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It's a Classic.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: May 06, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Every year, there comes a time for Tomb Raiding season. I feel compelled to get out the game once more and re-live TR: complete with all its action and puzzle solving. Yes, I cannot count how many times I have beaten Tomb Raider; but the game never gets old. It's an exciting, fun, and thrilling adventure that I never tire of. I must say, there are not many games that fall into this category for me. So, this is just one of the many reasons why I consider Tomb Raider a classic.

Tomb Raider was released in 1996. Luckily, I discovered the game by accident that same year. I've been playing the series ever since. So, what makes this game so great, you ask?

Let me begin with atmosphere. Tomb Raider manages to create this brilliantly. You might have a key moment where the character (Lara) steps into an unknown room and there is just - silence. The silence, it turns out, is a key element. It creates a sense of tension on its own. You do not know what is behind a corner, a ledge, where a trap is, etc. You are constantly feeling a sense of anticipation. The silence also adds to the isolated feel of the game. You are alone. It makes one feel vulnerable; but also draws one into Lara's world because of that. You will feel attached to what is going on and begin to enjoy solving the puzzles and the mystery of the story by yourself. Atmostphere is a key element in the game.

Atmosphere would not work well without a stunning soundtrack either. Silence preceeds some pieces of music that can make one gaze in awe as he/she steps into a new room. Or, it can give a sense of danger, when enemies or traps are triggered. In some cases, the music gives off a false sense of danger, keeping one on his/her toes the entire time. The music is emotional, most particularly the Tomb Raider theme by Nathan McCree. It's probably one of the most powerful pieces of music in all of TR. The music can stand alone (even apart from the game) as beautiful compositions. They carry the impact of a scene, place, or emotion and work wonderfully together.

The story itself is actually quite good, especially since it is from an older era in gaming. You start off as Lara Croft, the daughter of wealthy aristocrats, who has been disowned due to her love for adventure. After surviving a nearly fatal plane crash in the Himalayas, coupled with the equally painful experience of having to survive alone in the snow capped mountains for two weeks, Lara returned to England changed. She decided to set out across the world to uncover the secrets of civilizations and made a name for herself. The game starts off with Lara receiving a job offer from Jaqueline Natla, the head of Natla Technologies, to receive an ancient artifact called the Scion. The trek takes you across the globe attempting to unravel its secrets.

The story is interesting in itself. It has its own twists and turns; but it also focuses on the characters, the mystery of the Scion, and the history behind it. Now today, one might find the story a little too short, with not much information. But, this was very well done, especially for the time it was made in. You actually care about the characters and what would happen in the story.

Now, aside from having a great story, I must mention my favourite aspect of the game. That is the puzzles. If you love puzzles and a good challenge, this game is definately for you. Each level is centered around some sort of giant puzzle, with other smaller puzzles surrounding it, sometimes even built into the major puzzle. Yet, the puzzles never get old. There's always something new thrown into the mix which makes them all the more fun. This could be in the form of water mazes, secret rooms, hidden levers, rabid animals, and let's not forget the downright diabolical death traps that are imbedded throughout the game. (Boulder traps anyone?) Ironically, even the death traps are extremely fun to traverse. Not only do they keep you on your toes; but there's a high replayability factor. You'll want to relive the thrill of danger and adventure at the same time over again. This feeling especially, gives the game high replay value.

The controls themselves are pretty solid. They're mostly easy to learn, with the exception of the jump/grab control which can be tricky. This may frustrate some newcomers to the older games; but with a little practice even this becomes easy. The only qualm I have regarding the controls is that sometimes it can throw the camera angles out of whack. This is especially true in a battle situation. If Lara is pinned in a corner or closed doorway, the camera might shift to the side shakily so that you don't know what's happening or you might be able to see through a locked door, for instance. Generally, this is a glitch because the camera is mostly stationed in third-person view behind Lara. But it is a small glitch and does not take away from the game as a whole.

The graphics may be dated; however, remember it has been over 10 years and the graphics were revolutionary for their time. Again, despite the graphics, the game itself is still just as fun as when I first played it.

To me, this game hasn't died out over the years. So, this is what I call a definate classic. I'd recommend the original Tomb Raider to anyone.

Still great

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: August 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I had to go back and play this game after playing (and loving) Tomb Raider Anniversary. Playing Anniversary and then going back to the original really makes you appreciate just how awesome this game was. The level design was just amazing with all the different areas you get to explore. I haven't played the original since it first came out so I didn't realize just how much Crystal Dynamics took from this game. They took a lot. Some of the level designs are almost identical. The biggest difference between the old and the new is the difficulty. Anniversary is way easier. But not because the puzzles or enemies are easier. It's because of the controls. Back in Tomb Raider 1, the controls were pretty terrible. But what do you expect from a game breaking new ground in the world of 3D? So I'll over look it and give it a 5 out of 5.

Tomb Raider (1996)

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: January 21, 2006
Author: Amazon User

TOMB RAIDER is one of the best video games of all time, and after ten years is very well-known and loved. It introduced gamegoers to Lara Croft, the pistol-blasting archaeologist who in each of her adventures goes in search of rare artifacts and gets into alot of trouble.
Our heroine, Miss Croft, is hired by her boss, Natla, to find a mysterious artifact. Lara gets right on the job, unaware that Natla is also after the artifact and is bent on killing Lara if she gets in the way.
It was rare to find a 3D game back in the day, but TOMB RAIDER is a 3D game. The graphics are dated and pretty bad by todays standards. Items appear flat/squashed and even turn around if you run around them! There is little detail on the walls and floors either. However, Lara's movements are very realistic; unlike even games of today, you have to make a 90 degree turn to turn around. You don't just press the down button on your pad and you are immediately facing the other direction. Lara's speed is also very realistic.
The game is much fun with alot of action and some intriguing puzzles inbetween. Lara is able to swim, jump and hang from ledges. You can collect a number of guns throughtout the game including magnums and shotguns. Towards the end, there is even some blood and violence which may satisfy alot of people.
Another interesting thing is that your heart will be racing in certain parts of this game. When the scary music starts and when dogs and wolves jump out of nowhere, you'll be screaming. I can even remember how terrifying it was when I heard the BOOM-BOOM of the T-Rex's footsteps in Level 3.
Overrall, the original TOMB RAIDER is a classic game - action-packed, addictive, intelligent, etc. The graphics aren't very good, but it doesn't matter.

Gameplay: 5/5
Graphics: 2/5
Overrall: 5/5

A review by Dale White.

A GREAT REVIEW!

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 10
Date: November 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is sooo cool! Everytime you destroy man in green suit you get bunny!

This Is Still One of My Very Favorite Games!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: November 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I haven't played Tomb Raider 1 in a long time but a month or so ago I found it at a used cd store and bought it. I just finished the game and am still thrilled at how exciting and tough this game still is. The plot is interesting enough for you to continue caring for the story and Lara Croft makes a fun character to use to get to your next destination. She is strong, knows how to carry her weapons, jump great heights and is truly fearless when it comes to dinosaurs, bad guys and even messed up creatures she meets up with in the end. You have to constantly be kept on your toes throughout the game and the settings themselves are yes very old compared to nowadays improvements but for back then were well done and even nowadays not bad at least to me. This game is a fun challenge and I recommend it to anyone interested in adventure games for Lara will take you on great journeys in this game. My favorite is where she is facing a Sphinx- like statue- now that was a fun level.
Tomb Raider is one of the greatest storylines ever created and that is why it is so popular even nowadays. The older stuff is better though, aka like 1- 4 of the Tomb Raider series is the best to me- everything after 4 seems to have gone downhill. Angel of Darkness honestly I couldn't even finish it was so bad. So take my advice and try out the older version of Tomb Raiders first, they are much better and more exciting.

The ORIGINAL derivative Indiana Jones ripoff

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

OH YES....this game is what it's all about. Sure, it looks totally archaic now with its primitive low-polygon 3D (cf. Lara's Madonna-style pyramid breasts) and jerky low frame rate - BUT WHO CARES. "Tomb Raider" was one of the first fully-realized 3D games, with huge environments and a camera that lets you explore them fully - something next-gen developers still seem to have a problem with sometimes - and, of course, best of all, an action hero that players across the board could instantly connect with. Yes, Lara Croft - men want her, women want to be her...lol. Forget about her later misadventures on celluloid and (worst of all) the PS2 platform. Even on the PS1, all the new innovations in graphics and AI that cropped up in subsequent TR installments couldn't improve upon the originality of gameplay you have here in the debut. The puzzles, the secrets, the at-times relentless action, this game has it all.

Much like Indiana Jones, we first encounter Lara as she explores some ruins in South America - allegedly the village of Vilcabamba, an actual archeological site in Ecuador, although as it appears in the game it's more of a generic hotch-pot of pre-Columbian art and architecture. Of course you have the rolling ball traps everywhere, and of course she eventually finds a golden idol - more nods to Indy. Later she explores Las Vegas versions of Rome and Egypt, slaughtering more endangered species in the process than are even left on the planet (PETA just loved this game) before proceeding to - where else? - Atlantis, which is naturally swarming with freakish and bloodthirsty mutants. All this because she's in search of an artifact whose magical powers, if in the wrong hands, could destroy the world, or something.

It's easy to punch holes in the ridiculous plot, but that doesn't affect the entertainment value - again just like with Indy, you know it's stupid, but you're more than willing to suspend disbelief just to go along with the wild ride. Getting through the levels is not always easy; you'll need to sharpen both your combat and puzzle-solving skills. There's also a lot of replay value owing to the oftentimes diabolically-hidden "secrets," which usually contain caches of weapons and the infamous "medi-paks."

Play this game - it's almost like a cool retro thing to do now - and forget about everything that came after. They have a new TR in the works now but it's got a lot of bad karma to overcome...so far nothing has matched this original masterpiece.

Classic Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: April 06, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game entertained me for hours when it first came out oh so many years ago! I was deeply enthralled, and soon my dad became obsessed as well. We would spend hour upon hour playing it! My mom was fine with it, but other jealous mothers would ask her if she wasn't even the least bit worried that Lara was so attractive, and has such big... assets. She was great, alright, but the game was just as fun. Many different levels provide for awesome gameplay. My only complaint is the annoying save crystals. Yeah, those are horrible. But overall it's a really fun game! Better than most of the recent Tomb Raider games, but TR3 is probably my favorite! It's a classic, buy it! You won't regret it. ENJOY!!!!!

Lara Croft is a hot babe!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: February 02, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Ok, sounds perveted. It may be weird to have a crush on the sexy, adventurous, and alluring Lara Croft, but many other people do too.

Anyway, this is it. The first "Tomb Raider" game. It has classic written all over it. Despite being dated, and encountering countless predecessors, sequels and dissapointing movies the game manages to have to a strong following and is considered to best game of them all.

It was orginal back then, where archaeologist Lara Croft, a female Indiana Jones, is called upon to use her intelligence, amazing physical skills, and her big guns to solve complexed and ancient puzzles, battle hard enemies and travel the whole world in style. I forget the storyline, since I haven't played this game in ages, but it's good. You should ask my mom, who played and beat every "Tomb Raider" game(Sorry mom). I'm not kidding! She did! The graphics are surprisingly good to look at, as well as the hard puzzles to solve(which made it famous to play) and the fun movie scenes. Check out the dinosaur too in this game. it's a blast!

Anyway, a highly reccomended game. But I liked "Tomb Raider 2" way better then this one.

Dear Eidos,

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: January 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

If I could have give 6 stars for this game, I would have. I played this originally when it first came out in 1996. Back then, games such as Resident Evil and Tomb Raider were ground-breaking milestones in entertainment known as video games. I won't talk about Resident Evil here because everyone knows about that.

Tomb Raider was the first game to give players control of a character in a true 3D environment. Sure, you had games like Doom and Wolfenstien, but they played only on a single plane with your character spinning on an axis. Tomb Raider allowed you to control Lara, the feminine version of Indiana Jones, an use the environments such as cliffs, roofs, etc. to progress through the levels. Level design in Tomb Raider is really what the game is centered around. Beautiful, stunning, breath-taking, eerie, surreal, all describe the level design here. Nothing short of ingenious.

The game mechanics and control of Lara were never the best, but they were also adequate to get the job done. Lara spins on a fixed axis when the player turns left and right, and forward makes her run in the direction she is facing. Turning can sometimes be a chore, especially when the action is turned up a notch. Luckily, the circle button makes Lara do a somersault tumble, for a quick "about-face". The shimmying and climbing from ledge to ledge and jumping has always been amazing. Combine that with sliding down angular rock formations and time jumps and grabs to ledges, and you are bound to fall in love with the action that Eidos developed (NOTE: This kind of mechanics shined most for me in this game as opposed to all the predecessors, including Angel of Darkness for PS2. This kind of action became less and less as the series went on, save for Last Revelation, maybe). The swimming sequences and puzzles are also a really wonderful treat as well.

There are plenty of surprises in this game that I don't want to give away, however, I will tell you that some of the levels in the game will stick in your memory for a long, long time after. For example, "The God Room" of St. Francis' Folly has got to be one of the best and most memorable and beautiful levels of any game that I've played.

So why am I writing this review now, 7 years after the release date? For a few reasons. First, being that I can't get the game out of my head for more than a few months. Every six months I go back to it. The second reason, is that when I bought a PS2, I knew I would be playing the original Tomb Raider again and wanted that backward capability. And THIRD and quite possibly the most important (and the reason I titled this review "Dear Eidos") is that Angel of Darkness was the single reason that I sold my PS2 for an X-Box. At first I enjoyed AOD, but the game has rampant problems. I've always welcomed a new Tomb Raider game in my life and gave AOD more than one chance. I loved all the other PS1 Tomb Raider games, including III, which got a lot of harsh and unwarranted criticisms in my mind, but whatever. I hated AOD and want Eidos to know that. And FOURTH reason is that I repurchased the new and compact PSOne last week. I still own my Tomb Raider from back in the day. Last night I played it and the magic was back like from the first time I played it. Sure the graphics feel older, but they are by no means bad at all considering that I play games like Halo, Crimson Skies, Prince of Persia, and Rainbow Six 3 on the X-Box. There will always be a large place in my geeky video-gaming heart for this true classic.

EIDOS: TAKE THE POWER BACK!

A True Classic

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 10, 2003
Author: Amazon User

From the ancient Incan ruins of Peru, the classical Greek-Norse Roman world, the Eygptian pyramids and tombs, to the nightmarish fantisy dreamworld of Atlantis, this game is a true classic and simply the best game in the series. Here are some examples:

-Excellent 3-D levels such as:
1.Caves
2.City of Vilcambamba
3.Lost Valley
4.Tomb of Qualopec
5.St. Francis' Folly
6.Colosseum
7.Palace Midas
8.The Cistern
9.Tomb of Tihocan
10.City of Khamoon
11.Obelisk of Khamoon
12.Sanctuary of the Scion
13.Natla's Mines
14.Atlantis
15.The Great Pyramid

-Great weapons such as:
Pistols
Shotgun
Magnums
Uzis

-Deadly enimies such as:
Creatures of Atlantis,
wolves, alligators,bears,raptors
and a T-Rex

-Great items for puzzels such as:
All kinds of keys, a gold idol, lead bars,
machine cogs, and artifacts of Eygpt

Also a great plot! In her first adventure, Lara sets out to find the Scion, an artifact of Atlantis. Natla, who sends her out on her informat, haunted me troughout the game by setting out a squad of people... who kept on shooting at me when I least expected. I managed to beat the whole game without a guide (mabye with a few tips but nothing else) but it wasn't easy. The game is filled with impossibilities. The first level made me think this would be a nice easy action game, but as I kept on playing I found out I was extremly wrong. But its a wonderful game nothingless. People who play will be stunned for days. I highly call it my favorite game yet.

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