Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider closes out the trilogy about the young Lara Croft and sends her into the jungles of Central and South America, where her own rash act triggers a chain of natural disasters. Compared to previous entries, the game places less emphasis on shootouts and more on exploration, climbing, and quiet movement through the undergrowth. Lara can cover herself in mud, hide in dense foliage, and take out enemies from a rope hanging in a tree, making her feel much more like a huntress than a soldier. The tombs that gave the series its name are larger this time, and their mechanical puzzles involving water, counterweights, and fire rank among the best in the whole trilogy.

On PlayStation 4 the game looks excellent, mainly thanks to light filtering through the treetops, water, and detailed wet-terrain rendering. On the more powerful console model it offered a choice between higher resolution and smoother performance. The atmosphere is shaped mainly by the near-constant sound of the jungle and music that draws on local instruments and singing. The city of Paititi acts as a living hub with inhabitants, side quests, and merchants, and is one of the most memorable locations in the series. There are also underwater sections that combine limited air supply with narrow passages, ranking among the game's more tense moments.

Contemporary reception was good, though somewhat cooler than for the previous two entries. Reviewers praised the tombs, the exploration, and the visuals, but often noted that the main story and Lara's moral doubts weren't fully fleshed out. The influence on the genre lies mainly in how the trilogy as a whole redefined what a modern action-adventure with exploration looks like. Today it's a title best appreciated by players who want tombs and climbing from Tomb Raider more than shooting, since this entry returns closest to the series' original spirit. That's helped further by a wide range of difficulty settings, separately for combat, exploration, and puzzles, letting everyone tailor a playthrough exactly to what they enjoy about Tomb Raider.