Tomb Raider VI: The Angel of Darkness

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In Tomb Raider VI: The Angel of Darkness, Lara Croft is back and entangled in a dark mystery involving ancient artifacts and a sinister alchemist. Set in Europe, Lara must navigate treacherous environments, solve puzzles, and engage in combat to unravel the truth. This edition features enhanced graphics and refined gameplay, providing a fresh take on the classic Tomb Raider experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 641 reviews

story130 positive mentions

gameplay26 negative mentions

The story is engaging and has a darker tone compared to previous Tomb Raider games.
The graphics and atmosphere are impressive for a game released in 2003, with well-designed environments.
The soundtrack is fantastic, enhancing the overall experience and mood of the game.

The controls are clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating and difficult.
The game is riddled with bugs and glitches, leading to crashes and other technical issues.
Many features feel unfinished or poorly implemented, such as the strength upgrade system and the dialogue choices.

story
315 mentions
41 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of "Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness" is often praised for its dark, intricate narrative and atmospheric depth, making it one of the most compelling in the franchise. However, many players note that the execution suffers from significant cuts and bugs, leading to a disjointed experience that can detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite its flaws, the engaging plot and character development, particularly Lara's transformation, resonate with fans, highlighting the game's potential if it had been more polished.
- “The lore-rich story based on gothic mythology, the immersive atmosphere, and the amazingly orchestrated soundtrack by Peter Connelly, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, always have me on the edge of my seat.”
- “Murti Schofield, the writer for this game, is the reason there is a cult following to this day, thanks to the thought and care he put into this detailed and complex story.”
- “The story is brilliant, and the graphics are still beautiful.”
- “The narrative has also garnered a lot of praise from some of the fanbase, but I feel like that's more relying on the untapped ideas and potential this game had, because as a story this thing falls apart rather quickly.”
- “Ultimately, this game is just a mish-mash of half-finished ideas, crappy levels, and a story that is borderline engaging but mostly just boring and forgettable.”
- “Defenders of this game will praise the story and the ability to interact with characters, but the story doesn't go much of anywhere; it ends on a cliffhanger that assumed that the Angel of Darkness would be part one of a trilogy, and the aforementioned characters only exist in the first quarter of the game, they are uninteresting, and they simply repeat themselves whenever you talk to them without getting a new plot device first.”
gameplay
145 mentions
11 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness" is widely criticized for its broken mechanics, poor controls, and unfinished features, leading to a frustrating experience for many players. While some appreciate the story and atmosphere, the introduction of new mechanics, such as stealth and stamina, often feels half-baked and poorly implemented, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Despite some redeeming qualities, the game is generally regarded as one of the weakest entries in the series due to its numerous gameplay issues.
- “Some of its mechanics are bonkers.”
- “A fantastic, dark and mysterious story, beautiful designs, awesome movesets and new gameplay elements.”
- “The middle trilogy had a nice story and improved upon the established gameplay whilst retaining that sense of challenge in design the series was based upon, if at times it was slightly repetitive or had strange design decisions.”
- “The gameplay is by far the worst among Tomb Raider games.”
- “Very little works as it should - the equilibrium of platforming, puzzles, and action perfected over the previous five installments has been replaced by a Frankenstein of gameplay mechanics that, in spite of whatever intentions the developers might have had, do nothing in their existing form to enhance the overall experience.”
- “The game is unfinished, rushed, and bugged, with clunky gameplay mechanics, but I still love it even with its flaws.”
graphics
119 mentions
35 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising their quality and detail, especially for a title from 2003, highlighting improvements over previous entries in the series. While some players appreciate the stunning visuals and immersive environments, others note frequent graphical glitches and issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, but they are marred by technical problems and subpar controls.
- “The graphics, sound, controls, gameplay, and storytelling have all received major overhauls, along with an astounding amount of bug fixes, and all the textures were recreated by hand in a way that retains the aesthetic of the original game.”
- “The game offers stunning graphics and great animations, along with a stellar soundtrack that helps create a truly immersive experience.”
- “The graphics are outstanding, even now.”
- “However, these improvements come at the cost of frequent graphical glitches, with patches doing little to fix the problem.”
- “The graphics are much improved, and the story is awesome, but the controls and glitches make it super frustrating to play.”
- “The controls are absolute crap, the graphics are blocky and there is clipping all over the place.”
music
81 mentions
60 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised as its standout feature, with many reviewers highlighting the orchestral soundtrack composed by Peter Connelly and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra as breathtaking and atmospheric. Players appreciate how the music enhances the game's gothic and immersive environments, often describing it as the best in the Tomb Raider series. Despite criticisms of the gameplay and level design, the soundtrack consistently receives accolades for its ability to evoke emotion and complement the narrative.
- “The lore-rich story based on gothic mythology, the immersive atmosphere and the amazingly orchestrated soundtrack by Peter Connelly, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra always have me on the edge of my seat.”
- “The soundtrack is breathtakingly beautiful and adds to the atmosphere in ways to bring the game to life.”
- “Composed by Peter Connelly and Martin Iveson, the music is passionate, and really lets you feel like there's a lot at stake in Lara's predicament.”
- “There's a lot of music at the start of the game and a lot less at the end.”
- “The music of the game is its only positive feature.”
- “It's not all bad, the music and level designs were nice, and the story was okay, but overall, just bad.”
stability
72 mentions
1 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
99 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly impact gameplay and stability. While some players find charm in its imperfections and enjoy the overall experience, many others describe it as rushed and unfinished, leading to frustrating controls and game-breaking issues. Despite patches improving some aspects, the consensus remains that the game is plagued by instability, making it challenging for non-fans to enjoy.
- “The PC port is not that bad; it's not buggy like I expected it to be.”
- “The game is riddled with bugs and glitches.”
- “This game is rushed, buggy, and unfinished, a disappointment that ended up destroying its developer.”
- “The game controls were extremely hard to manage, RPG elements were undeveloped and useless with constant bugs and glitches throughout the game.”
atmosphere
51 mentions
57 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and gothic qualities, enhanced by a stunning orchestral soundtrack that complements the dark and gritty environments. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create suspense and intrigue through its lore-rich story and detailed settings, making it a standout entry in the series despite some gameplay flaws. Overall, the combination of atmospheric design, compelling narrative, and beautiful music contributes to a memorable gaming experience.
- “The lore-rich story based on gothic mythology, the immersive atmosphere, and the amazingly orchestrated soundtrack by Peter Connelly, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, always have me on the edge of my seat.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is fantastic and the story is still one of the best from the entire series.”
- “It’s a game world in which everything you see and hear oozes with the atmosphere of a film noir.”
- “The control is awful, the storyline is not decent at all, and most importantly, it lost the atmosphere of 'Tomb Raider' which we are playing for.”
- “Despite these flaws it still is an average action-adventure-puzzle game with great level design and a surprisingly dark atmosphere.”
- “About how its atmosphere and plot is darker than the other games in the series and how it could have been a masterpiece if its development went smoother.”
humor
18 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its numerous glitches and absurd design choices, which often lead to hilariously frustrating moments, such as Lara's comically slow stair climbing and bizarre enemy dialogue. While some players find the game's flaws amusing, others view them as a sign of poor quality, creating a mixed reception where the humor is both a highlight and a detractor. Overall, the humor is characterized by a blend of unintentional comedy and charmingly ridiculous elements, making it a memorable, if flawed, experience.
- “Some glitches or interactions we had were so funny that we almost died of laughter...”
- “Speaking of so bad it's hilarious, the way Lara runs up and down stairs is simultaneously the worst and the best thing in the game.”
- “But hey, at least it has some hilarious ragdoll physics.”
optimization
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many users reporting poor performance even on high-end hardware, clunky controls, and numerous bugs. Despite some improvements through patches, the overall consensus is that the game was rushed to release without adequate optimization, particularly in its Steam version, leaving it unplayable for many on modern PCs.
- “And this game can still run smoothly on my computer, no bugs at all.”
- “After fixing the movement issues with patches, the controls are far better optimized for both keyboard and mouse.”
- “Still, it's one of my favorite games, and if you can get used to the controls (which is a mix between tank and analog, optimized for the PS2), I'd recommend picking it up.”
- “This game is an industry disaster because of the very clunky controls which were mostly not optimized even after the initial release of the game in 2003.”
- “This game is clearly not optimized as it was forced to the shelves before it was ready due to great pressure from the publisher to the developers. Go read the story behind this game if you care about that; it’s a good read, believe me.”
- “In conclusion though, I still can't recommend this game, specifically because the Steam version of it is optimized so badly.”
replayability
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as limited, with some users suggesting that mods may enhance the experience. While it is considered more playable than previous versions, many reviewers feel it lacks rewarding elements and variety, leading to a low replay value rating. Suggestions for improvement include incorporating RPG elements and multiple pathways to enhance replayability.
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “Good idea: introduce RPG elements to an adventure game to increase the replay value, create various pathways/solutions to obstacles that can be utilized via whatever skills/stats you have (see: Deus Ex series).”
- “Far more playable than the PS2 version.”
- “Replay value: 3/10”
- “Now I'm not saying that it is unplayable, but technically it has no replay value nor is it rewarding.”
- “Good idea: introduce RPG elements to an adventure game to increase the replay value, create various pathways/solutions to obstacles that can be utilized via whatever skills/stats you have (see: Deus Ex series)”
character development
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features exceptional character design and a compelling story, with notable character development that enhances the overall experience. While it diverges from previous titles in terms of gameplay mechanics, it offers a diverse range of combat methods and player interactions that contribute to its uniqueness.
- “The character designs are amazing and definitely a step-up.”
- “On the good side, the game has a beautiful story, great character development, and this goes perfectly alongside its gorgeous scenery and architecture. Although it may not be like any of the previous titles where you would be physically thrown into tombs and battles, it does have a perfect range of combat methods, characters, and player choice interactions, allowing for the game to be more unique and different from the rest.”
grinding
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect manageable, especially with features like quick saves in the Steam version that alleviate frustration from dying. However, some users note that additional lives may be necessary for effective grinding.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
- “The grind is satisfying, with each level-up feeling like a significant achievement.”
- “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers something new to strive for.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding feels excessively repetitive and tedious.”
- “The grinding mechanics make progress feel painfully slow.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, leveraging nostalgia to drive initial sales through an aggressive advertising campaign, which some players feel exploits the concept of abandonware.
- “This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the emotional depth in the game is lacking, with characters described as emotionally flat and unengaging, resembling "emotionally dead blow-up dolls" rather than relatable figures.