Game Review: Lara Croft – Relic Run (iOS/Android)

A Square Enix is one of my favorite game developers and is responsible for hits like Sleeping Dogs, Thief, Tomb Raider, Hitman: Absolution and Final Fantasy. And, of course, it also develops games for mobile devices, Lara Croft: Relic Run it's one of those games.

The game is in the "infinite run“, it's free to play, single player and is available for smartphones with operating system Android, iOS ou Windows Phone (as of Windows 8). It was released in May of this year and since then it has been downloaded more than 10 million of times. Following the game's success, our team played Relic Run. Check out our impressions below.

Interface / Graphics

The interface is friendly:

The graphics are good, but don't go too enthusiastically, Lara from Relic Run just reminds you of Lara from the last Tomb Raider (2013).

For a 2015 game the graphics could be better:

Audio

The game's music and sound effects are good and matched the game perfectly. Check it out below:

https://youtu.be/H0683mpNYA0?list=PLHbcr9fz1hgUDvVz1ZxnlR9JSN8kB-W6Q

Gameplay/Objective

Gameplay is extremely easy and intuitive. The game tutorial at the beginning of the game is short and therefore not tiring.

Like the games of the genre, our main character is always running through the maps presented. And you, controlling none other than Lara Croft, you must dodge, jump, go under obstacles or a ruin that has just collapsed, collect coins, clues (they are the magnifying glasses), find relics and other items. There are 40 initial stages for you to have fun, and then comes the stages of Jungle Temple, Ruins of the Deserter and the newest: Mountain Pass. For now, there are 140 levels to keep you entertained.

Check out a snippet of the game below:

Difficulty

median. The beginning of the game is extremely easy, so easy that it gets to be discouraging, but of course, as you go on and pass the level, the difficulty increases.

Tip: resist at least until phase 16 because the difficulty level goes up.

The first part of the game is divided into 40 stages and you have to go through all these levels. Each level has 3 specific objectives to be accomplished, but to pass the stage in this type of phase, just complete the first objective. Each goal achieved is equivalent to a star earned.

- Like this?

To move to the next level you don't necessarily need to get three stars. Achieving just one star is enough in levels that have three objectives. And to get that single star, just fulfill the first objective.

But there are stages where you must find a relic, in these stages you only proceed if you manage to find the artifact. These levels are usually the most difficult, but there is also a reward: you earn coins for finding relics.

History

Carter Bell, friend of our protagonist, Lara Croft, disappears in Cambodia, in Southeast Asia. What else could our heroine do but venture into hostile territory to save him and find out what really happened? Lara will run through ruins and forests to find relics that lead to Carter's whereabouts and face enemies to find out what happened.

Replayability/Game Duration

As we said before: you, Lara Croft, have to go through different levels during the game. On most levels, depending on the objectives, you can get from 1 to 3 stars. For example, in a level where the objective is to collect coins: to get the first star you must collect 80 coins, to get the second 160 coins and to get all the stars you must collect 240 coins. So, to pass a level like this you only need one star, but if you are a perfectionist or want to enjoy the game more you can go back to this level and get all the stars.

If you liked the level a lot, you can keep coming back and redoing it even if you already have three stars. And if it's the case that you played at a stage where you already have three stars and your performance was worse, do not panic, as the game maintains the best performance.

If you have friends in Facebook that also play RelicRun you can compete with them to see who gets the most points.

In addition to all this, there is also the "infinite mode" that is released when you complete level 20. In this mode you run in search of the best score and compete not only with your Facebook friends, but also with other players from Brazil.

Tips and Observations

• The red barrel explodes if you shoot it.
• Shoot boxes with coin, ammo and health symbols and get these items.
• In one of the phases you will only be able to proceed after buying a beast, and believe me, it is very worth it.
• You are entitled to one delivery of supplies every day. So log into the game every day to receive it. you can win ankhs, coins, jewels and other prizes in this delivery.
• If you're dying a lot, I mean, restarting a level several times: the game doesn't always start the same way, this makes the game more interesting and less tiring.
• Running even if you die is worth it because you always get coins.
• Some items are consumables, that is, after being used, they must be purchased again. Like for example: steel tips, head start, extra cartridge, medical kit, bulletproof vest.
• When you complete level 20, you can curse Facebook friends for a small amount of coins and also unlock infinite mode.
• The infinite mode is the eternal race that we are used to and we can compete with our Facebook friends or with other strangers from Brazil through a national ranking.
• Backup: even connected to Facebook and Google Play Games my game progress was not saved.
• You can find gems as you run around the map, but at times you will be offered to watch a video and earn some gems for it.
• Usually Anhks revive Laura, but sometimes it will be possible to revive Laura by watching a video.

Achievements

This topic is for the “platinum for life”. The game did not disappoint and brought several achievements. Achievements are worth getting, as each one generates a specific amount of diamonds as a reward.

Cost X benefit

The game is free to play (free-to-play), although you can spend it within the app. Playing without spending real money in the in-app store does not interfere with your game progress. During your races you earn coins that can be exchanged for weapons, equipment, powers, clothing, among others. Usually the first purchase is very affordable and the improvements become more expensive.

Conclusion

Lara Croft: Relic Run brings new elements to the game world in the style of “infinite runners”, Lara not only jumps, dodges and passes under obstacles, but also makes Parkour, shoots enemies and drives wildly. The division of the game into phases made the game more attractive and Carter's disappearance piques the players' curiosity to know how Lara will rescue him and what is really happening in Cambodia.

The beginning of the game is very easy and because of that some may give up, but if you persist, the difficulty level increases and the game becomes rewarding.

It's worth checking out, especially for fans of the franchise, and beware: it can be addictive.

Note: 3.5 / 5

Particularly I thought it was really cool to see Lara doing parkour or extreme maneuvers with vehicles and the mix of a running game with a shooting game was also excellent. And have you played or will play? Tell us in the comments, we want to know.