(Originally written Jan. 31, 2009)
I will start by saying that I do appreciate being able to choose just how much skin I can see on my heroine, however, when this is the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of positives, it’s a given that this game came up lacking. Yes, the levels were designed well (and beautifully), I had major fun anytime I was driving around on the motorcycle (though I will admit to overdoing it with my e-brake and road kill moments), and the puzzles were never impossible to solve, but I was still hoping for more.
The thing that I found most frustrating was how Lara would react to her environment. Sure, the first time she climbed a stone path on a cliff I thought it was pretty amazing, but by about the 10th time of jumping to my death I was starting to scream at the screen, telling Lara that not only was she a disappointment to me and all of the numerous 6 year olds scaling the trees in their yard, but an embarrassment to the Prince of Persia as well. Then again, Nathan Drake is a far better comparison. After all, the Prince had Elika to pull him out of his more pathetic moments. He never had to unleash Lara’s scream in terror as she tumbled to her death like a rag doll.
But unfortunately for Lara this is not where the comparisons to Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune end. Not only are Lara’s controls in Tomb Raider far weaker, but also there are major issues with camera angles, the story is far weaker, and the gunplay is pretty bad. Because of the lack of a cover system, my attack strategy involved running head first at people hoping that I could knock them from their feet with my flying kicks before my health status moved past the point of no return. Eventually Lara does retrieve Thor’s Hammer, making battle satisfactory for once, and instead of riddling bodies with a barrage of bullets, it was finally time to unleash your best “swing away” moment, maniacally laughing as the baddies go flying through the air.
In the end this is a satisfactory game, but unfortunately it will be overshadowed by the other games of its genre.
Final Grade: 7.0
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