Luckily, only a handful of combat instances forced my hand in this manner. The knife-only sections do fare better than the gun-toting ones, but again, not having my bow and sling of arrows just felt restrictive. So, being cornered into this one mode of combat was a bummer. Each individual combat mechanic is functionally solid, but the interplay and strategy that results from using all of them in conjunction is where the game really shines. Yet, while the tactical depth associated with this vast arsenal is flexed in most combat instances, there were times in which Shadow awkwardly limited what weapons I had at my disposal, limiting me to only a knife, or a gun. And, when you layer myriad arrows and environmental traps into the combat, the arsenal of tools at your disposal is nearly incomparable. Sure, you can draw your pistol and light up the opposition, which you do need to do at times, but that is nowhere near as engaging as covering yourself in mud, hiding in a wall of vines, and then sliding your knife between a Trinity guard’s ribs. This is tactile, thoughtful combat that will truly test your skills with unconventional tools. However, this isn’t a situation where you’ll be hidden behind a chest-high wall with an AK-47. The tension that mounts as you nock an arrow waiting for that headshot indicator on an unsuspecting target is only paralleled by the arrow’s release as it domes the Trinity grunt with a resounding thud. You’ll spend your time lurking in the underbrush, moving through the vines, and traversing the treetops, all the while using survival vision to pick off isolated targets. Lara’s cunning and wit are the key tools for victory. Yet, here in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the game forces you into far fewer straight-up gunfights, instead turning combat into a sort of deadly bout of cat and mouse. I really appreciated the shift away from combat-heavy gameplay, as it made each of the game’s firefights even sweeter. The latter two are far more integral and prominently featured, and where the lion’s share of your roughly twelve hours with the game’s campaign are spent. What is so compelling about this title’s moment-to-moment experience was the way that it balanced its three pillars of gameplay: combat, traversal, and puzzle-solving. Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s best aspect is undoubtedly its gameplay. Having now played Lara’s third rebooted outing, I can conclude that the game is thoroughly enjoyable front to back, but it does knock over a few hurdles on its way to the finish line. But, I did feel that with just one more entry Tomb Raider could be just as good as Naughty Dog’s series. Having played the game right on the back of Uncharted 4, my expectations for that type of game were set incredibly high, which no doubt influenced my feelings towards Rise. I found just about every aspect of Rise good, but lacking just enough to slide in under great. While I did really like aspects of the game, I never found the motivation to finish it. I never played the 2013 reboot, but I did log many hours into Rise of the Tomb Raider. At risk of sounding corny, I’ve always seen Tomb Raider as a series living in the shadow of Uncharted.
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