Tomb Raider (2013)
What's most immediately arresting about Tomb Raider is that the sinking-ship scene - you know, the one from the reveal trailer way back in 2011 - isn't just early in the game, it's the beginning. In a blunt retort to 30 years of adventure-story tradition, Lara's journey doesn't begin with an innocent introductory chapter and later descend into darkness -- she is in dire straits from the very first moment. It's only through carefully-crafted narrative devices (like scattered journals, a camcorder video from the ship, and her demeanor when re-uniting with her shipmates) that we learn more about Lara's youthful innocence, even as, stranded in unfriendly wilderness, the game's high-tension action sequences test her physical and emotional limits.
Which isn't to say that this is a down-to-earth tale of human adversity. It is, at the end of the day, still a video game; Lara rapidly becomes a master killer, mowing through waves of hostiles with bow and gun. But, at least so far as I've played, her bloodthirst is less pronounced than Nathan Drake's. This game feels like an iterative step in the industry's ongoing process of humanizing these unstoppable killing machines we call heroes.
Now, as for the gameplay, Tomb Raider presents a really fascinating combination of linear adventuring and open-world exploration. Lara's island isn't as open as a Far Cry or as intricately labyrinthine as a Metroid - at least, not yet - but it's a pleasant middle-ground between, say, Skyrim and Uncharted. For all the moments where Lara needs to solve a puzzle or sneak/kill her way through a camp, there are (relatively) safe areas to explore, with hidden items to find, wildlife to hunt, and salvage to collect.
Oh, and you'll use salvage (as a currency) to upgrade weapons and tools. Which, together with experience levels and skill points for upgrading abilities, not only highly incentivizes exploration but also affords a surprising amount of character customization.
The plot of the island is still a little opaque to me, and I'm still waiting for some important combat mechanics to show up, like melee. But so far I'm pretty impressed by Tomb Raider's unique narrative style and mechanical variety.
Progress: Tracking some wolves