A jungle closing behind Lara, and a tomb that was waiting for nobody.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider surprises from the top. The desert island question puts it ahead of 98% of games, almost first, with fun right behind at 95%. You take it with you, you stay in it. Art direction follows strongly, ahead of 81% of titles, and controller feel does too, though that rests on a single duel and settles nothing. Then comes the contrast: attachment falls below average, barely ahead of 44% of games. That is the game's real tension. People love playing it, they would take it anywhere, but they do not bond with it. The soundtrack sits merely average as well, which does not help it leave a mark.

It is a classic trap of big-spectacle adventures. The scenery is gorgeous, the loop works, exploration makes you want to search every corner. But in a genre where Lara carries three decades of history, this entry struggles to create the connection.

So, who is it for? For you if you like digging, climbing, vanishing into a jungle and coming back caked in mud with a treasure. Much less so if you expect an adventure to leave you a character you will still remember in ten years.