This game was the surprise of the year for me. I wasn't expecting much when I bought it on a Steam sale, but what a buy.
After starting up the game, immediately I realize that this game has come leaps and bounds from where it was when I last played it properly, back in 1999. Now that isn't saying much, as it's only natural that a game should process in 14 years, but more impressive is how it compares to other modern games.
The first thing that struck me with the game was the graphics. The graphics were extremely good, the ambient lighting allowed for the setting of dramatic and realistic looking scenes. All the while running smoothly on my mid-range desktop PC.
While you can see that the game was developed with consoles in mind, with lots of key mashing - the gameplay is extremely well done, even on PC. And at no stage during the mashing process do you find yourself really getting annoyed or having difficulty switching between keys. The controls in general are very easy to use and everything feels natural, despite the endless amount of actions one is able to perform. In most cases it would feel clustered, but it works well in Tomb Raider.
The voice acting was also a pleasant surprise and you really feel Croft's pain when she suffers injury. The characters could potentially have a little more background added to them earlier on in the story. But enough is shown in the cut scenes to provide enough insight into their personalities. This is one of the first games I don't want to skip the cut scenes of because it's like watching a movie - you can see it setting up the plot.
Things have come a long way from shooting some wolves now and then. There is extensive looting and experience gaining in the game. You can modify and enhance your weapons from salvage you find, as well as earn XP- and build your character to your style of play.
Gone are the days of a family friendly game. Tomb Raider has grown up. The game is riddled with mutilated corpses and the F-bomb is dropped regularly. A risky step for the development of the game, but something that further shows that this is no average Tomb Raider game.
I can honestly say that this is the biggest surprise of a game release this year for me. I was not expecting something this good at all. It far exceeds the money I paid for it and is by far my favourite adventure game. I suspect I will spend many more hours on this not so deserted island.
Highly recommend this game for anyone looking for a fun and yet mature adventure game that offers an incredibly detailed world and immersive gameplay.