paragonpro
Banned
I really enjoy both series. But Id go tomb raider over uncharted. Both games 2013 and rise were just exceptional.
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LTTP: Tomb Raider 2013 and why I like it better than Uncharted 4
- Thread starter The Lamp
- Start date
I liked both, and I think maybe I lean toward preferring the core gameplay of Tomb Raider a bit more (it's more consistent, but Uncharted's highs are higher).
But what I actually came in to post is that I can't fathom how people prefer the previous stories in the Uncharted series over UC4.
But what I actually came in to post is that I can't fathom how people prefer the previous stories in the Uncharted series over UC4.
Well, it's the implied assertion that "This game is objectively mediocre" based on the tone of your post.
I tried to use personal modifiers such as "I enjoyed this" and "I think this is good" to portray that nature.
Another example, the thread title: "Why I like it better than".
Just something I noticed. Besides, you kinda sound like a thread shitter.
Besides, how did it "bite them in the ass?" Tomb Raider 2013 has sold rather well, better than any Tomb Raider before. It seems to me like they found something worthwhile. Rise of the Tomb Raider is hard to judge, because they ruined the game's chance with the way they announced the Xbox One exclusivity.
It seems to me like "your expectation" of the game, and not the actual game and its impact on players as a whole.
what they lack in quantity they make up for in quality, variety and depth. the Madagascar sequence alone is woth more than 10 levels of wack-a-mole cover shooting that mires urrent AAA TPS, see TR
historical accuracy?
Spring-Loaded
Member
Did someone say that in this thread? And are you talking about the stories themselves or the games overall?
Crossing Eden
Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
Dude, climbing in Uncharted is even more simplistic than climbing in Infamous, moving the stick in the direction, (which is usually either straight up, straight to the side, or occasionally down), doesn't make it mechanically engaging. Yes it looks nice but it's mind numbing, in the originals it was a palette cleanser, here it's not really expanded in any meaningful way besides the option to make the palette cleanser go slower. There's no choices because there are rarely if ever multiple climbing pathways since the game is so linear. It gets even worse when you've made it to a spot and have to wait for an npc to quip and then proceed to catch up. Even their "it's now much more organic" thing turned out to be a farce considering that instead of painted yellow, 99% of the climbable ledges are painted white. :| AC is actually a great case study in organic level design since not only the first installment but more and more in later installments the design of buildings felt incredibly organic and they made it less automatic in the recent installments, when everything is working as it should, I'd say ACU has incredibly similar animation quality to UC4. TR also has a bit more agency due to the use of tools being incorporated more and more as the game goes on similar to metroidvania like the OP describes. The sense of exploration is fantastic due to player progression and the game actually expanding on the mechanics so that they're not the same in the end game as they are at the beginning. That's a great thing to have when you're offering freedom of choice level design that allows multiple approaches. TLOU needs to truly offer multiple approaches to not just combat but level design as well with way less padding, fuck crates, fuck dumpsters, fuck paddles, these aren't fun things to do in game design. They're not mechanically fun nor do they require any thought or agency from the player. Which is incredibly important even in heavily directed experiences.
IcyRhythms
Member
I'm probably in the camp of TR has gameplay that is more enjoyable, making the game as a whole more fun. Uncharted can be over the top but ND are clearly going for a more grounded approach to their games.
Fancy Clown
Member
I agree. Nate is so great to control, and the stuff like the rope and sliding makes traversal in Uncharted 4 feel fantastic. I love all the mini traversal puzzles that are in the game too, it's not just following a set path and pressing x most of the time.
Napalm_Frank
Member
I like Uncharted 4 and I think the OG Tomb Raider from 1996 has more engaging exploration and climbing/enviromental puzzles/hazard sections.
Combat and set pieces are superb but there indeed is a ton they could improve when i comes to stuff outside action sequences.
I should play TR2013 one of these days. It's sitting on my PS4 from a sale but haven't gotten around to it. Maybe I will once the release date for ROTTR PS4 is revealed.
Combat and set pieces are superb but there indeed is a ton they could improve when i comes to stuff outside action sequences.
I should play TR2013 one of these days. It's sitting on my PS4 from a sale but haven't gotten around to it. Maybe I will once the release date for ROTTR PS4 is revealed.
I liked the story in 4 over the rest, but I can see why people like the earlier entries more. 4 was a lot darker and lacked whimsy that the first 3 games have.
Lys Skygge
Member
Agreed. The traversal is great. I love having full control of Nathans arms as he climbs.
elcuervo75
Banned
I've only played uncharted one and two, and they are both great games but the tomb raider reboot is better in every way. I don't have an Xbox one at the moment but I can't wait to play rise of the tomb raider!
Unknown Soldier
Member
No. Rise of the Tomb Raider was a step back in many ways. It's certainly pretty though.
VeryNicePerson
Member
I have played both Tomb Raider. I wasn't a fan of Tomb Raider 2013, which was an uninspired mess, but I enjoyed Rise of the Tomb Raider quite a lot. The series sure is better when it comes to puzzles, exploration, and traversal as it was these games' main focus. However, I must say that these games were abysmal when it comes to everything else.
Uncharted 4 can be average in this regard, but the game is absolutely stellar when it comes to its story, narration, characters, voice acting, visual, art, sound, control, combat, gunplay, level design, encounter design, set pieces, etc.
Speaking of art, who was responsible for the atrocity committed in Tomb Raider 2013? That Shanty Town level though.
Uncharted 4 can be average in this regard, but the game is absolutely stellar when it comes to its story, narration, characters, voice acting, visual, art, sound, control, combat, gunplay, level design, encounter design, set pieces, etc.
Speaking of art, who was responsible for the atrocity committed in Tomb Raider 2013? That Shanty Town level though.
I agree the moment to moment gameplay and mechanics are better overall in TR than UC4. Environmental puzzles aren't even close and the traversal mechanics are more varied and interesting in TR as well. Game isn't as memorable though do to the worse set pieces, story and characters and and encounter design.
BigTnaples
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
I loved Tomb Raider 2013, but Uncharted 4 beats it in ever possible way.
Tomb Riader Rises I am conflicted about. I haven't finished it yet, but the open world/hub areas are just so bland, while everything else is improved. Feels very inconsistent.
Tomb Riader Rises I am conflicted about. I haven't finished it yet, but the open world/hub areas are just so bland, while everything else is improved. Feels very inconsistent.
SlasherJPC
Banned
It's not but people round here will try to tell you a monkey could do it.
Tomb raider lacks the characters to make a game feel more complete, when it comes to gameplay TR does a better job in some areas and not so good in others, i much prefer uncharted over TR mostly for the characters, i feel a sense of progression that very few games have, the ending of U4 might be the most "complete" and full of joy ive felt playing a videogame while on TR is just another while good rather empty storyline, im playing trough ROTTR at this moment and im enjoying the game a lot, im happy 2 franchises of this caliber exist since whatever I feel im missing on one i get from the other and viceversa
Brilliant OP, couldn't agree more. Clear, concise, correct.
As well as what OP touched upon regarding Tomb Raider, I also loved the fact that you passed through areas multiple times, gaining more traversal options each time, and the island therefore became established as a 'real place' in your mind, rather than Uncharted's beautiful but 'one-shot', linear efforts that don't have nearly the same sense of place. Both 'open' levels in U4 (the volcanic plain and the boat section) fell totally flat for me. There was none of the joy of exploration there at all. OP you really nailed it.
I remember before U4 came out I was thinking 'The first trilogy are so dated now, I wonder how ND will rejuvenate the exploration, the climbing, all of that non combat stuff.' And the shocking answer, to me, was that they just didn't. Didn't even try.
I, too, find the critical reaction to Uncharted 4 a little embarrassing. It's not the best game in its series and not the best game in its genre. It's brilliant in a lot of ways, but dated and flawed as well.
As well as what OP touched upon regarding Tomb Raider, I also loved the fact that you passed through areas multiple times, gaining more traversal options each time, and the island therefore became established as a 'real place' in your mind, rather than Uncharted's beautiful but 'one-shot', linear efforts that don't have nearly the same sense of place. Both 'open' levels in U4 (the volcanic plain and the boat section) fell totally flat for me. There was none of the joy of exploration there at all. OP you really nailed it.
I remember before U4 came out I was thinking 'The first trilogy are so dated now, I wonder how ND will rejuvenate the exploration, the climbing, all of that non combat stuff.' And the shocking answer, to me, was that they just didn't. Didn't even try.
I, too, find the critical reaction to Uncharted 4 a little embarrassing. It's not the best game in its series and not the best game in its genre. It's brilliant in a lot of ways, but dated and flawed as well.
Beerman462
Member
I definitely prefer Tomb Raider's game play.
I was so bored with UC4s game play by the end that I wished it was just a movie.
I was so bored with UC4s game play by the end that I wished it was just a movie.
RobotsAnger
Member
Couldn't agree more with the OP. I enjoyed both games but one a lot more than the other due to more engaging and rewarding traversal and exploring.
Crossing Eden
Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
In another thread I posted gifs illustrating how the animation system makes it so that failure in the traversal is nearly impossible. It's specifically designed in a way to make it so that the player has to go out of their way to fail.
Tomb Raider 1 > Rise of the Tomb Raider > Uncharted 3 > Uncharted 2 > Uncharted 4 > Tomb Raider 2 > Tomb Raider Legend/Anniversary > Tomb Raider 2013 > Tomb Raider 3 > Uncharted 1 > Tomb Raider The Last Revelation/Chronicles > Tomb Raider The Angel of Darkness > Uncharted Golden Abyss
I never played Tomb Raider Underworld
I never played Tomb Raider Underworld
CitizenCope
Member
Same here. The guns feel so good to me in T.R..
CassidyIzABeast
Member
This a well reasoned thread and I can't say I disagree.
Patapwn
Member
Narrative design overshadowed game design a little too often in U4 and I hope ND never goes to that extreme again. Im of the camp that thinks U4 needed more action. That being said, a number of your points boil down to wanting an open world with some rpg lite system, something that TR is and Uncharted is not. I enjoyed the giant levels and exploring for treasure. Some highlights were going down a well and using the jeep to get at a shiny, exploring behind a waterfall and learning the story behind some pirate hunters and findind a shipwreck and diving for some treasure. Journals and treasures were good with me. If you wanted bars to fill or some new metroidvania item to find i would say thats your problem and not the games.
lightskintwin
Banned
I have never played the Uncharted series, but after playing both Tomb raiders and thoroughly enjoying the gameplay, it makes me want to finally try out Uncharted.
OrlanisWorks
Banned
Same. I did like the story and overall writing for Uncharted 4 a ton more than the Tomb Raider games, but the actual gameplay I still find more satisfying and comfortable in Tomb Raider and it's sequel.
Magicgamer101
Member
Played the 2013 Tomb Raider, not the latest one yet but I don't see it having better combat than U4. How well designed the environments for combat were and how smooth all of it was, from swinging and punching people, grabbing their gun, rolling into cover then shooting. It's the best I've seen in a TPS and I can't see Rotr topping it. Plus the added stealth to mix it up even more.
Another thing I disliked about Tomb Raider, I know unlucky stuff happens to Nate but with Lara they just took it too far. I felt like they just wanted to mess me up at every corner..
Another thing I disliked about Tomb Raider, I know unlucky stuff happens to Nate but with Lara they just took it too far. I felt like they just wanted to mess me up at every corner..
Loved UC3, liked 2 and 1, but thought TR was better than all of them. Haven't played UC4 or ROTR yet, though. Can't wait to play both. I stand by TR's gameplay being more enjoyable and the gunplay feeling better to play. I also really liked the survivalist aspect of he game and even the brutal, unexpected death scenes at some points. It was interesting to see the evolution of the character as she killed more to the point where she's seemingly bloodthirsty and wanting revenge.
Inf3cted_b3ast
Member
Too bad I barely remember anything from TR2013. Sometimes I wonder whether I even played that game lol. Such a forgettable experience so yeah It's not even a discussion for me. UC(Series)>TR2013 in every aspect. I don't play Uncharted to fill up an xp bar or whatever TR tries to do. I have the TLOU for that which does a better job anyways so yeah..
I'll be getting ROTTR for less than $30 when it hits Ps4 but I'm not really that excited to play it.
I'll be getting ROTTR for less than $30 when it hits Ps4 but I'm not really that excited to play it.
I never said I want bars to fill or XP or anything like that per se. Rather, in Tomb Raider, I am getting new items that actually contribute to my traversal and exploration, like the fire arrow, the rope arrow, the grenade launcher, the firestarter, etc. Getting new items from your environment mixed with a level design that takes advantage of that progression plus offers tangible rewards for that exploration is just satisfying.
The highlights like going down the well I felt were extremely short-lived and sparse for the size and time length of some of the levels. It's just disproportionate reward to effort and engagement IMO, because in U4's level design, there's no way to explore your giant empty environment other than climb-hop and very rarely use your piton or rope. They simply could have tried more in designing those large levels and I think it would have benefited. There are so many ways they could have increased the variety of exploration gameplay, but they just didn't. Tomb Raider had me shooting down doors, jumping on objects to weigh them down, burn things from cloth to natural gas to set off mechanisms, creating rope paths, etc and Uncharted 4's main way of getting you around its levels is just very simplistic in comparison, which just feels even more flawed when they make you spend a lot of time doing it around pretty, mostly empty levels.
And I would argue that unlike your statement that "open worldly" is something Uncharted is not, ND intentionally tried that this time around, but I think it showed a lack of intuitive design. They didn't create an open space that was engaging enough IMO. Although Madagascar and the archipelago are indeed gorgeous.
They also clearly took inspiration from TR by giving Nate new items: the rope and piton.
JimmyRustler
Gold Member
It ain't. RotTR is a huge disapointment. Finished TR2013 multiple times, still haven't finished Rise. Such a shallow game. Massive step back.
Cave Johnson
Member
I thought the design by subtraction doesn't mesh well with Uncharted's moment - to - moment set pieces. As a game, I feel there tried to juxtapose two conflicting design choices that really hampered the game than anything.
As for TR2013, the only praise I can give it is that it is a serviceable greybox of gameplay systems that do well for time distractions as I could do away with the graphics and story and still have the exact same experience - as implied a "Grey box" - the developers testing ground for games.
The puzzles are so insulting simple I had it solved the moment I entered the "tombs". It's only benefit serves as the same time of purpose your hunting and collectibles give you: XP and upgrades.
As for TR2013, the only praise I can give it is that it is a serviceable greybox of gameplay systems that do well for time distractions as I could do away with the graphics and story and still have the exact same experience - as implied a "Grey box" - the developers testing ground for games.
The puzzles are so insulting simple I had it solved the moment I entered the "tombs". It's only benefit serves as the same time of purpose your hunting and collectibles give you: XP and upgrades.
The Strokes
Banned
Shadow of Mordor is a pretty bad game with a cool gimmick, for example. I'd rather have a polished amazing experience like RotTR than a gimmicky overrated game.
And I do believe RotTR is a superior game to TR2013, but I'm biased because it has a gorgeous soundtrack.
unholyrevenger72
Banned
Played TR 2013, don't remember anything about it besides the gratuitous violence. Remember almost everything about the Uncharteds.
The perfect Dark
Banned
Uncharted 4's story wasn't even the best in the series, imo. So yeah, while I agree with your first statement (Uncharted 4 is disappointing) I don't agree with the second one (Tomb Raider 2013 is better).
UC 4 is still a fantastic game, it's just the worst of the four with the best graphics.
UC 4 is still a fantastic game, it's just the worst of the four with the best graphics.
RedAssedApe
Banned
Hate this game because the ps4 version has a game breaking bug that can kill your save about 2/3 the way through.
Loved it on last gen tho. Hopefully the port of rotr ps4 is good.
If crystal could put a good story together tr would be at that next level.
Loved it on last gen tho. Hopefully the port of rotr ps4 is good.
If crystal could put a good story together tr would be at that next level.
TR 2013 wasn't a bad game but I felt it was linear, easy and well it felt to me like a generic tps, however, the only thing that I almost couldn't stand was how different was the in game lara to the cinematic lara, it was funny in a bad way seeing how in a cinematic she was grunting and worried and all that stuff just to take control a few seconds later and go full Rambo on every thing alive.
I think that this game would have been better if Lara's didn't felt like if she had 2 personalities inside of her for no aparent reason.
I think that this game would have been better if Lara's didn't felt like if she had 2 personalities inside of her for no aparent reason.
Only played the 360 version. What is the game breaking bug on the PS4? The nerd lives?
RedAssedApe
Banned
Close. It's near that part of the game. Heh
Your save game can get corrupted when you get to the beach area. Ps4 will bsod every single time you try and load and there is no way to fix it. If you didn't make a backup save you are fucked and need to start over completely.
So KOTOR levels of fucked up? Damn.
i found the environments of TR to be really bland, the characters and story awful, the set pieces amateur hour and the "tombs" lolworthy. The mp as well, hahahha.
The combat was great though, cant knock it for that.
Having said that, I think the combat was done better in U4, and that has a lot to do with the new rope mechanic.
I havent played the TR sequel but I hope it fixed a lot of the problems TR13 had
First off, godbless Sunhi for those gifs.
Secondly, the game is stunning, and it shits on TR13 visually and presentation wise. But those gifs don't really sell the combat well. I played on hard and if you dangled on the rope that long you are fucked. It's cool but it lacks the variety of TRs combat. The AI allys constantly moving around and not getting caught just takes me out of UCs combat at times.
For all the heavy attention to detail praise UC gets, it's really jarring to see your the NPCs not do shit and brush off an enemy and not get detected. It's also worth noting that before UC4 the stealth in UC was terrible. I need to go back and play TR13 because it's been a while, but I think it'll hold up better than UCs combat overall. Holy shit at UC4s melee combat, best contextual melee system ever. I barely ever saw the same things twice.
Have they not patched this? I bought it one a flash sale and plan on playing through it again when the sequel hits PS4. I'm passing if this shit goes unaddressed. I ain't gonna put that kind of time in lol.
I cannot see how UC4 is worse than Drakes Fortune.
SlasherJPC
Banned
I could say the same Assassins Creed series really... I don't think either of the franchises platforming is all that demanding but it's not like it's an easy button on either of them. Still takes observation, notice, and travesal. Add in ropes, enviromental ques, etc. I think it's a fair balance and not just a "hold stick in a single direction"
Earthanoid
Member
It's been a while but my recollection of TR combat was maxing out the bow and calmly headshotting every enemy then moving on. That's fun in it's own way but there wasn't a ton of variety, the enemies were too dumb to flank me and once upgraded the bow was OP.
The new stealth mechanic in UC4 was....
Holy crap. I was about to post how I really liked the new stealth mechanics in UC4 and cleared most encounters with stealth, but looking at those gifs I clearly played the game wrong. I used the rope swing in a few forced fights but not like that. I need to play again the correct way.
The new stealth mechanic in UC4 was....
Having said that, I think the combat was done better in U4, and that has a lot to do with the new rope mechanic.
a bunch of other awesome gifs
Holy crap. I was about to post how I really liked the new stealth mechanics in UC4 and cleared most encounters with stealth, but looking at those gifs I clearly played the game wrong. I used the rope swing in a few forced fights but not like that. I need to play again the correct way.