empty repetitive spectacle crossed with a french extremity/torture porn sensationalism that never clicks into place one way or the other. Lara Croft's design feels very inspired by The Descent, down to a copycat scene where she literally rises out of water drenched in blood.
those horror elements makes for an interesting set dressing, especially in comparison to the lightweight, frolicking Indiana Jones inspired adventuring in the Uncharted series. gone is a quest for treasure. welcomed marooned on an island of supernatural worshiping Russian pirates. when Lara has to kill her first man, there's a compelling dramatic weight to the moment. but the game does nothing with that, says nothing about it. quickly moves on and sets her on a bloodthirsty, revenge-seeking rampage that would make 80s Schwarzenegger jealous.
the quick turn to action doesn't bother me. i can accept it as a convention of the genre. i just don't think this game pulls it off very well nor infuses it with the horror very well. it is a very paper thin game with no real concrete base. at least in the Uncharted games there is some characterization, some dialogue and banter and quiet moments between all the action. the game gives something to care about. and i guess i can accept straight action and a thrilling non-stop tension but i can only watch Lara fall off a ledge and not break any bones so many times before I grow incessantly bored with the trick.
i also think, you know in film, with horror specifically, there's a tactility to everything that brings it to life. in a game where every movement is carefully designed and manufactured, there's something extra gross about watching them animate this character into moments where she's constantly being impaled, or threatened with assault... there's like no humanity to it. but you know as a movie this would only be 2 hours long not like 7. i would rather have watched either the Angelina Jolie or Alicia Vikander Tomb Raider movies on repeat all day than have played this really. at least one has a shirtless Daniel Craig in it.
those horror elements makes for an interesting set dressing, especially in comparison to the lightweight, frolicking Indiana Jones inspired adventuring in the Uncharted series. gone is a quest for treasure. welcomed marooned on an island of supernatural worshiping Russian pirates. when Lara has to kill her first man, there's a compelling dramatic weight to the moment. but the game does nothing with that, says nothing about it. quickly moves on and sets her on a bloodthirsty, revenge-seeking rampage that would make 80s Schwarzenegger jealous.
the quick turn to action doesn't bother me. i can accept it as a convention of the genre. i just don't think this game pulls it off very well nor infuses it with the horror very well. it is a very paper thin game with no real concrete base. at least in the Uncharted games there is some characterization, some dialogue and banter and quiet moments between all the action. the game gives something to care about. and i guess i can accept straight action and a thrilling non-stop tension but i can only watch Lara fall off a ledge and not break any bones so many times before I grow incessantly bored with the trick.
i also think, you know in film, with horror specifically, there's a tactility to everything that brings it to life. in a game where every movement is carefully designed and manufactured, there's something extra gross about watching them animate this character into moments where she's constantly being impaled, or threatened with assault... there's like no humanity to it. but you know as a movie this would only be 2 hours long not like 7. i would rather have watched either the Angelina Jolie or Alicia Vikander Tomb Raider movies on repeat all day than have played this really. at least one has a shirtless Daniel Craig in it.