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Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider Definitive Edition is a must have game on the PS4!
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89%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
94% User Score Based on 89,742 reviews
Critic Score 84%Based on 20 reviews

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About

Tomb Raider is a single player and multiplayer survival shooter game. It was developed by Nixxes and was released on November 27, 2012. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Tomb Raider is a single-player, science fiction shooter game with an intriguing story, spectacular game mechanics, and good music. The game follows adventurer Lara Croft as she searches for the pieces of the ancient artifact, the Scion, in breathtaking 3D worlds filled with exploration, puzzle-solving, and acrobatic platforming elements. However, the game has its share of grinding and bugs, but the dense atmosphere and action-packed gameplay make up for it.

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94%
Audience ScoreBased on 89,742 reviews
story19.3k positive mentions
stability756 negative mentions
  • story
    36,074 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of *Tomb Raider* (2013) is widely praised for its engaging narrative that serves as an origin story for Lara Croft, showcasing her transformation from a fearful novice to a resilient survivor. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and character development, others criticize the plot for being predictable and filled with clichés. Overall, the game successfully combines action, exploration, and storytelling, making it a compelling experience for both new players and fans of the franchise.

    • “The way the game takes you from a fearful rookie to the tomb raider is a masterclass in video game storytelling.”
    • “Crystal Dynamics has crafted a compelling origin story for Lara Croft that draws you into her journey like never before.”
    • “The story expertly weaves themes of survival, courage, and self-discovery, showcasing Lara’s transformation from a naive young archaeologist into a formidable adventurer.”
    • “The story is shallow, the lines are all cliche.”
    • “The plot is pretty average, which is fine.”
    • “The story is mostly an excuse for you to run through collapsing temples and mow down hordes of bad guys.”
  • gameplay
    16,937 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Tomb Raider" (2013) has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging combat mechanics, smooth controls, and the balance between action, exploration, and puzzle-solving. While some players appreciate the cinematic presentation and character development, others criticize the reliance on quick-time events and linear gameplay, which can feel repetitive and detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is noted for its solid mechanics and enjoyable gameplay, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of action-adventure titles.

    • “It's not a really long game that doesn't outstay its welcome, the perfect length and perfect pacing of introducing new weapons and mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay is smooth and engaging, making it easy for newcomers to jump right in.”
    • “The gameplay is a fantastic mix of exploration, combat, and puzzles, with a leveling system that lets you build Lara’s skills as you go.”
    • “The gameplay itself is repetitive and uninspired.”
    • “The stealth mechanics feel clunky, and the AI enemies are laughably dumb.”
    • “It feels like the developers sacrificed gameplay precision for cinematic set pieces, and the result is a mess.”
  • graphics
    16,540 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Tomb Raider" (2013) have received widespread acclaim, with many players noting that they still hold up remarkably well even years after its release. The game features stunning visuals, detailed environments, and impressive character models, often described as breathtaking and cinematic. While some reviews mention minor graphical glitches and a few dated elements, the overall consensus is that the graphics are a significant strength of the game, enhancing the immersive experience of Lara Croft's adventure.

    • “The graphics are stunning, with beautiful and immersive environments.”
    • “The visuals hold up beautifully, and the gameplay feels just as smooth and immersive.”
    • “For a 2013 game, the graphics are simply fantastic, with a great attention to detail.”
    • “Considering the graphical quality and attention to detail of the rest of the game, it's a weird oversight.”
    • “The story somewhat carries it, but with such outdated graphics and mediocre gameplay, it doesn't come remotely close to the next two games and isn't really worth playing unless you really want to play all of them.”
    • “The only thing that doesn't hold up for me is the graphics; they look distractingly old and I hope they remaster it with Rise of the Tomb Raider graphics.”
  • music
    1,593 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Tomb Raider" (2013) has received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the atmospheric and immersive qualities of the soundtrack composed by Jason Graves. Reviewers noted that the music effectively enhances the game's emotional moments and complements the intense action, although some found it to be forgettable or lacking memorable themes. Overall, the sound design, including ambient sounds and voice acting, contributes significantly to the game's cinematic experience, making it a standout aspect despite some criticisms of repetitiveness and occasional audio glitches.

    • “A masterpiece of a game with solid visuals, excellent music and a story that feels like you are playing a movie.”
    • “The music score, by Jason Graves, complements the game’s tone with intense, haunting tracks that underscore moments of tension and discovery.”
    • “The soundtrack composed by Jason Graves is excellent; it is not only bombastic but excels in quieter and subtle moments–sometimes just the light tapping of drums or a few choice musical notes perfectly timed upon accomplishing a goal.”
    • “The music isn't much to speak of but it clearly isn't meant to be; instead focusing on hitting players with waves of discomforting noise to make the game's more aggressive scenes hit a little harder; and in this the music somewhat succeeds.”
    • “75% of the time, there won't be any music, and in that 25% where there is, it's nothing special, or even anything you'll remember.”
    • “I don't recall much of anything about the music so I'm guessing it was just there.”
  • atmosphere
    1,244 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in *Tomb Raider* (2013) is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, with players highlighting the stunning graphics, dynamic weather, and detailed environments that enhance the sense of exploration and danger. The game's sound design, including its atmospheric music and sound effects, further contributes to a gripping experience that keeps players engaged throughout. Overall, the combination of a haunting setting, intense action sequences, and a well-crafted narrative creates a uniquely atmospheric adventure that resonates with players long after they finish the game.

    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, from the haunting isolation of the island to the adrenaline-pumping set pieces that keep you on edge.”
    • “The game's stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere bring the island to life in breathtaking detail, from its lush jungles to its crumbling ruins.”
    • “The attention to detail in the environments, character models, and atmospheric effects creates an immersive and captivating experience.”
    • “This destroys any atmosphere that the story is trying to set.”
    • “I wish there was a little more atmosphere in the game that could replace those shooting gallery moments.”
    • “However in other areas, the atmosphere kills it.”
  • optimization
    988 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to run smoothly on a variety of hardware, including low-end systems, while others report significant performance issues, particularly on modern setups and with certain graphical features like TressFX. Overall, it is generally considered well-optimized for casual gaming, but some users have experienced crashes and bugs that detract from the experience. The game's performance is often described as solid, with many players achieving good frame rates even at high settings, although there are notable exceptions, especially for those using Nvidia graphics cards.

    • “Very good length, solid story, graphics look beautiful and it is very well optimized to run on just about any computer.”
    • “This game has amazing design, is optimized, and is overall really very well made.”
    • “The graphics are incredible, and it's optimized so well that it doesn't require a high budget machine!”
    • “This game is badly optimized and keeps crashing.”
    • “Here are too many bugs, all the way to the PC side optimization not too good.”
    • “The 'native' build of the game has atrocious performance problems.”
  • character development
    937 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "Tomb Raider" is widely praised, particularly for Lara Croft, who evolves from a frightened novice to a resilient survivor throughout the game. Players appreciate the depth and emotional resonance of her journey, although some note that supporting characters lack similar development, often feeling one-dimensional. Overall, the game's narrative effectively showcases Lara's transformation, making her a relatable and compelling protagonist in the action-adventure genre.

    • “Set on the mysterious island of Yamatai, the game focuses on Lara's character development, humanizing her through physical and psychological challenges.”
    • “Lara's character development is one of its strengths, showing her evolution from an inexperienced young woman to a resilient and determined heroine.”
    • “The character development is compelling, and the voice acting, especially Camilla Luddington's performance as Lara, brings a new level of emotion to the character.”
    • “I understand this is supposed to be a reboot, and they were going for character development, but this new one just complains and whines for half of the game.”
    • “The other thing is character development... and it is very poor.”
    • “Only issue is the story is a little forgettable and character development is non-existent.”
  • stability
    866 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including freezing, soft locks, and issues with quick time events. While some users experienced minimal problems and found the game enjoyable, others described it as a "buggy mess" that significantly detracted from their experience. Overall, the game's stability appears to be a major concern, particularly on certain platforms, leading to frustration for many players.

    • “So this game runs great on both my Steam Deck and my MacBook without issues.”
    • “No glitches, issues, or crashes, which is amazing for a AAA game these days.”
    • “The game is still very beautiful and holds up well and runs great!”
    • “It's a buggy mess at every turn, the cutscene camera is giving me motion sickness, and the button mashing quick time events not only cause me physical pain but mental pain because the time window is over before you can even read the quick time prompt so it becomes a shitty memory game and lessens the overall experience because everything has to stop until I can succeed.”
    • “These glitches, combined with long loading times, killed any sense of immersion the game tried to build.”
    • “The pc version of the game is a buggy mess, but it was a very entertaining buggy mess; well, until one specific cage broke apart in the second half of the game.”
  • emotional
    842 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of *Tomb Raider* (2013) is highlighted by Lara Croft's compelling transformation from a vulnerable explorer to a resilient survivor, which resonates deeply with players. Many reviews praise the game's strong character development, immersive storytelling, and emotional depth, enhanced by effective voice acting and a powerful musical score. However, some critiques point out inconsistencies in emotional engagement, particularly during action sequences that undermine the gravity of earlier emotional moments, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall emotional impact of the narrative.

    • “Watching Lara go from a fresh-faced explorer to an unstoppable survivor was unexpectedly emotional.”
    • “The emotional depth of her character is beautifully portrayed, making players genuinely invest in her journey and the challenges she faces.”
    • “The game's compelling narrative and character development provide depth and emotional resonance, making Lara's journey both exhilarating and relatable.”
    • “Cringe dialogue, unlikable characters, boring story-line and gameplay was mid.”
    • “There are so many issues with this game: boring story, very monotonic scenery, crappy PlayStation mechanics, no skill required, easy puzzles, very repetitive gameplay, poor character development, uninteresting characters, no humor.”
    • “I suppose this tactic of distracting the player with pointless button-mashing tries to compensate for a cliché and boring story with cringe-worthy dialogue even the above-average voice actors can't pull off.”
  • replayability
    840 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The replayability of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting its linear structure and lack of significant choices as limiting factors. While some appreciate the abundance of collectibles and challenge modes that encourage exploration, others feel that once the main story is completed, there is little incentive to replay. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some claiming high replay value due to collectibles and gameplay mechanics, while others cite minimal replayability after the initial playthrough.

    • “There's a lot of replayability, with different difficulty levels and challenge modes to keep you coming back for more.”
    • “The story is incredible, the characters are amazing, and the game is extremely fun and replayable just like the two games that followed this game.”
    • “This reboot is highly entertaining, visually stunning, and is very replayable even after finishing it multiple times.”
    • “There's basically zero replay value since you'll find 100% of collectibles on your way, but I enjoyed my 30 hours from cover to cover.”
    • “It is kinda too short for my liking and has almost no replayability potential, no new game plus with scaling or side 'questing'.”
    • “The only downside that I can see is that the replay value of the game is not very high, but it is still one of the best single player stories I have seen.”
  • grinding
    565 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it can be excessively tedious, often requiring a significant time investment to achieve completionist goals. While some found the grinding necessary for upgrades and achievements to be manageable, others described it as a "second life" requirement, particularly in multiplayer modes where the lack of active players exacerbates the grind. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable gameplay and frustratingly repetitive tasks, making it a polarizing experience for those who dislike grinding.

    • “I appreciate that you can beat this game relatively quickly; there is no tedious grinding or anything.”
    • “It isn't that grindy, but it requires you to explore the map and look for literally everything.”
    • “Gameplay is not grinding because of frequent checkpoints, so you need not replay every grueling challenge (so long as you attain a certain level of progress).”
    • “As for completionists, maybe around 30-50 hours depending on your progress as there are some achievements easy to get and some of them are a bit tricky to do and might require some grinding.”
    • “The items you collect are somewhat interesting, but finding all the sets is tedious and quickly gets boring.”
    • “The multiplayer achievements are quite hard to do now (since less people) and the achievement for grinding to level 60 is just a boring process, so I will take 1 point off because of that.”
  • humor
    474 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it unintentionally funny due to the absurdity of Lara's numerous gruesome deaths and the over-the-top action sequences. While some moments elicit genuine laughter, particularly from glitches and clumsy dialogue, others feel more like dark comedy, as players often find themselves chuckling at Lara's misfortunes rather than with her. Overall, the game balances moments of humor with a serious tone, leading to a unique experience that can be both entertaining and bizarre.

    • “I particularly got a kick out of Lara laughing at herself when she realizes a relic is fake upon further examination.”
    • “The gameplay is a hilarious rollercoaster of jumps, falls, and the occasional 'ouch!' that makes every death a comedy act.”
    • “Lara's death scenes are hilariously gruesome - you'll laugh, you'll cringe, and you'll wonder how she manages to survive half the stuff that happens to her.”
    • “Enemies went down so fast and easy it's not funny.”
    • “So good it's not funny, and although at the time of writing I haven't beaten it, I love this game for the following aspects.”
  • monetization
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising it for not relying on microtransactions or feeling like a cash grab, while others express frustration over perceived exploitative practices and the presence of unnecessary DLC. Longtime fans appreciate the game's solid gameplay and collectibles, but some critics feel that the developers have succumbed to modern monetization trends, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some players recommending the game for its quality, while others view it as a disappointing cash grab.

    • “Plus, there are no microtransactions--you have to earn all that rank and character bonuses yourself.”
    • “Really gripping, and I have no issue recommending this game to anyone who wants a solid AAA game that doesn't push microtransactions or DLC to be good.”
    • “Excellent remake and update to the series, before the age of microtransactions, this game stands the test of time with great combat, plenty of collectibles and secrets, and engaging gameplay.”
    • “Incredibly disgusted with Square Enix with this port; it's disgusting that developers can get away with cash grabs like this.”
    • “I bought this game under the terms I would not need an account for a company that is flinging its microtransactions from children, copycat battle royale money around, stealing up exclusives for its featureless launcher.”
    • “If you are a long-time Tomb Raider fan, you may get some enjoyment out of the game, but I see this game as a shameful excuse that is an obvious cash grab on the part of the developers, even to the point of most people agreeing that the DLC is just that and is not even worth buying during a sale.”
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84%Critics’ scoreBased on 20 critic reviews
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14h Median play time
31h Average play time
11h Main story
20h Completionist
10-20h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 418 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Tomb Raider is a survival shooter game.

Tomb Raider is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, iPhone, Windows and others.

The main story can be completed in around 11 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 20 hours to finish. On average players spend around 31 hours playing Tomb Raider.

Tomb Raider was released on November 27, 2012.

Tomb Raider was developed by Nixxes.

Tomb Raider has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Tomb Raider is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Tomb Raider: Legend and others.