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Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary

EMAIL PRINT pc

7.9 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 26 critic reviews
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Based on 58 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Eidos Interactive

Developer: Crystal Dynamics

Genre(s): Action, Adventure

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: June 5, 2007

Summary

Inspired by the first Tomb Raider videogame, originally released in 1996, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a totally new 2006 adventure for Lara, faithfully preserving the elements which made the original Tomb Raider such a classic. Using an enhanced "Tomb Raider Legend" game engine, the graphics, technology and physics bring Lara's adventure and pursuit of a mystical artefact known only as the Scion up to today’s technology standards and offer gamers a completely new gameplay experience. The puzzles are now more in depth and incorporate environmental interaction and physics driven solutions. The level design and flow of gameplay are inspired by the original videogame making Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary a brand new experience in gaming, while still invoking the nostalgia of the first adventure in Tomb Raiding. [Eidos Interactive]

Cheat Codes & Hints: GameFAQs

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

AtomicGamer

It doesn't matter whether you have or haven't played Tomb Raider before: you simply can't go wrong with Anniversary.

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Eurogamer

It takes the inspirational level design of the original, improves upon the atmosphere, and makes the whole thing so much more fun thanks to the hugely refined control and camera system. Far from being a tired, cynical cash-in exercise of a brand past its prime, Tomb Raider Anniversary goes back to its roots and shows how remakes should be done.

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Cheat Code Central

The graphics are stunning on any console, the voice-acting and writing is more Hollywood quality, and the level designs feature obstacles that have been featured in many adventure films. It's perfect in a way that reminds us of Lara's past yet introduces us to modern game physics and design.

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Pelit (Finland)

An enjoyable action-adventure which takes the best bits from the first Tomb Raider and updates them with better playability, nicer graphics and deeper puzzles. A surprisingly good rehash of the old. [June 2007]

PC Gamer

Consider this game a creative homage rather than a remake of all things Lara Croft, and a perfect chance for newcomers and diehards alike to jump back into the series' seminal single-player action. [Aug 2007, p.60]

PGNx Media

With Tomb Raider: Anniversary Crystal Dynamics has successfully updated one of 3D gaming's first classics. It combines everything we loved about the original with the modern gameplay mechanics of Legend.

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Computer Games Online RO

Summing it up, Tomb Raider: Anniversary is what Legend should have been: a game with less emphasis on action and more on puzzles which require a combination of brains and agility.

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PC Format

It's the best Tomb Raider game in absolutely years, but it's very telling that this is still a remake of the 11-year-old version. [July 2007, p.60]

GamerNode

The bottom line is this: Tomb Raider Anniversary is a great game. It's perfect for any Tomb Raider fans or just fans of the action/adventure genre alone.

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GameTrailers

Due to the occasional frame rate dip and the inevitable, constant circle strafing, this re-imagining of Ms. Croft’s premier pursuit falls just short of top shelf. But the new control scheme has made it infinitely more playable, and the additions of quick time events and new areas tint it modern, and the grand cave explorer from 1996 is still intact, and still fantastic.

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PC Gameworld

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a wonderful update to a great classic game.

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Hardcore Gamer Magazine

In the end, though, it's a testament to the game's quality that even in the face of the imperfect camera and combat, the wonderful adventuring aspects manage to make up for whatever other shortcomings this game may possess. [July 2007, p.54]

GamingExcellence

Anniversary is a great game that stops just short of excellence due to a few nagging issues.

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GameZone

This is “vintage” Tomb Raider, given a facelift, and sparkling as a result. It is fun to play, and fun to watch.

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PC Zone UK

It's a good game, a solid remake, but having said that, 11 years on, it was never going to garner the awe-struck plaudits of a gobsmacked world. [July 2007, p.60]

Strategy Informer

In summary, I loved playing Tomb Raider: Anniversary, in fact I enjoyed it to the extent of often staying up way too late just wanting to see what came next or trying to get through a particularly difficult section. I would thoroughly recommend this game, both to fans of the original, and newcomers alike.

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The New York Times

The visuals are grander and Lara has some new tricks up her sleeve, but no effort has been made to flesh out the negligible story.

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GameDaily

Tomb Raider Anniversary offers some nice, solid gameplay for both newcomers to the series and experienced players. Grand, complex, puzzles brings great challenges and adventure.

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PC Gamer UK

It's clearly worthy of the spit and polish it's received. [July 2007, p.70]

GameSpot

The success of Tomb Raider: Anniversary is twofold; it does well by the memory of the original Tomb Raider, and also makes a dynamic action adventure game that's fun to play in 2007.

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VideoGamer

Everything a remake should be. It makes the most of modern technology to bring a classic game world up to date, throws in simple but intuitive controls and doesn't rely on constant fire-fights to bring excitement.

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IGN

The controls are light-years better than the original but still aren't solid like Prince of Persia's; the graphics are beyond anything the original could muster and kick the crud out of the PS2 version; and the puzzles are just as tough as the original, but the enemies are just as lame.

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G4 TV

A fantastic throwback to those heady days, and hopefully a lot of other game developers will study what Crystal Dynamics has done here long and hard before sitting down to design their next platformer.

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GameTap

Anniversary continues what 2006’s Tomb Raider Legend started--cleansing the palate from the sour taste left by some of her prior outings.

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ActionTrip

The main thing is that despite some of its obvious drawbacks, Tomb Raider: Anniversary is quite enjoyable. It takes you back to the days of leaping across ravines, sliding down misty passageways and performing a variety of stunts and acrobatics.

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GameSpy

Anniversary is a great way to relive the original feel of Tomb Raider; just don't expect anything more.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.9 (out of 10) based on 58 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chris C. gave it a1:
Coming from a 5 year hiatus playing and immensely enjoying TR2 and 3 (I'll pass 4), after reading a lot of glowing reviews in this game, it has been a tremendous disappointment. I'm sure glad I did not buy it and only wasted some of my monthly bandwidth (about 250MB) to download the demo. Now, I was really looking forward to it after seeing the beautiful graphics and indeed they are, but the new player controls are simply too unintuitive and frustrating, and there is no way to make Lara behave like she did in the classics. I mean, instead of being in the character's skin (or right behind her) so to speak, you are so remote and disconnected that it is actually impossible to feel the character, much less to know how to make her move. Just like a play of mirrors, you are led to fall when you should climb, go left when you should go right, etc. And you call that 'intuitive'? What were the designers thinking? Did they somehow come to the conclusion that it's more 'challenging' to be disconnected rather to be immersed in the game? Ever heard of the 'New Coke' fiasco, Mr. fancy pants game designer? Well, that's what's waiting for this game you, as you managed to turn a great idea into a disaster. Sorry, but this game doesn't cut it, and the new graphics are not worth the frustration being demoted from 'driving the car' to using a remote, constantly struggling to figure out where left, right, to and bottom is for the character when the actor is in a totally different location. No thanks! I'm glad I can still play my originals on my machine...

Frazer C gave it a9:
I found Anniversary to be a very fun expirience, much like Legend. The graphics are nice and the controls are easy to get the hang of. The camera can be a bit of a pain but other than that I enjoyed playing the game. And to Glen T. - Tomb Raider 1 is on the PC, just not natively supported for Windows XP onwards.

Renan S gave it a10:
amazing game, they get elements of the classic tomb raider and a new gameplay where you don't have hatefull delays on jumping a point to another, i love it

robert db gave it a9:
taking us back to the early years, when we first time fall in love with this game, this girl. And thank god we still had a lots of new pleasure to found.

Nulla gave it a5:
Deeply disappointing. A classic game experience has been turned into a console wanabe with crap sound. Looks OK. Handles OK. Is repetitive kak.

Tony gave it an8:
This game is breath-taking and delightful, but at the same time annoying as alll hell in several areas. OK, there's not much to really displease TR fans, it is TR afterall! Doesn't take too long to get used to the controls and movement, but the camera can drive you crazy at times. The music soundtrack is absolutely stunning to go along with the great visuals in the game. There are 2 major headaches areas in the game, one of which is just about impossible for normal folk (but luckily can download a savegame to get past it). LOL Anyway, a great game worth the money and time.

Glen T. gave it a3:
If you were hoping for a PC remake of the PS Tomb Raider 1 as I was, you will be severely disappointed, it isn't half the game that Tomb Raider 1 is (one of my all time favorites that I still replay). From frustrating gameplay to many parts of the original left out, it got to the point near the end of not being worth trying the same section over and over and over and just wishing to get past that part. They should have just remade TR1 in its entirety, then they would have had a major hit like the original was.

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Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

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