In Next-Gen a great start into a new era!

Last year's "Tomb Raider" -Neuauflage belonged to personally clear to the Games Highlights 2013. Yes, I really loved it to fight me with the fresh and young Lara about the horror island Yamatai and their first big adventure quasi Hautnah experience with. Because it was an experience. Now one thought on the developers well: "Man, datt things came so well received by the players, we polish the whole thing again just a little visually and throw" Tomb Raider "in a so-called" Definitive Edition "of the new Next-gen consoles once again on the market. Well, now is a good piece since today officially on the market and whether the purchase (especially for owners of the old version) worth in my eyes that learn you coming in the line. At first I throw as always take a look at the game as such, and then come gaaaaaanz Below the significant visual differences, the finally distinguishes the next-gen version of the old version.

SHORT ONE WORD FOR PACKAGING:
This is properly managed, at least at second glance. "Tomb Raider" is used in a (possibly only in the first edition) rather chic art book version, therefore, which in turn is surrounded by a cardboard sleeve. Negative case: The slipcase is unfortunately provided with a fixed USK Seal. Considering the cardboard then again from, shows a shell in the artbook design, which also holds some nice homemade sides in addition to the game disc ready for play. The disc is thus in this artbook and not in a separate envelope.

MY PRO / CONTRA-SCORING THE GAME:

--- --- PRO

+ The Story makes to time to take the thing first, what really her. No lengths, no unnecessary drivel, nothing. The Storytelling thrilled immensely, is gripping and waiting beside interesting characters especially coming back to with hefty tension moments and mysterious events. "Tomb Raider" is also consistently motivating because the voltage curve has the adventure, rising continuously, so that the whole trip to be - successful end for my taste - soft as butter plays.

+ The staging mostly like a blockbuster production. Whether wild glissades through narrow caves, crisp escape sequences or deep falls from a great height with QuickTime deposits. In the area of ​​production is quite clearly padded and not spilled and also with well-made camera angles stingy not the developers. Nevertheless, the whole drifts never and always remains an exciting-gripping-clean-portioned adventure trip, which also always shines through a grandiose atmosphere.

+ The gameplay can probably best be compared with "Uncharted" and goes loose flaky in flesh and blood. In the best 3rd person style you stroll with Lara through the area and climbs, jumps and shoots with gun and Co. by the most diverse, sometimes expansive, sometimes also schlauchigen areas. Is great, the Lara, for example, self-employed ducks and so goes behind objects for cover, it should be the situation (if nearby enemies are) demand. They also dominated evasive maneuver to deviate by enemy attacks and to counter this, and also the silent killing they learned in the course of the season.

+ "Tomb Raider" law provides many intermediate sequences which are really well done and the game breathe much life.

+ What about since "Uncharted" always really good also like the latest when the game character adapts not only its movements to the situation (eg limp when one is hurt or touch the wall when these clips), but when the actor or as in this case, the protagonist, sometimes talking or acoustically to the situation manifests when you stroll through the area, and not only wanders silently around. Lara convinced me here very positive, because they like to quasselt in thought with themselves, also remembers times of their past training and events and highlights throughout the trip next to the magnificent scenery and the whole TamTam by great atmosphere and authenticity.

+ What should nowadays, and at least since "Far Cry 3" or "Crysis 3" is no longer so in a shooter missing, is a bow as a weapon. The course also know the creators of "TR" and spendieren good Lara as the first primary weapon ... yes three times you may guess. But no matter how ludicrous I now also find the phenomenon of "bow", it makes me, at least in this game again and again a lot of fun, with that very ancient hunting tool to roam the game world, not only to go on animal catcher, because even in "Tomb Raider" the bow is a not to be sneezed at, silently-lethal weapon against the enemy.

+ What course should not be missing in "TR", are animals, which is really cool. Nice thing about it is mainly that one the animals encountered in the wilderness again and again, not just stare at, but also can kill. And is even more beautiful, that the killing of the four-legged even has a benefit. So you can for example hares chase, to gain experience points and level up so the good Lara. But beware, not every animal is immediately a sacrifice.

+ The element of fire plays in "Tomb Raider" a not insignificant role, which I like. Here Lara always has for example a torch, which her to fireplaces (or even later) can ignite to you to orient among others in the dark to perform actions or approached Collectable to come. Nett: By walking through a waterfall, the flame goes out - nice that we have thought of such small details. And otherwise, the physical game with the burning element a fine additional idea.

+ The level up like me in "TR" also super good. Here you get Experience or the one. Skill points, which will be invested in three distinct categories (survivor, fighter, fighters) and reflect Lara's skill, such as pain tolerance, survival skills or looting. There really many ways and one is quite a while busy. On the other hand, there are also materials by looting containers etc, with which, in turn, weapons and tools can be improved, for example, a major magazine for gun or the like. You know what? All this is made very clear.

+ The game world / Island Yamatai is a huge adventure playground in my eyes, as it no longer existed in a Videogame him a long time. The scenes are eerily Multi-faceted and at times quite spread out, offering architecturally orderly variety, also always waiting back on with wow moments and are always full of atmosphere with light, shadows, murals, candles, rain or even heavy storms (which I personally never looked so good have seen in a game) underlaid. From the wilderness up to the sonnenerstrahlten bloody, dark cave is almost everything Registered. There is really a lot of stuff in the world to discover and collect, such as boxes, chests, diaries, notes, artifacts and even graves, which applies to explore it. Here the creators have done a pretty good job in every case and ensured orderly long-term fun, wow moments and motivation.

+ What I also the next topic would be the Time. Meanwhile, you can unfortunately no longer be sure of what you still get to play time for your money in such a game. Especially not when the game also includes a multiplayer mode. In "Tomb Raider" My conclusion is in this regard, however, consistently positive. For the first round I have about 12 hours are required, look at the world, explore some corners here and there, hunt animals, etc. pp. And this does not even everything discovered.

+ No HUD, ie no permanent display on the screen, like a map, ammunition etc. Like much!

+ The soundscape is one of the most powerful that I was able to enjoy so far in a game. Especially storms or rain showers always convey a strong feeling the thick and the soundtrack is not to be despised. Very atmospheric and well placed and in surround a sonic feast.

+ Synchronization has become absolutely top in my eyes and spokeswoman Nora Tschirner (known from Keinohrhasen) makes nen clean job. She seems quite credible, authentic and fits Vocally great for young Lara. Compared with other Games-productions with German speakers, this is almost overwhelming.

+ Speaking of young Lara: The fetzt in my eyes. Not only is she finally normal shape when you know you mean, no, it is also finally normal in dealing with the situation they lived through. In short, it is very human in their behavior. She pushes or injured, and often cries while even she is dirty and bleeding which was implemented very horny, she apologizes to the first animal they kill out of necessity, and so on and so forth. All this does just super personable and makes the new Lara Croft a young, modern, approachable video game character I personally like to lead respectively accompany by his adventure.

+ Throughout the game world so-called camp (campfire) are distributed on which you rest and can level up his equipment or his skills. In addition, the camp as fast travel points are used which can be selected on the big map to explore already Visited again.

+ All documents or artifacts found are reproduced next to a superimposed text also via voice output (ie by Lara). A really cool idea of ​​the creators, because I personally am not a fan of, for example, absolutely incredibly long texts in Video Games.

+ The AI ​​is that they throw at some point, especially from a distance with all the Mollis and bombs, quite demanding. In close combat, they are weak, although every now and then, but that is absolutely to get over in my eyes.

+ Lara ruled an instinctive function, which enables the game world in black and white is dipped and important objects like Collectable or objects that perform actions in gold, and enemies are highlighted in red. A nice help when times not know what to do or simply want to track objects only.

--- NEUTRAL ---

: The physical puzzles that appear in the game are indeed mostly well done, but also quite rare to be found, and that's too bad. Therefore, I order this one into midfield.

--- --- CONTRA

- The only thing is I really do not like about "Tomb Raider" some Quicktime events, which often result in one-time failure to immediate death. This may under certain circumstances then ever nervous right because you just have a chance to master the situation. But for the memory points are nevertheless set fair.

--- DIFFERENCES BETWEEN VERSIONS ---

The only significant difference between the old version (Xbox 360, PS3) and the new version (Xbox One, PS4) is basically the optics, which should not only move uninitiated, but at best, also first owner to re-purchase. The visual differences are characterized sometimes more and sometimes less from, much is revealed in advance.

Obviously, in any case, the lot is sharper, the "definitive version" of "Tomb Raider" when it comes to textures and character models. Particularly striking are the revamped lighting and shadow effects. If trees break the sun's rays and then hit the green grass floor, then it's true pretty. In daylight you can see the improvements the way most clearly. What also stands out the dampness and water effects. If Lara is drenched by rain or wading through a river, you can see very well how the clothes quasi stick to the body and the surface shimmers. And the facial animations have been improved here and there. Lara`s expression now looks a little more authentic. Also striking are Lara`s hair or especially her braid, which is now placed into individual strands and wildly flapping moves the adventurer. For my taste, one has here to be a little exaggerated with physics, because the braid goes from places such as a suppository, and even at the smallest movement. Differences in body movements of the characters, the foresight or the plants and animals, I could not make it.

CONCLUSION:
All in all, sees "Tomb Raider" in the next-gen version definitely fancier from, no question. However, what is offered is sufficient for my taste not to shell out again around 50-60 because of this are me then to marginal (as the owner of the old version) the differences yet. In addition, you have to very clearly state that looked already the "old" version really good. For new buyers, the "Definitive Edition" is worth of course without question, because one experiences Lara`s first adventure now in even prettier splendor. But if you already have the old version calls his own, which was perhaps only once or just play sample and eventually slam Borrow times for 30. Nevertheless gets "Tomb Raider" I clearly earned 5 stars.