[rwp-review id=”0″]
One of the most well-known and enduring videogame franchises, Tomb Raider has gone through various transitions in gameplay styles ranging from the astounding to the recyled mediocre. The series has gotten a couple of reboots and things are definitely looking up. The recent Lara Croft: Relic Run wasn’t really satisfactory, however, but Lara Croft GO is here to remedy that.
Designed in the same vein as Hitman GO – an astounding game – Lara Croft GO is a different take on Lara’s adventures that is both refreshing and a throwback to the hallmark puzzle-solving of the old TR games. Designed to be played “on the go”, the adventure is broken down into small set-pieces that represent rooms of various sizes, each an individual puzzle to solve before proceeding.
The puzzles are generally straightforward, but the difficulty does increase gradually with the introduction of new mechanics, so it never feels boring. Early on, it starts with levers, but soon you’ll be encountering snakes, spiders, lizards, and other enemies that you don’t necessarily need to kill to solve the puzzle; in fact, some levels involve you using those enemies to step on switches to access platforms and doors.
The caveat here is, just like in Hitman GO, you move a tile at a time, and so does everything in the level, including enemies, boulders, or platforms. Generally, small calculation is required, but often you have to be careful in how you move. For example, enemies will kill you if you are on a tile in front of them, so you need to position yourself from the side or behind. Some tiles are broken and can only be stepped on once, forcing you to calculate your route carefully, particularly if you’re luring an enemy onto the tile. As you progress through the game, elements from previous levels are mixed to add more complexity to the puzzles. The bulk of them are easy to moderately challenging – with only a few head-scratchers – but you never really feel stuck. Regardless, though, you do feel a sense of accomplishment.
Dispersed in every level are collectables hidden behind or around pillars, foliage, and other environmental elements in the form of jars. Tapping them reveals a gem or part of an artefact, with the “you have discovered a new secret” tone back from the first Tomb Raider game. Gathering all collectibles in a chapter unlocks an outfit, eliminating the need for the in-game purchases. Each chapter has its own notebook, with the levels split across multiple pages, with icons telling you how many collectibles you have found and how many missing, allowing you to go back to a particular level to narrow down your hunt.
It also helps that the game looks, plays, and sounds stunning. The levels are rendered beautifully and the animations are fluid, natural, and inviting. The music is subtle but perfect for the puzzle-solving.
Lara Croft GO not only sets the bar high for bite-sized games in terms of presentation and gameplay mechanics, but is also a very solid addition to the Lara Croft universe, capturing the essence of the puzzle-solving-tomb-raiding aspect of the franchise into a beautiful, well-designed package. The only complaint I have is that the game eventually ends; it is just too good that you always crave for more.
Download on iOS
Download on Google Play
