Reviews

I absolutely loved the rebooted Tomb Raider and Rise of the Tomb Raider. I actually gave both games a 10 on IMDb. The first two games had a very natural progression for the Lara Croft character and SotTR seemed to be setting up an amazing story by having an overconfident Lara seemingly bring on the end of the world. But then the game lands in Paititi the character development comes to a screeching halt. It almost reminded me of the second season of The Walking Dead. When are we getting off of the farm/Paititi? It just dragged. Visually, the game is just as beautiful as the previous entries and if you're on the Xbox One X playing in 4K, the game is simply stunning. I really do hope we get to see this version of Lara in one more game. Uncharted 4 was an amazing send off for Nathan Drake and Lara Croft could use one more go around to send her off on the high note she deserves. This wasn't it.

This wasn't just a game. This was an experience. Those looking for typical hack and slash games can feel free to stay away from this title. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is about story and experiencing that story from Senua's perspective. Always. You'll never get a moment to step outside of her skin and see if what she just went through was real or just another battle in her unhealthy mind. The game is absolutely stunning but its gorgeous graphics are secondary to the AMAZING sound that is pinnacle to the experience and so very well done. When its award season rolls around Ninja Theory will undoubtedly sweep this category. The puzzles are well done, especially in the latter stages. If there is one thing keeping the game from being perfect, its that the same combat that starts the game is the same combat you'll experience at the end of the game. That said, I can't recommend this game enough. I hope many creators follow Ninja Theory's blueprint for "AA" games.