Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

The Tomb Raider Trilogy brings together three of the most influential action-adventure titles of the late ’90s, offering a treasure trove of exploration, puzzle-solving, and platforming. Across Tomb Raider: Gold, Tomb Raider II: Gold, and Tomb Raider III (including The Lost Artifact expansion), players guide Lara Croft through tombs, temples, and secret facilities, each packed with elaborate traps and hidden pathways. The core mechanics remain delightfully simple: run, jump, climb, swim, and shoot—yet the depth comes from how these actions combine to overcome environmental challenges.

Puzzle design is a highlight of the trilogy. From timed pressure plates and rotating statues in Gold to intricate laser puzzles in Tomb Raider II, each game tests your spatial reasoning. Tomb Raider III ramps up the complexity with multi-stage sequences that tie together ancient relics and modern science. While there’s always the risk of missing a hidden switch or misjudging a jump, the satisfaction of solving a tough room or making a pinpoint platforming move remains as rewarding now as it was in 1997.

Combat mixes straightforward shooting with occasional boss encounters, and although the gunplay can feel dated by today’s standards, it complements the exploratory pace. Enemies range from wolves and bats to mercenaries and supernatural guardians, keeping tension high as you wander deeper into forbidden crypts. Inventory management and limited health pickups add an additional layer of strategy, encouraging careful resource use and thoughtful backtracking to secure key items.

Graphics

Released in the era of early 3D gaming, the original Tomb Raider titles sport polygonal environments and Lara’s iconic angular figure. Although the visuals show their age—jagged edges and low-resolution textures are common—the trilogy’s art direction shines through. Every tomb entrance, jungle vista, and moonlit cathedral possesses a distinctive silhouette that still evokes a sense of mystery and adventure.

Environmental variety keeps things visually engaging. Tomb Raider: Gold dazzles with sunlit ruins bathed in warm golden hues, while Tomb Raider II’s crashing waves and Venetian canals provide a contrasting aquatic elegance. Tomb Raider III ventures across deserts, snow-covered peaks, and high-tech labs, showcasing the franchise’s willingness to explore diverse backdrops. The Lost Artifact expansion even introduces new color palettes and set pieces to freshen the experience.

Modern ports of the trilogy often include widescreen support, improved frame rates, and optional texture filtering, smoothing out some of the rough edges without compromising the original atmosphere. While you won’t find photorealism here, the graphical style remains strongly evocative, fueled by dramatic lighting, dynamic water reflections, and cleverly placed environmental details that guide your eye—and your footsteps—through each level.

Story

At the heart of the Tomb Raider Trilogy is Lara Croft’s quest for ancient treasures, driven by intellect, daring, and a dash of aristocratic flair. In Tomb Raider: Gold, she chases the mythical Scion relic, unraveling the mysteries of Atlantis. Tomb Raider II sends her in pursuit of Marco Bartoli’s stolen Dagger of Xian, leading to encounters with martial artists, mutated creatures, and a breathtaking finale atop the Great Wall of China.

Tomb Raider III raises the stakes with a shadowy organization seeking pieces of a radioactive meteorite that could alter the world’s power balance. The Lost Artifact expansion adds two new missions, deepening the trilogy’s mythology and giving Lara more reasons to outwit mercenaries and decipher riddles carved into stone. Throughout, the narrative weaves historical legends with pulp-style action, creating an episodic feel that’s perfect for short bursts or marathon sessions.

Character interactions are minimal but effective: terse villains, helpful allies, and Lara’s own internal commentary paint a clear picture of who she is—intrepid, intelligent, and never one to back down from danger. While modern gamers may miss cinematic cutscenes and voice acting depth, the sparse narrative approach keeps the focus squarely on exploration and discovery, preserving the series’ adventurous spirit.

Overall Experience

The Tomb Raider Trilogy is both a nostalgic time capsule and a timeless showcase of early 3D design. Players seeking a challenging blend of platforming, puzzles, and globe-trotting intrigue will find hours of engaging content across all three titles. The learning curve can be steep, especially for those unused to manual camera controls and precise movement, but overcoming these quirks delivers a genuine sense of accomplishment.

Contemporary re-releases address performance hiccups and provide quality-of-life tweaks—saving anywhere, higher resolutions, and controller remapping—without diluting the original gameplay. A robust modding community further enhances replayability, offering updated textures, community-made levels, and bug fixes that keep the adventure running smoothly on modern systems.

For newcomers, the trilogy is an affordable entry point into Lara Croft’s legacy, showcasing her evolution from polygonal pioneer to pop-culture icon. Longtime fans will appreciate the faithful preservation of classic levels and the thrill of rediscovering secret passages. Whether viewed as a historical artifact or a still-enjoyable series of escapades, the Tomb Raider Trilogy stands as a must-have collection for any action-adventure enthusiast.

Retro Replay Score

null/10