Tomb Raider (2013) – A Review
Being sick sometimes has it’s advantages. No one wants to be around you, you have a legit reason for not attending events, and better yet, you get to stay home in your PJs and catch up on video games. I have been looking forward to Tomb Raider (2013) ever since it was announced and having con-flu seemed like the perfect excuse to finally get started. Although I knew of Lara Croft, who is probably the most iconic female video character out there, I had surprisingly never played through any of the Tomb Raider games. However, this was probably a thing since I had no idea what to expect, except that I knew I would be going on an awesome adventure.
Tomb Raider essentially starts off with the more “innocent” Lara- one who has never gone on a crazy adventure and definitely not one who has ever shot or killed a person. You go on a journey with her as she gets shipwrecked, learns how to hunt and kill, and most of all, learns how to survive. The game takes you through a series of adventures where you’re trying to find the rest of your crew, but also exploring the mysteries of the island. Once in a while you’ll find a “tomb” and be faced with a short rope/pulley type of puzzle, which is a great side quest away from the norm. And along Lara’s journey, you will get pretty beat up (actually very beat up), see some horrific sights, and go through lots of emotional ups and downs. And even though Lara seems to cry quite a lot in the beginning, you can slowly see her becoming the iconic bad ass that she is known for.
Not only was the game incredibly entertaining, it was beautifully developed and had amazing scenery that felt serene and threatening at the same time. I am not ashamed to admit that climbing up some of those ancient ruins made me incredibly nervous and got my heart racing and my palms sweaty. I also really enjoyed the element of “skill points” and leveling up your weapons and abilities since it paralleled Lara’s growth throughout the game and you could feel her getting more and more hardcore as you made progress. Not only that, but the game is pretty lengthy for an action/adventure game with a huge map and tons to do even after you beat it.
No spoilers here, but by the end of the game, you really feel like you’ve not only accomplished a lot, but that you’ve gone through a lot with Lara. You can really feel Lara’s struggles and her heartbreak and it’s empowering to see what a strong woman she becomes. Crystal Dynamics did an amazing job taking you alongside Lara’s journey and I definitely encourage everyone out there to experience it too.
