Most importantly for getting that old Tomb Raider vibe, combat has rocketed backwards into the world of hardcore animal abuse. Gorillas, tigers, rats, crocs and raptors all must die. No human AI, just circling beasts and infinite pistol ammo. You won’t even get to shoot lucky Pierre this time around.
To add something back to this boiled-down combat, Crystal Dynamics has introduced “rage.” If you see a gorilla making circles come out of his head, that means he’s sick of you shooting him. This is rage. When enraged, animals will charge you, and cause heftier than usual damage.
However, this also activates your adrenaline dodge, which - if Lara pulls it off - gives you the chance to perform a headshot. Does it work? Well… Yes, and no.
It’s purist Tomb Raider, for sure. But by virtue of being reduced to the bare essence of feral genocide, it isn’t terrifically satisfying. Locking, shooting and flipping around quickly becomes routine, and with the overly forgiving checkpoint system, dying is never more than a tiny-wee setback.
The adrenaline dodge takes a little getting used to. You probably won’t even use it until the T-Rex, when it suddenly becomes necessary. And that’s when you’ll be hit by the full awkwardness of the system, too. Trying to guide T-Rex into the traps involves the awkward feat of walking backwards, with the direction you’re facing being decided by the position of the lock-on. You know what to do, but it’s near-impossible to work out which way you’re walking. You’ll beat the T-Rex, but you’ll also rip your shirt in frustration.