![]() ![]() ![]() This sequel’s narrative is in desperate need of side characters from the previous game so someone can remind us why we’re supposed to like Lara. Rise of the Tomb Raider is so poorly explained, it would almost make more sense if Lara was wise cracking jokes after each life-threatening event. In the reboot, the game’s serious tone seemed a reflection of the story it was trying to tell. The biggest missed opportunity here is to continue fleshing Lara out as a character. We know we’re supposed to hate the military corporation Trinity because the game tells us to, but their dogmatic quest seems no different from Lara’s. While the villains attempt to find the Divine Source to save someone they love, Lara’s more in it for herself and her good name. At the worst of times, her murderous zeal makes one question whether or not she really is the hero of this tale. In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara is so wooden and poorly developed, at the best of times she feels like nothing more than a lens through which to tell the story. But at least the previous entry attempted that growth. While the first game attempted to explore Lara’s humanity, her growth was poorly paced and her story of survival quickly turned into one of her killing everything. It’s not that I expected the follow up to the Tomb Raider reboot to be an amazing story of intrigue and depth. The mixed messages and narrative tangents make Rise of the Tomb Raider an even less satisfying adventure tale than the first game. But the majority of the story is stuck in this historic conflict, rarely pushing forward with any modern day narrative except for these two sects fighting each other. Keep in mind all of this is back-story, used to frame Lara’s adventure. It’s so ham-fisted, the message almost comes off as “It’s okay to die for what you believe in, as long as what you believe in is real”. Crystal Dynamics wants you to sympathize with The Prophet and hate Trinity even though they’re both faith-based military sects fighting over a treasure. It was hard for me to discern who was crazier, a prophet who led his people to Siberia to basically be entombed for eternity in order to protect a relic they created, or the religious zealots pursuing him. It was created by a person referred to as The Prophet, who earned a huge following because he could make them immortal, and led them to Siberia to escape an ancient order named Trinity. Much of the story is hidden in texts found throughout the game, but The Divine Source is a shard-like rock which grants people immortal life. Rise of the Tomb Raider tells the story of Lara’s quest to restore her father’s name and legacy by finding a holy relic called The Divine Source. ![]()
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