5 Surprising Things About Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Think You Know Shadow of the Tomb Raider?

Out on Friday (or Wednesday, if you buy the Croft Edition), Shadow of the Tomb Raider is just full of surprises.

Really, after playing the previous two reboot trilogy games and seeing the trailers for Shadow of the Tomb Raider, you might think you’ve got a handle on it. In truth though, it has got some surprises up its sleeve that truly impress, and also make it a better game. Want some examples? Here are five.

There’s Less Combat

Believe it or not, Shadow of the Tomb Raider dials back the combat. Encounters are now few and far between, meaning that you get more time to simply explore the wonderful environments presented to you. And when you do get in combat, there are more options presented to you than ever.

Stealth, for example, is now a valid tactic for most encounters. Lara can smear herself with mud, and use objects in the environments to create distractions. She can even fashion the likes of tin cans into shrapnel grenades, or bottles into molotov cocktails. In any case, if you were worried that Shadow of the Tomb Raider might ramp up the action yet again, don’t. Adventure is at the forefront here.

There Are More Weapons

While there are less combat situations, there are actually more weapons available to you in Shadow of the Tomb Raider than ever before. There are multiple bows, handguns, rifles and shotguns to obtain, each with their own stats. And they can all be upgraded too, increasing their stopping power while making them more versatile.

Thankfully, the resources you need to upgrade them aren’t as scare this time. You’ll gain more than enough with just a little exploration to fully upgrade at least one weapon in each class, making you a force to be reckoned with when needs be. Though of course, completionists will want to collect all the weapons and upgrade them all. New Game + mode should help with that.

It Likes You to Play Dress Up

Lara has always worn a variety of outfits in Tomb Raider games. I’m quite sure that Shadow of the Tomb Raider has the widest variety of garments for her to wear though. Some are unlocked by playing previous Tomb Raider games, others as you make your way through the story. And then there are plenty to acquire by raiding crypts and trading with vendors.

Unfortunately you’ll be forced to wear certain outfits at times, but when you do get the choice of what to wear, you’ll be spoilt for choice. The question is, do you go for a full outfit, or mix and match different upper and lower body items? With some items offering benefits such as increased experience, deciding what to wear might not be simply be the case of what makes Lara look her best.

It Has Side Quests

Forget the usual challenges, Shadow of the Tomb Raider has actual side quests. When exploring the game’s numerous settlements, you’ll sometimes find quest givers that provide a little excursion should you wish to extend your journey. You might find yourself tasked with tracking down someone that has gone missing, or locating a treasure that is to be used in a ceremony. One side quest even has you investigating a murder.

There aren’t a great number of them, but the side quests that do exist are all worthwhile, adding meat to Shadow of the Tomb Raider‘s bones while also fleshing out Lara as a character.

There Are Vendors

No longer is Lara required to find or make everything everything she needs while out on her adventures. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, you’ll come across numerous vendors that will sell you items that will be invaluable to your efforts. If you want to increase how many items you can carry, for example, you can find a vendor that sells a satchel. And other vendors sell helpful items such as weapon attachments, outfits, weapons and equipment.

To fund your purchases you’ll need coin. Some of it you’ll find on your travels, but for the most part you’ll be selling items such as pieces of gold and jade to obtain it, as well as surplus supplies. You’ll not be getting rich very quickly though, so prioritise the items you buy. Is that fancy new shotgun really going to benefit you when you have one already, for instance? Or would you be better off buying some lock picks so you can open the large chests that you sometimes find? It’s up to you.