Nail-biting suspense, beautiful graphics and an intense story bring to life the second installment of the Tomb Raider reboot trilogy.

From the previous Tomb Raider games and the two horrendous movies starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, fans and moviegoers could easily take away the conclusion that Lara Croft is an over-sexualized archaeologist who seeks out the blurred line between mythology and history, and where the two overlap.

The story had a great premise to it – being fantasy/adventure themed movies and video games with the mythology aspect, and that it was also challenging with puzzles and obstacles. But the over-sexualized Lara Croft shifted the attention from what the previous installments had to offer to the character being mere eye candy for the male crowd.

But with this rebooted series that launched with its first title, Tomb Raider, back in 2013, the reboot series no longer focused on an over-sexualized Lara Croft. Even so the model that the character represents through CGI is still beautiful, but the focus is now on the powerful story telling of the series and the character growth of Lara.

The reboot features a younger Lara as an origin series that explores her first expeditions, and where in Rise of the Tomb Raider she sets out to clear her father’s name. Lord Croft, who was once a respected and renowned archaeologist, was debunked for his wild claims that mythological artifacts existed. Now Lara, after the previous installment, realizes that his claims were true. She seeks out an artifact known as The Divine Source, which grants immortality and reveals it to the world so restore her dead father’s name, as well as her own.

The game flows in a cinematic style, like an interactive movie with nail-biting suspense and wall-to-wall action that rarely eases up. The game opens with a tutorial of how to use the controls where you explore as Lara Croft on an expedition with her friend Jonah, on a mountain peak in the harsh Siberian region. The opening tutorial is packed with quick-time events where the player must press the correct button at a certain time to avoid certain death as Lara climbs up ice walls and becomes separated from Jonah as she narrowly escapes an avalanche – all of which the player is in total control to avoid a game over.

And that is just the opening scene where the game then explores a flashback to set up the storyline even more and what directed Lara to travel to Siberia where the player then resumes control in the past on her expedition in Syria to explore the Prophet’s tomb.

In this flashback, players are introduced to the challenges and puzzles they will encounter in the game to stay alive, such as using a gun to disable traps and an axe to free themselves from others.

Lara in her journey encounters a violent sect known as Trinity which existed throughout history and assassinated the Prophet in early times and in modern times had a role to play in her father’s suicide.

No longer the oversexed Lara Croft from the movies and previous video games installment, the new reboot trilogy features a powerful female lead, fearless and strong enough the brutally take down Trinity soldiers twice her size.

It was refreshing to experience and play as a strong and independent female character that could engage in guerilla combat with the enemies in the game. The cinematic flow of the game and non-stop action are sure to get players hooked into the game and play it until the end.

Rating: 4.5/5 A solid reboot, non-stop action and suspense, powerful female character