Upon replaying about nine years later, I've come to realize this game is a lot better than I initially gave it credit for. My initial criticisms aren't completely undone, but the strengths and details of the games are now apparent.

My biggest initial criticism was the narrative, but I think I didn't pick up on the subtle details or just wasn't in the right mindset for this kind of story at the time. I still don't entirely think the "survivor" theme is as well executed as it could be, but there's a good drama here about sacrifice, obsession, and the pursuit of mystery. The characters are better than I remembered too. Still missing that immediate charm Uncharted has and which this game is most readily compared to, but they're effective enough.

Gameplay wise, Rise taught me that Crystal Dynamics is one of the more interesting environment puzzle developers in the industry. It's not as strong here as in the next to, but it definitely was a solid start. And that thinking extends to the combat sandbox which is much more flexible that Uncharted's.

Overall, I'm much more positive about this game than I was originally, but it's still kinda jank at times.