I Didn't Think Tomb Raider Games Could Get Worse! 😂 | Tomb Raider Reloaded Review
Publisher: Square Enix London
Developer: Emerald City Games
Platforms: Mobile
I've been a fan of Tomb Raider since day one in 1996, when my dad brought home the original game on PlayStation 1. I've played every single entry of the series, including the Prince of Persia style game that you could play if you had Sky. So, of course I was gonna get stuck in to the new mobile game from Square Enix - Tomb Raider: Reloaded.
However, the gameplay in Tomb Raider: Reloaded is lacking. The game is meant to appeal to mobile gamers who enjoy watching numbers go up. Players collect gold and level up throughout a series of rooms and pick perks or power-ups that will last for the rest of the run. But the controls are too simplistic, allowing players to move or shoot only, making it a twin-stick shooter with everything that makes twin-stick shooters good taken out. This marks the first game in the series where you can only stand still to shoot or move, which is not a good thing for a franchise that has always given the player freedom of movement with acrobatic dodging galore. The game lacks creativity and tactics, making it pretty easy to clear rooms and move on to the next level.
The game's puzzles are not really puzzles. The “puzzle” is to stand on three colored switches in any order before the timer runs out, which is not much of a challenge. The enemies are usually placed symmetrically around the level, which doesn't give you much in the way of tactics on how to shoot enemies.
At the very beginning of the game, there is a slideshow that shows two sentences of Lara explaining the beginning of the original Tomb Raider with Larson and Natala, but there is no story to speak of. There are no cutscenes, and the game is pretty straightforward.
The controls are too simplistic and do not allow players to fully explore Lara's acrobatic abilities. The game is easy to clear and lacks the complexity that fans of the series have come to expect.
It's clear that the game was intended as a final effort to squeeze a little bit more money out of Tomb Raider from Square Enix, with some stupid microtransaction-ridden mobile game. While it may appeal to a certain audience, it does not do justice to the Tomb Raider franchise. Fans of the series are likely to be disappointed, and it's unlikely that this game will do much to attract new fans.
In conclusion, if you're a fan of Tomb Raider, you're better off sticking with the earlier entries in the series. Tomb Raider: Reloaded is not worth your time or money. There are much better games out there, and if you're looking for a good mobile game, I recommend Beehive Bedlam.
Pros:
If you have played all other games that exist, at least there’s one more game.
Cons:
Ultra simplistic.
Basic game mechanics are poorly explained.
Tomb Raider in name only. No character whatsoever.
