Not as legendary as TR and TRII, TRIII does boast new weapons & enemies, and a choice of level order later in the game.
It is also, however, one of the more difficult of Lara Croft's adventures, and fails to deliver the same memorable story that the earlier two provided.
Lara's subject, according to the box at least because you would barely know for the lack of backstory cutscenes, this time is a meteor with unusual healing powers.
Also mentioned on the back of the case, though finding him on one of the later levels takes a considerable amount of time, nothing like his appearance in TR or TRII, the T-Rex indeed returns.
The T-Rex is certainly one of the more memorable foes Lara has faced throughout the course of the series, though the story behind a prehistoric lifeform being alive today still hasn't been revealed; possibly for the better.
Maybe Spielberg injected himself with the J-Virus and became Tyrannosaurus Rex. Or not...
Lara's adventure begins in a rainforest, and continues through deserts, jungles, rooftops, and government buildings, with a new ability to "speed dash", a bar that provides momentary acceleration at a pace faster than her usual speed, and can also be used inside Lara's Home to access a hidden room.
Lara's Home is also updated, with more than a few extra hidden rooms than before, as well as a Racetrack whose key can be found in one of the aforementioned hidden rooms.
The racetrack is part of Tomb Raider III's attempts to take Lara's vehicular travels to a new level, a timed training ground to prepare you for rocky terrain ahead.
Lara's training area now includes a target practice, and her butler can also be shot by those who have always wished to do bodily harm to the well-meaning but annoying pest.
New weapons include a Desert Eagle and a Rocket Launcher, as well as the old favorites we've grown to know and love.
New enemies include a large variety of animals (described on the back of the case as hyenas, monkeys & piranhas)
Lara's femme-fatale cutscenes are still there as well, though the overtly difficult puzzles guarantee it will be a while before you actually see them.
I'd recommend playing/purchasing the original Tomb Raider and its sequel before considering the, updated but harder, third installment in the series.
Tomb Raider III has its highs and lows, but overall it at least fulfills the promise of any sequel to update the game's features.
Blessed Be