Rise of the Tomb Raider - Baba Yaga: The Temple of the Witch
Overview -
'Baba Yaga: Temple of the Witch' is the second downloadable pack for last year’s 'Rise of the Tomb Raider' and the first one to be story-based. The first pack was a survival/endurance mode. It is part of the season pass but can also be purchased a la carte.
Video Review
The Vale is quite pretty in its creepiness. The witch is a loud, obnoxious foe most of the time, but every once in a while there will be a humanoid shadow flicker across the edge of the screen, or a ghostly silhouette in the darkness. It’s not hard to make forests spooky as they tend to do that on their own, but Baba’s grove is more unearthly and macabre than I had expected for a 'Tomb Raider'. The Wraithskin outfit is a bit silly-looking, but the Dreamstinger bow is a nice touch.
Audio Review
The distorted, psychedelic voice performance from the witch comes across as more creepy than cheesy, though it has elements of both. The other new voices, like Nadia and her grandfather, are well done. Camilla Luddington does a great job as Lara, as usual. The music and sound effects are otherwise similar.
Final Thoughts
'Baba Yaga' is a capable, if small, piece of aftermarket content for the already excellent 'Rise of the Tomb Raider'. It was thoughtfully constructed even if it comes up a bit short in some places (and another bonus tomb would not have been remiss), but should not be missed by those who enjoyed the base game.
