In these hubs she can raid challenge tombs to unlock new rewards, complete side missions, and scavenge for resources which can be used to craft useful materials.ĭevelopment of Rise of the Tomb Raider closely followed the conclusion of development of the 2013 reboot. Lara must traverse the environment and combat enemies with firearms and stealth as she explores semi- open hubs. Its story follows Lara Croft as she ventures into Siberia in search of the legendary city of Kitezh while battling the paramilitary organization Trinity, which intends to uncover the city's promise of immortality. It is the sequel to the 2013 video game Tomb Raider and the eleventh entry in the Tomb Raider series. Though there aren’t any specific new mechanics designed around co-operative interaction, exploring tombs and surviving the dangers of the wild together is enjoyable, albeit only initially, as the well-trodden gameplay loop fails to capture your attention beyond a couple of playthroughs.Rise of the Tomb Raider is a 2015 action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Microsoft Studios and Square Enix's European subsidiary. As with every survival-crafting scenario, adding the option for co-operative play does improve the entertainment value of the experience-but only to a limited extent. This bonus expedition level was originally released as a single-player endeavour back in January of this year, and it borrowed many elements from the survival-crafting genre to create a fun-but-familiar experience whereby players gather resources, raid tombs and kill bad guys while adapting to the harsh conditions of the snowy environments. The final new addition to the game is an integrated co-operative option for the game’s Endurance mode. Zombie modes have been done a thousand times before, and they’ve been done better elsewhere. Though there are objectives to complete, and the groaning zombies make for entertaining cannon fodder, the mode loses its staying power all too quickly. While Blood Ties feels like an important new chapter in this iteration of the Tomb Raider series, Lara’s Nightmare instead comes across as something that was hastily thrown together. PlayStation VR owners can also try out Blood Ties with their swanky new headset, though CGM hasn’t been able to test this option out at this time.īlood Ties may be a sombre, story-driven affair, but players who would rather recreate their more hyperactive memories of playing around in Croft Manor can instead jump into Lara’s Nightmare a new expedition mode in which Lara must face off against hordes of spectral zombie enemies within her own home. While it doesn’t quite hit the emotional highs of The Fullbright Company’s indie hit, players are able to unravel some enlightening new revelations about Lara’s heritage and the Croft family history, significantly enriching the rebooted Tomb Raider lore in the process.
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Those who aren’t fans of the walking simulator may want to steer clear of this mode, as the extent of interaction is limited to collecting documents and solving minor environmental puzzles, but that’s not to say this two-hour escapade is without merit. Instead, this leisurely exploration of the Croft Manor-in which Lara must search for proof of her rights to the building-plays out like a Tomb Raider spin-off on Gone Home a title that has clearly been a source of inspiration here. It’s important to emphasis the “story” part of that description, as there is no combat or action of any sort to speak of. The first mode, Blood Ties, is billed as an isolated story adventure.