Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One/360/PC/PS4)

Rise of the Tomb Raider's first shot pans over the vast, foreboding landscape we'll soon come to know. In many ways, it functions as a promise on the part of Crystal Dynamics: there are big things ahead of us. And at the end of Lara's journey, after we've seen her through this adventure, and experienced everything the world has to offer, it's clear that promise was kept.

Rise of the Tomb Raider raises the bar set by Lara’s last outing with a rollicking adventure story, strong villains, gorgeous vistas, and smart puzzles – go off the main path to find the best stuff in dastardly optional tombs. Though the mandatory combat doesn’t distinguish itself with challenging enemies unless you crank up the difficulty, Lara’s newfound versatility on the battlefield makes fighting a lot more fun. Once again it’s Lara herself, however, who steals the show, her complex ambitions and hardened resolve showing new sides to a character who has well and truly grown from survivor to the most fascinating action hero in video games today.

With Rise of the Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics has made a stellar sequel, but hasn't yet reached the full potential glimpsed in 2013's reboot. It is visually fabulous, boasting stunning environments, and improves the core exploration and combat gameplay, but there's still room to improve further. With even bigger open worlds, dialled down violence and a stronger script, the inevitable next instalment could really be special. There's no doubt that Crystal Dynamics deserves the chance to make that happen.

RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER EXECUTES THE FRANCHISE FORMULA WITH CONFIDENCE

In many ways, Rise of the Tomb Raider could be viewed as a fairly modest sequel. It successfully builds off Crystal Dynamics' excellent reboot, but it doesn't introduce any massive changes; the scope is greater but still in spitting distance of the previous game. But successfully regaining the feeling created in an extremely good game is no small feat. This is the inauguration of Tomb Raider as a formula once more, but for now, it's a formula I'm happy revisiting.

Having enjoyed the Tomb Raider reboot I expected good things from Rise of the Tomb Raider, but those have been exceeded to a degree I didn't imagine. Crystal Dynamics has made a game that expertly rekindles memories of the series' triumphant past and yet still feels incredibly modern. In an era when triple-A blockbuster games often drown beneath a desire to make things more explosive or complex than before, Rise of the Tomb Raider shows how it should be done. This is captivating romp that should cement Lara as a modern gaming icon.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is a well-made game. It's a handsome and solidly entertaining, if seldom inspired, way to while away a dozen hours. It has a famous name and an avatar of real dynamic power at its centre. It has tombs to raid. That ought to be enough. It shouldn't have to reach. But reach it does - for an emotional hook it doesn't have, and for trendy gimmicks it doesn't need.

Rise of the Tomb Raider captures the thrill of being an adventurer and leaves you thinking about Lara's next move. You have daredevil sequences, heroic moments, fun exploration, and exciting fights that even Indiana Jones would envy. If Crystal Dynamics keeps raising the bar from here, I can't wait to see what's next for Lara.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is exactly what we needed. While there has been an influx of open world games over the last few years, Crystal Dynamics have been able to find a perfect balance of cinematic action and strong adventure elements. There are far more tombs to raid this time around, not to mention an open world filled with challenges, artifacts, documents and expansive story elements. Speaking of the story, while it’s not particularly deep, it does contain a strong antagonist duo and an even more compelling heroine. While Lara’s drive becomes a bit obsessive at first, she has grown up to be a capable woman, looking death in the face rather than fearing it. She is slowly becoming the leading lady we’ve come to expect, but with far more depth than ever before. The platforming elements can be a bit finicky at times, leading to various deaths, but when it works, stringing together the acrobatic moves makes the experience all the more exciting. Rise of the Tomb Raider is an adventure like no other, giving players a twenty hour experience that will have them engaged from the moment Lara comes on screen.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is something special. I absolutely loved the last game and this one takes it to a whole other level. I can’t recall ever playing a game that had such intense action-packed set pieces yet still managed to provide exceptional open-world elements that actually made you want to take a step back and explore. Microsoft have secured an exceptional time-exclusive and i’d urge every single Xbox One owner to grab this title and not let it get overshadowed. It’s obvious that a lot of love and care has gone into the game and it goes beyond my expectations.

The old style Tomb Raider is never coming back, but this is a more satisfying compromise than the reboot and a fun alternative to the Uncharted series.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is better than its predecessor, but only because of its additions; it doesn't fix any of the things that were wrong with Tomb Raider (2013). The story is smoothed down, much of it hidden away in dull audio logs. It's not about "survival" as billed, given the ease of mowing down dozens of folks and plenty of resources. But finding tombs wherein to clamber about ancient Rube Goldberg machines, coupled with the gorgeous visual flair and diverse environments, make Rise's wilderness one worth exploring and elevate Tomb Raider's otherwise perfunctory take on the third-person action platformer. I still get a strong sinking feeling in my stomach when I've misjudged a jump and watch Lara careening towards a splat.

Lara Croft has grown up. She’s a one-woman army who shouldn’t be underestimated. All of the forces of Trinity are arrayed against her, and yet she finds the courage to take them on. She raids tombs but not in the name of enriching herself. She’s trying to uncover ancient secrets and fulfill the goal that her father failed to reach. She has lost both parents, but she still wants to make her father proud. She’s so much more likable than the cocky Lara of later years. I hope she doesn’t grow up too fast. I would gladly play another title in this coming-of-age saga.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is an epic adventure, and it’s a story well told and well played.