Tomb Raider I-III Remastered (2024): The Review
Overview
Tomb Raider I–III Remastered delivers the full, polished version of Lara Croft’s globe-trotting adventures. It’s a thoroughly faithful remaster, preserving every tiny detail while layering on sharper visuals and a modern control scheme that’s far more welcoming to newcomers. That said, it’s loyal to a fault. The near-total absence of quality-of-life tweaks might test the patience of new players, because this experience is almost exactly as it was back then, for better and for worse.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
The Positives ✅
The Tomb Raider original trilogy was never about some deep, lore-heavy narrative, and honestly, that was never the point. Lara Croft is an English archaeologist with a dangerous hobby, and that’s basically all you needed back then. This remaster doesn’t mess with that identity, and in a weird way, that’s a strength. It knows what it is and doesn’t pretend it was ever trying to be something more story-driven than it actually was.
Visually, the remaster is doing the heavy lifting. The graphical overhaul genuinely elevates the in-game environments, making temples, ruins, and caves feel more detailed and atmospheric than ever. When it works, it really works. Seeing these classic locations with modern lighting and textures is a treat, especially if you grew up with Lara’s original polygonal adventures.
Audio-wise, things land better than expected. The music still nails that eerie, lonely “you probably shouldn’t be here” vibe, and somehow it hits even harder now than it did decades ago. The sound effects are still dated, wolves, bats, and gunshots sound exactly like you remember, but that actually adds to the charm rather than detracting from it. It’s authentic, for better or worse.
Value is another massive win here. For $30, you’re getting three full games, all remastered, plus additional content and an absolutely ridiculous number of trophies. Over 250 achievements is no joke, and completionists are going to eat this up. It’s a lot of Tomb Raider for not a lot of money, and that’s hard to argue against.
The added quality-of-life options also deserve credit. Modern controls, action indicators, ledge grabbing, and the ability to save anywhere all make the experience more forgiving than the originals. The option to instantly switch back to the original polygonal graphics is also a brilliant touch, letting you appreciate how far things have come, or remind yourself how cursed games used to look.
The Tomb Raider original trilogy was never about some deep, lore-heavy narrative, and honestly, that was never the point. Lara Croft is an English archaeologist with a dangerous hobby, and that’s basically all you needed back then. This remaster doesn’t mess with that identity, and in a weird way, that’s a strength. It knows what it is and doesn’t pretend it was ever trying to be something more story-driven than it actually was.
Visually, the remaster is doing the heavy lifting. The graphical overhaul genuinely elevates the in-game environments, making temples, ruins, and caves feel more detailed and atmospheric than ever. When it works, it really works. Seeing these classic locations with modern lighting and textures is a treat, especially if you grew up with Lara’s original polygonal adventures.
Audio-wise, things land better than expected. The music still nails that eerie, lonely “you probably shouldn’t be here” vibe, and somehow it hits even harder now than it did decades ago. The sound effects are still dated, wolves, bats, and gunshots sound exactly like you remember, but that actually adds to the charm rather than detracting from it. It’s authentic, for better or worse.
Value is another massive win here. For $30, you’re getting three full games, all remastered, plus additional content and an absolutely ridiculous number of trophies. Over 250 achievements is no joke, and completionists are going to eat this up. It’s a lot of Tomb Raider for not a lot of money, and that’s hard to argue against.
The added quality-of-life options also deserve credit. Modern controls, action indicators, ledge grabbing, and the ability to save anywhere all make the experience more forgiving than the originals. The option to instantly switch back to the original polygonal graphics is also a brilliant touch, letting you appreciate how far things have come, or remind yourself how cursed games used to look.
The Negatives ⚠️
For all the visual polish, this is still very much the same Tomb Raider trilogy underneath. The gameplay hasn’t meaningfully evolved, and while that’s faithful, it also means the experience can feel repetitive. Playing through it sometimes feels like listening to a familiar song on repeat, iconic, yes, but also very aware of its age.
The controls are the biggest sticking point. Even with the modern control scheme, movement still feels clunky, imprecise, and occasionally hostile. Lining up jumps, grabbing ledges, and wrestling with the camera can lead to deaths that feel less like your fault and more like the game shrugging at you. New players, especially, might bounce off hard.
The camera remains a menace. It’s better than it used to be, but not by enough. There were more than a few moments where poor camera angles directly caused mistakes or deaths, and that frustration hasn’t aged gracefully. Some additional refinements here could’ve made a world of difference.
Lighting is another oddly persistent issue. The new graphical overhaul makes many areas too dark, to the point where visibility becomes a problem. Ironically, the best solution is using the 90’s filter to brighten things up, which feels backwards for a modern remaster. Atmospheric lighting is great, but not when it actively obscures gameplay.
Lastly, the cutscenes remain untouched. The old pre-rendered 90’s cinematics are still here, and while that’s nostalgic, it also clashes heavily with the upgraded visuals. It’s charming in a “this belongs in a museum” way, but it also highlights how uneven the remaster can feel.
The Experience 🎮
Tomb Raider was one of the games that shaped my love for action-adventure titles in the first place. Treasure hunting, exploration, and that constant sense of discovery were always more exciting to me than pure action, and coming back to this trilogy reminded me exactly why. Even after all these years, that core appeal is still there.
The first thing I did was switch to the modern control scheme. I’m not ashamed. It still took time to rewire my brain for Tomb Raider’s movement and camera, but once it clicked, I fell right back into that familiar rhythm. Janky? Absolutely. But it’s Tomb Raider jank, and there’s something oddly comforting about it.
Combat hasn’t aged well, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Most encounters boil down to pulling out pistols and holding the shoot button until everything stops moving. But combat was never the star here, traversal, puzzles, and exploration always mattered more, and those aspects still shine despite their rough edges.
Visually, I kept bouncing between admiration and frustration. The upgraded graphics look fantastic, but the darkness forced me to rely on the 90’s filter more than I expected. Still, seeing these environments with modern detail made revisiting them worthwhile, especially knowing I could swap back to the original look at any moment for a nostalgia hit.
By the end of it, this remaster felt exactly like what it is: a love letter to fans of the original trilogy. It doesn’t try too hard to modernize itself, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. I’m glad it exists, I’m glad it stayed faithful, and I’m glad I still enjoy Tomb Raider after all these years, but this is very much a game for people who already love Lara Croft, not for convincing a new generation that clunky controls are charming.
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