Lara Croft isn't just a character; she’s a survivor who gets beat up, frozen, and shot at more than any human should reasonably endure. I remember the first time I hit the Soviet Installation. The snow was thick. Visibility was zero. I thought I knew what I was doing because I’d played the 2013 reboot, but Rise of the Tomb Raider is a different beast entirely. It’s wider. It’s meaner. If you're looking for a Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough, you probably aren't just looking for where to point your bow. You're looking for how to not die in a tomb that’s trying to crush you under five tons of Byzantine stone.
The game is huge. Honestly, the scale of the environments—especially the Geothermal Valley—can feel overwhelming if you’re just trying to push through the main story. Most people rush. They want to see the Prophet’s story unfold. But if you skip the side content, you’re basically bringing a knife to a tank fight by the time Trinity shows up with their heavy hitters.
Survival is More Than Just a Skill Tree
Don't just dump points into whatever looks cool. Early on, you’ll be tempted to grab all the combat skills. Resist that. You need the "Scavenger" and "Animal Instincts" nodes first. Why? Because resources are the actual currency of survival here. You can't craft poisoned arrows—the absolute MVP of the game—if you can't find mushrooms. And you won't find mushrooms if you're sprinting past every dark corner in the Siberian wilderness.
The Prophet's Tomb in Syria acts as your tutorial, but it’s a bit of a lie. It’s linear and beautiful. Once you hit the Siberian mountains, the game opens up and stops holding your hand. You’ll find yourself cold, under-geared, and hunted by a bear that doesn't care about your destiny. This is where a real Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough starts to matter: it’s about the loop of hunt, gather, upgrade, and then—only then—engage.
The Soviet Installation: Where the Game Actually Begins
This map is massive. It’s a vertical nightmare of rusted metal and icy cliffs. You’ll spend hours here, and honestly, you should. This is where you encounter the first Optional Challenge Tombs. Do not skip these. I’ve seen players complain that the combat feels stiff later in the game, but that’s usually because they don't have the Ancient Abilities you get from finishing these tombs.
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Take the "Ice Ship" tomb. It’s visually stunning but requires some precise timing with swinging masts. Completing it gives you the "Rededication" skill, which lets you heal once in combat without using resources. That’s a literal life-saver. In the Soviet Installation, you also meet the Remnant. Helping them out via side missions might feel like busywork, but the rewards—like the Lockpick—are mandatory for getting into the high-tier loot crates scattered throughout the rest of the game.
Dealing with Trinity’s Tech
Trinity isn't your average group of goons. They use thermal vision, shields, and heavy armor. If you try to play this like a standard third-person shooter, you’ll be dead in seconds. The game wants you to be a "stealth predator." Think Rambo, but with better hair.
- Use the environment. Those red barrels aren't just for show.
- Craft on the fly. Hold the RB/R1 button to make arrows while you're running. You don't have to menu-dive.
- Go for the head. Helmets pop off with a well-placed bolt, but a poison arrow ignores armor entirely.
The Geothermal Valley and the Mid-Game Slump
By the time you reach the Geothermal Valley, the pace changes. It’s lush. It’s green. It’s also incredibly dense. This is where many players get lost or lose interest because the map is flooded with icons. My advice? Focus on the "Signal Tower" questline. It gives you the grapple axe, which fundamentally changes how you move through the world.
Let's talk about the tombs here. The "House of the Afflicted" is creepy and great, but the "Pit of Judgement" is where the platforming really shines. These aren't just puzzles; they are lessons in how the game's physics engine works. You’ll need those lessons for the final ascent to Kitezh.
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Hard Truths About Combat
Combat in Rise of the Tomb Raider is clunky if you stay in cover too long. Lara is fragile. If a grenade lands near you, you’re likely dead on the "Seasoned Raider" difficulty or higher. You have to stay mobile. Use the dodge-kill skill—it’s one of the few ways to deal with the shielded enemies who charge you down. Honestly, the shotgun is your best friend for crowd control, but the compound bow is your scalpel.
The Lost City of Kitezh: The Final Push
The endgame is a gauntlet. You’ll be fighting the Deathless—undead warriors who don't flinch when you hit them. This is where your Rise of the Tomb Raider walkthrough needs to emphasize one thing: fire. The Deathless hate fire. If you’ve been upgrading your fire arrows and incendiary grenades, you’ll have a much easier time.
The final boss fight against Konstantin’s helicopter is... polarizing. Some love the cat-and-mouse game; others find it frustratingly scripted. The trick is to never stay in the same place for more than five seconds. Move between the ruins, craft your explosives, and wait for the prompt to throw them. It’s a test of patience more than a test of aiming.
What Most Guides Get Wrong About Lara's Gear
I see so many people recommending the "strongest" weapon, but there isn't one. It depends on your playstyle. If you're a stealth purist, the Recurve Bow is actually better than the Compound Bow for a long time because of its draw speed. If you like chaos, the Rattlesnake revolver is basically a hand-cannon once fully upgraded.
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The "outfits" aren't just cosmetic, either. Some reduce the delay before your health starts regenerating. Others make you harder to spot in the bushes. Switch your clothes based on what you’re doing. Going hunting? Wear the Huntress outfit. Going into a heavy firefight? Put on the Commando gear. It’s not just fashion; it’s math.
Navigating the Byzantine Labyrinths
The puzzles in this game follow a specific logic: weight and counter-weight. Whether you're filling buckets with water to lower a platform or using a wind turbine to swing a grappling hook, it’s always about balance. If you're stuck, look up. 90% of the time, the solution involves something hanging from the ceiling.
Crystal Dynamics did a great job making the tombs feel integrated into the world. They don't feel like "levels" as much as they feel like forgotten history. Take your time to read the murals and documents. Not only do they give you XP, but they also level up Lara’s language skills (Greek, Russian, and Mongolian), which allows you to read monoliths that reveal even more hidden caches on your map.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Session
If you’re sitting down to play right now, don't just follow the yellow objective marker. Do these three things instead:
- Backtrack to the Wilderness: Once you get the Combat Knife or the Rope Arrows, go back to the early areas. There are caves and chests you couldn't reach before that contain the parts for the Semi-Auto Pistol and the Bolt-Action Rifle.
- Hunt at Night: Some animals, like the rare leopards or wolves needed for top-tier upgrades, only show up or are more active in specific conditions. Check your map for the "circle" zones that indicate high animal activity.
- Prioritize the "Iron Mine" Challenge Tomb: It’s in the Soviet Installation. The reward is "Spatulomancy," which lets you see enemies through walls more clearly. In a game where everyone wears camo, this is a godsend.
The story of the Divine Source and the struggle between Lara and Trinity is compelling, but the real heart of the game is the friction between Lara and the environment. Siberia wants you dead. The tombs want to keep their secrets. Your job is to be the one variable they didn't account for. Don't rush. The Lost City isn't going anywhere, and you’ll want to be fully prepared when you finally step through its gates.
Check your map, craft your arrows, and keep moving. The descent is always faster than the climb, but the view from the top of the Prophet's Cathedral is worth every broken bone Lara suffers to get there._