Review
Played on: Xbox Series XReleased: 2024
Original release: 1996 (TRI), 1997 (TRII), 1998 (TRIII)
What an incredible timing that Tomb Raider I–III Remastered released this year. If you recall, I quite extensively played and reviewed the first two Tomb Raider games about two years back. Tomb Raider I reviewed here and Tomb Raider II reviewed here.
Last year, I was in the process of playing the third game too, jumping to the PC version for some added visual flair. However, I had a ton of trouble getting it to run properly on my PC and when I changed over to a brand new laptop it just refused to even start. Suffice to say, I abandoned it for the time being, having only completed a handful of the first levels.
Luckily, that same year a remaster of the first three releases was announced and it finally reached release in February this year! What a fantastic gift to Tomb Raider fans around the world, and great way of replaying the original three classics on modern hardware with ease. I'll put TRIII in a proper, separate review at a later date, I'm still in the process of completing it.
Let's take a look at the overall remaster job done here!
What an incredible timing that Tomb Raider I–III Remastered released this year. If you recall, I quite extensively played and reviewed the first two Tomb Raider games about two years back. Tomb Raider I reviewed here and Tomb Raider II reviewed here.
Last year, I was in the process of playing the third game too, jumping to the PC version for some added visual flair. However, I had a ton of trouble getting it to run properly on my PC and when I changed over to a brand new laptop it just refused to even start. Suffice to say, I abandoned it for the time being, having only completed a handful of the first levels.
Luckily, that same year a remaster of the first three releases was announced and it finally reached release in February this year! What a fantastic gift to Tomb Raider fans around the world, and great way of replaying the original three classics on modern hardware with ease. I'll put TRIII in a proper, separate review at a later date, I'm still in the process of completing it.
Let's take a look at the overall remaster job done here!
Rather than completely remake all three titles from top to bottom, of which the first Tomb Raider already has been remade in the Anniversary release from 2007, these are simply remastered. Utilising the original engine at the core, while visually bringing them up to modern times. Retaining the exact same gameplay and low polygon look of the mid-90s design the originals had, but graphically offering new textures and effects.
Just like the Halo and Halo 2 remasters, you can switch between modern and original graphics for all three Tomb Raider titless. As mentioned, these remasters have the same layout but feature improved textures, effects like water and vastly more advanced lighting. Although the latter sometimes changes the mood of certain rooms and scenes, for good or worse. For the better, when realistically depicting where the light sources are coming from but quite often the originals have superior atmosphere to their lighting.
The old titles are locked at a disappointing and odd frame-paced 30fps, resulting in what looks like stutter. Luckily, the remasters run at a butter smooth 120fps on my Xbox Series X in full 4K. Making it a far more enjoyable way to view them on a large screen. I would've preferred some graphical options for the original graphics: 60fps toggle, texture smoothing option for people and maybe some scanlines? The originals seem to be straight up PS1 versions, and I recall by the time TRIII was released in 1998, it had better visual features on the PC version, especially texture smoothing was a big PC change back then.
Thankfully, all 2D objects are replaced with 3D ones, removing the awkwardness of flat, cardboard like, objects rotating towards the screen. All enemies, vegetation and weapons are beefed up considerably in their polygon count too. Sadly, some of the new enemy designs lean towards the goofy looking, with a questionable interpretation of their low-poly originals. Some rethinking of their design would've been appreciated.
Lara's 3D model, on the other hand, is especially is great in the remaster. Finally closing in on the visual representation of her CGI model on the cover art of each release. Her in-game model is just perfect 90s nostalgia! There's more consistency to her design when all three games have the same improved model across the board too. They've retained, but improved all her various costumes too. Gone are the pointy triangle boobs and lack of ponytail in the first game!
While I feel in general the developers have done a solid job in retaining the look and design of the originals, there's artistic choices that are a hits and a misses. Some areas look generally favourable to the remaster, opening up new possibilities like allowing long draw distance for massive rooms, showing their entirety. TR II & III, with a lot more outdoors areas, benefit greatly from this as the dark draw distance made no sense in the originals when it was sunlight outside.
On the other hand, a lot of the dark, claustrophobic and unsettling feel of what's behind the draw distance is lost in translation to the new graphics. This goes for the underground areas and creepy caves, TRI suffers perhaps the most in this transition as the darkness felt deliberate in creating atmosphere.
The brighter areas render the light flares in TRII meaningless, and only a few places come to mind from benefiting from them in TRIII. In general, the new graphics look brighter, but at the same time duller and less colourless than the originals. I get the lighting and colouring is more real in the remaster, explaining where light source comes from with a hole in the wall or a window in the roof, but I'd rather they leaned more into the artistic side of how rooms visually were lit in the originals than having them correctly done.
There's also an issue with a textures clearly being upscaled through A.I. A result that's not always favourable. Resulting in smudged out texture not making sense, and this overall sharp but clearly A.I. painted textures. That said, I felt overall the visuals do a solid job, they look pretty in places and especially TRIII looks great with massively increased foliage, in proper 3D, in the opening jungle and London's large backdrops are well lit and detailed, to name a few.
Visuals aren't the only update featured here though. There's also the option to choose between traditional tank controls and modern ones. Tank controls will fit any Tomb Raider veteran like a glove, the level design and movement is designed around it. So, while the modern controls allow the freedom of turning Lara in whatever direction you pull the analogue stick, aka Super Mario 64 style, it just doesn't suit the game design well.
Lara needs to be subtly controlled on ledges, turned towards certain angles with her face facing the same way in other to line up jumps, this is where the tank controls make perfect sense. The modern controls just fall apart when doing fine tuned movements and sends Lara facing whatever direction you're pulling the stick. It's blatantly obvious there's control scheme brute forced into a title that was never meant for it.
It's sad they didn't give the option for modern controls to have the tank controls on the d-pad simultaneously, like what Resident Evil Remake HD did. Even worse, the modern controls in this TR trilogy changes around other button configurations too. Like having to hold a button to keep Lara's guns raised, then another to fire them. As if these old titles can just have modern third person shooter mechanics brute forced into them. Stay clear of the modern controls, by a landslide.
Small additions like a photomode, which not only allows you to snap your favourite moments, but also wander around the levels with the camera. It cleverly helps the player avoid some of the traps by spotting them with the camera and getting your bearings with in the complex level designs. I'd highly recommend newcomers to utilise it to the fullest. I also enjoyed that you can swap outfits for Lara once you've completed each game!
When it comes to value for money, there's many hours worth here. Each Tomb Raider takes anything, depending on your skillset, from at least 15 to 25 hours to complete. Spamming the save button can help you through tough spots, but there's a rewarding satisfaction of trial and error in the climbing, survival of traps and the cumbersome combat, knowing you had to put in work and skill to defeat them.
Overall, the remaster concept of retaining the core games and their 3D geometry while improving the visuals on mainly textures within those limits, pays off. That said, it clearly has rough sides. Some issues have been fixed since launch, others are more artistic choices that are questionable at best.
It's a budget approach to remaster, yet it takes some work to convey these old titles true to their originals. Overall, I'm fairly happy with the result, but it doesn't reach the high quality of work we've seen studios like Nightdive do with Turok and Quake from the same era. I've played these titles since they were launched and it's difficult for me to see how newcomers will feel about it, but I'm guessing they will face a fairly steep learning curve and not very enticing visuals.
At the end of the day it's a welcome and neat collection for the veterans of the old titles, not so much for newcomers, but if you're curious about the original Tomb Raiders this is a great place to play them. Give those tank controls a chance and relive the magic of these classics in upgraded visuals!
Just like the Halo and Halo 2 remasters, you can switch between modern and original graphics for all three Tomb Raider titless. As mentioned, these remasters have the same layout but feature improved textures, effects like water and vastly more advanced lighting. Although the latter sometimes changes the mood of certain rooms and scenes, for good or worse. For the better, when realistically depicting where the light sources are coming from but quite often the originals have superior atmosphere to their lighting.
The old titles are locked at a disappointing and odd frame-paced 30fps, resulting in what looks like stutter. Luckily, the remasters run at a butter smooth 120fps on my Xbox Series X in full 4K. Making it a far more enjoyable way to view them on a large screen. I would've preferred some graphical options for the original graphics: 60fps toggle, texture smoothing option for people and maybe some scanlines? The originals seem to be straight up PS1 versions, and I recall by the time TRIII was released in 1998, it had better visual features on the PC version, especially texture smoothing was a big PC change back then.
Thankfully, all 2D objects are replaced with 3D ones, removing the awkwardness of flat, cardboard like, objects rotating towards the screen. All enemies, vegetation and weapons are beefed up considerably in their polygon count too. Sadly, some of the new enemy designs lean towards the goofy looking, with a questionable interpretation of their low-poly originals. Some rethinking of their design would've been appreciated.
Lara's 3D model, on the other hand, is especially is great in the remaster. Finally closing in on the visual representation of her CGI model on the cover art of each release. Her in-game model is just perfect 90s nostalgia! There's more consistency to her design when all three games have the same improved model across the board too. They've retained, but improved all her various costumes too. Gone are the pointy triangle boobs and lack of ponytail in the first game!
While I feel in general the developers have done a solid job in retaining the look and design of the originals, there's artistic choices that are a hits and a misses. Some areas look generally favourable to the remaster, opening up new possibilities like allowing long draw distance for massive rooms, showing their entirety. TR II & III, with a lot more outdoors areas, benefit greatly from this as the dark draw distance made no sense in the originals when it was sunlight outside.
On the other hand, a lot of the dark, claustrophobic and unsettling feel of what's behind the draw distance is lost in translation to the new graphics. This goes for the underground areas and creepy caves, TRI suffers perhaps the most in this transition as the darkness felt deliberate in creating atmosphere.
The brighter areas render the light flares in TRII meaningless, and only a few places come to mind from benefiting from them in TRIII. In general, the new graphics look brighter, but at the same time duller and less colourless than the originals. I get the lighting and colouring is more real in the remaster, explaining where light source comes from with a hole in the wall or a window in the roof, but I'd rather they leaned more into the artistic side of how rooms visually were lit in the originals than having them correctly done.
There's also an issue with a textures clearly being upscaled through A.I. A result that's not always favourable. Resulting in smudged out texture not making sense, and this overall sharp but clearly A.I. painted textures. That said, I felt overall the visuals do a solid job, they look pretty in places and especially TRIII looks great with massively increased foliage, in proper 3D, in the opening jungle and London's large backdrops are well lit and detailed, to name a few.
Visuals aren't the only update featured here though. There's also the option to choose between traditional tank controls and modern ones. Tank controls will fit any Tomb Raider veteran like a glove, the level design and movement is designed around it. So, while the modern controls allow the freedom of turning Lara in whatever direction you pull the analogue stick, aka Super Mario 64 style, it just doesn't suit the game design well.
Lara needs to be subtly controlled on ledges, turned towards certain angles with her face facing the same way in other to line up jumps, this is where the tank controls make perfect sense. The modern controls just fall apart when doing fine tuned movements and sends Lara facing whatever direction you're pulling the stick. It's blatantly obvious there's control scheme brute forced into a title that was never meant for it.
It's sad they didn't give the option for modern controls to have the tank controls on the d-pad simultaneously, like what Resident Evil Remake HD did. Even worse, the modern controls in this TR trilogy changes around other button configurations too. Like having to hold a button to keep Lara's guns raised, then another to fire them. As if these old titles can just have modern third person shooter mechanics brute forced into them. Stay clear of the modern controls, by a landslide.
Small additions like a photomode, which not only allows you to snap your favourite moments, but also wander around the levels with the camera. It cleverly helps the player avoid some of the traps by spotting them with the camera and getting your bearings with in the complex level designs. I'd highly recommend newcomers to utilise it to the fullest. I also enjoyed that you can swap outfits for Lara once you've completed each game!
When it comes to value for money, there's many hours worth here. Each Tomb Raider takes anything, depending on your skillset, from at least 15 to 25 hours to complete. Spamming the save button can help you through tough spots, but there's a rewarding satisfaction of trial and error in the climbing, survival of traps and the cumbersome combat, knowing you had to put in work and skill to defeat them.
Overall, the remaster concept of retaining the core games and their 3D geometry while improving the visuals on mainly textures within those limits, pays off. That said, it clearly has rough sides. Some issues have been fixed since launch, others are more artistic choices that are questionable at best.
It's a budget approach to remaster, yet it takes some work to convey these old titles true to their originals. Overall, I'm fairly happy with the result, but it doesn't reach the high quality of work we've seen studios like Nightdive do with Turok and Quake from the same era. I've played these titles since they were launched and it's difficult for me to see how newcomers will feel about it, but I'm guessing they will face a fairly steep learning curve and not very enticing visuals.
At the end of the day it's a welcome and neat collection for the veterans of the old titles, not so much for newcomers, but if you're curious about the original Tomb Raiders this is a great place to play them. Give those tank controls a chance and relive the magic of these classics in upgraded visuals!
