“I appear to have a behavior of working afoul of spiritual zealots. However I suppose all of it goes with the territory.”
~Lara Croft
February is the second month of the yr, so we determined to make it a Second Likelihood month for the TA Playlist, selecting some earlier contenders which didn’t win their polls up to now. To hold the theme additional, we solely picked video games that got here in second of their respective polls, and had been additionally the second video games of their respective collection.
This left us with a slender collection of video games to select from, however they represented all kinds of genres and gameplay components, from the co-op cooking celebration sport Overcooked! 2 to the hauntingly lovely Metroidvania Ori and the Will of the Wisps to the quirky and enjoyable motion/platformer Psychonauts 2. Nonetheless, none of these selections might compete with intrepid adventurer Lara Croft in Rise of the Tomb Raider, which leapt out to an early lead and by no means regarded again.
The second sport within the rebooted Tomb Raider “Survivor” trilogy, Rise of the Tomb Raider was developed by Crystal Dynamics, and launched as a timed Xbox unique in November 2015 on each the Xbox One and the Xbox 360, with a PC model arriving in January 2016. It was beforehand featured within the July 2018 TA Playlist Ballot, the place it completed simply behind Fallout: New Vegas.
Selecting up a couple of yr after the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot (which was featured within the August 2021 TA Playlist), Lara Croft continues to be attempting to course of the occasions of her journey on the island of Yamatai. With all proof of the supernatural occasions on the legendary island misplaced, nobody believes Lara’s tales concerning the Solar Queen Himiko and her military of undead troopers, and he or she begins to develop a fame as “one other loopy Croft” chasing ghosts and legends as a substitute of doing severe archaeology.
Decided to show that her father’s analysis was right, Lara embarks on a brand new expedition to Syria searching for the tomb of the Prophet of Constantinople and the key of immortality. The tomb itself is empty, however Lara does discover a clue pointing to a Russian legend of a misplaced metropolis referred to as Kitezh, and an artifact referred to as the Divine Supply. A paramilitary band of mercenaries referred to as Trinity can be looking for the Prophet, nonetheless, and when a Trinity operative steals Lara’s father’s analysis, it turns into a race to see who can find the misplaced metropolis first.
Bitz stated:
Would argue that is the perfect of the trilogy. There have been full tombs this time. The place the primary sport was enjoyable, it was a survival story with none survival mechanics. Rise expanded every part at time earlier than all of us burned out of crafting. Rise brings again basic mechanics and puzzles, and added depth to Lara by displaying the interior wrestle of coping with how the occasions of the primary sport affected her, and the struggles together with her mom and father. Lara appears extra of a human with flaws, serving to to make the journey extra relatable. Plus the extra spiritual themes with Jacob being the prophet who led individuals out of Constantinople. Each facet felt improved over the 2013 launch. The problem tombs had been pleasing. The bow and stealth mechanics had been satisfying, however arguably overpowered. Usually, solely used stealth because of the assault rifles seeming much less efficient than a single headshot. Loved all of the DLC together with the coop survival mode.
As Lara heads to Siberia together with her pal and fellow explorer, Jonah Maiava, she’ll must face the tough components, vicious wildlife, a military of well-trained troopers, and even the undead guardians of the traditional metropolis as a way to discover the key of the Divine Supply. The Lara Croft portrayed on this sport has come a great distance in comparison with the inexperienced adventurer we noticed in the beginning of the earlier sport, and the builders put quite a lot of deal with displaying how Lara has grown and altered following her experiences on Yamatai.
Spa1h stated:
So lastly, over the last hours of February I’ve overwhelmed the story on survivor issue. It was a really enjoyable expertise. Good story, good pacing, good combine between parkour and fights.
In comparison with the primary entry of the reboot trilogy, I like that there have been a lot much less over-the-top-Oh-NO-I’M-dying-parts. Additionally the sport has much less gore and creepiness, virtually no dumb taking pictures vary components, higher problem dungeons and tombs, a extra fascinating story and lore and smoother balancing between tough and simpler components.
I can not actually relate to the motivations and actions of the “prophet”, however the mixture of story, gameplay and backstories from totally different time durations (Greek, Mongolian, Soviet and up to date…) create an immersive journey setting. Story twists are properly positioned all through the sport and hit me unexpectedly virtually each time. Additionally the ending is satisfying particularly contemplating it is hinting “Shadow of the tomb raider.” The visuals are nonetheless superb within the yr 2024 and I felt like I used to be in an interactive film at instances.
Total probably the greatest video games of its particular type, I can actually suggest. Finishing every part it has to supply achievement-wise appears a bit tedious although. I am undecided if I’ll go for it.
A lot of the commenters in our boards agreed that Rise of the Tomb Raider typically improved on the 2013 reboot sport, particularly by way of the gameplay mechanics and facet content material, such because the elective problem tombs, which had been bigger and extra intricate than those from the earlier entry within the collection.
hammerpunch stated:
Finest sport within the trilogy imo. Favored the story and blend between puzzles, platforming and fight.
Nonetheless, as is often the case once we’re coping with a sport that’s a part of a franchise, there have been differing opinions about which sport is definitely the perfect within the collection.
Catatonic Nali stated:
Like Rise fairly a bit however it’s most likely the weakest of the reboot trilogy for my part. The unique video games are nonetheless the place it is at for me.
For many who most well-liked the 2013 Tomb Raider, probably the most commonly-cited motive was that the story in Rise of the Tomb Raider didn’t fairly stay as much as the usual of its predecessor, or didn’t do sufficient to tell apart itself from what occurred within the earlier sport, particularly by way of the enemies. Trinity, in any case, just isn’t portrayed that a lot otherwise from the Solarii of the earlier sport, and the Deathless Ones of Kitezh are similar to the Queen’s Guard from Yamatai.
Cylon 118 stated:
I really loved each this one and the primary (nonetheless but to play the third) however felt the primary one was higher by way of story as the placement and supernatural ingredient felt extra distinctive and fascinating than Rise. I imply, we simply have undead troopers once more… actually hoping the third sport’s supernatural ingredient is one thing new, however gameplay-wise this one improves on every part the primary one did, and taking part in on excessive survivor virtually offers me Darkish Souls vibes as I used to be like, “Bonfire, the place’s the following bonfire?! Wanna save!”
Thragg Avenger stated:
One among our Playlist regulars theorized that the distinction got here right down to Lara’s supporting solid, which featured a number of of Lara’s shut associates and crewmates from the Endurance within the first sport, and offered quantity of Lara’s motivation to outlive her tribulations on Yamatai. Jonah is the one returning companion, and whereas he does have to be rescued right here and there, he’s not as large of an element within the sport as Lara’s crew had been within the earlier story.
TymanTheLong stated:
They largely stood round arguing however the authentic sport did have an even bigger crew and maybe that makes the sport really feel prefer it had increased stakes or one thing. Within the subsequent two video games Jonah is generally a voice on the radio. […]
With that stated I’m glad to say that is most likely the perfect of the reboot trilogy. I’ve replayed a number of instances as they added Survivor issue properly after launch and it simply doesn’t get outdated, the sport play feels nice each time. Lara is extra competent than within the first sport and fewer murdery than within the ultimate sport. I additionally actually love the part main as much as the sport climax, it’s rather well carried out.
The add-ons for this sport acquired quite a lot of dialogue within the boards. As an alternative of the tacked-on multiplayer from the 2013 reboot, Rise of the Tomb Raider has “Expeditions,” which embody a Rating Assault mode and stage replays, in addition to the Endurance Mode DLC, which provides starvation and heat trackers that pressure you (with an elective co-op associate) to gather artifacts whereas seeing how lengthy you possibly can survive towards the weather and enemies in every stage.
CrazeeCoyote stated:
This was my favorite of the trilogy. I used to be uncertain if I would like Endurance Mode however ended up having time taking part in it with a pal.
Not everybody was fairly so pleased with the brand new additions, nonetheless:
Thragg Avenger stated:
Additionally, each extra sport mode outdoors of the primary marketing campaign is horrible and may completely do one. I am positive there is a strategy to make a Lara Croft Problem Mode enjoyable to play, however these are 100% not it!
Bitz stated:
By no means cared for New Sport Plus, or issue being added. Would have appreciated the Excessive Survivor issue being playable earlier than the 20 yr celebration. Enjoying the sport once more a yr later for an added issue achievement doesn’t add extra depth.
Moreover, the sensation of not getting the complete expertise existed because of the PS4 20 yr anniversary launch together with the Croft manor in VR. With this being certainly one of, if not the primary time I might bear in mind the time period “timed unique” there have been extra questions, did I play a much less full model that launched in levels as a substitute of 1 full bundle? With exclusivity did the gross sales underperform, inflicting the third entry to get handed to Eidos, leading to Shadow of the Tomb Raider not being as a lot of a step ahead? Even with Rise of the Tomb Raiders faults, it was certainly one of my favourite video games of the Xbox One era. Possibly prime 20. Considering again, it looks like a lifetime in the past.
And for some, all of the achievements tied to those totally different sport modes merely elevated the grind for that 100% completion, and soured the expertise of the sport as an entire.
IronAznSnsation stated:
Love the puzzle facets however hate collectibles and time trials. I get that it is added replay for some, however it’s a deterrent for me. May someday play a remaster however for now it is a go.
MorseyBaby stated:
Yeah the cumbersome on-line checklist I believe is what put me off for therefore lengthy, however everybody I do know who has performed it has waxed lyrical about it so I reckon I ought to positively give it a go. TA Playlist strikes once more.
Along with the Endurance Mode DLC, there have been a number of different items of post-game content material, together with the Baba Yaga DLC, which opens up a brand new facet quest, and the 20-12 months Celebration add-on, which introduces an Excessive Survivor mode and provides the participant new missions to discover Croft Manor, bringing the sport to a whopping whole of 143 achievements for 100%.
Xynvincible stated:
I did get pleasure from this one, however man the completion is brutal.
The opposite facet of the sport that noticed quite a lot of detrimental dialogue was the 2 achievements listed as “Partially Discontinued/Unobtainable,” as simply seeing that present up on a sport’s web page is sufficient to preserve some avid gamers from beginning it. On this case, nonetheless, these two achievements — “Strategy to Go” and “Golden Baby”, each tied to the Rating Assault mode — are solely unobtainable in case you’re taking part in the Xbox One model with the 4K patch. A easy workaround is to finish all the necessities on the console, then play one by way of cloud streaming, which ought to pop the achievements.
ShinUkyo stated:
This can be a reduction to listen to concerning the workarounds for those which can be in any other case unobtainable. One of many upsides of shared lists between generations (not like PlayStation, which misplaced this functionality within the transfer to PS5 era. And there is not any finish of complications with trophies there due to it forcing separate lists for PS4/PS5 ports of the identical video games.)
Kerman7 stated:
An excellent sport inside a really profitable reboot. It has been some time for the reason that final one although. Questioning if there’s extra coming or if subsequent time will likely be one other reboot. Hope everyone seems to be having fun with taking part in it.
It was introduced in 2022 that Crystal Dynamics had began engaged on the following Tomb Raider sport utilizing Unreal Engine 5 and that it could be revealed by Amazon Video games, though it wasn’t particularly introduced as a sequel to the “Survivor” trilogy.
Within the run-up to the franchise’s twenty fifth anniversary in 2021, Crystal Dynamics stated that they had been working to “unify these timelines,” so followers shouldn’t surrender hope on seeing future adventures with this model of Lara Croft. The upcoming Netflix anime collection Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, starring Haley Atwell as Lara Croft, will comply with on from the occasions of Shadow of the Tomb Raider, in order that collection might give us an thought of how the builders plan to deliver Lara’s journey full circle.
5,910 avid gamers popped at the least one achievement in Rise of the Tomb Raider throughout the month of February, together with 2,369 who began it for the primary time, and 39 who managed to finish one of many tracked variations of the sport (143 achievements value 2,250 Gamerscore for the Xbox One and Home windows variations of the sport, or 85 achievements value 1,750 Gamerscore for the Xbox 360 model, which had fewer achievements in each the bottom sport and the DLCs, and by no means acquired the 20 12 months Celebration DLC in any respect).
In whole, the TA group unlocked 59,975 achievements throughout all three tracked variations throughout February, for a complete of 891,200 Gamerscore and 1,560,389 TrueAchievement Rating.
No shock, however “Following in Father’s Footsteps” from the Xbox One model was by far the most-unlocked achievement, popped 2,060 instances throughout the month of February. The least-unlocked achievements had been the Xbox 360 variations of “Uncovering the Reality” and “Legendary Gunsmith”, each from the “Chilly Darkness Woke up” DLC pack, with three unlocks apiece. Each achievements carry a ratio of simply 2.56, in order that they’re not even the highest-ratio achievements within the Xbox 360 model of the sport, not to mention the best total, in order that’s most likely a sign of how few individuals joined in with the 360 model of the sport this month.
I truthfully wasn’t positive we’d have anybody make the February 2024 Shout-Out Record, however it turns on the market had been three intrepid adventurers who managed to begin and full the sport throughout the month. What’s extra, we had precisely one Shout-Out for every platform: AmericanEvol accomplished the Xbox One model, cadillacchavez unlocked all of the achievements within the Xbox 360 model, and RoguexCanadian performed the Home windows model from begin to end throughout the month. AmericanEvol takes the highest prize, with simply 88 hours and 21 minutes from first unlock to final, however all three of those avid gamers deserve a spherical of applause for finishing this sport’s daunting achievement checklist in a single month.
March is sort of over, however you’ve nonetheless acquired a while to affix in with this month’s TA Playlist sport, Cyberpunk 2077. Both unlock an achievement within the sport earlier than midnight UTC on April 1, or drop by the Spoiler-Free and Spoiler Dialogue Threads to speak about your experiences with the felony underground in Night time Metropolis. And keep tuned for the April 2024 TA Playlist Sport of the Month! The winner of that ballot will likely be introduced on the finish of this week. See you in April!
Because of BetaSigX20 for this information suggestion.