Gamers logo

'Shadow of the Tomb Raider' Review

Just a Quick Review of One of My Favorite Series

By Elijah TaylorPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
Like
Image

You begin in an eerie survival atmosphere where you feel tense and have a few quick time events thrown in. The graphics, the outfit and the detail reaches a level of perfection that Square Enix really went over the top for.

I'm only approximately 30-minutes in. However, I have played the previous game and the mechanics are similar. Laura's movement is a lot smoother. One thing I really respect about Square Enix is they sexualize her way less than a lot of Croft's older games. They have a perfect balance of femininity and action (what I've played so far anyway).

The combat is a lot smoother than the previous game and the stealth element is extremely upgraded. You can now hide on vine walls and each kill is executed with a deadly blow. The mechanics, the graphics, and the overall story enchants from the very beginning.

There's no slow start, it's easy to follow and doesn't bog you down as much with the tutorials. I don't want to write any spoilers, but if you're debating buying the game, it is definitely worth the money. Plus, if you've played the previous game, you automatically unlock her old outfits (which is always a huge plus in my book).

Another thing I noticed is Laura's personality is a lot more mature. She is more focused on her tasks and brash. In the previous game her personality seemed more boring not as suiting. So far with the dialogue and how she responds, it fits a lot better.

The puzzles are tricky from the start though. Generally when you first encounter a puzzle in a game, you can tell what to expect from that point on. The first puzzle threw me off for a little bit. It took a bit longer than I expected to complete it. That being said, with the mechanics being upgraded my only tip, if you are having trouble would be to adjust your brightness.

As far as the combat goes, stealth is going to be your favorite. The executions of the animation are outstanding as well as their outcome. Stealth kills are a lot more rewarding emotion wise than a lot of other games I have encounter. Shadow of Mordor is one of my favorite combat series due to the brutal nature of the combat.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider's mechanics make it about survival. Each kill, you are sure your enemy is dead and you get the feeling of a slight psychopath while you do it but hey, if the setting is right and as long as you don't get that urge in real life...

Speaking of survival mechanics, I noticed that within the 30-minutes of gameplay, there were at least two outfit changes. The one complaint I had about the previous game was that the outfits seemed limited, and when they did change, it usually was after several missions. More outfit changes, means more fashion choices for each base camp, so I'm excited to see what other wardrobe additions are going to be added as I progress through the game.

Blending into crowds, and talking with some of the locals is one of the first missions that you have. Walking through the town square, you can see each attention to detail with the moon captured in ways that I've never seen before, to fireworks lighting up the night sky. From the beginning it's a true sight to behold.

Combat is relatively simple, however the executions and AI close-combat is more enhanced than the previous game. While stealth may be the best way to go (and the most appropriate as far as the game is concerned), firing assault weapons is far more accurate than you would expect, and every drawback of the bow feels like you're in the action.

So far from what I have seen, it is not a game to disappoint. If you have any questions about whether or not to buy it, do it. You won't be disappointed.

action adventure
Like

About the Creator

Elijah Taylor

I guess I just took the term, "Gay Rights" to a whole other level.

https://www.paypal.me/ETaylor220

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.