Gamesplanet Review Round Up: Rise of the Tomb Raider

Ah Lara Croft, a girl that's been around since the 90's and is just as important in gaming culture as Mario and Sonic. Back in 2013 we saw a rebooted Tomb Raider which told the story of Lara's origin and what made her a Tomb Raider, now we're going even deeper with the sequel Rise of the Tomb Raider.

The game has already been out on Xbox One for a couple of months and has finally made it's way onto PC, the question remains how much of the game is improved and are there any problems with it? After spending about 15 hours in the game I can say there are some problems with the port but they never ruined my experience and my machine is pretty beefy which didn't cause me problems running the game with everything up as high as possible - though reports of people with a machine like mine have had really bad problems. Gameplay is much like the 2013 release focusing on open world exploring mixed with story, the combat hasn't changed too much from the previous game but it's been expanded with more skills to learn. Graphically the game looks gorgeous (provided you can run it), the facial animation has really been improved and Lara looks fantastic now compared to the original model. There is so much to do and I am still nowhere near the end of the game, I believe in total I am 49% for completion so I'll be spending a fair amount of time before the end.

But enough of my personal opinion, let's see what the critics said!

Let's go on another adventure.

Jumping straight into it we have the review from GameWatcher which awarded it 9.0 out of 10. One of the biggest problems with the previous game was the lack of tombs to raid, luckily Rise of the Tomb Raider has plenty to explore with each one giving an incentive to do them, They’re completely optional, but they feel completely essential, not just because they provide fun exploration, but because they add useful new skills to Lara’s repertoire and tell interesting, self-contained stories through small handfuls of collectibles. The story was such a driving force for the game with more character development and deeper facial expressions, it's one of the biggest highlights. Rise of the Tomb Raider has likable characters who have real struggles amid the mystical wonders they’re chasing down.

Onto PCGamesN who also gave it 9 out of 10, crafting upgrades for yourself makes a return and has been expanded to allow more freedom on your gear. Wood, feathers, scrap, and various furs are the components needed to improve and upgrade weapons, so there’s a little more seeking and hunting required. It's a system that worked well and still does, the tweaking that's been done while it might appear minor hasn't really changed things and that's a good thing. Weapon upgrades are split into tiers and unlocking them may require a tool and finding resources but that's part of the fun!

Metro GameCentra also enjoyed the game, some new gameplay elements such as learning languages to translate ruins can lead to hidden things is a nice addition. The gameplay balance in Rise Of The Tomb Raider is quite different from the reboot, and although some may baulk at the continued prominence of QTE sequences they’re at least integrated into the game with some degree of flair. Another new feature is the expeditions challenge mode which uses existing levels with restrictions on time or even equipement, it's a change of pace from the main story but perhaps not something everyone is going to enjoy. The old style Tomb Raider is never coming back, but this is a more satisfying compromise than the reboot and an impressive technical feat. They gave the game an 8 out of 10.

Lastly we've got the review from PCGamer who gave it 83 out of 100. One great addition to the game is the ability to craft resources such as arrows whenever you want (if you have the maaterials to make them), it's such a refreshing thing should you find yourself without ammo. You craft combat tools by holding the middle-mouse button, thus keeping your keyboard hand free to control Lara's movements. As a result, scrabbling between cover while grabbing and arming a can is a frictionless process. It gives combat a welcome feeling of fluidity. As with the last game, Rise of the Tomb Raider features quite a bit for collecting, from various documents and artifacts to weapon parts and outfits. The collecting may at times become a chore but tombs might have a useful skill that'll help you out, Each area is packed with things to find, and the rewards for hunting out collectibles often makes their presence worthwhile.

Yes the game has issues and some might struggle with getting it to run but if you enjoyed the original you'll certainly have fun playing this game. It's clear they put so much time into making this an improvement over the original without breaking what made that game special. Adventure fans are going to find plenty to keep them busy with a huge open world to explore filled with puzzles, collectibles and wild life. Let's hope we see Lara in another adventure again soon because it's a joy playing as her!

Go hunt tombs with our 25% off discount and see how the game is yourself!

• Craig Bishop