Tomb Raider Skills Guide: Orienteering

Among the new additions to the Tomb Raider gameplay formula is skill management. In this game Lara posses three different types of skills, related to the three main aspects of the game: surviving, hunting and fighting. The skills are really diverse and all serve a certain, useful purpose: leveling them up will be bring some good advantages whenever you level them up. In the end it all depends on your playstyle: some gamers may be better and uncovering treasures and areas or discovering enemies while some other may be better in the combat sequences of the game. You can improve these skills to improve your abilities in your best field or get some help in some other field where you are not so good. We’re not talking about role playing game level of customization but having a choice is better than having none at all! The inclusion of skills also makes the gameplay experience somewhat deeper. To improve your skills you’ll have to fill Lara’s experience shield, obtaining a single skill point used to improve unlocked skills or unlocking new skills. You will have to invest 7 skill points in rookie skills to unlock the higher tier; to unlock the final tier, seven more points must be used. Get as much experience as you can and you will be able to unlock most skills in the game as soon as possible.

• Survivor Skills

Orientering

Orienteering is a hardened skill allowing Lara to see through the environment to find collectibles and challenge objects: each item will glow differently when Survival Instincts is used, depending on the distance. While this skill is not required at all, it’s way more useful than the Climbing upgrade since you’ll have an easier time finding and collecting collectibles. The Orienteering skill is also required to unlock the improved version of it, called Cartography which is quite useful if you want to find everything but don’t have the treasure map for a set area. You can get the Orienteering skill whenever you want: there are some advantages in getting it if you’re into collectibles but it won’t bring any real advantage during regular play. If you’re in just to complete the main story, there are better advanced skills to get as soon as you can.