Rate the Game: Week 143

[M-A-G]

Greetings, y'all! What say we kick off August with a bang? OK, so the forums haven't been firing on all cylinders as of late, but I'm not about to let that little hiccup ruin things for us here on Rate the Game, and I hope you won't let it deter you either. It's about commitment! Dedication! And awesome games! Like last week's Dishonored! I haven't finished it, but I managed to slip in enough time with it and get my rating in. How'd the rest of you feel about it and how will it all dictate where it ends up on our leaderboard? Let's have a look!


<select><option selected="">Rate the Game Results

<option>1. Super Mario World (4.81)
<option>2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (4.8)</option>
<option>3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (4.8)</option>
<option>4. Hitman: Codename 47 (4.75)</option>
<option>5. Mass Effect (4.75)</option>
<option>6. Goldeneye 007 (4.72)</option>
<option>7. Super Mario Bros. 3 (4.7)</option>
<option>8. Silent Hill 2 (4.66)</option>
<option>9. Super Mario Bros. 2 (4.5)</option>
<option>10. Portal (4.5)</option>
<option>11. Red Dead Redemption (4.5)</option>
<option>12. Chrono Trigger (4.5)</option>
<option>13. Final Fantasy 3 (4.5)</option>
<option>14. Silent Hill 3 (4.5)</option>
<option>15. Mega Man 2 (4.44)</option>
<option>16. Donkey Kong Country (4.44)</option>
<option>17. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (4.44)</option>
<option>18. Super Mario Bros. (4.41)</option>
<option>19. God of War (4.4)</option>
<option>20. Mega Man X (4.36)</option>
<option>21. Metal Gear Solid (4.33)</option>
<option>22. BioShock (4.33)</option>
<option>23. Ōkami (4.33)</option>
<option>24. Perfect Dark (4.3)</option>
<option>25. Shadow of the Colossus (4.28)</option>
<option>26. The Last of Us (4.28)</option>
<option>27. Super Street Fighter 2 (4.15)</option>
<option>28. Sonic the Hedgehog (4.14)</option>
<option>29. Resident Evil 2 (4.14)</option>
<option>30. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (4.125)</option>
<option>31. Super Mario 64 (4.07)</option>
<option>32. Grand Theft Auto 3 (4.06)</option>
<option>33. The Legend of Zelda (4.06)</option>
<option>34. NBA Jam (4.05)</option>
<option>35. Super Mario Kart (4.0)</option>
<option>36. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (4.0)</option>
<option>37. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (4.0)</option>
<option>38. Super Smash Bros. (4.0)</option>
<option>39. Super Metroid (4.0)</option>
<option>40. The Simpsons (4.0)</option>
<option>41. Resident Evil 4 (4.0)</option>
<option>42. EarthBound (4.0)</option>
<option>43. Fallout 3 (4.0)</option>
<option>44. Mirror's Edge (4.0)</option>
<option>45. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (4.0)</option>
<option>46. Donkey Kong Country 2 (4.0)</option>
<option>47. X-Men Legends (4.0)</option>
<option>48. Banjo-Kazooie (4.0)</option>
<option>49. Dishonored (4.0)</option>
<option>50. Final Fantasy 7 (3.94)</option>
<option>51. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (3.92)</option>
<option>52. Mega Man (3.89)</option>
<option>53. Castlevania (3.86)</option>
<option>54. Contra (3.86)</option>
<option>55. Devil May Cry (3.86)</option>
<option>56. Half-Life 2 (3.85)</option>
<option>57. Half-Life (3.83)
<option>58. Final Fantasy 8 (3.83)</option>
<option>59. Infamous (3.83)</option>
<option>60. SimCity 2000 (3.8)</option>
<option>61. Final Fight (3.8)</option>
<option>62. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (3.77)</option>
<option>63. Batman: Arkham Asylum (3.76)</option>
<option>64. Double Dragon (3.75)</option>
<option>65. Max Payne (3.75)</option>
<option>66. Fallout 4 (3.75)</option>
<option>67. Tetris (3.69)</option>
<option>68. Mortal Kombat 2 (3.67)</option>
<option>69. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (3.66)</option>
<option>70. Alan Wake (3.66)</option>
<option>71. Diablo (3.66)</option>
<option>72. Xenoblade Chronicles (3.66)</option>
<option>73. F.E.A.R. (3.66)</option>
<option>74. Mortal Kombat (3.65)</option>
<option>75. Doom (3.625)</option>
<option>76. StarFox (3.61)</option>
<option>77. X-Men (3.6)</option>
<option>78. Resident Evil (3.58)</option>
<option>79. Kirby's Adventure (3.57)</option>
<option>80. Daytona USA (3.5)</option>
<option>81. Ninja Gaiden (3.5)</option>
<option>82. Burnout Paradise (3.5)</option>
<option>83. Thief: The Dark Project (3.5)</option>
<option>84. Dark Souls (3.5)</option>
<option>85. Shinobi (3.5)</option>
<option>86. Dead Space (3.4)</option>
<option>87. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (3.39)</option>
<option>88. Resident Evil: Nemesis (3.38)</option>
<option>89. Crash Bandicoot (3.33)</option>
<option>90. Mortal Kombat (2011) (3.33)</option>
<option>91. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (3.33)</option>
<option>92. Wolfenstein 3D (3.33)</option>
<option>93. Dead Island (3.33)</option>
<option>94. Left 4 Dead (3.33)</option>
<option>95. Nights Into Dreams (3.33)</option>
<option>96. Condemned: Criminal Origins (3.33)</option>
<option>97. Gauntlet Legends (3.28)
<option>98. Gears of War (3.27)</option>
<option>99. Borderlands (3.22)</option>
<option>100. Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (3.22)</option>
<option>101. Duke Nukem 3D (3.2)</option>
<option>102. Darkstalkers (3.2)</option>
<option>103. Quake (3.2)</option>
<option>104. SoulCalibur (3.16)</option>
<option>105. Pac-Man (3.125)</option>
<option>106. Killer Instinct (3.11)</option>
<option>107. Virtua Fighter (3.09)</option>
<option>108. Rock Band (3.09)</option>
<option>109. Earthworm Jim (3.0)</option>
<option>110. Metroid (3.0)</option>
<option>111. Time Crisis (3.0)</option>
<option>112. Tekken (3.0)</option>
<option>113. Halo 2 (3.0)</option>
<option>114. Syphon Filter (3.0)</option>
<option>115. Gex (3.0)</option>
<option>116. Destiny (3.0)</option>
<option>117. The Secret of Monkey Island (3.0)</option>
<option>118. Army of Two (3.0)</option>
<option>119. Sonic Adventure (3.0)</option>
<option>120. Shenmue (3.0)</option>
<option>121. Guitar Hero (2.875)</option>
<option>122. Ecco the Dolphin (2.85)</option>
<option>123. Streets of Rage (2.84)</option>
<option>124. Altered Beast (2.8)</option>
<option>125. Bayonetta (2.75)</option>
<option>126. ToeJam & Earl (2.75)</option>
<option>127. Assassin's Creed (2.71)</option>
<option>128. Gauntlet (2.71)</option>
<option>129. Dead Rising (2.71)</option>
<option>130. Bionic Commando (2.66)</option>
<option>131. Saints Row (2.66)</option>
<option>132. The Sims (2.6)</option>
<option>133. Killer Instinct 2 (2.6)</option>
<option>134. Silent Hill (2.6)</option>
<option>135. Tomb Raider (2.55)</option>
<option>136. Halo: Combat Evolved (2.5)</option>
<option>137. Twisted Metal (2.42)</option
<option>138. Crackdown (2.42)</option>
<option>139. Golden Axe (2.33)</option>
<option>140. Gran Turismo (2.3)</option>
<option>141. The Secret of Mana (2.2)</option>
<option>142. Ghosts n' Goblins (2.14)</option>
</select>

It's another week of solid 4s across the board as Dishonored lands itself in the top 50 with all the other solid 4s we've scored throughout this journey. It finds itself as the new gatekeeper of the barrier between the 3s at number 49.

An impressive showing, but still not elite. Nevertheless, we must trudge ahead and wander through the murkiness and see what shining goodness we can uncover. We go to the bowl for our next game!

https://i.imgur.com/Z1e0Oun.gif

This week, we return to a series that hasn't been explored by us since the original launch of Rate the Game so many years ago. I put emphasis on "explore" as this time around the adventurous Lara Croft gets the spotlight. It's the radical reboot of the long-running franchise, Tomb Raider (2013)! Crystal Dynamics and Eidos made some bold alterations to the series and to its star protagonist, but ultimately was it for the better? Did this new take on Lara hit the mark or did you find it a waste? The original Tomb Raider has been sitting on the very low end of our leaderboard for a long time so it'll be interesting to see how this compares. Let's dive into this sucker and hash it out with you think of it. Until next week!

[screech]

Gonna give this a 5 because I played the shit out of this game and loved it. It was like Uncharted (which I also love) but better.

[Lock Jaw]

Never played it.

[Emperor Smeat]

Voted 3 but would be more of a 3.5 if half points were possible.

Had fun playing it but remember it being a bit unforgiving when it came to certain quick time events that led to instant deaths.

Also if I remember, the final boss battle felt pretty underwhelming due to its usage of quick time events.

[M-A-G]

With Anniversary and Legend reinvigorating my enjoyment of the franchise, I was looking forward to this one in a major way. It holds the distinction of being one of the very few games that I ever preordered because everything about it that I was reading sounded great. The redesign of Lara is brilliant and pumping up the action and drama was smart. The only real strike against it that I can claim is the unnecessary multiplayer. But even that was actually kind of neat as it played well and had some good modes. I think Rise and Shadow did things better than what we got here, but this was one hell of a first step. I've gone back to it multiple times and I even upgraded to the enhanced version on the Xbox One when it was the game of the month. This one is highly recommended.

[M-A-G]

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/jDcQigl.jpg" width="500" height="750">

:love:

[Big Vic]

Voted 3 but should prob be a 2.5 didn't grip me but not bad.

[road doggy dogg]

I enjoyed this one a lot. It wasn't super memorable or strike me as massively revolutionary, so I'll give it a 4. I'm tempted to deduct points for eliminating triangle tiddies but it's 2023 so I won't do that.

[drave]

it was alright. that's it.

[Destor]

I thought it was really good. Took the uncharted formula and added some really good tension. Laura has a great arc too and its reflected in the gameplay really well. Her fear and weakness slowly are stripped away and thats felt in the hand of played as you grow stronger.

4

[M-A-G]

I enjoyed this one a lot. It wasn't super memorable or strike me as massively revolutionary, so I'll give it a 4. I'm tempted to deduct points for eliminating triangle tiddies but it's 2023 so I won't do that.

Mourn the absence of the tiddies as you please, but the actress who played the new Lara in this one certainly demonstrated some glorious assets of her own on Californication.

[Helmsphere]

This reminds me I need to finish this game.

Great game, even if sometimes it can be confused for Torture Porn.

[M-A-G]

The final moments of this highlights your point. :lol:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xCe8-1dbXZc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[ClockShot]

Never played.

I mean Crystal Dynamics could have done better things with the money besides reboot Tomb Raider and make it a trilogy and sneak in another movie.

Like, dust off Legacy of Kain.

[M-A-G]

The thing is they kind of were working on Legacy of Kain around this time, a cancelled project that ended up being the pile of fuck known as Dead Sun.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XVlvJJt5jWE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Tomb Raider was probably the more bankable asset. It probably worked out for the best on their side of things, as much as I love Legacy of Kain. Personally, unless they can get the original creative team, I'd prefer they just stick with doing remasters of the original games or just don't bother at all.