like pathfinding and puzzle-solving to gain access to... you know... tombs? You probably want to buy something else.
    Very pretty game with some nicely designed big maps, but gameplay is uninspired at best, and annoying as hell at worst. Combat and movement is laggy while the camera jerks around wildly. Very linear in many sections, and the hand-holding for the console kiddies (despite being a very rated M game) is blatant. Tacked-on terrible multiplayer is worth nothing. Single-player campaign has little to no replay value.
    It's amazing how much good content manages to shine through this though, and ultimately it's a mildly entertaining diversion - for those that can stomach its glaring problems.    … Expand
  23. Mystril
    Mar 28, 2013
    9
    I really enjoyed this game, and on the plus side of things you have: The graphics, the aesthetics, the gameplay, the story, the atmosphere and the fact that the puzzle tombs are an option and not a requirement (though some puzzling and platforming is required for the story, ofcourse). Negatives: The amount of stuff you 'have' to pick up is insane and most of it makes no sense. Relics,I really enjoyed this game, and on the plus side of things you have: The graphics, the aesthetics, the gameplay, the story, the atmosphere and the fact that the puzzle tombs are an option and not a requirement (though some puzzling and platforming is required for the story, ofcourse). Negatives: The amount of stuff you 'have' to pick up is insane and most of it makes no sense. Relics, mushrooms, gps cache's etc. All of this is just dumb, the only things actually worth picking up is the documents, because they add to the story and character development, other than that you just get an xp bonus.

    I would have liked to have the survival aspect of the game more thoroughly pronounced, I like that you have to salvage stuff to create your/upgrade your makeshift weapons, but they should have gone a bit further on that note if you ask me. Hopefully they will do that in the next game.
    I would have loved to see less QTE's aswell, or at least make them more apparent as to what you are supposed to do during the QTE, there was one where all it said was hit the button (not which one) when the circle blinks, and I have a keyboard, so there are lots of buttons to press. Anyway that would go down as a bug and something you can accept, since you will forget it later on.
    Also, stop with the achievement announcements and "model unlocked" stuff that happens almost constantly, it takes away from being completely gripped by the game. I would have been completely swallowed by it had these things not happened.
    A last negative is that the nVidia drivers for the game were horrible, which was both part crystal dynamics and nvidias fault, even if the game is "made for AMD" it makes no sense to have it so horribly optimized as it was for nvidia cards at launch. Crash to desktop, insane fps drops, weird gpu usage etc. This has all been fixed, but still, it should not have happened in the first place.

    My verdict is a 9/10, the issues I have listed are, for me, enough to drag it down a point, but no further... This is a masterpiece, and 2013 has shown to be a great year, so far, for gaming, if you ask me.    … Expand
  24. 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
  25. Zonks
    Mar 14, 2013
    8
    I completed it in a few evenings which probably says more than enough about how much I enjoyed it the story line and character development is engaging and the gameplay is varied enough to rarely get repetitive or boring.

    There are four distinct types of thing that go on in the game: -puzzles -fighting -frantic action scenes -cut scenes The puzzles are fun but a bit simplistic.    I completed it in a few evenings which probably says more than enough about how much I enjoyed it the story line and character development is engaging and the gameplay is varied enough to rarely get repetitive or boring.

    There are four distinct types of thing that go on in the game:

    -puzzles
    -fighting
    -frantic action scenes
    -cut scenes The puzzles are fun but a bit simplistic. You won't be stuck for particularly long with these things none of them require more than a couple of steps and most are pretty straightforward to figure out.

    The fighting isn't great enemies are as lethal as a hippie feather duster and have heads the size of flying saucers, but the combat sequences are short enough that it doesn't get in the way of main gameplay.

    The action scenes are great buildings collapsing all around you whilst dodging flying dbris pretty regularly, but again not so much as to get samey.

    The cut scenes tell a good story, although I did get a bit fed up with occasionally having to randomly press a button at a specific point for little apparent reason.

    Not perfect then, but an enjoyable little romp. Well worth 20 quid anyway; I had fun with this game.    … Expand
  26. 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
  27. RealMuthaF
    Mar 20, 2013
    8
    A successful reboot of a long-going series, the new Tomb Raider is pretty much summing up most of the recent gaming trends in one. The plot reminds of Far Cry 3 (I am aware that they were developed simultaneously) a story of setting the character, "a survivor is born", and of Uncharted (yeah, one can't avoid comparing TR to this action-adventure golden standard) adventuring in mythic landsA successful reboot of a long-going series, the new Tomb Raider is pretty much summing up most of the recent gaming trends in one. The plot reminds of Far Cry 3 (I am aware that they were developed simultaneously) a story of setting the character, "a survivor is born", and of Uncharted (yeah, one can't avoid comparing TR to this action-adventure golden standard) adventuring in mythic lands with supernatural stuff closer to the end. A point where Tomb Raider loses to the mentioned Uncharted series are the secondary characters they aren't near as likeable as in the latter, and mostly worse written the only character you actually get to like is the one that's given sufficient screen time Conrad Roth. I actually felt sorry for the old warrior. The game's overall tone is gritty and dark, and that's what makes the plot quite inconsistent with the gameplay Lara whines and moans a lot (damn frequently the game actually sounds like a porno), cries over her dead comrades and after making her first kill in the cutscenes, but then the gameplay leads you to brutally murder dozens of random people. The gameplay itself is fun, killing (especially with the bow) feel satisfying, puzzles are short but well-made and actually require you to think and action setpieces are gripping. The campaign is structured as Batman: Arkham Asylum, so it isn't exactly open-world, but you may revisit the deserted locations to finish collecting stuff only you won't really want to do it after the main storyline. As for multiplayer, it's quite bland, a poor version of Uncharted's. To sum up, Tomb Raider is not exactly a gem, it doesn't bring anything new to the genre, but nevertheless it's a potent game and a great set-up for the future games (And boy, will there be sequels)… Expand
  28. Tridus
    Oct 14, 2014
    7
    When you're actually allowed to play, the game is pretty fun. The problem is they have this nasty habit of throwing in awful QTEs all over the place, some of which just require flat out memorization of the sequence to get through. I'm docking points for that alone, because they should have known better.
  29. TitaniumDragon
    Jul 1, 2017
    5
    Tomb Raider – or, as it more accurately might be called, QTEs and Shooting From Behind Waist-High Walls – is not a game about raiding tombs. There is only one tomb you “raid” to any meaningful extent as part of the story, and then only at the very end. If you were hoping for a large number of platforming puzzles and overcoming ancient traps and suchlike, you’re going to be disappointed.Tomb Raider – or, as it more accurately might be called, QTEs and Shooting From Behind Waist-High Walls – is not a game about raiding tombs. There is only one tomb you “raid” to any meaningful extent as part of the story, and then only at the very end. If you were hoping for a large number of platforming puzzles and overcoming ancient traps and suchlike, you’re going to be disappointed.

    Tomb Raider is, instead, a cinematic action game. Where the game excels is in movie-like action sequences – bits where you run through a burning building and fight your way out, or run across a disintegrating bridge, or maneuver around a boat which is being shot apart around you. It is in these scenes that the game excels and feels exciting, as Lara Croft makes her way through the environment.

    Sadly, this game offers very little else that excels.

    The game is ostensibly a “how Lara Croft became who she is” story, but at that, it actually doesn’t do a very good job at all. The biggest problem – which I’m afraid is kind of crucial – is that the game does a rather poor job of doing exactly that. Lara Croft apparently learned how to do many things before this game even started, as in the tutorial sections towards the beginning, she constantly refers back to things she learned from other characters. As such, this is really the first time she used those skills.

    Beyond that, I don’t know who Lara Croft is by the end of the game. She is, frankly, a generic power-fantasy action hero who is kind of whiny about it. When she kills a bad guy for the first time, she freaks out a bit and cries – but this is an event which has zero meaningful emotional impact on the audience. The problem is, we’ve all killed bad guys in video games before, and this particular rendition thereof is not particularly remarkable. Worse, Lara Croft herself is a certified badass – perhaps not at the beginning of the game, but by reputation, we know that Lara Croft is one of gaming’s Big Heroes. And indeed, throughout the rest of the game, Lara Croft kills many hundreds of bad guys, with pretty much zero impact.

    As such, the game is already undermining the idea that taking a life is a big deal here at all – mechanically, it isn’t, players have already done all this before, Lara Croft herself is reputationally someone who kills lots of people, and in the game she kills hundreds of people.

    She is scared for much of the game, until she resolves herself at the end, but this is simply not communicated mechanically – you feel powerful as you slaughter your way through hundreds of bad guys. When she starts shaking in the cutscenes after having escaped death and gone through numerous ridiculous movie setpieces, it just doesn’t sell itself to the audience at all emotionally.

    This results in a sharp disconnect between the audience and the character, and indeed, between the character in cutscenes and the character outside of cutscenes, as she is actually played. It just doesn’t work.

    And this means that the entire story falls flat on its face.

    The plot itself is a mess – numerous characters come in and out of the story, but the reality is that there is just no reason to care. There are at least two characters who are introduced to you and then killed off a scene later, negating any possible emotional impact their deaths might have had. The only good guy character who spends any significant amount of time with the player through much of the story is Roth, but his presence, too, is too ephemeral for the player to care about what happens to him, and his eventual fate is not something that the player feels in any way responsible for.

    It doesn’t help that the characters themselves are all extremely flat. Lara talks about her dad’s theories, but we don’t get a good grasp of who were dad was. Sam, the person you’re trying to rescue, is not someone you forge any sort of meaningful emotional bond with as a player – there are a couple of flashback scenes, which I thought were there to try and establish the bonds with the absent characters, but then they end and I’m left going through the rest of the story trying to rescue someone that I have no real emotional connection to. I mean, sure, you’re going to save them – you’re the hero – but as the player, you have no reason to care. Likewise with the rest of the surviving crew, who mostly only show up towards the end of the game.

    The bad guy himself is a standard crazy cult leader/survivalist, and the bad guys are dudes with guns, occasionally mixed up with dudes with machetes and a few dudes with riot shields. Almost everyone you confront throughout the game falls into those categories; there just isn’t enough variety. There’s a handful of wolves, who only feel threatening in any way at the beginning, and a tiny number of "boss-like" enemies - maybe two or three in the entire game, and none are particularly exciting.    … Expand
  30. Liquidlizard
    Aug 3, 2013
    6
    More of a movie than a game. More of a console than PC game. Quick Time events can get annoying and cutscenes are overused. Visually appealing, yet not optimal for PC gamers.
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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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