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Tomb Raider |OT| Lara's Misfortune

N

Net_Wrecker

Member
iratA said:
Wow. What a nicely constructed sentence that uses some big words without any real context or direct examples to the game proper. Could you please explain where in the game CD try to take on 'complex issues' with 'simplistic world-views'?

Secondly 'gratuitous' this game is not. There are no swimsuits or clothes that are any more revealing than what my daughter or wife would wear from day-to-day. Hell the clothes don't even rip to reveal parts of her flesh, at least not in the 6+ hours I've sunk into it. DOA would be a game that could be reasonably described as gratuitous.

As for 'hyperviolent' this game is not rated R and nor should it be. This game doesn't have X-ray moves that show bones breaking ala Sniper Elite or Mortal Kombat, hell it doesn't even have active limb removal or any other such violence like Metal Gear Rising or God of War.

As for 'being made by incompetent teenagers with severe mental deficiencies'
Lol
Click to expand...

Gratuitous can also be applied to violent content, not just sexual. And this game is definitely "rated R," are you kidding me? She sticks her pickaxe right into enemies' skulls, and shoves shotguns under their jaws before firing. It's not God of War, but it's clearly a step up from Uncharetd style violence.

EDIT: I thought "rated R" was in reference to the MPAA film rating system. I was confused. I am no longer confused.
 
K

kuroshiki

Member
Net_Wrecker said:
Gratuitous can also be applied to violent content, not just sexual. And this game is definitely "rated R," are you kidding me? She sticks her pickaxe right into enemies' skulls, and shoves shotguns under their jaws before firing. It's not God of War, but it's clearly a step up from Uncharetd style violence.
Click to expand...

You mean M.
 
I

iratA

Member
Net_Wrecker said:
Gratuitous can also be applied to violent content, not just sexual. And this game is definitely "rated R," are you kidding me? She sticks her pickaxe right into enemies' skulls, and shoves shotguns under their jaws before firing. It's not God of War, but it's clearly a step up from Uncharetd style violence.
Click to expand...

Nope its rated MA15+ here in Australia and yes we have an 'R' rating now.

EDIT: which for reference is 18+
 
S

scorpscarx

Member
What if I told you that I secretly wanted this game to feature a more hyper sexual Lara, they seemed to have toned her down a tad.

It wasn't even for the female stereotype bs, they are just cool from a video game model point of view imo.

Man I miss this game
784xUrtl.jpg
 
D

dreamfall

Member
It's interesting to note that the last track on the Soundtrack is titled "The Tomb Raider" and is conclusively one of the shortest tracks- I almost wonder if there really is character development that turns her into the Lara we know. Almost!

Part of me hopes so, but who knows!
 
T

Toa TAK

Banned
dreamfall said:
It's interesting to note that the last track on the Soundtrack is titled "The Tomb Raider" and is conclusively one of the shortest tracks- I almost wonder if there really is character development that turns her into the Lara we know. Almost!

Part of me hopes so, but who knows!
Click to expand...

I'm thinking the same, too. It's her main theme for sure since it's sprinkled across the soundtrack.
 
Nemesis_

Nemesis_

Member
dreamfall said:
It's interesting to note that the last track on the Soundtrack is titled "The Tomb Raider" and is conclusively one of the shortest tracks- I almost wonder if there really is character development that turns her into the Lara we know. Almost!

Part of me hopes so, but who knows!
Click to expand...

The track named TOMB RAIDER being the shortest certainly makes the most sense given
how short the optional tombs are ;_;
 
P

Phonomezer

Banned
Nemesis_ said:
The track named TOMB RAIDER being the shortest certainly makes the most sense given
how short the optional tombs are ;_;
Click to expand...

They're literally A ROOM, but I appreciate being given a puzzle

I get the feeling that their design philosophy was to turn the large, sandbox nature of the island itself into a "tomb". All the paths, jumps, edges, climbing that you do around the environment at your own volition are reminiscent of the old level design.
 
Nemesis_

Nemesis_

Member
Phonomezer said:
They're literally A ROOM, but I appreciate being given a puzzle

I get the feeling that their design philosophy was to turn the large, sandbox nature of the island itself into a "tomb". All the paths, jumps, edges, climbing that you do around the environment at your own volition are reminiscent of the old level design.
Click to expand...

Yeah, you're right. I guess it's still comforting to see that Crystal Dynamics GETS IT with the puzzle / tomb design,
however short they may be
. It gives me hope that with a sequel incorporating fan feedback (and I am SURE this is an aspect everyone will agree with us on) that they will be able to recapture that specific part of the franchise that makes it so good.

Still a nice inclusion though, I guess.

For those wondering - if this game was submitted in Australia when we had an R18 rating in place, it would GET an R18 rating. It was submitted before classification laws came through and thus was given an MA15+, much like any other 18+ game was awarded an MA15+ prior to implementation of the new laws.
 
C

ClovingWestbrook

Banned
Preloaded on Steam and ready to go. I preordered the game when it first became available but the more I read am saw led me to cancelling the preorder back in early Jan. i am back on board after reading the opinions of many in this thread, plus getting a good deal doesn't hurt either :D
 
C

C.Monkey

Banned
dreamfall said:
It's interesting to note that the last track on the Soundtrack is titled "The Tomb Raider" and is conclusively one of the shortest tracks- I almost wonder if there really is character development that turns her into the Lara we know. Almost!

Part of me hopes so, but who knows!
Click to expand...
It's probably for the last scene of the game, where she raises her twin pistols and looks like a badass. B)
 
G

Gorillaz

Member
something about her face in this game bugs me....it looks like clay or play dough and it's even more annoying when she makes all those "I am learning to survive on my own " faces
 
R

RoKKeR

Member
That highlight reel sold me. Will pre-order tomorrow. Can't wait to see the PC version in action with TressFX. Should be great.
 
N

NotTheGuyYouKill

Member
antitrop said:
That's not the feeling I get from him. I just feel like he wants and expects a little bit more out of games.
And if I made anything about my feelings of Spec Ops expressly clear on GAF, it's that I completely agree with him.

I can put my reservations aside and enjoy a good game for what it's worth, though. And that's exactly what I plan to do with Tomb Raider.

Also much of Lime's criticisms for the gratuitous hyperviolence stems from the fact that previous Tomb Raider games were T-rated, and generally far less "edgy". It feels out of place for the series. Personally, I don't care, but you certainly can't fault the ones who do.

I feel like game narratives have evolved to the point where character development can react to the gameplay of killing hundreds or thousands or hundred-thousands of other human beings in what amounts to usually a very short amount of time. It just feels kind of out of place now when they don't.

We are in a post-Spec Ops world, here. Game narratives should strive for better.
Click to expand...

Well for Tomb Raider, I assume that the narrative was in place before Spec Ops.

I hope Spec Ops shakes things up, but I don't think it's impact will be visible for a while.
 
M

Matrix

LeBron loves his girlfriend. There is no other woman in the world he’d rather have. The problem is, Dwyane’s not a woman.
itzknickknac said:
Anyone selling the GS challenge dlc?

I bought mine from newegg so I got no special treatment
Click to expand...

It's so annoying that we can't just buy the tomb dlc day one. Can't stand GS exclusive bs. You got people selling it for $25-$30 on ebay... fuck that sigh
 
I

itzknickknac

Member
Matrix said:
It's so annoying that we can't just buy the tomb dlc day one. Can't stand GS exclusive bs. You got people selling it for $25-$30 on ebay... fuck that sigh
Click to expand...

Yeah, ebay sells almost anything at stupid price. And I don't want to spend $60 on Tomb Raider just for the pre-order bonus. The reason I got mine from newegg is bc I got a $12 off deal several months ago.
 
M

mickcenary

Member
So,
I just got the Compound Bow
; how far from the end am I? To be honest, the game had begun to wear out its welcome at Shanty Town and I'm desperately wanting it to finish now. It's seeming very drawn out indeed.

I will with no reservations say that TR is a good game; it's mechanically sound and well-executed on a fundamental level, but when it's practically begging to be compared to "that other game" (UC2, to be precise), emulating it in so many ways, it unfortunately does come off as the lesser adventure.

Why? Well, in a nutshell, it is UC2 completely devoid of charm and comparatively lacking in mechanical finesse.

First and foremost, I do not like Lara - or rather, I do not like how she has been portrayed. I am sick of seeing her fall and moan and scream and gasp for air and twinge and cry, etc. Like I said, it's not really a reflection of her character as much as it is the developer's choice to show her be trodden upon over and over and over again, but it's still tiresome and annoying. I know they're trying to drive home the whole 'soft girl gone hard' character arc, but it seems very heavy-handed. And yeah, let's not forgot the complete over-doing of QTEs and "walking-simulator" sections that are seemingly integral in getting this across to the player. Lord, have mercy (Also, it does seem like TR indulges in the 'omgLara'shandholdjustbrokeomg' a lot more than any of the UCs have, which is arguably one of the the worst tropes of action/adventrue games this gen).

Secondly, I loathe the supporting cast. I've never met a more cliched, stereotypical and unlikable cast in a game. What's worse is that they're the reason why Lara is doing all of this; to save the old hardened yet endearing sea captain from the North and the confident, smart-talking black woman and the geeky geek... Ugh. Spare me. Not to mention, the main villain is offensively lame and the story on the whole I find to be completely uninteresting.

Sure, you may very well ask, "seeing as they're so similar, why do you like UC2 so much, guy?" For one, UC2 was more or less the first game to do "this" type of game and to such a degree of quality. Its core mechanics are also slightly more refined - jumping, shooting, traversal, all of that (though, I will concede that TR has a lot more going for it in terms of combat options). In other words, I think it's totally reasonable and not trivial to compare the two games.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, however, is that Drake and co. are fun and interesting and likeable and elevate a more or less stock standard, albeit very tight TPS into something special. I know TR is going for a completely different tone, but it also chooses to incorporate the inconceivably douchey side characters and tropes of the genre, so the comparison is relevant. It makes the core game far less tolerable and the same would apply to UC2 had it revolved around such grating characters and a bland story/villain, but UC2 came before and TR isn't doing that much to differentiate itself.

I dunno. I'm just kinda bored with it now. Don't get me wrong, it is a good game, but a good game that I'll probably have very little desire to revisit.

Less complaining protagonist falling down, more game and pacing refinement!
 
D

dino1980

Member
steam countdown

Available: 5 March 2013
This game will unlock in approximately 1 day and 18 hours

Damn... thats 2am on tuesday here in Sweden.
 
A

AgentOtaku

Member
mickcenary said:
So,
I just got the Compound Bow
; how far from the end am I? To be honest, the game had begun to wear out its welcome at Shanty Town and I'm desperately wanting it to finish now. It's seeming very drawn out indeed.

I will with no reservations say that TR is a good game; it's mechanically sound and well-executed on a fundamental level, but when it's practically begging to be compared to "that other game" (UC2, to be precise), emulating it in so many ways, it unfortunately does come off as the lesser adventure.

Why? Well, in a nutshell, it is UC2 completely devoid of charm and comparatively lacking in mechanical finesse.

First and foremost, I do not like Lara - or rather, I do not like how she has been portrayed. I am sick of seeing her fall and moan and scream and gasp for air and twinge and cry, etc. Like I said, it's not really a reflection of her character as much as it is the developer's choice to show her be trodden upon over and over and over again, but it's still tiresome and annoying. I know they're trying to drive home the whole 'soft girl gone hard' character arc, but it seems very heavy-handed. And yeah, let's not forgot the complete over-doing of QTEs and "walking-simulator" sections that are seemingly integral in getting this across to the player. Lord, have mercy (Also, it does seem like TR indulges in the 'omgLara'shandholdjustbrokeomg' a lot more than any of the UCs have, which is arguably one of the the worst tropes of action/adventrue games this gen).

Secondly, I loathe the supporting cast. I've never met a more cliched, stereotypical and unlikable cast in a game. What's worse is that they're the reason why Lara is doing all of this; to save the old hardened yet endearing sea captain from the North and the confident, smart-talking black woman and the geeky geek... Ugh. Spare me. Not to mention, the main villain is offensively lame and the story on the whole I find to be completely uninteresting.

Sure, you may very well ask, "seeing as they're so similar, why do you like UC2 so much, guy?" For one, UC2 was more or less the first game to do "this" type of game and to such a degree of quality. Its core mechanics are also slightly more refined - jumping, shooting, traversal, all of that (though, I will concede that TR has a lot more going for it in terms of combat options). In other words, I think it's totally reasonable and not trivial to compare the two games.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, however, is that Drake and co. are fun and interesting and likeable and elevate a more or less stock standard, albeit very tight TPS into something special. I know TR is going for a completely different tone, but it also chooses to incorporate the inconceivably douchey side characters and tropes of the genre, so the comparison is relevant. It makes the core game far less tolerable and the same would apply to UC2 had it revolved around such grating characters and a bland story/villain, but UC2 came before and TR isn't doing that much to differentiate itself.

I dunno. I'm just kinda bored with it now. Don't get me wrong, it is a good game, but a good game that I'll probably have very little desire to revisit.

Less complaining protagonist falling down, more game and pacing refinement!
Click to expand...

Solid write-up man!

Honestly, this is completely the vibe I've been getting all throughout the game's production.
Like you said, mechanically it looks super solid and there other bits and pieces that are good, but with that, it looks like, once again, it's a videogame that isn't interested it doing something a bit more. Just a series of gamey checkboxes.
 
-tetsuo-

-tetsuo-

Unlimited Capacity
mickcenary said:
So,
I just got the Compound Bow
; how far from the end am I? To be honest, the game had begun to wear out its welcome at Shanty Town and I'm desperately wanting it to finish now. It's seeming very drawn out indeed.
Click to expand...

You are just getting to the best parts of the game.
 
G

GenoZStriker

Neo Member
mickcenary said:
So,
I just got the Compound Bow
; how far from the end am I? To be honest, the game had begun to wear out its welcome at Shanty Town and I'm desperately wanting it to finish now. It's seeming very drawn out indeed.

I will with no reservations say that TR is a good game; it's mechanically sound and well-executed on a fundamental level, but when it's practically begging to be compared to "that other game" (UC2, to be precise), emulating it in so many ways, it unfortunately does come off as the lesser adventure.

Why? Well, in a nutshell, it is UC2 completely devoid of charm and comparatively lacking in mechanical finesse.

First and foremost, I do not like Lara - or rather, I do not like how she has been portrayed. I am sick of seeing her fall and moan and scream and gasp for air and twinge and cry, etc. Like I said, it's not really a reflection of her character as much as it is the developer's choice to show her be trodden upon over and over and over again, but it's still tiresome and annoying. I know they're trying to drive home the whole 'soft girl gone hard' character arc, but it seems very heavy-handed. And yeah, let's not forgot the complete over-doing of QTEs and "walking-simulator" sections that are seemingly integral in getting this across to the player. Lord, have mercy (Also, it does seem like TR indulges in the 'omgLara'shandholdjustbrokeomg' a lot more than any of the UCs have, which is arguably one of the the worst tropes of action/adventrue games this gen).

Secondly, I loathe the supporting cast. I've never met a more cliched, stereotypical and unlikable cast in a game. What's worse is that they're the reason why Lara is doing all of this; to save the old hardened yet endearing sea captain from the North and the confident, smart-talking black woman and the geeky geek... Ugh. Spare me. Not to mention, the main villain is offensively lame and the story on the whole I find to be completely uninteresting.

Sure, you may very well ask, "seeing as they're so similar, why do you like UC2 so much, guy?" For one, UC2 was more or less the first game to do "this" type of game and to such a degree of quality. Its core mechanics are also slightly more refined - jumping, shooting, traversal, all of that (though, I will concede that TR has a lot more going for it in terms of combat options). In other words, I think it's totally reasonable and not trivial to compare the two games.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, however, is that Drake and co. are fun and interesting and likeable and elevate a more or less stock standard, albeit very tight TPS into something special. I know TR is going for a completely different tone, but it also chooses to incorporate the inconceivably douchey side characters and tropes of the genre, so the comparison is relevant. It makes the core game far less tolerable and the same would apply to UC2 had it revolved around such grating characters and a bland story/villain, but UC2 came before and TR isn't doing that much to differentiate itself.

I dunno. I'm just kinda bored with it now. Don't get me wrong, it is a good game, but a good game that I'll probably have very little desire to revisit.

Less complaining protagonist falling down, more game and pacing refinement!
Click to expand...

I definitely need to check this game out. Certainly a different take on this than the praising comments we've received. Thanks for taking your time and sharing your opinion.
 
M

mickcenary

Member
GenoZStriker said:
I definitely need to check this game out. Certainly a different take on this than the praising comments we've received. Thanks for taking your time and sharing your opinion.
Click to expand...

Ha. Sorry, the game does deserve praise, but it's all been said before. I thought I'd focus on the niggling issues as I honestly think I just might be a bit done with this type of game - regardless of protagonist or story - and nothing has really jumped out and wowed me. So, yeah, if you dig UC-esque games, you will dig TR, but revitalize the genre, it does not.
 
T

Tricky I Shadow

Banned
XOMTOR said:
Well I spent the better part of my afternoon watching the walk-through on YouTube and I made it to the halfway point. I don't know what else to say other than it's basically Uncharted minus the charm. I'm honestly shocked at how many things they managed to outright copy, even small things like the sound in Uncharted when picking up relics; it's used every time Lara picks up items. Then there's the explosive barrels, the chest-high walls and crates, the dudes with riot shields, the regenerating health that annoyingly fades to B&W and the cutscenes that interrupt gameplay every 5 minutes. There even seems to be supernatural enemies that show up around the midway point
they're called Guardians.

Anyway, it looks to be a pretty good action game so those that like Uncharted will most likely enjoy it but it's definitely not a Tomb Raider game in any way except the name.
Click to expand...

Saying this is "basically Uncharted without the charm" is selling the game short in a big way.

Tomb Raider has better combat, much better atmosphere, better controls (dat automatic cover system!), better platforming (allowing Lara to move direction when jumping is fantastic), better level design, better music and sound design, pacing right up there with Uncharted 2 and is much better at letting you explore with more open areas. And quite honestly - the graphics are impressing me just as much as Uncharted 3 did. And all of that is coming from a massive Uncharted fan that until now thought Uncharted 2 was the best game of the gen. I'd say Tomb Raider is closer to Resident Evil 4 when it comes to its overall quality to be honest.
 
M

mickcenary

Member
Tricky I Shadow said:
Saying this is "basically Uncharted without the charm" is selling the game short in a big way.
Click to expand...

Well, maybe there's not much to sell with these games without a charm comparable to that of UC's? It's all felt so familiar and mundane; I think it's fair to say that - without any hyperbole - it looks like a mod or a re-skin of UC half the time.

And while it may do things better than even UC2, it apes it so much that it's all kind of negated. Once you get such a strong sense of 'been there, done that', the positives begin to lose their luster. That being said, the cover system is actually pretty great, so thanks for reminding me of that.
 
S

SlasherJPC

Banned
mickcenary said:
And while it may do things better than even UC2, it apes it so much that it's all kind of negated. Once you get such a strong sense of 'been there, done that', the positives begin to lose their luster.
Click to expand...

That's something to take note of but obviously will be sorely dependent on the person. I mean people still play mario games to this day and they all have very familiar feelings when it comes to gameplay, or any series that's long running for that matter. Now granted you could say well this is a new reboot and shouldn't have that feeling, and your right. Though I love the Uncharted games and still find the new Tomb Raider worthing of playing. Then again I can replay the Uncharted games over and over, along with many others.
 
TGO

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
I said this a few pages back and still stands, with the game that they have built how do you guys see them going forward with this
They can't continue the "good girl turned survivor" in a sequel
They can't ship wreak her again
they can't have savages after her and her friends either, it will have to swing in a completely different direction, I actually understand this as a origin story, the original had it detailed
But it'll have to becomemore Uncharted themed if you will or Tomb Raider
Like I said before I'm excited to see where they go
I hope they do a DLC with a preview of whats to come( her first Tomb Raid etc )
 
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