I played Shadow a month or so after Rise, bringing with me my positive experiences of level design and gameplay, with the negatives of lacklustre story and character. That being said, I went in to this one quite excited, even if I didn't understand exactly why, so how did it fare with my confused but optimistic expectations?
This one picks off a short while after the events of Rise, with Lara and Jonah following leads of a new case in Mexico, before the titular tomb raider unwittingly triggers an apocalypse level event, and must once again face off against trinity, now in the thick jungles of Peru, in a race to stop the end of the world that was this time, her fault.
As a starting point, this is much more engaging than the opening of Rise. This time, Lara is acting with far more independence than simply following the wishes of her dead father, with her actions being the catalyst for the story. This makes her far more engaging to play as. It also helps that her character seems more fleshed out. She still has the problems of lacking the confidence and charisma of her original incarnation, but everything that was in Rise has been moulded into a bolder, more sure protagonist (it also helps that her voice actor has vastly improved in her execution of lines and emotion). She even has moments that almost go as far as to signify her becoming the original character, or at the very least an icon of the same status, I only wish they had gone further down that road and let us see much more of it, whether it be charismatic and a little comedic, or a cold-hearted and ruthless survivor.
What also let down Rise was the worldbuilding and story, but this problem is also rectified. The local people Croft meet actually have a sense of culture, unlike the bland, jacket-wearing people of Rise. Now there are a variety of colourful factions you meet living in completely different, vibrant environments. Not only does it make the game feel more expansive, but far more immersive as well, which really motivates you to pick up the game again, rather than a feeling of tiredness.
That isn't to say it is perfect, it is still a "blockbuster game" designed to be fun and visually striking rather than clever or nuanced. Because of this, the story still seems contrived, even if it is now very palatable. There are numerous threads that don't seem to lead anywhere, others that make little to no sense. Some setups with no payoff, some payoffs with no setup. However, like the last game in the franchise, you have to know take this into mind when you play it.
On a note that is more on my preferences to how I play, I found that playing Shadow only doing a few of the optional challenge tombs and side missions relieved some of the baggage that weighed down the gameplay experience that I had in Rise. That game ended up feeling tedious when I had entire sessions doing nothing but tread water shooting collectibles and solving puzzles devoid of plot or story, and, considering it now, I think I would look back on Rise more favourably had I been less of a completionist.
All in all, I give Shadow of the Tomb Raider an 7.5 out of 10, and the sort of experience I would definitely recommend to any gamer looking for 10-15 hours to with a great looking, great playing experience.
7.5 OUT OF 10
SPOILER SECTION:
Ok, so onto my problems with the story: I don't think that trinity really fit into the narrative of the game in any satisfying way. The very start of the game introduces you to a character who is supposedly the leader of the group, but it is also revealed that he rules Paititi and it's warriors, something that I felt a little non-sensical as Trinity seemed to be a fanatical religious organisation that based the key principles of its beliefs system on Christianity. This man Dominiguez had nothing at all in relation to this - his motivation was a misguided attempt to protect Paititi and remake the world in his own image because of it. That has nothing in line with Trinity's previous goals of ruling the world with their new order. I suppose that it works in the sense that he could manipulate Trinity by claiming to want to his it for their ends, but that still doesn't explain why or how he became the head of an organisation that worships a God he doesn't believe in or expended valuable resources on the hunt for the Divine Source in Rise. It attempts to be clever in framing him as the top of the chain to cap off the trilogy despite it making zero sense to do so. The trinity soldiers could just as easily be replaced by a gang of Perusian mercenaries, or any other rogue military faction.
I can understand a need to move away from the story of Rise and tell a new one, but these retcons and loose ties make for very weak foundations.
Additionally, the setup of the ritual causing great temptation wasn't paid off either. Lara saw a brief vision of herself as a child with her mother and father alive and well, and them all living happily, but there was no offer to Lara if she could actually achieve it, or moment of genuine difficult decision-making on her part when this came about. I am aware that such a plot deviation at the climax of the story would kill the pacing, but it still felt like an afterthought.
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Ghost of Tsushima
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