Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,113 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • stability
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft Game Cover
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"Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft" is a definitive collection of the original Tomb Raider adventures, including all expansions and secret levels. This remastered version offers upgraded graphics and the option to switch to the original polygon look. Join Lara Croft in her globe-trotting adventures, solving ancient mysteries and facing dangerous foes.

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Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,113 reviews
graphics237 positive mentions
stability55 negative mentions
  • The remastered graphics are stunning and breathe new life into the classic games.
  • The ability to switch between original and remastered graphics on the fly is a fantastic feature.
  • The collection includes all three games and their expansions, providing great value for fans.
  • The modern controls are poorly implemented and can be frustrating to use.
  • Some areas are too dark, making it difficult to see key items and requiring frequent switching to classic graphics.
  • There are minor bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience.
  • graphics935 mentions

    The remastered graphics of the Tomb Raider trilogy have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visual upgrades, which enhance the original aesthetic while maintaining the nostalgic charm of the classic games. Players appreciate the ability to seamlessly toggle between the remastered and original graphics, although some have noted that the new visuals can occasionally be too dark, making it difficult to spot key items. Despite minor graphical glitches and the lack of customizable settings, the overall presentation is seen as a significant improvement, making the games more enjoyable for both returning fans and newcomers.

    • “The remastered graphics here are insanely well made.”
    • “The new graphics are absolutely gorgeous, and I loved how you can switch between the original and the remastered versions.”
    • “The remastered textures, graphics, and additional features - including costume selection - have beautifully enhanced the overall experience.”
    • “I was regularly switching to classic graphics just to navigate the environment with less eye strain.”
    • “Sometimes the remastered graphics have a tendency to have places be a bit too dark, so you have to switch to the old graphics to get a better view of the environment, keys on the floor are sometimes a bit too difficult to spot with the remastered graphics as well.”
    • “The modern graphics will make it tolerable for newcomers, switching to the old graphics will reveal to you why it's so soulful.”
  • gameplay175 mentions

    The gameplay of the remastered Tomb Raider collection remains largely faithful to the original titles, preserving classic mechanics, puzzles, and level designs while introducing some visual enhancements. While many players appreciate the nostalgic feel and the option to toggle between modern and classic controls, others find the outdated controls and camera angles frustrating, particularly for newcomers. Overall, the remaster offers a blend of nostalgia and updated graphics, but the core gameplay experience retains its 90s charm, which may not appeal to everyone.

    • “Gameplay is smooth, I like how they kept the original visuals as well.”
    • “The controls have been refined, offering a smoother, more responsive experience without sacrificing the original's challenging gameplay.”
    • “The remaster preserves the original gameplay, puzzles, and level design, while improving the graphics and adding new features.”
    • “They're fun enough if you played them on release like I did, but that doesn't get around the fact that you have to interface with some completely outdated controls and mechanics that interrupt the flow of the game at every single chance available.”
    • “Graphically nice game, but so-called 'modern controls' are messed up, virtually making gameplay very hard.”
    • “While the graphics, sounds, and animations were improved for the time, the same basic gameplay problems persist, namely the inane fixed camera that tends to show repeated close-ups of Lara's backside rather than the ledge you are trying to jump to.”
  • stability65 mentions

    The stability of the remastered game has received mixed feedback, with many users noting the presence of both minor and game-breaking glitches, particularly those carried over from the original versions. While some graphical issues and framerate drops were reported, most players found the game to run smoothly overall, especially on lower-end hardware. Patches have addressed several bugs, but some users still encountered issues with modern controls and camera angles, suggesting that further improvements are needed.

    • “I otherwise encountered no glitches or anything that was obviously broken.”
    • “Looks great, runs great on the Steam Deck, very faithful and in-good-faith remaster.”
    • “The remaster effort is astounding, it's probably the best retro conversion I've ever seen, it looks and runs great and it's fully featured.”
    • “It turns out there are known game-breaking glitches in this level which will cause it to softlock and make it impossible to finish the level.”
    • “Yes, the 'modern' controls are buggy and the camera can be awful.”
    • “There are other issues, such as glitches with textures, limited frame rate in classic mode, skipped dialogue, issues with lighting where areas are either too dark or too bright compared to the originals, no graphical options, issues with camera controls.”
  • music61 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic and atmospheric qualities, with many players appreciating the remastered soundtracks that enhance the original compositions. However, some users note that the frequency of music cues is significantly lower compared to modern games, leading to moments of silence that can detract from the experience. Overall, while the iconic scores evoke strong memories and emotions, there are calls for more continuous music and modern updates to the soundtrack.

    • “The remastered soundtracks enhance the atmospheric experience, maintaining the nostalgia while enriching the overall ambiance.”
    • “These are the real Tomb Raider games, which will immerse you into their beautiful and mysterious atmosphere accompanied by the most beautiful music.”
    • “And oh, did I mention that the orchestral music written by Nathan McCree is still absolutely stellar?”
    • “There is way less music compared to the newest games, only an occasional sound cue and the rare soundtracks.”
    • “The soundtrack for the games was not made available separately, even though the music files are easily accessible in the folder.”
    • “There are little to no sounds, no music really, just Lara's footsteps and her grunting for the most part.”
  • story56 mentions

    The story of the Tomb Raider series, particularly in the remastered versions of the first three games, is often described as engaging yet simplistic, with a mix of ancient mysteries and mythological elements. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and the straightforward narrative, others criticize the lack of depth and coherence, especially when compared to modern storytelling standards. Overall, the remastered collection retains the essence of the original plots but may feel disjointed and less immersive due to outdated design choices and minimal guidance for players.

    • “The engaging storylines of Tomb Raider I-III are as captivating as ever, weaving tales of ancient mysteries, mythological artifacts, and sinister adversaries.”
    • “The narrative starts to shape into a proper story, a huge bonus and improvement compared to the first entry for anyone who likes proper storytelling being a part of their games.”
    • “This installment offers the most detailed and sophisticated story.”
    • “I was already confused by the weird block graphics in 1996 (everything works in blocks), annoyed by the controls in 1997, and outraged by the lack of explanation you receive for everything, plot included, in 1998.”
    • “The story is also worse this time around, feeling a little disjointed from the whole.”
    • “While the first game is a classic and a stepping stone of the Tomb Raider franchise, its story lacks the details of the latter installments, making it a less-than-ideal story-based game today.”
  • atmosphere43 mentions

    The atmosphere of the Tomb Raider games is widely praised for its blend of nostalgia, wonder, and danger, creating an immersive experience that captivates players. Many reviewers appreciate the remastered graphics and soundtracks, which enhance the original ambiance while maintaining the core elements that made the games iconic. However, some critiques highlight that certain modern updates have altered the atmosphere, suggesting that the balance between new visuals and the original feel is crucial for preserving the game's unique charm.

    • “There is an atmosphere of wonder and danger that few other games have matched.”
    • “The atmosphere and level design are top notch, and Aspyr did such a fantastic job at keeping the style of the originals while adding a fresh coat of paint.”
    • “The games are not like modern games; they don't hold your hand, and you are in for a great, challenging adventure full of puzzles and with an atmosphere so great I can't put it into words.”
    • “The games feature a different visual style than they used to have, but I can't really say that the change is for the better; some of the atmosphere has been lost in the translation.”
    • “Ai upscaled textures, missing textures, misaligned textures, tiny/near invisible key items rotated in a way that barely telegraphs what the item actually is to the player, bad modern controls, major lighting changes that ruin the feel and atmosphere the original games give, changes to the geometry for the sake of 'adding detail' that doesn't really make sense to the original level design, weird sound reverb, a terrible camera system that flies around and gives pretty awful angles forcing you to toggle back to original to see properly, etc.”
    • “Low visibility and draw distance, pitch black skies, etc. things that were likely in the original games mostly due to technical limitations, but they gave the game this otherworldly atmosphere that you just can't convey with new graphics in my opinion.”
  • optimization31 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting smooth performance on high-end systems, achieving frame rates of 60-144fps. However, some users have experienced significant stuttering and frame drops, even on powerful hardware, indicating that optimization issues persist for certain configurations. Overall, while the visual enhancements and modern controls are praised, the inconsistent performance across different setups remains a concern.

    • “The visual optimizations are a treat to the eyes.”
    • “Overall, the modern controls allow new players to not feel alienated by clunky tank inputs, the visual overhauls on the games are lovely and transformative while respecting the original vision, performance on my rig has never dropped below 4k 120fps, the original score is untouched, the cutscenes are AI upscaled as best as they can be for modern displays, and these three classics are finally easily accessible on modern platforms.”
    • “These remasters are absolutely phenomenal in terms of quality and performance.”
    • “Additionally, the performance is weird - I get constant framerate drops, even on a Ryzen 7950X3D and an RTX 4090!”
    • “Refunded, stutters like crazy on a high-end PC and it's completely unplayable considering you have to be accurate with moving Lara into position for the most part. I mean, the controls I can live with, but when it stutters and you're taking a jump, it's impossible... just makes the game highly irritating and I played the original. Still no patch to fix the performance, not recommended at this point.”
    • “The only criticism I can give of the game is that the modern control settings are a little poorly optimized in certain areas in levels where the camera will want to fight with you, not unlike the PS2 era games.”
  • replayability22 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through a wealth of achievements that encourage varied playstyles and exploration of its levels, which can be tackled in different orders. Enhanced graphics and modern controls improve the overall experience, while features like New Game+ provide additional challenges for dedicated players. Overall, the combination of these elements elevates the game's replay value beyond that of its classic predecessors.

    • “They added plenty of replayability to keep you coming back for more.”
    • “This trilogy already had high replayability, but now it just reached a new level.”
    • “The different achievements also need you to play the game differently, which gives the different titles replayability.”
    • “There's also a ton of achievements and new game+ modes for replayability.”
    • “So many achievements give a ton of replay value.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted through various amusing elements, such as the juxtaposition of modern controls with nostalgic graphics, the presence of quirky texture errors, and the comedic nature of in-game cutscenes featuring exaggerated animations. Players also find humor in the game's self-awareness, like the funny disclaimer from the developers and the absurdity of achievements that encourage unconventional gameplay. Overall, the blend of nostalgia and intentional quirks adds a lighthearted charm to the experience.

    • “It's funny because you can switch back to the original and see that the texture is there, then you switch to remastered - invisible wall, haha.”
    • “In-game cutscenes are a joy to watch, as the old animations are still present, even with the new graphics, resulting in wacky but funny hand placements and head bobbing.”
    • “There's a disclaimer by Crystal Dynamics the first time you open the game, which made me laugh; such weirdos lol you can tell they don't like the old games.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game can be a tedious experience, often requiring significant time investment without much reward. While some players appreciate improvements like a better save system, many still find aspects of gameplay repetitive and punishing, particularly for newcomers. Overall, the remaster aims to cater to long-time fans but retains some frustrating elements that can detract from the experience.

    • “When new gamer generations were praising the 'difficulty' of soulslikes after decades of handholding, Tomb Raider was already there to punish you for any mistake and rub it in, with no grinding or self-imposed challenges to boot.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “While the remaster is aimed at old players like me, the modern controls leave a lot to be desired; the camera remains as tedious as ever, they didn't improve anything.”
    • “It is not a bad game, and it has its enjoyable moments, despite some of its dull and tedious parts, but it never managed to reach the heights of TR1.”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with reviewers expressing disappointment over perceived lack of effort and creativity. While developers have promised future updates, many players feel that the game prioritizes profit over genuine enjoyment and storytelling, leading to a negative reception regarding its value for money.

    • “Felt more like a cash grab.”
    • “In all honesty, I can't recommend this lazy retexture cash grab.”
    • “Seems to be nothing more than a lazy, cynical cash grab with no effort applied, and certainly doesn't deserve your money.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mix of emotional responses, with some players expressing joy and appreciation for the character design and nostalgia, while others feel frustrated by gameplay mechanics and lack of a compelling story. Newcomers may struggle to connect emotionally due to dated visuals and challenging controls, leading to a varied emotional experience across the player base.

    • “I can't express how happy this made me feel.”
    • “And it's not just about new assets and visuals: this is the best Lara model/incarnation ever made, so my heartfelt thanks to the artists who brought her to life again.”
    • “No awesome cinematic angles, no emotional damage, no epic story.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft

Play time

24hMedian play time
35hAverage play time
6-70hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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