Instead of taking the approach used in Tomb Raider 9, Rise of the Tomb Raider turns out quite different in almost every way. Somehow this isn't without a downside.
The combat has been drastically changed, straying from the guerrilla combat that was widely found favorable in the predecessor. Instead, most fights in Rise happen in a small alley and tends to dip you in a linear environment without as many covers as in TR9, especially the scene after Lara obtains her shotgun. For some more open combats, they mostly happen in restricted corridors with regularly-shaped construction and often symmetrically placed covers. Due to the new AI configuration that encourages the enemies to move in on you rather than stay behind a cover, you often find yourself overwhelmed by the heavily armored soldiers that are hard to kill with a few bullets. And sometimes the lack of covers or the lack of variety thereof cause a great deal of troubles in the attempts to flank, and because of the same reason you need to shoot more to win instead of using tactics. There are also many occasions where your aiming doesn't automatically fall on the correct side when you pop out from behind the cover, which was never a problem in TR9. Hence, the combat is rather disappointing at times.
Another obvious change is that Rise is more RPG-oriented than ever before, and it is best evidenced through its many side quests, which unfortunately require the player to make many a back-tracking, which for sure gets boring over time, as you'll find yourself going along the same path as you did in a previous side quest or a main quest, and the difference is that this time you won't fight enemies along the way.
The tombs are definitely a delightful comeback, but most of them are too simple to solve, as the puzzles either revolve around gravity or water physics, and there are rarely any thoughts out of the box. But aesthetically, they look excessively amazing and are absolutely among the most atmospheric tombs in the history of this franchise, but sadly the puzzles don't prove equal to the visual quality. Most of the tombs can be finished in less than 10 minutes, and the solution is often comprised of one single step.
When it comes to storytelling, this time it's been much of an improvement thanks to the more cinematic style delivered under the new powerful engine, but the story arc of Lara herself is much weaker than in TR9. Apart from her, other characters are just forgettable. The story itself doesn't have many twists, but is brimming with overreaching backstories that could be nuisances in fits and starts.
Despite all the weak points, Rise is an ambitious title which pays tribute to a lot of classic Tomb Raider games. Moments such as the fragile floor trips in certain tombs and Lara climbing in the ice cavern are conspicuously reminiscent of the similar sequences encountered in old installments. By and large, with good intention, the game hasn't been quite well executed, despite the conscientious efforts in graphics and music.
The denouement is a cliffhanger that secures a room for the sequel in future, which ends flat in its own right. Nevertheless, suffering from a slow pace is the culprit for the dissatisfying experience in addition to the unwise gameplay mechanics. Still, it doesn't kill the hope for next Tomb Raider to be a true improvement, and every fan of the series will sure look forward to that.
The combat has been drastically changed, straying from the guerrilla combat that was widely found favorable in the predecessor. Instead, most fights in Rise happen in a small alley and tends to dip you in a linear environment without as many covers as in TR9, especially the scene after Lara obtains her shotgun. For some more open combats, they mostly happen in restricted corridors with regularly-shaped construction and often symmetrically placed covers. Due to the new AI configuration that encourages the enemies to move in on you rather than stay behind a cover, you often find yourself overwhelmed by the heavily armored soldiers that are hard to kill with a few bullets. And sometimes the lack of covers or the lack of variety thereof cause a great deal of troubles in the attempts to flank, and because of the same reason you need to shoot more to win instead of using tactics. There are also many occasions where your aiming doesn't automatically fall on the correct side when you pop out from behind the cover, which was never a problem in TR9. Hence, the combat is rather disappointing at times.
Another obvious change is that Rise is more RPG-oriented than ever before, and it is best evidenced through its many side quests, which unfortunately require the player to make many a back-tracking, which for sure gets boring over time, as you'll find yourself going along the same path as you did in a previous side quest or a main quest, and the difference is that this time you won't fight enemies along the way.
The tombs are definitely a delightful comeback, but most of them are too simple to solve, as the puzzles either revolve around gravity or water physics, and there are rarely any thoughts out of the box. But aesthetically, they look excessively amazing and are absolutely among the most atmospheric tombs in the history of this franchise, but sadly the puzzles don't prove equal to the visual quality. Most of the tombs can be finished in less than 10 minutes, and the solution is often comprised of one single step.
When it comes to storytelling, this time it's been much of an improvement thanks to the more cinematic style delivered under the new powerful engine, but the story arc of Lara herself is much weaker than in TR9. Apart from her, other characters are just forgettable. The story itself doesn't have many twists, but is brimming with overreaching backstories that could be nuisances in fits and starts.
Despite all the weak points, Rise is an ambitious title which pays tribute to a lot of classic Tomb Raider games. Moments such as the fragile floor trips in certain tombs and Lara climbing in the ice cavern are conspicuously reminiscent of the similar sequences encountered in old installments. By and large, with good intention, the game hasn't been quite well executed, despite the conscientious efforts in graphics and music.
The denouement is a cliffhanger that secures a room for the sequel in future, which ends flat in its own right. Nevertheless, suffering from a slow pace is the culprit for the dissatisfying experience in addition to the unwise gameplay mechanics. Still, it doesn't kill the hope for next Tomb Raider to be a true improvement, and every fan of the series will sure look forward to that.