Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered Review

Introduction

I’ve been a big fan of game remasters from the 90s and early 2000s. I know we receive a lot of them these days, but there are tons of games from the past that I would love to play again or for the first time with updated visuals and controls. You can always go back to the originals, but sometimes they don’t feel the same years later or are much harder to get to when you’re used to modern quality-of-life improvements. That’s why I was excited for the Tomb Raider IV-VI remasters. I played a bit of Tomb Raider when I first received my PlayStation in 1998 and never really got to play anything outside the first title.

It was a bit of a surprise in 2023 when it was announced that we were getting a Tomb Raider I-III remaster. Tomb Raider is arguably one of the most recognizable franchises in gaming, and it had seemed that those games would be relegated to the past for a long time. That has changed significantly as Aspyr has not only remastered the first three games, but they have also developed Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered. I’m excited to finally have the first six games available on modern consoles so I can run through the whole series at some point. With that said, let’s look at the improvements of Tomb Raider IV-VI.

Game Details

Enhancements

All three games have received many quality-of-life enhancements. The original tank controls are coupled with a modern control scheme that can be toggled on or off in the menu for each game. I used modern controls, but they make performing some of Lara’s complex moves much more complicated and can be a pain when the camera changes perspective. It also took a little bit of figuring out while swimming since the right stick (usually the camera) controls the depth of your swim. Tomb Raider will never be praised for its clunky controls, but it’s nice to have the option of both types carried over from the first collection of games.

Much like the previous collection, the modern graphics look crisp at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second. That frame rate even extends to the classic visuals if you prefer those. Photo mode returns with a new Flyby Camera Maker that allows players to create their own cinematic shots. I haven’t played around with it too much, but it lets you map out moving camera paths in any scene, and I’m sure some of the more talented creators out there will have a field day with it. Other minor quality-of-life improvements include boss health bars, an ammo counter, skipping cutscenes, and a whopping 168 trophies/achievements to strive for.

Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation

I’ll briefly touch on the three games in the collection. Tomb Raider IV: The Last Revelation was probably my favorite because it felt the most like a Tomb Raider game. The game begins with a teenage Lara Croft as she joins her mentor, Werner Von Croy, in Angkor Wat, searching for a precious artifact. The tutorial is annoying, and you’ll wish Werner would sometimes stop talking. The game takes place mainly in Egypt and can sometimes feel slightly bland because of how similar the settings tend to be. I did, however, feel like there was a lot of detail in the locations, and it was fun to explore the tombs and solve some of the puzzles. I spent a few more hours than planned one Saturday because I was so into figuring things out.

Tomb Raider: Chronicles

Tomb Raider: Chronicles is an interesting game because the story is framed through flashbacks. Four different sections take place at specific points in Lara’s life. You’ll get more variety in this game than in IV, including Rome, Ireland, and even an NYC skyscraper. It makes it easy to pick up and play right after IV because the settings are diverse, and the gameplay is slightly more varied. It feels like a good continuation, and there are even some elements of the story about the relationship between Von Croy and Lara.

Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness

The final game in the collection is Tomb Raider: Angel of Darkness. This game has been largely considered one of the buggiest. I have not played it before for that reason. That’s why I was so surprised that I enjoyed what I played of this one. It was initially on the PS2, so the visuals are already much better, and the modern option cleans it up even more. The story is pretty dark and had me on my toes. Lara is suspected of murdering her mentor and has to sneak her way through Paris to avoid getting caught. You even have branching conversations that allow events to play out slightly differently depending on your answer.

The stamina meter returns from the PS2 version and gives you barely enough time to go where you need to before falling off whatever you’re scurrying across. Lara also can’t jump far or push heavy boxes unless she sees something that temporarily makes her stronger. This is not explained, and I had to figure it out when I unlocked a door. I missed one of these requirements at the start of the game and had to re-do an apartment section to get through it. The animations are also slow and annoying. Picking anything up drives me crazy because it takes so long. You can tell that they tried adding some intriguing elements here but didn’t stick the landing. That said, this is the definitive way to play this game. It’s well worth it after being so poorly regarded for many years.

Conclusion

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered is an excellent continuation of the remasters of the first three games. Each game is tedious and takes a lot of patience. Aspyr hasn’t done much to remedy that. Even with modern controls, the precision required to get through certain parts of these games can almost make you crazy at times. I had many instances where I did not know what to do, and there wasn’t even a clue to point me in the right direction. Some may enjoy that, but it gets old after wandering for 15 minutes. Despite that, I still see myself going back to play these games because there is still plenty to like with each of them. Kudos to Aspyr for bringing back the entire set of the original six games for modern audiences to enjoy.