Gaming: Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light

Ditching the Tomb Raider moniker, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light stands as a reboot of the series. Available only as a digital download on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, this marks the start of a bold new direction for Lara.

After a band of mercenaries accidentally unleashes an ancient evil housed in a crumbling temple, it's up to Lara and the Guardian of Light, Totec, to return it to confinement. For the first time, two players can work together to overcome traps, solve puzzles and lay waste to demons with a wide assortment of firearms.

Shooting is comparable to Xbox Live hit Geometry Wars, using a twin-stick aiming and firing system. It's fluid and it lets you fend off attackers from all sides with ease. Each stage is littered with bonus challenges that reward players with stat-boosting relics and new weapons.

In co-op, both players really have to work together to navigate the perilous locales. Lara can use her grappling hook to create makeshift tightropes that Totec can use to cross pits, while Totec can throw spears to loosen walls to create ad hoc platforms, or raise his shield to defend Lara or to hoist her to new heights.

Priced at just under 10, and with five hour-campaigns for both single and co-op play, this is the best deal of the summer.

This article was first published in The Scotsman on Saturday, August 28