Shadow of the Tomb Raider brings Lara Croft?s rebooted arc to a close, completing her transformation from an ambitious but naive explorer to the fully-fledged adventurer we all know. Whether you?re an old pro to this new take on the character or this is your first time exploring the ruins with a young Croft, you may need a hand to get by. Check out our essential tips on what to know before you start raiding tombs all over again.
Customize Your Difficulties
If you just happen to know that combat isn?t your forte or you don?t want to waste too much time scratching your noodle over puzzles, Shadow of the Tomb Raider introduces flexible new variable difficulty settings. You can make combat go a little smoother, make puzzles a little less vexing, or even make navigating around the environment a lot clearer and more forgiving. Or, each of those can even be made harder, so if you want to breeze through combat and really test your brain power in the puzzles, or vice-versa, that?s up to you. This option pops up right when you begin a new game, and don?t be afraid to tinker with it and craft the most enjoyable experience for yourself. They can also be changed anytime through the Options menu. Be warned that some trophies are locked behind certain difficulty levels, so if you?re a trophy hunter this may not be for you. But for getting your feet wet and enjoying the game on your own terms, it?s there for a reason, so use it.

Prioritize Your Skills
The skill tree in Shadow of the Tom...