Tomb Raider (2013)

Tomb Raider is a reboot of a franchise that seem to have become formulaic. Tomb Raider attempt to break the franchise's formula. However, Tomb Raider has become more of a action shooter than an adventure title leaving no justice to Tomb Raider title.

Tomb Raider starts off really slow. This is not the kind of game for player who just want rush right into the game play. The game has many dialect sequences and scripted event. Tomb Raider eventually picks when the game starts to focus heavily on combat. The exploration of Tomb Raider seems to diminish when after combat is introduced. While there is a ton to collect in the somewhat open environment, the player is likely to return for exploration upon finishing the game. The only reason to explore the environment the first time is to search for salvage. While the game starts off as an exploration game, it will change course to an action shooting game.

Tomb Raider uses a generic combat system in which the player must hide behind cover. There are also new game play mechanics such as sniping and even stealth which certainly changes the combat compare previous Tomb Raider titles. In the past, the combat used auto-aim in which the player only choice of action is to attack and dodge bullets. The combat improved in Legend but was still very simplified. In Tomb Raider, there are much more options in the combat system. While the combat feel just the same as other popular games such as Gears of War, the combat has been expanded upon.

The stealth mechanics in Tomb Raider are broken. Stealth only works from long range but strangling an enemy from behind only works when the player is introduced to it. There no possibility of executing stealth kills since enemies are often accompanied with another. Player can try to lure enemies from each from with distracting sound but I find that never works. If  you are looking for game like Splinter Cell or Metal Gear Solid, you will not find it in Tomb Raider. If there is any benefit from the broken stealth mechanics, the enemy AI is pretty smart.

Three enemies together; don't expect to perform a stealth kill.

Early in the game, hunting is introduced as a game play mechanic. This mechanic is not well utilized. Yes, hunting does earn the player salvage which can be used buy skills but salvage can also be found everywhere, from enemies and crates. There is no really need to hunt if the players desires not to.  Metal Gear Solid 3 utilize hunting better in which Solid Snake's stamina drains overtime if he does not eat. This is exactly what Tomb Raider should of done. The only reason to hunt is to obtain skills only obtainable by hunting.

Some skills don't effect the game play much while others prove to be quite useful. For example, there is a skill that allows animal to be more numerous for hunting which would be useful if hunting was well utilized. Lara can also obtain some useful skill such throwing sand in enemies faces or using an ax to combat them in close quarters. Some skill will also be required throughout the game, usually upgradeable weapons such the crossbow which will be used to create a zipline. Some skills are useful and other, not so much.

Lara's movement really does portray how a new adventurer should be. From the start of the game, Lara struggles to hang on ledges and instead of preforming some fancy flips to dodge enemies, she ducks  to scamps across the ground. Unfortunately, Lara can grasp ledges well too soon but on the other hand; if Lara struggled at every ledge, the pacing of the game would slow down drastically so this problem in character development is can be easily forgiven.

Tomb Raider holds the player hand almost all the way through. Throughout the game, there are hints displayed on screen in case the player forgets what to do. I would not have a problem with this as long there is a way to disable it via the options menu but there isn't. Veteran players such as myself will probably will be annoyed with this. Tomb Raider fails to challenge experienced player.

There controls work as they should. When player dies, it is his or her own fault not the game. The combat is very fluid. The buttons are laid out where they should be. Ever button does something. However, Tomb Raider does not take advantage of the trigger button analog feature. So, if player already press the right trigger button, he will not be to withdraw the shot by slowly releasing the button. Thankfully, a  held shot can be canceled by simply letting the left trigger to lower the weapon.  For combat, there no cover button. If Lara needs to take cover, she will automatically just hugging against a cover wall of some kind. There isn't really much to say about the control other than they are fully functional with no major issues.

Tomb Raider looks great. There isn't many places indistinguishable from invisible walls. The path is clear cut with minor exceptions. There is no lag or screen tearing. I have not come across in any graphical errors. Tomb Raider goes for gritty style which I don't care for. I prefer colors in my games. The gritty style does however match the tone of dark plot. Tomb Raider takes place at night for most of the game so expect a lot of darkness. Most of light player will see is fire and explosions and there is a lot of it. Expect to be looking at a lot of grays and many hues that make fire. 

Promotional art does indeed represent majority the game well.

Lara Croft for once looks like a real person compared the inappropriate exploitable Croft we knew from the Playstation games. She feels legitimately strong than her Playstation counterpart in which she looked exaggerated. Even in Legends, Anniversary and Underworld, Lara looked unappealing to take seriously. In Tomb Raider, I can respect Lara as a strong character. On the PC version of Tomb Raider, there is some new hair physics using TressFX. while the texture looks great but altogether, Lara's hair seem to flow unrealistically. Even if the hair physics did work, I feel this was an unnecessary graphical change. The money for the technology could been used for development of the game play rather than hair physics...or even improving TressFX for something that more worthwhile. Though I am not currently not a fan TressFX and the gritty style but the presentation overall is well done.

My gripe biggest gripe with Tomb Raider is that it does not feel like Tomb Raider. The plot and the environment of game present itself well as a Tomb Raider title. The enemies however feel generic with exception of the cannibals and samurais. There no other unique enemies such as dangerous wildlife, mythological monsters or anything like that.  We got our  demonic enemies near the end just like previous titles although the game seemed like it was setting up something bigger than what we got. Needless to say the end boss was disappointing. Tomb Raider also lacked tombs. The takes place mostly on the island with only only one major tomb. There are optional tombs but for Tomb Raider game, there needs to be more to do to merit this game as Tomb Raider.

There is a ton of downloadable content, and sadly, most if not all are not worth your money. The content range from alternate outfit and weapons to multiplayer maps. There is even DLC for in-game unlockables for the single player modes so players would be paying to cheat in the game. Tomb Raider: Underworld got two single player campaigns. I don't know if those DLC are worth it because I never played those but at least they are something more than extra costumes and cheats. Square-Enix should feel ashamed for releasing this kind of content.

I know that I harped on Tomb Raider a lot, but I do like this game. The platforming and combat is well done. Lara Croft was portrayed very well as an inexperienced explorer despite minor issues in her character development. While the world is not quite open, there is much to explore and to collect. If development went on longer to flesh out some of the game play mechanics and options as I mentioned above, Tomb Raider would of been a much better game than what was released. Overall, Tomb Raider gets a recommendation. It is far from what I call a Tomb Raider title, but it is still worth a play as a solid action-adventure game.

Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider is a game of trail and error. The game features unique puzzles and traps.There are even some traps the cannot be foreseen in which the player will need to player need to replay the area again.  The PC version allow players to save at anytime while the Playstation version used fixated save point. This can really hinder the player experience has they may have replay the certain part over again. Thankfully, save points are plentiful until the last two stages of the game so players can use strategy to their game play experience. 

There is an  issue with the hit detection. At first the hit detection may seem up to snuff, but there have been point where the hit detection was questionable. For example, there was one point where a boulder somehow hit me result death despite I escaped onto a platform. I assume I was still to close to the boulder due to poor hit detection. There was also section in which I dodged a flow of lava but I still somehow hit it probably because the hit box was wider than it should be. Tomb Raider other many weird detection such as grabbing onto a Sphinx face though I know I was obviously not suppose to but I was just messing around at that time. These are the kind of glitches I appreciate due to their humorous nature but I do not really care glitches when I am just playing through the game casually.

The controls for what they were at the time are responsive for most part. There does seem to be a delay with the jumping command especially when sliding down slopes. While combat controls feels ages, they work, however, the games design works against the combat. The combat controls work better in large open areas for player to jump and move around such the Lost Valley with dinosaurs but late in the game, there are many small areas such as corridors and platform in which the controls clearly does not work with. You might find yourself stuck between a wall and an enemy thus the player will have to take a moment to turn Lara in the right direction.  Enemies on small platform could easily knock Croft off thus forcing players to climb up again. Sure, players could shoot enemies at a far distance where enemies have no means of defense but there no fun in that.  It is not so much the controls have aged, but rather that the level design worked against the control. Don't get me wrong, when it comes puzzles and traps, the level design is brilliant but not so much for the combat.

While I have harshly criticized Tomb Raider thus far, the choice of enemies is excellent. The enemies selected for this game definitely represent what an adventure game should fell like. From wolves to lion and dinosaurs to demons, I do feel that I am experiencing an adventure, not just some shoot'em up action title like Tomb Raider: Legend was. Unfortunately, there are still some issue...some the enemies feel like clones of another, specifically the lion which act like they were just meant to replace the wolves  just for the sake of the setting.  Another issue is that sometimes you can find enemies that you are not suppose to encounter until a certain event so as a result, they just stand there locked in place waiting to be trigger. That really takes out the surprise of the game as I know where going to be coming from. Though, on the other hand, it create tension depending on the difficulty of enemies. Personally, I rather not be shown what is to come. 

Lara Croft Battles A T-Rex

Tomb Raider very pix-elated to the point that certainly objects should be better rounded but they come pointy. This is very noticeable with certain body parts of Croft...you know which ones. Some the graphics have issues blending into one another, specifically with their colors. You could miss out on a medipack or mistake a background element as a landing platform because they are camouflaged in the environment. Future games from Crystal Dynamics fixed this issue using a blinking element in which an item would have a blinking shine. Graphically, Tomb Raider has not aged well.

At all ends, Tomb Raider was a very ambitious attempt at game creation but fails to delivers in combat and expectations. It does average job graphically, but it aged really poorly. It does however succeed at what Tomb Raider should be, an immersive adventure which most adventure games; even future installments of Tomb Raider, fail to do.  If you are looking for a solid adventure...well, to be honest; there is no reason to play Tomb Raider except for the puzzles and deathtraps. I suggest picking Tomb Raider Anniversary. It does everything right of what the original Tomb Raider did not, though with one exception.....quick-time event, but I am getting ahead of myself. Anniversary is for another review.

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System by Capcom. You probably imagine that this is a movie licensed game targeted towards a young female demographic therefore it must be awful. That is not the case.

The story of the Little Mermaid takes place after Ariel is transformed back into a mermaid after she met prince Eric. Ursula attempts to control the sea by using magic to hypnotize fish into giving into her demands. There are cut scenes after each level which provides obvious hints for the next level.

The Little Mermaid is a shoot-em up game. The player takes control of Ariel shooting bubbles which she encases enemies in.  She can also pick up the encased enemies to throw at other enemies. She can also use shell to throw at enemies. There are power up found in treasure chests which have to be open with shells, rocks and barrels. Shells have to be picked up  but rocks and barrel have to be whacked with Ariel’s tail to slide them.

There are some other items to collect, but not really worth the effort. When you trap an enemy in a bubbles, there are holes in the ground and ceiling which can reveal item by thowing an enemy or shell in them. The items are fork and pipes, a clever reference to the movie when Scuttle refer to these item as Snarfblats and dinglehoppers. However, the items do not do anything other than add up to your score and really, I doubt there is any high score competitions for such a game. The only items you will be seeking are the power up.

The basic game play is really difficult to classify into a genre. It is mostly a shoot-em up though, you don't use bubbles to clear enemies directly. There are also some platforming element in which Ariel is controlled on land. As you probably guess, the controls change on land as Ariel can only flap like any other fish taken out from the water. Ariel controls nicely in the water, though there is a slight delay when changing directions due to an addition animation on Ariel. Despite this minor gripe, the controls work very well.

The graphics are outstanding in The Little Mermaid. Unlike many NES game, the protagonist has three frames of animation and it barley disrupts the control of the game. There are no levels with solid color backgrounds.  The backgrounds are usually in blue monochrome, though that is probably because the game is set in underwater. There are a few colored background other than blue which pulls the scenery nicely.

The Little Mermaid is too short and way too easy. On my first try at this game, I was able beat it without losing a single life. Yes, I know it is a game marketed to little girls but that is no excuse not to provide a reasonable challenge. Given the demographic this game is market to, I expected it to be easy but I doubt even a little girl will find any challenge in this game. As for the length of the game, it feels like Capcom did not want to create a long game simply because they knew who it was going to be marketed to. I am not sure if this is due to laziness since the attention to the graphics of this game is quite good.

The Little Mermaid on the NES is a good game, but not on par with DuckTales and Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers. If you’re looking for a more lasting Disney game, I suggest playing those two games first. I do recommend The Little Mermaid if you can find it cheap. It is fun to play, but it is a shame that fun does not last long. 

Castlevania: Rondo of Blood

Devil's Castle Dracula X Rondo of Blood, often referred to as Castlevania X (but I will be calling it Rondo of Blood to avoid confusion with Dracula X) in America, “was” a PC-Engine game released exclusively in Japan. However, Both Europe and America received a “down-graded” version called Castlevania: Dracula X (or Castlevania: Vampire’s Kiss in Europe.) Dracula X lacked the several features Castlevania X had. It wouldn’t be till years later Rondo of Blood would be released overseas.  Rondo of Blood was eventually released as Castlevania X Chronicles which included an emulated version of the game as well as a 2.5D remake. Rondo of Blood was also later released on the Wii’s Virtual Console service.

Castlevania: Dracula X - This Battle Does NOT Happen In Rondo of Blood

The story in Rondo of Blood is very weak. Dracula is once again revived and builds up a dark army of zombies to destroy a village where Richter Belmont resides as well as kidnapping several villagers including Richter’s girlfriend, Annette, and her sister, Maria. The plot is very much just a typical “rescue the princess”, provided if the player feel like doing so, as rescuing the villagers is not a requirement to beat the game. Although, the player is rewarded with an alternate ending if decided to do so

The game play starts with a “battle” with death on a horse and carriage. With a set up like that, you know in for a good game. Rondo of Blood has excellent music, but most of it, does not seem fitting in any level.  Much like Super Castlevania IV (but not, Dracula X) there is a variety of themed levels, including, dungeons, swamps, bridges, and my favorite, the pirate ship.

Richter Encounters Death On Carriage

Rondo of Blood consists of alternate paths in most levels much like in Castlevania III. The route select is gone and selecting routes is rather done in more “real-time,” such as falling into pits or using or an elevator   Sometimes leading to new bosses, however, some bosses are also repeats. Depending on what route the player, he or she, may discover a secret level. If hidden levels are to be missed, the game does feature a level select allowing the player to go back to a level to look for them.

Rondo of Blood is probably the first game in the series to feature spendable cash. Unlike in previous installments, cash is no longer worth just points, but unfortunately, money may be only used to purchase “boss tactic.” There also does not seem to be a way save your cash count without having to resort to the “Game Over” screen. That screen seems to be the only way to save your cash count.  The money used in Rondo of Blood is just as pointless as points unless you are really having trouble with those bosses.

The bosses as expected are made up of generic movie and mythological monsters such as a werewolf and a minotaur. Many of the bosses from the original Castlevania also return for a difficult endurance round. Of course, it cannot be Castlevania without Dracula and Death. The best part about the bosses is just after they are defeated, they will attempt to strike the player with one final blow.

There are two playable characters in Rondo of Blood. Richter Belmont uses the trusty vampire killer or “whip” most people calls it. Unlike Simon in Super Castlevania who can whip in all five direction much like in Contra, instead, Rondo of Blood features, a “crash” ability allow the player to use a upgraded sub-weapon attack, if the player has enough hearts. I found most of these moves to be almost useless. The player will probably have no trouble getting to end of the game without, especially with the secondary character, Maria.

Maria Renard

Maria Renard is only other playable character provided that you rescued her. She is the only hostage to be playable. Strangely enough, she appears to a child, much like one of the protagonists in Castlevania 64. She also makes Rondo of Blood much easier. When playing as Maria, the meat, which refills Richter’s health, is replaced by desserts and all her weapons make use of animals. This may seem strange at first, but it is rather creative, especially when using her sub-weapons. Maria uses doves as here main weapon. With here doves, she can attack slightly more consecutively than Richter. While Richter’s attack may have a longer range, Maria can attack enemies at lower positions than Richter can even at crouch position. Maria can also execute a double jump, thus, reaching higher platforms much quicker than Richter. The only drawback Maria has is that she takes more damage than Richter can handle.

Rondo of Blood is indeed an excellent game. It is graphically stunning, and very fun to pick up to play numerous times over. With the addition of an extra character to play as and alternate routes to explore , Rondo of Blood offers very high replay value. It is definitely a recommendation for Castlevania fans.