Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Encyclopedia
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a fixed-camera 3D platform
viewpoint action video game developed by Crystal Dynamics
and published by Square Enix
for the PC
, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade
and the iOS as part of the Tomb Raider
series for digital download
. Unlike previous games in the series, the game does not carry the Tomb Raider brand and has a heavy emphasis on cooperative gameplay
. In multiplayer, players take the role as either Lara Croft
or a 2,000 year old Mayan warrior named Totec. They must work together in order to stop the evil spirit Xolotl
and retrieve the Mirror of Smoke. A single-player campaign mode is available that does not include the non-playable character AI
following or helping Lara.
The video game was shown at E3 2010
on 14 June. In the United States and United Kingdom, Guardian of Light was released for the Xbox Live Arcade on 18 August 2010; it was released a month later on 28 September for the PlayStation Network and Steam. Though local cooperative was available at the initial release for all versions, online cooperative was later added. In North America on 16 December 2010, the video game was released for iOS devices which included cooperative with Wi-Fi
and Bluetooth
options. The first downloadable content
(DLC) map pack was released for free for a limited time.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was well received by critics. The Xbox 360 version of the game holds an average score of 85/100 and 86.36% on the game aggregate sites Metacritic
and GameRankings, respectively. In a September 2010 IGN
listed Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light fourteenth in their top twenty-five Xbox Live Arcade titles of all time. Critics felt that the game was an excellent fit for Lara Croft
. Initial sales show the game has done well, with Guardian of Light selling 98,000 copies on Xbox Live in its first six weeks.
. Instead it is a non-linear "arcade-inspired" action game played from a raised viewpoint similar to isometric games using a fixed camera. The game also features cooperative gameplay
, and players can take control of either Lara or an ancient Mayan tribesman named Totec. Each playable character possess unique weapons and skills. Like with some previous installments, Lara retains her dual pistols with infinite ammunition and a grappling hook
, which she is able to use to cross gaps and which Totec can tightrope walk across. Totec carries spear
s which can be used both as a weapon and on the environment, for Lara to climb on. Both characters carry unlimited "bombs" that can be dropped and detonated. Tombs can be explored and some have "booby-trap puzzles" to solve. The game does not have any loading screens once a level is started.
Guardian of Light may be played with a single player, and a second player may join at any time, whether online or locally. In the single-player campaign the only playable character is Lara; Totec cannot assist and Lara has all the tools required along with new abilities to make it through her own unique adventure. Puzzles and parts of the map are also different. Creative director
Daniel Neuberger said that this was because he did not want the player to get frustrated by having to rely on AI
. The campaign features eight to ten hours of gameplay.
using Lara's grappling rope. As the game progresses, Totec learns from Lara how to use modern weapons, such as rifles. When enemies are killed, point scores appear above their bodies—red or blue—depending on whether Lara (red) or Totec (blue) scored the kill. There are pick-ups, such as gems, scattered throughout the levels that increase the player's score. Receiving high scores in each level rewards the players with new weapons and upgrades. To add competitiveness into the game, there are a limited number of enemies and gems in the world so the players may compete to kill and grab them all. The multiplayer mode reportedly features approximately six to eight hours of gameplay, depending on teamwork.
, a fictional English archaeologist and Totec, an ancient Mayan warrior and leader of the Army of Light. An evil spirit called Xolotl
is the antagonist. Some of his minions that he makes come to life include: giant spiders, demon like creatures, and huge troll
s. Lara is again voiced by Keeley Hawes
and Totec is newly voiced by Jim Cummings
.
, a battle began between Totec, the Guardian of the Light, and Xolotl
, the keeper of darkness. Totec's army was defeated when Xolotl used the mirror of smoke to unleash hordes of ghastly creatures. Totec survived said battle, and found a way to defeat Xolotl, imprisoning him in the mirror of smoke and watching over the mirror as an immortal stone statue. In present day, Lara Croft reads of the legend and attempts to find the mirror. After a long and dangerous hike she is successful. She stops to observe the mirror, only to find that a band of mercenaries led by the local warlord followed her into the temple and took the mirror from her. Unknowing, or unbelieving of the curse upon the mirror, the leader of the mercenaries handles the mirror and recklessly releases Xolotl. The stone statue of Totec comes to life and warns Lara that Xolotl must be stopped before the light of dawn. Depending on the number of players participating, Lara and Totec either join forces or go separate ways to try to stop Xolotl.
brand, instead it is intended to start a new series simply titled, "Lara Croft". Brand director Karl Stewart said, "When Underworld was finished, that was the end to the trilogy, and kind of the end of a whole era for us. We took a step back as a studio and spent a couple of months experimenting, trying to make a decision on how to go forward". Stewart also said that everyone who worked on Guardian of Light also worked on the previous three games (Tomb Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, and Tomb Raider: Underworld
). Guardian of Light uses the same game engine
as Tomb Raider: Underworld and features real-time lighting effects, realistic shadows and "tons" of physics-based objects. Vegetation
sways in the wind and react when the player walks through it. The environments have a "nice sense of scale
".
The game's producer, Forest Large, said in a podcast
that New Orleans, LA was considered as a location; though due to time restraints, the location was ultimately decided to be set in Central America
and elements from previous games, such as plants, were borrowed and modified for Guardian of Light. Crystal Dynamics stated on their Facebook
page that development on Guardian of Light has not affected development on the next main installment and reboot of the franchise, simply titled Tomb Raider
. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light uses recycled musical cues from Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld by composer(s) Troels Brun Folmann
and Colin O'Malley
.
on 14 June 2010. It is a download only
title and was released on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade
on 18 August 2010. Originally, cooperative online gameplay was to be enabled on 28 September, the day of the PC
and PlayStation Network release. However, on-line cooperative was delayed for all three platforms until a later date. Karl Stewart said, "The agreement with Microsoft is, in order to participate in their hugely successful Summer of Arcade promotion there is a window of exclusivity. That window of exclusivity is a set four weeks." The Microsoft Windows version was distributed exclusively by the digital distribution platform Steam. Online cooperative was made available for the PlayStation 3 on 22 November 2010. The Microsoft Windows version also received online cooperative play, being patched one day later. In North America on 16 December 2010, Crystal Dynamics released an iOS version of Guardian of Light for the iPod
, iPhone
, and iPad
. The video game is identical to the PC, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network versions except it does not have the DLC content. Online cooperative is available with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options.
packs, which were released from October through December 2010. Three of the packs, "All the Trappings," "Things That Go Boom," and "A Hazardous Reunion," contain new maps and puzzles, although the second pack was not released on Xbox 360 due to "unforeseen problems". The other two DLC packs feature alternate playable characters from other Eidos Interactive-owned series - Raziel
and Kain
of Crystal Dynamics' Legacy of Kain
series, and Kane and Lynch of IO Interactive
's Kane and Lynch games. The first downloadable content pack, entitled All The Trappings, received a thirty-day free release alongside the online cooperative patch on 27 October 2010 for Xbox 360.
. The PlayStation 3 version of the game holds an average score of 84 out of 100 and the PC version holds a 82 out of 100. On another aggregate site, GameRankings, the Xbox 360 version has an 86.18% score. The PlayStation 3 version has an 82.78% score and the PC version has an 81.56% score. In a September 2010 ranking, IGN
listed Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light fourteenth in their top twenty-five Xbox Live Arcade titles of all time. Initial sales show the game has done well, with Guardian of Light selling 98,000 copies on Xbox Live in its first six weeks. Sales have since slowed, with over 111,000 copies sold on Xbox Live as of October 2010 and 138,000 as of year-end 2010.
Daemon Hatfield of IGN gave the Xbox 360 version of the game a rating of 8.5 whilst saying "Guardian of Light is the best Tomb Raider game in a long time." Though he said the story and dialogue are "definitely the weakest parts of this game." Chris Watters of GameSpot
also gave the Xbox 360 version a 8.5 rating, and said "Punctuated by clever puzzles and lush visuals, each level begs to be replayed thanks to the varied and enticing challenges that promise substantial rewards." They did however, criticise the "cheesy and forgettable plot." Tom Hoggins from telegraph.co.uk
stated "Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light restores the queen of adventure to her former glory."
Matt Cabral of GamePro
also gave the game a positive review, giving the game 4.5/5 and saying "A seamless blend of the series’ trademark puzzling, exploration and combat gameplay in a neat new package." Like most critics, GamePro expressed that the game's weak point was the storyline, but added "Guardian of Light signals a triumphant return for one of gaming’s most iconic heroines." Keza MacDonald of Eurogamer
gave Guardian of Light a 9 out of 10 and stated "The story is cheesy nonsense but Lara is cool as ever, responding to the appearance of massive lizard demons with a calm 'Oh, my goodness'."
Meagan Marie of Game Informer
gave the game a 9 out of 10, closing her review with "In taking a chance with Guardian of Light, Crystal Dynamics rediscovered Lara’s latent potential. For those of you concerned with the direction this ancillary title has taken, rest easy. We now know that Lara Croft is as versatile as she is flexible." Tom Orry of VideoGamer.com gave the game 9 out of 10, saying "[Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is] undoubtedly one of the most visually impressive downloadable titles on the market."
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
viewpoint action video game developed by Crystal Dynamics
Crystal Dynamics
Crystal Dynamics is an American video game developer based in the San Francisco Bay Area and founded in 1992 by Judy Lang, Madaline Canepa and Dave Morris...
and published by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
for the PC
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
and the iOS as part of the Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
series for digital download
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
. Unlike previous games in the series, the game does not carry the Tomb Raider brand and has a heavy emphasis on cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
. In multiplayer, players take the role as either Lara Croft
Lara Croft
Lara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...
or a 2,000 year old Mayan warrior named Totec. They must work together in order to stop the evil spirit Xolotl
Xolotl
In Aztec mythology, Xolotl was the god with associations to both lightning and death.Although often depicted in relation to the underworld, Xolotl was not a psychopomp in the Western sense. Xolotl did, however, aid the dead on their journey to Mictlan, the afterlife in some myths.Xolotl was also...
and retrieve the Mirror of Smoke. A single-player campaign mode is available that does not include the non-playable character AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
following or helping Lara.
The video game was shown at E3 2010
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
on 14 June. In the United States and United Kingdom, Guardian of Light was released for the Xbox Live Arcade on 18 August 2010; it was released a month later on 28 September for the PlayStation Network and Steam. Though local cooperative was available at the initial release for all versions, online cooperative was later added. In North America on 16 December 2010, the video game was released for iOS devices which included cooperative with Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
and Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
options. The first downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
(DLC) map pack was released for free for a limited time.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was well received by critics. The Xbox 360 version of the game holds an average score of 85/100 and 86.36% on the game aggregate sites Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and GameRankings, respectively. In a September 2010 IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
listed Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light fourteenth in their top twenty-five Xbox Live Arcade titles of all time. Critics felt that the game was an excellent fit for Lara Croft
Lara Croft
Lara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...
. Initial sales show the game has done well, with Guardian of Light selling 98,000 copies on Xbox Live in its first six weeks.
Gameplay
The game is a departure from the main series as being a third person adventure gameAdventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
. Instead it is a non-linear "arcade-inspired" action game played from a raised viewpoint similar to isometric games using a fixed camera. The game also features cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
, and players can take control of either Lara or an ancient Mayan tribesman named Totec. Each playable character possess unique weapons and skills. Like with some previous installments, Lara retains her dual pistols with infinite ammunition and a grappling hook
Grappling hook
A grappling hook is an anchor with multiple hooks , attached to a rope; it is thrown, dropped, sunk, projected, or fastened directly by hand to where at least one hook may catch and hold. Generally, grappling hooks are used to temporarily secure one end of a rope. They may also be used to dredge...
, which she is able to use to cross gaps and which Totec can tightrope walk across. Totec carries spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
s which can be used both as a weapon and on the environment, for Lara to climb on. Both characters carry unlimited "bombs" that can be dropped and detonated. Tombs can be explored and some have "booby-trap puzzles" to solve. The game does not have any loading screens once a level is started.
Guardian of Light may be played with a single player, and a second player may join at any time, whether online or locally. In the single-player campaign the only playable character is Lara; Totec cannot assist and Lara has all the tools required along with new abilities to make it through her own unique adventure. Puzzles and parts of the map are also different. Creative director
Creative Director
A creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
Daniel Neuberger said that this was because he did not want the player to get frustrated by having to rely on AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
. The campaign features eight to ten hours of gameplay.
Multiplayer
In multiplayer, a first in the series, gameplay has an emphasis on teamwork. Lara is able to use Totec's shield as a portable platform as he holds it above his head. She may also balance on spears that Totec throws in the wall, but Totec cannot, as they are not able to hold his weight. Totec can tightrope walkTightrope walking
Tightrope walking is the art of walking along a thin wire or rope, usually at a great height. One or more artists performs in front of an audience or as a publicity stunt...
using Lara's grappling rope. As the game progresses, Totec learns from Lara how to use modern weapons, such as rifles. When enemies are killed, point scores appear above their bodies—red or blue—depending on whether Lara (red) or Totec (blue) scored the kill. There are pick-ups, such as gems, scattered throughout the levels that increase the player's score. Receiving high scores in each level rewards the players with new weapons and upgrades. To add competitiveness into the game, there are a limited number of enemies and gems in the world so the players may compete to kill and grab them all. The multiplayer mode reportedly features approximately six to eight hours of gameplay, depending on teamwork.
Characters
Guardian of Light stars Lara CroftLara Croft
Lara Croft is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Square Enix video game series Tomb Raider. She is presented as a beautiful, intelligent, and athletic British archaeologist-adventurer who ventures into ancient, hazardous tombs and ruins around the world...
, a fictional English archaeologist and Totec, an ancient Mayan warrior and leader of the Army of Light. An evil spirit called Xolotl
Xolotl
In Aztec mythology, Xolotl was the god with associations to both lightning and death.Although often depicted in relation to the underworld, Xolotl was not a psychopomp in the Western sense. Xolotl did, however, aid the dead on their journey to Mictlan, the afterlife in some myths.Xolotl was also...
is the antagonist. Some of his minions that he makes come to life include: giant spiders, demon like creatures, and huge troll
Troll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
s. Lara is again voiced by Keeley Hawes
Keeley Hawes
Keeley Hawes is an English actress and model, known for many television roles. She is best known for her roles as Zoe Reynolds in Spooks and Alex Drake in Ashes to Ashes and Lady Agnes in the remake of Upstairs, Downstairs...
and Totec is newly voiced by Jim Cummings
Jim Cummings
James Jonah "Jim" Cummings is an American voice actor who has appeared in almost 100 roles. He has appeared in classic animated movies such as Aladdin and The Lion King, as well as taking on roles in more current films, such as Bee Movie, Princess and the Frog, and Winnie the Pooh.-Personal...
.
Plot
Two thousand years ago in ancient Central AmericaCentral America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, a battle began between Totec, the Guardian of the Light, and Xolotl
Xolotl
In Aztec mythology, Xolotl was the god with associations to both lightning and death.Although often depicted in relation to the underworld, Xolotl was not a psychopomp in the Western sense. Xolotl did, however, aid the dead on their journey to Mictlan, the afterlife in some myths.Xolotl was also...
, the keeper of darkness. Totec's army was defeated when Xolotl used the mirror of smoke to unleash hordes of ghastly creatures. Totec survived said battle, and found a way to defeat Xolotl, imprisoning him in the mirror of smoke and watching over the mirror as an immortal stone statue. In present day, Lara Croft reads of the legend and attempts to find the mirror. After a long and dangerous hike she is successful. She stops to observe the mirror, only to find that a band of mercenaries led by the local warlord followed her into the temple and took the mirror from her. Unknowing, or unbelieving of the curse upon the mirror, the leader of the mercenaries handles the mirror and recklessly releases Xolotl. The stone statue of Totec comes to life and warns Lara that Xolotl must be stopped before the light of dawn. Depending on the number of players participating, Lara and Totec either join forces or go separate ways to try to stop Xolotl.
Development
Guardian of Light is not part of the main Tomb RaiderTomb Raider
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Core Design and published by Eidos Interactive. It was originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn, with MS-DOS and PlayStation versions following shortly thereafter...
brand, instead it is intended to start a new series simply titled, "Lara Croft". Brand director Karl Stewart said, "When Underworld was finished, that was the end to the trilogy, and kind of the end of a whole era for us. We took a step back as a studio and spent a couple of months experimenting, trying to make a decision on how to go forward". Stewart also said that everyone who worked on Guardian of Light also worked on the previous three games (Tomb Raider: Legend, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, and Tomb Raider: Underworld
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Tomb Raider: Underworld is the eighth instalment of the Tomb Raider series. The story continues from the events in Tomb Raider: Legend as a direct sequel, but also addresses unexplained plot elements by association with Tomb Raider: Anniversary; the 2007 remake of the original Tomb Raider...
). Guardian of Light uses the same game engine
Game engine
A game engine is a system designed for the creation and development of video games. There are many game engines that are designed to work on video game consoles and personal computers...
as Tomb Raider: Underworld and features real-time lighting effects, realistic shadows and "tons" of physics-based objects. Vegetation
Vegetation
Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants. It is a general term, without specific reference to particular taxa, life forms, structure, spatial extent, or any other specific botanical or geographic characteristics. It is broader...
sways in the wind and react when the player walks through it. The environments have a "nice sense of scale
Image scaling
In computer graphics, image scaling is the process of resizing a digital image. Scaling is a non-trivial process that involves a trade-off between efficiency, smoothness and sharpness. As the size of an image is increased, so the pixels which comprise the image become increasingly visible, making...
".
The game's producer, Forest Large, said in a podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
that New Orleans, LA was considered as a location; though due to time restraints, the location was ultimately decided to be set in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and elements from previous games, such as plants, were borrowed and modified for Guardian of Light. Crystal Dynamics stated on their Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page that development on Guardian of Light has not affected development on the next main installment and reboot of the franchise, simply titled Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider (2011 video game)
Tomb Raider is an upcoming action-adventure video game and the ninth instalment of the Tomb Raider series, published by Square Enix and developed by Crystal Dynamics as their fifth related franchise title...
. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light uses recycled musical cues from Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld by composer(s) Troels Brun Folmann
Troels Brun Folmann
Troels Brun Folmann is a composer specialized in epic orchestral music featured in TV-shows, trailers and video games, such as the Tomb Raider series, and commercial/trailers for films such as Spider-Man 3, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Illusionist, 10.000 BC, America's Got Talent 2009 and over 50...
and Colin O'Malley
Colin O'Malley
Colin O'Malley is a composer who has worked with CNN, the Walt Disney Company, the United States Air Force, Universal Studios, DC Comics and Electronic Arts....
.
Release
Guardian of Light was shown at E3 2010Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
on 14 June 2010. It is a download only
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
title and was released on Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
on 18 August 2010. Originally, cooperative online gameplay was to be enabled on 28 September, the day of the PC
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and PlayStation Network release. However, on-line cooperative was delayed for all three platforms until a later date. Karl Stewart said, "The agreement with Microsoft is, in order to participate in their hugely successful Summer of Arcade promotion there is a window of exclusivity. That window of exclusivity is a set four weeks." The Microsoft Windows version was distributed exclusively by the digital distribution platform Steam. Online cooperative was made available for the PlayStation 3 on 22 November 2010. The Microsoft Windows version also received online cooperative play, being patched one day later. In North America on 16 December 2010, Crystal Dynamics released an iOS version of Guardian of Light for the iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
, iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
, and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
. The video game is identical to the PC, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network versions except it does not have the DLC content. Online cooperative is available with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options.
Downloadable content
Guardian of Light received extended support after its official release date with five downloadable contentDownloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
packs, which were released from October through December 2010. Three of the packs, "All the Trappings," "Things That Go Boom," and "A Hazardous Reunion," contain new maps and puzzles, although the second pack was not released on Xbox 360 due to "unforeseen problems". The other two DLC packs feature alternate playable characters from other Eidos Interactive-owned series - Raziel
Raziel (Legacy of Kain)
Raziel is a central character in Eidos Interactive's Legacy of Kain series of video games, the protagonist of the Soul Reaver story arc. Initially appearing in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, the character was created by a team of storywriters at Crystal Dynamics, notably series director Amy Hennig,...
and Kain
Kain (Legacy of Kain)
Kain is a fictional character and the titular character that appears in the Legacy of Kain series of video games. Depending on the game and its viewpoint, Kain has been either the central protagonist, or an antagonist, but in all his depictions he is an anti-hero, interested only in his own goals...
of Crystal Dynamics' Legacy of Kain
Legacy of Kain
Legacy of Kain is a series of action-adventure video games developed initially by Silicon Knights in association with Crystal Dynamics. After a legal battle, Crystal Dynamics continued the series without Silicon Knights and Eidos Interactive became the publisher...
series, and Kane and Lynch of IO Interactive
IO Interactive
IO Interactive is a Danish video game development company currently owned by Square Enix. The company was founded in September 1998 by the Reto-Moto development group. To date their most popular franchise is the critically acclaimed Hitman series...
's Kane and Lynch games. The first downloadable content pack, entitled All The Trappings, received a thirty-day free release alongside the online cooperative patch on 27 October 2010 for Xbox 360.
Reception
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light was very well-received by critics. The Xbox 360 version of the game holds an average score of 85 out of 100 on the aggregate website MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. The PlayStation 3 version of the game holds an average score of 84 out of 100 and the PC version holds a 82 out of 100. On another aggregate site, GameRankings, the Xbox 360 version has an 86.18% score. The PlayStation 3 version has an 82.78% score and the PC version has an 81.56% score. In a September 2010 ranking, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
listed Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light fourteenth in their top twenty-five Xbox Live Arcade titles of all time. Initial sales show the game has done well, with Guardian of Light selling 98,000 copies on Xbox Live in its first six weeks. Sales have since slowed, with over 111,000 copies sold on Xbox Live as of October 2010 and 138,000 as of year-end 2010.
Daemon Hatfield of IGN gave the Xbox 360 version of the game a rating of 8.5 whilst saying "Guardian of Light is the best Tomb Raider game in a long time." Though he said the story and dialogue are "definitely the weakest parts of this game." Chris Watters of GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
also gave the Xbox 360 version a 8.5 rating, and said "Punctuated by clever puzzles and lush visuals, each level begs to be replayed thanks to the varied and enticing challenges that promise substantial rewards." They did however, criticise the "cheesy and forgettable plot." Tom Hoggins from telegraph.co.uk
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
stated "Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light restores the queen of adventure to her former glory."
Matt Cabral of GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
also gave the game a positive review, giving the game 4.5/5 and saying "A seamless blend of the series’ trademark puzzling, exploration and combat gameplay in a neat new package." Like most critics, GamePro expressed that the game's weak point was the storyline, but added "Guardian of Light signals a triumphant return for one of gaming’s most iconic heroines." Keza MacDonald of Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
gave Guardian of Light a 9 out of 10 and stated "The story is cheesy nonsense but Lara is cool as ever, responding to the appearance of massive lizard demons with a calm 'Oh, my goodness'."
Meagan Marie of Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave the game a 9 out of 10, closing her review with "In taking a chance with Guardian of Light, Crystal Dynamics rediscovered Lara’s latent potential. For those of you concerned with the direction this ancillary title has taken, rest easy. We now know that Lara Croft is as versatile as she is flexible." Tom Orry of VideoGamer.com gave the game 9 out of 10, saying "[Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is] undoubtedly one of the most visually impressive downloadable titles on the market."