Lara Croft’s origin story in 2013’s Tomb Raider did away with many of the hallmarks of the series, but despite doing so, it delivered an enjoyable action-adventure game of its own, with Switch and Switch 2 players able to explore the lost kingdom of Yamatai in last year’s port. The second in the “Survivor Trilogy” this time sticks to Nintendo’s latest console only, as Lara wraps up for a chilly expedition in Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Having now witnessed firsthand the presence of the supernatural, Lara is convinced the world has more secrets to uncover, leading her to take up her late father’s research into the Divine Source, the secret to immortality. The makings of the Lara Croft of the late 90s starts to take shape, as her drive to discover mystic wonders turns into a selfish obsession that puts herself and others in danger.
This time around, there are less annoying side characters to contend with, although Lara’s friend-zoned companion Jonah continues to be the more likeable returnee, even if he winds up being rather useless (this will still be the case in sequel Shadow of the Tomb Raider). An uninteresting global military organisation known as Trinity pursues the same goal as Lara, while local natives get wrapped up in trying to prevent either from getting their hands on the Divine Source.
Taking Lara through the snowy tundras of Siberia, the story fails to captivate for much of the game, but it is easy to put it to the back of the mind as Rise of the Tomb Raider’s strengths lie in its exploration, platforming and puzzle elements. General gameplay remains the same as before, with Lara able to scale icy cliffs with her twin axes, swing over chasms with rope arrows, and – new for the reboot series – dive through freezing underwater depths.
Small hub areas contain all manner of collectables, exotic animals to hunt, and even NPC side quests that can reward in useful tools like lockpicks for further gear acquisition down the road. It is hard to beat the satisfaction of progression made as Lara looped back through Yamatai island in Tomb Raider, but there is plenty to get a kick out of in this sequel by trekking the harsh, blizzardy landscapes, returning to previously inaccessible paths that lead to vastly improved platform-puzzle sections.
Buried into the crevices of Siberia are brilliantly put-together tombs and ruins that were lacking in complexity and scale in the last game. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, larger, multi-tiered puzzles require more time and thought in order to complete their challenges and obtain the treasures at the end – and it is often worthwhile as some of these are abilities that give Lara another advantage in the field.
When the main quest regresses in its attempts to engage through its narrative and gunplay that doesn’t do a whole lot different to the Tomb Raider that came before it, seeking optional tombs is the way to go, putting platforming and thinking skills to the test in the superior parts of the main game.
Rather unexpectedly, however, Rise of the Tomb Raider is extremely generous when it comes to modes outside of the core adventure. A bit like when many games would cram in some sort of local multiplayer mode during the N64 days, there is a feeling of trying to appeal to the masses by offering takes on “zombies” and score attack modes inside Lara’s manor and other focused environments.
There is even an incredibly addictive survival mode called Endurance, where Lara must manage her hunger and body temperature levels out in the frigid Siberian wilderness. Hunting, scavenging, and killing while searching for treasures through a day-and-night cycle are a constant in this highlight of additional content. Even more enticing is that this mode can be played co-operatively online, greatly increasing the enjoyability as two players work together to survive.
Focusing on Switch 2 only this time around means Rise of the Tomb Raider is a real looker. Snowy locales are always attractive settings, so anyone with a desire for a solid action-adventure game with a glacial premise will appreciate the icy habitats on display – and there is still an opportunity to explore desert and jungle surroundings in some parts.
Unfortunately, there is a huge amount of input delay that doesn’t allow Lara to control in the snappy fashion that she should. It is very apparent when flicking through the main menu, but creeps into gameplay too. Hopefully this is addressed with a patch because it causes more trouble than necessary during gunfights. It also means it may be better to focus Switch 2 handheld play to tackling optional tombs and hunting for collectables as opposed to getting caught up in shootouts in the main quest.
A middling story and input lag don’t detract from a content-packed adventure that is full of secrets and features vast improvements to platform-puzzle sections that were sorely missed in the prior game. Rise of the Tomb Raider’s chilly environment makes for a great setting and lends itself well to an addictive survival mode – just one piece of a wealth of extras that flesh out a highly regarded Lara Croft quest.
