My wife and I enjoy gaming together, especially co-op. It was my wife who introduced me to the Tomb Raider series, despite the fact that it is sometimes seen as a sexist title owing to the physic and presentation of the title character (although if you've read this post then you already know what I think about that). We spent a lot of time playing through Tomb Raider: Legend and Tomb Raider: Underworld together. Then we discovered Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, and let me tell you, it is magic.
Released in 2010 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows (and later ported to iOS and Android), Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was treated by developers as a new property in the ongoing adventures of Miss Croft, hence dropping the Tomb Raider title and focusing on a more blatant “Indiana Jones” style naming convention. Lara Croft is definitely still Lara Croft, curvaceous pistol-packing treasure hunter, but the style of the game is a big change from the Tomb Raider series, being presented in a fixed-camera, scaled back isometric environment with a more arcade-style focus on action and puzzle-solving. It also introduced a new mechanic in the form of Totec, an ancient Mayan warrior who has risen to do battle with the demon, Xolotl, a beast brought forth by some South American crime bosses’ desecrating a temple and manhandling an ancient artifact. Par for the course with Lara, but in this adventure Totec fights side-by-side with her, bringing in a co-op aspect of gameplay that the franchise had not yet seen.
…and that co-op aspect is amazing. Although a single-player campaign exists which reorganizes the gameplay so that a second player is unnecessary, the game was designed to be a two-player experience, whether local or via the net, and it is there that the game really shines, with one player controlling Lara and the other Totec. Lara is just as lithe and athletic as ever, able to maneuver with a sort of super-human grace regardless of the obstacles and possessing two pistols with infinite ammunition (as well as being able to pick up a variety of other weapons). Totec is heavier, but armed with a throwing spear he can regenerate and a shield. With a slower, projectile based attach, Totec is not quite the spit-fire Lara is, but backs up his shortcomings with his strength.
Levels are strewn with traps and secrets, and cooperation is necessary to complete them. Not only do Lara and Totec fight side-by-side, but each possess abilities that the other needs in order to advance and complete puzzles. For instance, Totec can lift his shield above his head for Lara to use as a platform, or embed his spears into walls which she can jump on (Totec himself is too heavy and will break his spears if he tries this). Lara has her grappling hook from the Tomb Raider games, which Totec can strut across like a tight-rope. Sometimes the puzzles are a simple matter of figuring out how to get across a chasm using each character’s unique abilities, sometimes it is a deeper matter of figuring out how to work together to solve larger environmental puzzles and avoid booby-traps. Oh yeah, and there’s always combat too, with human, animal and super-natural foes dogging your heels as you journey through the game world toward your showdown with Xolotl.
Graphically, the game is beautiful. It was designed using the same engine developed for Tomb Raider: Underwold, and the physics and lightening effects are wonderful and lend a solid atmosphere. There are secrets, extra tombs to be explored, and items to collect that will unlock additional content. Although the game is short, it has plenty of value for at least a couple of replays, and the co-op element is so masterfully executed that it is one of the best two-player titles available for the Xbox 360 (the console my wife and I played it on). If you haven’t checked it out, it is definitely worth your time.
Backed by excellent reviews and strong sales, a sequel entitled Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris was released in December 2014 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Windows. I’d been holding out against getting an Xbox One myself, but a new Lara Croft title is a strong argument in its favor.
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