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Rise of the Tomb Raider PC |OT| Hello... it's me.
- Thread starter Garrett Hawke
- Start date
Wowfunhappy
Member
Yeah, so I finally beat this.
That was really disappointing. I kept expecting it to get better but somehow it just never did. I loved Tomb Raider 2013, so I'm not sure why I came away so unimpressed with Rise...Everyone else seems to agree that RoTR is better than the original.
The original was shorter and smaller, yes, but it also felt a lot more refined. The set pieces were more polished, and the pacing was much more even. RotTR couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be--a setpiece shooter, an environmental puzzler, an open world RPG... it managed to do all of these things competently, I guess, but that's not saying much.
Also, while I know the original story wasn't amazing, I really enjoyed it for what it was. The story in Rise just felt stupid.
That was really disappointing. I kept expecting it to get better but somehow it just never did. I loved Tomb Raider 2013, so I'm not sure why I came away so unimpressed with Rise...Everyone else seems to agree that RoTR is better than the original.
The original was shorter and smaller, yes, but it also felt a lot more refined. The set pieces were more polished, and the pacing was much more even. RotTR couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be--a setpiece shooter, an environmental puzzler, an open world RPG... it managed to do all of these things competently, I guess, but that's not saying much.
Also, while I know the original story wasn't amazing, I really enjoyed it for what it was. The story in Rise just felt stupid.
Garrett Hawke
Member
I... Kind of agree with this tbh except I think the story was fine.
The issue for me with this is as you said - TR2013 was incredibly focused on exactly what it wanted to do, which was a chain disaster game where Lara is flung from set piece to set piece as she tries to survive an awful situation. ROTTR is a lot less focused - the pacing is a lot worse for example what with the ability to stop and explore for literally hours because there's so much off the beaten path. This is fine for a lot of games but it absolutely kills pacing in what is intended to be a quite narrative driven game.
However there are a lot of good points, too. Stealth is infinitely better and actually viable this time around; the tombs are much better; there are less spam QTE moments - just to name a few. So while it definitely is a step back in some departments, it's an improvement in a lot of other places. If you weighed them up purely as a sum-of-their-parts situation, ROTTR would probably come out on top. But I just don't find it QUITE as compelling as TR2013.
Wowfunhappy
Member
You summarized my thoughts a lot better than I was able to, so thanks for that!
One thing about the tombs—they were definitely longer and more environmentally rich than in the first game, but I actually think I enjoyed them less. Generally speaking, the puzzles in this game felt too reliant on arbitrary rules: explosive bottles can break this obstacle but fire arrows can't; you need to lower the water level because you can't control Lara's height under water. To me, it ended up being frustrating more than fun, because not unlike a (bad) point and click adventure game, the solution that logically should work is artificially disallowed.
I suppose you could make the same criticism about Zelda games, which I love, but it becomes a lot more apparent when you're on the realistic side of the uncanny valley. The first game never really ran into this problem because the puzzles were so much simpler to begin with.
I just finished this as well yesterday, in fact I played Tomb Raider 2013 and Rise back to back for the first time to test out my new PC. I enjoyed both games but admittedly 2013 a lot more.
I essentially agree with those other posts above this, I found this game to have crippling pacing. One of the biggest issues for me is about 5% of game time is spent in combat for the 95% of the time you spend activating witcher senses and picking up shit around the environment and preparing for that 5%. Of course then all that scavenging feels useless because you can just headshot dudes easily with any of your insanely accurate weapons from the moment you open the game. It also has legitimately has one of the easiest hard modes (Survivor) I've played in a video game. TR 2013 had it right with the smaller sub areas between linear story parts with some collectibles, rather than huge hub areas with a ton of collectibles that I don't feel like I need.
The core combat is excellent though when it happens, and I loved all the tombs. Game is gorgeous as well. I think Crystal Dynamics has some excellent talent in level design and now combat feel, but I hope the next game is more focused and doesn't feel like it's checking off the AAA game checklist. The half-step to being Red Dead doesn't work, they should either take the full step to open world sandbox or step back to something similar to TR 2013 imo.
I essentially agree with those other posts above this, I found this game to have crippling pacing. One of the biggest issues for me is about 5% of game time is spent in combat for the 95% of the time you spend activating witcher senses and picking up shit around the environment and preparing for that 5%. Of course then all that scavenging feels useless because you can just headshot dudes easily with any of your insanely accurate weapons from the moment you open the game. It also has legitimately has one of the easiest hard modes (Survivor) I've played in a video game. TR 2013 had it right with the smaller sub areas between linear story parts with some collectibles, rather than huge hub areas with a ton of collectibles that I don't feel like I need.
The core combat is excellent though when it happens, and I loved all the tombs. Game is gorgeous as well. I think Crystal Dynamics has some excellent talent in level design and now combat feel, but I hope the next game is more focused and doesn't feel like it's checking off the AAA game checklist. The half-step to being Red Dead doesn't work, they should either take the full step to open world sandbox or step back to something similar to TR 2013 imo.
Crentist the Dentist
Member
Well this is wrong. I've 100 percented the game and I am still 16 coins short. Any ideas?
I also hit 100% and unlocked Avid Shopper in the process. (I mean, that post is more or less half a year old and you're the only one to claim it's completely and utterly incorrect.) Are you sure you completed the sidequest in the Geothermal Valley that awards coins for each tomb explored? That nets you a bunch. I'd also check the maps for each region of the game and ensure the caches were not erroneously ticked as completed. It's also possible that the game bugged out and awarded you less coins for the final portion of the caches than it should have.
You're missing coin caches for sure. I was "100%" without having all the coins back on Xbone last year, had to check the maps for each area to see that I was missing some in the individual stats there, and then go hunt them down. You've always gotta get the monolith before you can get the coins fwiw too, even if you know where the coins are. You should have WAY over what you need to buy everything. I feel like I had triple digit excess by the end, but it's been a while.
Crentist the Dentist
Member
No - I had 100% the game including all coin caches. I just hadn't picked up some of the spare coins and the coins from urns that are lying about. I went through and swept five or six tombs and crypts today and managed to get the coins I need, but I was definitely 16 coins short at 100% (having collected all coin caches as per monoliths).
Ah, I'd forgotten about the stragglers. I can understand how you'd miss them if you were seldom using survival instinct.
I also have just finally beaten the story after 12.6 hours and come away with very, very similar feelings. The pacing and gameplay were so tedious at times, in particular in the second half when it felt like you just go through the motions over and over again, that I had to play the game in short one hour bursts over the last couple of days to not totally zone out and drop the game altogether.
It feels like CD tried to marry TR2013 and Witcher 3 and ended up with a weird compromise that's neither here nor there. I certainly applaud them for trying, it's an interesting idea that ultimately didn't really work out for me (and seemingly others here), so I hope based on the feedback they'll re-focus / re-fine their approach for the sequel.
I will say, though, the stories of both TR2013 and RotTR were absolute garbage - and I don't use hyperboles often. I couldn't have cared less for any of the characters or Lara's motivation to go on these journeys, both their stories just don't cut it anymore in this day and age. That's where they really need to step up their game, especially compared to Uncharted 4 which had its fair share of issues but had a much more memorable story and characters I actually cared for.
To end this on a more positive note, gunplay/combat and level design were as top-notch as they were in TR2013 and raiding tombs was a lot of fun (that's the only reason I'll go back, to discover the remaining few tombs I missed or didn't have the equipment to enter at the time because the rest (challenges, collectables et al.) feel like unnecessary filler content).
This is the first game I have taken the advice of the community and turned off the Croft-vision. So far I am quite enjoying the shift away from relying on the hints, which in turn somewhat stymies my OCD collection dread. It's definitely been more appealing using my natural sight to scour for visual clues than Detective highlights, but I kind of have to forego my tendency for 100% as I will likely miss a few points of interest. I do feel in this case, it has made for a more pleasant overall progressive experience. It's just Lara and the environment and my ability to suss out progression queues myself.
daninthemix
Member
I would agree with this and I had similar feelings as I was watching the cutscenes and listening to line-after-line of cringeworthy dialog. The story is utter, asylum-level wall-scribbling gibberish. That said, I never place much importance on story in games, but it's clear that Tomb Raider places huge importance on this.
The game itself is pretty decent, in a one-and-done kind of way. There's no way I'd return to it, but the one playthrough was reasonably enjoyable.
I don't like how it hedges itself halfway between linear and open-world. A truly open-ended, open-world Tomb Raider based around exploration (rather than combat) would be amazing. Here, I have no desire to play through the (frequent, lengthy) linear sections more than once, and the open-world areas aren't truly open. They're wedged between linear sections.
The tombs were fantastic, but I'm also playing Anniversary at the moment and the standard level-based format fits Tomb Raider's puzzling and adventuring far better that this pseudo open-world mishmash. As I said, a true open world could have great potential, but CD will never go for that I'd imagine.
demosthenes
Member
Just got to the part I think near the end where
Just did not like this scene at all, because the actual build up to it and the level design from top to bottom was really cool.
Konstantin is holding Jonah hostage...and despite the fact that he knows where the thing he's been searching what seems the last XX years for he is "TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW" to Jonah and then Jonah has him at gun point immediately after that and can't shoot him or even wound him.
Why Jonah was kept alive even to begin with and why he didn't do anything.
Why Jonah was kept alive even to begin with and why he didn't do anything.
Just did not like this scene at all, because the actual build up to it and the level design from top to bottom was really cool.
flipswitch
Member
For some reason the steam overlay when you press the Xbox button isn't working despite working before. So I can't access steam in game and take screenshots.
It thinks I'm using a keyboard even though I'm playing it fine on a controller.
It thinks I'm using a keyboard even though I'm playing it fine on a controller.
Vic_Viper
Member
Been slowly playing RotTR and am almost at the end. I havent really done any of the challenge tombs yet and have been debating tackeling them all before I finish the game but im so close now. Is there any way to go back and do them after the game is over or do I have to load an old save?
Edit also how does the Baba Yaga DLC work? Is it an option in the menu that is its own thing? And how does the extra story chapter work that comes with the season pass?
Edit also how does the Baba Yaga DLC work? Is it an option in the menu that is its own thing? And how does the extra story chapter work that comes with the season pass?
Jeff Stephen
Member
You're free to roam after the campaign is completed and the DLC will appear as of point of interest on your map.
Couple of questions guys. Early in the game when I received my first pistol, at the next bonfire I mean base camp a whole bunch of handguns were unlocked and available for use (same with the bows). Is this normal? It felt kinda weird to see all kinds of edgy-named firearms ready at my disposal that I never earned.
Also, I played and finished the Baba Yaga DLC quite early in the game. Story and characters somehow managed to make no sense and predictable at the same time, but I did enjoy the final combat encounter. Did I spoil myself by playing through Baba Yaga before the main campaign, combat- and gunplay-wise?
Also, I played and finished the Baba Yaga DLC quite early in the game. Story and characters somehow managed to make no sense and predictable at the same time, but I did enjoy the final combat encounter. Did I spoil myself by playing through Baba Yaga before the main campaign, combat- and gunplay-wise?
So can someone confirm whether or not you break line of sight in this game, and whether or not these Trinity goons have a hive mind, so as to when one spots me (and i kill him before he can even utter a word or react, with an arrow to the skull) everyone in the area immediately knows where i am?
I need these points clarified before i decide to spend more of my time with stealth in this game.
It seems pretty suspicious how i distanced one guy by a long stretch, even going around several corners and hiding in bushes, yet this guy instantly know where i was and where i was hidden.
I need these points clarified before i decide to spend more of my time with stealth in this game.
It seems pretty suspicious how i distanced one guy by a long stretch, even going around several corners and hiding in bushes, yet this guy instantly know where i was and where i was hidden.