Oh. My. God.
This game.........is..........amazing.
I've been saying that since I beat it. It was truly one of the greatest games I have ever played, and deserves, in my opinion, perfect 10s across the board.
But what makes this game stand out from the rest? Let's take a look.
First up, story. This game is another reboot of the "Tomb Raider" franchise, once again changing the back story of the main character, Lara Croft. But this time, you get to actually experience the journey that morphs Lara from the nerdy brains girl into the nerdy brains+hardened warrior that the rest of the series builds on. Lara is on an expedition to the Dragon's Triangle when a storm destroys the boat and she is stranded on an island with the rest of the crew. She must survive against rabid animals, insane and violent natives, and the supernatural. I won't spoil everything, but I will say that the game makes you care about every character (with the exception of Reyes) and you somewhat understand where the villains are coming from (doesn't make you feel sorry for killing them, thought).
Next, sound. The music sounds like it was scored by John Williams. Every song feels like danger and suspense, or survival and hope. Each song also fits the situation it's in. For example, Lara finds herself trapped in a burning palace, and has to escape. The music is fast paced, and speeds up whenever Lara encounters a savage. The sound effects also sound real, like the weapons firing, explosions, or structures falling.
Up next, graphics. This game looks completely realistic, and more importantly, Lara looks like a real person instead of her Barbie-doll figure. The fire looks like real fire, the rusted buildings look like real rusted buildings, the blood looks like real blood, and the list goes on and on.
Finally, game play. I haven't played "Uncharted", so I don't know too much about that game, but a lot of people I know have compared this to game to "Uncharted". However, since I haven't played "Uncharted" I will not be comparing to that game. But, regardless, the game play has a very cinematic feel to it. Almost no HUD icons appear, and when they do, it's something you need, like an ammo counter. The puzzles were fairly challenging to me, and I needed my brother's help to solve a few. Combat feels flawless, as the controls allow for smooth aiming and precision head shots. There were a few firefights that felt like they were never going to end, but they are far and few between. The controls respond 100% of the time, so if you die, it's your fault.
The only real cautionary thing about this game is the rating. This is the first "Tomb Raider" game rated M for Mature, and it deserves it. There is violent combat, as every single gunshot causes blood spray, and the Solarii (the natives) groan (sometimes scream) in pain as they die. Lara can die by implosion, gunfire, being crushed, falling, any real violent way to die is included in this game. Probably the most memorable moment of gore in this game is a little more than halfway through, where Lara knocks out two guards, takes her bow back (all her weapons were taken), and she jumps off the rock bridge into the chasm below. She lands in a river of blood, surrounded by skulls and and tied-up corpses. As someone who can handle "Left 4 Dead"-level gore, that caused me to jerk my head back in shock. I still remember that few minutes more than any other part of the game. If bloody violence bothers you or unsettles you, be wary when you pick this game up.
To sum it all up, the story is great, the sound is fitting, the graphics are realistic, and the game play is near perfect. Just make sure you can handle the gore. I need to have my mind wiped, just so I can play it again, and feel it again.
You're still here? Why? Go get it!
