Okay,first of all i have to admitted that i never played Tomb Raider series before. I know the Tomb Raider series and their Lara Croft. But really,i never played with Lara Cro...ooppsss,i mean Tomb Raider. Not a chance. All i knew about Tomb Raider was: 

1. The main character in the game is Lara Croft,her job is archaeologist and therefore she travel from one dungeon or tomb to another tomb,to find ancient relics or artifact.

2. She has big breast. ( Really, when i was in elementary all my school mate talking about Lara Croft, but, they're only talk about her breast.)

Even when the series came down to movie picture, i never watched it. Both of them. So i really..really blind about Tomb Raider Universe.

But, when i heard the news of Tomb Raider getting reboot, i think it is time to give Lara a chance to impress me, though it takes a year for me to finally decided to buy this game, the final result is very impressive. Lara Croft not only impress me but also stunned me! She's a badass!!.

So, here's the review from beginner eyes about Tomb Raider :

STORY

The story takes before Lara Croft become a famous relic hunter. In this time she just graduated from archaeology and want to set her first expedition to find the Yamatai Island. An island around Japan which is,not only famous along scientist because it's "lost" location, but also the ruler of the island itself Queen Himiko is rumored to had mystical power and able controlled the storm.

After a debate between Lara Croft and the leader of the expedition Dr. James Whitman about the location of Yamatai Island, the ship venture into Dragon's Triangle ( The Japan version of Bermuda Triangle ) and struck by violent storm and split the ship into two parts. Lara Croft got separated from the others crew and then struck by mysterious figure and leave Lara in faint.

Awake from her faint Lara realize she's in the some underground pit with many dead body around her and have to find a way out to regroup with her friends. in order to find her friends in the unknown island which is surrounded by mounted and forest Lara have one agenda : Survive at all cost!.

That's the opening part of the game, the next part is when Lara finally meet her closest friend Samantha, whose - When Lara find her - with a man called Mathias. Mathias curious about the story of Yamatai and Queen Himiko and Sam gladly to tell the long story while Lara fallen asleep. When Lara woke up she realize that her friend and the man Mathias has gone, so she walk a way down and meet the other crew of ENDURANCE, from them Lara know that her mentor,Roth,is still missing, and now they split up into two party,Lara and Whitman are looking for Roth and the others find Samantha. On the Way to find Roth, Lara and Whitman realize that the island is Yamatai from the shrine erected in Himiko's name. After that they're being captured by some islander and separated from Whitman. When Lara finally escape from the captivity, she met Roth attacked by a pack of wolf and lost his bag pack. Lara taken back the bag pack from the wolf and then she bandage Roth who is badly injured. From this Lara's Objective is to find Sam.

Well, i think that's the intrigue part of this game because after this, the story continuing on to find Sam while Lara learned about the mystery of Yamatai and their late Queen Himiko and the relation between Himiko,the violent storm and the Storm Guard.

But what i really love about the story is the transformation of Lara Croft, from innocent and naive young fresh graduate student who only want to seek an adventure into vengeful killer and survivalist hunter. And that's change is shown in one or two Lara's line when face the enemy and some of the scene. 

Truthfully i little bit unsatisfied with the end of the story when Lara realize that the crafting in one of the temple was not Himiko transferring her power but transferred her soul into new body so she can live forever, and the ability to control the storm is true..literally. I don't know whether the developer already put some mystical element in the previous series or not, but it sounds too myth and mystic for me. But like Lara said at the ending scene, " Sometimes the difference between the myth and the truth are fragile".   

GAMEPLAY

Tomb Raider is 3rd person action-adventure game which based on shooting,jump,run along the path,climb and puzzle. All i know, since PS1 the game always take places in the dungeon, even in this series has wide open environment but the essence of the adventure in the dungeon is hold still.

One think about this game that i notice is : CLASSIC! . I put it in a good way,of course. Because somehow the gameplay is remind me of my childhood when playing action adventure game, run along the path, kill the enemies, jump here and there, climb here and there (sometimes i failed when jump or climb and retry it over and over again but that's how i love about action-adventure games), hang over the edge and what i like the most is collecting salvage (used to upgrade weapon in game) it's like Sonic collecting ring or Crash collecting an apple but, the differences between those two games, in this game the item is in the crate but still it spread everywhere and some of them are little bit tricky to reach so you'll have to think to get the crate, classic huh?

There are two feature in this game that makes me really interested. First is weapon upgrade, by collecting the salvage as i mention above, Lara can upgrade her weapon. This upgrade is available in the base camp along with upgrade for your skill, which is a shame i think for skill. And the second is collectible item, really when you found some of this item, you will realize this item is not only to see, but sometimes you have to analyze it for hidden information, sometimes when you got a diary, it play with the sound of the writer and they use actual accent, that's great.

Tomb Raider also now granted Lara with survival instinct, it's kinda eagle vision in assassins creed or batman. use to analyzed your surrounding to find object that Lara could climb,pull or burn.

Unfortunately, the continuing main objective what's really disturb me, there are no free time or spare time after you finished one mission,i often forgot to explore the tomb for additional reward. Even though there's fast travel from camp to camp but i never use it.

The Puzzle in this game was great, new place means new puzzle to solve even though the puzzle only around how to going to next area but still it takes time. Maybe some of real puzzle in the next installment would be great. 

Oh yeah, one more thing. The reaction of Lara if she die, is amazing lol. 

GRAPHIC

Talking about graphic... i'm glad they made Lara's breast more "normal", not over sized like previous series. Even though i aware her breast is her icon for past decade, but recent graphic engine help Lara to make a new her. With smooth texture and emotion on Lara's face to feel her pain,struggle,cold,relieved,happy,angry and sorrow, the Crystal Dynamics as their developer has been thrive it.

The environment also a big point in this game, because the location of Yamatai Island makes it environment surrounded by cliff,mountain,beach,waterfall and even a snow is beautiful to the eyes. Even though i cannot played it in ultimate setting ( I ran between high and ultra settings ), it still well optimized i think.