Overall 9.4 Graphics 7.8 Sound 9.3 Addictive 8.8 Story 7.3 Depth 8 Difficulty 8.5
9
Tomb Raider CANVgamer
Oh my god! If there was ever a game series that put me constantly on the edge (no literally, I was constantly on the edge), this would have to be it. The famous Lara Croft starting out her adventures in this beginning game of the entire Tomb Raider franchise.
Now, I don't know about the rest of you gamers; and I am sure many of you really enjoy your FPS (first person shooters), but being the way that this game is... it is a MUST HAVE! I mean, come on; this is freaking LARA CROFT, why wouldn't you want her?!?!
Okay, okay; I'm getting a little bit too excited here, but seriously... just thinking about this game is enough to make my blood boil and my body tingle. So, before I spasm and fall out of my seat; let me give you some reasons why you should jump out of your seat and buy this game RIGHT NOW!
Graphics - 8/10
Yes, I know; the graphics of this game are "blocky", kind of like playing an older version of Minecraft... isn't it? Well, there's a huge difference between Minecraft and Tomb Raider; this legendary game and game character has lasted throughout the ages, and has made its debut in many systems, even for Gamecube and GameBoy Color. A game like this has graphics that just scream "original", and makes you feel like you are really in the land of the lost, the land of the dead, or even underwater with the fish. With semi-realistic animation and personalities to each character, this game brings you one of the most exciting storylines and landscapes to ever be found.
Sound - 8/10
Ah, just think about this is making my body shiver. Now, when I was playing this game about five years ago; I couldn't help but be almost paranoid while playing it. With the endless sounds of nature and with the spine-tingling soundtrack that makes you want to run out of your room and away from the TV; you might just end up looking over your shoulder to see if there is a bear right behind you. With the sounds of nature being established into this game, you will hear things like; bears growling, bats flying, rocks breaking, glass shattering, wood snapping, and even wolves howling. Although many of the sounds are HIGHLY off from the real thing, they will still give you enough of a scare that you might just close your eyes as you hear the sound of the trap door opening and then suddenly the scream of Lara Croft as she dies upon impact.
Addictiveness - 10/10
The level of paranoia this game can give you will cause you to come back to it, again and again. It took me nearly a year to beat this game, and it wasn't because the game was difficult (and believe me, it was a real challenge; unlike playing Gears of War or some other modern game), but this game really drove me into almost falling off of my bed and slamming my face into the corner of my cabinet. There have been days when I couldn't sleep, cause I couldn't help but feel like something or someone was going to attack me; I couldn't help but feel like a giant boulder was going to fall through my roof and kill me. This game will literally put you on the edge of your seat, and then again; you may just fall out of your seat from screaming in fear as you get chased down by a pack of wolves, or run from a giant boulder... or even much worse at the end of the game.
Story - 7/10
The story takes place behind Lara Croft going on a little adventure to uncover the hidden secrets of some kind of temple located way up in the mountains. From there, she will then travel across the globe as she follows the clues and tales about this strange artifact. You will wind up in some of the coldest places in the world, such as the Himalayan mountains or even the hottest places such as the Pyramids of Egypt. Every area and aspect of this game will make you scream for more, as you uncover the truth and disasters of each artifact.
Depth - 6/10
Although this game only allows you to play as Lara Croft, it does allow you to do many things with her; such as: Swim in a pond or lake, Dive into a pool, kill some bears and wolves, kill people, kill weird skeleton creatures, kill the might T-Rex, and much more. With heart-pounding events and blood boiling deaths, you will be driven to beat this game at any cost (even if it means borrowing a Gameshark to get INFINITE ammo).
Difficulty - 9/10
Like every single Lara Croft game (of the older generation), this game is the start of the series; meaning nobody had a clue what to expect. We didn't realize that spikes could fall from the ceiling and kill us in one hit, we didn't realize that there were literally traps around every corner, we didn't realize that animals would attack us for no reason at all... and now, it's time for you to realize this. All you can do in this game is try to survive as you avoid traps, avoid violent bears, avoid evil poachers, and much more... heck, you'll even try to avoid being eaten alive by a T-Rex! This game requires you to be fast on your feet, but also fast in reactions; one false move, and Lara Croft dies.
Graphics 8 Sound 8 Addictive 10 Story 7 Depth 6 Difficulty 9
Review Rating: 5/5
Submitted: 06-19-13
Review Replies: 2
9
Tomb Raider RetroidGameoid
Years and years ago, Tomb Raider was the top game to be playing (next to games like Final Fantasy VII, Crash Bandicoot, and a few others). As the years have gone by, Tomb Raider has expanded far and wide, in both a positive and negative way. But let us not forget the excellence and stress inducing power of the original Tomb Raider. With what started out as your standard "open-world" premise and a touch of 3PS/TPS (Third Person Shooter), you get a story that takes you all across the world, from deep in Aztec ruins to searching around the polar ice caps. This game truly was emarkable for its time and worth every second spent to beat it.
Now, let us get down to business. Tomb Raider has a wide variety of qualities that greatly increase and decrease the fun meter of the game itself, from an annoying control system to some pretty sweet zen-like soundtrack plus a few nifty looking cut scenes, you get a nicely balanced proportion of a game. If anything, Tomb Raider offers up a true challenge for any gamer, giving them constant jumpscares (well... sorta), as well as a few graphical mysteries to ponder, such as a very hard to notice "green skull hanging from a vine".
All and all, this game got expanded for a reason, it was awesome and still remains pretty epic to this day.
Graphics 8 Sound 9 Addictive 8 Story 8 Depth 8 Difficulty 9
Review Rating: 5/5
Submitted: 05-16-15
Review Replies: 0
9
A classic indeed (Tomb Raider (Playstation 1) review) G@mehe@d
Tomb Raider is an interesting game. It was released during an awkward period of gaming when sharp playable side scrollers were being turned into messy, and ugly 3D platformers. Tomb Raider was one of the first 3D games to truly get that feeling of freedom nailed down. It was released slightly after Super Mario 64, but where that game featured unrealistic worlds and controls. Tomb Raider has a more realistic world, and thus feels more satisfying and more like a real adventure. I like Mario 64, but I like this game more.
Gameplay B+: Tomb Raiders controls take some getting used to. Lara, the main character, controls like a tank. When used properly, this style of control isn't bad. Soon you will be jumping on platforms, and avoiding traps with ease. The levels are designed with this limited control scheme in mind. So it never becomes annoying. Still, it can make combat a chore, and usually results in cheap deaths. So you have to plan out your jumps and moves. Levels are separated into tombs, which offer plenty of puzzles to solve, traps to dodge, and monsters to fight (fighting that T-Rex in level 3 was one of the most memorable sights I have ever seen). The levels are quite well designed, they do a good job at keeping confusion at a minimum, while invoking a very ancient atmosphere. Later tombs, while well designed. Can take longer than an hour to beat on your first try. Yes, that's too long. Thankfully, save crystals are all over the levels. So as long as you plan out your saves, getting through each level isn't really a chore. If not, be prepared to do lots of backtracking.
Graphics (Playstation B Saturn B+ PC A): Considering the release date (1996) and the hardware this game was on (PS1, Saturn, PC). Tomb Raiders graphics have held up decently over the years. The tombs are packed with detail, and feel like they were designed by real ancient civilizations. The textures for the PS1 version (the one I have) are decent, though pixelated. They tend to move around and sometimes straight up disappear.I once got stuck on one of the polygons! The framerate for PS1 holds up, but when a big, open area crosses your path. The framerate drops. The Saturn port is identical to the PS1 version minus the texture issues, a slightly lower resolution and it has better colors and lighting. The PC obviously looks the best with smooth textures, a more stable frame rate and smooth models. Though this is only if you have an older machine with a 3DFX voodoo card installed. Though there are DOS-BOX configurations that have emulated Glide API support. The cut scenes look like 90's computer animation, in a bad way. Still they do pack a punch.
Sound A+: The music only comes on occasionally, but when it comes on its good. It provokes such a good atmosphere and plays during the right times. The game is mostly silent to invoke the feeling of mystery and loneliness. The sound effects work, nothing to really say there.
Depth A+: Tomb Raider is a big game. With lots of levels each with a lot of depth and complexity. Overall Tomb Raider gives you a lot for your buck and it will give you hours of exploring tombs and finding treasures and secrets.
Overall Rating: A-Tomb Raider as a whole has held up pretty well over the years. Its a big game that I recommend you get for your PS1, Saturn, and preferably the PC.
Graphics 9 Sound 10 Addictive 7 Depth 10 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 3/5
Submitted: 03-11-14
Updated: 03-05-16
Review Replies: 3
8.3
One of the smartest adventure games I've played in a while Phoenix Down
When you hear of badass female video game characters, there's usually one that sticks out from the others. There's Alyx Vance, Samus Aran, Bayonetta, Meryl Silverburgh... But then there was this one character who started the 'women can kick butt too' like Samus did, but also revolutionised the entire action-adventure genre. This woman's name was Lara Croft. Gamers and critics were blown away by the open environments, and naturally Lara herself. Having recently acquired the Tomb Raider trilogy on the Playstation, here are my thoughts about the first Tomb Raider game, and how well it holds up.
How pretty is it?Ooooh, this will take some getting used to. The environments might be varied, but they're anything but clean and crisp. There are often bugs to be found, such as some objects being visible through walls, some corners cutting straight out of their bounds, etc. I'm usually the person who sees past this kind of stuff willing to take it for what it is, I mean this was 1996, games were primitive back then, but the further you go, the more obvious and jarring these graphical issues seem to become. Sometimes, entire walls just disappear leaving with a view of the outside grid. If you're the kind of person who's easily put off by this stuff, this will bother you a lot. You can argue that Lara's body looks ugly because of the low polygon count, but that's easily excusable as it never becomes a problem. They had to work with what they had, plus it fits the environment well. I really like the way Lara moves around. The way she lands from a high jump, takes a swan dive into deep water, and the way she leans into each turn when she's running looks very realistic and lifelike. Kudos to the person who did the physics, it's one of the technical standouts of the game. Add Lara's animation to some cool details such as air bubbles escaping from Lara and actually abiding to the laws of physics when she's underwater and the varied environment to begin with, and the graphics more than makes up for the messy bugs.
Does the sound sound good?Let's not beat around the bush here - Tomb Raider's sound design is incredible. One of my favourite of the Playstation era, in fact. Most of this game is completely silent. The only thing you hear is Lara's footsteps, and the occasional grunt of animals in her vicinity. This creates a feeling of eeriness, because it really gives you a feeling that you're all alone in unknown territory, and who knows what you might run into. Sometimes, this quietness goes on for like half an hour. But then you reach an important part of the level where you're treated by the game's amazing soundtrack. Really, it has to be heard to be believed. Look up some of it on YouTube, I'll wait... You did? Alright, now imagine hearing that, and walking up to a gigantic Sphinx surrounded by all kinds of climbable indents that leads to who know what you'll find! The feeling of eeriness changes into a sense of wonder and really gives you the urge to explore. It's amazing what good effective sound design can add to a game.
Is it addictive?The short answer: Yes. The long answer: Take everything I said about the sound design, how much the music enhances the feeling that the game is going for, and how much fun it is to traverse the big, open levels with the way Lara controls and frankly, the challenging and fair puzzles you have to solve makes you keep coming back for more. I'm not very fast at completing a game, certainly not one with levels as big and long as this one, but I beat this in about a week. Which is a pretty big deal for me, a testament to how much fun this game is. It's challenging, but forgiving at the same time, so you never feel as if you NEED to stop playing.
What about the story?Lara Croft is the daughter to a noble and wealthy family. Her plane crashed in the Himalayas leaving her as the only survivor which changed her life forever. This turned her into the adventurer we know and love. She eventually visits a group who would hire her to obtain a part of a certain treasure, which apparently gives its possessor vast power... Being the first entry in the now well-established Tomb Raider franchise, the plot is quite simplistic, but honestly that's exactly what makes it solid. Looking at this game so late in the franchise really makes you appreciate how simple it is.
How deep is the game? Is there much to it?Tomb Raider is one of the smartest adventure games I've played in a while. It takes a theme that everyone is into: adventuring. The gameplay is, to this day, really fun. Again, Lara controls like a charm. The levels are huge, and their design take you through the entirety of them in really interesting ways. And for the real adventures out there, there are secrets to find (most of them are actually REALLY hard to find mind you). And it's actually worth it to find these secrets since finding all of them rewards you with a full health refill between levels. The game really makes use of everything the maps have, which is why I love it so much. Enemy variety is good, ranging from packs of wolves to freaky creatures fitting of a survival horror game. Also what I really like is that throughout the game, all the weapons remain usable. Lara's standard pistols are weak but have unlimited ammo, the shotgun is the most powerful weapon in the game but ammo is scarce, the magnums are more powerful than the pistols but depletes ammo and uzis are about as weaker than magnums but fire much faster. Everything as its pros and drawbacks.
Should this game be this hard?So Tomb Raider has a lot of levels that are big and has environmental puzzles that are complicated to solve. And because the controls are so good (the training level has Lara herself neatly explain them to you) traveling through the levels never really becomes boring or frustrating. So the puzzles are a big factor on why this game is difficult, but it's not only about puzzling. There are times when you have to fight off enemies, and that's where the gameplay suffers a bit. The camera does a decent job of following Lara's movements, but at times where animals run behind you, you need to quickly turn around which becomes really hectic, especially when there's more than one animal ganging up on you. Thankfully the game mainly focuses on exploration and puzzle solving, so the combat doesn't get much more than stressful, which is how it should be.
That is, until the final levels. This is where exploration takes a backseat to action and fighting off (really fast!) monsters, and this is where the game shows that the controls aren't made for this. There will be fighting in every new room, and sometimes there will me several monsters attacking you. They shoot at you, jump at you, swipe at you, and the only thing you can do is shoot back and jump around while adjusting the camera so that you can take aim at them and shoot again. What's annoying is that while the gameplay changes drastically, the environments do not, so instead of moving carefully like the environments demand you to, it often has you jumping around like a maniac, often hoping that you don't accidentally jumping into a spike pit or lava pool. Prepare to be frustrated. However, these are the two final levels and they don't put a dent on the amazing time I had playing this last week.
So... All in all?Oh my god, do I love this game, and that's while taking the unfair final levels into account. The controls are tight, the sound is amazing, and exploring the levels is really fun. And of course, Lara Croft is such a cool character. It's easy to see why this game received critical and commercial acclaim back in 1996. It's just that good, and definitely survived the test of time. This is a must-have for any adventure game fan.
Graphics 6 Sound 10 Addictive 10 Story 7 Depth 8 Difficulty 8
Review Rating: 3/5
Submitted: 01-06-17
Review Replies: 1
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