Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft Xbox One 1

Rise of the Tomb Raider: REVIEW

Rise of the Tomb Raider videogame review by Martin Wharmby 

Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft Xbox One 1

stars 4.5

DEVELOPER: Crystal Dynamics
PUBLISHER: Square Enix, Microsoft Studios
RELEASE: Out Now
FORMATS: Xbox One, 360 (PC, PS4 2016)
RATING: PEGI 18
PRICE (RRP): £54.99

Rise of the Tomb Raider picks up the pieces of Lara Croft following the dramatic events of the 2013 reboot, and puts her together again as a much stronger, more determined adventurer, hunting the secret that cost her father his life.

Following a quick adventure in Syria, Lara’s quest to find the mythical Divine Source takes her to the chilly Siberian mountains, as the forces of Trinity hound her and snow, ice and freezing waters make her quest an uncomfortably cold one. Rise is a much more open and explorable experience, fully linear but with a series of large hub areas you’re free to return to and examine at your own pace, with many areas locked metroidvania-style until you find specific upgrades later in the game.

Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft Xbox One 2

Tombs are far more frequent, important and logical this time around – no more lit candles and modern weapons in untouched catacombs – and thanks to some ancient wisdom hidden within ‘Challenge’ tombs, far more useful and essential. Of even more importance is the need to keep Lara stocked with supplies such as wood, berries and specific materials needed to craft arrows, special ammo and to turn objects into makeshift weapons. Combat and movement are once again snappy and weighty, ensuring the action is never frustrating.

Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft Xbox One 3

At no point does Rise of the Tomb Raider feel anything short of thrilling, as it pushes you through at least 20 hours of story, and offers up tons of additional, enjoyable content and secrets. The final act is a little too familiar to the previous game’s finale, but Rise is a new high watermark for the 19-year-old series.

Rise of the Tomb Raider Lara Croft Xbox One 4


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Assassin’s Creed Film Gets Release Date Plus New Black Flag Trailer

The big screen adaptation of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed has been in the works for some time now. Michael Fassbender has been connected with the project for a while now, rumoured to play Desmond Miles, but very little information has otherwise been announced. However, 20th Century Fox and Regency Pictures have entered a deal to distribute the film, and a release date has been set for the 22 May 2015.

The film still has no director, but negotiations will no doubt be already under way. The film does have a scriptwriter, though, in the form of Michael Lesslie, who has mainly scripted short films and has not worked in Hollywood before. Expect to hear more details coming soon.

Meanwhile, the fourth numbered Assassin’s Creed title, Black Flag, has a new trailer. IN this latest instalment, you play as Edward Kenway, a young pirate skilled with a sword, and the game takes place during the Golden Age of Pirates in 1715. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be available for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U on the 1 November, and will be released on the next-gen consoles at a later date.