As previously reported, Tomb Raider I- III Remastered was announced back in September 2023 for release on February 14th, 2024. At the time it seemed a heck of a long way off and in the intervening months, Aspyr posted numerous screenshots and details about the game(s) to whet our appetites. I finally downloaded the game(s) on Steam this morning with the install size being a measly 5.5GB which I promptly placed on an NVMe/PCIe card. I regularly play all three classics, either with my original CDs or through GOG and Steam, and am very near the end of the first 1996 game which I’ve been playing through the TombATI mod for improved resolution and textures. Naturally, I was more than curious to see what Aspyr had come up with for the trilogy and the expansions.
Classic Or Modern?
Once you get past the legal mumbo jumbo and the hideous disclaimer, the much-improved menu for Tomb Raider I appears with scrollable arrows which will take you to Tomb Raider II and III. The expansions, Unfinished Business, The Golden Mask, and The Lost Artifact can also be selected from the game menu of each game.
Hint@: to remove the legal stuff and the trigger disclaimer, add -nolegal to the launch parameters in Steam.
The story and game mechanics remain the same, but you can choose between modern controls – mouse and keyboard – or classic tank controls which use keyboard only. I prefer tank controls because the games are tile-based, by which I mean that jumps and calculating those jumps are crucial to further advancement in the game. By hitting F1 on your keyboard you can switch between remastered and the classic, pixelated modes, but I already have the original classics, so it’s remastered for me all the way because it’s so polished.
Photo Mode
One of the most popular features of the remastered editions is photo mode which can be invoked by pressing F3, giving you a fly-by mode that is almost unlimited and very easy to control. You can also change Lara’s pose, the field of view, and the roll angle.
Gameplay
Since this is a remaster of the original trilogy and not a total remake like Tomb Raider Anniversary or Tomb Raider Dox: The Dagger Of Xian, the storylines and game mechanics remain unaltered, with the same classic jumps, infuriating timed sequences, weapons, and adversaries coming back in glorious Technicolor, but this time with a lavish lick of paint. Floors shimmer and sunlight beams through windows, giving the entire trilogy a fresh reboot for both veteran fans and new Raiders. While writing this article I clearly needed to dip into the game from time to time, only to find myself curiously immersed in the games once again, mumbling to myself, “I wonder if I can just make one more jump…”, which is why this article has taken so long to write.
It’s a testament to the original games that we still derive pleasure from simple gameplay, basic mechanics, and exotic locations in games that were released over 25 years ago. I’ve played dozens of games during these years, ranging from RPG, survival horror, FPS shooters, and arcade racing games. But Tomb Raider always draws me back and these remastered versions are the icing on a very delicious slice of cake.
Check out Aspyr and see where you can buy Tomb Raider I-III Remastered for PC and console.
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