I don't think I've ever seen a game character take such a battering. She has been stabbed, beaten, burned, perforated, shot, smashed and god knows what else. At the moment she's completely covered in blood. Not all of it is hers, mind you.
Impressions of the first hour: strong sense of oppression, appreciate the survival aspects and the animal carving which I was dreading had the right context (gotta eat), and is mercifully short after the first time. Not loving black and white highlight objects mode, why would you paint a handsome world then drain all the colour out of it at regular intervals. Still, it's optional so I can live with it. As mentioned a 1,000 times, it's shocking how much punishment Lara's going through, I thought I'd find it unsavoury but so far it's just making me want to play as her better, so the desired result I guess.
Uncharted and this have something in common I don't like at all, this kind of auto-movement. Jump a foot wide of a beam and you're suddenly balanced perfectly on it. Clambering ledges, you vaguely point her in a direction and she effortlessly scales any precipice. Yes, it would be more frustrating it if didn't account for errors but the end result is the same as Uncharted - feeling of autopilot. And it leans on the crutch of QTEs when it wants to use a fancy camera angle, the original design documents of these games should state that taking control away from the player is not happening. Lastly on the negative I hope I don't have to turn her into a commando assassin gun toting maniac, but I feel it's inevitable.
If I can use the bow and arrow for the duration I'll be very happy.
the platforming is far looser than uncharted, as is the exploration, and after the first hour or so there are no more QTE's - they're just there to cover up for the fact Lara doesn't have all her skills yet.
the 'survival vision' is one of the many video game tropes of this gen i will be happy to see the end of, and one of many they've crammed into this game. unfortunately it does have its uses, especially for colour blindies like me!
also i really like that there is no cover button, a few games i've played recently have been ruined by this one innovation tomb raider has made.
Gone all Ninja Gaiden (Xbox original), ravaged, burning villages in the rain, like it. Doing a great job of putting me in the action. Was drawn in and got my pulse going during a recent multi tiered bow shoot out in a burning mine shaft.