Review: Lara Croft: Relic Run

Anyone who's played games such as Temple Run and Sonic Dash will be instantly familiar with the main gameplay conceit behind Lara Croft Relic Run - run and don't stop - but what this game does so well is that it takes the core gameplay mechanic behind so many other titles and, ehem, runs with it.

Lara Croft Relic Run isn't just a licensed property cash-grab. It is a fun, meaningful, free-to-play entry in the Tomb Raider franchise, which, frankly, is long overdue.

The second-to-second gameplay involves dashing through environments and collecting coins and relics all while trying to snag the highest score possible. It sounds generic for an endless runner, but this is where developer Simutronics innovates with unique features. Lara can now shoot, abseil, and ride vehicles as she navigates each environment. Each of these activities serve to break up the monotony of running down a straight path, which makes the experience much more engaging.

Boss fights, such as the one shown on the right, give each run a heightened sense of objective more so than just beating a previous high score. Plus, who doesn't want to ride a t-rex?

Combat is especially engrossing. In specific instances, Lara must shoot enemies before they can launch projectiles at her. Their positions become a little predictable the more times you play the game, but this is a minor concern considering the different types of rooms you can find them in and the increased difficulty spike as you run farther and farther through a level. You can equip Lara with different weapons, including her signature dual pistols, and each weapon can be upgraded in exchange for the coins you collect throughout the level.

The game's economy works really well. Weapon, power-up, and character upgrades are all obtainable if you put the time into the game, but there is an option to buy upgrades with real money, too. Upgrades that need to be bought with gems are a little pricey, but lacking these stat-changers don't detract from the gameplay experience, so paying for them is a welcomed option.

The game is light on story, but there is the semblance of a narrative woven into the gameplay. Lara's frenemy, Carter Bell, has gone missing but left a breadcrumb trail of relics that allude to his whereabouts. Relics can be obtained by finding "clues" throughout the environment. Each clue builds up your clue meter, and when the meter is full, the relic appears for you to snag if you're swift. You're rewarded for finding relics with little snippets of information about Carter's disappearance, but the real draw to finding these relics is unlocking new environments.

Unlike most endless runners, Lara Croft Relic Run boasts several varied locations to explore instead of just one. Right now, there are two environments available in the game - Jungle Temple and Desert Ruins - and a third area, Mountain Pass, is teased for eventual release. Each environment is like playing a new game; there are new traps, enemies, landscapes, relics, and bosses. This keeps the game fresh just when you're losing interest in your current environment.

The game showcases some magnificent camerawork for a mobile title. This is especially evident with Lara's ability to wall-run Prince of Persia-style.

The environments themselves pay homage to classic Tomb Raider games. The T-Rex boss in Temple Ruins is a huge throwback to the original Tomb Raider, and riding the quad bike is truly reminiscent of the India levels in Tomb Raider III: The Adventures of Lara Croft. I grin whenever I watch Lara crumple against a wall, because it reminds me of the ragdoll physics in Legend, Anniversary, and Underworld. (Whether or not this was an intentional design, it's still a charming addition to the game for fans of the series.) There's a lot of fan service in Lara Croft Relic Run, which makes this little app feel like a true member of the Tomb Raider franchise.

Connecting the game to your Facebook account allows you to compete with your friends on the leaderboards for high scores. In exchange for some coins, you can send vision-impairing curses to your friends that will cause a significant difficulty spike in their next run. It's an uninspired social feature, but it's definitely appreciated as a way to interact with friends and family.

Achievement Hunters will be happy to know that there are in-game achievements for only the most experienced Tomb Raiders.

The game runs very smoothly (pardon the pun), but the user interface isn't the most attractive and can be a little finicky at startup. When compared against the game itself, this is a really small complaint and can easily be overlooked.

Of all the endless runners out there, Lara Croft Relic Run is a gem. It innovates on a gameplay mechanic that we've seen over and over and makes it feel new again by giving players a treasure trove of new ways to interact with the environment. All the while, new environments keep the gameplay experience fresh by introducing new enemies and obstacles just when the game starts to feel repetitive.

*I reviewed this app on a Samsung Galaxy S3. There were some performance issues with prolonged play, but that might be a result of the model of the phone used for review. On a full battery, and with not apps running in the background, the game ran smoothly with only occasional hiccups.