Tomb Raider III

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,094 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Tomb Raider III Game Cover
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In Tomb Raider III, embark on a global adventure as Lara Croft, visiting various locations from London to India and uncovering mysterious artifacts. Solve puzzles, explore ancient ruins, and engage in intense combat with a wide range of enemies. With improved graphics and new moves, this installment offers a more immersive and challenging experience for fans of the series.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
  • PSP
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,094 reviews
story52 positive mentions
stability18 negative mentions
  • Tomb Raider 3 features improved graphics and gameplay mechanics, including new moves like sprinting and crawling, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The game offers a variety of interesting locations, allowing players to explore diverse environments such as jungles, urban settings, and Antarctica.
  • The non-linear level design allows players to choose the order of their missions, adding replayability and a sense of freedom to the gameplay.
  • The game is notoriously difficult, with many players finding the puzzles and traps frustratingly complex and requiring extensive backtracking.
  • Controls are clunky and can be unresponsive, making platforming and combat challenging, especially for newcomers to the series.
  • Some levels, particularly in London, are criticized for being overly convoluted and tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • story204 mentions

    The story in this game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its improvement over previous installments and others criticizing it for being thin and lacking character depth. While the narrative incorporates interesting elements and settings, many players felt it served merely as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling tale, leading to a disconnect with the characters and plot. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a step up from earlier titles, but still falls short of creating a truly engaging experience.

    • “This game not only has great FMV cutscenes, but it also incorporates its storytelling within the game.”
    • “The story is probably the best in Lara's adventures; it's her at the height of her career, top of her game, and her arrogance is at an all-time high.”
    • “The plot was awesome and horrific, just as I've come to expect from Tomb Raider.”
    • “I didn't feel any attachment to any of the characters, and the story was just something I was barely following.”
    • “The gameplay is mediocre, the story is absent (at least at the start), there doesn’t appear to be any mystery or stakes beyond 'I wonder what happens next'.”
    • “There is not much of a story, and the one that's there only serves as an 'excuse' to make you advance through the levels.”
  • gameplay194 mentions

    The gameplay in Tomb Raider III retains much of the classic formula from its predecessors while introducing new mechanics like crawling, sprinting, and monkey-swinging, which enhance puzzle-solving and exploration. However, many players find the controls clunky and the level design confusing, leading to frustrating experiences with unfair deaths and a reliance on frequent saving. Overall, while the game offers engaging challenges and improved graphics, it struggles with dated mechanics and design choices that may not appeal to all players.

    • “Tomb Raider III features easily the biggest improvement in gameplay of the entire classic series.”
    • “The introduction of improved mechanics, harder puzzles, and an incredibly varied setting made TR3 an absolutely entertaining game.”
    • “As you get a grip on the controls and understand the gameplay's mechanics, it becomes a rewarding and satisfying experience to reach the end of every level, as well as trying to collect every secret.”
    • “First, I do think some gameplay elements were not thought through properly.”
    • “There are also sections in the game where you must do exactly what the game wants with little to no hints, which creates an absolutely terrible design of gameplay.”
    • “Since this version allows for unlimited saving, dying isn't too big of a punishment, but regardless, losing any progress to unfair game mechanics is frustrating to say the least.”
  • graphics156 mentions

    The graphics in the game show noticeable improvements over its predecessors, with enhanced textures, lighting effects, and more complex level designs that encourage exploration. While some players acknowledge the dated visuals and occasional graphical glitches, many still find the aesthetic charming and engaging, emphasizing that the gameplay experience remains enjoyable despite the low-poly graphics. Overall, the game successfully balances nostalgia with advancements in graphical fidelity for its time.

    • “Not only are the graphics and level geometry much better and more complex, but they tend to feature multiple pathways and relatively big, open areas, which are a joy to explore and traverse.”
    • “There is a small but noticeable step-up in graphical fidelity from Tomb Raider 2, with a more detailed model, larger and more detailed environments and textures, and also better alpha effects overall.”
    • “After playing Tomb Raider 2, the improved graphics and range of colors are spectacular.”
    • “While I said the level design is less linear, the old graphics do not help the game in solving puzzles/levels.”
    • “Graphics are slightly improved but this game is still ugly, don't play for the eye candy.”
    • “I also noticed that there are some rather strange graphic glitches from time to time.”
  • music76 mentions

    The music in Tomb Raider 3 is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and significant improvement over previous installments, featuring memorable tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. While some players noted that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, many highlighted specific pieces, such as the Indian jungle music, as standout moments. Overall, the soundtrack contributes greatly to the game's immersive environments and suspenseful moments, making it a key aspect of the overall experience.

    • “The soundtrack is brilliant, adds a lot to the atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack in this game is phenomenal, a new take on the themes of the first two but still similar enough to be recognizable.”
    • “Add to this an iconic soundtrack with an incredibly good atmosphere, a better sense of exploration thanks to different level paths, and you're in for a treat.”
    • “Sadly, some of the music starts to become a little bit tedious, because with such few tracks and a long game, things are bound to get repetitive.”
    • “It animates alright and it sounds okay, but the music isn't that great. The cutscenes are poorly rendered videos, and at one point the textures of the game, including the menus, bugged out in a way that I can only describe as an eldritch nightmare.”
    • “I just wish there was more music in general. The parts where the music kicks in are so atmospheric and enjoyable; it's really a shame they didn't compose a soundtrack for the whole game, but I understand there were obvious space limitations back then.”
  • atmosphere38 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its nostalgic charm, with many reviewers highlighting its unique blend of level design, graphics, and an iconic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some levels successfully evoke the classic Tomb Raider feel, others are criticized for feeling cramped and lacking atmosphere. Overall, the game captures the essence of adventure and exploration, making it a recommended choice for fans of the series.

    • “One of the best parts of the classic Tomb Raider games is their atmospheres, and I find that this game in particular nails it perfectly.”
    • “The soundtrack is brilliant; it adds a lot to the atmosphere.”
    • “New controls like the monkey bars and sprint make it much more fun than the last one, although that one has a better sense of atmosphere than this one does. I have not completed it yet but would recommend it to anyone really if you love the classics.”
    • “The atmosphere of the early Tomb Raider games is in many ways unique.”
    • “The level design still holds up extraordinarily well and it's dripping with atmosphere.”
  • stability20 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with players reporting numerous visual glitches, bugs, and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. While some users note that the game runs smoothly at times, the prevalence of graphical problems and frustrating controls leads to a perception of it being "buggy" and at times "unplayable." Many express disappointment, especially when comparing the Steam version to the original CD version, which reportedly lacks these issues.

    • “Game runs great.”
    • “Game runs great.”
    • “The controls are frustrating, the game is full of glitches and the map design is bland.”
    • “Through my playthrough, I stumbled upon a bunch of technical problems such as bugs and glitches.”
    • “Buggy as hell to the point of being unplayable.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its non-linear levels and multiple pathways, allowing players to explore different strategies and item combinations. Completionists will appreciate the hidden secrets and varied playstyles, including self-imposed challenges and speed runs, which enhance the sense of choice and exploration. Overall, the expansive environments and freedom of choice significantly contribute to the game's replay value.

    • “Expansive areas that give you a freedom of choice on where to go in what order makes the replayability exceed greatly as you can completely switch up what items you have in what areas.”
    • “Much like previous titles, it also has great replayability due to the various ways it can be played, as you can impose your own restrictions on healing, what weapons you use, or even speed runs.”
    • “This not only improves the level of replayability, but it gives a boost to the feeling of choice and exploration that the series has become iconic for.”
    • “There are definitely some standout examples of really great, fun levels, and you get to choose to tackle them in whichever order you please, adding strategy and replayability to the game.”
    • “The levels are also far less linear and often offer multiple pathways forward, resulting in increased replayability and just all around more believable environments.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mix of initial enjoyment that devolves into frustration due to poor level design and tedious mechanics, such as slow crawling and repetitive music. While some new moves enhance gameplay, the overall experience can feel like a slog, particularly in certain levels, leading to a sense of tedium that detracts from the fun. Despite these issues, some players have come to appreciate the challenge of recalling level layouts from memory over time.

    • “The game is fun at first, but over time that fun turned into frustration because the level designs are bad and tedious.”
    • “Crawling around, like climbing, seems a bit too slow and tedious, and made me audibly sigh anytime I had to get through another tight tunnel.”
    • “The London levels are also a total tedious slog.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    The game, a port from 1998, shows signs of poor optimization for modern systems, leading to occasional graphical glitches and subpar performance even on high-end hardware like the RTX 3090. However, it generally runs smoothly without crashes, and has received positive feedback for its performance on the Steam Deck. Overall, while the graphics reflect its age, the gameplay experience remains stable.

    • “The game didn't crash once and runs smoothly, another ringing endorsement for the Steam Deck!”
    • “Some graphical glitches can get in the way at times, but otherwise it runs smoothly.”
    • “The graphics are definitely PSX graphics, but the game looks and runs smoothly.”
    • “This is a PC port from 1998, and was not optimized for modern systems.”
    • “Bad PC performance using a high-end 3090.”
    • “Not optimized for PC at all.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The game features a variety of humorous surprises within its environments, contributing to an engaging and entertaining experience. Players have noted that the comedic elements, particularly the amusing visual gags, elicit prolonged laughter, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.

    • “The environments are interesting with many humorous surprises, and the puzzles will sometimes stump you.”
    • “All of his little bits flying everywhere had us laughing for a long time afterward.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players have noted that the game's soundtrack, particularly the uplifting progress music, evokes strong emotional responses, reminiscent of the happy themes from "Amnesia," which enhances feelings of relief and nostalgia.

    • “The soundtrack was good, and the happy progress music you hear every now and then made me feel relieved, as it's very similar to the happy music in Amnesia, and it gave me flashbacks.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a desire for the character design in recent Tomb Raider releases to maintain the glamour and appeal of earlier iterations, suggesting that character development has not met the expectations set by previous games in terms of visual representation.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

37hMedian play time
37hAverage play time
37-37hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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