Tomb Raider

by Square Enix

Product Features

• The game that introduced Lara Croft to the world
• Explore 15 3-D environments
• Investigate 4 lost civilizations
• Features beautiful graphics and fantastic sound
• A thrilling one-player game

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00002K13U
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: November 10, 1996
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,002 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Platform: PC

GameSpot Review

Lara Croft, the protagonist in Tomb Raider, has become a sort of unwitting spokesperson for Eidos' new computer adventure. As the cover girl for just about every hard copy gaming magazine this year, this globe-trotting, gun-happy lass had become the matron saint of a new revolution in 3D gaming before the title even hit the shelves. But does the game really live up to all the buildup? Well, seeing is believing when it comes to Tomb Raider, and playing the game with the Rendition or 3Dfx chip, which are sure to find a home soon in every serious gamer's computer tower (a supportive patch will be available online for these), should almost be a prerequisite. Featuring several stunningly rendered 3D worlds and many a cliff-hanging moment, Tomb Raider makes gamers pay for the whole seat, even though they only need the edge.

As mentioned above, in Tomb Raider you play Lara Croft, a female Doc Savage who, tired of her wealthy English upbringing, has decided that dangerous adventuring is more her cup of tea. So she abandons a life of crustless cucumber sandwiches and piano lessons, eventually meeting a wealthy tycoon who hires her to retrieve a single artifact from a ruined temple in South America. After getting the artifact, you find out that the tycoon has sicked a bunch of her henchmen on you, and that the original piece you were sent in to retrieve is one of three hidden in various unplundered tombs around the world.

Your adventures take place in several "seven wonders" scenarios, from Egyptian sphinxes, to Greek temples, to Atlantis (what game would be complete without it?), each with distinct puzzles and traps to negotiate.

In each level, you'll have to beware of the different predator animals, unidentifiable creatures, and henchmen lurking around. In many instances, you'll be pounced on unexpectedly by wolves, lions, gorillas, raptors, and gangling "lava-monsters." Lara has to execute daring rolls, jumps, and side-leaps to dodge these predators while attacking them. This is no time to join the wildlife preservation society; endangered species or not, you've got to slay these pests. Sometimes, at the end of a level, you'll have to go up against of the "boss" monsters, which range from a lumbering Tyranosaur to a huge "torso-man" who, if he snatches you with his giant mitts, will slam you around like a rag doll.

So, you're asking, what weapons can I use on these poor crypt-dwellers who are simply trying to sustain themselves in a sealed-up tomb? With a tap of the spacebar, Lara draws out her two revolvers which automatically target any man-eating creature in the vicinity. Other more effective weapons are picked up throughout the game, including a set of magnums, a shotgun, and an Uzi. Rounds for your default weapon are unlimited, but ammo for the other weapons has to be picked up.

But killing is only half the fun in Tomb Raider, as Lara can perform a variety of actions to explore each eerie environment. Often you'll have to make Lara swim through convoluted caves to secret rooms (incidentally, this is some of the most realistic swimming movement you'll encounter in any game). Each level has a series of switches that you need to activate, some of which require you to heave huge blocks around and - this is probably the most fun part of the game - execute daredevil leaps to grab onto some faraway platform.

Tomb Raider is the exploratory game you always wished you were playing when you were trying to solve Atari Raiders of the Lost Ark.The variety of jumping and grabbing actions, the huge, sometimes vertigo-inducing worlds, and the smooth 3D graphics found in Tomb Raider are reminiscent of Mario 64, though the game's violent overtones and spooky ambiance definitely set it apart from the older title. On the down side though, some of Tomb Raider's puzzles are tedious, requiring the player to wander around a little bit too long. Graphically, it's a breakthrough game, but to obtain the spellbinding graphics that really make the gameplay a complete experience, you'll need one of the cards mentioned above. The avid 3D game enthusiast will probably shell out the extra bucks for one, especially if Quake is a resident game on her machine.--Tim Soete
--Copyright ©1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited.

Product Description

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For my money the best of the series., January 23, 2000

By 

Michael B. (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tomb Raider (CD-ROM)

The original tomb raider, while lacking the visual panache of the third and fourth entries, and the intricate puzzles of all three sequels, is still the best.

The reason is simple. This one is fun! the puzzles are not needlessly obtuse, and you don't have to wander endlessly, backtrack, turn up the brightness, and look in nonsensical places for the solution to problems you can't even spot right away!

the plotline makes the most sense, and the level layout is far superior with the emphasis on striking level design rather than puzzles. Has there been any sequence in any of the sequels to compare with the waterfall plunge and t-rex entry in the lost valley? Or the tower scene in Rome where you battle the rooms of the gods? I don't think so. This is before you needed a hint guide to find any of the bonuses and you didn't die fifteen hundred times trying to solve far too many puzzles.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I'm Suprised I lLiked This Game, March 8, 2001

By 

Bruce Aguilar (Hollywood, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tomb Raider (CD-ROM)

I've never played a Tomb Raider game until I bought this a month ago and I was really impressed. The graphics are a bit too blocky and choppy, the controls take a bit of getting used to and Laura doesn't always seem to do what I want her to, but I loved the challenge of it all. The puzzles have found that right balance of being challenging without making you rip your hair out trying to figure it out. I've not looked at a cheat book yet and I'm pretty far into the game already. Granted I don't have all the secrets on each level, but I'll go back and do that later. The cinemas are done very nicely as well. The game creates a lot of it's mood by suprising you with baddies popping out when you least expect it. More than once I've been startled and hit the wrong key just to see Laura die. But, with a smile on my face, I just start from my last save and have at it again. And that's another thing you can save at any time you want. BIG plus.

If you're into games at all, you have to give this a try. I've been pulled into the game completely, but others comments are keeping me away from the sequals. Buy this, the original, and prepare for an adventure you'll never forget.

Tip: Make sure you know what kind of sound card you have installed on your computer, because you have to tell the game which kind to use. It took me a few days to figure out which one I had installed.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Great Original for an Excellent Series, June 19, 2002

By 

Chris W. (Kansas City, Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tomb Raider (CD-ROM)

From the ruins of Rome to the futuristic setting of Atlantis, Tomb Raider takes the gamer through a variety of wonderful worlds. Unlike its sequels, it stays in the tombs and out of other settings. I believe that it is one of the best games ever made, and it certainly is a classic. However, I believe that its sequels in many aspects overshadow it.

The scenery in Tomb Raider is better than most games, although it is mostly cubed and flat. The game play and plot are wonderful, and the graphics and sounds are acceptable. However, the artificial intelligence enemies are less than intelligent, and the gamer is often left feeling underestimated with the ease of some of the puzzles. Laura's moves are limited, and the weapons supply is less than perfect. The bonus levels present in the gold version are a lot of fun to play, but they add little to the game's plot.

I would recommend this game to any fan of the Tomb Raider series and to the average gamer. However, I do feel that other versions have better qualities. Tomb Raider II offers wonderful AI and is perhaps the best for a gamer seeking combat. Tomb Raider III combines the better aspects of the previous two, and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation offers the best plot and character mobility. If you are looking to stay in the tombs, or if you are not into puzzles, stick with this game. However, don't miss out on the other great qualities the Tomb Raider series offers.

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