➤ Tomb Raider Reloaded, the review of the single-stick shooter with Lara Croft 🕹

Lara Croft returns to iOS and Android devices with a different look than usual, that of a cartoon single-stick shooter: Tomb Raider Reloaded review.

The value of a brand like Tomb Raider does not need to be explained: regardless of the fate of the latest productions that star it. Lara Croft, the character created in 1996 by Core Design has largely transcended the borders of the video game market to become part of the pop imagination, as demonstrated by the $600 million paid by Amazon to acquire the rights.

Tomb Raider's history on mobile devices has probably been less traumatic than that of other equally popular characters and series, see, for example, the reissues of classic chapters and the solid strategic interpretation of Lara Croft GO. Now it's time for something different, specifically the adventure of a cartoonish and practically "chibi" Lara, protagonist of a free-to-play single-controller shooter.

An experiment that failed from the beginning or a pleasant surprise? We tell you everything in the Tomb Raider Reloaded Review.

Gameplay: Shoot me, Lara

Tomb Raider Reloaded, the review of the single-stick shooter with Lara Croft — Tomb Raider Reloaded, Lara dodges bullets and attacks

What the hell is a single stick shooter? This is a completely mobile simplification of twin stick shooters, those shooters that use both sticks of a controller to move the character on one side and direct the shot on the other. In this case there is only one (virtual) joystick and it is used to control movement, but as soon as you stop an automatic attack begins towards the nearest target.

The most famous representative of the category is probably Survivor!.io (review here), which took that kind of approach to extremes in the context of a survival structure that quickly becomes frenetic and complex. Tomb Raider Reloaded does not choose to take that same route and instead prefers amore reasoned action, with individual rooms that must be cleaned within progressively longer and more complex sequences.

It is played, then, with a single finger, moving Lara within a scenario that develops vertically (like the device, which must be kept in portrait mode) and that from time to time is filled with more or less realistic ferocious animals. : This is a reference to the classic Tomb Raider episodes, where the cunning explorer often faced enormous Dinosaurs. There are no shortage of particularly difficult sections and boss fights, but a two-controller solution would certainly have been more enjoyable.

By passing the stages and accumulating enough points, we can choose an upgrade from a list of three options, making our character increasingly powerful and effective in unique progression. However, there are a whole series of permanent improvements which can be unlocked between one expedition and another, changing the equipped weapon and improving it or making the equipment more robust and rich.

Structure: many irons in the fire and many microtransactions

Tomb Raider Reloaded is available in two versions on the App Store and Google Play, both free but with some differences: the first adopts the classic freemium format, with the entire set of microtransactions; the second is reserved for Netflix subscribers and sets the only limit traditional ticket system which are consumed with each attempt, requiring you to wait for a recharge if they run out.

La structure The game from this point of view offers a lot of content and a campaign that seems very substantial, also supported by special events that try to add a pinch of variety to the formula, but at the same time the space dedicated to unlockables is a lot and the spectrum of microtransactions It looms over the experience, although in the first hours this combination did not seem limiting.

Technical realization: little Lara

As mentioned at the beginning, Tomb Raider Reloaded uses one cartoon graphic style, very cute and colorful, with a Lara Croft in a "chibi" version, that is, with the proportions of a girl. While it may seem a bit blasphemous, the end result looks surprisingly pretty and also pays homage to the series' origins by having the protagonist perform acrobatic climbs and jumps at the end of each level.

As for the design of settings and enemies, the situation is less brilliant and there is a slight lack of variety in terms of visual variety, although remaining at a more than discreet level, while the music that accompany the action are a real revelation, "adventurous" and engaging as perhaps one would expect from a more serious experience.

Conclusions

Tested version iPhone digital delivery app store, Google Play Price Free Holygamerz.com 7.5 Readers (11) 7.0 your vote

Tomb Raider Reloaded is a small but pleasant surprise, a single stick shooter with a colorful and cartoonish appearance in which we control a "chibi" version of Lara Croft who shoots left and right in an attempt to overcome rooms that are increasingly full of enemies. and deadly traps. . The lack of the second virtual stick is felt and the docking system often does what it wants, imposing a less unscrupulous approach than we would like, but the formula works more than well and is not compromised by the monetization mechanisms present in the traditional freemium version. .