Guardian of Light Review
This Tomb Raider spinoff brings Lara Croft back into the spotlight
Guardian of Light also features a full fledged co-op mode. This mode wasn’t available at launch of the game, but was later added as a free patch. For the first time in the franchise, Lara is able to get help and take on the main storyline with another player, both online and locally. Totec is the character that joins Lara, and there are various gameplay mechanics that involve both players. For example, Totec is not able to use modern weapons at first, but can later learn to do so from Lara. He can throw spears into walls, onto which Lara can climb to reach a higher ledge – though he’s not able to do so due to his weight. On the other hand, Totec can walk on Lara’s grappling rope while she can only swing across. It’s a great co-op experience, but single-player isn’t hampered by the multiplayer focus for the game. Players can only control Lara when playing alone, and puzzles and enemies in the game are adjusted to accommodate a single player story experience.
Even though the setting is presented with a fixed camera, the game world is full of interesting and detailed locations. As you explore the temple grounds and often wander into the jungle outside, everything is rendered in great contrast and attention to nuances. Since users aren’t able to even zoom in or out, the developers took their time to create the world the way they wanted players to see it. From the dark catacombs, to the lush jungle, to lava pits – the whole game looks great and though it doesn’t break any technological ground, the artistic talent at work shows. The framerate is rock solid, and players should have no problem maxing out the game even on older machines. The sound and music are serviceable, and not particularly spectacular. The voices and dialogue are minimalistic (as reflected by the story itself).
A successful spinoff of a popular action franchise, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a great action puzzler (with emphasis on the action). The game treads not only new ground for the franchise, but also revitalizes the sub-genre that has been rather empty for a long time. The core of the gameplay will be a big change for fans of Tomb Raider and some may not be able to adjust. Still, it’s a rare entry in the genre, and it does everything quite well – from puzzles and action, the game is balanced and fun to play. The co-op (though not included at launch) is playable online and locally, and freshens things up with new enemy numbers and puzzle tweaks. Given its decent length and fair price, as well as the available demo, there is no reason for players not to give the game a try. As long as you don’t go in expecting the classic Tomb Raider formula, you likely won’t be disappointed.
Our ratings for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light on PC out of 100 (Ratings FAQ)
Performance
(Show PC Specs)
CPU: Intel Core i7 CPU 930 @ 2.80GHz
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X 1GB
RAM: 6GB DDR3
OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X 1GB
RAM: 6GB DDR3
OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
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