The Tomb Raider collection is among the most well-known in gaming. We’ve seen Lara Croft tackle varied historical traps and evils to be taught the truths of the world. To this point, there are dozens of titles within the collection. Right here is our record of the perfect Tomb Raider video games.
Editors’ notice: this text excludes cellular titles.
17. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
The Tomb Raider most actually had a low level, and Angel of Darkness was the bottom. Coming off of a number of iterations that felt recycled and rehashed from earlier entries, it was meant to be a step ahead into the sixth console era for a model new trilogy. It tells the story of Lara Croft’s journey to uncover invaluable work scattered internationally.
To its credit score, there have been indicators of this ambition. The sport featured some respectable story concepts and twists, and the flexibility to decide on dialogue choices was an attention-grabbing method to flesh out the participant’s position in Lara’s journey.
Sadly, the general sport was fraught with bugs and glitches, and new mechanics like a stamina bar for climbing hampered gamers to an infuriating diploma. If you happen to go up on any entry on this record of finest Tomb Raider video games, let or not it’s this one.
16. Tomb Raider: The Final Revelation (1999)
Following the completion of the primary trilogy of video games, the collection was in want of some recent new concepts to carry itself ahead and proceed on into future console generations.
Its reply to this was The Final Revelation. This title portrays bits of Lara’s previous as she continued to make her manner throughout the globe for extra archeological adventures.
Whereas the sport was satisfactory and there was leisure to be discovered, there was additionally little that helped distinguish it as a title one may level to as greater than one other of the perfect Tomb Raider video games.
It was extra of the identical, and at a time when there have been three different titles with such an analogous – and higher utilized – gameplay framework, it was laborious to not neglect about this title altogether.
15. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
It was all the time going to be a tricky transition transferring Tomb Raider from consoles to handheld gaming, even with the final success of the Recreation Boy Shade entry from 2000.
The Prophecy managed to discover a good design stability in its top-down view. It allowed Lara’s quest to acquire three magical stones earlier than a sinister cult does to play out in a transparent and entertaining manner full with gunplay, puzzles, and the opposite gameplay staples of the collection.
All the identical, it doesn’t stand out as a memorable entry and, in all honesty, may have been a wholly totally different sport re-skinned to suit into the franchise. It’s a pleasant apart for hardcore followers to take a look at, however others received’t miss a lot by passing over this title.
14. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
Whereas the collection began to spiral downward with its second trilogy of titles, Tomb Raider: Chronicles at the very least managed to stage out to match the standard of the unique trilogy for a satisfactory sport.
Set after the occasions of Revelations, it additionally presents an attention-grabbing story dynamic in its presentation. Lara’s mates and colleagues reminisce about her previous exploits as a manner for gamers to play by a number of places and storylines.
It additionally refines a few of the concepts and gameplay mechanics current in Revelations. There are extra traversal and exploration choices for gamers to make the most of from strolling tightropes to a grappling gun.
It’s nonetheless not good, however it’s at the very least sufficient to assist it stand out as one thing followers new and previous can get one thing out of.
13. Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (2001)
The second of Lara Croft’s two Recreation Boy Shade adventures, Curse of the Sword follows Lara in her quest to cease a cult that worships the evil magician Madam Paveau.
That is additional sophisticated by the truth that in an try and steal Paveau’s ceremonial sword, Lara is lower by the blade and marked because the sacrifice essential to revive this darkish being, forcing her to platform, bounce, and struggle her well past pursuers at each flip.
Curse of the Sword is a stable gaming expertise that manages to retain the allure and spirit of the mainline collection.
The story can get a bit over-simplified and hammy at instances, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a good diversion from the same old video games for these prepared to provide it a glance.
12. Tomb Raider (2000)
The primary moveable outing the collection ever noticed, this Recreation Boy Shade entry within the collection provided an entertaining outing as Lara Croft races to cease the resurrection of an historical god.
Already spectacular in its ambition, the Recreation Boy Shade entry within the collection from 2000 additionally manages to translate the gameplay splendidly, with surprisingly responsive controls and respectable platforming.
The sport has even aged remarkably nicely, comfortably holding its place on this record of finest Tomb Raider video games due to its 2D artwork type, retaining its allure even after almost twenty years since its launch.
It’s very very like the artifacts the sport’s protagonist hunts for a dwelling: A powerful and beneficial feat of the previous price wanting again on for what it achieved.
11. Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998)
The ultimate entry within the unique trilogy, Tomb Raider III ends issues on a robust, if protected, notice. After uncovering a wierd stone in India, Lara is approached by a scientist working with the shadowy firm RX Tech.
Informed that the stone was constructed from a meteorite with untold powers, she units out to uncover the whole set of 4 and be taught their true objective, racing towards different events to make use of the stone towards their very own ends.
Ripe with gunplay, puzzles, and supernatural twists aplenty, the third entry doesn’t provide a lot that strays from the collection’ typical framework however does nicely in utilizing what has already been offered earlier than.
It’s a stable entry that can go away gamers content material and desirous to play extra video games from the collection.
10. Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
A top-down multiplayer title in the identical vein as 2010’s Lara Croft and the Guardian of Gentle, Temple of Osiris provided a four-player journey by which Lara Croft and her allies should be a part of forces to cease the traditional Egyptian deity Set from returning to the world of the dwelling and enslaving all of humanity.
To this finish, they delve into the depths of historical pyramids and conflict with long-forgotten terrors, traps, and magic in a bid to guard the world and its treasures for one more day.
A enjoyable twist on the collection’ typical gameplay, Temple of Osiris is a breezy and entertaining tackle the Tomb Raider formulation. It may be a bit bland with out different gamers, nevertheless it’s nonetheless nice for anybody who desires to see the storied franchise attempt one thing new.
9. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Gentle (2010)
The primary title to take a extra arcade-esque design method to the Tomb Raider franchise, Guardian of Gentle introduced some much-needed innovation and alter to the grizzled franchise.
After pursuing legends of an historical mirror of smoke hidden in Central America, Lara unwittingly leads a band of mercenaries to the artifact who then unleash the evil forces trapped inside it.
This additionally revives a sentinel tasked with stopping the mirror’s captive from escaping although, and by becoming a member of forces, Lara and this sentinel may need what it takes to stop the unfold of darkness internationally.
Quick-paced, easy, and in any other case an entire blast to play alone or with a good friend, Guardian of Gentle was a welcome departure from what Tomb Raider had all the time been portrayed as.
It could not have been the longest journey, nevertheless it was one which offered hope for the way forward for the collection and what it may turn out to be.
8. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
Following the less-than-stellar second trilogy of video games, the Tomb Raider collection acquired a much-needed recent take and re-evaluation of what the collection was with Tomb Raider Legends.
Underworld continued this upward pattern with a journey internationally looking for historical Norse ruins, every of which factors not solely to the doorway to the underworld however to solutions for what occurred to Lara’s long-lost mom.
Boasting tight third-person gameplay and shooter components, the sport was the whole lot gamers had been hoping for in a seventh-gen Tomb Raider sport and a high-quality title in addition to, making for an ideal jumping-off level towards greater and higher issues just a few years down the road.
7. Tomb Raider (1996)
The sport that began all of it, Tomb Raider continues to be one thing particular all these years later. As Lara Croft, gamers journey internationally looking for three historical artifacts tied to the long-lost metropolis of Atlantis, employed by a rich businesswoman with shadowy ambitions.
To perform this, they need to bounce, climb, and shoot their manner by historical temples filled with devilish traps, hungry beasts and horrors considered half solely of legends.
It was and nonetheless is an expertise few video games can seize, and whereas it could be a little bit tough for some to return to its blocky early 3D graphics, it’s nonetheless one thing that must be seen your self to really recognize.
6. Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
Typically, it’s well worth the funding to provide a traditional sport a recent coat of paint and refinements. Tomb Raider: Anniversary proves this completely, absolutely remaking the unique for a extra fashionable expertise.
Nonetheless telling the story of Lara’s adventures internationally looking for artifacts from Atlantis, the sport takes all the allure and character of the primary sport and offers it the standard of life enhancements discovered over the course of the last decade since its launch.
Gunplay is tighter, surroundings traversal is clearer and simpler to handle, and the story comes throughout extra clearly with rendered cutscenes and higher-quality performances from the characters’ actors.
If you happen to solely return to the primary sport in a method, you received’t be upset with this top-notch remake.
5. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
Tomb Raider wanted to take a step ahead after the lackluster interval of releases it noticed within the early 2000s. This it did, and it took an enormous one at that with the discharge of Tomb Raider: Legend.
Following a airplane crash in her childhood, Lara Croft’s mom Amelia was presumed useless. The reality, nevertheless, is that she disappeared after interacting with a wierd artifact, sucked right into a portal with no indication of the place she was taken.
Now an grownup, Lara finds a clue that would lead not solely to her mom however to an historical artifact linked to King Arthur and an historical energy he sought to maintain hidden from the world.
Touting attractive graphics, a gripping story, and loads of new and improved gameplay becoming of a bounce in platforms, Legends was the whole lot Tomb Raider followers had wished for years. It gave hope for the collection’s future installments and paved the way in which for the collection to proceed redefining it.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
The second entry within the collection’ current-gen reboot, Rise of the Tomb Raider returns to Lara Croft after her harrowing experiences on Yamatai.
Suffering from the trauma of what she skilled, she makes an attempt to search out solutions to what she skilled by pursuing one other artifact, one which drove her father to obsession and damage.
It’s by this that she encounters Trinity, an historical group out to achieve immortality, and should race towards them to uncover the artifact earlier than they do.
Nonetheless, as fast-paced and refined as the primary entry within the reboot trilogy, Rise provides the collection some much-needed path and permits it to develop into one thing with the potential for higher development.
Likewise, the gameplay continues to be refined to the purpose that one can simply get drawn into the journey inside minutes, whether or not which means scaling historical ruins or preventing your manner by the Siberian wilderness.
3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is well one of many darkest and most refined video games of the collection to this point.
Nonetheless sizzling on the path of Trinity and out to cease their evil plans, Lara by chance triggers a Mayan apocalypse when she uncovers an artifact linked to the destiny of her late father.
This similar artifact is each the one method to cease the apocalypse and the important thing to Trinity enacting their evil ambitions although, and so Lara has no alternative however to face Trinity head-on in an try to save lots of the world from destruction.
A blast to play and a becoming finish to the reboot trilogy, Shadow will go away followers new and previous entertained the entire manner by and ravenous for a brand new entry as quickly as potential.
2. Tomb Raider II (1997)
After the success of the primary sport, expectations have been excessive for the inevitable follow-up. What they received was a sequel that improved on the primary sport in nearly each regard.
On the hunt for the traditional Dagger of Xian, Lara Croft finds herself within the sights of the vicious crime lord Marco Bartolli, a Venetian Mafia chief obsessive about the dagger’s legendary powers.
Intent on stopping his ambitions, Lara travels throughout China in a race towards time, battling with criminals and historical monsters alike in an exhilarating blockbuster that also stands tall as probably the greatest Tomb Raider video games ever made.
Revolutionary, bold, and action-packed, Tomb Raider II was an ideal follow-up to the primary sport and a quintessential sport to play for any fan.
1. Tomb Raider (2013)
Some reboots depend on what has already been completed to make sure success, however the 2013 reboot of Tomb Raider took it a step additional by driving the collection head-first into the fashionable era of gaming.
Set on the secluded and harmful island of Yamatai, the sport locations Lara Croft in a harrowing battle for survival as she takes her first steps towards changing into the long-lasting tomb raider.
Rather than countless fire-fights and puzzle fixing, the sport as an alternative presents a way more considerate expertise ripe with stress, technique, and savage confrontations.
It isn’t the Tomb Raider most older followers keep in mind, however for the sake of the collection, it takes a number of good steps ahead towards one thing new and, actually, higher than it has ever been.
That does it for the perfect Tomb Raider video games! For extra Twinfinite guides about Lara Croft’s adventures, test the record of all Tomb Raider video games so as or when can we anticipate the subsequent Tomb Raider sport.
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