“Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light,” downloadable to your Xbox 360 now and to your PC or PlayStation 3 on Sept. 28, had none of the makings of a good game.
Most apparent, the game does away with the ground-level, view-from-behind camera system, which was more or less invented by the original “Tomb Raider,” in favor of an isometric viewpoint. “Isometric” denotes a camera system halfway between viewing the action from overhead and viewing it from the side, so it’s like you’re looking at the game at a 45-degree angle from two stories up.
If an isometric point of view was the baking soda in this volcano of prospective badness, the vinegar was the news that this “Tomb Raider,” which doesn’t even have those words in its title, would be more action-oriented, with Lara doing combat rolls and blasting reanimated warriors.
To my surprise, developer Crystal Dynamics’ dubious model takes home the blue ribbon in what has been a summerlong science fair of strange, mostly bad experiments. True, the change in perspective robs the trademark feel of exploration that gave previous “Tomb Raiders” a veneer of archeological authenticity. But it also frees us of chores like looking for that switch in the bookcase, and distills the series’ formula to its basic elements. Leaps of faith and brain-teasing switch puzzles are still there, but made much more accessible, so you can focus on playing the game rather than scouring it.
And the action — wow. Is there a game with better-sounding explosions? Lara has a ton of weapons to choose from, and an infinite supply of remote mines that send military trucks and giant spiders alike giddily flying through the air.
On your own or with a friend (the game packs a playable but inessential cooperative mode), this reimagining of the series is the most fun we’ve had with Lara in years. And at $15, it’s also the bargain of the year. – Ryan Vogt
