Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light Review

By Keza MacDonald Published 16 August, 2010

It takes tomb.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Squeezing an entire new Tomb Raider game into a downloadable nugget - admittedly, a rather chunky one, at just over 2GB - has necessarily involved some downsizing. Guardian of Light's opening cinematic is a series of stills with none of the acrobatic action-heroine antics or sharp delivery that we've come to expect from Crystal Dynamics' take on Lara Croft. Before you take your first steps into Guardian of Light's first temple, you wonder whether Tomb Raider without the pizazz can possibly be the same.

Guardian of Light is emphatically not the same, but that's no bad thing. It's a radical departure from every game in the series to date, both in its isometric 3D viewpoint and its arcade-style controls. And yet, it's still unmistakeably Tomb Raider: still a cerebral and exciting mix of puzzles and action. Once you get used to the change in perspective, you forget that things were ever otherwise.

Most significantly, the classic action-platforming structure has been reworked for two, resulting in one of the cleverest and most enjoyable co-operative games you'll ever have the pleasure of playing. It turns out there was a superb multiplayer game hidden in the Tomb Raider formula all along.

Guardian of Light's 14 levels are surprisingly vast, full of hidden areas and collectible gems, and they're mostly real, honest-to-goodness tombs: musty, vine-covered tombs, volcanic tombs with falling rock and bubbling magma, vertiginous spider-filled mazes, all full of traps and pressure plates and tantalisingly inaccessible ledges. They're unfailingly well-designed and easy to read; despite the fixed camera, it's always easy to tell whether or not you can make a jump. They take between 20 and 40 minutes to conquer on your first try, giving the campaign a good six to eight hours depending on your skills with firearms and lateral thinking.

The enemies get fiendish: skeletons that come back to life unless you obliterate them with a bomb are particularly annoying.

You aim Lara's pistols with the right stick and shoot with the right trigger. She can strafe slowly with the left stick whilst shooting, but she can't dart about, Robotron-style. She can lay bombs and remotely detonate them, which you can use to manipulate the environment as well as blow up enemies, catapulting boulders over ledges or destroying arrow traps.

There's a surprisingly large variety of weapons - rifles, spears, flamethrowers, a grenade launcher, shotguns, the classic dual pistols, even a rocket launcher - and they have to be used strategically. The baddies range from speedy lizards to giant, bullet-absorbing ogres, spiders, skeletons and fire-spitting demons.

Challenge rooms, marked with red skulls, are standalone puzzles that are often terrifically inventive, particularly in co-op, and net you new weapons or ability-boosting artefacts. These trinkets modify the balance of play slightly, giving you more attack power in exchange for less potent bombs, or more speed for slightly thinner skin. Kill a lot of enemies without getting hit and you activate relics, which give your bullets special effects, like scattershot. There's actually more to Guardian of Light's combat than there has ever been in Tomb Raider.

In co-op, one of you takes control of Lara and the other of Totec, an ancient Amazonian warrior awakened at the start of the adventure by silly, greedy men with the usual cursed archaeological treasure. Totec has a shield that he can use to protect himself and Lara from arrow traps, or heft above his head to turn himself into a temporary platform. He can also throw spears into walls, which Lara can then balance upon to cross gaps or reach high ledges. Lara, meanwhile, has a grapple line that Totec can walk like a tightrope, and they can use each other anchors, helping each other up or down walls or across gaps.

Vitally, these co-operative abilities don't just find their application in clearly-signposted situations. They're part of the whole fabric of the game. You develop a kind of symbiosis; rather than just standing on different switches in unimaginative puzzles, as it so often the case in co-op, you'll be spontaneously saving each other from a fall with a quick grapple, or protecting each other back-to-back against waves of tomb-dwelling undead.

Some things are a little easier with Lara, some with Totec, which lends the game near-perfect balance. It never feels like one of you is left to do all the work. Totec isn't simply the support player setting up successes for Lara, and refreshingly, the female character doesn't have to stay two steps behind a more combat-capable male. The rush to grab gems or kill enemies first for more points introduces a gentle element of competition, but ultimately you depend upon each other to succeed.

This is because every level in Guardian of Light has been built twice - once for one player, and once for two. Playing in co-op is not just a matter of squishing more enemies, or standing on two switches instead of one - the levels and puzzles are significantly different, and satisfyingly clever. Entire set-pieces play out differently, meaning that the game is still a surprise in multiplayer even if you've already conquered the levels solo. (Online co-op won't be activated until 28th September, when the game comes out on PSN and PC, but local multiplayer is seamless.)

More on Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

In single-player, weights and rolling balls will often take the place of your partner, but it doesn't feel pared-down. There's almost never a moment in single-player where you're left struggling on your own with something that is obviously a two-person puzzle. Indeed, it's hard to imagine how the levels will be rebalanced for two until you play them through with a friend, and suddenly wonder how they ever worked in single-player . What Guardian of Light achieves, impressively, is a campaign that feels purpose-built and perfectly balanced whether you're playing on your own or with a friend.

This inspired duality makes Guardian of Light one of the best-value games on Xbox Live Arcade, PSN and Steam. Even after you've finished the campaign, it lives on as a score-attack game. Speed-runs are rewarded with extra relics and artefacts, and mini-challenges push you to get the most out of each level, teasing you with tricky tasks like rolling a ball through a maze in less than 30 seconds, solving a puzzle on the first attempt or jumping between stepping-stones without touching the floor.

The only thing that's lacking is a half-decent story. Guardian of Light's is barely even relevant to the action and what few cut-scenes there are only serve to accentuate its shallowness, but it does make up for these shortcomings with excellent set-pieces. There are heart-racing moments as good as anything Tomb Raider has ever produced in Guardian of Light, and they're even better when shared with a friend.

Guardian of Light would almost be worth a full price for the co-operative campaign alone. At 1200 Microsoft points - around £10, €15 or $15 - it's an instant buy. There are few download games that offer this kind of value for money, and few that are as clever or effortlessly exciting. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light might be a move away from the Tomb Raider name, but it's a tremendous homage to its spirit.

9 / 10

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light will be released on Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday, 18th August, for 1200 Microsoft Points (£10.20 / €14.40 / $15). It will be released on PlayStation Network and Steam on 28th September for $14.99.

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Keza.

About Keza MacDonald

Read more articles from Keza by visiting the Keza MacDonald archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (79) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • clearblue #1 2 years ago

    Hmmmm. Welcome back Lara I guess....

  • irrelevanthuman #2 2 years ago

    This one has come out of the blue for me,cool,look forward to playing it.Good recovery for the franchise.

  • mcmonkeyplc #3 2 years ago

    For fucks sake!


    What summer drought?!


  • rojjer #4 2 years ago

    excellent. Will pick this up to qualify for my 400 points rebate

  • RM2KMaster #5 2 years ago

    Crikey. Shocking that.

  • Vortex808 #6 2 years ago

    Just as well i bought some more XBLA points recently - Monday night combat was an unexpected buy after trying the demo, and this is now a definite purchase!

  • growleroo #7 2 years ago

    Crumbs, wasn't expecting a 9! Will have to look into this, I've been short on coop goodness lately...

    Any thoughts on standout platform? (boom boom)

  • christourlord #8 2 years ago

    How can this get a 9/10 when they didn't manage to get a key feature (online co-op) finished in time for release?

  • JayKwon #9 2 years ago

    Yeah! Another good arcade game to buy! This'll be mine. Summer of Arcade still a succes for me then. 3 buys out of 5. That's postive!

  • mrpon #10 2 years ago

    Wasn't expecting that score!

  • ecureuil #11 2 years ago

    Sold.

  • Harmonica #12 2 years ago

    Went from 'could not give a shit' to 'must get me some Microsoft Points'.

  • Stuz359 #13 2 years ago

    It's downloadable games to the rescue again!

  • Kazzahdrane #14 2 years ago

    Damn, was really hoping that after the farce with delayed online co-op this would end up being pants.

    Fair enough Core Design, you can have my money on September 28th.

  • jaywalker3010 Verified Mastering Manager, Square Enix #15 2 years ago

    @Kazzahdrane - erm u do realise Core Design hasnt made a TombRaider/Lara Croft game since early in the last decade? :)

    CD = Crystal Dynamics :)
    Edited by 2 at 16/08/10 @ 17:26

  • harzo #16 2 years ago

    Thats a whole Lara games I wanna buy!

  • Windypops #17 2 years ago

    Looks sort of Diablo-ish. I can't believe I'm thinking of getting a Tomb Raider game.

  • Harmonica #18 2 years ago

    The one caveat I guess is that personally I won't be buying it until September 28th, when I might have other things to play like the F1 game and Halo Reach. I'm not sure if that was a bit of a misfire for them to delay the coop as part of the deal.

  • Zerobob #19 2 years ago

    Even though I love TR I'm left completely shocked by the 9/10.

  • kangarootoo #20 2 years ago

    @christourlord

    Because the review is of the gameplay, not the developer's scheduling decisions.

    Maybe when online co-op appears, you can add a point to the score?

  • TheTrueSpin #21 2 years ago

    Ummm... What just happened? A 9?!??!?!?!

  • sailesh #22 2 years ago

    whoa.

  • beastmaster #23 2 years ago

    Summer of Arcade has for me been an epic win (with the exception of Castlevania),

    Like Monday Night Combat before, it's a WTF? score but it a great way.

  • uzivatel #24 2 years ago

    @christourlord: maybe its that good even without online coop?

  • AphoticCosmos #25 2 years ago

    STOP.

    I DON'T HAVE ANY FUCKING MONEY LEFT.

    /sobs in the corner eyeing up games from 2009.

  • Caimbeul #26 2 years ago

    Now if i only had enough space on my 20Gb (read 13Gb in reality) HDD.

    Thanks Microsoft.

  • JayKwon #27 2 years ago

    ^ Just delete some things. You can redownload anything anytime. So no worries. I'm still using my 20 GB HDD as well, and I have lots of arcade games and DLC.

  • Syrette #28 2 years ago

    Fuck's sake. I haven't got Limbo, Monday Night Combat, or Hydro Thunder yet.

  • UncleLou #29 2 years ago

    Always liked the look of this, nice.

    Got to say though, I'd buy this right now (or rather on the 18th). The timed exclusivity means that I'll most likely be busy with other games once this is out on the platforms I own at the end of September (like Civ V). Might well be one that, as good as it looks, will fall through the cracks.

    edit: That reads a bit too much like a complaint - only meant to say that the timing now would have been perfect for me, as I don't really have anything to play, and September is notoriously busy with the pre-Christmas games rush.
    Edited by 1 at 16/08/10 @ 18:36

  • TRUTH #30 2 years ago

    Is it worth getting as a single player - not a big fan for co-op. And like to play late nights on day offs!

  • Vyggo #31 2 years ago

    In giantbomb's quicklook they run through the same level twice once in single player and once in co-op. It seems cleverly designed.

    I might buy it at some point, but I am having too much fun with Monday Night Combat at the moment.
    Edited by 1 at 16/08/10 @ 18:21

  • 5lectro #32 2 years ago

    I would've bought this if Underworld hadn't completely alienated me as a fan of the new series.

    Legend was so great :(

  • Liam64 #33 2 years ago

    @makariel

    One would assume he's buying the 360 version. In which case, no online co-op at launch.

  • IronGiant #34 2 years ago

    Cool will grab this when it hits the PSN.. Keep me busy after I finish RDR :)

  • TheNinkyNonk #35 2 years ago

    Yes, but her tits just don't look big enough from that gameplay perspective!

  • Kaminari #36 2 years ago

    Guardian of Light gets a 9 when RDR was slapped in the face with an 8? EG has really been going down the drain lately.

  • Fleeby #37 2 years ago

    Here's hoping Hydrophobia turns out to be a good 'un too...

  • Vyggo #38 2 years ago

    Only awesome people get to directly compare the score of a $15 xbla isometric action adventure game to a full retail open world title. Kaminari is one of those awesome people.

  • brod #39 2 years ago

    Wait for the PC version folks. Don't support Microsoft's mandatory timed exclusivity that they forced on the developer.

  • UncleLou #40 2 years ago

    Guardian of Light gets a 9 when RDR was slapped in the face with an 8? EG has really been going down the drain lately.

    It's the best apple pie we've eaten in years, but it ain't no steak. 4/10.

  • UncleLou #41 2 years ago

    Yeah, stick it to the man! Don't buy the game for the Microsoft Xbox 360! Buy it for Microsoft Windows instead!

    Microsoft don't get license fees for software published in Windows, you know...

  • RelaxedMikki #42 2 years ago

    Oh nuts.

    I have just blown my 1200 of my 1500 MS Points buying 'Fahrenheit' as an Xbox Original. Currently 28% downloaded. Lord knows what that will actually be like in the cold hard light of 2010.

    I think I maybe should have waited for this.

    Damn whims!

  • bratmandu #43 2 years ago

    Well that review cut off the end of my trousers and put it in a library - that's a turnup for the books.

  • bratmandu #44 2 years ago

    @ RelaxedMikki

    You should enjoy Farenheight ok, but I warn u i did put a fist through my wall after trying a certain 'melting apartment' level for the hundredth time.

  • Gecks #45 2 years ago

    @makariel
    out on xbla tomorrow, online is activated 28 of sept.

  • spekkeh #46 2 years ago

    Guardian of Light gets a 9 when RDR was slapped in the face with an 8? EG has really been going down the drain lately.

    You go to a critic's site, whinging about a game that it got 'slapped in the face'? Really? Isn't that the point of critics? Why not go to the official site and have a good wank over the press release if you don't like a contrarian view?

    Anyways, EG for me always is bang on the money in every review, except for Britain-made games it seems (here's looking at you Fables), so I'm still a bit on the fence for this one. Still, sounds good.

  • flaming-carrot #47 2 years ago

    Sounds great - I'm quite happy to wait for the end of September to play this on PSN, as I am keen to play the online co-op mode.

    Hopefully the online system is better than that on Army of Two, which has been given me nothing but grief.

  • Velios #48 2 years ago

    its SMASH TV with TITS!!!

  • Daeltaja #49 2 years ago

    Regardless of this somewhat unsurprising score, this was an insta-buy for me. I'm not a huge Tomb fan, but hell, the gameplay video's sold me on this a long long time ago. Throw in co-op, which for my money adds a completely new layer of awesomeness and this is a no-brainer. Glad this got a great review, I am 100% in support of these "Triple A" XBLA/PSN/Steam releases. Hopefully this will sell well and on top of the success of Trial's HD and Shadow Complex (Absolute quality titles), we might see more of a shift towards these smaller golden nuggets that certainly do more than fill the gap between boxed retail releases.

    As of late I've been in anticipation more for XLBA or PSN updating on a Weds/Thurs than a friday rolling around.. but to be fair, we have had a pretty lousy summer apart from Starcraft 2, however with Mafia 2's impending release, followed by Reach and the rest of Q4's goodness, I don't have much of an argument.

    Still, I feel very passionately about these smaller digital releases. I can see nothing but benefits for this avenue going forward and I will no doubt be spamming refresh on Major Nelson on wednesday until this goes live.

    Sorry for rant, I'm a tad drunk.
    Edited by 2 at 18/08/10 @ 10:24

  • Trafford #50 2 years ago

    Well this will be the first Tomb raider game I've bought since the debut.
    Well done CD.

  • Atropos #51 2 years ago

    Been on my probably list, just went definite. GF will love this, as will I.

  • SHPanda #52 2 years ago

    I'll wait till they patch in co-op thank you very much.

  • Magatsu #53 2 years ago

    Too bad PC gamers, like myself , have to wait till the 28th of September to play this game.

  • Harmonica #54 2 years ago

    "You should enjoy Farenheight ok, but I warn u i did put a fist through my wall after trying a certain 'melting apartment' level for the hundredth time."

    The flashback sequence in the army base is worse.

  • Lunatic4ever #55 2 years ago

    Shiat...running out of money. Steam ...I'll come around yet again.

  • 3william56 #56 2 years ago

    ^ Looks like Lara is moving to California... O_o

    "Security!"

    Can we please get some anti spam on the comments, even if it's a type in the wiggly letters job? Or block any post that has more than one link in it. Ta.

    Back on topic: this sounds exactly like the boot up the ar$e the Croft fanchise needed. Hope there will be a demo to be sure, but I think this will be bagged right about the time I crawl to the end of Borderlands.

  • bumgut #57 2 years ago

    Always bet on Crystal Dynamics

    Does anyone know if this will have matchmaking on xbox live or can you only play co-op with friends?
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/10 @ 06:20

  • Antaios #58 2 years ago

    That's two 9's I've seen this morning, and both from coming very critical sites as Eurogamer and Destructoid is probably a good sign. Will be getting this.

  • Dizzy #59 2 years ago

    Not a bad summer of Arcade this year. I think I bought all games except Castlevania.

  • Dizzy #60 2 years ago

    >Microsoft don't get license fees for software published in Windows, you know...

    Naive. And you think MS makes no money on Windows development? Software tools? Windows licenses? Support? Games for Windows logo certification? Etc...

    (or was the plan to pirate it on Windows... that is a different story ofc).

  • UncleLou #61 2 years ago

    Naive. And you think MS makes no money on Windows development? Software tools? Windows licenses? Support? Games for Windows logo certification? Etc...

    Let's be honest here, you have no idea how this all works, have you.

  • Zebula77 #62 2 years ago

    Sounds like a lot of fun. I saw some early vids and thought "that looks terrible!" and really wasn't looking forward to it. Seems like I have to get this now.

  • Kazzahdrane #63 2 years ago

    LOL - I actually got negged to -17 for getting the name of the developer wrong. Sorry, Legacy of Kain fanboys!

    Just to be clear though, I'm very happy this got 9/10 but will happily wait for the co-op patch since I have other stuff to play right now.

  • lockload #64 2 years ago

    6 to 8 hours for an arcade game, im sold

  • waggy79 #65 2 years ago

    Didnt expect this, glad i have exactly 1200 points left.

  • muscleblade #66 2 years ago

    Looks like summer of arcade turned out to be a success even though Castlevania dissapointed.

    I bought Limbo and MNC, and i will buy this tomorrow. Im happy with this years titles.

  • andywilkie35 #67 2 years ago

    Will certainly be picking this up, albeit when its cheaper. Bought two games from this "summer of arcade" or whatever its called so I've spent enough points.

  • erp #68 2 years ago

    Yes! I'm so glad this turned out good - better than expected, even.

    I'm really looking forward to some well-designed, local co-op fun with the girlfriend (steady...).

    Roll on the PSN release!
    Edited by 1 at 17/08/10 @ 10:30

  • mungolikebeans #69 2 years ago

    Seems like a nice and simple alternative to all the big budget/take over my life games i've been playing of late....

  • markmitt #70 2 years ago

    Any reason why once again it's on XBL first? I mean, I thought devs made more money out of PSN because MS take more of the profit. I have both, but personally I prefer my downloads off PSN. Once again, PSN users are being stung...

  • ignatiusjreilly #71 2 years ago

    Bah, not out for another 6 weeks? I need a new co-op game!

  • mychuma #72 2 years ago

    Nice surprise! Remember the action filled tombs of the first one. Could this be THE reboot.

  • dingo75 #73 2 years ago

    Waiting for a weekend sale on Steam (50%) or the next Christmas Sale.
    Steam surely spoiled me. :)

  • Spook #74 2 years ago

    Well that's the last one of the Summer of Arcade line up, with 4 out of 5 games being well worth the money and as you get 1200 points back, it takes the bitterness away with Castlevania (still not got past the second boss, how can i play it with Monday Night Combat taking up all my space time??) being a let down, so well done MS for arranging a line-up even better then last years Summer of Arcade. So the only decision now is what up and coming Arcade game do i spend my returned 1200 points on? :)

  • AdamAsunder #75 2 years ago

    @ Spook....spend them on Shank. It's looking awesome.

  • sirtacos #76 2 years ago

    What? A good Tomb Raider game? That's like bringing someone back from the dead, or George Lucas making a good film. Well done. Definitely getting this.

  • muscleblade #77 2 years ago

    Yes. Now that Kane and Lynch 2 turned out to be eh, not very good. MNC, this and Shank will keep me busy until Halo Reach.

  • Martin #78 2 years ago

    Excellent! Had high hopes for this one.

    It's nice to see Tomb Raider get a reboot of sorts as I really like the basic premise of the games.

  • darc #79 2 years ago

    Just spent all my points in a fit of Beatlemania (damn you, crazy Rockband prices!) but I guess I'll bust out the credit card and buy this anyway. Love Tomb Raider, love puzzles, love co-op. Sold!