Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris
Cooperative action in Egyptian tombs with gods and treasure hunters.
Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix released Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on December 9, 2014. This action-adventure game follows 2010's Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, making it the second title in the Lara Croft spin-off series within the Tomb Raider franchise. A Stadia version arrived on December 22, 2020. Feral Interactive later bundled it with its predecessor as The Lara Croft Collection for Nintendo Switch on June 29, 2023.
Quick Facts
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Composer
- Wilbert Roget II
- Series
- Tomb Raider
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4
- Windows
- Xbox One
- Stadia
- Nintendo Switch
- Released
- PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One
- 9 December 2014
- Stadia
- 22 December 2020
- Nintendo Switch
- 29 June 2023
- Genre
- Action-adventure, Twin-stick shooter
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The game is a non-linear arcade-inspired action title with a fixed isometric camera, similar to Tomb Raider: The Prophecy. Up to four players can control Lara Croft, Carter Bell, Isis or Horus, each with unique weapons and skills. Lara retains her dual pistols with infinite ammunition and a grappling hook for crossing gaps. The twin-stick control scheme and colored circle under each player draw comparisons to games such as SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge.
Development
Crystal Dynamics began development in 2013 after the release of Tomb Raider, with support from Nixxes Software. Composer Wilbert Roget II stated in a 2022 interview that the studio originally planned for the Lara Croft brand to become its own spin-off franchise. Development was completed in November 2014. That month, Valve and Crystal Dynamics organized a contest for Team Fortress 2 promotional content; winning items were revealed on 3 December and given to those who pre-purchased Temple of Osiris.
Release
The game launched on 9 December 2014, with its original soundtrack released as a free download. A limited Gold Edition included a 3-inch Lara figurine, art book, map, and season pass. It was part of PlayStation Plus free games in August 2015 and Microsoft Games with Gold in May 2017. A season pass was announced before launch, covering all future DLC. Four downloadable content packs arrived in January 2015, three containing items and skins based on Tomb Raider: Legend, Deus Ex, and Hitman; the fourth, Icy Death, added a tomb, puzzles, enemies, and a skin from the 2013 Tomb Raider. The Twisted Gears pack released on 2 February added a tomb, items, and a skin from the original Tomb Raider. In March 2020, Square Enix made the game redeemable for free on Steam during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of their Stay Home and Play campaign. The Lara Croft Collection, including this game and its predecessor, was released for Nintendo Switch in June 2023 by Feral Interactive.
Reception
Temple of Osiris received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. It was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition at the 18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. IGN called it almost as essential as Lara's third-person excursions, praising level design and multiplayer but criticizing lack of personality. GamesRadar+ gave four stars, praising chaotic co-op and puzzles while noting loading issues. PC Gamer found it more fun with a friend, appreciating puzzles but lamenting short runtime. Eurogamer complimented the use of simple mechanics to mask a lack of first-rate quality. Game Informer deemed it a retread of Guardian of Light with standard gameplay. GameSpot praised gratifying pacing but cited dated visuals, unrewarding story, and technical issues. Polygon noted enjoyable experience despite poor loot and occasional bad camera. Push Square gave six out of ten, praising graphics and bosses but lamenting lack of personality.
More in Square Enix Games of the 2010s
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