Metacritic Games

Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary (Sony PSP)

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]

Eidos Interactive
Action, Adventure
Players: 1
T (Teen)
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Released August 7, 2007

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

78 / 100

Critic Reviews

88 Cheat Code Central
It's nice to relive the past, but it's a lot nicer when you discover that things are even better than you thought they were.
88 Game Chronicles
It’s a timeless experience for the entire family.
87 Digital Entertainment News
Tomb Raider: Anniversary is a wonderful birthday gift for 10-year-old Lara; just wait till she hits puberty!
86 Games Master UK
One of the best adventures you'll play on PSP. It's uniquely brilliant and classic Tomb Raider! [Aug 2007, p.82]
85 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]
85 PSM3 Magazine UK
A near-essential addition to PSP's library. [Aug 2007, p.79]
84 Jolt Online Gaming UK
Once again Crystal Dynamics’ new Tomb Raider engine proves its worth, and while the PSP version lacks the graphical clout of its bigger cousins, the series is no less at home here.
82 Worth Playing
This game will leave you hoping to celebrate the next Anniversary with Miss Croft in another 10 years.
81 Play UK
It's let down a bit by the dodgy camera perspective, but this won't ruin your experience. [Issue#156, p.86]
80 GameZone
For those who recall Lara’s first exploits, this new version has a few surprises but remains faithful to the original.
80 Modojo
In all, Tomb Raider Anniversary scores points for not taking the lazy route. Sure, it seems like a straight-up conversion of the PS2 game with no bonus modes or multiplayer of any kind, but at least it wasn't a half-assed port with no brain power put behind it.
80 Playstation Official Magazine UK
The PSP version benefits from a more reliable targeting system than the superb PS2 version. [Aug 2007, p.106]
80 Games Radar
Exploring is the best it’s ever been in the series, thanks to Lara’s slick animation. Swinging, leaping and climbing from ledge to outcrop to wherever are tense but satisfying, and the frequent checkpoints mean you’re free to try to make that lethal jump without having to do the whole section again.
80 PSW Magazine UK
Exploring is the best it’s ever been in the series, thanks to Lara’s slick animation.
80 GameDaily
The game still leans heavily on the "it's the journey, not the destination" theory. Tomb Raider: Anniversary provides a meaty enough adventure to be worth a purchase. Crystal Dynamics has done well meshing the nostalgia of the old game with an all new experience.
80 Da Gameboyz
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary for the PSP is an excellent compliment to the original classic and is fantastic port from the PS2.
80 Pocket Gamer UK
A happy coda in a symphony that had lost its flow, Anniversary cannily pairs the refinements of the last decade with the peerless excellence of the original Tomb Raider.
80 VideoGamer
Animals aren't the biggest danger you'll face though, with the tombs themselves being the real killers. You can rarely move through a room without needing to perform a huge leap or dodge a trap.
80 AceGamez
Whether you've played the original Tomb Raider to death or have never even seen it in action, Tomb Raider Anniversary is a worthwhile purchase for your PSP.
78 Ferrago
A great retelling of the classic Tomb Raider game.
78 Console Gameworld
If you haven't picked the game up on another platform and fancy visiting a video game classic, lovingly restored for a new audience, then this is certainly a game worth checking out.
78 GamingTrend
You can tell sacrifices in controls and visuals are made to port this to the PSP, but if you can get past the few issues, the same excellent game we had on consoles a couple months ago can be taken on the road quite easily.
78 IGN
The gameplay is fun and challenging, it looks pretty on the PSP's widescreen at times, and you're getting all the costumes changes, relics and Croft Manor exploits that were seen on the PS2. If you're looking for a solid adventure game, this fits the bill.
75 GameSpot
Frame rate and control issues aside, Tomb Raider: Anniversary remains a dynamic and exciting adventure.
75 GamingExcellence
Still, taken alone, this game is a solid addition to any PSP owner’s library.
75 1UP
But unless portability is a necessity for you, the console versions will prove more satisfying.
70 Boomtown
A damn good remake of a damn good game.
70 Game Almighty
Tomb Raider’s puzzles remain just as challenging as before, and you’ll spend plenty of time just looking around rooms trying to figure out how to move on to the next area. Thankfully they never get boring.
70 TotalPlayStation
Anniversary is not quite the game that Legend was. Though initially I was floored by how well the series had been updated, as time went on and the frustrations piled up, it started to lose the raw appeal. It's good, but not great.
70 GameSpy
While it's a solid enough game, once the feelings of nostalgia wane, you may feel a bit restricted by the game's linearity and the sometimes difficult camera.
60 Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK
As a port, it does the job. But the convulsive controls and lack of new features makes TRA for PSP only an optional extra to the PS2 experience. [Aug 2007, p.99]
60 EuroGamer
Thankfully, when you die, which will be quite frequently, the loading times are kept mercifully short and don't add to the frustration like so many other PSP games.

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