Lara Croft: Temple of Osiris brings you into Ancient Egypt with the goal of defeating the spiritual god “Set” within a varying and challenging setting, in the Temple of Osiris. The game takes on an isometric perspective last seen in the Guardian of Light edition of Lara croft, which allows you to return to the style of one of my favourite instalments in the Lara croft series, offering a different style to the recent edition, Tomb Raider on the Xbox One. So would this version return to the excellent heights of its predecessors or fall quickly into the sand.
The game’s story is interesting and fluid as you combat a variety of enemies much too historical accuracy which is always pleasing. It offers you the chance to think on your feet and at times really tests your ability to solve puzzles. At only 6 hours long I thought to myself that they would rush through an awful lot of content just to pack it all in, but the pacing and setting of the game is a personal highlight and it all gels together well.
The story really consists of you battling your way through different tiers of the temple in order to retrieve the pieces of the Osiris statue in order to release him to stock the Egyptian god Set. Overall you seem to be heading towards the same main goal in every level but Lara Croft has a wonderful pace to it which takes your eye off that main goal and makes you think and feel that you are attacking something new story-wise every time.
Back to the story and the battle against Set, isn’t as imaginative as I would have liked. The story doesn’t really take you and grip you as it should which is a shame because you are gifted beautiful surroundings, in which to complete the journey. Characters in the game don’t really add much to the overall atmosphere, but this seems to be consistent with other High Angle isometric perspective games. Personally I wouldn’t use this game to show off Lara as a character, she hardly comes across at all and doesn’t really have much personality, which is the biggest shame.
But after that the only way is up in the temple of Osiris. The puzzles take on the biggest part of Lara Crofts adventure and the well-crafted and diverse nature previously mentioned are worth a purchase alone, but the shire amount of collectables and varying ways you can play the Temple, allows for some great replay ability which is never a bad thing.
Graphically Lara croft doesn’t dip below what is expected of it and shows off excellent features throughout cut scenes and interestingly set up levels. Co-op is available for up to 4 players and offers a different take on the puzzles, with the ability to use each player together to attack a level can add a different perspective every time you play with different players.
Collectables are a big part in the Lara Croft game, with a wide variety of weapons and abilities to add on there is lots to try in different formations all adding to that ever precious replay ability factor! The hundreds of gems which act as currency to open chests which reveals more additional content for you to use, it all adds up and makes Lara Croft a really enjoyable experience.
With game only being 6 hours long you would be forgiven for thinking its not worth a purchase, but the options available in the game and the amount of different ways and times to play the game it makes the purchase worth it more and more every time. For me I can see myself visiting the temple of Osiris again and again as the puzzles provide the fantastic thrill of pace and brain teasing at the same time.
