The Tomb Raider sequence is likely one of the most well-known in gaming. We’ve seen Lara Croft tackle numerous historic traps and evils to be taught the truths of the world. Thus far, there are dozens of titles within the sequence. Right here is our record of the most effective Tomb Raider video games.
Editors’ word: this text excludes cell titles.
17. Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness (2003)
The Tomb Raider most definitely had a low level, and Angel of Darkness was the bottom. Coming off of a number of iterations that felt recycled and rehashed from earlier entries, it was meant to be a step ahead into the sixth console era for a model new trilogy. It tells the story of Lara Croft’s journey to uncover invaluable work scattered internationally.
To its credit score, there have been indicators of this ambition. The sport featured some first rate story concepts and twists, and the flexibility to decide on dialogue choices was an attention-grabbing strategy to flesh out the participant’s function in Lara’s journey.
Sadly, the general recreation was fraught with bugs and glitches, and new mechanics like a stamina bar for climbing hampered gamers to an infuriating diploma. Should you cross up on any entry on this record of greatest Tomb Raider video games, let or not it’s this one.
16. Tomb Raider: The Final Revelation (1999)
Following the completion of the primary trilogy of video games, the sequence was in want of some recent new concepts to convey itself ahead and proceed on into future console generations.
Its reply to this was The Final Revelation. This title portrays bits of Lara’s previous as she continued to make her method throughout the globe for extra archeological adventures.
Whereas the sport was satisfactory and there was leisure to be discovered, there was additionally little that helped distinguish it as a title one might level to as greater than one other of the most effective Tomb Raider video games.
It was extra of the identical, and at a time when there have been three different titles with such an analogous – and higher utilized – gameplay framework, it was onerous to not overlook about this title altogether.
15. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002)
It was all the time going to be a tricky transition transferring Tomb Raider from consoles to handheld gaming, even with the final success of the Recreation Boy Shade entry from 2000.
The Prophecy managed to discover a good design steadiness in its top-down view. It allowed Lara’s quest to acquire three magical stones earlier than a sinister cult does to play out in a transparent and entertaining method full with gunplay, puzzles, and the opposite gameplay staples of the sequence.
All the identical, it doesn’t stand out as a memorable entry and, in all honesty, might have been a completely totally different recreation re-skinned to suit into the franchise. It’s a pleasant apart for hardcore followers to take a look at, however others received’t miss a lot by passing over this title.
14. Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000)
Whereas the sequence began to spiral downward with its second trilogy of titles, Tomb Raider: Chronicles not less than managed to degree out to match the standard of the unique trilogy for a satisfactory recreation.
Set after the occasions of Revelations, it additionally presents an attention-grabbing story dynamic in its presentation. Lara’s associates and colleagues reminisce about her previous exploits as a method for gamers to play by a number of places and storylines.
It additionally refines among the concepts and gameplay mechanics current in Revelations. There are extra traversal and exploration choices for gamers to make the most of from strolling tightropes to a grappling gun.
It’s nonetheless not excellent, however it’s not less than sufficient to assist it stand out as one thing followers new and outdated can get one thing out of.
13. Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword (2001)
The second of Lara Croft’s two Recreation Boy Shade adventures, Curse of the Sword follows Lara in her quest to cease a cult that worships the evil magician Madam Paveau.
That is additional sophisticated by the truth that in an try to steal Paveau’s ceremonial sword, Lara is minimize by the blade and marked because the sacrifice essential to revive this darkish being, forcing her to platform, soar, and struggle her well past pursuers at each flip.
Curse of the Sword is a stable gaming expertise that manages to retain the attraction and spirit of the mainline sequence.
The story can get a bit over-simplified and hammy at occasions, but it surely’s nonetheless an honest diversion from the same old video games for these keen to offer it a glance.
12. Tomb Raider (2000)
The primary moveable outing the sequence ever noticed, this Recreation Boy Shade entry within the sequence supplied an entertaining outing as Lara Croft races to cease the resurrection of an historic god.
Already spectacular in its ambition, the Recreation Boy Shade entry within the sequence from 2000 additionally manages to translate the gameplay splendidly, with surprisingly responsive controls and first rate platforming.
The sport has even aged remarkably properly, comfortably holding its place on this record of greatest Tomb Raider video games due to its 2D artwork model, retaining its attraction even after practically 20 years since its launch.
It’s very very similar to the artifacts the sport’s protagonist hunts for a dwelling: A powerful and invaluable feat of the previous price wanting again on for what it achieved.
11. Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (1998)
The ultimate entry within the authentic trilogy, Tomb Raider III ends issues on a powerful, if secure, word. After uncovering an odd stone in India, Lara is approached by a scientist working with the shadowy firm RX Tech.
Informed that the stone was produced from a meteorite with untold powers, she units out to uncover the entire set of 4 and be taught their true objective, racing towards different events to make use of the stone towards their very own ends.
Ripe with gunplay, puzzles, and supernatural twists aplenty, the third entry doesn’t supply a lot that strays from the sequence’ typical framework however does properly in utilizing what has already been introduced earlier than.
It’s a stable entry that may go away gamers content material and desperate to play extra video games from the sequence.
10. Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris (2014)
A top-down multiplayer title in the identical vein as 2010’s Lara Croft and the Guardian of Mild, Temple of Osiris supplied a four-player journey wherein Lara Croft and her allies should be part of forces to cease the traditional Egyptian deity Set from returning to the world of the dwelling and enslaving all of humanity.
To this finish, they delve into the depths of historic pyramids and conflict with long-forgotten terrors, traps, and magic in a bid to guard the world and its treasures for an additional day.
A enjoyable twist on the sequence’ normal gameplay, Temple of Osiris is a breezy and entertaining tackle the Tomb Raider formulation. It may be a bit bland with out different gamers, but it surely’s nonetheless nice for anybody who desires to see the storied franchise strive one thing new.
9. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Mild (2010)
The primary title to take a extra arcade-esque design strategy to the Tomb Raider franchise, Guardian of Mild introduced some much-needed innovation and alter to the grizzled franchise.
After pursuing legends of an historic mirror of smoke hidden in Central America, Lara unwittingly leads a band of mercenaries to the artifact who then unleash the evil forces trapped inside it.
This additionally revives a sentinel tasked with stopping the mirror’s captive from escaping although, and by becoming a member of forces, Lara and this sentinel may need what it takes to stop the unfold of darkness internationally.
Quick-paced, simple, and in any other case an entire blast to play alone or with a good friend, Guardian of Mild was a welcome departure from what Tomb Raider had all the time been portrayed as.
It could not have been the longest journey, but it surely was one which supplied hope for the way forward for the sequence and what it might turn into.
8. Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008)
Following the less-than-stellar second trilogy of video games, the Tomb Raider sequence acquired a much-needed recent take and re-evaluation of what the sequence was with Tomb Raider Legends.
Underworld continued this upward development with a journey internationally in quest of historic Norse ruins, every of which factors not solely to the doorway to the underworld however to solutions for what occurred to Lara’s long-lost mom.
Boasting tight third-person gameplay and shooter parts, the sport was every thing gamers had been hoping for in a seventh-gen Tomb Raider recreation and a high-quality title moreover, making for an ideal jumping-off level towards larger and higher issues just a few years down the road.
7. Tomb Raider (1996)
The sport that began all of it, Tomb Raider continues to be one thing particular all these years later. As Lara Croft, gamers journey internationally in quest of three historic artifacts tied to the long-lost metropolis of Atlantis, employed by a rich businesswoman with shadowy ambitions.
To perform this, they have to soar, climb, and shoot their method by historic temples stuffed with devilish traps, hungry beasts and horrors regarded as half solely of legends.
It was and nonetheless is an expertise few video games can seize, and whereas it could be a little bit troublesome for some to return to its blocky early 3D graphics, it’s nonetheless one thing that needs to be seen your self to actually recognize.
6. Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007)
Typically, it’s well worth the funding to offer a traditional recreation a recent coat of paint and refinements. Tomb Raider: Anniversary proves this completely, absolutely remaking the unique for a extra trendy expertise.
Nonetheless telling the story of Lara’s adventures internationally in quest of artifacts from Atlantis, the sport takes the entire attraction and persona of the primary recreation and offers it the standard of life enhancements discovered over the course of the last decade since its launch.
Gunplay is tighter, setting traversal is clearer and simpler to handle, and the story comes throughout extra clearly with rendered cutscenes and higher-quality performances from the characters’ actors.
Should you solely return to the primary recreation in a technique, you received’t be disenchanted with this top-notch remake.
5. Tomb Raider: Legend (2006)
Tomb Raider wanted to take a step ahead after the lackluster interval of releases it noticed within the early 2000s. This it did, and it took an enormous one at that with the discharge of Tomb Raider: Legend.
Following a airplane crash in her childhood, Lara Croft’s mom Amelia was presumed useless. The reality, nonetheless, is that she disappeared after interacting with an odd artifact, sucked right into a portal with no indication of the place she was taken.
Now an grownup, Lara finds a clue that might lead not solely to her mom however to an historic artifact linked to King Arthur and an historic energy he sought to maintain hidden from the world.
Touting attractive graphics, a gripping story, and loads of new and improved gameplay becoming of a soar in platforms, Legends was every thing Tomb Raider followers had wished for years. It gave hope for the sequence’s future installments and paved the way in which for the sequence to proceed redefining it.
4. Rise of the Tomb Raider (2015)
The second entry within the sequence’ current-gen reboot, Rise of the Tomb Raider returns to Lara Croft after her harrowing experiences on Yamatai.
Suffering from the trauma of what she skilled, she makes an attempt to search out solutions to what she skilled by pursuing one other artifact, one which drove her father to obsession and smash.
It’s by this that she encounters Trinity, an historic group out to realize immortality, and should race towards them to uncover the artifact earlier than they do.
Nonetheless, as fast-paced and refined as the primary entry within the reboot trilogy, Rise provides the sequence some much-needed route and permits it to develop into one thing with the potential for larger development.
Likewise, the gameplay continues to be refined to the purpose that one can simply get drawn into the journey inside minutes, whether or not meaning scaling historic ruins or preventing your method by the Siberian wilderness.
3. Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is definitely one of many darkest and most refined video games of the sequence to this point.
Nonetheless sizzling on the path of Trinity and out to cease their evil plans, Lara unintentionally triggers a Mayan apocalypse when she uncovers an artifact linked to the destiny of her late father.
This similar artifact is each the one strategy to cease the apocalypse and the important thing to Trinity enacting their evil ambitions although, and so Lara has no alternative however to face Trinity head-on in an try to avoid wasting the world from destruction.
A blast to play and a becoming finish to the reboot trilogy, Shadow will go away followers new and outdated entertained the entire method by and ravenous for a brand new entry as quickly as doable.
2. Tomb Raider II (1997)
After the success of the primary recreation, expectations have been excessive for the inevitable follow-up. What they bought was a sequel that improved on the primary recreation in virtually each regard.
On the hunt for the traditional Dagger of Xian, Lara Croft finds herself within the sights of the vicious crime lord Marco Bartolli, a Venetian Mafia chief obsessive about the dagger’s legendary powers.
Intent on stopping his ambitions, Lara travels throughout China in a race towards time, battling with criminals and historic monsters alike in an exhilarating blockbuster that also stands tall as among the best Tomb Raider video games ever made.
Revolutionary, formidable, and action-packed, Tomb Raider II was an ideal follow-up to the primary recreation and a quintessential recreation to play for any fan.
1. Tomb Raider (2013)
Some reboots depend on what has already been carried out to make sure success, however the 2013 reboot of Tomb Raider took it a step additional by driving the sequence head-first into the trendy era of gaming.
Set on the secluded and harmful island of Yamatai, the sport locations Lara Croft in a harrowing battle for survival as she takes her first steps towards changing into the long-lasting tomb raider.
Instead of limitless fire-fights and puzzle fixing, the sport as a substitute presents a way more considerate expertise ripe with stress, technique, and savage confrontations.
It isn’t the Tomb Raider most older followers bear in mind, however for the sake of the sequence, it takes a number of sensible steps ahead towards one thing new and, actually, higher than it has ever been.
That does it for the greatest Tomb Raider video games! For extra Twinfinite guides about Lara Croft’s adventures, test the record of all Tomb Raider video games so as or when can we anticipate the following Tomb Raider recreation.