Tomb Raider is the epitome of the exploration/action adventure. A classic that stands the test of time.
So yes, I am biased towards this game, and proud of it. But I want to explain that bias on the grounds of a legitimate review of the game itself, as well as the memories it brings about. The reason TR is such a landmark in my own personal gaming history is that I asked for and received the playstation for Christmas because I wanted to play twisted metal and tomb raider. Now you must understand that up until this point, I was primarily a Nintendo fan. The Zelda franchise is still one of my favorites and I was torn between the 64 and PS. Being from a middle-class family, I wasn't going to be able to get both. Hell, I'm thankful I was able to get one at all.
So I distinctly remember opening that PS up and receiving exactly two games, two controllers, and a memory card. Tomb Raider was one of those. This was one of those rare games that family members would come sit around and watch me play. My sister, brother, and cousin would sit quietly around as I stumbled from one dark cavern to the next. Bear in mind this was pre-internet in every house so all of the game's puzzles had to be solved through my own brain as well as all the spectators.
Being barely 12 years old, I was also oblivious to the fact that the female lead was blatantly over-the-top sexy. I just wanted to climb on rocks and shoot grizzly bears. I distinctly remember my dad making a comment in regards to her disproportionally large and painfully polygonal bust: "she doesn't need rock picks to climb; she should just use those pointy things in front." Ignoring him, I attempted another swan dive into a tiny lake hundreds of feet below, narrowly missing and snapping Lara's neck on the rocks with an unsettling crunch. My brother would laugh, my sister would scream, I would smile.
Ok, so that may have been an inordinate amount of back-story, but you need that to sell anyone on getting into such an old game. Unlike the really retro games (Atari, NES, SNES), I feel like the PS library has not aged very well. The initial polygon worlds are pretty damn ugly to look at nowadays and you really need to get used to it before the experience really pulls you back. There are a few that need to be remembered though, and that is what this review is all about.
So how about the game itself? It was on the bandwagon with Mario 64 as one of the first fully three-dimensional platforming experiences. Sure nowadays these are the standard as sidescrollers were in the 80s/90s. But in 1996, this was stuff we had really not seen much of in terms of platformers. What made this game stand out to me was that it had a gritty realness to it that Mario would never have attempted. The demo I played at the store had me in a dark snow filled cave, tracking wolf prints deeper into a mountain in Peru. TR also was one of the first games I saw with fully animated cutscenes that looked absolutely amazing for the time. In terms of originality, and innovation, this was a game that was forging through uncharted waters and doing it well.
Story:
You play the role of Lara Croft, a born aristocrat with a taste for adventure. The opening scene has Lara meeting with a man who is attempting to hire her to work for his Employer, Jacqueline Natla. Natla wants Lara to find an age-old artifact deep within the unfound tomb of Qualopec (Peru). The story takes off from there and needless to say, there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. However, considering how long the game is, you don't get a ton of story overall, which really makes it feel all the more memorable when you finally get that next cutscene. The story is your typical Indiana Jones-esque adventure. It is simple, yet satisfying.
Gameplay:
Groundbreaking really. Many argue that Lara controls like a tank, but I would say you just need to get used to it. Sure it will be tough coming back to this game if you have never played it and are used to modern tech. But if you spend the time to master the game's little quirks, you will find a fairly easy system to master that is extremely rewarding and fun to play. Lara can move in all directions as per the norm for third-person platformers. She also has a vertical leap that would make any NBA star weep with envy. Lara will run by default, but this will often lead to accidental doom-plummets. So there is this nifty shoulder button on the PS controller that allows Lara to walk. When walking you will not fall off ledges which is vital. Lara can look around, side step, and do some fancy rolls as well. But of course we cannot forget that Lara is also packing heat. Twin pistols are the staple throughout this series and they got their start here. Is it realistic that a wolf can take 10 bullets to the skull and still be moving? No, but this is a video game, wolves probably couldn't survive in a tomb either with no food source, but now we are just getting picky.
The gameplay is heavy handed in TR towards exploration, platforming, and puzzle solving. There is combat, but it's infrequent overall. However, there is enough to make sure you develop some basic gunplay skills. The most challenging aspect of this game though is simply figuring out where to go. Todays gamer may not enjoy this, but I absolutely loved it. The rewarding feeling of finishing a level with no one holding your hand (internet guide, game itself) is rare to get nowadays. I would get stuck for HOURS on end in one level only to find the answer with my little sister pointing out "hey, there was another switch up there." Ah-HAH!
Combat:
As mentioned, combat is fairly infrequent. You mostly battle wild animals and a few other beasties. There are a couple human encounters as well. These become rather frustrating though as the human opponents are pretty much as powerful as a Terminator. I still have a blast with them though. The weapon selection is fairly limited and you will find yourself using the pistols for most of the game. Combat generally consists of you doing crazy acrobatic flips and shooting at the same time to avoid being eaten by the local lion or croc. The animal corpses do not disappear which is useful when you are getting really confused or lost.
Puzzles:
The entire game is really one big puzzle. Most of the levels require collecting certain keys, or pulling certain switches, or raising the water to certain height in order to progress. I could go on, but why spoil the magic?
Levels:
This is what makes the game memorable. There are 15 levels total and if you have never played the game before, and don't cheat your way through, you will be playing for a LONG time. I have beaten TR countless times at this point, and it still generally takes me about 8 hours to finish (and that is knowing EXACTLY where to go.) You travel to four major areas throughout your globe-trotting. Peru, Greece, Egypt, and the finale (which I will not spoil here). Each area is comprised of 3-5 levels and they all have a unique feel to them. You will visit icy caves, decaying old cities, massive Egyptian tombs, and everything in between. The levels all have their own feel. Again, the advent of three dimensions makes for some cool level designs. For example, the vertical element of this game takes true flight during the fifth level "St. francis' folly" which is pretty much a HUGE vertical chamber that you have to go up and down finding four switches to open themed challenge rooms based off greek mythos which hide keys needed to open the exit. Now that was a mouthful. One wrong step and you go down. It was simply not done before to such a degree. It was the first experience for me and I still love going back for more.
However, my favorite in the entire game is the "Cistern" which is essentially a giant sewer based level where you are required to raise/lower the water level to gain access to certain areas in order to find the keys necessary to exit. Oh and yes, this game did come out two years prior to the legendary Water Temple in Ocarina of time. Did I mention there are mutant rats the size of large dogs trying to eat your legs?
Sound:
TR takes a lot of heat for having little music whatsoever. Again, I love what the designers decided to do. The feeling of total isolation and being lost and scared is amplified ten-fold when all you hear are the crunch of Lara's boots trudging along or the ambient echoing cave sounds found throughout each level. However, when music is used, it is done with a dramatic flair that really livens the game up as necessary. Quite frankly, it often scares the crap out of you when the loud orchestral themes start blaring in tandem with a grizzly bear bounding around the corner to feast upon our heroine. It all adds to a superb overall sound quality.
Difficulty:
This game is difficult. Especially if you man-up (as you should) and forgo the use of walkthroughs. Not for the faint of heart. Today's games will make it blatantly obvious where you need to go next (flashing shiny ledges, invisible walls limiting your exploration, etc). You will not get that with TR. The challenge never becomes horribly overwhelming or 'cheap' though. Some people will hate not being able to save at will and I can understand that. However, the save crystals are generously spread about and you can restart a level from the beginning at any time if you want to refresh those save points, conserve your health packs, or just feel confused and want a quick retry.
Lasting Appeal:
No multiplayer, one story, no difficulty settings. This game is as replayable as you make it. Each level has a handful of secrets to find (some of which are REALLY tricky to unearth), but outside of that, you get the same game each time. I personally play through it once a year or so. Obviously though, this game holds a special place in my gaming heart.
Conclusion:
I wrote this review not to blab on about my own personal gaming history, but really to try to state the absolute relevance that older games still have in today's world. Much like a classic movie, these gems should not be forgotten and spurned. Many of the games we see today were inspired by the older generation. The point of this review isn't necessarily to go play Tomb Raider, but it is to inspire you to dig out YOUR game. We all have those games that will always bring back memories. Tomb Raider and Christmas go hand-in-hand with me, but I know that isn't going to be the case with everyone. So go bust out the NES, the Sega, the Atari, whatever. Rediscover that Christmas magic from your childhood.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!