Thursday, February 18, 2016

Now Playing: Tomb Raider

 More like QTE Raider, am I right?
 So, where to start.... Hmmm, I know. At first, I wasn't really feeling the game. I hate the new direction they went with Lara, how they wanted to make her 'vulnerable' and wanted you to want to 'care' for her... which came across as slightly sexist and misdirected. You don't usually see male characters go THIS 'vulnerable', even on their origin story. And it's even worse if you grew up with Tomb Raider, even her Last Revelations younger form had more of a... drive towards action than this Lara. It didn't help that I hated the first parts of the game, where everything was a QTE. QTE to dodge rocks, QTE not to fall, QTE to push back the assailant, etc. It was particularly bad when the game teaches you 'If Lara doesn't hold with both hands from an edge, you have to tap square', only to have her fall during a scripted scene. DON'T TEACH ME SOMETHING ONLY TO BREAK THE 'RULES' MINUTES AFTER THE FACT, GODDAMN IT.

 But then you get the bow. And then the axe. Then you get to explore, and the game became fun. It's sort of like a Metroidvania, you will find collectibles, or even routes, out of reach, due to a certain obstacle. Later you'll find a tool that will be able to deal with the obstacle, so you can backtrack, etc etc. It also breaks its attempt at 'realism'(And man, is the game gruesome) by letting you fast travel from camp to camp, but at least its convenient. Oh, and the game isn't nearly as Uncharted-y as people make it out to be.

 What I didn't like:
 - QTEs up the wazoo.
- The new direction they took Lara in.

 What I did like:
- The Metroidvania like gameplay.
- The skills and upgrade system.

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