Tomb Raider: Anniversary

Still beautiful to look at. Still a little wonky with some of the controls. But Anniversary is one of the purest-feeling Tomb Raider games. It captures what I imagine it'd feel like to be exploring caves, by yourself, that actually have adventure & relics to find.

I loved TRA on the PS2 and couldn't wait to play it again (I still have the poster from the strategy guide of Lara fighting the lions). However, this version is definitely rough around the edges compared to the console versions from years ago, at least through the first area of the game. A lot of graphical glitches where Lara will continues shimmying in thin air instead of rounding a corner then teleporting over to where she's supposed to be, the camera being a little too stuttery, and the enemy AI sometimes just goes completely dumb. The first boss fight in the game is against the T-Rex and it kept getting caught in an animation loop where it wouldn't attack me unless I stood in a specific spot. It turned what's supposed to be a heart pounding fight between a woman with 2 guns and a dinosaur into something where all I had to do was mash the trigger as fast as possible. I still like the game and will play it to completion but the original console versions are better. For the introductory price of 98 cents it's can't miss right now at least.

If you want to know the Essence of Tomb Raider, this is the best game to do so. This is also one of the best remakes of all time too. Captures the whole essence of Tomb Raider (1996), upgrades and expands it to a higher standard, no "reimagination" BS, just like Resident Evil 1 remake did to Resident Evil (1996). Granted, as a product of its time (2007) there is some aging to Tomb Raider: Anniversary, but it held up very well to be played nowadays, with easy compatibility and controls easy to learn. Game is challenging enough without holding your hand; you think on your own and beat the challenges. Plenty of Exploration, collectibles and unlockable extras, thus high replay value to do so.

Tomb Raider Anniversary is a remake of the first classic game, reimagined with influences from Tomb Raider Legend. The core plot remains, but is expanded by tying the Scion artifact to Lara's father, whose journal comments appear throughout. The game is more action-driven than the original. Some sequences once shown in cutscenes are now playable climbing sections which is cool. Croft Manor also returns, redesigned after Legend, serving both as a tutorial and an explorable hub integrated into the story. Familiar locations like Vilcabamba or the Lost Valley are faithfully recreated but enhanced with skyboxes, lighting, and bloom effects. Larger layouts, detailed textures, and dramatic camera work help modernize these spaces. However, the visual style leans heavily on gray and muted tones, losing the vibrant greens and reds of the original. Atlantis, too, feels more technical and mystical than bizarre and grotesque. Many puzzles return, some reimagined. Some even improved like the Poseidon Chamber. Still, simplifications are noticeable: levels are streamlined, corridors connect landmark rooms, and exploration is limited. While this reduces backtracking, it also shrinks the sense of discovery. Movement and climbing use the Legend system, where Lara auto-grabs edges and poles. It works most of the time, but occasional input issues lead to frustrating deaths. Combat also mirrors Legend, with added mechanics like a slow-motion dodge jump that enables counter headshots. Enemies are mostly animals or Atlantean creatures, so fights follow repetitive patterns. Human encounters from the original are reduced to cutscenes or QTEs. Character redesigns, especially villains, feel exaggerated and lose subtlety. In the end, Anniversary feels less like a faithful remake and more like a reinterpretation. Its streamlined design and modern mechanics make it accessible, but also strip away some of the precision, atmosphere, and challenge that defined the original.

Its wonderful