We all know it: Lara Croft is sexy. Her sexy bod, voice, weapons, adventures - they make the Tomb Raider franchise worth playing.

Yes, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is sexy, too, but this time players are not as up close and personal with the gun-toting, quip-loaded archaeologist. The downloadable arcade game (via XBLA, PS3, PC/Steam) ditches the familiar Tomb Raider setup, placing players high on the isometric platform, from where they guide Lara and her sparring partner through bouts with puke-y ancient creatures, deadly traps and mind-wrenching puzzles located in exotic and creepy landscapes of the Yucatan Peninsula. 

Its plot really boils down to this: While exploring in the peninsula, Lara awakens a crusty, god-like villain named Xolotl, prompting his polar opposite Totec - the Guardian of Light! - to chase after his sworn enemy in effort to reclaim the Mirror of Smoke. Hammy? Yes, thanks in no small part to the voiceovers of the Totec and Xolotl. Still, the game's narrative isn't the heart of LCGL, playing only a minor (even skippable) role. 

The more important and divinely fun element is the puzzling solving, which guides players through the level objectives and enhances the characters' attributes (speed, defense, shooting) and weapon inventory. Grab 10 red skulls, for instance, to get a relic like the defense-boosting Scepter of Huitzilopochtli. Elsewhere, use a grenade launcher to shake up some archaic machinery, opening gates that further Lara and Totec's hunt for Xolotl. Several of the levels, though, require players to be pretty clever with giant balls of the spiky and golden variety, gargantuan items you can also use against the unrelenting hordes trying to stop you.

And about the enemies - most of the time they're easy to escape. In some cases, you have to vanquish the likes of Godzilla-like beings and sucker punch-throwing trolls to move on, but in most cases you can dash right through to the next puzzle. However, doing that means skipping hundreds of points. If you're into scoring massively, stick around and kill everyone. There's nothing wrong with using a flamethrower on a few dozen spiders or Totec's golden spear on foul lizards. Kills rack up points, and sometimes health and ammo - that is, if you kill the big guys. Do it gracefully to build your relic meter, which can activate relic powers, such as the power bomb and scatter shot via the Three Arrow of Tezcatlipoca. 

But whether you're fighting or puzzle solving, it's best to play the co-op story of LCGL, taking control of both Lara and Totec, master of the golden spear and shield. His weapons compliment Lara's agility, just like her weapons - the grappling hook and bombs - aid Totec's combat skills. Single-player mode has its considerable share of challenging battles and strategies, but that's old hat in Lara's world. 

You've already had alone time with her anyway. Bring a friend over, or wait until the online co-op patch hits the market in late September. This is a new experience, a hot one.