A reader discuss the Tomb Raider reboot trilogy and why he feels theyre underrated by many gamers, especially when compared to Uncharted.
Having just completed Uncharted 4, reading the mixed responses in the Inbox to the next Tomb Raider game has got me wondering why Tomb Raider isnt more loved.
Rise Of The Tomb Raider was hands down a much better game than Uncharted 4, just head and shoulders above in every regard of gameplay. Conversely Uncharted just oozes charm and as the game is still solid creates a very enjoyable package. Because of this you can understand why Uncharted would receive more love from gamers.
But the weird irony is that many of the best games have very vague, or non-existent, stories and characters. Attempts to expand them can fall flat on their face, Metroid: Other M being the most famous example.
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I remember playing Uncharted 2 and thinking the game wasnt even a patch on Prince Of Persia: Sands Of Time, a game that was at that point seven years old. I almost forced my way through what was for me a 5/10 game. The reason i forced my way through it was that it had great cut scenes and, even more importantly, a good script during not only the set pieces but the incidental moments between characters. This was a masterstroke and lifts the game to be a very enjoyable romp and gets you through the clucky gameplay with aplomb.
Ive never played Uncharted 1 (I do own it) simply because Ive heard that 2 was a much improved game than the first one and I doubt I would be able to play through something even worse. Thankfully YouTube has a nice Uncharted movie so I managed to watch Nates first adventure instead.
Uncharted has a formula that other Sony exclusives like inFamous or Killzone lack and that is a narrative that papers over the cracks of average games. All three games that Ive played I would now rate very highly, even though I know I had more fun listening and watching than I did with the controller. Although that being said it is worth stating that the gameplay in Uncharted 4 is a huge improvement over the older games and is finally good rather than just satisfactory.
Conversely, the recent Tomb Raider games have been far more impressive. Both have had great level design and even a nice Metroidvania lite system that, especially in Rise, open up the large levels in a very satisfying way.
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Personally, I even liked the Tomb Raider reboots narrative. I thought the gritty (dour from others perspective) story was entertaining enough and the one-dimensional supporting crew members just about served their purpose and were a basis to add character and charm for the sequel.
Unfortunately, the sequel didnt choose to do this/ I only remember Jonah returning and his character was fleshed out in only the most emaciated of ways… If there were other cast members then I would guess they received nothing more than lip service inclusion. But even so I thought the tale was entertaining and served its purpose, even if its ambitions should have been reaching higher.
Everyone is obsessed with trilogies for some reason and we see that Shadow Of The Tomb Raider is the final part of this origin story, and looks even darker than the first two. With luck this will end with a cathartic realisation that holding onto hate will destroy you blah blah blah and open up the next Tomb Raider game to be a fun-loving rip-roaring adventure with a meaningful supporting cast and hopefully additional strong female characters.
But even without looking forward to the evolution of Lara into a charming globe-trotting treasure hunter we still have two, and potentially three, top class games that should be regarded as some of the best adventure games on any format. I would implore anyone who has not played them to give them a try and considering the cost of each to buy them now (or to just play on Game Pass) they are well worth your time.
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For me Shadow Of The Tomb Raider is a game that should be on every gamers wish list and the idea of more of the same should still be welcome from what is already a top tier game.
By reader irve77 (gamertag/PSN ID)
The readers feature does not necessary represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
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