In the year since Rise of the Tomb Raider was released on Xbox One, a wealth of content has been added to the already excellent experience. With the game coming to PS4 so much later, many were concerned that the game have lost some of its luster. However, the core experience is still as solid now as it was then. This edition, though, adds a ton of extra content for fans to enjoy.

After unlocking the first campfire in the core game, the DLC unlocked. The main new chunk of content built around Croft Manor is a must-play for fans of the franchise. It is chock-full of franchise references, but more than that it explains much of the lore and storylines that are only hinted at in previous games. After playing through the combat-free exploration DLC I found myself with a greater appreciation for Lara character and experience; I now understand so much more about what drives her. In many ways, this was a Tomb Raider version of Gone Home, in the best possible meaning of the comparison.

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Sure, longtime fans might be irritated by perceived “Daddy issues”, but once you discover more of the DLC you can see that it all goes much deeper than that and Lara’s motivations are much more nuanced than previously presented. Plus, it feels incredibly creepy and stressful, even without any combat or imminent threats. There are, however, some collectibles that will only appear once the core game is completed.

The map used for exploration doubles as an environment for a zombie mode DLC. For those of you who just want to run around shooting all the things as Lara, you will probably enjoy this experience. I wish I could say the tight halls and spooky atmosphere evoked a Resident Evil sensation in me, but it didn’t quick click the way I had hoped. It’s still a relatively fun mode, but not one that I would return to without a big incentive.

As for the other DLC experiences, they are heavily reliant on the card modifiers mentioned at the end of our original review. Simply playing the 20 year celebration unlocks a plethora of cards that can be used to make multiplayer experiences easier or more challenging, with the usual score modifiers attached. These card packs can also unlock the different expeditions available, opening up enormous DLC maps that are used for a myriad of challenges and adventures for Lara. However, some of these reference plot points and characters in the core game, so if you dive into the DLC before completing the game, you might experience some ludonarrative dissonance.

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My favourite was the endurance expedition, which turns the game into a survival experience. Players must manage Lara’s warmth and food levels, hunting and gathering in the wilderness while searching for artifacts and landmarks. It is a challenging game mode, which can be made slightly easier by playing in coop. However, the net code isn’t too great and even on fiber I was often warned that my connection wasn’t good enough to play with other people. The DLC modes are generally the least stable offerings, often leading to game crashes.

As much as I enjoyed navigating the various DLC, I found it much more regimented than the core game. Slow and stealthy approaches aren’t always as possible and the platforming is often based on one route in or out instead of the myriad of options presented in the core game. The maps and gameplay can still be a lot of fun (it was so satisfying taking down the chemical plants), but they can feel restrictive despite their large map sizes.

The core experience, though, is still incredibly solid. The controls on PS4 are much the same as they were in the last Tomb Raider game, but with enough tutorial moments to teach or remind new comers and veterans alike. If you’ve been waiting to play Rise of the Tomb Raider until it came to PlayStation 4, the wait is finally over and you can enjoy a fantastic game. If, however, you’ve already played the core game and are considering picking this up just for access to some of the DLC, you might not find it as worthwhile.

[Original review follows below]

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Creating a good sequel is difficult. It needs to be able to improve on the established success of its predecessor while simultaneously fixing everything that was wrong with it. It’s tasked with making progress while holding onto the past – a near impossible feat in a medium where individual parts aren’t easily stripped and changed without consequence to the rest of the system. Making the perfect sequel is nearly impossible.

Rise of the Tomb Raider, however, is exactly that in every sense of the word. It’s bigger, bolder and a far more engrossing outing for Lara Croft in her latest expedition. It’s a game that will probably define her future for year to come.

It starts with expected change though. Gone is the fragile, almost novice Lara Croft, replaced by a determined archaeologist who has a fiercer taste for the unknown after her supernatural experiences on her last outing. Seeing the impossible has led Lara to question a lot in her life – but no more than the once insane ramblings of her beloved father before his unexpected passing prior to the events of the first game. Lara is more determined than ever to prove the impossible now, clearing her father’s name and reinstating Croft into a more favourable side of history.

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What this involves seems just as absurd, and it’s difficult not to wonder if Lara’s father was indeed mad at the outset. The late Lord Croft was on the trail of immortality, seeking out the legendary city of Kitehz in pursuit of The Divine Source – a religious artefact that possesses the power to cure all sickness, heal all wounds. In a few words, the end to death itself. A prize that large doesn’t go unnoticed, and a generationally strong religious cult known as Trinity is soon hot on Lara’s trail in a race against time to seek out this single answer to all of life’s corporeal problems.

It’s a tale that wildly swings from one plot twist to the next, but never manages to lose your interest throughout. Part of the reason the entire narrative manages to maintain so much momentum through familiar beats is thanks, in no small part, to the stellar cast. Lara experiences her own personal growth here – coming to terms with what consequences her globe-trotting treasure-seeking travels bring to everyone around her, and how her thirst for the unknown has the dangerous side of becoming an infectious addiction to her own detriment.

On the other hand you have Rise’s most compelling new face – the imposing antagonist that is Konstantin. The leader of Trinity is ruthless in his pursuit of the Divine Source, hiring the worst of the worst to his cause that he deems a holy one. Konstantin is a complicated foe despite his brutish exterior, revealing a more complex character the more you learn about him and his religious obsession. Rise of the Tomb Raider isn’t afraid to dabble in some dark themes with him, with ideals of stigmata, messiahs and the question of creation itself not out-of-bounds throughout.

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It’s because of this that Rise of the Tomb Raider’s much darker tale feels a lot more grounded too – even if it still steers into the fictional in its 15 hour campaign. There’s a very human side to everyone you encounter, each with their own justifiable motivations and flaws. Most of this is communicated through the many tapes and documents scattered around the game, which provide some excellent insight into the main cast (and unidentified soldiers) through some truly great writing.
It’s writing so good that it borders on the disturbing as times, especially when it comes to analysing some of the ruthless killers that Trinity have hired. Hearing their accounts of kills is spine chilling, and it cements the tone of the title into place very early on.

These little story tit bits only make up a small portion of the hundreds of collectibles on offer too, with Rise of the Tomb Raider making full use of its seamless switch from linear action adventure to sandbox gameplay. In expanding the game’s world, you’re given three massive hubs to explore to your hearts content, filled to the brim with distractions to keep your mind off the main story. Whether it’s taking relatively shallow side missions or hunting the local wildlife, Rise of the Tomb Raider balances exhilarating set-pieces and tranquil downtime with elegance, and it’s pacing that Crystal Dynamics has down to an art.

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Of course a main component of this is Tombs – environmental puzzles that force you to make use of Lara’s various different tools in ways that normal gameplay doesn’t really demand. These Tombs are large, sequestered areas in themselves, each with enough visual variety to stand out from the rest. They all involve some sort of physics-based trickery, offering a gameplay-altering reward in exchange, and they’re a massive step up from the ones featured in the reboot. They’re captivating to seek out and engrossing to undertake, and encompass some of the best parts that this sequel has to offer.

These tools also go to great lengths to ensure that exploration isn’t simply trivial, but exciting to undertake too. Lara is able to scale buildings, trees and suicidal mountain cliffs as well as the rest of the pack, but the way Rise of the Tomb Raider keeps you on your feet at all times makes it all the more captivating. It’s no simple matter of jumping and shimmying around. It’s an almost choreographed dance of button presses, demanding good timing, a keen awareness and often tight reflexes to succeed.

Whether it’s hitting X to entrench your picks into ice, or throwing out your grappling hook in the hope that it snags a distant ledge, Rise of the Tomb Raider makes the simple act of platforming and exploration an absolute treat. To the point where I tried my utmost best to forget about the fast travel system between campsites.

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This improvement in control leaks into gunplay as well, which feels a lot tighter than the floaty aiming of the reboot. Getting your eye in with the iconic bow still takes some time, but as soon as your arsenal grows switching between weapons mid fire fight becomes a breeze. And that’s only if you choose to engage in that manner – with Rise of the Tomb Raider often encouraging you to stick to the shadows. Attaining stealth kills from bushes is made easy with the Batman-esque Instincts Vision, but quietly moving around in enemy camps while picking Trinity members off one by one is a treat.

And, this time, it’s doesn’t feel at all at odds with the narrative the game is trying to tell. Rise of the Tomb Raider is dark in theme, and even darker in the events it portrays, not shying away from scenes of torturous interrogation, ruthless executions and one particularly gruesome hall painted red in the blood of enemies. Lara is fighting for her life here, and against some truly terrible people – so it makes a little more sense this time.

And while gunplay might work, Rise of the Tomb Raider still struggles to hold its own when it comes to raw hand-to-hand combat. Here the simple dodge and counter QTE makes a return, but it’s too loosely implemented to be a viable fall-back in case an enemy makes up too much ground too quickly. The camera flicks wildly around and you lose sight of your target far too easily – a disappointing piece of combat that is otherwise as slick as rain.

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Fortunately the camera behaves itself everywhere else, which is great considering just how gorgeous Rise of the Tomb Raider consistently is. It’s easily one of the most beautiful titles of the year, blending varied environments seamlessly together while letting them all pop with an incredible amount of detail. The snow-capped mountains of Siberia look absolutely splendid, as do the various waterlogged tombs that you’ll find yourself struggling to solve.

Lighting is exquisite here, and there’s nothing more pleasing than seeing Lara crack a glow stick in a dark cave, only for the claustrophobic darkness to retreat from a warm, amber glow. It’s easily the most beautiful game on the Xbox One right now, and it manages to do so while keeping reasonably close to a locked 30FPS at most times.

The little animation details add to this too, with Lara feeling as human as she’s ever been in Rise of the Tomb Raider. She’ll often ring the water out her hair when you hop out of a small river, and lightly brush her hands against walls you get close to. There’s moments too where she transfers some bloody fingerprints on to passing rocks, as she struggles to keep on her feet after a gruelling encounter. They’re small details that go a long way to making Lara feel real, and they show an incredible attention to detail on Crystal Dynamic’s front. The writing too, cements Lara as a person first, and as an ass-kicking Tomb Raider second – and it’s only made better by Camilla Luddington’s incredible performance as Lara.

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With Rise of the Tomb Raider stripped (thankfully) of a soulless multiplayer, there’s a lot of single-player content on offer. Once the lengthy campaign is complete (in an extraordinary final act I might add), there’s the option to tackle missions for leaderboard scores using a variety of modifiers (which can be purchased with real money or earned in-game). You’re also free to mop up any remaining side missions, collect all the parts of weapons you may have missed or simply hunt for any remaining outfits to kit out Lara with. There’s reason to go back – maybe not right away, but it’s an adventure that you’re easily going to want to experience all over again at some point.

 

Last Updated: October 14, 2016

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 year celebration
Crystal Dynamics have effortlessly done the impossible with Rise of the Tomb Raider, crafting a sequel that is superior to their reboot in every single way possible. It’s a bigger, more expansive experience that has a captivating narrative, engrossing gameplay loops and an absolutely stunning presentation. Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of the best action games ever crafted, and a generational leap forward as the series looks towards the horizon. Lara Croft is in good hands.
9.2
Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 year celebration was reviewed on PlayStation 4

13 Comments

  1. Admiral Chief

    October 14, 2016 at 14:14

    I need it!

    Reply

  2. VampyreSquirrel

    October 14, 2016 at 14:15

    Hopefully it hits epic sale status for Halloween or Xmas so I can get it on PC 😛

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      October 14, 2016 at 14:19

      Same

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief

        October 14, 2016 at 14:22

        Same Same

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

          October 14, 2016 at 14:23

          But different?

          Reply

  3. Alien Emperor Trevor

    October 14, 2016 at 14:18

    As someone who’s played & finished the main game, I don’t see any point to buying the 20th anniversary DLC. Zombies & a bit of background info for a story I’ve mostly forgotten – pass.

    Reply

  4. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    October 14, 2016 at 14:18

  5. RinceThis

    October 14, 2016 at 14:50

    A must buy!

    Reply

  6. Miss Kenton

    October 16, 2016 at 11:34

    Yet another new style tomb raider that I won’t be able to play as it’s all shoot em ups. ????

    Reply

  7. Fox1 - Retro

    October 17, 2016 at 11:36

    Such an amazing game. The Xbox One has come full 360 in the graphics department since launch. The attention to character detail across RoTR, QB and Gears 4 continues from Ryse.

    Reply

  8. Sweetbrandigirl2004

    October 17, 2016 at 17:01

    I’m NOT buying ANYTHING from SE ever ! None of my money will go to rewarding their betrayal of their fanbase I don’t care how many DLC or skins or free this or thats they give away with this game. It’s all one big please forgive us for fucking you over PS community scam by SE. Please help us make more money because if you don’t buy it this game will be a failure since you make up the majority of our TR fanbaseand we didn’t get enough Microsoft money. Wha Wha ! I play it someday when I can pick it up for $5.00 out of the bargain bin but I’m not giving SE a dime !

    Reply

  9. Brian Leslie

    October 27, 2016 at 01:08

    Wow, what an exceptionally written review! Great sentence flow and cadence. You have a great way of mixing highbrow thoughts (“ludonarrative dissonance”) with informed gamer-ish enthusiasm. Bookmarking this site for sure.

    Reply

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