Let's cover another gem lying around and waiting to be played and enjoyed. That game is Rise of the Tomb Raider. I purchased this game quite some time ago and it was just sitting there on my digital game gallery. One day I got curious about it and finally started playing this August 2025.
And guess what… I was blown away. The graphics, the gameplay, the story, the leveling, everything! I told myself, 'It has been sitting for so long, why the heck didn't I play it sooner!?' Good thing I finally did. This game is way too ahead of its time, and now I'm gonna share it with you!
Are you ready? Here we go!
Rise of the Tomb Raider at a glance:
- Developer: Crystal Dynamics (the studio also worked on the Legacy of Kain and Soul Reaver series)
- Publisher: Square Enix and Microsoft Studios
- Release Date: November 10, 2015 on Xbox One and Xbox 360 first, then on PC on January 28, 2016, and on PS4 on October 11, 2016
- Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC (and now playable on PS5 through backward compatibility)
- Genre: Action adventure
- Time to Beat: Around 13 hours for the main story, or 35 to 40 hours if you are a completionist going for everything
- Peak players: according to SteamDB, the peak of this game happened on January 28, 2016 when it reached 44,588 players
Short story:
After her first big adventure in the previous game, Tomb Raider 2013, Lara sets out to clear her father's name. His research into ancient mysteries was mocked, but she is determined to prove he was right. She embarks on a journey to Siberia, chasing legends of a lost city that might hold the secret to immortality. However, she is not alone. An organization called Trinity is after the same thing, and they will do whatever it takes to get it.
What I love about the story is that it is not just an adventure for treasure. It is personal. You really feel Lara fighting for her father's legacy, and every discovery feels like a small win against everyone who doubted him. The pacing is great too. It never drags, and just when you think you have figured out where it is going, the game throws another twist at you.
Characters:
Lara Croft is the protagonist of the story. She is tough, smart, and relentless. After surviving many setbacks and near death experiences in the game, she is on a mission to defend her father's legacy and uncover ancient truths.
Ana is a close family friend with secrets of her own. Her connection to Lara runs deep, but trust is a fragile thing. She is also a member of the group, Trinity.
Konstantin is one of the leaders of the group called Trinity. He is a zealot with a god complex. He leads a powerful group chasing immortality, and he is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Trinity is a global group obsessed with power and control. They are after the same secrets Lara seeks, but for all the wrong reasons.
Jacob is the guardian of a hidden community and the keeper of ancient knowledge. He is calm, cryptic, and not easily shaken. He and Lara met when Lara was caught by the guards and imprisoned.
Sofia is Jacob's daughter and a fierce fighter. She is skeptical of outsiders but loyal to her people. Her first appearance was in the early stages of the game.
Graphics and Cinematics
The graphics of this game are just stunning! From snowy peaks to ancient ruins, every environment feels alive and cinematic. The characters are also beautifully animated.
I especially love the opening scene where Lara and Jacob are on the peak of the mountain. The game is just amazing!
By the way, I played the game on my PS5, so it also offers improved graphics with smoother frame rates and crisper textures. For a game that is already a decade old, it still holds up incredibly well against modern titles. That alone tells you how ahead of its time it really was.
Menu transitions and animations
I especially love the menu transitions of this game. When you select a certain option from the menu, the camera moves and focuses on another angle. I also love that during the camp menu, Lara says her thoughts out loud. Small touches like that make the world feel more personal and alive. It is a tiny detail, but it adds so much character.
Leveling Up
The leveling system in Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of the most satisfying parts for me. As you explore, fight, hunt, and solve tombs, you earn experience and skill points that you can spend across three skill trees: Brawler for combat, Hunter for survival and stealth, and Survivor for resourcefulness and exploration.
What is great is that you can build Lara however you want to play. Love stealth and picking enemies off one by one? Go Hunter. Prefer to charge in guns blazing? Brawler is your friend. On top of that, you collect resources out in the world and upgrade your weapons and gear at base camps. Watching Lara go from a survivor scraping by to an absolute powerhouse is genuinely rewarding.
Combat
The combat of this game is fluid. Her weapons are also great to use. My favorite weapon is the machine gun, of course!
But what makes the combat shine is the freedom. You can play it stealthy, using bushes, mud, and the environment to stay hidden while taking down enemies silently with your bow or by stringing up traps. Or you can go loud when things get hairy. The bow in particular is so satisfying to use, and crafting different arrow types like fire, poison, and rope on the fly adds a nice layer of strategy. Combine that with the leveling system and you have got combat that always feels like it is in your control.
Downloadable Content
Surprisingly, Rise of the Tomb Raider offers many DLCs, and they are all available when you purchase the 20 Year Celebration edition. Now let's talk about the DLCs one by one:
Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch
This mini quest appears as a side quest in the main story. Here you will face a miniboss, Baba Yaga. I played this side mission and had a hard time with the puzzle going to Baba Yaga's domain. Thanks YouTube hahahaha! Anyway, this is very interesting because this enemy uses illusions. I actually enjoyed this short DLC. There is also a great reward once you complete the story.
If you wish to watch the full DLC, you can find it here:
Cold Darkness Awakened
This DLC adds a survival horror twist to the game. A weaponized pathogen is released, turning soldiers into infected, zombie like enemies, and Lara has to disable three towers to stop the spread while fending off waves of the infected. It is tense, it is a little spooky, and it is a fun change of pace from the main story. If you love that creeping survival pressure, you will enjoy this one.
Endurance Mode
Endurance Mode is a survival challenge where the goal is simple but brutal: stay alive as long as you can. You have to manage warmth, hunger, and resources while exploring procedurally arranged areas, hunting for food, and scavenging supplies. It can be played solo or in co-op. It really tests everything the game taught you about survival, and it is a great mode to sink time into once you have finished the campaign.
Lara's Nightmare
You can access this mode on the main menu. You play Lara shooting zombies and escaping her nightmare. It is a pretty short game, but it is great, replayable, and enjoyable! Watch the full walkthrough of the DLC gameplay below:
Video Source: Shirrako
Blood Ties
Blood Ties is a more story driven, exploration focused DLC. You explore the Croft Manor and uncover Lara's family history as she fights to keep her childhood home. It is slower and more personal than the others, a nice change if you want lore and emotion over action. It also comes with a Lara's Nightmare zombie defense twist on the same manor for those who want a scare.
Should You Play Rise of the Tomb Raider in 2025?
Absolutely yes. Even though this game came out back in 2015, it still feels fresh, modern, and beautiful, especially boosted on the PS5. The story is personal and gripping, the combat gives you the freedom to play your way, the leveling system is rewarding, and the tombs and puzzles scratch that explorer itch perfectly. Add in all the DLCs in the 20 Year Celebration edition and you have got a massive, content packed adventure for a really fair price.
If you are like me and you have had this game sitting in your library for years, do yourself a favor. Stop waiting and play it. You will not regret it!
FAQs
Is Rise of the Tomb Raider open world? Not fully open world, but it has large hub areas you can freely explore, backtrack through, and fully complete. Think wide and explorable rather than one giant seamless map.
Do I need to play Tomb Raider 2013 first? It helps for the emotional context, but it is not required. Rise of the Tomb Raider stands on its own and even recaps the important bits.
Can I play Rise of the Tomb Raider on PS5? Yes! It runs on the PS5 through backward compatibility and looks and plays great with improved performance.
Which edition should I buy? The 20 Year Celebration edition is the way to go. It bundles the base game with all the DLCs, including Baba Yaga, Cold Darkness Awakened, Endurance Mode, Blood Ties, and more.
In Summary
Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of those games that proves a great title never really gets old. It is gorgeous, fun, emotional, and it respects your time while still giving you tons to do. I genuinely kicked myself for not playing it sooner, and if it has been sitting in your backlog too, consider this your sign to finally dive in. Happy raiding! 🏹
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