Rise of the Tomb Raider2015

Pretty much everything in this game is a massive upgrade from the 2013 title. The graphics look stunning, and the platforming and climbing mechanics got a huge level-up. My biggest issue with the first game was the lack of puzzles, so I was incredibly happy to see way more of them here, and they are much more creative. The skill tree, weapon upgrades, and the general GUI got a nice overhaul too. The storytelling is also way better this time, and the characters and their development feel much more refined than in the prequel. The combat feels much more "realistic" and less like a PvP shooter this time. It still makes no sense how many people Lara kills, but at least the fights feel grounded and you can't just stand out in the open tanking bullets. Instead of PvP, we got the Endurance Mode this time. It’s a neat survival mode where you fight hunger and cold, upgrade your gear during the run, and extract relics at an escape point. You can even mix it up with funny perk and handicap cards. It's a fun distraction, even if it doesn't have a ton of replay value. An absolute blast of a sequel!