This adventure, available only by download on Xbox Live, is unlike anything you've seen so far in the Tomb Raider series. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is very big on surrounding you with hordes of monsters - clawing zombies, fireball-hurling undead priests, giant … By Matthew Keast . Challenges are enjoyably varied, and completing every challenge in a level the first time through is extremely tough, if not impossible. Blam. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Review Jonny Vito / October 1, 2010 Video game pin-up Lara Croft is a shadow of her former self in the PSN’s latest platform-hopping adventure Lara Croft … Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was made for co-op. When Lara does sufficiently well in combat without taking damage, her power meter fills up and eventually grants her a special ability. Of course, Lara Croft's brand of archaeology involves more bullets than brushes, so expect to be gunning down plenty of enemies in your quest. As a non-canon entry in the Tomb Raider franchise, the game breaks with the series’ history in myriad ways, a move that’s sure to surprise and maybe infuriate some fans. It is a download only title and was released on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade on 18 August 2010. © 2021 GAMESPOT, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Whether you encounter them in the normal course of the level, through diligent exploration, or in one of the many challenge tombs, these puzzles are another big highlight of the game. Guardian of Light is addictively fun, and it gets even better when you enlist a friend for some cooperative play, as the puzzles change to suit your complementary abilities. But somehow, the developers pulled it off. We encourage you to read our updated PRIVACY POLICY and COOKIE POLICY. While one of you plays as Lara, the other plays as Totec, a muscular ancient Mayan. Using Lara's grappling rope to rappel down a cliff seems straightforward enough, but add in some moving pillars, and you've got something a bit trickier. Some deplete your ammunition supply faster than others, and it's fun to search for new weapons while sticking with your favorites. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light restores the queen of adventure to her former glory, writes Tom Hoggins. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The action is the star here, and when you play cooperatively, the game changes in significant ways. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Review. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light review. Writing this is going to make me feel old, but here it goes: Lara Croft has been raiding tombs for some 14 years. With Keeley Hawes, Jim Cummings, Ana Jiménez, Michael Bell. One of the best things about Guardian of Light is that it makes exploration enjoyable and rewarding. Chris Watters Lara Croft and the Guardian Of Light Review (PS3) Ignoring the hokey narrative about mythical spirits and ancient Mayan warriors, Lara Croft and the Guardian Of Light is … Isaac Newton's Notes Show He Was Obsessed With the Apocalypse, GameStop Stock Surges to Record Highs As Investors Battle Redditors, Cyberpunk 2077 Reportedly Had the Biggest Digital Game Launch of All Time, We've Found the Best Gaming Chairs for Your Sitting Needs, More Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light News & Previews, Things Ghost of Tsushima Doesn't Tell You. One of those favorites is probably going to be your spear. Have you played Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light? Another favorite is likely to be your remote-detonated bombs, which, in addition to the obvious applications, are used in a variety of different environmental puzzles. Though your primary objectives are always straightforward, the levels vary widely in terms of length and layout, mixing long, multistage puzzles with dramatic moments of desperate action. Some enemies explode after you kill them in a glorious display of poor sportsmanship. Fully exploring every level is an unqualified pleasure, and aside from the natural thrill of discovering the unknown, there are many tangible rewards for thorough players. Totec can also wield firearms, though he lacks Lara's magical pistols of unlimited ammunition. Directed by Karl Stewart. Striving for a high score and speeding through for a quick completion time are two very different yet very entertaining ways to play, and even though you can get through many levels quickly, there are hours and hours of adventuring to be had here. But team up with a friend to play cooperatively, and you've got a whole new set of challenges. Overall, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is very interesting game, and a pretty good direction for the long running franchise. By - Craig H.The last few installments of the Tomb Raider series have been less then spectacular (to say the least). To help maximize your fiend-vanquishing potential, you can equip a few weapons at a time for slick, instantaneous access. Resident Evil Village Release Date Is May 7, PS4/Xbox One Versions Confirmed, PS5 Restock Updates: Check Latest Stock, Updates, And More, Xbox Series X Restocks: Check Availability Here, By Gameplay is solid and the story is good. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a great adventure, especially if you're playing co-op. In Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, you see the titular leading lady from a whole new perspective. Release. The game was clearly crafted with largess of love and care. A departure from the usual gameplay of the Tomb Raider franchise, this download-only game features a fixed, isometric camera angle and concentrates on co-op combat, platforming, and puzzle solving. While the isometric camera angle shows off less … Yet in spite of this shortfall, Guardian of Light is a rousing success that ranks as one of Lara Croft's greatest adventures. Though relatively short (it takes only eight hours or so to work through the campaign), Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is easily the freshest and most entertaining game to star the iconic, teal tank top-clad explorer in years. There, I said it. If you don't have a friend within driving distance, you may want to wait until Guardian of Light's online multiplayer is switched on; the game's single-player mode is competent but incomparable to the sheer joy of raiding tombs with a friend. Totec also carries a shield that can be used to reflect enemy projectiles or provide a makeshift platform for Lara to leap from. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is an action/adventure game featuring Lara Croft. These include finding hidden symbols throughout the level, passing a dangerous section on your first try, or perching a giant stone ball on top of a pedestal using explosives. The levels are lush and moody, beckoning you onward with thoughtful details. Totec is the only one who wields the aforementioned spear, but unlike Lara, he can't stand on it. Solving these cleverly altered conundrums and fighting the emboldened hordes of enemies makes for a very fun time, providing you can get someone over to your house to play with you. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light review. The entertaining mix of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving in Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is perfectly matched with enticing rewards and engaging challenges that will have you tripping over yourself to replay levels again and again, especially if online leaderboard competition is your cup of tea. The two must combine their abilities to solve puzzles that are different from the single-player puzzles in crucial ways. When an ancient Mayan demon, Xolotl, is released by mistake, Lara … This is a game worth getting, especially if you love the old isometric style of gameplay married with a truly well crafted game world. Guardian of Light is emphatically not the same, but that's no bad thing. Could Robert Downey Jr. Have Been the Karate Kid? These abilities, which are governed by your equipped relic, include a powerful attack boost, enhanced speed, or, if you're lucky, a combination of a few powers. Review: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light video game review. Despite the silly story and dialogue, I had more fun with it than any Tomb Raider in recent memory. Play the glamorous explorer in Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light. Keeping your power meter full requires that you avoid taking any damage, but it's key to completing high score challenges (you earn more points per vanquished enemy). With a great new look, clever puzzles, and loads of fun stuff to collect, this is an extreme makeover for Lara of which you will surely approve. Chris enjoys aiming down virtual sights, traipsing through fantastical lands, and striving to be grossly incandescent. GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. Though you can tough it out and progress through the game, the action is much more enjoyable with a controller. Comments; Shares. Guardian of Light finds Lara deep in the Yucatan peninsula having just located yet another powerful MacGuffin. Regardless of whether Lara Croft: The Guardian of Light marks the future of the series or if is merely a side-project while the next full instalment is prepped and polished, it remains a remarkably successful experiment, and something of a bench-mark for downloadable gaming. To get him to higher ground, Lara must lend a hand with her grappling rope. The keyboard and mouse controls aren't precise enough to handle some of the acrobatics, notably jumping at odd angles between small platforms. The gameplay in Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light also adds to its addictive 'One-more-go' nature. Our Verdict. Maneuvering large stone balls onto pressure pads is simple; using bombs to accurately propel large stone balls through the air requires a lot more precision. It's nice to have an ancient Mayan warrior at your back, especially when he's rocking a flamethrower. In Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, you see the titular leading lady from a whole new perspective. The simple combat controls make maneuvering nimbly and shooting accurately a breeze, provided you are using a gamepad. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a great adventure, whether you're playing co-op or flying solo. Fortunately, Guardian of Light makes it fun to replay levels, and the challenges that fuel this replayability always seem tantalizingly within reach. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light review Solo, co-op, Tomb Raider fan or not, this game is awesome By Matthew Keast 18 August 2010 Comments Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a new adventure featuring the star of the Tomb Raider franchise. Between exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving, there's a lot to enjoy as a solo player in Guardian of Light. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light [Download] at Amazon.com. Cooperative play makes this adventure even more enjoyable, and though the disappointing lack of online support may sting for weeks to come, it shouldn't stop you from enjoying this impressive arcade adventure. The series is looking to bring ba By WoLf on 2010-08-24 | Version reviewed: Xbox 360. Though Totec's voice actor is hammy and unpleasant, you are subjected to his voice only during the rare cutscenes that string along the equally cheesy and forgettable plot. Unfortunately, the game does not support online cooperative play at launch, and though the developer has promised a patch, it's a disappointment to be even temporarily denied the opportunity to play this great co-op game online. A twin-stick shooter in the vein of Geometry Wars and Minigore, Guardian of Light … Punctuated by clever puzzles and lush visuals, each level begs to be replayed thanks to the varied and enticing challenges that promise substantial rewards. Grab it now! Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a great adventure, whether you're playing co-op or flying solo. While she is exploring a Mayan tomb, Lara Croft finds a magic relic, and suddenly is surrounded by bad guys. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was shown at E3 2010 on 14 June 2010. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is an ambitious project. Whether the challenge lies in executing a particular action or just figuring out what to do, you won't want to leave any of these engaging puzzles unsolved. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for PC game reviews & Metacritic score: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is the first ever downloadable, co-op action/adventure game featuring Lara Croft. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light uses recycled musical cues from Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld by composers Troels Brun Folmann and Colin O'Malley. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a downloadable, co-op action/adventure game featuring Lara Croft. Some of these rewards are immediate, like new guns, skill-enhancing artifacts, and health and ammo power-ups. This brand extension combines the hallmarks of the Tomb Raider franchise including exploration & discovery, platforming, and puzzle solving combined with character progression, fun fast-paced combat, and elements of human cooperation and competition. Others, like red skulls and score-boosting gems, help you complete the many challenges each level has to offer. Despite the silly story and dialogue, I had more fun with it than any Tomb Raider in recent memory. By Richard Cobbett 02 November 2010. on September 29, 2010 at 6:07PM PDT. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. They use Lara's skills in conjunction with environmental elements in a variety of clever and surprising ways. Check out CCC's in-depth Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light review for the Xbox 360 to find out if this game is worth buying, renting, or if you should avoid it altogether. You find or earn a large variety of pistols, shotguns, rifles, and heavy weapons, as well as artifacts that you can equip to bestow boosts to your basic battle attributes. While all of your weapons, artifacts, and relics are effective, they are not all created equal. Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light is a captivating adventure that is excitingly new while providing a faint sense of nostalgia. Rewards for high scores and speed runs are offered on every level, usually in addition to an array of level-specific challenges. lara croft and the guardian of light verdict I for one hope that Crystal Dynamics, Eidos and Square Enix take the lessons learned from this title and apply them to the next disc-based Tomb Raider title, but while we wait for that this is a game well worth experiencing. Aside from sticking into enemies with a satisfying thwack, this weapon can stick into walls, where the light-footed Lara can use it as a platform to reach higher areas or traverse dangerous pits. This particular item releases a nasty old demon, and soon Lara is off on his trail through the Mayan jungle. 9.2. While the isometric camera angle shows off less of the iconic character than you may be used to, the game boasts the same engaging mix of exploration and combat that has long been the hallmark of the best games in the series. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Review, The Best PlayStation Deals for January 2021, CES 2021 Highlights: The Biggest Announcements From The Show, Here's Why Kong is So Big in Godzilla vs. Kong, A Star Wars: KOTOR Game Is Reportedly In Development Without EA and BioWare. Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2012 Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is an isometric, fixed camera 3rd person action game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix in … This helps make combat more than just pointing and shooting, and the variety of enemies you encounter encourages you to make good use of your arsenal. 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