Plot is secondary to gameplay when it comes to Guardian of Light. The game begins similarly to most Tomb Raider stories: Lara explores some ancient ruins to find the legendary Mirror of Smoke, but a local warlord steals it and in doing so accidentally unleashes a powerful evil into the world (an Aztec god named Xoxotl). So, it's up to her to get the mirror back into place before daylight, or else the world is doomed to eternal darkness. The mirror also brings Totec, the warrior that originally imprisoned Xoxotl, to life and he agrees to use Lara's help to regain the mirror. Totec's importance changes depending on whether players decide to go through this game solo or with a friend. If players go it alone, Totec provides a magic spear that does a fair bit of damage and can also be plunged into the wall. Lara is light and agile enough to balance onto the spears and use them like steps to make her way up walls. Players have the option to play through the story cooperatively with a friend, and the game's puzzles are adjusted to make use of both characters. Totec keeps his spear and carries a shield that can be used for a variety of purposes.

Guardian of Light is more casual gamer oriented than the main Tomb Raider franchise. There are some tricky puzzles that require good timing and reflexes, but with the possible exception of the special puzzle rooms, none are especially difficult to figure out. The levels feature wonderful detail and complexity, which should satisfy hardcore fans to a certain extent. Lara also plunges to her doom at a bottomless pit with significantly less frequency than in Tomb Raider. Players looking to prove their skills can try to meet the level challenges, which range from completing levels within a time limit to using explosives to blast boulders onto the tops of pedestals. Completing these challenges and solving puzzle rooms unlock additional weapons and artifacts that augment how the character performs in addition to providing special abilities.

There's a decent selection of weapons, although players could probably get through the entire game using Lara's signature double pistols, Totec's spear (neither spend ammunition) and the grenade launcher but the effort is appreciated. Ammo is represented as a mana bar and more powerful weapons use it up at a higher rate. However, ammo pickups are usually plentiful enough that it's hardly a consideration. It should also be noted that you can wipe out almost everything that gets your way using just the shotgun. This is especially true when it's combined with relics that regenerate ammunition and enable the power shot ability. This being the case, there's not much incentive outside of achievements and bragging rights to try for all the unlocks.

The game has a few other quirks, like how Lara occasionally gets stuck on random parts of the map, forcing players to detonate explosives on themselves to break free. Some areas make it far too easy for creatures to trap characters into a corner. Additionally, even if players decide to beat every challenge and set the combat difficulty to high, the game isn't very long. Judging by the challenge requirements, each of the fourteen levels can be completed in about 10-15 minutes (sometimes less) if you rush through. Still, none of its issues detract from the great fun Guardian of Light provides, especially considering the relatively low price tag. The biggest disappointment is in the lack of online cooperative multiplayer, but its inclusion is supposedly in development and will hopefully be added in the near future. This game is very entertaining when going it alone, but it becomes twice as much fun when there's a someone around to help out.

Normally we'd suggest waiting until there's online multiplayer available, but Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is still a fantastic value without it. It maintains the spirit of the Tomb Raider experience, which includes plenty of puzzles and giant creatures (yes, there's a T-Rex), while making it accessible to a broader audience. Sure, there's nothing quite like exploring grand ruins around the world and leaping from thirty-foot waterfalls, all with a camera pointed fixedly at Lara's derriere, but there's plenty of room in the Tomb Raider franchise for a game like this. We look forward to more like it coming out in the future.