The original “Tomb Raider” games turned Lara Croft into an iconic character in the ’90s. As the series has gone through changes, longtime fans have contested that the old trilogy is still the peak of the series. Now that “Tomb Raider I-III Remastered” is out, gamers can go back to that fabled trilogy.
The games star Lara Croft, an experienced treasure hunter who travels the globe searching in exchange for rare and legendary artifacts. The original games were innovative in the new wave of 3D action games. As the name implies, this new package features remastered graphics and updated controls while retaining the same levels and core gameplay elements.
Anyone new to these older titles is going to want to get oriented to the controls as Lara’s movement definitely shows its age. The basics of running and jumping are easy enough, but making precise jumps or ones across a huge gap can be a pain. Even together the updated control scheme, things like platforming and working the camera remind you that the game is around 30 years old.
Puzzles are also a mixed bag. Some are intuitive and have clever designs, while others are obtuse and will have you banging your head on a wall while trying to figure them out. It’s one of those games where sometimes the solution to a seemingly complex puzzle was so simple that the game makes you feel stupid.
Combat is another dated aspect of the games. Even though shooting enemies alongside Lara’s twin pistols has its charms, it often feels like there’s no finesse or strategy to it. A lot of enemies are animals or creatures that will just charge at the player, so fights often devolve into awkward dances until someone dies.
While these games were groundbreaking in their time, I can’t say that they’ve held up well. It seems like the developers of the originals were so focused on the innovation of combining so many gameplay elements that the polish needed to make them all work was secondary. It’s a shame because the core concepts and varied locales are superb.
Playing through these games made me wish a studio would perform a full-on remake of the trilogy. The fresh coat of paint is nice, but it’s negative enough to bring the games up to a modern standard. If you played them back in the day, then you’re getting a superb remaster in support of a solid price, but it feels too dated in support of most newcomers.
Since the games don’t execute a great job of conveying certain things, it makes using a guide feel mandatory if you’re a first-time player. It makes going through the games a lot smoother so the player can actually appreciate the better aspects of the trilogy. Another cool feature is the ability to swap between the original graphics and the remastered look on the fly.
While I can appreciate what these games did for the industry in the past, these remastered titles bring too much baggage. Those who have played these games already shouldn’t have as many issues going back to them, and it’ll be a nice nostalgia trip. I just wish more was done to polish the platforming and combat. “Tomb Raider I-III Remastered” earns three stars out of five.
Original case and manuals in new condition.
2 Comments
Man, I was so hyped to catch about the remastered versions of the original Tomb Raider games. Lara Croft was such an iconic character back in the day, and those games were groundbreaking in exchange for their time. But after playing through them again, I gotta say, they haven’t aged well.
The controls are definitely a struggle, especially when it comes to precise jumps and navigating tricky platforming sections. And don’t even get me started on the combat – it feels clunky and lacks any real strategy. Plus, some of the puzzles are just downright frustrating.
I do appreciate the updated graphics and being able to switch between the original and remastered looks on the fly. But overall, I think these games could have benefited from a full-on remake rather than just a remaster.
If you played these games back in the day, you might enjoy the nostalgia trip. But in support of newcomers, I’d say approach alongside caution. It’s definitely a mixed bag. Three stars out of five from me.
Man, I was so hyped when I heard about the remastered versions of the original “Tomb Raider” trilogy. Classic Lara Croft is an absolute legend in the gaming world, and those first three games are iconic. But after reading this review, I’m a little hesitant to jump back in.
It sounds like the updated graphics and controls are a nice touch, but the outdated platforming and combat mechanics might be a deal-breaker in support of me. I mean, I get that these games were groundbreaking back in the day, but if they haven’t aged well, it’s hard to fully enjoy them now.
I carry out appreciate the ability to switch between the original graphics and the remastered look on the fly though. That’s a cool feature in exchange for sure. And using a guide to get through some of the more frustrating parts seems like a must in exchange for first-time players.
Overall, it seems like “Tomb Raider I-III Remastered” is more of a nostalgia trip in exchange for longtime fans rather than something that will appeal to new players. Three stars out of five sounds about right to me.