“Lara Croft’s Return Brings Familiarity To A New Isometric Arcade Style”

Lara Croft has come to the Nintendo Switch in The Lara Croft Collection from developer Feral Interactive and publisher Crystal Dynamics. This action-filled collection features two beloved spinoff games from the Tomb Raider series, Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris.

Originally released in 2010 and 2014, both of these titles have since received improvements and refinements to elevate the player experience on a new platform. Whether a long-time supporter of the franchise or just stepping into it, this collection has a little something for everyone.

Comforting Familiarity In A New Style

Lara Croft’s return brings familiarity to a new isometric arcade style featured in both Guardian of Light and Temple of Osiris. Players will take on the role of Lara Croft as she works her way through various puzzles in an effort to reveal hidden secrets and, of course, save the world from evil forces. None of these aspects are going to be new to Tomb Raider fans, but what will be is the fresh isometric map layout mixed with the arcade-style combat that both of these games encapsulate well.

Though these games are enjoyable for everyone, it is definitely going to be a more enticing experience for those who have an attachment to the character going into it, otherwise, it may feel a little lackluster. Additionally, for those who enjoy the traditional Tomb Raider play style, this may feel odd to adjust to and for players that have no previous experience with the series, the Lara Croft Collection may not be the best introduction since they play very differently from all the mainline titles.

Challenging Adventures

As expected with certain Tomb Raider games, the puzzles are fairly unforgiving. For any player hoping for a true challenge, they are sure to find it here, as many of the tasks require some real brainpower to solve. Though not designed for novices, they’re not impossible to complete either; they may just stump players up for longer than they would originally anticipate. Additionally, beware that though the co-op feature may seem like a good way to get some additional help in completing tasks, it can make some of the challenges harder to overcome. This is primarily because these games absolutely feel as though co-op was the intended way to play, meaning the different parts of the game appear to be designed to utilize that as often as possible. So if there isn’t full cooperation on all sides, it can actually cause increased difficulty for everyone.

Action-Packed Co-op Fun

With all that being said,the biggest appeal for many players of these games is the co-op mode, and they aren’t likely to be disappointed here. The Lara Croft Collection co-op feature is not only something that is well done and runs smoothly, but it is definitively the way this collection should be experienced. Where the story may fall short at times to keep things interesting, or the new gameplay style may pull from the experience, bringing another player in to add a little extra chaos to the mix helps revitalize the fun.

While these games can both be played solo, Lara Croft’s companions feel like little more than background characters, which makes for a less enjoyable experience. The aspect of adding one extra player in Guardian of Light or up to three additional players in Temple of Osiris is something that should be taken advantage of. However, these titles embrace co-op in its most accurate form, meaning that actual teamwork will be necessary to progress, should players choose to utilize the option.

Final Thoughts & Rating

The Lara Croft Collection is a great addition to the Nintendo Switch library and is a good distraction for those still waiting, hopeful to see the original Tomb Raider games make their Switch debut as well. Those who consider themselves dedicated fans of Tomb Raider and Lara Croft are likely to be pleased with both Lara Croft and The Guardian of Light and Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris. More casual players of the series, however, may find the gameplay style to be something that feels too different and doesn’t particularly hold their interest.

Additionally, it is not necessarily the best introduction to Lara Croft for new players, given that this has such a deviated take on how the series is traditionally played and experienced. However, given that co-op appears to be the intended gameplay style, this is an opportunity for more experienced players to introduce their friends to the series in a way that may not feel as jarring were they to pick up the titles solo. Regardless of who picks up the Lara Croft Collection, there is definitely still fun to be had, and those who have not previously enjoyed the franchise are actually recommended to give this unique collection a shot as it may be a pleasant surprise. Overall, the puzzles are pleasantly challenging, the combat is refined, and the stories are action-packed style journeys that hold true to the Tomb Raider series, despite not being mainline titles.

Source: Nintendo Of America / YouTube

The Lara Croft Collection releases on June 29th for Nintendo Switch. Screen Rant was provided with a Nintendo Switch code for the purpose of this review.