Lords of the Fallen is a reboot of sorts to a 2014 Souls-like action RPG of the same name. Things are much different this time around, from Adyr resurrecting to cause mayhem in the world of Axiom to players being able to traverse Umbral, the land of the dead. It’s a pretty hefty package, especially for Dark Souls lovers, which has been improved multiple times courtesy of dozens of patches.

If you’ve seen Lords of the Fallen 2, then this is a good way to get on the hype train before its alleged launch in August. As for Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered, it collects all three of Lara Croft’s original adventures into a single package. The visuals have been revamped (though you can still enable the original art style), and there’s even a Challenge Mode with ten new outfits to unlock.

As for Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream, well, it’s SAO. Not much else to expect if you’ve played the previous games, but at least there are 21 different characters, and you can team up in a party of four to undertake a raid that supports 20 players online.

What do we suspect the announcement entails? Well, it could just be some additional unlockables and knick-knacks across the enjoyable Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered or the solid but flawed Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered.

Or perhaps it’s something new and exciting altogether, like the remastered version of Tomb Raider: Underworld, which could mean that the Tomb Raider franchise is going to be quite busy in the near future, with Tomb Raider: Catalyst  in 2027. There’s also Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake of the first title in the series, launching later this year.

Crystal Dynamics worked with Aspyr on the remasters, so there’s a solid chance it might have something to do with the upcoming announcement, but that’s just speculation at this point. We won’t have to wait too long to find out, and you can keep replaying the teaser below and try to guess what’s coming later this week ahead of the announcement.

As the collection’s name might imply, Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered features the first three Tomb Raider games, making them available on modern platforms for the first time. The games, known in their time as innovative 3D action platformers, helped turn protagonist Lara Croft into one of the most iconic characters in the medium.

Along with the three core games, the remastered collection also features expansions for each title; Unfinished Business for Tomb Raider, Golden Mask for Tomb Raider 2, and The Lost Artifact for Tomb Raider 3.

Developed by Aspyr Media, the remastered collection allows players to toggle between two graphical options: remastered graphics and original graphics. For more details about the game, here’s everything you need to know about Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered. For further details, check out our review.

However, the execution in this remastered collection leaves much to be desired, primarily due to the controls, platforming, camera and some level design elements. The tank-like controls made navigation a chore, to say nothing of the combat. The platforming suffers from input lag or straight-up ignoring pressed buttons. The camera, especially in tightly enclosed rooms, becomes a nightmare to control, making it difficult to interact with the environment and pick up items. Then there are the hazards which, combined with everything else, are a chore to deal with and wipe away progress if you don’t think to save constantly.

"Environments have more natural lighting and shadows, with some areas looking completely dark compared to the original and necessitating lighting flares."

However, it’s important to remember that these games were released between 1996 to 1998. The first game, probably the one that holds up the best, was unlike anything else then, and the second and third titles followed up on that by offering more.

So, when Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered was announced, and Aspyr explained how it wanted to preserve the original experiences exactly as Core Design intended, I had no hope of gameplay changes, fixes or overhauls. It’s not to say the team didn’t put any effort into this remaster – Aspyr’s remastered visuals are the highlight, if anything, even if some basic quality-of-life features are still needed.

If you haven’t played the original titles, Tomb Raider 1 to 3 are action-adventure titles emphasizing puzzle-solving, exploration, platforming and some combat. They’re also in third-person, which revolutionized the industry, and offers multiple levels to explore across various locations worldwide.

You’ll travel from the caves of Peru to the Great Wall of China, to name a few. The narrative is over-the-top, as you’d from games that are more than two decades old, but, overall, it offers a solid reason to explore these locations and connect the dots, even if the CG cutscenes look dated.

"However, it’s quickly apparent that the camera, like in the originals, doesn’t want to cooperate."

In other aspects, Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is a big step up over the classics. Environments have more natural lighting and shadows, with some areas looking completely dark compared to the original and necessitating lighting flares. Particle effects, more detailed foliage and defined architecture, improved textures, and higher fidelity models for Lara Croft and other characters shine throughout.

The facial animations during dialogue exchanges are also better, but it’s impressive how Aspyr can offer such a strong jump in visual quality while retaining the aesthetic of the originals. Switching between the original and remastered visuals on the fly further highlights the difference in quality.

When you jump into the first game, the experience can take some getting used to. Lara jumps straight up when standing still, with a bit of nudging possible, and if you want to cross some distance, you’ll need to run and jump. The original tank controls remain and are arguably more unwieldy than initially thought. Modern controls fix things by letting you fully control the camera with the right stick.

However, it’s quickly apparent that the camera, like in the originals, doesn’t want to cooperate. It will suddenly shoot to overhead views, not unlike the classic Resident Evil titles, and require adjusting your directions accordingly. Some jumps are more difficult because of the camera, which results in more frustration.

"It also doesn’t explicitly tell you how to activate Photo Mode, which is not in the Pause menu like most games. Even if the game doesn’t want to explain all this, it could put this information in the control settings."

While Modern controls are better than the Tank controls for combat, they still have some issues with aiming. Sometimes, bats can be in front of your face as you unload numerous shots only to take no damage. The best strategy is to find a safe distance from an enemy and circle them, hoping that the tracking of your pistols is consistent. Sometimes, it isn’t, and Lara will abruptly stop shooting.

Also, while I don’t have any issue with Aspyr retaining the dodge roll that admittedly shifts the camera behind Lara for its tank controls, why not just have a regular dodge for the Modern option? Why not let players control the camera movement by having it automatically look back? It’s also worth noting that some acrobatics, like backflips and side flips, are much more difficult to perform with Modern controls.

I’ve said my piece on the responsiveness of jumping and how sometimes the game won’t accept your input (even while mashing). However, the remaster also does nothing to explain the controls. If you’ve been automatically clambering up platforms, only to find that it doesn’t work in a specific part in Tomb Raider 2’s first level, would your first guess be to hold R2 while jumping so that Lara reaches out for the ledge? Probably after some annoying trial and error.

How about that getting out of a speedboat doesn’t work when pressing any single face button, but when mashing all four of them at once (admittedly out of frustration, so I actually don’t know which buttons work)? It also doesn’t explicitly tell you how to activate Photo Mode, which is not in the Pause menu like most games. Even if the game doesn’t want to explain all this, it could put this information in the control settings.

"There’s no auto-saving, so if you die, you better hope it was close to where you last saved or prepare to lose progress. You can’t even quick save or quick load on PS5."

All of these complaints aside, there is an enjoyable flow to the games’ levels. Tomb Raider 1 starts pretty simply when it comes to finding switches, opening doors, locating objects like keys and backtracking to progress forward while examining your surroundings for potential clues. In Tomb Raider 2, the levels feel more complex, with tougher platforming and situations like running away from some boulders to leap over spike traps or traversing the narrow streets of Rome.

Tomb Raider 3 feels a bit tapped out in that regard, with some more openness to its levels but little that you haven’t seen before. Nevertheless, the pacing feels pretty good when everything works, especially in the first game. Your mileage may vary on the environmental hazards with how cheap and frequent they feel, but I despised them.

Worth noting about Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered are some bizarrely missing quality-of-life features. There’s no auto-saving, so if you die, you better hope it was close to where you last saved or prepare to lose progress. You can’t even quick save or quick load on PS5.

"For those who want something more contemporary that’s still in line with the classics, Tomb Raider Legend and Anniversary are worth checking out."

Hilariously enough, if you open the save menu, it seemingly defaults to the load screen, so you could accidentally load your last save (no confirmation box or anything) and lose progress. You could argue that a remaster doesn’t want to mess with the core gameplay, warts and all, and that’s fine, but not having these basic features is baffling.

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is difficult to recommend to those who have never played the originals. The revamped visuals may be worth checking out, and it’s interesting to see how the originals played, but so many aggravating elements remain. If you loved the original games, you should probably pick this up without a second thought. However, for those who want something more contemporary that’s still in line with the classics, Tomb Raider Legend and Anniversary are worth checking out.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

All Three Titles and Expansions

As indicated by the name, Tomb Raider 1, 2 and 3 are included, but that’s not all. The Remastered collection also features all their expansions, specifically Unfinished Business, Golden Mask and The Lost Artifact. Even the Secret Levels, unlocked from finding all the secrets in Tomb Raider 2’s expansion and the base version of Tomb Raider 3, are included and updated for a modern generation.

Original Source Code

When a remaster is announced, there’s always the concern of whether it will feel like the classics. Fortunately, Aspyr is working with the original source code and engine. As director of product Chris Bashaar said on the PlayStation Blog, “Magic can’t simply be rebuilt. We had a firm belief that the gameplay of Tomb Raider 1, 2, and 3 is timeless, and with our use of the existing source code, we had every jump, secret, enemy, and puzzle exactly as the original development team designed and intended.”

Classic and Remastered Visuals

Because the remasters use the original source code, players can switch between the classic and remastered visuals at any time. It’s also possible during regular gameplay and even when capturing images in the new Photo Mode, in case you want to compare the visual differences.

Gameplay Loop

Of course, those who never played the original games may wonder – what is the gameplay loop? All three titles are action-adventure games where archaeologist Lara Croft ventures to ancient ruins in different locations to search for artifacts. Croft would solve puzzles, navigate traps and devious platforms and much more in her quest. All three titles follow a tried and true formula, with minor new additions here and there, and all three received positive critical acclaim (though the first game garnered the most).

New Character Models

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered maintains the classic design of Lara Croft and her various outfits but utilizes new models with more details. Higher polygon counts, more detailed hair, discernible expressions, better-looking clothes – the list goes on, and the result is a much higher quality Tomb Raider. The various enemies also get new models, resulting in some threats – like the half-man, half-bird Guardian of the Talion – looking much more imposing.

Revamped Environments

While the models look great, the remastered environments look even better. An area in Croft Manor with flat sprites for its trees and negligible detail on the ground now features revamped 3D trees, some weeds and more detailed shrubs. Textures are sharper, especially indoors, as you can make out more details, while the water looks and flows more naturally. It’s a big step up and arguably worth the price of admission alone for fans of the classics.

Baked and Real-Time Lighting

Further adding to the immersion is the use of baked and real-time lighting. When the sunset sets in an area, the skybox, structures and surrounding vegetation are naturally illuminated. A slightly cloudy sky during the day also casts realistic shadows and subtle sunbeams.

VFX and Animation Updates

Along with the character designs, the visual effects, animations and textures are also in line with the original games. That being said, these have been updated to ensure they’re in line with the remastered visuals. Again, if you want the original look, blocky models and all, you can switch back and forth at any time.

3D Models for In-Game Items

If you ever found it strange that items like ammo, health kits and more had 3D models in the game’s menus but 2D sprites in-game, the remasters address this. They’re now fully rendered 3D objects in-game, retaining the immersion.

Classic and Modern Controls

As renowned as all three titles are, the tank-style controls won’t be to everyone’s taste. You can still experience the original control scheme, but new modern controls have also been added, with full camera control on the right stick and movement depending on the camera’s position.

Health Bars for Bosses

Another annoyance in the older games is not knowing how much health a boss can have and when is the best time to switch to different weapons. The remasters thus add health bars for the bosses without any other alleged changes to the UI. It’s the best of both worlds, though it’s unknown if players can turn off the same for the original experience.

Over 200 Trophies on PS4 and PS5

Each title was a massive success back in the day, and that was in small part due to its PlayStation One port. So it’s more than fitting that there are 200 Trophies to earn on the PS4 and PS5 versions of the Remastered collection. From locking Lara’s butler in the freezer (presumably for pouring milk before the cereal) to using Photo Mode, there is a lot in store for Trophy hunters.

Photo Mode

As noted before, Photo Mode allows for switching between the classic and remastered visuals with options for different poses, facial expressions, outfits, weapons and more. The full slate of options, from the filters and settings, hasn’t been detailed, but there should be enough to highlight the collection’s stunning new visuals (or just pan around the world while the game is paused).

System Requirements

The PC requirements for the remastered collection are interesting…because they’re different on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Steam doesn’t list recommended requirements, instead noting that you need an Intel Core i3 3240 or AMD FX 4100, 4 GB RAM, an Nvidia GeForce GT 730 or AMD Radeon R7 240 and 5 GB installation space at the minimum.

However, while the Epic Games Store lists the same CPU and RAM for its minimum requirements, it instead specifies 6 GB installation space and a Geforce GT 630 (2 GB), Radeon R7 249 (1 GB) or a Radeon HD 6450. Even weirder is that the recommended requirements say you should have a Pentium 4 or Athlon 3000+ and a GeForce 6000 or Radeon X Series GPU – all discontinued. Regardless, the remasters should run fine, even if your hardware is a few years old.

4K Ultra HD, +60 FPS on Xbox Series X

Though it isn’t confirmed yet on PS5, Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is listed as supporting 4K Ultra HD and +60 FPS on Xbox Series X. Smart Delivery is also listed, which means you only have to buy it once for playing on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It also supports Xbox Play Anywhere, which means also being able to play the PC version if you buy the game on Xbox.

Original story follows:

Nintendo has announced that a remastered collection of the original three Tomb Raider games will be coming to the Nintendo Switch on February 14. The collection will include Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider 2, and Tomb Raider 3. Check out the trailer below.

Alongside the core games themselves, the remastered collection will also include all expansions and updates that had been released for the three games back in the day. This includes Tomb Raider 3‘s The Lost Artifact expansion.

While featuring the original polygonal visuals of the trilogy, the remasters will also allow players to switch to more updated visuals, bringing protagonist Lara Croft’s design closer in line to her later designs in games like Tomb Raider: Legend and Tomb Raider: Underworld.

While Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered is coming to the Nintendo Switch, the current status of future Tomb Raider sequels is currently shrouded in mystery. Publishing rights for a future game have been rumoured to be in the hands of Amazon, and development on the next Tomb Raider is rumoured to be “well into full-scale development”.