This is the remastered version of the last-gen Tomb Raider reboot. As such, it should be compared with that version. Before I do, let me say that this Tomb Raider is absolutely amazing. The graphics, of course, are far better and far more immersive than any Tomb Raider game that came before it. The sound is also very, very good. Understand, though, that this isn't the Lara Croft you may remember. Since it's a reboot, you're seeing what amounts to her origin story. This means plenty of rapid character development, a few scripted story moments peppered throughout, and plenty of drama. The old-school tomb raiding is still present in the form of entirely optional tombs, but the meat of the game is the story, which is comprised of a bit of wilderness survival, quite a bit of jumping/jumping/sliding, hair-raising action segments, and a good share of run & gun.



Yes, Lara does have to learn the ropes, but the jump from her horrified reaction for her first kill to "guns blazing" is rather abrupt. As well, you get the feeling she's genuinely uncomfortable with pretty much everything she's asked to do. Once you're done with the story, there's still plenty of exploration and collection opportunities.



Now, to compare it with the original XBox 360 version:



1) Graphics: A bit more detailed textures, hair, foliage, lighting, and particle effects - noticeable in a side-by-side comparison, but not so much to make it worth buying again if you already played the first version. Lara's face has changed a bit as well.



2) Sound: The sound stage is used quite well - a bit better than with the original. Even so, it's still pretty bass-heavy, and it's not noticeably different.



3) Playability: More consistent frame rates, meaning smoother play. Frame drops still do happen on rare occasions, but not nearly as often.



4) Multiplayer: Just as poorly-realized as before. More people playing on the XBox One servers than the XBox 360 servers, for now.



5) Extras: Since this is the Definitive Edition, you get a few more outfits/skins from the outset, and there are a couple more upgrades for your weapons. There's also one more hidden tomb map for exploration. Not really much of a step up over the original, but it's also kind of nice to get that extra tomb.



Now, as far as value, I have to say that this game was FREE for half a month some time ago on Xbox Live Gold - for both Xbox 360 and Xbox One. I got the Xbox 360 version that way, and was thrilled with the game. I bought the Xbox One version from Amazon while it was on sale for $7.50, where it felt like a steal. For $30, it might be a bit overpriced. Since it's been significantly cheaper than that, I'd wait for a price drop or do some price shopping. Don't pay more than $15 for this game. It may be worth more, but you can find it for less.



Lastly, there's one thing you need to know if you have kids: The violence is actually realistic. Death scenes and kill scenes are surprisingly detailed and quite visceral. The main character finds herself constantly beat, cut, skewered, burned, etc. She also ends up in an abattoir (bones/viscera/human sacrifice). So be aware if you're concerned about such things.