What the game is
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is an action adventure played from an isometric view. You control Lara or her partner Totec, a Mayan tribesman, as you hunt for the artifact called the Mirror of Smoke. The game mixes the Tomb Raider staples — exploring, platforming, and puzzle solving — with fast combat and character progression. Puzzles and traps can often be solved in several ways, so you can pick your own route through the dense jungles of Central America. The environments run without load times, and tombs stretch deep underground with plenty of vertical space to work through. Expect fights against undead warriors raised by the evil Xolotl, including several boss battles.
Playing it together
The campaign supports co-op, both local and online, and Steam offers Remote Play Together so a friend can join from their own machine. One of you takes Lara, the other Totec, and the puzzles and traps are built around two characters working in concert — one covering a gap while the other crosses, one drawing fire while the other moves into position. The tag list also includes competition, so there are modes where the two of you play against each other rather than side by side. Either way, the isometric camera keeps both players in view, which makes calling out threats and coordinating moves straightforward.
Before you start
The game is tagged as difficult, so expect a learning curve with the traps and enemy encounters rather than a gentle ramp. It works with a controller, which suits the twin-stick shooting the combat leans on. It can be played single player as well, so you are not locked into co-op if your group is not around. The tag list carries both Singleplayer and Co-op Campaign, so the main story can be run either way.