I could just end the article here. It is simply amazing. I love puzzles, I love pretty landscapes, but most of all, I love kick-ass girl characters – so this game ticks all the boxes, and then some.
I’m not going to spoil the story (mainly because I’m not very far in, and I’ve been streaming every time I play if you wanted to watch!), but so far I’ve been blown away. The detail of the scenery has gone up a level since last gen, and I honestly shiver every time Lara has to swim in icy water. The weather is spot on, and the snow is incredibly real.
I’m also enjoying the amount of substance we’re getting from the secondary characters already. Jonah is back, the main villain finally has more than one reason to be after Lara, and we even have another tribe to contend with! Lara also seems more human. She reacts in smarter ways and stumbles like any of us would. I think there’s a lot more of a connection with her character this time round, and I’m a lot more invested in the story.
The controls seem a lot sleeker this time round too. It’s a lot easier to change ammo types, and I’m in love with the collection and upgrade system. I’m happy to see that the way we upgrade skills is the same, and the menu/ data screen is a lot cleaner. The gameplay has also improved massively. It’s a lot smoother, and the quick time events seem a lot more user friendly (but I might actually just be getting better, who knows!)
I adore the game so far. It’s got the right amount of action and puzzles, and I can play the game as sneakily or as outright as I want. I can’t wait to see where it takes me!
-Kiera
North South Gaming 