If you have played any of the previous 2 Tomb Raider games, then you will know how they improved over the course of time. Shadow just shows you how developers can just create a base and build upon it over time. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is very similar to the other games, but this time, it feels like it has been polished and developed the perfect way. Obviously, this is a spoiler free video so don’t worry about the game being spoiled for you. Here is a rundown of all the aspects of the game.
Story
The first thing I am going to point out is the story. It seems like they put more work into the main characters because you feel like you are closer to them by the end of the game. This game is the longest game so far so they had a lot of time to work on the character development.
The game basically starts off with you and your friend Jonah crashing into a Peruvian rainforest from a massive storm. It then shows you how you got to the point you are at and why you are in Peru. You are trying to find a special box to alter the course of humanity.
A Mayan Apocalypse was set into motion when you took a special dagger off of a pedestal and it is your job to stop it. I know I can’t really go into any other details for spoiler reasons, but the story is very good. You have to play the game to understand exactly what I am talking about.
Combat
The combat in the game is probably the best in the series. From covering yourself in mud and stealth killing enemies to running and gunning your way to victory, you can pretty much play however you want. As you progress, you get a ton of choices for weapons and you can also upgrade each individual weapon.
The bow just feels so powerful and you can also get an arrow that makes an enemy turn on its friends. The combat is very clean and developed in this game. It seems like the combat in this game is lowered compared to the other games, but it lets you focus on exploration and upgrades even more.
Upgrades and Skills
The upgrade and skill system in the game are actually soo polished, that I wish every game had one like it. Each weapon has a certain number of upgrades you can get for them and it is not too complicated. It seemed like I was always completing all these weapon’s upgrades that there were so many good weapons to choose from.
I have to say that material collection in this game has never been easier. It makes for a very relaxing time when exploring. The skill tree is the coolest one I have seen in a game. It has all been placed onto one screen and it is color coded by the type of upgrade it is.
I have never been impressed with the skill tree screens before, but this one takes the cake for the best one I have seen. It also fits the atmosphere very well. If you like a very well done menu system, then this game has it all.
Puzzles
One major thing I do have to mention are the puzzles in the game. There are many ways to do these puzzles whether it is by playing the main story or exploring an optional tomb. The puzzles are all different and they all have these unique looks to them. Some are not easy, but that is what makes it fun. There are also a bunch of DLC challenge tombs that you can play either by yourself or if a friend owns the game.
They feel short, but if you try to play the different modes, it can pose a real challenge. The way you complete puzzles is even better in this game because it was almost like they took all the good stuff from the previous game and turned it into one giant game. The puzzles are one of the best parts of the game.
Exploration
The exploration in this game has been boosted from the previous ones. There is just so much to find and explore. Whether it be documents, chests, or artifacts, the game never ceases to impress with the amount of stuff to do. You can also talk to people to find clues on where there are new items. The exploration is a big part of this game so keep that in mind before buying it.
Graphics
The graphics in this game blew me away. I always wondered why people used this game as a benchmark for new and improved PC specs, but now I know why. In the previous games, there were a few areas in the game that made me just stare at the areas and views, but Shadow of the Tomb Raider gave me that pretty much the entire game.
It was like I never got bored of looking at anything. From the lighting to the textures, everything seemed perfect. I wonder what it is like playing it with RTX on. Even the menu impressed me with the models of people and animals and also the physics in the game is amazing.
Albeit, the Tomb Raider games didn’t have realistic movements like real life, but I can excuse that because it is a video game. When you walk through mud, you feel like you are walking through actual mud. It moves out of the way and you sort of get stuck in it. The developers did a great job with this game and the graphics just blew me away.
Music
The music in the game is a very different track because they took classical music and mixed it with South American music. It is actually pretty genius if you think about it, but it just makes the atmosphere of the game better than it already is. Whether you are exploring a dark cave or running away from a jaguar through a rainforest, it seemed like there was always a soundtrack for everything. I would say this game is the best of the Tomb Raider games.
Buy or Pass?
To sum it all up, this game is a definite buy. If you are a fan of the previous 2 Tomb Raider games, then you will love this game. It is like they took everything good from the other 2 games and created a game from it. I would buy it at full price because there is so much content packed into this game. From exploration to side quests, there is just so much to do. It definitely is worth your money.
