In Baba Yaga: Temple of the Witch, the first story-based DLC for Rise of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft forgoes chasing down ancient artifacts and fighting secret societies in order to help out a young woman named Nadia find her missing grandfather.

In this mission, Lara will have to travel to a new section of the map called the Wicked Vale to investigate the existence of the Baba Yaga, a local witch presumed to have killed numerous people. The character is based on the Russian myth, and the story itself goes in some pretty surreal directions, which only adds to the horrific aesthetic.

Though relatively short, Temple of the Witch is a microcosm for what makes Rise of the Tomb Raider great. The supernatural element is ramped up beyond the normal scope of the base game, though it works, due in large part to the way the story makes you question whether what you’re seeing is real or merely a hallucination. That subtlety is something you don’t see in many games dealing with the supernatural.

The DLC’s themes dovetail nicely with Lara’s complicated paternal relationship. Being plagued by a father lost too soon, Lara has to contend with some pretty heavy memories as she treks across this lush mountainous landscape in search of Nadia’s grandfather. The fact that the game goes in such an ethereal direction, beset on all sides by the bizarre and the supernatural, only heightens the sense of turmoil Lara feels about her familial situation.

However, beyond the uncanny premise, Temple of the Witch only goes to highlight what makes Rise of the Tomb Raider such a great game. Players will investigate dank caves, climb ice-covered walls, leap bottomless chasms, and solve pretty basic but entertaining puzzles.

Combat is limited to very controlled, specific points in the story. It’s an exploration-heavy bit of DLC, and that benefits the player. The different areas look simply astounding, and traversing the varied environments is perhaps the most compelling aspect of the game. DLC can be a hit-or-miss scenario, but it’s easy to tell that some time and attention was paid to carefully crafting an interesting bit of content here.

The puzzles, too, are pretty limited, but they work in the context of the game’s brief capacity. You’ll fire arrows, yank down barriers, and turn levers, all the while checking the area for the various collectibles that extend the game’s story elements. However, they provide necessary changes in pace, where environmental interaction is concerned.

I wouldn’t quite say that Temple of the Witch is a lock for anyone who’s played the core game, because it is quite a short bit of story, but it certainly is an interesting addition to what is already one of my favorite gaming experiences of the last few years. Horror fans will appreciate the game’s darker tone and surreal atmosphere, and those just looking for more Tomb Raider will not be disappointed.