Review: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

The Tomb Raider series has had its share of ups and downs. What started out as a strong franchise eventually became watered down with ho-hum release after release. While the series slowly returns to what it was, Crystal Dynamics is releasing something quite unexpected. It’s an arcade-inspired platform action adventure with isometric fixed camera.

So different is this game that Crystal Dynamics has omitted Tomb Raider from the title because it doesn’t want fans to confuse this game with the next release that’s still in development. Does that mean Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light doesn’t live up to fan expectations? Read on to find out.

The Story

Lara Croft is always on the hunt for artifacts so it shouldn’t surprise you to hear she’s at it once again in this downloadable title. Croft is after The Mirror of Smoke, an ancient artifact located in a ruin known as the Temple of Light. Once she stumbles upon it she is ambushed by a mercenary army who steals the artifact. Little do they know the artifact is cursed and once it’s picked up it unleashes an evil entity. Now Lara along with Totec, the Guardian of Light, must track down the evil spirit Xolotl and destroy him.

The Gameplay

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is very different than previous Tomb Raider titles we’ve seen. The story certainly feels familiar. After all, exploring trap laden temples is nothing new for this leading lady, but what is different is how the game is presented.

Instead of a third person perspective typically seen in the franchise you are greeted with a isometric fixed camera giving you a semi-top-down perspective. When I first got my hands on the game at E3, I questioned whether this was the right move as it feels very different. But after playing through a couple of levels I can honestly tell you it feels quite good and definitely sets this title apart from previous Tomb Raider games.

Combat uses the twin-stick shooter mechanics which gives the game a somewhat classic arcade feel. Lara’s signature dual pistols are back, but she’ll also stumble upon a variety of other guns as she makes her way through each challenge.  Lara can equip two weapons at a time along with a grappling hook which is used to cross large gaps and escape traps. It also comes in handy solving puzzles which are littered throughout the levels. If you play the single-player game you will also have the use of Totec’s spear, which can be used as a platform when thrown into a wall.

Major emphasis is placed on point scoring. As you collect gems and kill enemies you are rewarded with points which unlock artifacts. Equipping certain artifacts will improve your characters’ abilities such as speed, defence, or health. In order to unlock the higher-end artifacts, challenges must be completed within the levels such as completing a certain task in a set amount of time. Some are easy to pull off, others will require you to play the game through a few times.

Single Player or Co-op

While the game is solid when played alone, a second person can join in as Totec. Teamwork is key to completing the levels. Totec often will have to throw spears into walls to help Laura get across. Laura can also use the grappling hook to pull Totec up to places he can’t access since he can’t stand on his own spear. Playing two player co-op also makes puzzles more interesting as there is often more than one way to solve them when two players are involved. Co-op is an awful lot of fun and is one of the highlights of this game.

The Graphics

For a semi-top-down style game, Lara Craft and the Guardian of Light looks pretty damn good. The in game graphics are quite detailed for an XBLA title. Cutscenes are a mix of comic-inspired panels and traditional cimematics, both of which look nice in HD.

The Downsides

Two things are noticeably missing from this title. The first has to be the lack of a manual save option. Some of the levels are fairly long so it would be nice to have the option to save when you want. Life happens and sometimes you need to bail out of a game when you least expect it. Unfortunately, bailing will mean starting a level from the beginning at a later date.

While I loved co-op gameplay, it is disappointing you can’t play with friends online. It’s almost shocking this feature isn’t including in this title. You’ll have to invite your friends over to get the most out of this game.

The Bottom Line

The game is solid. Whether you’re a fan of the Tomb Raider series or not, gamers will have a blast solving the puzzles and avoiding traps in a myriad of different environments. True, the game lacks online co-op which is quite a blow, but that shouldn’t make you shy away from trying this unique Lara Croft title.

The Good

Simple controls
Great graphics
Fun co-op mode
High replay value

The Bad

What?! No online co-op?
No manual saves