Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Review: This game is Starring with iconic action heroine Lara Croft (Game Character) with stunning graphics and engaging gameplay upgrades, with detailed graphics comparisons, gameplay analyses, and a final verdict.
Tomb Raider I–III Remastered is a popular action and adventure game which is developed by Aspyr company. If you are a adventure and action lover that this game will definitely blow your mind, Do you know Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is a collective compilation of the first three games in the Tomb Raider series i-e (Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider II, and Tomb Raider III).
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Review : It really does present a dramatically improved experience versus the original releases. Beyond gorgeous visual overhauls, the modernized gameplay, expanded environments, enhanced audio all combine into a comprehensive and respectful refresh of gaming classics that both newcomers and fans should play.
While some modern gameplay helpers undermine challenge, overall these remasters are a must-own slice of gaming history back with a vengeance. Is Tomb Raider Remastered the definitive edition?
Discover Lara’s earliest adventures better than ever before in our full in-depth review and analysis!
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Review 2024
The Definitive Way to Revisit Lara’s Early Adventures
After years of rumors and speculation, 2024 finally saw the long-anticipated release of the Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered collection for modern gaming platforms. This re-release bundles together enhanced editions of the iconic original Tomb Raider trilogy that kicked off Lara Croft’s video game career in the late 1990s.
With dramatically improved graphics and visuals, quality of life gameplay tweaks, and even some restored lost content, the Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered versions offer the definitive way for both newcomers and nostalgic fans to revisit the titles that put cinematic action-adventure gaming on the map.
The collection includes the newly remastered versions of:
- Tomb Raider (originally released in 1996)
- Tomb Raider II (originally released in 1997)
- Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft (originally released in 1998)
This article will take an in-depth look at exactly what the remasters improve from the original versions across categories like visual presentation, gameplay changes, world design, audio, pricing, and more. We’ll spotlight the most dramatically enhanced areas and assess whether these classics truly feel modernized enough to appeal to new audiences.
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Graphics & Visual Improvements
By far the most immediately striking upgrade in the Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered collection is the quantum leap in graphics and visual quality compared to the original PlayStation 1 releases of the late 1990s. Back then, boxy character models and muddy textures were state of the art. But revisiting those graphics today can be jarring for gamers used to modern standards.
Fortunately, all three remastered titles have undergone complete visual overhauls to finally bring Lara and her world into the 21st century. The upgrades include:
Higher polygon models & enhanced textures
- New highly detailed character models for Lara, enemies, wildlife
- Rocks, vegetation, structures rendered with realism
- Support for 4K resolution textures
Improved lighting and shadows
- Real-time lighting and shadows for enhanced ambiance
- Lara carries light source that dynamically lights environments
- God ray and light bloom special effects
Environment and set dressing improvements
- Increased detail in geometric shapes and patterns
- Intricate carvings, tattoos, hieroglyphics visible
- Debris, clutter, subtle touches to bring environments to life
Cinematic visual post-processing
- Filmic color grading and filters
Support for cutting-edge graphics APIs
- DirectX Raytracing for life-like lighting
- NVIDIA DLSS for AI enhanced frame rates and resolution
These visual improvements truly bring the series into the modern era. When directly compared screenshot-by-screenshot with the original graphics, the extent of the visual upgrades is staggering. The pre-rendered cutscenes in particular have been recreated shot-for-shot using the in-game graphics engine instead of outdated video files.
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Gameplay Changes & Mechanics
In addition to the graphical overhaul, the developers have also tweaked and modernized gameplay elements across all three Tomb Raider Remastered titles. Some changes aim to improve quality of life, while others add accessibility options. Upgrades include:
Refined control scheme & camera
- Analogue stick movement and camera control
- Optional auto-aiming and puzzle assist mode
Accessibility & difficulty options
- Separate difficulty modes for combat, traversal, and puzzles
- Customizable control remapping
- Colorblind and visual impairment modes
Subtle gameplay tweaks and improvements
- Checkpoints mid-level reduce frustrating repetition
- Inventory system streamlined with quick slots
- Interactive elements and pick-ups given highlight prompts
Not all gameplay changes may suit hardcore purists. Auto-aiming reduces skill demands in firearm combat. Some environmental shortcuts can undermine original level design intentions.
However, options like puzzle assist rightly make gaming more inclusive for all while keeping core gameplay intact. And quality of life improvements reduce antiquated frustration without compromising overall challenge and gameplay flow integrity.
Level & World Design
On top of gameplay systems and visual presentation upgrades, Tomb Raider Remastered also enhances the actual in-game environments and layouts Lara explores. Level boundaries, terrain shapes, and world geometry stay faithful to the original visions. But surface details, interactive objects, and set decorations breathe new life into these iconic virtual places.
Subtle environmental storytelling embellishments make ancient spaces feel wonderfully lived-in and rugged. Hieroglyphics adorn the walls, rubble clutters forgotten crypts, vegetation creeps through crumbled stonework. Improved draw distance filling horizons with intricate vistas that enhance the sense of awe and wonder as you discover lost worlds.
Some fan favorite levels also restore missing content cut from original releases, expanding playable areas with entire new gameplay sequences, puzzles, and areas to discover. These remasters certainly offer the definitive version of classic levels like St. Francis Folly, Temple of Xian, and Aldwych.
Soundtrack & Audio
The original Tomb Raider soundtracks have also been lovingly reproduced and enhanced. The iconic musical score backs Lara’s most pulse-pounding sequences with a 70+ piece orchestra re-recording classic cues and themes. Punchy, atmospheric, and melodic in all the right moments. Fans will still hum along.
Ambient environmental audio also completes the sensory immersion. Temple ambiance, jungle wildlife, coastal waves, echoing tunnels — this dimensional spatial sound design finally does justice to laras cinematic adventures. Subtle immersive effects sell the fiction of rediscovering ancient hidden worlds.
Gunshots pop, debris clutters, and landscapes come alive with texture. Whether in headphones or surround sound, the Auditory experience completes the immersive atmosphere.
Pricing & Availability
The Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered collection is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Suggested retail pricing is set at $49.99 USD.
Gamers can purchase the trilogy digitally or physically. Pre-ordering either format comes with bonus in-game skins and weapons like Lara’s classic blue tank top and dual pistols. A digital deluxe edition also bundles together all additional DLC expansions for $69.99.
Regional pricing varies globally, but offers Tomb Raider fans worldwide a fair value considering three fully remastered AAA titles.
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Verdict:
The Definitive Editions But More Room to Improve
In the end, Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered makes a compelling case for being the definitive way revisit Lara Croft’s iconic opening chapters. The stellar graphical updates, quality of life gameplay tweaks, richly detailed environments, and enhanced audio all combine into a thoroughly modern presentation.
Aspects like graphics, audio, and accessibility set a new bar for preservation and resurrection of gaming classics. However, some gameplay modernizations undermine challenge while others feel half-implemented. Puzzle auto-complete reduces mental friction without improving engagement and skill progression. The camera still fights players in tight spaces despite analogue controls.
So while dramatic visual updates sweep away the cobwebs to let Tomb Raider’s foundations shine again, core gameplay could still use some careful excavation and reconstruction. Certain quality of life features feel more like facades masking unresolved antiquities of early 3D game design.
But for both nostalgic and fresh fans, the Remastered Trilogy deserves a spot in every game library. An essential piece of gaming history back where it belongs — out raiding tombs and taking names in the modern age. Lara Croft is home once again thanks to best-in-class presentation that dusts off legendary adventures for a new generation.
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