Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

I feel kinda lucky in a weird way that I didn’t really enjoy the Tomb Raider reboot when it came out last year on the 360 and PS3. This probably had more to do with being sent a PS3 review copy and my disdain for having to play anything on the PS3 that I could be playing on my much loved 360, than it did with the actual game. Lucky because I got to play it for the “first time” as a next gen tittle.

I had a little play around, marveled at the graphics, but ultimately came away feeling jaded and let down, passing the game onto one of my PS3 reviewers.

Who loved it.

As did everyone else I knew.

Jump forward almost a year, and the Definitive Edition gets released with all new next gen graphics and a few tweaks on the XBox One and PS4. Fortunately I got my hand on an XBox One review code.

After downloading the game and allowing it to fully install I nervously began the Lara Croft adventure for the second time, wondering if a re-built game with next gen graphics could actually make a difference.

To be honest, the game was initially annoying as I had to get through the intro and all the cut scenes before I could begin the adventure proper. But soon after, something magical happened. I started to get drawn into the game. I started to care about what happened to Lara. Finally I understood what everyone had been saying about Tomb Raider. It was a fully immersive adventure, with sharp, detailed next gen deliciousness.

The game, when you start to get into the struggle for life and death on a mysterious island overrun with trigger happy cult members, intent on keeping the secrets of the island to themselves, plays amazingly well, giving off the impression of an open world game, whilst being a decidedly linear one. It’s the rampant desire to explore to locate tombs, treasures, collectable and such like that has you crawling, jumping, climbing all over the place disguising the fact that you’re traveling along a very rigid predefined line.

It’s sheer brilliance.

One other thing that deserves a mention is the way Lara dies. The cinematic scenes are so gruesome as to be a delectable, if very dark, pleasure to watch. Almost good enough to want to have Lara make random mistakes just to see how she ends up coming to her end.

All in all, Tomb Raider Definitive Edition is a must have for all next gen console owners.

Reviewed On: XBox One Rating: R16 Contains violence and offensive language.

FILMGUIDE rating:


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