I would like to share my thoughts on Exploration as well as the Crypts & Tombs (that I've come across so far) in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

The one thing I love about this game is how, in my opinion, the game makes you want to explore. The jungle setting suits Lara down to a tee, and every section is just done so beautifully that it actually makes you want to go off and explore. Whether its the visuals on screen or the audio in your ears this jungle always feels alive. 

Now I know you can use Survival Instincts, but i find it a lot more immersive and rewarding looking and scavenging by using your own eyes. The amount of hours I've spent just living in this world and going off exploring every nook and cranny to find boxes of resources or an animal corpse or even a Crypt WITHOUT looking at the map or using Instincts I can't tell you. The three Crypts I've been in I have found purely by searching around, and thats made them that more inviting, imo.

On the Crypts themselves, I ADORE 😍😍 them! They feel like mini Tombs and you always have to keep your Reactiom time up, because i think every one so far has had some kind of traps that have nearly killed me. And even tho I havent crafted any of the outfits yet, the rewards at the end of Outfit parts, experience towards perks and Gold Pieces is always satisfying.

I believe I've only done 3 Tombs so far (Judges Gaze, Underworld Gate and Howling Caves) and every one of them have felt like a significant upgrade to the ones we got in Rise. Especially Howling Caves, the journey into and then climbing back out of was just as long as the Tomb itself. 

In summary: I Adore how the Developers have implemented exploration in this game, and it is more immersive without using Instincts or the Map. I only ever use Instincts as a quick scan after my initial look around just to nab anything I may have missed. The Crypts all feel well designed and serve as mini Tombs with satisfying rewards and the Tombs themselves are a significant upgrade to Rise. I think the Developers have upgraded on every aspect of this game so far and I cannot wait to find more Crypts, Tombs and see what i'll find when I decide to explore new areas.

Exploration, Crypts & Tombs - Shadow of Tomb Raider (gameplay spoilers)