Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration “Blood Ties”

Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration has arrived and finally PS4 players can join Lara Croft on her most recent adventure.

New to the re-release is the brand new story mode “Blood Ties.” This story chapter takes place entirely within Croft Manor and takes it’s cue from walking simulators of the past few years and even from the step back from combat that Uncharted 4 took.

Lara’s uncle Atlas who — as you discover by playing “Blood Ties” — despises the Croft’s and is seeking to take control of Croft Manor following the death of Lara’s father. With no will or any tangible claim to the house she grew up in, Lara sets out to prove that she is the rightful owner.

blood-tiesWhat follows is a gentle hour and a half of exploring and light puzzle solving. The point of “Blood Ties” is to tell a story. To fill in some of the shading in Lara’s past and to let players gain a better understanding of her, her relationship with her father and her motivations. Rise of the Tomb Raider sees Lara following in her father’s footsteps on a quest for immortality, but her motivations and relationship with her father’s quest were one of the most undercooked aspects of the main narrative. “Blood Ties” helps fill that out and put it in context.

We’ve included our full playthrough in the video above. For our review of Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration head here.

Leo Stevenson
Leo Stevensonhttps://powerup-gaming.com/
I've been playing games for the past 27 years and have been writing for almost as long. Combining two passions in the way I'm able is a true privilege. PowerUp! is a labour of love and one I am so excited to share.

━ more like this

Hisense TriChroma Laser Cinema Series PX3 Review

If you thought projectors weren't any good, then Hisense will hard slap such thoughts out of you with this incredible piece of tech

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Review (PS5 Pro) | Sequel Well Serfed

Let’s give fair warning to the curious newcomers joining this franchise for the first time. One does NOT simply whip out a sword and...

Asus Zenbook S 14 CoPilot+ PC Review: Intel Strikes Back

The Zenbook 14 was already a great laptop and this year it only gets better thanks to Intel Lunar Lake vastly improved efficiency

Sniper Elite Resistance Review (PS5) | Nazi Nutshots Forever

In order to get the best overwatch on what Resistance is, I went rifling back through my considerable collection of Sniper Elite games. I...

Companion Review (2025) | I hate the term Fuckbot

It's difficult to write a Companion review or write about the movie without spoiling the turn at the end of Act 1. However, if...