Tomb Raider

 PlayStation
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. Hot Games
    100
    Lara herself is well designed and animates superbly, whether it be while shooting a gun, traversing treacherous mountain ledges or swimming through violent rapids.
  2. Games Domain
    100
    One of the best games I have ever played. The graphics are superb, the gameplay out of this world. The sheer number of moves that Lara can perform is staggering.
  3. Game Revolution
    100
    The fact is that Tomb Raider for the PSX/Saturn looks like a 64-bit game on a 32-bit machine. It is incredibly good (revolutionary, in fact).
  5. TotalGames.net
    94
    But be warned, this game is horribly difficult early on and it will take even the most capable gamesplayer an age to complete.
  6. IGN
    93
    Lara controls like a dream... Level design is exceedingly impressive.
  7. Absolute Playstation
    93
    If they sharpen up the graphics and provide fitting music then a ten out of ten is probable. Sheer class.
  8. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    92
    Lara Croft came and third-person 3D action-adventures haven't been the same since. [Jan 2004, p.189]
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  9. Gamestyle
    90
    An epic piece of gaming.
  10. Gamezilla!
    90
    It can be frustrating at times, but is always engrossing.
  11. All Game Guide
    90
    It is a truly captivating and mesmerizing experience that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of people – especially those interested in grandiose architecture.
  12. Gaming Maxx
    87
    A highly enjoyable game, however everyone's tastes differ, and many people may be turned off by the puzzle solving and want more action.
  13. GameSpot
    85
    Simply a smart game, bursting with great touches.
  14. GamePro
    80
    If exploration’s your thing, this Raider is for you. Have no fear about entering this Tomb.

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PS1 Game of 1996
2
#2 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1996
2
#2 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1996

User Reviews

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User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 317 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 244 out of 317
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 317
  3. Negative: 23 out of 317
  1. Neo010390
    Feb 9, 2011
    10
    Back in 1996 there was the dawn of the Playstation, which brought a whole new world into gaming and Tomb Raider (an action/adventure) was aBack in 1996 there was the dawn of the Playstation, which brought a whole new world into gaming and Tomb Raider (an action/adventure) was a taste of that example. If you loved the Indiana Jones films and wanted a game that involved puzzles, challenges, action and adventure, then this game (unlike the terrible Indiana Jones games that were released during the 80s) is the one for you. The story starts off in New Mexico, where a huge explosion sets off causing an earthquake that exposes an ancient device. Inside this device appears to be a person who has been frozen in carbonate for many centuries. Present day in a Hotel, archaeologist Lara Croft receives a message about a legendary artefact called the Scion, from a wealthy businesswoman called Natla, owner of Natla Technologies. The Scion is split into three pieces and your task is to retrieve those remaining pieces, before the other minions do so. The gameplay has probably got the best I have seen in all my years of gaming. Imagine you're in a big circular room and you can run all over the place for miles, well this is exactly what Tomb Raider has got. Set in third person perspective, the game has you exploring through caves, coliseums, tombs and pyramids, as well as climbing up rocks, swimming so deep that it's like diving down the deep blue oceans and shimmying along open cracks into secret caves. Of course it wouldn't be extra sweet without any combat, oh no you don't think Lara Croft would go through deadly traps, wolves, velociraptors and lions etc without any guns do you. Using your dual pistols, you must shoot anything that comes after you basically and don't worry about aiming - just point the gun in the direction of a foe and fire until everything is dead. Other weapons are found as you progress through the game (my personal favourite are the Uzis). The music, composed brilliantly by Martin Iveson and Nathan McCree, adds an extra feel to this game to make it note perfect. Sometimes the music will give you clues, for example either you have found a hidden area or it will alert you of any dangers ahead. The graphics in this game are stunning, but some are a badly pixelated (which may confuse players, by not knowing which rocks/platforms you can and can't stand on). The camera angles are a pain, and its lack of save feature will probably have you continuously repeating yourself again, because of the difficulty of each level. However, because I loved this game so much and because it is a very old game, I will accept these errors and they aren't really a serious problem once you master it. This, to me is in my list of top 5 video games of all time. When I look back now, I never realised how successful this game would be. Who would have thought that just one game would turn it, and the character Lara Croft into a series and franchise of related media?… Full Review »
  2. CharlieW.
    Feb 12, 2006
    10
    The defenitive third-person shooter. Simply marvelous. I've been playing it since I was six.
  3. jorgelin89
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Awesome!
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