Top 10 Best Tomb Raider Games
If you're a fan of action-packed exploration, intense puzzle-solving, and one of gaming's most iconic heroes, then you're in the right place. The Tomb Raider series has given us some of the best adventure games ever made, and each one brings something unique to the table. Whether you're battling through ancient tombs, scaling icy mountains, or taking on shadowy organizations, every entry in the Tomb Raider franchise offers its own unforgettable experience with Lara Croft.Vote for the games you think deserve a spot at the top. Do you prefer the classic, puzzle-heavy style of the originals, or are you more into the intense story-driven approach of the more recent releases?
This reboot reimagines Lara Croft's origins, focusing on her transformation from an untested young woman into a seasoned survivor. Set on the dangerous island of Yamatai, the game introduces new survival-based gameplay mechanics and cinematic action sequences. The reboot of the Tomb Raider series is absolutely stunning! The new image of Lara Croft is incredible - less computerized action hero and more realistic game character. When I first played it, I wasn't too keen on all the action and getting killed so many times during combat, but it's such a breathtaking and awesome game!
I love how you can upgrade your weapons at campsites. My favorite weapon is the bow and arrow. You can be in a tree and do a headshot at an enemy.
In this 1997 sequel, Lara Croft searches for the Dagger of Xian, a powerful artifact that grants its possessor the ability to transform into a dragon. The game expands on the exploration and combat mechanics of the original, introducing new locations, weapons, and vehicles. Gameplay, exploration, puzzles, and everything you loved from the original returns. However, this time Lara acquires vehicles, new outfits, a bigger gun arsenal, and new moves such as climbing. This sequel features outdoor environments and better lighting effects. Lara is now able to use flares.
The training mode, aka Lara's Home, is much improved over the original. This sequel is more action-packed, which might disappoint fans of the original, which focused more on isolation, exploration, and puzzles. This sequel is still worthy and just as good if not better than the original.
"Tomb Raider Legend" revitalizes the series with updated graphics and controls, following Lara as she searches for pieces of the ancient sword Excalibur. This game emphasizes a more fluid, acrobatic gameplay style while exploring themes related to Lara's past. Okay, this game saved TR's butt! After The Angel of Darkness, we're lucky to have such a great game. This was the first TR game I ever played, so it has a lot of nostalgia for me too. I didn't grow up with Core, but for a reboot, this was pretty good. I'm sure Core's was awesome too, but this game carries a lot of nostalgia. Unlike the 2013 game, this was the best reboot ever.
I was 5 years old when this game came out! I used to play it for hours every day. I was so little, but I still knew exactly what to do! It is a very challenging game with a lot of puzzles, yet very action-packed and thrilling! This will always be the best one!
The original "Tomb Raider" introduces Lara Croft as an adventurous archaeologist tasked with retrieving the Scion of Atlantis. The game is praised for its 3D platforming, exploration-focused gameplay, and groundbreaking graphics for its time. Can't argue with a classic. This game is fantastic. I don't know how it isn't a bit higher on this list because it started the Tomb Raider franchise. It is disappointing how the newer Tomb Raider games seem to strip away the game's charm with overwhelming action, in my opinion.
It's also annoying how there are seemingly scalable areas that instantly kill Lara if you try to jump on them in the newer games. In this game, if you could walk up to the edge, jump back, run, press the jump button, and hold the action button to reach for a ledge, you could make it. That's how the majority of the secrets in this game are found. The newer games have "secrets" that are like Easter on crack. They're collectibles or something.
A cool thing about this Tomb Raider, along with the others in the first couple of games, is that the secrets were legit extra ammo or medical packs, if I remember correctly. Overall, I believe this to be the best Tomb Raider out of pure nostalgia and the fact that it was the stepping stone for the rest of the franchise. Without this Tomb Raider, we wouldn't have evolved to the weird, seemingly out-of-place new ones.
In "The Last Revelation," Lara travels to Egypt, where she inadvertently unleashes the god Set and must race to prevent an impending apocalypse. The game is noted for its focus on puzzles and the continuous, story-driven structure of its levels. I think this game is what Tomb Raider is supposed to be. Little action, full of puzzles, magnificent buildings that are fun to explore, high difficulty (difficulty makes every game more fun), and places that are almost a copy of real ones. And, of course, dual guns and iconic features.
It would be great if they made a new Tomb Raider by taking this game as a reference. Just think about it - everything that makes this game great stays, and they improve many aspects.
I'm still playing it and still having so much fun.
"Tomb Raider: Underworld" follows Lara in her search for Thor's hammer across diverse locations, including Thailand and Mexico. The game features improved graphics, advanced physics, and allows Lara to interact dynamically with her environment. This was my first proper PC game by most people's standards (my first was the Croc series). I absolutely loved the game. It's considered by many to be the toughest raider that retained its fans, especially the level 'Southern Mexico.'
I was really disappointed by this short, unpolished conclusion to the Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider Trilogy. It seemed rushed. The one big thing this game has going for it is the few levels it has are vast and complex - very fun to explore.
In "Tomb Raider III," Lara Croft embarks on a worldwide journey to retrieve ancient artifacts formed by a meteorite with mysterious properties. This installment introduces new abilities, enhanced AI, and various environmental hazards that add complexity to exploration. Beautifully diverse from India to London and more. Fantastic gameplay and quick loading after dying! You can save/load the game exactly where you want. TR3 is where I fell in love with Lara. Beautiful music and scenery more lush and atmospheric than modern games such as TR Underworld (also very good).
Later games have better resolution with more powerful machines, but a pixelated environment at 320-pixel resolution can provide a more engaging world if it has better artwork, angles, movement, and levels. The TR3 world is also huge and provides a massive amount of interaction with people and things, giving a real and great sense of exploration. My best TR to date (just about to start the 2013 game).
In "Rise of the Tomb Raider," Lara explores Siberia in search of the legendary city of Kitezh, believed to hold the secret of immortality. The game incorporates an improved crafting system and a detailed open-world environment filled with hidden tombs and environmental challenges. It's like 2013 but better. Beautiful, great story, and the plot revolves around actually raiding tombs! Loved 2013 too though.
The sequel to the 2013 Tomb Raider is absolutely awesome! The Lara Croft we knew and loved is back!
This spin-off title combines isometric action-adventure gameplay with cooperative mechanics as Lara teams up with the Mayan warrior Totec to stop the demon Xolotl. It introduces puzzle-solving and combat designed specifically for two-player teamwork.
"Tomb Raider: Chronicles" follows Lara's friends as they recount her past adventures after her presumed death, with each chapter exploring a different location and story. This entry offers a variety of gameplay scenarios and environments, including levels in Rome and an Irish ghost story. Chronicles is perfect and much better than the newer games.
The Newcomers
"Tomb Raider: The Prophecy" brings Lara to the Game Boy Advance, where she pursues a trio of artifacts tied to an ancient prophecy. The game emphasizes simplified platforming and combat, designed to fit handheld gameplay.
In "Curse of the Sword," Lara Croft returns on the Game Boy Color, pursuing an artifact linked to a voodoo cult that has placed a deadly curse on her. The game continues the side-scrolling format of the original handheld entry, emphasizing platforming and puzzle-solving within various urban and temple environments.
In "Shadow of the Tomb Raider," Lara explores the jungles of Peru and faces moral dilemmas as she grapples with her impact on ancient cultures. This installment emphasizes stealth, exploration, and completing intricate environmental puzzles within hidden tombs. BEST EVER TOMB RAIDER GAME! The voice acting is phenomenal! Especially from Earl Bryton, who voices Jonah. Such a great actor! And Camilla Luddington was brilliant once again as Lara Croft. The storyline is amazing! The graphics are phenomenal! The tombs are deadlier and bigger, and there is a lot more swimming, which I love!
Best stealth mechanics, narrative, gameplay, puzzles, and much more.
"The Angel of Darkness" presents a darker tone, with Lara framed for murder and drawn into a conspiracy involving alchemy and ancient artifacts. The game incorporates stealth elements, RPG-like character upgrades, and a complex narrative structure. I still love this game. No matter how bad it is, how buggy it is, how much missed potential is stewing around in this melting pot of over-ambition, I'm always brought in and enjoy the game's visuals, the amazing OST, Lara herself, the slower-paced gameplay, the locations, and even some aspects of the albeit messy story.
This game is not very good, I can't deny that. Is it terrible? I don't think so. Is it even bad? Honestly, if you think so, I'm not about to argue, but I've always loved this game. It sure as Hell isn't a pretty part of Tomb Raider's history, but it's *my* part of Tomb Raider's history that isn't pretty, dammit!
In "Temple of Osiris," Lara and other characters must stop the god Set by navigating dangerous Egyptian tombs filled with puzzles and traps. This cooperative game supports up to four players, blending action and exploration from an isometric perspective.
The first handheld entry in the series, "Tomb Raider" for Game Boy Color tasks Lara with retrieving the Nightmare Stone to prevent an ancient evil from awakening. The game adapts classic platforming and puzzle-solving to a 2D side-scrolling format.
"Lara Croft GO" reimagines the Tomb Raider experience as a turn-based puzzle game, where players guide Lara through ancient ruins filled with traps and enemies. The game emphasizes strategic movement and puzzle-solving, with levels inspired by classic Tomb Raider settings. I recently beat the main adventure in this game, and it is adorable. It has really spectacular puzzles that were fairly challenging and fun. The turn-based aspect was a cool feature that amped up the puzzle difficulty to an interesting level. The graphics are neat. The low-poly look is really cool too. I unlocked a classic outfit for Lara, and she has her original circular shades on - it's so cute.