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Critical Drinker: Tomb Raider is Back, Baby

All three recent games were good, Lara has always been hot!

Fair plays, shadows was just good and not great but they are still good.
 
I like some of this guy's film opinions even if they are mostly grief bait for Americans, but I don't get his hate over the new Tomb Raiders. Specially the first one. The third is a clusterfuck where you're the bad guy (genocide, murder, thief) but you act like a heroine. But the first one is a solid work. Almost nobody does games like that anymore. I get some people has a nostalgia towards the first games that I don't but it's not that hard to see where it needed change in gameplay. You can't have people having tank controls jumps in 2025 (or 2013). And unpopular opinion: first reboot Lara wasn't ugly. And then they chickened out and dollyfied her in the remake.
 
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Radical_3d said:
I like some of this guy's film opinions even if they are mostly grief bait for Americans, but I don't get his hate over the new Tomb Raiders. Specially the first one. The third is a clusterfuck where you're the bad guy (genocide, murder, thief) but you act like a heroine. But the first one is a solid work. Almost nobody does games like that anymore. I get some people has a nostalgia towards the first games that I don't but it's not that hard to see where it needed change in gameplay. You can't have people having tank controls jumps in 2025 (or 2013). And unpopular opinion: first reboot Lara wasn't ugly. And then they chickened out and dollyfied her in the remake.
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Personally, I loved tomb raider 2013. The plot, characters, pacing and sense of urgency and terror was great. The only thing bad about it were the amount of collectibles.

Although I did dislike rise of the tomb raider enough that I didn't bother with shadow of the tomb raider. Rise had paper thin characters, most of whom I forgot by the time the cutscene ended. The entire story felt bland and boring. I still remember scenes from tr2013 but can't remember any plot details from rise at all. Even lara felt safe and bland, like she lacked emotions.
 
That's a bit of an embarrassing point of view regarding the survivor trilogy, IMO. Way too much focus in the "woke" stuff (I can't remember any woke stuff in the last 3 games, but w/e).

I'm very glad that the confident and unapologetic Lara might be back. But I don't regret having played the Survivor Trilogy for one second.
 
Insanemaelstrom said:
Personally, I loved tomb raider 2013. The plot, characters, pacing and sense of urgency and terror was great. The only thing bad about it were the amount of collectibles.

Although I did dislike rise of the tomb raider enough that I didn't bother with shadow of the tomb raider. Rise had paper thin characters, most of whom I forgot by the time the cutscene ended. The entire story felt bland and boring. I still remember scenes from tr2013 but can't remember any plot details from rise at all. Even lara felt safe and bland, like she lacked emotions.
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So, I'm only commenting on the narrative and writing, when it comes to setpieces and mechanics there are highs and lows in the trilogy. TR2013 gets mostly things right, my only complaint is that the game over-emphasises Lara's vulnerability. One moment she's doing internal monologue how everything is going to shit, and the next mowing down enemies like there's no concern whatsoever. I don't mind the latter, it's a video game and power fantasy, of course that's how things go. Just, tone down the "I'm a little girl lost in the woods" thing.

The narrative of the second game could be summarized as "Lara has daddy issues". And the third, that just went off the rails.
 
nowhat said:
So, I'm only commenting on the narrative and writing, when it comes to setpieces and mechanics there are highs and lows in the trilogy. TR2013 gets mostly things right, my only complaint is that the game over-emphasises Lara's vulnerability. One moment she's doing internal monologue how everything is going to shit, and the next mowing down enemies like there's no concern whatsoever. I don't mind the latter, it's a video game and power fantasy, of course that's how things go. Just, tone down the "I'm a little girl lost in the woods" thing.

The narrative of the second game could be summarized as "Lara has daddy issues". And the third, that just went off the rails.
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Yeah, I even remember the scene, I think it's on a beach, it's night time, and lara is crying about being vulnerable and the next moment you are in a combat scenario mowing down dozens of genetic goons. Lol. Also, I think 2013 had better supernatural elements than rise( tbh, I don't even remember the supernatural elements in rise, the game is just that forgetful).

So third is somehow even worse? Lmao, glad I didn't play that
 
She was already back with the pretty decent remasters.

Also we're talking about another Remake of 1 and a new game that we don't know if is going to be any good.
 
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Radical_3d said:
I like some of this guy's film opinions even if they are mostly grief bait for Americans, but I don't get his hate over the new Tomb Raiders. Specially the first one. The third is a clusterfuck where you're the bad guy (genocide, murder, thief) but you act like a heroine. But the first one is a solid work. Almost nobody does games like that anymore. I get some people has a nostalgia towards the first games that I don't but it's not that hard to see where it needed change in gameplay. You can't have people having tank controls jumps in 2025 (or 2013). And unpopular opinion: first reboot Lara wasn't ugly. And then they chickened out and dollyfied her in the remake.
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Everyone who thinks the Lara in the reboots is ugly is just a certified retard. She is still a really attractive woman are you fucking me lol

The story tho? Dogshit
 
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Tiago Rodrigues said:
And who the fuck is critical drinker lol. Y'all just post any random youtuber for no reason.
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He's a woke grifter. Basically, give any media that has someone involved in the production, that may have said something, that is considered even remotely "woke" (a term that has pretty much lost all meaning at this point), and he'll make dozens of videos about it. And also amass a large view count from the culture warriors. We live in a stupid timeline.
 
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Radical_3d said:
I like some of this guy's film opinions even if they are mostly grief bait for Americans, but I don't get his hate over the new Tomb Raiders. Specially the first one. The third is a clusterfuck where you're the bad guy (genocide, murder, thief) but you act like a heroine. But the first one is a solid work. Almost nobody does games like that anymore. I get some people has a nostalgia towards the first games that I don't but it's not that hard to see where it needed change in gameplay. You can't have people having tank controls jumps in 2025 (or 2013). And unpopular opinion: first reboot Lara wasn't ugly. And then they chickened out and dollyfied her in the remake.
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Anything to complain, gatekeep, and nostalgia-bait to act like only oldest fans are legitimate. This guy is a clown that just looks at things and finds a way to complain, because that's how he gets paid. Ironically, his existence is entirely the same as professional feminists, his worst enemy. His paycheck depends on hating something every day.
 
I'm not a fan of the 2013 Survivor Trilogy of games but 'Catalyst' doesn't ignore the continuity of the Survivor series because there's nothing to ignore. Those were Prequels to the very 1st game, not prequels to 'Catalyst' and sequels to 'Underworld' so he's wrong on that count.

Sometimes I wonder whether these anti-woke grifters actually take an interest in the media they're pushing.

He spends an inordinate amount of time making fun of other people in the movie and games industry, and when he tried to make a low-budget movie, it bombed harder than Concord. You'd have thought that would have humbled him a little.
 
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xenosys said:
it bombed harder than Concord. You'd have thought that would have humbled him a little
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You can tell it did reading in between the lines and in the little cracks his character has. But what makes him money is his drunk persona. I wouldn't abandon it either as long as the money keeps flowing. The people with actual criteria that I follow have 24 followers.
 
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really enjoyed the survivor trilogy, would love to see a remaster collection on current gen consoles for all three (same with batman arkham) but the problem with those games was that they really didn't feel like tomb raider. as for the new games, the TRE1 remake looks promising, don't like lara's design in catalyst though so i don't have high hopes for that
 
I think there is a 50/50 chance I would let Lara vore me.

...but by all means, keep talking about the drinker.
TR_ATL_KEYART_EARNED_PLACEMENTS_169_3840x2160_CT-000023923-d8ecfde324a2de01650d-1024x576.jpg
 
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Drinker is annoying as fuck at this point. His roundtable discussions are just him and a bunch of nerds circlejerking each other about minor plot holes, patting each other on the balls, and then advertising his pedestrian series of books.
 
Nonsense take by the dude.

Sure, Shadow wasn't as good as 2013 and Rise in my opinion but still a good game for sure, not a bad one by any means.

She never left.
 
The survival trilogy was pretty damn mid, and more mid as it went along. I don't think it was really woke, just boring and shitty game design. Looking forward to these new ones for sure.
 
Bert Big Balls said:
The bloke is a fucking moron. I liked him a while back, but the more you watch, the more you realise how fucking dumb a lot of his takes are.
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The mad thing is, the other guy isn't even trying to trip him up. It's a softball question and he still struggles with it. It shows how a lot of that stuff is just virtue signalling without any substance beneath it. Movie criticism by someone who doesn't really watch movies, made for people who don't really watch movies.
 
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Back based on a short pre-Alpha/cinematic video showing essentially no gameplay or anything? It's a videogame. Shows how superficial half this shit is. Nothing is "back" until you played it and it isn't auto-platforming TPS Temu Uncharted. Videogames are about gameplay, level and encounter design, not outfits and drama.
 
Tomb Raider 1-4 were all very highly rated.
Chronicles not so much. Angel of Darkness was a low point for the IP.
Legend, Anniversary and Underworld were all solid reboots.
2013 & Rise were critically acclaimed. Shadow whilst still a good game wasn't up to their level.
TR1-6 remastered sold well and were excellent remasters of the originals.

I don't see why some people have such an issue with TR, particularly on here where some of the criticism has been ludicrously over the top.
 
I dont usually watch drinker from the gaming side. I rather watch his movie criticism. I do agree Lara is finally back after all this years though.
 
I agree she never left. Tomb Raider 2013 was the best Tomb Raider game ever made. Plus Critical Drinker is hardly any sort of authority. This was a good explanation about why he kinda sucks:

 
Tomb raider has a chance to be better than uncharted with its easy controls, world building, jaw dropping highlights etc. I'd like to see more puzzles, memorable villain.
 
While the surviver trilogy games for totally sound, 2013 is the best one, they lacked Lara's personality and even her acrobatic traits, the games were lite on the actual Tomb side of things, they were also drama heavy with an emotionally unstable Lara
so yes Lara is back....from what we can see.
 
The early leaks were stating that Lara was leading a team of Tomb Raiders, which sounded like they were doubling down on the last game with Jonah and all the tedious lackeys who only existed to say "Woah, Lara" in her earpiece and to bore everyone in the cinematic cut scenes.

I'm so pleased those leaks were wrong or that the game designers course corrected, and instead we are indeed going back to basics with a confident superhero Lara swinging around Tombs and solving epic puzzles. It's one of my top five most anticipated games of 2026 for sure.
 
Well he's right and that it seems like she spent most of her time just crying during the survivor trilogy. Whether or not that was true, it certainly a major impression that was left with me.
 
Enjoyed his videos some time ago then quickly got tired of his shtick. Its always the same , I already know what he's gonna say when I see a new video popping up.
 
The Cockatrice said:
She never left.
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Hard disagree. The girl in the reboot games is someone else, but is not Lara Croft. Lara is confident, acrobatic and a femme fatale that uses her good looks as part of her arsenal. The Lara from the reboot was a depressed sad and scared girl, always wearing pants to not reaveal anything that could trigger the feninazis of the internet screaming "MALE GAZE!".

The girl we see in the Atlantis trailer, now thats Lara Croft.
 
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DenchDeckard said:
All three recent games were good, Lara has always been hot!

Fair plays, shadows was just good and not great but they are still good.
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Yeah. Glad to see a lot of people in this thread acknowledging this.

I think from the moment someone made that death compilation from the first game in the Survivor trilogy and had dumbasses calling it misoginy, it's been an uphill battle for those games.

They're legitimately good Tomb Raider games.

Aenima said:
The girl we see in the Atlantis trailer, now thats Lara Croft.
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Those games take place after the reboot trilogy. Characters grow.
 
Aenima said:
Hard disagree. The girl in the reboot games is someone else, but is not Lara Croft. Lara is confident, acrobatic and a femme fatale that uses her good looks as part of her arsenal. The Lara from the reboot was a depressed sad and scared girl, always wearing pants to not reaveal anything that could trigger the feninazis of the internet screaming "MALE GAZE!".

The girl we see in the Atlantis trailer, now thats Lara Croft.
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I mean, it was her origin story. She is 21 in that game, hardly old enough to be confident older self. It clearly resonated with people being the highest selling title by far and also the best reviewed one. Like it or not, it was the most popular she had ever been.
 
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