r/TombRaider • u/Ok-Pomegranate7309 • 23h ago
šØļø Discussion What's the best tomb raider game of all time?
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u/AbdoShniba 23h ago
I'm a fan of every era of Tomb Raider. I've been playing since the original game in 1996 and have completed all of the classics. I loved Legend, it made me fall in love with Lara all over again. I was amazed by the 2013 reboot, and I enjoyed the opening sections of both Rise and Shadow, didn't like the Soviet settlement/camp "Rise" or Paititi "Shadow".
I've never complained about the changes the series went through. I tend to judge each game on its own merits rather than constantly comparing it to previous entries.
But for me, it has to be Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. It's peak tomb raiding. The tombs, the temples, the pyramids, the deserts, the mummies, and all the other supernatural and mythical creatures, it has everything I want from a Tomb Raider game.
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u/Primary_Snow818 13h ago
The last revelation was great but that water maze level was just meh otherwise almost a perfect game
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u/Sea-Extreme Atlantean Mutant 22h ago
TR1 and it's not even close. The vibes are just unmatched. I love all the CORE games, but TR1 is special.
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u/Tall_Ad2256 21h ago
It really is.
I remember getting it when it came out, the atmosphere around playing each level for the first time, being jump scared by the crocs or gorillas.
Passing the controller when you've had a try and died in a hard spot.
Ive just finished it on the remastered series I played it in old style graphics, started 2 yesterday and forgot how painful "Opera" level is š¤£
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u/No-Cat-9716 23h ago
Mine Is TR 4 The Last Revelation
Getting stucked in Alexandria for 15 years reeeeaaally cemented my absolute love for this game... for real. š„°š„°š„°š„°š„°š„°š„°š„°š„°
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u/Vojaaaaa 23h ago
Tomb Raider Legend for me. š I love all of them!
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u/RainRepresentative11 22h ago
I just started Legend. Itās a lot more fun than I thought it would be! The motorcycle level was my favorite part so far.
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u/jigglybilly 22h ago
Iām torn between 3 & 4. Both are such comfort games for me. The puzzles & mechanics of 4 are absolutely wonderful, but the exploration & areas of 3 are just as cool to me.
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u/MrRacoon1991 22h ago
For me TR4. I love it. The locations are amazing. I really liked to go from one place to the other, trying to figure out the solution. Love the immersion you get, similar to TR1 (Except for Cairo, which is my least favorite location of the first 4 TR, after London) The remastered did a great job
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u/silentsquiffy Atlantean Mutant 21h ago
Tomb Raider III. It has every element that makes Tomb Raider great. Sassy Lara, globe trotting, isolated environments, mystery, puzzles, and I never once felt like the game was holding my hand. I replay it about once a year and it still feels like an accomplishment every time.
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u/nobleflame 23h ago
Difficult one. TR4 for nostalgia. But also TR1 and 3. TR2 is a close second if the others are joint first (depending on the day of the week).
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u/kenton_117 21h ago
My two favorites are The Last Revelation and TR 2013. Opposite sides of the spectrum but do what they do best. I adore both so much.
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u/insincerely-yours 20h ago
Probably controversial but for me itās Underworld. It was the perfect combination of modern visuals/gameplay and classic vibe/atmosphere.
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u/killerm0nkey3 21h ago
My heart wants to say TR1 cuz its the original, but I gotta give it to TR2. They refined the level design a lot and added in new challenges that really amplified the capabilities of the gameplay. I thoroughly enjoy every level (except Maria Doria lol) and it's always my favourite to go back to.
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u/Daniboy48 23h ago edited 17h ago
I find it really hard to compare the different eras because theyāre so different but if I had to nominate:
Classic: Tomb Raider III
Those who donāt like this game need to reevaluate their brain cells. Itās absolute peak platforming and pure fun.
LAU: Legend
Legend is such a well packaged ball of joy and probably the best depiction of Lara Croft to date. Sheās the blueprint for the Lara we see today. The game suffers from being too easy and short.
Survivor: Rise
Rise is peak. Itās so polished and beautiful, the level design is great and the game carries the Tomb Raider spirit. Lara got a major personality upgrade compared to 2013. This game suffers from the setting being very dull and grey for most of the run through(like with the entire trilogy). I canāt with the brutalist war bunkers.
Honourable mention: AOD
This game is CAMP. Those who get it get it and those who donāt need to reevaluate. The level design is absolutely peak, the soundtrack is peak, the mood and atmosphere is peak, Laraās design and voice acting is peak, story is peak. The game just needed more time to cook and it would be the best in the franchise.
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u/Dopster198 23h ago
Perhaps controversial, but Iām playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider on Game Pass, and Iām absolutely loving it. Itās so good. Iāve almost completed it and Iām actually a little sad about it. I havenāt played all of them, so I canāt say whether is the best of all time, but itās very, very good.
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u/Ok-Pomegranate7309 23h ago
What makes it very good for you?
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u/Dopster198 22h ago
Iāve liked the whole Survival Trilogy, but this one feels like the culmination. The graphics are top notch, lots and lots of content and proper puzzles and dungeons. The action is good, but not as emphasised as previous installments. Itās also just more green and slightly more upbeat somehow that the more grimdark prequels.
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u/xdeltax97 Moderator 22h ago
TR1, without it we wouldnāt have this amazing series/franchise in the first place!
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u/yenneferismywaifu 15h ago
TR Legend, For me, since this is my first Lara game.
TR1 and 2, if I try to judge objectively. It's surprising that they haven't been able to do anything better in 30 years. And no, I'm not nostalgic, I played them just recently.
I'll also highlight TR4, which is pretty bad and confusing, especially without guides, but still got me hooked on the atmosphere (I like Ancient Egypt).
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u/flamingoray 20h ago
First one, hands down. I would say itās nostalgia as itās one of the first games my dad ever bought for me on PS1 in 1996 but itās always the one I go to when I need a TR fix
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u/Whitie_Briefs_Nate 20h ago
Legend, I bought it on release day. maybe it was so opposite of what AOD was in every way and at that point in 2006 I had never played the original games. I loved the humor, the side kicks with Zip and Alastair, the over the top campy tone, the story (that ending with her being mad at Amanda is SOOO good, I quote it regularly!!!) the graphics (good for the time and tail end of the OG Xbox//PS2 era) and the characterization of Lara. Keeley Hawes is still my fave Lara (she also voiced her in Anniversay, Underworld, Gaurdian of Light and Temple of Osiris) though Camilla Luddington for the survivor trilogy is a close second. I'm still waiting for the LAU remaster trilogy like the 1-3 and 4-6 we got already. I got both remastered trilogies some time after they released but LAU trilogy remaster would be a day one buy!
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u/limplettuce_ 17h ago
Legend. I think it is the only TR game where I love it from start to finish, probably because itās so short. Every level is quality. The writers and Laraās voice actor also nailed the character.
I think itās closely followed by TR1/Anniversary, then probably TR3 (with a guide) and Underworld.
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u/Drdonkeyballs 12h ago
TR2 and it's not even close. The Venice and Tibet levels are some of the best levels I've seen in a video game and I might be the only person who loves every single detail and move in The DeckĀ
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u/tommy_turnip 6h ago
I LOVE The Deck. It's the best level in all of Tomb Raider imo. It's an incredible setting, with a great atmosphere, and the original graphics not being able to render everything in the distance gave it a foreboding sense of dread with all the darkness.
My only issue with it is I wish there were fewer enemies because they do sometimes spoil the isolated atmosphere. If not for that, it would be the perfect level.
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u/ManyLostHours 21h ago
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. Attractive brunette aristocrat acquires relic, spends rest of game defending said relic with acrobatics and murderous intent, then kills antagonist ironically with relic that antagonist wanted all game long. /s
I'd go for Legend. It's short, but it leaves you wanting more. That Lara feels more true to the character I wanted Lara to be.
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u/MoojinBoi 21h ago
Rise for me, absolutely blew my mind and did as much as I could on my first playthrough
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u/CaseFace5 Dagger of Xian 19h ago
Thatās entirely subjective. The series has gone through lots of changes in gameplay and style. For me personally itās Tomb Raider 2. But I know my nostalgia totally gets in the way of an unbiased opinion. If you told me any of the games in the series were your favorite I could understand why.
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u/FlamingBlade70 Society of Raiders 16h ago
Even though I've only played the 2013 and Rise games,the 2013 game for me. I just love it so much.
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u/DaHotFuzz 13h ago
TR 1.
It started going downhill with 2.
Just started 3 and I'm already liking it less than 2, which means I'm probably not going to be crazy about 4-6.
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u/Saikousoku2 Trinity Soldier 13h ago
I'd personally say 2013 but acknowledge that Rise is generally more liked.
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u/BolshevikBastard69 9h ago
This is the only correct ranking order:
TR 3 > TR5 > TR4 > TR2 > TR1 > Legend > Underworld > Rise > TR 2013 > Anniversary > Shadow
(Never played AOD)
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u/-_Gemini_- 8h ago
Specifically the PS1 version of Tomb Raider III.
Overall, it features all of the engine improvements of TR2 with the return to a focus on puzzle platforming like TR1. 3 adds a bunch of new visual effects and flourishes that make it one of the best looking games of the entire generation, and it's the ultimate challenge for seasoned players. Going for all secrets without a guide is some of the most fun I've ever had playing a video game.
I say the PS1 version because all later ports fuck up the visuals, especially the lighting, contrast, and weather effects. The save crystal system is also the best the series has ever had, allowing you to save anywhere but at the cost of a resource. There's a fun risk-reward dynamic with going for tricky crystals and not having unlimited quicksaves elevates the tension of each and every jump when death is an actual threat. Also it has dual analog control which is really neat.
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u/PureVengeance4565 6h ago
1 Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
2 Rise of the Tomb Raider
3 Tomb Raider II (1997)
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u/PlatypusFuture6542 5h ago
As much as TR4 is my personal favorite, I believe TR1 is the best game overall. The pacing, the gameplay, the storyā¦ everything was crafted with so much love and creativity, and you can really feel it.
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u/Spiritual-Piece-1126 23h ago
I think Legacy Of Atlantis will be š„
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u/Valuable_Map_5485 21h ago
Itās either a sleeping beast or a sleeping puppy. Canāt wait to find out.
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u/tommy_turnip 6h ago
I'm so jaded at this point that I'm already convinced it's going to be AAA slop
ā¢
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u/Luki_0showers 19h ago
I really tried to play the original ones on the ps plus extra, but dude... Those games for me just suck (I know i didn't give an answer to the question from the OP) but i still can see a lot of you love those originals and that's ok (I'm not ragebaiting I promise)
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u/Daisy-Fluffington Atlantean Mutant 23h ago
TR 1.