Should you have asked us six months ago what
could propel the nation's gaming sweetheart back
into our affections, chances are that a £10, download-only arcade shooter wouldn't be our first guess.
However, Lara lust strikes again - this has convincingly won us over. With all the fanfare, mega marketing budgets and doe-eyed rent-a-Lara promo models normally associated with a 'proper' Tomb Raider launch, we don't know if Square Enix will be pleased or miffed that Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light has charmed us so much. After all, it's an unashamedly old-fashioned and comparatively small-scale title.
Light fantastic Guardian of Light, as seems to be the trend with a lot of PSN/XBL titles of late, focuses on elements of classic gaming; almost to the point where we consider it retro.
There's an isometric view-point, twin stick shooting (move with the left stick, aim with the right) and gameplay that comes alive when you play co-operatively with a pal.
Lara and co-hort Totec get involved in competitive loot hoarding, end-of-level score besting, tag team problem solving and jovial friendly fire - and there's a pretty substantial arsenal to collect, including a rocket launcher, dual machine pistols, flamethrower and others.
Sure, you can play Guardian of Light solo (Lara comes equipped with Totec's spear and some of the puzzles are altered to compensate for the fact that your Mayan buddy isn't there), but playing with a pal should be compulsory, as you work out what combination of spear, grapple hook, shield and explosives you'll need to overcome the next Mouse Trap. The Cube-inspired brainteaser adds that extra dimension of enjoyment.
Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light
Official trailer
1:23Gameplay trailer
Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light
Official trailer
1:23Gameplay trailer
Age Restricted Content Please enter your date of birth below in order to verify your age before watching this video
You must be at least 15 years of age.
Play Again? Missed something? Just watch it again..
Watch More Videos Browse related videos and see what's new & popular
Share This Video Email this video, or embed it into your own web page
Discovering a crafty way to solve a puzzle with a pal makes you feel like a genius. It's almost as much fun as some of the 'do I trust them?' moments when using Lara's grapple hook as a tight rope for Totec.
After a relatively shallow learning curve, Lara's latest hits its stride in the last quarter of the game; the volume and intensity of the enemies increase, the physics-based puzzles get more devious and the oh-so-tempting collectables become more treacherous to reach.
The pick-up-and-play style encourages you to repeat levels, strive for scoreboard glory and speed run for success. While there's plenty of ball juggling and lever pulling, there's satisfying combat too. Make sure you pick a higher difficulty level to make the gunplay particularly frantic and fierce.
Totec's appeal Lara Croft isn't the first download title to tap into old-skool gaming ethics, though - games such as Zombie Apocalypse, Shadow Complex and Pixel Junk Shooter have similar appeal. You might even feel a bit disappointed that Crystal Dynamics haven't been working on another Tomb Raider: Underworld instead.
However, if Guardian of Light hits the right note with gamers - and it really should - then fingers crossed, it paves the way quite nicely for a full-blown Tomb Raider sequel.
Gamesmaster Staff
// Overview
Verdict
A retro-inspired shooter that's small in scale but big in entertainment.
Uppers
Working with a buddy Blowing up your buddy Frickin lava dinosaurs
Downers
Totec is crap - a genero-tribesman The wait for a full-blown Lara
Couch (local) co-op for this game setup is more appealing than online co-op anyway. I was looking forward to how this would turn out, I'm glad to see all the favourable reviews. I'll get it for steam as soon as released.
Couch (local) co-op for this game setup is more appealing than online co-op anyway. I was looking forward to how this would turn out, I'm glad to see all the favourable reviews. I'll get it for steam as soon as released.
Local is all well and good as a teenager but as you get older and you and your mates spread out with family commitments etc it means playing as and when you can online IS the only method of co-op play.
A few games have missed the ball on this recently. No online play in Joe Danger or Scott Pilgrim vs. The World are reasons I won't be buying those games.
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Working with a buddy
