Aspyr Media brings us the saga tomb Raider from the 90s, some classics that marked a before and after for most video game fans. Nearly 30 years later, we are now allowed to enjoy this trilogy on our current platforms. However, when we see the title of the game, we wonder: Is a remaster of 90s games enough? Has the gameplay been renewed, adapting it to current events? I can tell you that basically, It’s still the same game we loved back thenalthough for this reason sin of the problems of the times. Keep reading the analysis to discover the secrets she kept from us Lara Croft.
For this review, I played on an Xbox Series Xbox One and Xbox One).
The story, so many years later, seems residual
This is not to say that the story is “bad”, far from it. But the cutscenes and twists of the original games are retained. It means that the narrative level is very low, because few conversations and little context we encounter first. It’s simply an excuse to drop the mud and keep overtaking the levels, these being those which really set a trend and a model. So much so that even today, they surprise with their originality and how to solve its puzzles.
We are therefore told the story of these first 3 games with some barely retouched cutscenes (remember we have the ability to press a button and instantly switch to the original graphics). We notice that these cutscenes look really bad. In fact, I wondered several times if it was a resolution problem, or it’s just that by not touching anything, Polygons overwhelm us with their simplicity. We also didn’t notice any progression from game to game since all titles were initially released within a span of about 3 years.
What really matters here and, without a doubt, the strong point of this Tomb Raider I-III remasteredson its puzzles and levels. The ins and outs of the original games have been retained, and it’s truly wonderful. Without going into detail about the playable part which we’ll talk about later, what you can really enjoy about this trilogy is your ideas
Even if the story hasn’t changed, how is the rest going?
Each game has its respective levels, Lara’s house which would function as a sort of extra level where we can test our skills. It also has the corresponding graphics and gaming options, the most important being here be able to select “tank” commands (pre-selected) or “modern” commands. I have already told you that these “modern” controls even cause more inaccuracies than the classics. Therefore, unfortunately I cannot recommend either one. So, what controls can you play with ergonomically? Tomb Raider I-III remastered? Unfortunately, without any.
The source code and engine from the original games were used and, honestly, I believe that while it is true that this will satisfy the greatest number of fans, For new players, this is an obvious disadvantage. The work here really relies on a graphic overhaul. On this subject, I argue that although I address many points such as textures, resolution, frames, etc. This really seems like an excuse to be able to sell this game with a little nicer packaging. Tomb Raider I-III remastered It will be sold alone, although I think the work here would have been correct if we thought a little about those people who could not play the classic game and who, thanks to word of mouth, now have the opportunity to try it.
Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Gameplay Retains 90s Basics
It is at this precise moment that we truly put ourselves in control and feel that something is wrong. Tomb Raider I-III remastered It’s just a graphic facelift.. Although, as we mentioned earlier, these “modern” controls have been introduced, when things happen everything seems so vague it’s scary. I mean, I understand that the most avid fan of the saga can appreciate this proposal as was the case when it premiered in 1996. But we have to think that now we are used to precise controls, a shift of negligible input, with rapid response. and agile.
So, when we notice that by pressing the “A” button (modern controls) and, repeatedly, we didn’t find the answer of Lara Croft, frustrates to unsuspected limits. Maybe I’m not up to it anymore, or I just don’t want to play in the conditions we had in the last century. In all cases, is very imprecise. It got so bad that I even tried different controls. Fortunately my orders are in optimal condition, what is not is the answer we have in this Tomb Raider I-III remastered
Of course, we need to act quickly in this area. Jump from a moving boat, land in the right place, aim at our enemies (the action, which lives on pure imprecision)… All this, which seems to be something very basic (and it certainly is), it’s a pipe dream with these controls. The problem is that there are things that also malfunction, and I understand and hope that they will be fixed via the first day of the patch. I was stuck on a ledge in Venice without being able to move forward, I also had to earn my living to get on the boats, take zip lines, for everything… The imprecision or irregularity is such that sometimes, it It’s practically unplayable.
Sorry, it pains me to say that about a game like this. But progress has sometimes been so difficult that I stopped enjoying. This rarely happens to me, and it rarely happens to me because of video game gameplay. In the third title, you had to go through a section to catch a zip line. It was so imprecise that I had to go to the menu to load the game every time I crashed. I had to alternate between the tank controls and the modern ones for the exclamation to appear and I could grab said zip line and, even so, it didn’t work. This is just one example of many, and I argue that specialized treatment was necessary for everyone to enjoy these works.
Graphically, worthy of the Xbox 360 generation
Afterwards,What is the point of this remastering?? Well, initially it was the new facelift that it was going to receive. I say new because, even if there is a clear improvement compared to the original game (the only thing missing), This is in no way graphic waste.
We could accept these graphics if everything else worked well or had been renewed, but that is not the case. From my point of view, I think that a graphics-only remaster of games from the 90s is by no means sufficient. It is clear that here it would have been to make a remake of these works, which would be really good. The traps and action look so stuffy it feels like a jokeand yes, it’s something you can enjoy if you play the original game, but today it’s not legal.
The sound in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is downright bad
Another negative point is the music and the dialogues. It’s here it seems to come from another world. Music plays when you want it, appearing suddenly and with deep “emotion” for no apparent reason. The sound of weapons, of jumping, even of Lara… everything seems so “B” series…Although, fortunately, we won’t hear too much dialogue (I say fortunately, ironically, of course).
The game is located in English voices (except Tomb Raider III What it’s in english). Of course, in all games we have the possibility of putting the Spanish subtitles.
conclusion
Tomb Raider I-III remastered It’s a saga that marked a before and after in the history of video gamesbut today, without adequate changes, it is not worth it. It’s hard not to appreciate its puzzles, its levels, its originality… This is something fantastic and a mirror in which, even today, other developers should reflect themselves. But, gameplay-wise, it retains the basics of the original games, making it extremely difficult to enjoy due to its high imprecision and response. Graphically it is consistent with an Xbox 360 generation game and the sound is totally irregular. Eventually, I would not recommend this job but to the most unconditional fans of the original games and, for that, They will always have the original game on hand.
Tomb Raider I-III remastered It is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC. Follow news from the video game industry via the following link.
Tomb Raider I-III remastered
Pro.
- The opportunity to play these classics
- The originality of its levels still today
Contra.
- Almost unplayable
- Just an uninspired graphical remaster
- You can see the seams everywhere.
- The sound does not accompany at any time
I’ve always loved playing and reading about video games, why not write?
Table of Contents