Lara Croft: Guardian of Light is a top-down action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix. The game is a spin-off from the main Tomb Raider series and stars the iconic Lara Croft in a more arcade-style, cooperative-focused experience. 

Lara Croft: Guardian of Light was a spin-off of the main Tomb Raider franchise. Latching on to the popular twin-stick shooter mechanic, it took the ancient exploration motif of the series and created an isometric action game with a focus on puzzle solving. And it has now made its way to PC and mobile. 

Lara steps up the pace 

At its core, Lara Croft: Guardian of Light combines combat, exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving in bite-sized tombs. Players take on the role of Lara Croft or the ancient Mayan warrior Totec, each with unique abilities, Totec can create platforms and block projectiles with his shield, while Lara uses her grappling hook for traversal and puzzle assistance. Collectibles, challenges, and high-score systems encourage replayability and exploration in every level. 

They would have stayed safely trapped for all eternity too, if it wasn’t for Lara’s tomb raiding antics freeing them. This might not have been too bad were it just Xolotl that escaped, but he bought with him trolls, giant spiders, and other demonic hordes. Not to worry though, because our new dynamic duo are ready so shoot and spear to death all in their way. 

Two raiders 

Totec is more than a mere plot device or a clone of Lara to allow for multiplayer action – though, handily, he does also fill both these roles. Lara and Totec must work together using their different skills to solve environmental puzzles. Sometimes this has them both pushing blocks and boulders, while at other times Totec must throw spears to be used as platforms by Lara so she can navigate her way to switches. 

Visually, the game boasts detailed environments rich with ancient ruins, lush jungles, and more. The animation and effects are impressive for its time, and the game performs smoothly even on older hardware. Music and sound design strike a balance between ambient tension and adventurous energy, complementing the action.  However, the gameplay loop and puzzles become predictable after a while with little variety in function, making it repetitive. 

A fun twist on Tomb Raiding with a partner 

Lara Croft: Guardian of Light delivers a refreshing, cooperative spin on the Tomb Raider formula. With its blend of puzzles, platforming, and twin-stick shooting, it offers solid fun,especially with a friend. Though repetition can set in and puzzles eventually feel formulaic, its well-designed levels and unique character mechanics make for a memorable side adventure that is still worth playing today.