The Mango Sentinel
Member
That's terrible. Makes me think of Goldeneye on N64.
All games should just be Max Payne 3 from now on.
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Tomb Raider Review Thread!
- Thread starter Tricky I Shadow
- Start date
That's terrible. Makes me think of Goldeneye on N64.
All games should just be Max Payne 3 from now on.
I'd say this is neck and neck with the DmC thread and TR's actual OT hasn't even been posted yet.
See You Next Wednesday
Banned
So is that true? It's just a Uncharted clone?
I thought there would be Metroid Prime style exploration & a (smaller) open world similar to the Bethesda games?
So it's more Uncharted than anything else.
Diablo Rosso
Member
I think most expected it to review well but that means nothing in this day and age.
Huh? That makes it sound like the other sites folded at the first instant and agreed to whatever terms SquareEnix wanted.
The Mango Sentinel
Member
Haha, what can I say....I'm a physics whore.
It's never -just- one thing or -just- the other thing; Tomb Raider is actually a giant orgy of modern gaming checklist shit, much of which includes copying wholesale from Uncharted (set pieces, combat rooms, ledges breaking while you're climbing, even while they pose essentially no threat to you, etc), but there's a zillion things in here copied from a zillion different franchises... since it doesn't really have a single original bone in its body.
If you're into those things and didn't care about the original TR series at all, then obviously this isn't a big deal to you. You may love those things and think "wow, this is exactly the type of game I want."
I'm just highlighting that most people weren't saying Tomb Raider wasn't going to be a perfectly fine execution of this modern gaming nonsense; most people who were complaining didn't want this modern gaming nonsense. They wanted Tomb Raider. Just thought this should be clear.
No it doesn't. It makes it sound like the other websites were able to GET THEIR SHIT TOGETHER AND REVIEW THE GAME TODAY.
If there were like six or seven cases of reviews refusing the Tomb Raider NDA, then Videogamer.com might have something here. Instead it just makes them look like foolish amateurs who can't compete.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
For some people, it's not a "major" problem but a minor one. For me, personally, it depends. Ludonarrative dissonance can be a dealbreaker if it's really bad and jarring, but it usually isn't.
I thought so too, but then maybe the negative points are fairly minor in the grand scheme of things? Hard to say without having played it. I was cautiously optimistic after seeing so many glowing scores... then I remembered Uncharted 3 getting all 10s and my optimism deflated somewhat. Actually reading the reviews, even the 8/10 ones, contributed to the deflating as well.
I'll probably get the game eventually, either using an Amazon certificate or when the prices drop; I did enjoy Uncharted 2 and I'm sure there's something to enjoy in Tomb Raider, but I'm guessing it deserves a 7 at the most. I'd love to be wrong, though.
I should probably note, I was never a fan of the original Tomb Raider games. While I liked the concept, the wonky camera and shitty controls were dealbreakers to me. So while I find it sad that for once, there was potential to get the concept (exploring ruins and solving puzzles) right with modern production values and instead they went for a generic AAA action game, I'm not that terribly disheartened at seeing it being "not Tomb Raider". Still, the whole checklist of QTEs, XP bars, set pieces, gratuitous violence dissonant with the narrative, collectibles and weapon upgrades just make me groan.
just like DmC
all them fancy reviews, "this is the best Devil May Cry game in forever, fans cry cry"?
counting chickens, not yet hatched >
That's a pretty brutal review. Particularly when you consider how the developers kept peddling the story and the emotional involvement you'll have in Lara, and this tells you that it all falls flat. The disconnect between the narrative and the gameplay seems just way too big to come off as anything but a joke.
just like DmC
all them fancy reviews, "this is the best Devil May Cry game in forever, fans cry cry"?
counting chickens, not yet hatched >
No amount of good reviews will help GAFfers get over the new hairdo.
oh you're one of those? Thinking the disdain had anything to do with the hair? Can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not these days, there are some people who genuinely think that adorable bullshit.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
So this game has seven tombs and each one is just a room with a single puzzle? How I wish they would make a game similar to Anniversary, that to me, is Tomb Raider in its purest form. Just the player, Lara and a whole bunch of environmental navigation and puzzles.
ViewtifulJC
Banned
That GT review is really odd. It's mostly complaints about...well, everything(the vicious executions are comical, the story is a letdown, the characters are empty stereotypes, the tombs aren't rewarding, the violence to Lara is gratuitous, doesn't do anything particularly novel or something you haven't seen done better in UC2, etc), but then it's a 8.5. I was expecting a 7/10 after all that.
toddhunter
Member
I care deeply about the tomb raider series, but realistically there was no chance they would ever make a good "tomb raider" game. I'll settle for a fun experience instead which I can pick up cheap.
To be fair there were some very vocal people who kept arguing the complete opposite. They kept saying that it wasn't going to be Uncharted at all and the trailers were just showing the "actiony bits"....
OriginofHysteria
Banned
After being able to now watch these reviews, I must say that the sound in this game really impresses me. The guns and bow have a nice pop to it and the impacts sound good too. Can't wait to play this game with headphones.
The reason there is a lot of negativity surrounding this game is because for a TOMB RAIDER game it fails. But as a third person action/adventure it looks great.
There are moments of isolation and discovery but they are quickly followed by EXPLOSIONS and waves of enemies. The Machinama review had it dead on when it said it was almost jarring the difference between the narrative and gameplay. Lara spends some time heartbroken/upset over killing a deer then not 5 minutes later is slaughtering packs of wolves and 20+ men retorting "it was surprisingly easy!" She even comments about being a murderer later on. It made me laugh.
There are moments of isolation and discovery but they are quickly followed by EXPLOSIONS and waves of enemies. The Machinama review had it dead on when it said it was almost jarring the difference between the narrative and gameplay. Lara spends some time heartbroken/upset over killing a deer then not 5 minutes later is slaughtering packs of wolves and 20+ men retorting "it was surprisingly easy!" She even comments about being a murderer later on. It made me laugh.
loganclaws
Plane Escape Torment
Exactly, this is not a Tomb Raider game. It's just like what happened with Hitman Absolution. It's a big fuck you to all the people who supported the original vision. Gotta love the videogame industry.
The Mango Sentinel
Member
Fuck those review scores
Every time I used to see Lara with those stupid ass shades and her ponytail, all I could think of was this
Duxxy3
Member
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Well, if the game's disappointing, at least we still got Guardian of Light.
NullPointer
Member
Production value tilt to the scoring I guess.
I'm pretty clear about the negatives in these various reviews (and they are pretty negative, score aside), but not so clear about the positives outside of refined combat and visuals.
Tomb Raider fans are irrelevant.
Yes, arbitrary numbers assigned to the game by journalists will turn the game into something else somehow.
Oh come on...
Played the game for about 9 hours at my friends places (he has an special box, was so hyped about the reboot that I had to play it beforehand)
The graphics and this is no joke, rival Uncharted at so many points! I am gonna go as far as to say that the graphics are one of the best on the Xbox. Many unforgetable places are in this game...
The story is kinda nice so far and really explains why Lara kills people and goes in to that more and more and well... there are parts (and one special part about 5 hours in) that show how crazy she goes to save her friends.
The gameplay is standard like Uncharted, climbing, shooting (with four weapons so far with some second modes
)
All I have to say that this game is a very very good reboot and everybody should just play after the prolouge. The beginning is pretty long (about 2 1/2 hours with the first "Wow" Scene
)
I would even go as far as to say that the shooting mechanics and the gameplay itself is way better than Uncharted 3 because of the skilling system, the flow of the battles and the wow scenes which come every 30 minutes. The QTE flow nice too.
If anybody has a question, just ask, but I am gonna wait for my copy now.
Oh loading times are very short too.
The graphics and this is no joke, rival Uncharted at so many points! I am gonna go as far as to say that the graphics are one of the best on the Xbox. Many unforgetable places are in this game...
The story is kinda nice so far and really explains why Lara kills people and goes in to that more and more and well... there are parts (and one special part about 5 hours in) that show how crazy she goes to save her friends.
The gameplay is standard like Uncharted, climbing, shooting (with four weapons so far with some second modes
a grenade launcher which is my favorite scene lol
All I have to say that this game is a very very good reboot and everybody should just play after the prolouge. The beginning is pretty long (about 2 1/2 hours with the first "Wow" Scene
climbing that radio tower and going down
I would even go as far as to say that the shooting mechanics and the gameplay itself is way better than Uncharted 3 because of the skilling system, the flow of the battles and the wow scenes which come every 30 minutes. The QTE flow nice too.
If anybody has a question, just ask, but I am gonna wait for my copy now.
Oh loading times are very short too.
Sarcasm failure.
Machinima loses points right off for calling her "Laura" over and over again. That's usually a "newbie" sign that the person knows little or nothing about the franchise.
The issue with NDA is interesting, but it would be nice to know exactly what part of the NDA they didn't agree with. Hopefully they can spell this out later on, and I'm hoping it's not one of those "promise not to say anything bad about it, and we'll let you review it".
Still waiting for RPS review once they get it.
The issue with NDA is interesting, but it would be nice to know exactly what part of the NDA they didn't agree with. Hopefully they can spell this out later on, and I'm hoping it's not one of those "promise not to say anything bad about it, and we'll let you review it".
Still waiting for RPS review once they get it.
andregnreis
Member
I don't understand why people get so mad that the new Tomb Raider seems to have more of this action movie feel. Were not the previous Tomb raider games this generation and the one before that extremely mediocre so they needed to change that? I played Underworld and it was okay at beast. The combat, for example, was complete garbage and most reviewers say the combat in the reboot is the best the series has seen so far. And in Underworld Lara Croft also kills a lot right? Same thing for Tomb Raider 2, and 3 and 4 that were released year after year (4 consecutive years!) without much improvements and there she also kills a lot of humans, animals, mummys and dinos. Well of course its weird that she turns in this killing machine so suddenly while in the island, but Its probably a gameplay>story/character decision they made to let the player have fun in the island and they wish.
I believe Jim Sterling just confirmed this is not the case.
Unless Square had some kind of magically different NDA for Videogamer.com.
graywolf323
Member
just like DmC
all them fancy reviews, "this is the best Devil May Cry game in forever, fans cry cry"?
counting chickens, not yet hatched >
except didn't DmC pretty much bomb? at least given what Capcom set out to do with it
Tomb Raider will probably sell just fine
haha accidentally read this as "Is Neogaf being Neogaf?"...silly me
ViewtifulJC
Banned
Like DmC last month, it looks decent enough for a rental or a single playthough. Not something I'm gonna be thinking about when it comes to GotY-voting time, but it could entertaining enough for me until God of War/Gears/Bioshock drops later that month.
Essentially, yes. Typical review thread shit for a polarizing game.
A lot of it is warranted, though.
tiny raptor
Member
I just played through Legend. Those are my estimates, and I'm sticking with 'em. Point is, the balance was still in favor of exploration/platforming/puzzle solving just ilke a TR should be.
SlasherJPC
Banned
For those that enjoyed little moments in Alan Wake where you could see a place you inevitable ended up at or have traveled! It's here as well.
It's here as well.No, the scores are high, but the text confirms the problems people have with the game.
Pro reboot: "The scores are high! Eat crow!"
Against reboot: "But the actual reviews confirm our problems with the game..."
For those that enjoyed little moments in Alan Wake where you could see a place you inevitable ended up at or have traveled!
Hmmm
For those that enjoyed little moments in Alan Wake where you could see a place you inevitable ended up at or have traveled!
Well, shit. I love that sorta stuff.
The perfect Dark
Banned
Played the game for about 9 hours at my friends places (he has an special box, was so hyped about the reboot that I had to play it beforehand)
The graphics and this is no joke, rival Uncharted at so many points! I am gonna go as far as to say that the graphics are one of the best on the Xbox. Many unforgetable places are in this game...
The story is kinda nice so far and really explains why Lara kills people and goes in to that more and more and well... there are parts (and one special part about 5 hours in) that show how crazy she goes to save her friends.
The gameplay is standard like Uncharted, climbing, shooting (with four weapons so far with some second modes)a grenade launcher which is my favorite scene lol
All I have to say that this game is a very very good reboot and everybody should just play after the prolouge. The beginning is pretty long (about 2 1/2 hours with the first "Wow" Scene)climbing that radio tower and going down
I would even go as far as to say that the shooting mechanics and the gameplay itself is way better than Uncharted 3 because of the skilling system, the flow of the battles and the wow scenes which come every 30 minutes. The QTE flow nice too.
If anybody has a question, just ask, but I am gonna wait for my copy now.
Oh loading times are very short too.
Wow, sounds awesome.
Phonomezer
Banned
It feels nice being right ALL ALONG.