Review: The Tomb Raider Experience

RATING: 5 Keys RESULT: Win REMAINING: *Not timed

Pack your bags, we are off to Chile! Watch your step and be sure to avoid the lava in this beautiful, immersive experience.

Story

Daring adventurers will help Lara Croft protect a powerful artifact in an ancient volcanic temple
while being hunted by the sinister Natla Technologies. But participants in this 90+ minute
experience will find themselves contending with something even more daunting than evil scientists—the fiery Cherufe. The Cherufe is a legendary creature of folklore from the indigenous Mapuche people of Chile, dwelling in the magma pools of volcanoes and causing
eruptions… unless appeased with a sacrifice.

Tomb Raider Experience: Enter the Temple of Fire begins in Seattle. Adventurers will enter a helicopter and fly to Chile. During the flight, teams will get a mission brief and understand the why and where they are going. This is also where teams meet their partner, Alex, who will be with them physically in the room throughout the entire experience. Teams must endure a lengthy introduction video as their first challenge.

Upon arrival, teams will step into camp where they need to ensure they are ready to brave the temple. After getting warmed up by starting the fire, adventurers will leave base camp and venture inside. The temple hides many secrets, including Nalta Technologies’ lab positioned precariously close to nearby lava fields. The story is compelling and is delivered in part from Alex, and furthered by audio clips from Lara Croft herself.

Notably missing from this game is the physical presence of Lara. Teams will never see more than a few silhouettes of her and only listen to some sound bites. She will not be personally present for this adventure.

A couple of the audio clips from the various characters are difficult to understand and are sometimes delivered right when teams enter a new space. It is too easy to focus on the puzzles and ignore the story, especially if adventurers get paired with strangers. Scenic

The scenery in Tomb Raider Experience varies from great to excellent. Adventurers begin in the back of a helicopter with an assortment of cargo. After taking off, when looking out of the windows of the helicopter, the views actually transitions from Seattle to Chile.

Upon arrival at base camp, the team finds a fireplace and expedition tools, including Lara’s iconic red climbing ax. Moving along, explorers navigate through a lab, then into the lava fields, and discover other hidden secrets within the temple, all building toward a thrilling finale.

The starting point is a bit more generic, still high-quality, and becomes expansive with multi-level spaces in the latter half. There is minimal discovery and exploration beyond what is presented right away in each space.

It is worth noting that multiple groups can be playing at the same time in this forward-only format, but it is not possible to hear the other teams. This is crucial in such a style of game, and it is well executed.

The sets looks great, but it’s worth nothing the Tomb Raider franchise is associated with adventure, discovery, and danger, among other traits. There are mentions of risk in the introduction, such as snake bites, but it doesn’t translate as well into the game. The biggest wow moment is saved for Tomb Raider Experience’s climatic finale. Puzzles

Teams get a specific amount of time in each room before moving on. This sets the pace and impacts the flow of puzzles directly. If adventurers cannot complete each task before time runs out, it is not considered a defeat, rather they are pushed into the next space after getting some help from Lara. If a team finishes all the tasks early, they must remain in the space until time passes.

Tomb Raider Experience attempts to find a way to pass the time by having bonus activities for quicker groups. The downside is that these filler puzzles are sometimes a bit repetitive and can seem meaningless. One room does not have an activity and groups that finish early must just wait for the door to open.

Physical components of the challenges look great and are well-designed to encourage teamwork. That being said, some of them felt like they are there for the sake of being a puzzle, for example, spinning a wheel to create a shape. Largely, they are independent of one another, making the game highly non-linear. Because of this, not every adventurer will see or interact with each puzzle, allowing groups to divide and conquer. The puzzles may be described as being on the easier side, making it approachable for everyone. There was one component that lacked feedback when interacting with it, but Alex was right there to lend a hand when needed.

The hint mechanism is as atypical as your guide, Alex will deliver any assistance teams need. S/he will not only help deliver the story but is also a pleasant character to talk to about anything tomb raiding. Teams will get out what they put in and it can be enjoyable if they choose to do so.

Overall

Tomb Raider Experience finds itself right in the heart of Seattle, with a short walk from the ferry terminal and the iconic Pike Place Market. This prime location is convenient to access for just about any traveler.

This adventure focuses itself on immersion and storyline with basic puzzles throughout. It should be more closely described as an immersive experience over a traditional escape game. For those looking for complex, multi-layered puzzles, this may not be the best fit. Tomb Raider Experience is for those who want to be apart of a thrilling story, embrace a beautiful set, and solve simple, collaborative puzzles along the way.

Teams have the option to purchase a customized video souvenir from their experience. Presented as an animated comic book telling the story of the attraction, it’s narrated from Lara Croft’s point of view. At several points throughout the two and a half minute video, various actual photos of the teams are mixed into the comic’s digital pages.

Teams will encounter a variety of environments, from riding a helicopter to visiting a campground to exploring lava fields alongside Alex, their brave accomplice. Although Tomb Raider Experience lacks some adventurous elements found in the franchise, its an adventure that fanatics are sure to treasure.