Tomb Raider GOTY

If you expect the puzzle- and dexterity-oriented gameplay of the first 3 (to 6) Tomb Raider games of the 1990s era, this game will probably disappoint you, because everything was dumbed down enough (on 'normal' difficulty) to be sold well to the masses in 2013. Nevertheless, the basic gameplay (e.g. bow and arrow shooting), story and visuals are quite nice and entertaining. On the story side the transition from the completely innocent Lara to the cold-blooded killer Lara within the first hour of gameplay appears a bit too abrupt, but this can be forgivng by realizing two things, namely: - Developing several modes of 'transition' gameplay (between inncocent Lara and killer Lara) would be very challenging, if not impossible, for the developers. - If you really want to, it is possible to sneak through quite some (but not all) parts of the games without the need for killing enemies, although this way of playing is never incentiviced to the player. All in all, a solid and entertaining entry to the Tomb Raider series, with some points for improvement.

Great game all round - good story, nice levels, good graphics, fun gameplay. Only issue is the camera 'jank' which comes in now and then to 'add challenge' but is actually just annoying. The same happens with character controls where the player controls become slowed and/or unresponsive - intended to make some situations challenging but really just feels annoying. Also, the quick time events are guaranteed to give you carpal tunnel. Still, definitely a worthwhile game.

A bit of a rail-shooter, which isn't my favorite. The writing is pretty milquetoast, but the voice-acting is actually pretty good. Action is really pretty thrilling and cinematic. This is essentially a chick-protagonist Uncharted, and that's not a bad thing. It's pretty darn close to being the star of a decent action movie. I don't know if I'll replay it -- seems like most of the dialogue and cutscenes are pretty yawnworthy, and the whole collectible thing isn't worth the effort other than XP, but it's been pretty darned fun so far. I mean... apart from the fact that any normal human being who goes through what Lara goes through would be dead about 305 times. But still... good, escapist thrill ride. Thumbs up.

I've enjoyed playing this in 2025. - The story, though predictable, nonsensical, and full of tropes is enjoyable. - Exploration is fun despite mostly relying on a single, predetermined route. - Graphics are dated but continue to hold up. - It's fun collecting salvage even if the choices aren't especially impactful. Some cons, both opiniated and technical: - too much combat for my taste, and the NPCs are excessively aggressive even on Easy. - poor weapon system, requiring 2 buttons. - audio crackle, may be due to the game's age and drivers. Overall an enjoyable game and worth playing through once, in my opinion.

Tomb Raider (2013) is not all that like Tomb Raider games prior to it. The game all but abandons the puzzle-platforming the series was known for outside of a few instances that feature light puzzle-platforming near the end of the game and in the optional tombs hidden throughout. Instead the game borrows from Uncharted, becoming a cinematic third-person shooter. While overdone in the modern day, and even at the time this game released, Tomb Raider (2013) still holds up, its nothing too special but it's still fun, and while I may not care too much for the characters outside of Lara, Sam (for all intents and purposes her love interest), and Roth, those 3 make the game for me story wise. If you have time to kill and aren't already flooded with cinematic third-person shooters, I say give this game a shot.