Deeper into the dark and scary, yet so intriguing cave. Not even after damaging yourself on mechanical arrows, triggered by your clumsy steps on a sinking stone switch, covered in some ancient pattern. Still you continued forth.
You encounter bloodsucking bats, viscous packs of wolves and a huge, savage grizzly bear in the first level alone. Yet somehow, Tomb Raider just pulled you further and further in. There's something basic in human nature, the need to explore, something most of us can hold at bay, but only for some time. Tomb Raider hit that fascination so perfectly back in 1996. Room after room, tomb after tomb and dangerous animal encounter after another, the game put life back into your exploration genes.
What's more satisfying than finding a sealed tomb from ancient times, being the first to go down into something built by kingdoms far since fallen and exploring it for hidden treasures and artefacts?
The game brought out your inner Indiana Jones, yet here you couldn't blame some stupid sidekick for pressing the wrong lever or not running fast enough from a boulder. It was about doing Indiana's decisions all by yourself. Alone. This feeling of loneliness helped build an atmosphere and tension almost unsurpassed in the series to this date.
Add then, to the mix, the incredible title screen melody and short orchestral snippets throughout the game. A soundtrack sparingly used to only heighten tense moments even further. Mostly though, you were simply left with the eerie quietness of abandoned tombs, occasionally interrupted by distant mechanical noises, heavy rumbling or animal sounds. I was scared hopeless at times but still I wanted to explore every passageway and tomb to the very end.
Luckily, you weren't completely alone, you always had with you, what was to become one of the most famous game characters of all time, Lara Croft. Her generous chest size, dual wielding pistols, tight shorts and iconic turquoise top, probably appealed to the many teenage boys that saw the cover art at their local game shop.
Although Lara was modelled stereotypical, there was something refreshing with a strong, female protagonist and it made the game stand out from the competition. Within the time of the sequel, Lara Croft was as famous as any other game character. She was everywhere, from soda bottles to magazine covers. Lara was the new front figure for 3D gaming.
Cheap sex appeal, sure, but it helped sell the game to world wide fame. Most players quickly forgot about this appeal and became wowed by the fantastic experience it was to play. The female lead also appealed immensely to the female audience, diversifying the audience and increasing the popularity even further. The game would go on to sell 7 million copies. 7 million.
Can I summarise the Tomb Raider experience? It's a difficult task. I could mention the time where you jumped out of your seat, encountering the T-Rex for the first time. Or the time you stepped into King Midas' hand and turned to gold. Or the claustrophobic feeling of not finding your way underwater after turning a lever. Or the unpredictable hatching, of creepy, human sized eggs in Atlantis. Or the many deadly pitfalls. Not to mention the creepy as hell doppelgänger, which I'll let newcomers to the game find out on their own, what is. It's one of those games where the list of memorable and great moments is endless.
These moments weren't only the ones involving certain death but also the moments where you stood in awe at the size the game could render large rooms, statues or halls. All covered in old hieroglyphics and wall murals, further heightening the feeling of exploring true history. The developers wanted to make you feel like a world famous explorer and archaeologist and they succeeded brilliantly.
Tomb Raider may look dated by today's graphical standards, with it's block based worlds and simple textures, however, some of it's showcase features remain. The caves and tombs are still eerie, intriguing and impressively large. The levels are diverse in locations and colours. The water, somehow, feels right in it's presentation and physics. It actually holds up as one of the best games ever made when it comes to the sensation of actually jumping in and being under water.
It might be a tricky game to sell in to young gamers today, I fear they won't understand what it meant all those years ago. The visuals are very dated, the gameplay has an unforgiving learning curve with tank controls and the way the it simply demands that you explore without hints to progress, will alienate the most the crowd of modern times. Yet given patience and time, it really could shine for them.
For me, it still holds tons of nostalgia and I will never forget the times I played it back in the 90s. Luckily, for the younger audience and interested alike, there's a remake of the original released in 2007. The remake, titled TR: Anniversary, is well made and lets you enjoy the experience from years ago in high resolution and improved graphics, albeit less dark and atmospheric in my eyes.
All hail the queen, Lara Croft and her legendary first Tomb Raider!
You encounter bloodsucking bats, viscous packs of wolves and a huge, savage grizzly bear in the first level alone. Yet somehow, Tomb Raider just pulled you further and further in. There's something basic in human nature, the need to explore, something most of us can hold at bay, but only for some time. Tomb Raider hit that fascination so perfectly back in 1996. Room after room, tomb after tomb and dangerous animal encounter after another, the game put life back into your exploration genes.
What's more satisfying than finding a sealed tomb from ancient times, being the first to go down into something built by kingdoms far since fallen and exploring it for hidden treasures and artefacts?
Add then, to the mix, the incredible title screen melody and short orchestral snippets throughout the game. A soundtrack sparingly used to only heighten tense moments even further. Mostly though, you were simply left with the eerie quietness of abandoned tombs, occasionally interrupted by distant mechanical noises, heavy rumbling or animal sounds. I was scared hopeless at times but still I wanted to explore every passageway and tomb to the very end.
Luckily, you weren't completely alone, you always had with you, what was to become one of the most famous game characters of all time, Lara Croft. Her generous chest size, dual wielding pistols, tight shorts and iconic turquoise top, probably appealed to the many teenage boys that saw the cover art at their local game shop.
Although Lara was modelled stereotypical, there was something refreshing with a strong, female protagonist and it made the game stand out from the competition. Within the time of the sequel, Lara Croft was as famous as any other game character. She was everywhere, from soda bottles to magazine covers. Lara was the new front figure for 3D gaming.
Cheap sex appeal, sure, but it helped sell the game to world wide fame. Most players quickly forgot about this appeal and became wowed by the fantastic experience it was to play. The female lead also appealed immensely to the female audience, diversifying the audience and increasing the popularity even further. The game would go on to sell 7 million copies. 7 million.
These moments weren't only the ones involving certain death but also the moments where you stood in awe at the size the game could render large rooms, statues or halls. All covered in old hieroglyphics and wall murals, further heightening the feeling of exploring true history. The developers wanted to make you feel like a world famous explorer and archaeologist and they succeeded brilliantly.
Tomb Raider may look dated by today's graphical standards, with it's block based worlds and simple textures, however, some of it's showcase features remain. The caves and tombs are still eerie, intriguing and impressively large. The levels are diverse in locations and colours. The water, somehow, feels right in it's presentation and physics. It actually holds up as one of the best games ever made when it comes to the sensation of actually jumping in and being under water.
Tomb Raider stands as one of my first moments were I thought 3D gaming was being used really intelligently, all in real time 3D, no pre-rendering and designed from the ground up for this perspective. Much in the same clever design Mario 64 was designed for 3D.
For me, it still holds tons of nostalgia and I will never forget the times I played it back in the 90s. Luckily, for the younger audience and interested alike, there's a remake of the original released in 2007. The remake, titled TR: Anniversary, is well made and lets you enjoy the experience from years ago in high resolution and improved graphics, albeit less dark and atmospheric in my eyes.
All hail the queen, Lara Croft and her legendary first Tomb Raider!