Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 984 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation Game Cover
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In Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation, Lara Croft mistakenly releases the evil God Set and must re-imprison him to prevent Armageddon. As she navigates through ancient Egyptian tombs, Lara faces intricate puzzles, deadly traps, and relentless pursuer Werner Von Croy. This action-packed adventure offers thrilling gameplay and captivating storyline in a race against time.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 984 reviews
story84 positive mentions
stability22 negative mentions
  • The story is engaging and features a compelling narrative that adds depth to Lara's character.
  • The game offers a variety of challenging puzzles and exploration, making it feel like a true adventure.
  • The graphics and atmosphere are improved compared to previous entries, creating a more immersive experience.
  • The tank controls are clunky and frustrating, making navigation and interaction difficult.
  • The game suffers from significant backtracking and confusing level design, which can lead to frustration.
  • There are technical issues on modern systems, including lack of controller support and problems running in fullscreen.
  • story252 mentions

    The story in Tomb Raider IV is generally praised for its depth and character development, marking a significant improvement over previous entries in the series. Set primarily in Egypt, it combines engaging puzzles with a narrative that explores Lara Croft's backstory and her relationships, particularly with Professor Von Croy. While some players find the plot lacking in coherence and depth, many appreciate the ambitious storytelling and the incorporation of Egyptian mythology, making it one of the standout narratives in the franchise.

    • “The storyline takes you on a globetrotting adventure, uncovering ancient secrets and battling nefarious villains.”
    • “This is easily the best story in the Tomb Raider series up to this point and the addition of professional writers really shows.”
    • “The story is pretty engaging, and the puzzles are good, offering a great balance of challenge and atmosphere.”
    • “This game tries to push the franchise's story to new levels but it ends up being disappointing.”
    • “Yet the story itself is weak in plot design and a lot of things aren't explained in this series, although they get explained later in other sequels.”
    • “But later in the game it seemed the makers of this game forgot about the storyline and just added some extra levels to make the game longer.”
  • gameplay158 mentions

    The gameplay of this Tomb Raider entry is characterized by a mix of familiar mechanics and new features, including complex puzzles and challenging level designs that can feel overwhelming. While some players appreciate the improved controls and the introduction of unique mechanics, many criticize the lack of explanations for certain gameplay elements and the presence of frustrating bugs, particularly with the rope mechanics. Overall, the game offers a lengthy and engaging experience, but its execution can be inconsistent, leading to a divided reception among players.

    • “As for the gameplay experience, it is by far the most challenging in both its length and difficulty, with Lara required to solve complex puzzles and even play games like Senet in order to complete the levels.”
    • “It has something for everyone: the lore, the dark ambience, action-oriented gameplay, and loads of puzzling that sometimes requires deep thinking.”
    • “The story and the gameplay are complex and not so linear, as now you can revisit certain levels as you progress through the game, as sometimes the story demands you do that.”
    • “Some puzzles were challenging, almost unfair, taking me quite some time to solve due to mechanics that weren't immediately obvious and were specific to only one puzzle.”
    • “There were other puzzles but they were very frustrating because their mechanics were not explained at all.”
    • “This is the worst game I have ever played; controls make no sense, level design makes no sense, certain mechanics are used once and then never again and without any introduction.”
  • graphics142 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the improvements over previous titles and the overall visual presentation, while others criticize them as outdated and lacking detail. Many players appreciate the nostalgic charm of the graphics, especially in the context of the game's release period, but note that modern gamers may find them lacking compared to contemporary standards. Overall, while there are enhancements, the graphics are often seen as a step up but not groundbreaking, leaving a sense of nostalgia rather than innovation.

    • “If you are up for an old school challenge featuring stunning visuals and beautiful ambient music, not to mention a great love for exploration, then this is the game for you.”
    • “The graphics have been improved from the previous games and the animations are a lot smoother.”
    • “Graphically, this is the best looking of the core series so far but it's very much the Tomb Raider you know and love with some new lighting effects and a graphics touch-up.”
    • “The visuals are appalling, it looks like cardboard cutouts.”
    • “The graphic still lacks punch as the 3D seamline is still painfully visible, though there are improvements here and there, just not perfect.”
    • “I do want to say that I feel the creators were lazy back then and they really should have given bigger graphical improvements for their 4th game.”
  • music48 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and evoke nostalgia, particularly in relation to the game's Egyptian setting. However, some players note a lack of ambient sounds, leading to moments of silence, and express that while the music is good, it could have been more consistent and varied. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, but there are suggestions for improvement in its integration and volume balance with other audio elements.

    • “Awesome environment, beautiful music, cool story and riddles, awesome take on Egyptian mythology and the iconic Lara Croft.”
    • “This is also further improved through Peter Connelly's pure artistic genius: the soundtrack of this game is top notch, the ambience themes are what make the levels so unique and they manage to make you feel like you're Lara Croft herself, which is a beautiful nostalgic feeling that I sadly cannot find in any other exploration game as of yet.”
    • “Tomb Raider 4 has some of the best puzzles in the series, it looks great and has its shining moments for something from 1999, music is absolutely incredible and memorable, and for the first time in the series we have an actual story with character development.”
    • “The one thing they could've touched a bit better is the music/ambiance sound.”
    • “Speech volume is tied to music volume, so you're forced to listen to music if you want to know what is happening.”
    • “Musical cues still feature, but for the most part you'll hear nothing but your own footsteps, the wind rolling through passageways, and the occasional crumble of stones somewhere in the distance.”
  • atmosphere46 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and foreboding qualities, enhanced by meticulously detailed environments, atmospheric lighting, and haunting sound design. Reviewers note a strong sense of isolation and nostalgia, with a blend of horror elements that evoke a deep emotional response. Overall, the game successfully creates a unique and engaging atmosphere that complements its challenging puzzles and exploration-focused gameplay.

    • “The meticulously detailed environments and atmospheric lighting add an extra layer of immersion.”
    • “There is a colder, darker, more foreboding atmosphere in this game as the sky gradually begins to darken, there's the constant sound of wind-swept dunes whistling through the game's corridors and open areas, and skeletons and mummies begin rising from the dead.”
    • “The foreboding, hostile atmosphere, the high emphasis on exploration mixed with just the right amount of action, the new and interesting puzzle designs, and the degree of historical and mythological attention to detail paints this as a good, even great Tomb Raider game, marred by some thoughtless decision making in regards to its hub-world system and interconnected puzzle solving nature.”
    • “This is true horror where you can feel the solitude and the atmosphere in the tombs and the creepy sounds.”
  • stability22 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, including game-breaking issues that necessitate reverting to previous saves. While some players note that certain glitches can be exploited for shortcuts, the overall experience is marred by instability, particularly in fullscreen mode and with specific mechanics. Despite these issues, a few fans appreciate the nostalgic elements and improvements over earlier versions, though they still acknowledge the game's buggy nature.

    • “There are so many glitches I have come across.”
    • “Furthermore, the game is quite buggy and there are some game-breaking bugs that will require you to return to a previous save.”
    • “Cons: there are some buggy levels, it crashes in fullscreen without fixes, and rope swinging mechanics aren't very good.”
  • grinding16 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, particularly due to poorly executed backtracking and repetitive level designs that lead to confusion and frequent deaths. While some players find the challenges manageable, the overall experience is marred by a lack of momentum in the later stages, resulting in a drawn-out and monotonous gameplay experience.

    • “This would not be too much of an issue if this wasn't padded out with badly executed backtracking, most notable in the Cairo area, and some of the puzzles in the late game such as the under the sphinx symbol puzzle, the rather tedious climbing of the pyramid (twice!) and for some unexplained reason a lot of the main rooms in the final part of the game look very much alike, often resulting in getting lost easily.”
    • “It is quite obvious that the developers' momentum had all but evaporated at this point and the fact that the final set of levels is drawn out, highly repetitive, and tedious only cements that theory.”
    • “Last Revelation has great production and solid controls for an old school TR game, but is also the most tedious and frustrating game of the PS1 era titles thanks to some awkward puzzle/level designs.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in "Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation" is a standout feature, blending Lara Croft's signature wit with action and puzzles to create an entertaining experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to deliver both thrilling moments and comedic relief, often through amusing deaths and clever dialogue, making it a memorable adventure that keeps them engaged and laughing.

    • “This game is a delightful mix of action, puzzles, and Lara's signature humor that kept me entertained for hours on end.”
    • “But fear not, solving these puzzles provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment, even if it comes with the occasional hilarious death.”
    • “All in all, Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation is a hilarious and thrilling adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing poor performance even on high-end hardware like the RTX 3090, while others note that it is better optimized than previous titles in the series. Users have reported sluggish controls, which they attribute to the original game's design rather than optimization issues, and some have found that keybinding can be adjusted without problems. Overall, while there are complaints about performance, it is considered one of the better-optimized entries among older titles.

    • “Out of all the old Tomb Raider games, this one is optimized the best.”
    • “The game is old and must be optimized by yourself.”
    • “Well, I read a couple of bad reviews saying the game is badly optimized for high-end machines. I have a Windows 7, i5, GTX 760, and they also complained that the controls are sluggish and you can't even change the keybinding. The controls are sluggish because the original game's controls were also sluggish; on that part, the game doesn't change a bit. The keys I changed without any problem. The only thing I can complain about is that the engine-based cutscenes shake a little bit when the camera moves; the other cutscenes are all right.”
    • “Bad PC performance using a **** 3090.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Tomb Raider 4 marks a significant step in character development for the series, introducing a more substantial story and a more detailed portrayal of Lara Croft. While some reviews note that the character development is still somewhat basic, the improvements in design and narrative depth are appreciated, especially compared to earlier titles. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging puzzles with a more developed character experience.

    • “Lara Croft is more detailed in character design along with slight improvements in the details of the locations.”
    • “It has a lot of puzzles (as a real Tomb Raider game should), it has a lot of backtracking (like, a lot), it has annoying enemies (but they're fun to kill nevertheless), it requires a lot of precise jumps (but thank god for the saving system - although you can screw yourself over severely if you save in a wrong place) and a pretty basic story (not a lot of character development but it's still fun).”
    • “I wish they had kept this more glamorous character design in the more recent Tomb Raider releases.”
    • “Tomb Raider 4 has some of the best puzzles in the series, it looks great and has its shining moments for something from 1999, music is absolutely incredible and memorable, and for the first time in the series we have an actual story with character development.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability; while some players find it offers significant replay value, others criticize it for confusing mechanics and a lack of engaging content that diminishes the incentive to replay.

    • “It has lots of replay value.”
    • “It has lots of replay value.”
    • “Cons: confusing and non-intuitive solutions to certain set pieces, lack of replayability.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    Players consistently highlight the game's ability to evoke deep emotions naturally, without feeling contrived. Many reviewers, including families, express a profound connection to the narrative, often leading to heartfelt reactions. Overall, it is celebrated as one of the most emotionally impactful titles in the classic genre.

    • “It's the most emotional game without forcing it.”
    • “Me and my family absolutely loved this game; one of the best classic TR games. Can't write anymore, need to shed a tear :)”
    • “It's the most emotional game without forcing it.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

20hMedian play time
20hAverage play time
20-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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