FLASHSALE!: Shadow of the Tomb Raider – Xbox One Review

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a gorgeous game with a compelling story, diverse characters and exhilarating action set pieces. It never fails to accurately set the right tone with its music and visuals and beating all the game’s challenges is rewarding, especially on higher difficulties. However Eidos Montreal’s creation is held back by technical hiccups that left me raging at deaths that rarely felt like my fault.

With more time to game this summer and after being drawn in to an attractive Xbox Game Pass deal, I finally got to pick up this game and I was not disappointed. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the last instalment of the recent Tomb Raider trilogy stemming from the 2013 title. All three have been some of my favourite games this console generation. Lara Croft, the tomb raider herself, is once again hoping to beat Trinity to an ancient artefact before they can abuse its powers, this time in racing through South America. However, early on the game starts to question if Lara’s cause really is as noble as she believes. We see the Leader of Trinity being helpful towards people on the street whilst Lara’s haste leads her to steal an object she does not yet understand. Her actions seemingly lead to a local town’s complete destruction.

Unfortunately, the game does not lean heavily enough into this idea. Findable documents as well as its member’s actions back up Lara’s belief that Trinity is the typical evil organisation we have seen before. I would have loved to see a different Trinity, one which under its new leadership could be seen as the good guys. We and Lara could begin to hesitate in our mission, questioning our actions and motives.

I still love almost every second of this game

However despite this regret, I still love almost every second of this game. I am playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider on its hardest ‘Deadly Obsessive’. Enemies are at their toughest, ammo is scarce and they are no puzzle hints nor ‘Survival Instinct’ (an ability similar to Assassin’s Creed’s ‘Eagle Vision’ which highlights enemies and useful items). This Tomb Raider series’ tombs have contained some amazing puzzles but in the previous games Lara’s helpful hints have often stripped the challenge out of them. Having to solve them by myself is so much more rewarding and makes the in-game prize of a new skill or outfit that little bit more special. 

Too many times I have died from what feels like no fault of my own

The only time I have regretted my difficulty decision (Shadow’s difficulty cannot be changed once you begin a play through) has been when slight glitches have caused repeated unfair deaths. On ‘Deadly Obsessive’ when you die you reset to the last save point (often an in game campfires) you saved at. Campfires are not rare but during the game’s longest segments it can have been 30 minutes since you last visited one. This can ramp up the pressure in a fantastic way, making death a genuine fear. Though with the game’s climbing sections, too many times I have died from what feels like no fault of my own. Lara occasionally decides to ignore my button inputs or reacts to ones I never did. These unsatisfactory deaths are rage inducing. In these moments my love for the game is stripped away, replaced only with intense anger until I finally beat that particular section. The sense of accomplishment which accompanies other puzzles is instead only relief that I do not have to lose another hour of my life to a 15 minute segment of the game.

Apart from the occasional climbing hiccup, gameplay is just as fun as the other titles. More emphasis has been placed on stealth mechanics, with a new mud cover option providing further ways for Lara to sneak up on her enemies. Furthermore, scavengable plants can be used to give Lara heightened senses and endurance, vital for tougher encounters. Despite the lack of many new mechanics gameplay does not feel stale, the extra polish in certain areas just further improves an already great experience.

You have no reason not to give it a go

Overall Shadow of the Tomb Raider more than lives up to the excellent previous installments in the series. The gameplay, visuals and sound design are superb and solving the game’s most challenging puzzles is a delight. Minor faults can be annoying but Shadow more than makes up for its failings. If like me you have not yet had time to try it out, use the last of the summer holidays to rectify that mistake. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is currently on Xbox Game Pass which is £7.99 a month and with Game Pass Ultimate on offer for only £2 you have no reason not to give it a go.