Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider delivers an evenly paced, action-packed, evolutionary tale that explains the genesis of one of gaming’s most beloved heroines. Along the way, we are treated to top-shelf visuals, a soundscape that rivals a Hollywood blockbuster, and gameplay that is both thoroughly engaging and aesthetically varied. It may not be perfect, but it delivers a must-play gaming experience for action adventure fans everywhere.

The payoff from this pre-packaged drama and online target practice barely amount to the value of a single, raidable tomb, and it’s easy to imagine the resources spent on these elements being better utilized to bloster the game’s strengths. The top of the triple-A summit hasn’t quite been reached in a single game, but if Tomb Raider can overcome its identity crisis and focus its efforts, the series could easily reach even higher.

Whatever the setting, however well-designed the tombs, however precise the controls, Tomb Raider wouldn't work if you didn't care about Lara. And at first, you don't. When the game begins, she's a bit of a killjoy, so obsessed with her work that she almost forgets how to deal with actual people. But once things get grim and she's forced to face the fact that help isn't coming, her humanity is touching to see. We see her in a way we never have before - vulnerable and real.