Tomb Raider Critic Reviews

Tomb Raider earns its score for daring to go big and then executing on that goal with considerable aplomb in every important area. It looks great, plays well, and is fun from beginning to end. Even more than that, it does all of those things with more skill and finesse than almost any other game before it.

This is the Tomb Raider you've wanted for years. It needs a few more puzzles, but that's a small gripe when cast against such a marvelous adventure.

With a well written cast of characters, mightily impressive production techniques, sumptuous visuals, tight platforming and surprisingly enjoyable combat, Tomb Raider is most definitely a release to be treasured.

Tomb Raider is a brilliant game on the XBox 360 and the developers have successfully rebooted the franchise for the 21st century with next-generation graphics and gameplay.

Early quick-time events aside, this twelve hour adventure suffers so few missteps that it’s a genuine delight to play, even as the lead gets trampled into the seasoned pro we’ve come to know. Everyone take a bow… the first lady of gaming has returned.

This reboot is gritty and brutal, casting Lara in a new, grittier light and you will see Lara in a different perspective than we originally know her by. Tomb Raider feels similar to the Uncharted series, and has really made a welcome return to consoles.

From a story perspective, Lara is now as interesting a character as (though wholly different from) sardonic Nathan Drake. This feels like Uncharted will have to start chasing Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider is the second best Uncharted game behind Uncharted 2. While it gives up a lot of its adventure identity fans have come to know and love, the end result is still a fantastic game that shouldn’t be missed by any action fan. If Crystal Dynamics can inject more adventure elements into a potential sequel, it would be a pretty interesting proposition indeed.

Tomb Raider is an extraordinary video-game. Its gameplay is amusing, Lara's animations are stunning, and the game is one hell of a ride.

The lackluster multiplayer is absolutely no reason to avoid what is otherwise one of the best action adventures I’ve ever played.

This new installment of the series is probably the best in years. Tomb Raider reunites classical elements with the new adventure game philosophy, resulting in a true Masterpiece.

The Lara we know from long ago has grown up. Is that a bad thing? No, she is replaced by a new, maybe even better Lara, who will appeal to a future generation of gamers. If this game is a hint to what the future of Tomb Raider might be, than we are very much looking forward to the next game in the series.

Tomb Raider is an action-packed adventure game that offers a new origin story for Lara and that mixes an epic plot and an incredibly detailed setting which let us enjoy the very beginning of her journey towards her legendary status.

Lara Croft's comeback is simply stunning. The cinematic gameplay, its atmosphere and the "LOST resembling" environments are great, while the multiplayer is a nice-to-have goodie. The game is let down just a little by its German localization and Lara's redundant squad members. Nevertheless, in my opinion it's the best game in 2013 so far.

Lara’s latest adventure is one of the most fun, immersive, emotional, and thrilling rides the series has ever taken us on.

Tomb Raider is well-written, sympathetic, exciting, beautiful and just incredibly well-made.

The reinvention of the franchise succeeds in almost every aspect of the game, so much so that it actually tops the Uncharted series among the great adventure games for this console generation. I hope to see you again soon, Lara.

It's easy to point out the many ways that Tomb Raider borrows bits and pieces from other popular games of the last five years, but Crystal Dynamics has blended these disparate strengths into something remarkable. It's cinematic yet open, intense yet laid-back, fresh yet polished.

Its expert sense of pacing, captivating setting, and dark tone create a truly memorable experience that's further enhanced by an immense level of detail. Lara croft, the old Lara Croft, is dead. In place of a dolled-up gunslinger is a do-what-it-takes survivor--and we hope she hasn't had her fill of adventuring just yet.

Tomb Raider reaffirms the importance and value of having strong, realistic female protagonists in games, while also successfully transposing much of what people loved about the original titles into an adventure that feels superbly modern. It’s a better Uncharted game than Uncharted 3 was.