Video Game Review: Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third entry in the rebooted Tomb Raider main console video game franchise, after the reboot of Tomb Raider, which came out in 2013, and Rise of the Tomb Raider, which came out in 2015.

I just finished playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and while I was playing the game, there was a dominant thought that was in my brain. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is almost a carbon copy of the previous two Tomb Raider games, just with a slightly different story and a different setting. I understand that with the critical reception that the first rebooted Tomb Raider received in 2013, the developers would want to play it safe and stick with the same formula that worked for the next two sequels. However, when developers do that, the in-game experiences of future games become stale, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider certainly suffers from that.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider badly lacked innovation, and that was the worst thing about this game. The gameplay, although still fluid, is still the exact same gameplay as the last two Tomb Raider games. The puzzles are still unique and provide a decent challenge without being too difficult, but so were the last two Tomb Raider games. The visuals still look the same as the first Tomb Raider reboot in 2013, and it lacks any improved, implemented richness in the atmosphere. There is nothing that makes Shadow of the Tomb Raider stand out from the previous two games, and that is a damning criticism.

Another infuriating thing about this game is the outright terrible character modeling, especially when there is dialogue taking place between characters. The characters do not seem to show any emotion in their faces when they are talking, even in more emotional and significant moments of the game. There is a disconnect between the dialogue and lack of facial emotion, where the developers are intending a narrative that they want the player to feel, but because that narrative cannot be conveyed through facial expression, that narrative becomes lost on the player, and the story suffers because of it.

With all of these criticisms, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is still a good game. The story is well paced and reasonably intriguing, if not done-to-death. The game is lengthy and there are a number of side missions to complete, as well as crypts and tombs to explore. The numerous collectibles give some interesting historical context that are worth reading up on. If you like action-adventure titles, this is still worth playing. With all that said, the game still ended up being a disappointment for me, because the developers did not do anything to improve the game compared to previous installments.