Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is a nostalgic blast to the past, bundling together the original three games along with all their expansions. This collection allows both veterans and newcomers to experience Lara Croft's early globe-trotting adventures, as she raids tombs, solves ancient mysteries, and faces off against villains in exotic locales.

I enjoyed revisiting these classic games, which defined the action-adventure genre in the late 90s. The puzzles feel clever and fresh while still retaining that retro charm. Traversing the environments and exploring every nook and cranny for secrets is as addicting as ever. The remastered graphics also breathe new life into these aging titles, making them more palatable for modern gamers used to today's high-fidelity visuals.

A Classic Reborn

The visual overhaul is the most noticeable improvement in the remaster. While still blocky by today's standards, the environments and character models are crisp and clear in high definition. You can also switch back to the original graphics to relive that old school polygonal look.

The remaster makes smart use of modern lighting techniques to better realize the mood and tone of each locale. Small visual touches like ambient occlusion also help the environments feel more cohesive.

The controls have been updated to match modern third-person action games. Lara handles far better than in the rigid tank-controls of the original. Quality-of-life improvements were added, like the ability to toggle sprint for quicker traversal. The camera system has also been improved, doing a better job of framing the action during intense encounters.

Raiding in Style

The Tomb Raider experience shines through in both level design and gameplay. Lara visits a myriad of ancient sites brimming with foreboding architecture, ominous caverns, and labyrinthian puzzles.

The environments encourage methodical exploration and observation. Secret areas hide just out of view, requiring clever platforming or puzzle solving to access, rewarding curiosity and risk taking.

The gameplay loop still holds up. Each level strings together platforming challenges, environmental puzzles, and the occasional shootout or boss fight.

While the gunplay lacks the polish of modern third-person shooters (or even Uncharted,) it services the action well enough. The real meat lies in unravelling each area's secrets through observation and critical thinking. Tomb Raider emphasizes brains over brawn, and that cerebral design remains engaging to this day.

Retro Tombs

By modern standards, some aspects of Tomb Raider show their age. The early 3D graphics and animations are understandably stiff and unrefined. The platforming and combat can be finicky at times. But within the context of when they released, these games were genre defining. Their clever level design and globetrotting adventures made Lara Croft a gaming icon.

Pros

• Improved visuals breathe new life while retaining retro charm
• Modernized control scheme improves overall handling
• Rewarding exploration and puzzle-solving

Cons

• Early 3D graphics and animations are understandably dated
• Fiddly platforming and combat by today's standards
• Gameplay can feel repetitive after three whole games