Crystal Dynamics is rethinking how it delivers her adventures. There will still be full-priced Tomb Raider games at retail that present the more traditional Lara Croft experience, but the developer wants to take more time to ensure their quality. In between these big retail releases will be smaller efforts like Lara Croft & the Guardian of Light, which is still a Tomb Raider game at heart. However, the lower risk of downloadable games gives Crystal Dynamics more leverage to try some new ideas -- new ideas like co-op play and arcade-style leaderboards.
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it's really designed for co-op play. You can play it solo (and get a different experience with tweaked storyline and puzzles) but the puzzles are mostly designed for two people to tackle together. Co-op can be played both locally and online, and it seems like it will be a lot of fun working problems out with your partner. You'll definitely want to use your headset when playing online – communication is key.
Another major departure for the series is look of Guardian of Light. Tomb Raider games have traditionally been third-person action adventures with the camera situated behind Lara. Here we have an isometric view with the camera looking down on our heroes from above. The characters are much smaller than usual, giving the game a style that is similar to Gauntlet or Diablo.
