Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered by developer Crystal Dynamics and publisher Aspyr—PC (Steam) review written by Valerie with a copy provided by the publisher.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
The year was 1996 when I first heard about Tomb Raider. I didn't have a Playstation, nor was I any sort of adept at using those controllers. However I did enjoy watching my friend play them on his PS and I was thoroughly entranced! Lara Croft is a fictional British archeologist who searches for lost artifacts. The Tomb Raider, as Lara is called, goes exploring tombs and ruins, solves puzzles, navigates hostile environments that are filled with traps, and fights enemies along the way while hunting artifacts. Now this was definitely my kind of game!
When I finally bought one of them on Steam years later, I still find the game as fun as it was when all I did was watch my friend play it. I had even gone to the movies and I have definitely read some of the comics, but none of that compares to actually playing the games themselves. The games are where the story began and continues on with the latest release: Tomb Raider Reloaded (2023) for mobile.
This past while I got my wish to play the remastered versions of Tomb Raider IV, V, and VI! I definitely love what they've done for the graphics as my old computer's graphics card wasn't up to snuff to render the original versions way back when. That and it still takes me quite a bit to master the keyboard and mouse moves to play!
So, Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered from Crystal Dynamics and Aspyr is a three-game collection that features Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, Tomb Raider: Chronicles, and Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness. They boast improved visuals, modern control options, Photo Mode, trophies and achievements, and a lot more to augment your gameplay.
In playing the game I still love the puzzles to solve, however my many dunks in the drink made for a challenging time to continue on. I finally figured that out by finding the 'closest' ledge to pull myself up out of the water in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation. However, I am still having a hard time progressing in Chronicles. I want to get to any of the puzzles and I am constantly distracted by the instructions on how to get from floor to ledge, or ledge to ledge.
I tried out the Photo mode in Chronicles and found some nice settings for lining up a good photo, but, that's about it. Is there another purpose for this feature? I don't know.
I was definitely surprised that Angel of Darkness didn't crash as it did that so often in the original that I never finished that one. Suffice to say I am on the road to completion in this version, however I reiterate that the controls seem to get the best of me even with the Modern version setting.
The games are still the same, though, and with the little changes it is still a fun time to play. I wish this remaster had an extra room or two with relics or even extra weapons and another additional puzzle to solve. Also, to have Lara's dashing abilities to be smoother. I still fight with keeping in mind the key combinations to make Lara dash, roll, and hang from ledges. Well, I can still say I am adept at finding those med packs!
So, if you want a good time in the tombs and ruins searching for relics and artifacts with smoother graphics, then Tomb Raider IV - VI Remastered has you covered.
Score: 6 / 10
