Tomb Raider: retrospective series – PlayStation.Blog
There are few modern video game icons as influential and well-known as Lara Croft. Making its way to the PlayStation in the polygon era of 1996, gaming was never the same after Tomb Raider launched.
Since then, PlayStation has been with the British explorer-archaeologist, with every mainstream classic getting its moment to shine. And with Tomb Raider IV-VI remastered Coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on February 14, now is the perfect time to revisit them.
PlayStation era
Tomb Raider – 1996 – PlayStation – Eidos Interactive, Core Design
Introducing the young English aristocrat to the world, Tomb Raider sets the scene on a quest to discover three pieces of an ancient artifact known as the Scion.
The result is a global and winding ride through locations such as Greece, Egypt and Atlantis, with a revolutionary combination of 3D levels, gun action, puzzle solving and diving. moving upside down. And who can forget that heart-stopping encounter with the T-Rex?
Available on PlayStation Store as part of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered.
Tomb Raider II – 1997 – PlayStation – Eidos Interactive, Core Design
Now a more experienced adventurer, Miss Croft begins her search for the mystical Dagger of Xian, said to possess the power to transform its bearer into a dragon. In an attempt to claim it against the dangerous cultists of Fiamma Nera, Lara crosses Venice, Tibet and even returns to her villa in England.
Expanding in every way on the already hugely successful formula, with new weapons, wall climbing and larger levels, Tomb Raider II also introduces pilotable vehicles such as boats and snowmobiles , marks the beginning of a beautiful relationship between Lara and practically anything with a motive (and even some without).
Available on PlayStation Store as part of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered.
Tomb Raider III: The Adventures of Lara Croft – 1998 – PlayStation – Eidos Interactive, Core Design
Four ancient meteorite fragments bring strength. Horrible Experiments Nod to the classic film, The Thing. Lara’s third outing is a huge success, taking her across Nevada, the South Pacific Islands and Antarctica to get the job done – with the novel option to play the game’s in-between locales accordingly. any order.
Like Tomb Raider II, this sequel features smarter enemies and equips Lara with an even broader range of moves like monkey swings and stamina-limiting sprints. It also introduced vivid lighting, weather, and smoke effects, giving the series a serious visual kick.
Available on PlayStation Store as part of Tomb Raider I-III Remastered.
Tomb Raider: The Final Revelation – 1998 – PlayStation – Eidos Interactive, Core Design
Compared to its confident prequels, The Last Revelation takes on a more hesitant tone as Lara’s attempt to obtain the Amulet of Horus accidentally releases the evil Egyptian God, Set, who possessing her old mentor.
Saving humanity from Set, Lara must journey through various indoor and outdoor areas as she fights through the streets, ruins, and canyons of Cairo and Alexandria, as well as the Giza Pyramids.
Along with the less polygonal-looking Croft, her fourth outing introduced more new moves and the ability to combine items in her inventory to craft pieces or create enhanced weapons. We will return to this element later…
Coming soon to the PlayStation Store as part of Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered.
Tomb Raider: Chronicles – 2000 – PlayStation – Eidos Interactive, Core Design
Presumed dead after the events of The Last Revelation, Chronicles recounts Lara’s nearest and dearest remembrances of her past, revealing her hunt for the Philosopher’s Stone in Rome, her search for the Spear of Destiny off the Russian coast, fending off Hellspawn in Ireland as an enemy. teenager and infiltrate a high-tech facility in New York – along with robot assassins.
Coming soon to the PlayStation Store as part of Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered.
PlayStation 2 era
Tomb Raider: Dark Angel – 2003 – PlayStation 2 – Eidos Interactive, Core Design
Having survived the events of The Last Revelation, Lara eventually returns to Paris, only to be accused of murdering her former mentor.
True to its title, The Angel of Darkness features a darker story than previous games in the series, with PS2-powered visuals to match the new style and improved controls. . It also introduced a dialogue system, an upgradeable stamina bar, and a second playable character as villainous partner Kurtis Trent.
Coming soon to the PlayStation Store as part of Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered.
Tomb Raider: Legend – 2006 – PlayStation 2 – Eidos Interactive, Crystal Dynamics
Rebooting the entire series and balancing Lara’s daring sense of adventure with a more grounded emotional core, Legends sees Miss Croft searching for the mythical sword Excalibur as a way to help find her missing mother. yours.
Increasing the locations that Lara typically explores (from Japan and Peru to Nepal and Kazakhstan) but taking a back-to-basics approach to her weapons and equipment, Legend has reformatted the controls, combat, and gameplay. Enemy AI and even create a custom physics of the series. engine to give the game a fresh yet familiar feel.
Available on the PlayStation Store and comes with Premium PlayStation Plus.
Tomb Raider: Anniversary – 2007 – PlayStation 2 – Eidos Interactive, Crystal Dynamics
To this point, the series has struck a great balance between series homages and new mechanics, recombining the first Tomb Raider story while following the events of Legacy, in one engine. advanced.
Lara’s arsenal has been improved, while the iconic style of the first game is kept as much as possible, albeit with more modern considerations in terms of puzzles and level design to helps integrate elements from Legend, such as grappling through environments.
PlayStation 3 era
Tomb Raider: Underworld – 2008 – PlayStation 3 – Eidos Interactive, Crystal Dynamics
Concluding the Legends timeline, Underworld sees Lara search for Thor’s hammer to enter the Norse underworld, Helheim, and discover the truth about her parents’ ultimate fate. The game cleverly used real-world analogs for the mythical locations, taking Lara to places like Jan Mayen Island and the Arctic Circle.
Underworld took advantage of the powerful PS3 hardware with more expansive environments, motion-capture animations (via Olympic gymnast Heidi Moneymaker), and a host of new moves and weapons, including… Thor’s hammer. Oh yes.
Tomb Raider – 2013 – PlayStation 3 – Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics
The series’ storytelling style has become more film-centric and grounded with this second reboot of Lara’s adventures, which traces her development from a frightened young traveler to a Survivors have nerves of steel. Stranded on a mysterious island off the coast of Japan, Lara must find her friends and escape before the violent Solari Brotherhood cult kills them all.
Starting with rudimentary weapons that can eventually be upgraded (fulfilling the promise of The Last Revelation’s original crafting style system), Tomb Raider is all about stealth and survival in a wilder, more open environment, complete with changeable weather effects and dramatic lighting.
Tomb Raider also becomes the first game in the series to feature an online competitive multiplayer mode, so you can extend the hunt to your friends too…
Available on the PlayStation Store and comes with Additional PlayStation Plus.
PlayStation 4 era
Rise of the Tomb Raider – 2015 – PlayStation 4 – Square Enix, Crystal Dynamics
The leap to PS4 means the sequel to 2013’s Tomb Raider remains one of the series’ most aesthetically impressive entries, with motion capture technology improved to include facial animation .
Seeking to complete her father’s research into the legendary city of Kitezh and its immortality-granting artifact, Lara finds herself in Siberia in a fight for her life, not least against the organization. paramilitary Trinity but also more hostile wildlife. The guerrilla fighting style has been further developed, although there are more weapon and skill options for Lara to use.
Available on the PlayStation Store and comes with Additional PlayStation Plus.
Shadow of Tomb Raider – 2018 – PlayStation 4 – Eidos-Montreal, Crystal Dynamics
Concluding the Survivor trilogy, Shadow of the Tomb Raider sees Lara trying to stop the Mayan apocalypse she accidentally caused. Set primarily in Mexico and Peru, the story deals with a more philosophical awakening for Lara, exploring the cultural impact of her actions as she develops into a more recognizable version of her character. me.
As the beautiful visuals go a step further, so do the game’s stealth elements, with the ability to hide in bushes from enemies or disguise Lara with mud. It’s not like she’s in hiding anymore – the animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft picks up where Shadow of the Tomb Raider left off in the series’ continuity.
Available on PlayStation Store via Additional PlayStation Plus.
With Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered coming to PS4 and PS5 by February 14, the world doesn’t have much longer to wait before Lara returns once again. Ditch your endless double pistol and grab an unusually sturdy backpack – it’s time to start the adventure…
