Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a new adventure for Lara, but it’s important to note that this is not a new Tomb Raider game. Guardian of Light is about giving fans of the franchise something to hold them over until the next major Tomb Raider is released by offering a new feel, play style and more importantly, two-player co-op.
I was weary at first with where Eidos was taking Lara, but I can easily say now that I’m really looking forward to the new game after getting my hands on it. It feels a lot like Gauntlet Legends thanks to the isometric top down perspective and the extremely fast paced action. Waves of enemies will rush you from all angles and while the game is totally playable by yourself, the real fun is had in the co-op.
Lara and new comer Totec need to work together to take on the evil forces and solve the wide assortment of puzzles. One example of a puzzle saw the duo needing to cross a large gap filled with spikes. In order to get over the gap, Lara will first create a tightrope with her grappling hook for Totec to cross with. Once on the other side, Totec needs to throw his spears at the nearby wall for Lara to use as platforms.
Eidos really wants players to explore the game and just have fun so there is no real penalty for dying. A good thing as I can see a lot of people wanting to seek revenge when their partner is racking up all the points. Working together feels very smooth and aside from those instances where you purposely want to be a jerk to your partner, I can’t imagine any frustration will come from the core co-op gameplay. The controls and interaction between the characters just felt extremely smooth and fluid.
Guardian of Light is going to be must for Tomb Raider fans when it’s released this Summer on Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. This is a full-fledged adventure that doesn’t sully the name of the big chested heroine. Check out Nick Chester’s preview of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for a more detailed look and stay tuned for an upcoming video interview too.
