A quick note, the 2013 game is not a remake but a reboot. However Tomb Raider Anniversary released in 2007 is a full remake and slightly changes some story elements. I think it’s great but it does shorten and change several levels which some people don’t like
Anniversary also changes the story to some degree, completely changes the tone and Lara's character, changes the atmosphere of many levels (the colors are much more muted especially in the vibrant Egypt levels), and ruins some of the original's best moments like the t-rex encounter with overly long cutscenes and annoying quick time events. It's a decent game but it's NOT a faithful remake of Tomb Raider 1. It's a completely different experience.
Anniversary's controls are, IMO, so much better than the original's 'tank' style. Some people prefer the original due to how much precision you have with Lara's movements but personally I'd rather have the updated 2007 controls any day.
the reason why lara had a skinless counterpart is because she was made by natla as lara's doppleganger, to creep her out.. and all of the other skinless beasts are natlas army of undead atlanteans n stuff.
Well this zoomer material is millennial approved! Such a professional insight into the game review scene, with top tier editing and fun moments from your own experience on the live streams! We are going to love more additions to this series! 🤩
Early Tomb Raiders scared me more than most horror games. A neat little Egyptian tunnel just shoves spikes into you when you least expect. It was the beauty of low polygons, there was no indication of things being there.
Correction. They actually made a remastered version of Tomb Raider 1 called Tomb Raider Anniversary. It’s the same exact game just with ps2 graphics. Tomb Raider 2013 is a reboot that has nothing to do with Classic Lara Croft from the 90s.
Not same exact game by a long margin, but yeah, it's indeed a remake of the 1996 original. They changed story to fid Anniversary in the new continuity, changed level design byond what was needed to adjust to the new control scheme and cut and/or merged a handful of levels. It's a nice game, but a completely different beast than just the original with updated controls and graphics.
Tomb Raider 2 was my first dive in the world of Lara Croft back in 1997, and I loved every second of it. I still love the original trilogy to this day, and still play them from time to time.
Growing up I had an inexplicable obsession with the franchise and Lara herself, until one day mom walked in on me playing it and her face lit up. She told me she used to love watching her nephews play this game in 1996 while pregnant with me and completely forgot about it! Thank you for doing it justice, Tomb Raider means a lot to so many of us!
Semi related memory of mine, i was in primary school when TR came out and i remember a conversation where all the mums were annoyed because all the dads kept playing with Lara Croft on the Playstation :P.
The game is really good especially for young kids to develop spacial awareness of your environment, and learning how to manipulate environmental objects to reach a objective. As a kid I was enlighten to explore my environment in ways I never thought possible. It is a beautiful for abstract mind.
This is absolutely amazing all the work that was put into this really shows! It reminds me of all the best parts of g4, streams, and game reviews. Props to mat on the edits too. This was 11/10
i love this zoomer retro game review idea, it's honestly hard for me to not take many retro reviews with a grain (or spoon) of salt because i always feel like there's heavy nostalgia biasing them that won't apply for me so this perspective is refreshing and valuable. especially since you're so good at it, definitely subscribing!
Millenial here(Born in ‘89) I thoroughly enjoyed this. I’d like your take on more PS1 titles like maybe Silent Hill, Resident Evil(The 1996 OG one) or The Crash Bandicoot series
I've seen the "they were still trying to figure out 3D controls" argument many times, but I'd say that's underestimating the GAME-DESIGN aspect of classic TR games. There was this great comparison of the OG TR1 vs the first early remake of it (no, not the 2013 reboot), and how the latter opting for the nowadays more traditional free control style absolutely demolished the weighty, realistic, outright OG "Prince Of Persia" gameplay style, where each step mattered, and jumps were not floaty Super Mario leaps with air control. Mastering the control scheme and thus solving the "puzzles" that are the climbing, leaping and parkouring challenges of the world are the center part of traditional TR games. All which have since been lost and buried thanks to the way more casual, 3rd person shooter movie game-esque style of the 2010s reboots and spinoffs. Which are really NOT good at all, and represent everything wrong with the modern gaming industry as a whole, if you ask me.
I'm a millennial and it warms my heart to see a zoomer try our games. Well done, miss. TR2 allows you to save whenever you wish, so I hope you'll give that one a try next. Also, to help you with the story; Natla was somewhat of a god, exiled thousands of years ago because she kept on creating abominations. She was released from her prison and set about finding the artifacts so she could continue creating her abominations. This is where lara comes in as she hires her to find a piece of artifact. It's also why natla has wings and why things got weird, because she was creating random things. The story is somewhat vague, so can understand why it would be confusing, but I hope I helped? 😆
As someone who also went onto the classic games, being born after they were made, I have to say I really really love them. I first came across Tomb Raider when watching the movie, but then I went back, to play the most recent games from the most recent. I left it at that until on youtube I started watching Tomb Raider videos from people who had played the classic games. To understand more, I went back and played them and I do have to say, I really, really enjoyed these games. Despite the divide in the community due to the character differences as the brand who made the games changed, I'm really happy to be among the fans of this series. BTW, the story of Tomb Raider 1 might be a bit generic for the kind of 'treasure hunting genre' now days, but for most games at that time, having a story was a completely new thing. Basically, a nuclear weapon exploding onto a test site set free NATLA, who was an ancient Atlantean queen, imprisoned by the other two rulers of Atlantis because she wanted to control too much or something like that. After she got released, she built a company, NATLA technologies. Later is where Lara comes into play. She is at first, hired by Natla to find and ancient artifact, called the Scion. In the end this is connected to Atlantis, and there are three parts to the artifact. Natla needs them and tries to get them through Lara, only that later, Lara finds Atlantis and is determined to stop her, as Natla plans on genetically modifying human kind to create a sort of different race that she can control. Natla - yes, does have wings - which could either be an Atlantean thing or maybe even her own genetic mutation thing - I don't know too much about this anyway, Lara defeats Natla in the end and then exits the pyramid on the last level. Fun fact I learned in a book about the development of this game - If your curious as to why at the finishing levels in the game look flesh-like and weird it's because the graphic designer at the time wanted the Atlanteans to be a more advanced, complicated race and because she didn't want to go with the green alien look very commonly depicted in media, she instead burrowed a book from a friend of theirs (who was a doctor) about anatomy.
I am actually playing them for the first time as I write this (between 3 and 4, right now). TR2 on PS1 lets you save whenever you want, but the worst about this is definitely 3. There are save crystals that you use as items, and you find most of them in secrets, and you never know if it's worth using them, your first time playing. On PC, it's not a problem as there are unlimited saves, and these crystals heal you! Great review, it was an interesting perspective!
A big reason the game controls the way it does is due to the depth perception problem which still plagues games to this day. In 2D games it's very easy to judge jump distances, but in 3D it's extremely difficult due to the lack of depth cues. Most 3D games address this issue by avoiding making the player perform precise jumps and being very generous with the size of platforms. Tomb Raider addresses the issue by making the controls and environments very precise. Due to the environments being based on a grid system it's much easier to judge jump distances and since Lara's moves are precise you can tell which kind of jump you need to perform. Plus Saturn and PS1 did not have analog sticks at launch. We played this with d-pads.
The evidence that Tomb Raider should have been a horror franchise just keeps piling up, huh. Really good video, glad it got picked up by the algorithm.
Hey this was great and I really dug your insightful comments on the game design! After finishing this one, I immediately went to search your catalog of videos thinking you had been doing this for a while but it looks like you're just getting started. Please make more!
I'd love to see you play Tomb Raider 3! The most difficult of the franchise but the most beautiful and full of so many cool locations (industrial, jungle, beach, city etc). Definitely the most cinematic of the old games and Lara slays so much here.
This video is so fun! I've owned this game for a few years now and I haven't done a full playthrough yet, but this video has me looking forward to playing it soon!
Yeah the music and its placement should be another character in this game. The fact that it makes you feel good to hear the "Midas Palace" theme is great, especially going through dark and isolated areas.
This was so enjoyable to watch for a millennial who grew up with the games! I’m so pleased the remastered version is coming out, making the controls somewhat easier for the newer generation and shall hopefully make more accessible the world of retro games to you guys :-)
I love the original Tomb Raider trilogy. I grew up with TR3 in particular. It was really interesting to get a newcomers / modern gamer's perspective of this, and I like how you dove a bit into the game design and intentions. Really cool video and really fun to watch! Would love to see you trying more TR games. While I appreciate modern gamers aren't used to sparse save points, I personally think it adds to the experience and is a good design for this particular game (just like I think it works in newer games like Alien: Isolation). Early TR games are about adventure, observation skills and precision. The grid-pattern levels help you plan out your moves and if you miss a jump it's because you weren't precise enough rather than for example, in some modern games, where you're relying on the character to auto-grab a ledge but sometimes it's glitchy. With fewer save points, each action feels like a higher risk and so you tread carefully, adding to the adventure/survival feel of the game as well as adding to the tension and the need to observe/plan well. Also I would only agree that the hazards can be unpredictable / unfair / you wouldn't pass it first time, when it comes to TR3. TR3 is notoriously difficult and unless you knew what was coming beforehand you'll most likely die on the first attempt which can feel a bit unfair. But in TR1 and TR2, I feel that at least mostly you can get past hazards first time with observational skills, planning and good execution. E.g. that last gameplay clip in your video where Lara falls down the hole, you can literally see both of those trapdoor hazards ahead by standing at the edge and using the look button. (although the opening level to TR2 is definitely the hardest opening level in the original 3 games) I think these original TR games are just slower paced than modern gamers are used to.
It's nice to see your appreciation of these older games and you really made some good arguments why these games were made like that back then. The controls are really something to get used to these days but i think it's still worth it as it's still very atmospheric, despite the simple graphics (or maybe even just because of them). Hope you make some more videos like that, really enjoyed it!
This review is great! Watching you play through this game while learning about the development of it gave me a new perspective on retro games, and all the unintentional jumpscares were hilarious
This was really enjoyable to watch! Interesting to see the sorts of things you picked up on as a first time player (like the sparing use of music). One thing that sets this game apart from other Tomb Raiders and especially modern games is the lack of human enemies, it makes you feel more isolated I think. In a few weeks there’s a remaster of the first three Tomb Raiders coming out, which looks fantastic. Comes Feb 14th, Lara’s birthday!
It’s funny, I was born in 2000. But I feel so old watching the type of stuff my generation does/says/thinks. But god it’s awesome to see a perspective from this generation that actually played through the game and enjoyed it! I don’t understand modern gamers but I’m happy this got recommended to me. You’ll be excited to know that the first 3 games and their expansions are getting remastered for all platforms early next year! ☺️
In the UK it came out way before the N64, this was the first big 3D release. I kinda like the limited save points, it is only an "artificial" difficulty if you're unwilling to embrace the challenge. It gives the game a survival-horror quality, you have to manage all your resources.
Amazing review, you hit all the spots with it. Very good insight and it shows that you played it with an open mind and with the right mind-set ! Love it 🖤
I'm about to start playing this on PC, so nostalgic, I had it on PS1 as a young lad and didn't own a memory card, so I have those first few levels engrained in my brain. Subbed.
I grew up with the Tomb Raider series and I play all of them up to this day. So i can just recommend to play them all, especially the first five titles. Very nice review, looking forward to your next videos. And tbh, I followed you on ig for quite a while now and it made me happy to see you pop up in my youtube algorithm right now.
As a millenial who only recently started playing this game last year, I totally agree with your point. As much of a historical achievement as it is, the original Tomb Raider 1 certainly puts our patience on trial so many times, but the sense of reward you got after passing all of these hazards and deadly encounters is undeniable. Still I'd rather give it another try through the PC version, specially thanks to the TombATI mod. Being able to save anytime is such a QoL improvement. Curious to see your take on the rest of the series!
These kinds of games were anti-instant gratification. Modern gaming really did ruin itself for a generation of people who expected to win every fight, solve every challenge immediately and never fail. These games taught you to adapt and overcome to progress. Great review.
Loved seeing your perspective! I grew up with this game! I love it’s unique perspective of learning to play through dying. It can put you through a grind but like you said the reward is worth it! The story can be very difficult to understand. I had to look up an explanation myself when I was younger lol
Will forever love the classics, I still play them till this day. Tomb Raider was one of my first games that I owned on the PlayStation console, she instantly became my favorite heroine. Subscribed 👍🏽
Watching this was so entertaining! I love Tomb raider but seeing your experience with as so funny! Honestly tomb raider 3 was more frustrating or and number 4… you need a walkthrough
I played the game, in 1996. It was everything you were saying, and more! You have to understand this viewpoint, there wasn't anything like it, before. It was a more adult game, and it was jonky , it was thrilling to get those little music clips, at important parts, it was aggrevating as Hell to control, lol , but it was awesome. Good review !
PAPPPPPPIIIIIII (and Mat)!!! Holy shit this video was so good. I laughed. I cried. I screamed. I reminisced. Brilliant! I can’t wait to see what you do next!
I can't believe how well done this is by the way I'm 28 and blows my mind that a lot of people didn't semi grow up with this stuff I guess I just never thought I would get old or something in my head you're my age lol I guess that's just me at heart forever
I am glad you played the PS1 version so you could feel the true horror of playing for the first time in its ultimate evil form. I still have the entire PS1 collection from 1 to Chronicles and ive kept all the manuals and the merchandise booklets that came with them, however I had to replace the CDs and the plastic cases as they got scratched to shit because these games took months and months to playthrough, we didn't have internet when the first one came out so if you wanted hints or tips we had to ring a phone number to get them. Thank god for Stella and the internet. To make me sound even older we used to rent them from Blockbuster after finishing each game because it took a bit of time to get the money to buy them. Glad you enjoyed it and didn't give up, this game is my childhood and was a massive step up from my other favourite games Sonic and Echo the Dolphin at the time. Awesome video.
You captured the whole essence of the game perfectly, and why people love the older games. Liminal horror like atmosphere and levels, music plays only at special times, no hand holding, no HUD, you can only see a certain distance away which makes you feel like you're in an actual tomb, enemies are mainly animals and strange ancient creatures. The newer games completely have no idea what makes the older ones great..
it's honestly so cool to see you play the game blindly for the first time having more or less very similar reactions and experiences (for example, the bear, t-rex, and the body horror extravaganza that is Atlantis) as I did when I first experienced this gem of a game growing up. I got one of my friends from college to play it for the first time a few years ago and he had the same experience and ended up really liking it. I think it's a testament to the game's strength on its own merit rather than being a product of rose tinted glasses. ✨ PSX with save states is the move for sure. I always hated the save crystals 😂 I will say that I actually quite like the tank controls with the grid system. Classic Tomb Raider and Resident Evil controlled pretty well as far as tank controls were concerned (it could have been bubsy 3d 😂). Yes, there's a learning curve to them, but once you do learn them, they become very graceful and fluid. Because they're designed around the grid system, you will always know when you're going to make a jump and what geometry you can interact with. It also makes designing levels faster, modular, and scalable. The sequels have much tighter controls and expand her moveset so I'd recommend them if you liked TR1. Also super cool to see you include some footage of the room editor at 2:25. What you featured at 2:27 was actually a test room in the Tomb Raider Level Editor. That's why the Lara model reminiscent Tomb Raider Legend. Core Design, the original developers, released their dev tools with Tomb Raider Chronicles back in 2000. Those tools have been expanded and improved, and TRLE is still used to this day. There's actually literal thousands of custom Tomb Raider levels out there and some of them would shock you graphically when you realize the engine that it's using. I highly recommend checking the TRLE scene. 😊
I am on the border of millenial and gen z (1994 bbe) so I had the unique opportunity that these games werent out of fashion as a kid but I fully embrace the gen z humour/culture of the vid. Fantastic review!
I missed out the PS because I was a PC kid. Now I'm trying out almost all the games chronologically. But the controls of this game, my god. After jumping into the first snowy cave, I gave up. I knew I won't be able to handle the clunkiness of these controls. So, thanks for the review. It was very interesting to see your experience, and honestly, you made me laugh quite a lot. You've earned a subscription!
Really nice review! You touched on a lot of my own feelings as I played the game for the first time last year. I was surpised by how rewarding and thoughtful the gameplay is compared to the modern reboots. The environmental design teaches you to be patient, encouraging you to obsersve your surroundings before leaping. The tank controls do feel janky at first, yet once you master them you'll be pulling off platforming sequences that just aren't possible in modern, camera relative movement systems. If anyone is intrested in playing but are struggling with the tank controls, I recommend mapping turn left/right to the right stick which gets you fairly close modern third person shooter controls. Also think of Lara's delayed jump as when you press & hold Square that is the compression/anticipation of the jump and then the release is the jumping action.
Great video! Now that you've played the original, I recommend you try Tomb Raider Anniversary, which is a remake of TR1 (TR 2013 is a reboot with new story, location, and... barely any "tomb raiding"... lol).
Fantastic video. Always excited to see people discover how amazing this game made me feel. I remember how you could never trust a corner. Always drew my guns round a new bend, but I generally found myself dead at the bottom of a ravine. The Atlantis level scared the hell out of me. Loved that you loved my favourite game.
As a young millenial who can relate to zoomers more than elder millenials since I was born in 1996, it's so refreshing to see my almost forgotten childhood gaming experience with uncles gaining its recognition among gen Z at least in internet communities😄
This was one of the first video games I ever played on my own, I was around 6 or 7 when I started playing. I have literally mastered the controls and first 3 games to speedrunner levels and I gotta say it is refreshing to see someone who hasn't played it before experience it for the first time. Also everybody has a crush on Lara Croft, even if you think you don't you do.
I bought my copy of Tomb Raider in 1997 after ogling the last one for two months on the shelf or our book shop. It was 200 FIM on discount. I only had an old 486 DX4 120 MHz and the shopkeeper said it requires Pentium. I took the risk, went home with it, and it worked just fine, not with the best resolution, but mainly playable. And I fell in love with it. Then I played it on a console at a friend's place and I instantly hated the save gem system.
I love this!!! As someone who grew up with the games and has played this game millions of times I really like getting the perspective of someone new to the franchise. You’re actually just in time because they just announced remasters of the first 3 games! I Would LOVE to see you review those when they come out next Feb! You mentioned you didn’t understand the story very well, and I don’t know if you ever looked up a summary of the story to better understand it. But if you want, I will summarize it for you, because it’s actually a really cool and interesting story! Lara was hired by Jaqueline Natla to retrieve for an “age old artifact of mystical powers” called the Atlantian Scion. Lara searched for and finds it in the tomb of Qualapec, but once Lara finds it she’s ambushed by Larson, one of Natlas goons who was in the beginning cutscene where Lara was hired, when Lara takes down and interrogates him in Peru he lets it slip that what Lara has is just a piece of the entire Scion “Ye and that dribbling PIECE of the scion- you want to keep it so bad?! I’ll harness it right up yer-“ Larson is a big blabber mouth and tells Lara she’s put someone else named Pierre on the trail for the second piece, but he doesn’t know where. Lara realizes she’s been double crossed, and she wants answers, so she takes to Natla’s company, Natla Technologies and breaks in ransacking the place. Lara finds a notebook from a monk in Greece with sweaty toes that there are rumors that beneath their monastery is the tomb of Tihocan, one of the 3 legendary rulers of the ancient continent Atlantis. So this explains who Qualapec was, he was one of the rulers of Atlantis as well. He goes on to say that the 3 rulers each had a piece of the Scion, and that the Scion is an extremely powerful artifact. So now with full context of what Lara has, she sets off to Greece to track down the Second piece. In Greece you’re stalked and antagonized by Pierre, another one of Natlas hired goons, that’s who you encountered all throughout those levels. He was basically racing you to the scion. He ultimately got to it first, but you know Lara, that means very little, she kills Pierre and takes the second piece. After taking the piece from Pierre Lara reads the inscription inside Tihocans tomb, it states he was one of 2 rulers of Atlantis, and even after the “curse of the continent” tried to still rule and take care of everyone. He died with no children and his knowledge was not documented. Lara then puts the two pieces of the scion together and the power of the Scion gives Lara a vision. A vision of 3 pieces of the scion, held by 3 people? But we know of only 2 rulers? And the monk said there was a 3rd? This vision shows Lara Atlantis at its hay day, but someone took advantage of the Scions power, and created grotesque beings. We can see that this person was punished and their piece of the scion was taken and sealed away somewhere else. We then see a meteor striking Atlantis and causing ruin to Atlantis, but the 3rd piece of the Scion is still sealed away somewhere. The vision shows Lara where it is and it’s located in Egypt, our next destination! After seeing many Sphinx and killing a few creepy ass mummies, Lara finally retrieves the last piece of the Scion. But once she leaves the cave she’s ambushed by Natla and her goons. They steal the Scion back from Lara “Your little vacation riots over now! Time to give back what you’ve hijacked off me!” And attempt to kill her. Lara escapes but manages to catch up to them on her motorcycle, Lara manages to get onto Natlas yacht and stows away to wherever they’re going and has a bit of a nap. When Lara wakes up they’re at the destination. An island that is home to a big singular mountain… Lara follows after them and finds herself in Natlas mines where she’s digging for something… once she gets her weapons back she takes out the cowboy the skateboard kid along the way. Lara then finds herself outside of a pyramid entrance and kills Natlas last goon, the bald guy with the shotgun. Inside is where the horrors really rear their head. Lara is inside the Great Pyramid and Natla has placed the Scion onto its pedestal, seemingly providing power to the pyramid. Once Lara reaches the top and tries to take the Scion she’s shown another vision, this time with full context. We see Natla, on trial by Tihocan and Qualapec. She stole their pieces of the Scion, and was using the power to create a new species, “they’re survivalists! A new generation!” Tihocan and Qualapec were not pleased with her “flagrant misuse” of the Scion. They imprisoned Natla in a cryogenic type state and sealed her away, never to be seen again. But that nuclear explosion at the very beginning of the game accidentally set her free, and now with Tihocan and Qualapec long gone, she’s trying to enact her old plan. After this vision Lara is confronted by Natla who monologues that T&Q were “lingering wimps” and she wants to use the Scion to raise this new breed of Atlantians to take over the world so she can rule all by herself. Naturally, Lara stops this and shoots the Scion, destroying it and the pyramid. So that is Natla at the end, she’s mutated herself by strapped one of the flying Atlantians to her back and is using it as a weapon. Once Natla is down Lara escapes just as the pyramid blows up and everything is destroyed. The end!
I haven't laughed like this in a long time! Having grown up with these games 1995-1999, I'm sat here thinking 'what the heck were we doing back then' hahaha
And now you have the remasters to play with. Save anywhere with improved graphics. :) Have you played them? I was 16 when TR came out and being able to save in the levels and not have to start over at the beginning of the level was a godsend. So that tells you where we were coming from. I feel your pain. The lonely atmosphere of this first one has yet to be replicated in any game I've played and it is still one of my favorites of all time. I enjoyed your updated take on it, thanks for the vid!
I am honestly really enjoying this! Im 16 and a big fan of the classic games and have never actually watched a gen z play any of the games 😭 I hope you enjoy the game and take a look at any of the sequels because they are deffinetly worth it if you liked the first :)
As a millenial that played this at 10 in a Sega f*cking Saturn, I loved your review!!! Damn, now I need to see the gameplay! If you ever wanna replay it, I recommend to play PC version with the TombATI mod. It's life changing👌🏻
As for the controls, when it came out the PlayStation and sega saturn didn’t have analog sticks. So they were navigating a 3d world with just the d pad. Took a bit to get used to, but once you do it’s not horrible.
I was using the dpad too!! Didn't work with analog, i should have mentioned that in the video cause it's exactly like you say and part of why it's so strange to move
I grew up playing the original series on a computer (with a keyboard, not a controller) and to me, the controls are easy and super precise. Yes, they're "clunky" by today's standards I guess, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see how satisfying they actually are.
That's so true! I imagine the keyboard would be very different in some ways but once i got used to the controls it was pretty fun moving around like that!
@@RottenPapi Not only the keyboard, but what many console people these days don't even consider is using the D-PAD. You have to remember: Playstation 1 did not ship with analog sticks on the gamepads originally. Thus majority of all early 3D console games were made with the directional buttons in mind. D-Pad's the recommended go-to for any game with tank controls, such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and of course TR1-3.
Grew up on Tomb Raider, loved it to death, played it so much, I credit Lara Croft with making me trans. But I've always felt like the classics might not hold up as well as I might like to think. I still get lost replaying these games from time to time, and I just learned the finer details of the story of Tomb Raider 2 for the first time last year for all the time I spent playing it, so I felt like some of it might be lost on people going back in time to try them. It warms my heart to hear it was enjoyable for someone new to the series, but totally agree with the criticisms you did have. I lost my shit laughing at the skater boy rolling out to Superman by Goldfinger going "You shooting at me?". Thank you for this video, it was very well done and enjoyable.
Be ready to replay the remaster soon! I also like you never played TR but always wanted to try. Bought them all on Steam and loved them. 1-3 are my favorite, new Bow Lara Croft can go cry in a river.
As a game, it absolutely sh*t stomps the Legend timeline games and especially the Survivor timeline. It has an out-dated, yet profound moveset with no visual repair for climbing spots (which makes the climbing a puzzle itself and makes finding the solution rewarding, especially win the 4th one in Egypt), a great level design, amazing atmosphere and effective combat system. Alos, you're not interrupted every godamn 10 minutes by a forced walking simulator or a cinematic.
Stumbled across this channel completely randomly and I love the content! Hope you are okay with compliments because I would like to let you know that I find you absolutely captivating! Thank you for making these videos!
Yeah sometimes it's hard to understand the cutscenes. This is due to poor audio mixing and the fact that characters use british references and slang. Great video and spot on! Wouldn't mind seeing your take on the other Tomb Raider classics from Core Design.
The story basically is that Natla is an ancient Atlantian who was imprisoned but freed by miners. You as Lara collect the 3 pieces of the Scion which is the Key to unlocking Atlantis
I didnt grow up playing classic Lara but legends i finally played all the classics from the ps1 era on pc and i loved it so much more than the reboot core design lara just kicks ass. I had no problem with the controls I got used to it after tomb raider 1 my absolute favorite is tomb raider 2 and last revelation. I don’t like the current reboot she doesn’t even look or act like lara she’s just whiny and weak all the time.
Hi, If you enjoyed this game I highly recommend you playing Tomb Raider 3. It is the scariest game of the franchise and has a wider semi-open world level design that, combined with the visual creative environments, makes the levels much more interesting to explore. People tend to run away from this game as far as possible because of its excruciating difficulty, but I must say that, having finished it, I realized that the difficulty is actually one of the many ingredients that gives this game its special charm. So don't be afraid of playing it despite the previous warning. Overall It's a pretty cool retro experience worth streaming.
Story is a bit convoluted but also straightforward. It's mostly backstory actually: Back in its heyday Atlantis was governed by three supreme rulers (Natla, Qualopec and Thiocan) with great, borderline godlike powers; said powers derived from the Scion, an artifact which the game doesn't explain any further than that. The Scion was divided between the three rulers to give each their share of power. One of the three, Natla, decides to be a tad shadier than the other two, and uses the powers of her Scion bit to create an army of abominations to be used as soldiers and take over the other two bits and usher in a new era for humanity; while it's never stated what said new era entails, it's implied that there's little human in it; because of course, that's what evil baddies do. The other two find out of this plan and dethrone her and seal her up for eternity. Fast forward to the '70s or '80s, a nuclear test in New Mexico unearths and breaks open her prison capsule (the intro cutscene). Fast forward another few decades and the American billionaire and enterpreneur Jacqueline Natla hires Lara to find Qualopec's part of the Scion. After Lara does that, Natla has her goon Larson (the red shirted guy who hires you at the beginning and you fight at the bottom of the big waterfall in the first chapter) try to kill Lara and recover the Scion part. Lara instead defeats Larson and, after breaking into Natla's office in the most '90s way ever, she finds that Natla has ulterior motives for finding the artifact and has sent another adventurer find another part of the Scion elswhere (Pierre, the guy who stalks you throughout the whole Greek chapter). After finding the second piece and defeating Pierre, Lara moves on to Egypt, where the two other rulers had hidden Natla's piece of the Scion. The whole story of the game is Lara piecing together the backstory I mentioned as she finds out that the tombs you are looting for the Scion parts are the tombs of the other two former Atlantean rulers, and that the evil third one is your employer herself, seeking the whole Scion to revive her plan. Side note, the skinless monsters are the aforementioned abominations created by Natla; also in the final battle she's not turned into a demon, she's just using her true/original Atlantean ruler form (which doesn't mean that Atlanteans had wings; all three rulers have the odd extra bit to themselves; the game doesn't say whether it's because the rulers are not humans, or if that's because they use the Scion, or whatever).
A quick note, the 2013 game is not a remake but a reboot. However Tomb Raider Anniversary released in 2007 is a full remake and slightly changes some story elements. I think it’s great but it does shorten and change several levels which some people don’t like
omg thank you for letting me know!! i'll remember that for next time someone asks me which one to try!!
Anniversary also changes the story to some degree, completely changes the tone and Lara's character, changes the atmosphere of many levels (the colors are much more muted especially in the vibrant Egypt levels), and ruins some of the original's best moments like the t-rex encounter with overly long cutscenes and annoying quick time events.
It's a decent game but it's NOT a faithful remake of Tomb Raider 1. It's a completely different experience.
Just noticed i sent a comment informing her with The same information
I just found the boss levels in anniversary annoying lol. I'm stuck in the centaurs and can't be bothered to keep persisting with it 🤣
Anniversary's controls are, IMO, so much better than the original's 'tank' style. Some people prefer the original due to how much precision you have with Lara's movements but personally I'd rather have the updated 2007 controls any day.
the reason why lara had a skinless counterpart is because she was made by natla as lara's doppleganger, to creep her out.. and all of the other skinless beasts are natlas army of undead atlanteans n stuff.
this is SUCH a cool fact!! thanks for telling me!
Well this zoomer material is millennial approved! Such a professional insight into the game review scene, with top tier editing and fun moments from your own experience on the live streams! We are going to love more additions to this series! 🤩
Autistic yelling is always sought after material for the millennial, I guess? If it wasn't for that, yea.
@@InitialFailure I do agree it’s a bit hard to understand that generations humour Buut hey I’m also Gen z I feel like I was a generation too late
Early Tomb Raiders scared me more than most horror games. A neat little Egyptian tunnel just shoves spikes into you when you least expect. It was the beauty of low polygons, there was no indication of things being there.
Correction. They actually made a remastered version of Tomb Raider 1 called Tomb Raider Anniversary. It’s the same exact game just with ps2 graphics. Tomb Raider 2013 is a reboot that has nothing to do with Classic Lara Croft from the 90s.
Not same exact game by a long margin, but yeah, it's indeed a remake of the 1996 original.
They changed story to fid Anniversary in the new continuity, changed level design byond what was needed to adjust to the new control scheme and cut and/or merged a handful of levels. It's a nice game, but a completely different beast than just the original with updated controls and graphics.
Tomb Raider 2 was my first dive in the world of Lara Croft back in 1997, and I loved every second of it. I still love the original trilogy to this day, and still play them from time to time.
Growing up I had an inexplicable obsession with the franchise and Lara herself, until one day mom walked in on me playing it and her face lit up. She told me she used to love watching her nephews play this game in 1996 while pregnant with me and completely forgot about it!
Thank you for doing it justice, Tomb Raider means a lot to so many of us!
Semi related memory of mine, i was in primary school when TR came out and i remember a conversation where all the mums were annoyed because all the dads kept playing with Lara Croft on the Playstation :P.
The game is really good especially for young kids to develop spacial awareness of your environment, and learning how to manipulate environmental objects to reach a objective.
As a kid I was enlighten to explore my environment in ways I never thought possible.
It is a beautiful for abstract mind.
This is an excellent video. I enjoyed it a lot and the editing is great. Please make more of these because this was wildly entertaining.
omg thanks so much 🥹 working on the next one already!!! mat is a great editor
This is absolutely amazing all the work that was put into this really shows! It reminds me of all the best parts of g4, streams, and game reviews. Props to mat on the edits too. This was 11/10
i love this zoomer retro game review idea, it's honestly hard for me to not take many retro reviews with a grain (or spoon) of salt because i always feel like there's heavy nostalgia biasing them that won't apply for me so this perspective is refreshing and valuable. especially since you're so good at it, definitely subscribing!
Millenial here(Born in ‘89) I thoroughly enjoyed this. I’d like your take on more PS1 titles like maybe Silent Hill, Resident Evil(The 1996 OG one) or The Crash Bandicoot series
those are all on the list! thanks!!
@@RottenPapi Legend
I've seen the "they were still trying to figure out 3D controls" argument many times, but I'd say that's underestimating the GAME-DESIGN aspect of classic TR games.
There was this great comparison of the OG TR1 vs the first early remake of it (no, not the 2013 reboot), and how the latter opting for the nowadays more traditional free control style absolutely demolished the weighty, realistic, outright OG "Prince Of Persia" gameplay style, where each step mattered, and jumps were not floaty Super Mario leaps with air control.
Mastering the control scheme and thus solving the "puzzles" that are the climbing, leaping and parkouring challenges of the world are the center part of traditional TR games. All which have since been lost and buried thanks to the way more casual, 3rd person shooter movie game-esque style of the 2010s reboots and spinoffs. Which are really NOT good at all, and represent everything wrong with the modern gaming industry as a whole, if you ask me.
I'm a millennial and it warms my heart to see a zoomer try our games. Well done, miss. TR2 allows you to save whenever you wish, so I hope you'll give that one a try next.
Also, to help you with the story; Natla was somewhat of a god, exiled thousands of years ago because she kept on creating abominations. She was released from her prison and set about finding the artifacts so she could continue creating her abominations. This is where lara comes in as she hires her to find a piece of artifact. It's also why natla has wings and why things got weird, because she was creating random things. The story is somewhat vague, so can understand why it would be confusing, but I hope I helped? 😆
As someone who also went onto the classic games, being born after they were made, I have to say I really really love them. I first came across Tomb Raider when watching the movie, but then I went back, to play the most recent games from the most recent. I left it at that until on youtube I started watching Tomb Raider videos from people who had played the classic games. To understand more, I went back and played them and I do have to say, I really, really enjoyed these games. Despite the divide in the community due to the character differences as the brand who made the games changed, I'm really happy to be among the fans of this series.
BTW, the story of Tomb Raider 1 might be a bit generic for the kind of 'treasure hunting genre' now days, but for most games at that time, having a story was a completely new thing. Basically, a nuclear weapon exploding onto a test site set free NATLA, who was an ancient Atlantean queen, imprisoned by the other two rulers of Atlantis because she wanted to control too much or something like that. After she got released, she built a company, NATLA technologies. Later is where Lara comes into play. She is at first, hired by Natla to find and ancient artifact, called the Scion. In the end this is connected to Atlantis, and there are three parts to the artifact. Natla needs them and tries to get them through Lara, only that later, Lara finds Atlantis and is determined to stop her, as Natla plans on genetically modifying human kind to create a sort of different race that she can control. Natla - yes, does have wings - which could either be an Atlantean thing or maybe even her own genetic mutation thing - I don't know too much about this anyway, Lara defeats Natla in the end and then exits the pyramid on the last level. Fun fact I learned in a book about the development of this game - If your curious as to why at the finishing levels in the game look flesh-like and weird it's because the graphic designer at the time wanted the Atlanteans to be a more advanced, complicated race and because she didn't want to go with the green alien look very commonly depicted in media, she instead burrowed a book from a friend of theirs (who was a doctor) about anatomy.
Hey! This an amazing video that was an incredible watch but just so you know, the 2013 Tomb raider is a reboot, not a remake of the first game
Well done. Terrific idea and logical direction for diverse content. Proud of you Papi.
This was such a good video I've been so excited for this and you and mat absolutely killed it. So good :)
I am actually playing them for the first time as I write this (between 3 and 4, right now). TR2 on PS1 lets you save whenever you want, but the worst about this is definitely 3. There are save crystals that you use as items, and you find most of them in secrets, and you never know if it's worth using them, your first time playing. On PC, it's not a problem as there are unlimited saves, and these crystals heal you!
Great review, it was an interesting perspective!
A big reason the game controls the way it does is due to the depth perception problem which still plagues games to this day. In 2D games it's very easy to judge jump distances, but in 3D it's extremely difficult due to the lack of depth cues. Most 3D games address this issue by avoiding making the player perform precise jumps and being very generous with the size of platforms. Tomb Raider addresses the issue by making the controls and environments very precise. Due to the environments being based on a grid system it's much easier to judge jump distances and since Lara's moves are precise you can tell which kind of jump you need to perform.
Plus Saturn and PS1 did not have analog sticks at launch. We played this with d-pads.
The evidence that Tomb Raider should have been a horror franchise just keeps piling up, huh. Really good video, glad it got picked up by the algorithm.
ITS A GREAT HORROR GAME!!! YOURE SO RIGHT also thank you!!!
Hey this was great and I really dug your insightful comments on the game design! After finishing this one, I immediately went to search your catalog of videos thinking you had been doing this for a while but it looks like you're just getting started. Please make more!
omg that makes me so happy! I cant wait to make more!!!
I'd love to see you play Tomb Raider 3! The most difficult of the franchise but the most beautiful and full of so many cool locations (industrial, jungle, beach, city etc). Definitely the most cinematic of the old games and Lara slays so much here.
This review was so well done and enjoyable. Love the mix of humor and substantive critique. 👍🏻
"Wait, no. I'm just thinking of 'Tomb Raider.'" 😂 Super well done, Papi! You and Mat totally killed it! Can't wait to see what's in store!
Great video, love the format. Would like to see more of this
This video is so fun! I've owned this game for a few years now and I haven't done a full playthrough yet, but this video has me looking forward to playing it soon!
Yeah the music and its placement should be another character in this game. The fact that it makes you feel good to hear the "Midas Palace" theme is great, especially going through dark and isolated areas.
This was so enjoyable to watch for a millennial who grew up with the games! I’m so pleased the remastered version is coming out, making the controls somewhat easier for the newer generation and shall hopefully make more accessible the world of retro games to you guys :-)
Ah yes! Tomb Raider classic. I think I’ll add the remake to my wishlist. Great review, can’t wait for the next one 🤓
I love the original Tomb Raider trilogy. I grew up with TR3 in particular. It was really interesting to get a newcomers / modern gamer's perspective of this, and I like how you dove a bit into the game design and intentions. Really cool video and really fun to watch! Would love to see you trying more TR games.
While I appreciate modern gamers aren't used to sparse save points, I personally think it adds to the experience and is a good design for this particular game (just like I think it works in newer games like Alien: Isolation). Early TR games are about adventure, observation skills and precision. The grid-pattern levels help you plan out your moves and if you miss a jump it's because you weren't precise enough rather than for example, in some modern games, where you're relying on the character to auto-grab a ledge but sometimes it's glitchy. With fewer save points, each action feels like a higher risk and so you tread carefully, adding to the adventure/survival feel of the game as well as adding to the tension and the need to observe/plan well.
Also I would only agree that the hazards can be unpredictable / unfair / you wouldn't pass it first time, when it comes to TR3. TR3 is notoriously difficult and unless you knew what was coming beforehand you'll most likely die on the first attempt which can feel a bit unfair. But in TR1 and TR2, I feel that at least mostly you can get past hazards first time with observational skills, planning and good execution. E.g. that last gameplay clip in your video where Lara falls down the hole, you can literally see both of those trapdoor hazards ahead by standing at the edge and using the look button. (although the opening level to TR2 is definitely the hardest opening level in the original 3 games)
I think these original TR games are just slower paced than modern gamers are used to.
It's nice to see your appreciation of these older games and you really made some good arguments why these games were made like that back then. The controls are really something to get used to these days but i think it's still worth it as it's still very atmospheric, despite the simple graphics (or maybe even just because of them). Hope you make some more videos like that, really enjoyed it!
I was born in 97, and this was and always been one of my top 3 favorite games! I've barely meet anyone who has played this, which is crazy!
This review is great! Watching you play through this game while learning about the development of it gave me a new perspective on retro games, and all the unintentional jumpscares were hilarious
Tomb Raider II (1997) is one of my favorites. Without spoiling the scenery is great.
This was really enjoyable to watch! Interesting to see the sorts of things you picked up on as a first time player (like the sparing use of music). One thing that sets this game apart from other Tomb Raiders and especially modern games is the lack of human enemies, it makes you feel more isolated I think.
In a few weeks there’s a remaster of the first three Tomb Raiders coming out, which looks fantastic. Comes Feb 14th, Lara’s birthday!
It’s funny, I was born in 2000. But I feel so old watching the type of stuff my generation does/says/thinks. But god it’s awesome to see a perspective from this generation that actually played through the game and enjoyed it! I don’t understand modern gamers but I’m happy this got recommended to me. You’ll be excited to know that the first 3 games and their expansions are getting remastered for all platforms early next year! ☺️
In the UK it came out way before the N64, this was the first big 3D release. I kinda like the limited save points, it is only an "artificial" difficulty if you're unwilling to embrace the challenge. It gives the game a survival-horror quality, you have to manage all your resources.
Amazing review, you hit all the spots with it. Very good insight and it shows that you played it with an open mind and with the right mind-set !
Love it 🖤
I'm about to start playing this on PC, so nostalgic, I had it on PS1 as a young lad and didn't own a memory card, so I have those first few levels engrained in my brain. Subbed.
I grew up with the Tomb Raider series and I play all of them up to this day. So i can just recommend to play them all, especially the first five titles. Very nice review, looking forward to your next videos. And tbh, I followed you on ig for quite a while now and it made me happy to see you pop up in my youtube algorithm right now.
As a millenial who only recently started playing this game last year, I totally agree with your point. As much of a historical achievement as it is, the original Tomb Raider 1 certainly puts our patience on trial so many times, but the sense of reward you got after passing all of these hazards and deadly encounters is undeniable.
Still I'd rather give it another try through the PC version, specially thanks to the TombATI mod. Being able to save anytime is such a QoL improvement.
Curious to see your take on the rest of the series!
retro game reviews?!?!? OH HECK. Keep these coming. Love to see Starfox, banjo, maybe even Halo 1. Stoked.
LOVE. Thank you for playing it!!
These kinds of games were anti-instant gratification. Modern gaming really did ruin itself for a generation of people who expected to win every fight, solve every challenge immediately and never fail. These games taught you to adapt and overcome to progress. Great review.
Loved seeing your perspective! I grew up with this game! I love it’s unique perspective of learning to play through dying. It can put you through a grind but like you said the reward is worth it! The story can be very difficult to understand. I had to look up an explanation myself when I was younger lol
Im blow away with the direction you're taking with the YT channel! Look forward to what you're doing next!
Will forever love the classics, I still play them till this day. Tomb Raider was one of my first games that I owned on the PlayStation console, she instantly became my favorite heroine. Subscribed 👍🏽
Watching this was so entertaining! I love Tomb raider but seeing your experience with as so funny! Honestly tomb raider 3 was more frustrating or and number 4… you need a walkthrough
I played the game, in 1996. It was everything you were saying, and more! You have to understand this viewpoint, there wasn't anything like it, before. It was a more adult game, and it was jonky , it was thrilling to get those little music clips, at important parts, it was aggrevating as Hell to control, lol , but it was awesome. Good review !
PAPPPPPPIIIIIII (and Mat)!!! Holy shit this video was so good. I laughed. I cried. I screamed. I reminisced. Brilliant! I can’t wait to see what you do next!
I can't believe how well done this is by the way I'm 28 and blows my mind that a lot of people didn't semi grow up with this stuff I guess I just never thought I would get old or something in my head you're my age lol I guess that's just me at heart forever
I am glad you played the PS1 version so you could feel the true horror of playing for the first time in its ultimate evil form. I still have the entire PS1 collection from 1 to Chronicles and ive kept all the manuals and the merchandise booklets that came with them, however I had to replace the CDs and the plastic cases as they got scratched to shit because these games took months and months to playthrough, we didn't have internet when the first one came out so if you wanted hints or tips we had to ring a phone number to get them. Thank god for Stella and the internet. To make me sound even older we used to rent them from Blockbuster after finishing each game because it took a bit of time to get the money to buy them. Glad you enjoyed it and didn't give up, this game is my childhood and was a massive step up from my other favourite games Sonic and Echo the Dolphin at the time. Awesome video.
You captured the whole essence of the game perfectly, and why people love the older games. Liminal horror like atmosphere and levels, music plays only at special times, no hand holding, no HUD, you can only see a certain distance away which makes you feel like you're in an actual tomb, enemies are mainly animals and strange ancient creatures. The newer games completely have no idea what makes the older ones great..
it's honestly so cool to see you play the game blindly for the first time having more or less very similar reactions and experiences (for example, the bear, t-rex, and the body horror extravaganza that is Atlantis) as I did when I first experienced this gem of a game growing up. I got one of my friends from college to play it for the first time a few years ago and he had the same experience and ended up really liking it. I think it's a testament to the game's strength on its own merit rather than being a product of rose tinted glasses. ✨
PSX with save states is the move for sure. I always hated the save crystals 😂
I will say that I actually quite like the tank controls with the grid system. Classic Tomb Raider and Resident Evil controlled pretty well as far as tank controls were concerned (it could have been bubsy 3d 😂). Yes, there's a learning curve to them, but once you do learn them, they become very graceful and fluid. Because they're designed around the grid system, you will always know when you're going to make a jump and what geometry you can interact with. It also makes designing levels faster, modular, and scalable. The sequels have much tighter controls and expand her moveset so I'd recommend them if you liked TR1.
Also super cool to see you include some footage of the room editor at 2:25. What you featured at 2:27 was actually a test room in the Tomb Raider Level Editor. That's why the Lara model reminiscent Tomb Raider Legend. Core Design, the original developers, released their dev tools with Tomb Raider Chronicles back in 2000. Those tools have been expanded and improved, and TRLE is still used to this day. There's actually literal thousands of custom Tomb Raider levels out there and some of them would shock you graphically when you realize the engine that it's using. I highly recommend checking the TRLE scene. 😊
I am on the border of millenial and gen z (1994 bbe) so I had the unique opportunity that these games werent out of fashion as a kid but I fully embrace the gen z humour/culture of the vid. Fantastic review!
thanks so much!
Great, insightful review. Love your perspective!!! More please!
I missed out the PS because I was a PC kid. Now I'm trying out almost all the games chronologically. But the controls of this game, my god. After jumping into the first snowy cave, I gave up. I knew I won't be able to handle the clunkiness of these controls. So, thanks for the review. It was very interesting to see your experience, and honestly, you made me laugh quite a lot. You've earned a subscription!
PAPI IN HER VIDEO ESSAY ERA LETS GOOOO 🔥🔥🔥 fr tho, this is so so good. Please make a million more 😭🙏
Really nice review! You touched on a lot of my own feelings as I played the game for the first time last year. I was surpised by how rewarding and thoughtful the gameplay is compared to the modern reboots. The environmental design teaches you to be patient, encouraging you to obsersve your surroundings before leaping. The tank controls do feel janky at first, yet once you master them you'll be pulling off platforming sequences that just aren't possible in modern, camera relative movement systems.
If anyone is intrested in playing but are struggling with the tank controls, I recommend mapping turn left/right to the right stick which gets you fairly close modern third person shooter controls. Also think of Lara's delayed jump as when you press & hold Square that is the compression/anticipation of the jump and then the release is the jumping action.
Great video! Now that you've played the original, I recommend you try Tomb Raider Anniversary, which is a remake of TR1 (TR 2013 is a reboot with new story, location, and... barely any "tomb raiding"... lol).
Please do more of these, this was brilliant!
Elder millennial here to say that this is spot on and so well done.
thank you!!!
Fantastic video. Always excited to see people discover how amazing this game made me feel. I remember how you could never trust a corner. Always drew my guns round a new bend, but I generally found myself dead at the bottom of a ravine. The Atlantis level scared the hell out of me. Loved that you loved my favourite game.
The save points is perfect as kid going to school, you play a little rest go to school play a little more.
Perfection.
As a young millenial who can relate to zoomers more than elder millenials since I was born in 1996, it's so refreshing to see my almost forgotten childhood gaming experience with uncles gaining its recognition among gen Z at least in internet communities😄
it's honestly such an interesting game!! It deserves to have more people talking about it for sure
This was one of the first video games I ever played on my own, I was around 6 or 7 when I started playing. I have literally mastered the controls and first 3 games to speedrunner levels and I gotta say it is refreshing to see someone who hasn't played it before experience it for the first time. Also everybody has a crush on Lara Croft, even if you think you don't you do.
I bought my copy of Tomb Raider in 1997 after ogling the last one for two months on the shelf or our book shop. It was 200 FIM on discount. I only had an old 486 DX4 120 MHz and the shopkeeper said it requires Pentium. I took the risk, went home with it, and it worked just fine, not with the best resolution, but mainly playable. And I fell in love with it. Then I played it on a console at a friend's place and I instantly hated the save gem system.
As a millennial who played the game at its peak, I'm really enjoying this video!
I love this!!! As someone who grew up with the games and has played this game millions of times I really like getting the perspective of someone new to the franchise. You’re actually just in time because they just announced remasters of the first 3 games! I Would LOVE to see you review those when they come out next Feb!
You mentioned you didn’t understand the story very well, and I don’t know if you ever looked up a summary of the story to better understand it. But if you want, I will summarize it for you, because it’s actually a really cool and interesting story!
Lara was hired by Jaqueline Natla to retrieve for an “age old artifact of mystical powers” called the Atlantian Scion. Lara searched for and finds it in the tomb of Qualapec, but once Lara finds it she’s ambushed by Larson, one of Natlas goons who was in the beginning cutscene where Lara was hired, when Lara takes down and interrogates him in Peru he lets it slip that what Lara has is just a piece of the entire Scion “Ye and that dribbling PIECE of the scion- you want to keep it so bad?! I’ll harness it right up yer-“ Larson is a big blabber mouth and tells Lara she’s put someone else named Pierre on the trail for the second piece, but he doesn’t know where. Lara realizes she’s been double crossed, and she wants answers, so she takes to Natla’s company, Natla Technologies and breaks in ransacking the place.
Lara finds a notebook from a monk in Greece with sweaty toes that there are rumors that beneath their monastery is the tomb of Tihocan, one of the 3 legendary rulers of the ancient continent Atlantis. So this explains who Qualapec was, he was one of the rulers of Atlantis as well. He goes on to say that the 3 rulers each had a piece of the Scion, and that the Scion is an extremely powerful artifact. So now with full context of what Lara has, she sets off to Greece to track down the Second piece.
In Greece you’re stalked and antagonized by Pierre, another one of Natlas hired goons, that’s who you encountered all throughout those levels. He was basically racing you to the scion. He ultimately got to it first, but you know Lara, that means very little, she kills Pierre and takes the second piece. After taking the piece from Pierre Lara reads the inscription inside Tihocans tomb, it states he was one of 2 rulers of Atlantis, and even after the “curse of the continent” tried to still rule and take care of everyone. He died with no children and his knowledge was not documented.
Lara then puts the two pieces of the scion together and the power of the Scion gives Lara a vision. A vision of 3 pieces of the scion, held by 3 people? But we know of only 2 rulers? And the monk said there was a 3rd? This vision shows Lara Atlantis at its hay day, but someone took advantage of the Scions power, and created grotesque beings. We can see that this person was punished and their piece of the scion was taken and sealed away somewhere else. We then see a meteor striking Atlantis and causing ruin to Atlantis, but the 3rd piece of the Scion is still sealed away somewhere. The vision shows Lara where it is and it’s located in Egypt, our next destination!
After seeing many Sphinx and killing a few creepy ass mummies, Lara finally retrieves the last piece of the Scion. But once she leaves the cave she’s ambushed by Natla and her goons. They steal the Scion back from Lara “Your little vacation riots over now! Time to give back what you’ve hijacked off me!” And attempt to kill her. Lara escapes but manages to catch up to them on her motorcycle, Lara manages to get onto Natlas yacht and stows away to wherever they’re going and has a bit of a nap.
When Lara wakes up they’re at the destination. An island that is home to a big singular mountain… Lara follows after them and finds herself in Natlas mines where she’s digging for something… once she gets her weapons back she takes out the cowboy the skateboard kid along the way. Lara then finds herself outside of a pyramid entrance and kills Natlas last goon, the bald guy with the shotgun. Inside is where the horrors really rear their head.
Lara is inside the Great Pyramid and Natla has placed the Scion onto its pedestal, seemingly providing power to the pyramid. Once Lara reaches the top and tries to take the Scion she’s shown another vision, this time with full context. We see Natla, on trial by Tihocan and Qualapec. She stole their pieces of the Scion, and was using the power to create a new species, “they’re survivalists! A new generation!” Tihocan and Qualapec were not pleased with her “flagrant misuse” of the Scion. They imprisoned Natla in a cryogenic type state and sealed her away, never to be seen again.
But that nuclear explosion at the very beginning of the game accidentally set her free, and now with Tihocan and Qualapec long gone, she’s trying to enact her old plan. After this vision Lara is confronted by Natla who monologues that T&Q were “lingering wimps” and she wants to use the Scion to raise this new breed of Atlantians to take over the world so she can rule all by herself. Naturally, Lara stops this and shoots the Scion, destroying it and the pyramid. So that is Natla at the end, she’s mutated herself by strapped one of the flying Atlantians to her back and is using it as a weapon. Once Natla is down Lara escapes just as the pyramid blows up and everything is destroyed. The end!
I haven't laughed like this in a long time! Having grown up with these games 1995-1999, I'm sat here thinking 'what the heck were we doing back then' hahaha
As someone wanting to branch out in review/analysis content, this video is really inspiring to me :)
9:25 It is why I and a lot of people like dark souls.
Raw skill.
Never force fed a story or narrative.
You should play the original Silent Hill for PS1!! Not as jump-scarey as Tomb Raider, but it’s such an unsettling and creepy game.
The first 3d game I ever played in 96, it was beyond amazing to 7 year old me. It is still my all time favorite to this day. THEM JUMP SCARES THO XD
And now you have the remasters to play with. Save anywhere with improved graphics. :) Have you played them? I was 16 when TR came out and being able to save in the levels and not have to start over at the beginning of the level was a godsend. So that tells you where we were coming from. I feel your pain. The lonely atmosphere of this first one has yet to be replicated in any game I've played and it is still one of my favorites of all time. I enjoyed your updated take on it, thanks for the vid!
I am honestly really enjoying this! Im 16 and a big fan of the classic games and have never actually watched a gen z play any of the games 😭
I hope you enjoy the game and take a look at any of the sequels because they are deffinetly worth it if you liked the first :)
omg a young retro enjoyer!!! so happy you liked the video :) i'm excited to see the other games!!!
@@RottenPapi Excited to watch your take on them! Take care haha!
As a millenial that played this at 10 in a Sega f*cking Saturn, I loved your review!!! Damn, now I need to see the gameplay! If you ever wanna replay it, I recommend to play PC version with the TombATI mod. It's life changing👌🏻
As for the controls, when it came out the PlayStation and sega saturn didn’t have analog sticks. So they were navigating a 3d world with just the d pad. Took a bit to get used to, but once you do it’s not horrible.
I was using the dpad too!! Didn't work with analog, i should have mentioned that in the video cause it's exactly like you say and part of why it's so strange to move
this is reminds me of angry video game nerd but this shit slaps and im only in the video for 30 secs can't wait for the Ape Escape 1 Zoomer Review 😍😍😍
Clout chaser, Meganman...
I grew up playing the original series on a computer (with a keyboard, not a controller) and to me, the controls are easy and super precise.
Yes, they're "clunky" by today's standards I guess, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see how satisfying they actually are.
That's so true! I imagine the keyboard would be very different in some ways but once i got used to the controls it was pretty fun moving around like that!
@@RottenPapi Not only the keyboard, but what many console people these days don't even consider is using the D-PAD.
You have to remember: Playstation 1 did not ship with analog sticks on the gamepads originally. Thus majority of all early 3D console games were made with the directional buttons in mind. D-Pad's the recommended go-to for any game with tank controls, such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and of course TR1-3.
2 minutes of this just has me wanting to play tomb raider 1 again
Grew up on Tomb Raider, loved it to death, played it so much, I credit Lara Croft with making me trans. But I've always felt like the classics might not hold up as well as I might like to think. I still get lost replaying these games from time to time, and I just learned the finer details of the story of Tomb Raider 2 for the first time last year for all the time I spent playing it, so I felt like some of it might be lost on people going back in time to try them. It warms my heart to hear it was enjoyable for someone new to the series, but totally agree with the criticisms you did have. I lost my shit laughing at the skater boy rolling out to Superman by Goldfinger going "You shooting at me?". Thank you for this video, it was very well done and enjoyable.
Be ready to replay the remaster soon! I also like you never played TR but always wanted to try. Bought them all on Steam and loved them. 1-3 are my favorite, new Bow Lara Croft can go cry in a river.
The skinless Lara double that gets lured into pit of lava is called "Bacon Lara"!
Internet archaeologist of the future will come across this gem in the dusty carcass of youtube and celebrate the immense treasure they found
As a game, it absolutely sh*t stomps the Legend timeline games and especially the Survivor timeline.
It has an out-dated, yet profound moveset with no visual repair for climbing spots (which makes the climbing a puzzle itself and makes finding the solution rewarding, especially win the 4th one in Egypt), a great level design, amazing atmosphere and effective combat system.
Alos, you're not interrupted every godamn 10 minutes by a forced walking simulator or a cinematic.
Stumbled across this channel completely randomly and I love the content!
Hope you are okay with compliments because I would like to let you know that I find you absolutely captivating!
Thank you for making these videos!
This was a great review and brought back wonderful memories from when I got to see you play this live.
Wake up babe, Rottenpapi did a UA-cam
Yeah sometimes it's hard to understand the cutscenes. This is due to poor audio mixing and the fact that characters use british references and slang. Great video and spot on! Wouldn't mind seeing your take on the other Tomb Raider classics from Core Design.
Happy zoomers can enjoy this game. I did when I was young. Games of quality retain there quality.
The story basically is that Natla is an ancient Atlantian who was imprisoned but freed by miners. You as Lara collect the 3 pieces of the Scion which is the Key to unlocking Atlantis
I didnt grow up playing classic Lara but legends i finally played all the classics from the ps1 era on pc and i loved it so much more than the reboot core design lara just kicks ass.
I had no problem with the controls I got used to it after tomb raider 1 my absolute favorite is tomb raider 2 and last revelation.
I don’t like the current reboot she doesn’t even look or act like lara she’s just whiny and weak all the time.
woah didnt expect a narrated edited video 😱 super sick papi well done
thanks so much berto!!
this is amazing. loving this kind of video!!!!!
Hi, If you enjoyed this game I highly recommend you playing Tomb Raider 3. It is the scariest game of the franchise and has a wider semi-open world level design that, combined with the visual creative environments, makes the levels much more interesting to explore. People tend to run away from this game as far as possible because of its excruciating difficulty, but I must say that, having finished it, I realized that the difficulty is actually one of the many ingredients that gives this game its special charm. So don't be afraid of playing it despite the previous warning. Overall It's a pretty cool retro experience worth streaming.
Oh shit, new Papi dropped! Seriously, great video 😊
Story is a bit convoluted but also straightforward. It's mostly backstory actually:
Back in its heyday Atlantis was governed by three supreme rulers (Natla, Qualopec and Thiocan) with great, borderline godlike powers; said powers derived from the Scion, an artifact which the game doesn't explain any further than that. The Scion was divided between the three rulers to give each their share of power. One of the three, Natla, decides to be a tad shadier than the other two, and uses the powers of her Scion bit to create an army of abominations to be used as soldiers and take over the other two bits and usher in a new era for humanity; while it's never stated what said new era entails, it's implied that there's little human in it; because of course, that's what evil baddies do. The other two find out of this plan and dethrone her and seal her up for eternity.
Fast forward to the '70s or '80s, a nuclear test in New Mexico unearths and breaks open her prison capsule (the intro cutscene).
Fast forward another few decades and the American billionaire and enterpreneur Jacqueline Natla hires Lara to find Qualopec's part of the Scion. After Lara does that, Natla has her goon Larson (the red shirted guy who hires you at the beginning and you fight at the bottom of the big waterfall in the first chapter) try to kill Lara and recover the Scion part. Lara instead defeats Larson and, after breaking into Natla's office in the most '90s way ever, she finds that Natla has ulterior motives for finding the artifact and has sent another adventurer find another part of the Scion elswhere (Pierre, the guy who stalks you throughout the whole Greek chapter). After finding the second piece and defeating Pierre, Lara moves on to Egypt, where the two other rulers had hidden Natla's piece of the Scion.
The whole story of the game is Lara piecing together the backstory I mentioned as she finds out that the tombs you are looting for the Scion parts are the tombs of the other two former Atlantean rulers, and that the evil third one is your employer herself, seeking the whole Scion to revive her plan.
Side note, the skinless monsters are the aforementioned abominations created by Natla; also in the final battle she's not turned into a demon, she's just using her true/original Atlantean ruler form (which doesn't mean that Atlanteans had wings; all three rulers have the odd extra bit to themselves; the game doesn't say whether it's because the rulers are not humans, or if that's because they use the Scion, or whatever).
Tomb raider was nu fitst open world game when i was 10 years old. The isolation in the game was really scary.