"Released in 2010, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light wasn't marketed as a tentpole entry in the franchise. Instead, it was a smaller downloadable title, the kind of game that might have felt like a curious side project. But what Crystal Dynamics delivered was more than a footnote. It was a clever reinvention of Lara Croft that leaned into arcade-style action, puzzle-solving, and cooperative play."
"The first thing that sets Guardian of Light apart from the mainline Tomb Raider series is perspective. Literally. Instead of the traditional third-person, over-the-shoulder camera, the game is presented from an isometric viewpoint. At first glance, it almost looks like a twin-stick shooter. You control Lara from above, moving her across sprawling temple arenas while blasting enemies, dodging traps, and solving environmental puzzles."
Released as a smaller downloadable title in 2010, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light reinvented the Tomb Raider formula with an isometric viewpoint and arcade-style gameplay. The game exchanges over-the-shoulder cinematics for a bird's-eye camera, enabling twin-stick shooter–like combat, faster arcade pacing, and puzzles designed around the top-down view. Environmental challenges use pressure plates, rolling spheres, timed mechanisms, and cooperative interactions. Cooperative play and puzzle-solving are emphasized alongside quick combat. The shift in perspective enabled creative mechanics not feasible in mainline entries, demonstrating that smaller, risk-taking projects can refresh a stagnant franchise.
Read at Inverse
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