Tomb Raider 1+2+3

These first three TR games are the ones that every gamer must play if they're to get any idea of the popularity that the Lara Croft character had in the mid-to-late 1990s. It's star rose and fell with them, because after the third instalment, the Tomb Raider games just weren't as good anymore (Angel of Darkness being a prime example of that). On playing them, you'll understand why many are quite purist about them, and why the reboots of later years never really took hold. Legend and Anniversary just weren't the same. Even the new rebooted game can't match the power of these originals (many have called that one a reworked Uncharted anyway). So download these games, and enjoy Tomb Raider when it was at it's best.

Great games of their time, I had a blast revisiting TR1 with this pack. 5/5 rating for that one. I wasn't able to get it running on my Windows 7 desktop (wouldn't even load), however, and had to use my Windows 10 laptop to get it working. Cinematics were at the lowest quality, but it wasn't like it took away from the fun. TR2 had some major problems with glitches. I couldn't get it to work on my laptop, but it worked on my desktop (oddly the opposite problem I had with TR1). Also, I had to do some research on fixing the gamepad I was using to get that working. There are some glitches throughout the game, falling through the graphics and whatnot, which I don't remember encountering when playing it on PS1. Overall, it was a difficult experience, and not quite as enjoyable as I remember back in my childhood. It's severely flawed in comparison to the first, a lot harder, and while level design starts out strong it does become bland and monotonous to trudge through as you progress. I'd rate it 3.5/5. TR3 had even more problems. The sound wasn't working, so I had to do something about that. Only worked on my desktop, same as TR2. As far as the game goes, I remember not exactly loving it back in the day due to some really poor design choices and camera problems (yes, even worse than TR2). It's virtually unplayable in some areas, and I swear it has to be due to bugs because watching walkthroughs on youtube, things just don't seem to be working the way they are supposed to. If you play this one, expect to use cheats. 2.5/5. If your PS1 isn't working anymore and you want to revisit these, it's probably worth it overall. Don't expect a smooth process though, and simply enjoy the experience for what it is: nostalgia.

Tomb Raider is a classic of the 90s that made Lara Croft an icon. As one of the first 3D puzzle platformers, it comes from a time without clear standards, which makes it clunky yet innovative. Lara explores bizarre levels inspired by ancient cultures with a touch of Lovecraft, tied together by themes of birth and rebirth. The games open memorably with a tutorial in Lara's mansion, where players learn the basics of jumping, climbing, and swimming before heading into the different locations to collect treasures. Levels are built on a strict grid system, making movement deliberate but precise and mastering timing and distance is essential to survival. Combat is simple Lara can draw or holster weapons, automatically aiming with her trademark dual pistols. Other weapons like the shotgun, magnums, or Uzis add variety but require ammo, which is rarely scarce. Level design is the real highlight. Environments are varied and atmospheric, supported by strong music and sound design. Ancient temples, ruins, and caves invite exploration, rewarding secrets with health or ammunition. With no map, navigation depends on memory, and the vertical, non-linear layouts make every corner feel dangerous. Difficulty is high and traps, enemies, and chasms punish every mistake. Death animations from drowning to being impaled are being the source of everyones nightmares. Success requires patience and repeated trial and error. However, flaws are hard to ignore. The camera struggles in tight spaces, interactions demand exact positioning, and combat often feels clumsy. Getting lost is common, and puzzles can become frustratingly repetitive. The third game even is almost absurd in terms of puzzles and solutions. Still, despite being tedious and unforgiving, the Tomb Raider Classic Trilogy remains atmospheric, challenging, and great.

I have never played the classic Tomb Raider games before, but already the first one just feel like nostalgia. The first one is a must-play to experience a back to the roots Lara Croft. The game is packed with DOSBox to run it on modern systems, which is definitely playable, but not as smooth of an experience as being native. The second game draws the series into a more action focussed game, which I did not really enjoy. This has been done by mostly placing enemies behind doors, that might have the potential to be very lethal. I hope you saved just before, because if not, you are replaying quite a bit, and that happes quite some times. But no worries, the third game reduces the amount of humans being between Lara and her goal. You even have the choice in which order you want to visit the three location (Nevada first!). But all have in common: Vehicles might behave clunky, but o gosh, the soundtracks when Lara mounts a vehicles are just epic!

A very good set of games, many hours of fun, and nice to have them all available here. however, I found the graphics on 1 to be often glitchy, with random objects appearing in front of, rather than behind, the character as she passes, and the jump button on 2 often doesn't work, making things a lot more difficult. Still, worth a try, and maybe there's some way to fix these problems