;p;

The very least with some modern function.

I know that:

• "Save Points" are a redundant concept given most games these days have auto-save or manual save anywhere.

• That they were exclusive to the original timeline.

• That likely, for all we know, we the players can clearly see them while they were non-existent to Lara, given they were purely a gameplay mechanic.

But still, I always found these large, blue octahedrons both iconic and nostalgic for Tomb Raider games that, while I acknowledge Save Points being no longer needed, kinda hope they still worked them into future titles or give them new purpose. (Or the very least become a logo for Crystal Dynamics, given it is a crystal!)

For example, what if the blue crystals appear in Survival Instinct as marker for where Lara needs to go?

Or what if the Divine Source was a Savegame Crystal of the Survival Timeline?

Disclaimer: No offense is intended towards fans of the Survival Trilogy and/or its Lara Croft.

To most people nowadays, Lara Croft means a weak, whiny girl who hates tombs. (Again, no offense to Survival Trilogy fans) Part of me deep down thought, maybe this only applied to the first game as an origin story, but someone said this carries over to the third game, saying "Even by the third game she is like a frightened little girl".

But to me, Lara Croft means an adventurous, fit, athletic action girl who does some fun climbs, jumps, and swings on obstacles, is enthusiastic about both ancient archaeological sites/tombs and death traps, is quite a daredevil, and at some point, wielded Excalibur and Thor's Hammer.

And of course there is the original series where she is similar, though with less personality.

Now, I wouldn't mind the Survival Trilogy being equally popular to these, like open world Zelda and classic 3D Zelda (and ironically, I love them equally while others hate open world Zelda). But I feel the Survival Trilogy has overshadowed this completely and changed how most people see Lara Croft.

I'd say "If they can make a Lara Croft that is so drastically different from her original series and Legend counterparts, then they can make a Batman who is willing to kill in battle or to prevent an enemy's escape, while still discouraging killing out of vengeance or vigilante style". But we already have that Batman in Burtonverse, which a lot of peaple forget in light of both Batman & Robin being terrible, and the Dark Knight Trilogy overshadowing it. But even that is more well-known than the Legend Trilogy.

I apologize if I rant about this too much but I wish my favorite Tomb Raider series, the one I feel defines Tomb Raider and Lara Croft to me, was at least still known and not faded into obscurity. It's fine if people love the Survival Trilogy but I don't want this to be forgotten.

I saw, or skimmed enough of, a playthrough of the first game, and can name off its differences.

The first game is different from Anniversary as follows:

1. The level design is different for many parts. Some parts like the Coliseum are more complex than in Anniversary, while some parts like the Greek God rooms and the lead bar rooms are much simpler.

2. I do not think Lara has a grappling hook in the original.

3. There is no rage meter, all enemies, including bosses, simply go down by shooting them enough, like Takamoto in Legend.

4. Lara kills Pierre (after he comes up and attacks her throughout Greece) and I do not think the stone centaurs come to life. In Anniversary, the centaurs kill Pierre and Lara fights and kills them.

5. Lara kills Larson at the end of Egypt. In Anniversary she kills him in Natla's Mines.

6. Kold (a.k.a. Bald Man) and Kid (a.k.a. Cowboy) have a third partner, Skater Boy. One by one, Lara encounters and kills them at Natla's Mines. In Anniversary, Kold and Kid kill each other.

7. That said, there are no quick time events in the original.

8. Lara kills Natla by shooting her enough times like all the other bosses. In Anniversary, she sends a pillar falling on her after the fight, and in Underworld she is shown to have survived this, and is later killed when Lara throws Thor's Hammer at her and sends her falling into the eitr. (Or, if you go by the DLC as canon, is drowned in eitr by the doppelganger)

I thought I'd rank the levels from the Tomb Raider Legend Trilogy favorite to least.

18: Mediterranean Sea (Underworld)

It begins with a massive underwater stage. Though you can't drown here, you do have to search for two axles. Controls aren't super awkward but the second one is in another structure I spent a while searching for. Inside Niflheim, the area is dull and a bit confusing at times, especially trying to figure out how to get to where you need to kill the kraken. Then when it gets to the combat on Amanda's boat, you realize just how much easier it is to die than in the previous games. And it ends with escaping from the sinking boat, though I think it's not timed or anything.

And to add insult to injury, they unavoidably stick Lara in a "fanservice-y" outfit for this. They don't even let you choose like in Arctic Sea. I love how Lara is USUALLY very attractive without being too "fanservice-y" so why the change?

This is the only one I actively dislike.

17: Coastal Thailand (Underworld)

I don't dislike the level, really. It is beautiful aside from the spiders, and both this and the outfits returning to Lara's usual style are a breath of fresh air from Mediterranean Sea. And there are plenty of Tomb Raider style puzzles and obstacle courses.

This only gets this low because of that one confusing room with lots of Naga fights that are a bit difficult given your low health. Other than that it's pretty good.

16: Croft Manor (Underworld)

This is a bit of a breather level after the first two. It's not particularly difficult. However, it is a bit dark and plain compared to other levels.

15: Nepal (Legend)

Lots of typical Tomb Raider style obstacle courses, though some can take a few tries. Despite its low placement I don't dislike it, I just like other levels more.

14: Peru (Legend)

Mostly straightforward level, and kind of a cool puzzle at the end even if took me a while to figure out. It gained some points for the driving stage which is kinda fun, but lost a few points for the flashback sequence, which, while not long, isn't quite as fun as the rest.

13: Natla's Mines (Anniversary)

It can kinda be a fun final stage for Anniversary, but a few bits can be annoying, mostly the battles especially as you ascend the long shaft which many players consider That One Level. Intro is a bit dull but not really annoying. Kinda fun quick time fights with Natla's minions, and more of those classic Tomb Raider jumps. And of course you get to fight Natla herself at the end.

12: Southern Mexico (Underworld)

As Tomb Raider Underworld levels go, this one's not really bad. The rain setting, and getting the jaguar heads and activating the calendars are a pretty fun puzzle, and while you are timed getting into Xibalba, it is manageable if you're prepared, and the song that plays is quite intense. Xibalba itself is pretty cool (aside from the giant spiders), the puzzles are pretty straightforward and the trap rooms aren't that tough.

The reason this isn't higher and I was a bit iffy about putting it higher than the last three is because of the eitr room, which many had to check a walkthrough for how to do right and gave me lots of frustration. All those Thralls must have been alternate Laras that fell into the eitr every time I screwed up.

11: Jan Mayen Island (Underworld)

This is where Underworld starts to get good. It begins with riding a motorcycle down a spiral path, then an obstacle course involving a large spinning platform, which is really fun and makes you feel like you're playing Anniversary or Legend again. The labyrinth (which, while called Valhalla, seems more like what Niflheim is) seems confusing at first but actually there is a very simple path to the final room, and if you know what to do it's a pretty fun obstacle course to Thor's Hammer.

10: Bolivia (Legend)

Again, pretty straightforward level. Beautiful level outside, the introduction to the Legend Trilogy's mechanics and my introduction to the series. The tomb was a bit dark but you have your light, and the puzzles and obstacle course are kinda fun.

Also of note, the final boss battle also takes place in the last area of the level, and as it is more of a battle than a stage I won't list it separately. Pretty straightforward battle considering you're using Excalibur.

9: Arctic Sea (Underworld)

It begins with another underwater stage but this isn't as annoying as Mediterranean Sea. Not just coz you can choose a less "fanservice-y" for Lara this time, but also finding the items you need is pretty easy. Once you enter Helheim it gets pretty fun. There is a bit of an obstacle course, a hallway full of Thralls, a very significant cutscene, and then the "final boss" is the ultimate obstacle course, which can be a bit confusing at first but if you know what to do, it is fun, and, DLC aside, ends with Natla's glorious death, even if you don't get to actually fight her yourself this time.

8: Peru (Anniversary)

A plain, straightforward level. But not really boring. It's still an ancient ruin and has plenty of those classic Tomb Raider obstacles. The waterfall room and both rooms where you open a door from the left and right is pretty cool, you get your introduction to Anniversary specific mechanics, there's a boss fight with a T-Rex, and Qualopec's tomb, while not particularly fancy, is still all right. And of course there is an Indiana Jones reference with the boulder.

7: Kazakhstan (Legend)

I thought I didn't like this level at first (I think due to winter setting) but it's grown on me a bit. The outdoor stuff isn't actually that long if you know where to go, then another driving stage which is very long but can be fun, ending with you driving your motorcycle onto a train. Then the actual Soviet facility, which is modern but doubles as a tomb due to scientists that froze to death in the 50's, is full of the classic Tomb Raider obstacles and such, and you get to operate a Tesla coil. The boss is kinda annoying though.

6: Japan (Legend)

This is kinda a departure from other Tomb Raider levels in that it is not a tomb, but a Yakuza base. But the Japan setting is pretty cool, and the soundtracks, and the fact that you're fighting gangsters, and Yakuza at that, and come out victorious. There are still some climbing obstacles outside, and some kinda cool puzzles inside, and the boss fight is kinda fun too.

I'm not sure whether those are meant to be Modesty Shorts under Lara's torn dress here; if not, then she's a bit "fanservice-y" here too, but I can look past that.

5: Ghana (Legend)

Begins with an awesome swan dive into the water, then more ancient ruins and death traps, and more climbing obstacles. This is a prime example of these tombs in Legend, and Lara's love for death traps. Among them is another Indiana Jones boulder. You get to fight Rutland at the end, which can be a bit annoying but manageable.

4: Greece (Anniversary)

One of the most memorable levels of the franchise. St. Francis Folly is pretty long and can be a bit confusing to get to all the switches and doors but other than that, the god challenge rooms can be fun (and yes, another Indiana Jones boulder in the Atlas room), though the game doesn't tell you how to do the grapple jump to the side in the Damocles room. The Coliseum is a cool setting in general but a bit plain and short. Midas room is pretty iconic; aside from the Sa'luk death scene, the first and third lead bar rooms are pretty fun.

The Tomb of Tihocan can be a bit confusing at first glance, but once you know what to do it's not so bad, and the boss battle is a bit crazy but not overly difficult IMO, if you know what to do.

3: England (Legend)

It begins as a tourist attraction that is clearly a fake King Arthur's tomb, during which you get an entertaining comment from Alister about Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone being two separate swords. Then behind a brick wall you drive a forklift into the real King Arthur's tomb, and after the forklift falls you get another entertaining comment from Zip. From here it's more obstacles and death traps typical of a Tomb Raider game, and then you enter a giant room, where after some more fun obstacles and kind of a clever puzzle you get the last Excalibur fragment from King Arthur's tomb itself.

The boss fight with the sea serpent (who you ominously hear while first entering the room but don't see until after getting the sword fragment) might be a bit Guide Dang It but if you know what to do it's not super difficult, though there is some backtracking involved from here.

2: Egypt (Anniversary)

This level practically defines Tomb Raider levels as I see them. Climbing obstacles, some puzzles, a bit of swimming stages, and occasional combat with enemies. There are some entertaining moments listening to the rat theme when rats attack, mainly in the hall to the giant water room. A few bits of it can be frustrating and take a few tries, but not overly frustrating. It's fun seeing which room is next, and most of them are fun enough. And of course ancient Egyptian settings are always cool.

Still not perfect though. There is a beginner's trap in one room where if you pull a switch that is completely optional and gives no rewards, circular blade death traps activate making the room difficult, but it's easy if you just don't get the switch. And there is one Guide Dang It part at the beginning of Part 3, of rotating pillars a certain way which could softlock you if you do it wrong, but if you know what to do, it's an easy solution.

1: Andaman Sea (Underworld)

This level is not Tomb Raider-esque at all, it's very short, and it is basically a replay of the Amanda's boat section of my least favorite level. But this time you have Thor's Hammer. It is so much fun walking through the rain and smiting Amanda's minions with Thor's Hammer and sometimes sending them flying over the edge. More than anything it seems a level to get you used to Thor's Hammer, and it makes everything leading up to it worth it.

This place is a tomb now but maybe one day someone like Lara Croft will dig it up again, and once it becomes known again...

Who else loves this trilogy? Granted it's the only games I've played but I saw a playthrough of the 2013 game and am sure I wouldn't enjoy playing it. Never played or seen original series, I hear the earlier ones were good and later ones were really bad.

But this is the definitive Tomb Raider series for me and the definitive Lara Croft, and Legend and Anniversary at least are fun to play through, and I did so again recently. (Underworld wasn't as fun but I'll play it again and give it my Final Judgment).

Whether or not you like other games better, and whether or not you consider it its own timeline or part of one big timeline (and this thread is not the place for that, it's discussed on another), if you like these games, come here and say so.

Can we please stop refering to the Tomb Raider Chronicles press kit when talking about in which year the events of the game took place. There is no way Lara croft had her signature back pack in 1982 when didn't even obtain it till 1984. The press kit and the trailers of the game have the dates wrong. I will die on this hill lol

The series is known for being tossed around from one owner to another.

It used to be owned by Eidos, but then they merged with Square Enix and two years ago, a company called Embracer Group bought Tomb Raider and Crystal Dynamics from Square Enix.

You might ask yourself "Why are you asking this if you know the answer?" Well, here's the thing: I checked the Wikipedia article about the "Tomb Raider (Series)" and its says that the IP is now owned by a company called "CDE Entertainment", who published Tomb Raider Reloaded and now I'm confused.

Aren't they just the publisher of the mobile game?

If I wanted to credit the current owners of the IP, who should I credit?

For those who don't know who Phoebe Waller-Bridge is, she's a British comedian and a feminist known for been the creator, head writer and main character of the comedy series Fleabag.

She has also noticeably starred in Solo: A Star Wars Story as the droid L3-37 (the droid Lando was in love with and who wanted equal rights) and also recently appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as Indiana's god-daughter, Helena Shaw.

With her apparently scheduled to make a new Tomb Raider series for Amazon Prime, what are your initial reactions to this?

Do you have a discord server?