The new game “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” has recently been released and has been met with a plethora of good reviews from a multitude of gaming websites, such as IGN and Metacritic. The game’s cover itself helps differentiate itself from its predecessor, considering that the previous game took place in a colder climate.

The game itself follows Lara Croft, an avid explorer, as she searches for a mysterious silver box, that, along with a mystical knife, has the power to reshape the world. Unfortunately, the shady organization known as the “Order of Trinity” has its eye on this artifact and will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. So, it’s up to Lara and her friends to stop Trinity and their dastardly plot.

Even though the story itself is somewhat stereotypical, it’s stereotypical in a way that most Tomb Raider fans have come to love, including myself. The idea of an all powerful relic of the past that could change the future possibly falling into the wrongs hands plays with the concepts of suspense and dread, while the idea of a just heroine fighting for what’s right appeals to our sense of good versus evil. It’s a great blend of story elements that is dramatic and enjoyable.

The game has multiple game play elements that were part of the first Tomb Raider game of the current series, so gamers who played the earlier game can easily transition into this one. The games backdrop is also in stark contrast with the first game, with it’s lush and tropical jungles as opposed to a cold and treacherous landscape. This helps flush the game out and introduce new enemies, such as cheetahs, to the mix.

Overall game play and the narrative of the story help bring the fictional world of Tomb Raider to life. Along with the amazing graphics and fun logic puzzles, this game deserves all the praise that it receives. I would highly recommend it to anyone who was looking for a good mix of adventure and puzzle solving.

Rating: 8/10