Tomb Raider exploded into a mega-franchise that continued for many years, then found itself rebooted with a new series of games that enjoyed tremendous success during the 2010s. Going by Metacritic’s scores, what games are considered the worst and best of the Tomb Raider franchise?
Updated January 29, 2023 by Mark Sammut: Crystal Dynamics has confirmed that a Tomb Raider sequel is in the works, and the upcoming title will utilize Unreal Engine 5. Provided everything goes as planned, the in-development project should represent Lara Croft at her best, at least from a graphical point of view. Tomb Raider Reloaded is also expected to launch on mobile devices in 2023. While waiting for these releases, fans can revisit the best Tomb Raider games from across three decades.
Every Tomb Raider Game
Tomb Raider has a long and storied history, one that spans more than 15 games across a plethora of platforms and console generations. Lara Croft has been around the world multiple times, and that looks set to continue into the future. The below table listed every Lara Croft game, along with its original release date, developer, and publisher.
19 Tomb Raider: The Angel Of Darkness (2003) - 52
When Lara made the leap from the PlayStation to the PlayStation 2, fans were met with a grittier and darker game that disappointed plenty of players. The lack of polish to the controls, a camera the players ended up fighting more than the in-game enemies, and a plethora of bugs and glitches made The Angel of Darkness a mess to play.
The developers openly admitted to suffering from a severe lack of leadership with too much ambition for the project leading to many production issues resulting in the game players were given in 2003. The Angel of Darkness has neat ideas and a potentially interesting story, but it is difficult to recommend in its current form. Out of all of Lara Croft’s adventures, this would be the best candidate for a remaster or remake.
18 Tomb Raider: Chronicles (2000) - 63
The developers at Core Design had already become fatigued by Tomb Raider by the time Chronicles rolled around. Consequently, they attempted to kill off Lara Croft in the previous game but Eidos was determined to keep the franchise going as a cash cow. This led to the final game for Lara on the original Playstation.
With a mixed reception, the general consensus is that Chronicles was nothing bad but very uninspired, forgettable, and with little to no difference to distinguish it from previous installments. This is just another PS1 Tomb Raider game, an adventure that goes in one ear and out the other.
17 Tomb Raider: The Prophecy (2002) - 66
Swapping from a third-person adventure to a Zelda-esque overview, Lara jumped to the Nintendo Game Boy Advance with a mildly successful title. Tomb Raider: The Prophecy was praised for its impressive graphics and sound for a Game Boy Advance title.
However, it received criticism for its dull gameplay, little to no story to drive the repetitive action set pieces, and various other complaints. It all led to a title that even die-hard Tomb Raider fans have forgotten had existed over the years. While it is far from brilliant, The Prophecy is a serviceable handheld entry in the franchise.
16 Lara Croft: Relic Run (2015) - 71
- Relic Run is also available on Android and Windows Phone 8.
This mobile spin-off took its liberties to present the series to a casual audience. Essentially a Tomb Raider version of the mobile game Temple Run, Relic Run does contain some of the franchise’s trademark qualities that allow the game to stand out in the endless runner genre.
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It’s more of an evolution in the endless platforming genre, as elements like wall-running and utilizing weapons are injected into the game. All things considered, Relic Run is a great way for casual fans to be introduced to the series, even if it is too one-dimensional.
15 Lara Croft And The Temple of Osiris (2014) - 74
In 2014, the Tomb Raider series tried its hand at arcade-inspired gameplay with co-op pushed to the forefront. The Temple of Osiris accommodates up to four characters, including Lara, and all of them have their own special abilities and traits.
It has a top-down view of the action, which takes away some of the franchise’s charm since the camera is so limited. Apart from that, however, the game is good fun for multiple players to make it a small-scale but enjoyable entry in the series.
14 Tomb Raider: Curse Of The Sword (2001) - 77 (GameRankings)
GameRankings was used as Tomb Raider: Curse of the Sword doesn’t have a score on Metacritic.
The GBA’s Curse of the Sword is the sequel to 2000’s Tomb Raider which came out on the Game Boy Color. Similar to that title, the 2001 release takes players on a small but satisfying adventure. This time, the campaign primarily takes place in city locations and opts for larger stages rather than its predecessor’s shorter levels.
Curse of the Sword looks pretty decent for a Game Boy Advance game, particularly its backdrops. Even if the environments are not especially exotic, the game does its best to make them visually striking.
13 Tomb Raider 3 (1998) - 76
While not as beloved as the first two games in the series, Tomb Raider 3 is a solid threequel that made everything bigger than ever before. Admittedly, this did come at the loss of most of the mystery and suspense found in the prior entries.
There was also a severe lack of innovation that caused Tomb Raider 3 to feel more akin to an expansion pack to the second game rather than a big-budget sequel. Despite these criticisms, Tomb Raider 3 is a highly enjoyable classic romp in the series, one that should please anyone fond of Lara’s previous two adventures.
12 Tomb Raider (2000) - 79 (GameRankings)
GameRankings was used as Tomb Raider doesn’t have a score on Metacritic.
2000’s Tomb Raider took Lara to Nintendo’s Game Boy Color, and the franchise handled the transition into handheld surprisingly well. Naturally, expectations need to be tempered since the hardware could not possibly replicate the home console experience, but Tomb Raider does an admirable job of replicating Lara’s iconic moveset.
As the game maintains a relatively slow pace, this is certainly not an action-heavy experience; however, the campaign offers a good mix of puzzles, exploration, and cutscenes. While not a must-play title, this release would fit snugly in any GBC collection.
11 Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation (1999) - 79 (GameRankings)
GameRankings was used as The last Revelation doesn’t have a score on Metacritic.
Best remembered these days for being a failed effort from the series to kill off Lara Croft and introduce a new lead, The Last Revelation is still an adequate affair that represents the style and gameplay choices of gaming back in the day.
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There’s no innovation to be found here, but nostalgia and the trademark Tomb Raider entertainment are available in buckets. Puzzle-solving is more focused upon here than in other games, making this entry a subtler venture for the series.
10 Tomb Raider: Underworld (2008) - 80
After the series had returned with Anniversary and Legend, Tomb Raider made its biggest comeback with Underworld. This entry mixed classic and new mechanics with pleasing visuals from the Xbox 360 and PS3 era. Underworld led to an entry that fans felt was a satisfying ending for the classic Lara Croft.
Naturally, the game was not considered perfect; the combat system felt a bit dated, the story was surprisingly short, and much like with Angel Of Darkness, Underworld could not quite get a proper grasp of the camera. Still, this is a fun adventure game that nails the franchise’s trademark exploration and platforming while showcasing Lara at the height of her cool.
9 Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (2018) - 82
The third entry in the rebooted Tomb Raider series by Square Enix garnered positive reviews for bringing Lara back to a more visually appealing jungle setting. It also retained the gameplay that made the previous two games classics in gamers’ eyes, although this entry focuses more on exploration and platforming than action. Shadow of the Tomb Raider also includes some great underwater sections.
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Though it pleased fans, the game didn’t rise to the bar that the previous entries set due to a disappointing story and safe gameplay that felt very “been there, done that.” While a solid experience in its own right, Shadow of the Tomb Raider ended the Survivor trilogy on a slightly underwhelming note.
8 Tomb Raider: Legend (2006) - 82
After the disappointing Angel Of Darkness, Legend was intended as the true return to form as a brand new story in the series and it did just that despite its short length. While she got a bit of a redesign, Lara continued to be a great hero, the gameplay was fluid and satisfying, the puzzles were challenging yet fun, and it provided an adventure that rivaled the original trilogy.
Though the game was perhaps not considered on par with the original trilogy, Legend did break new ground in a different gaming generation. This 2006 game brought Lara back in a big way, setting up the franchise for more adventures to come in the future.
7 Tomb Raider: Anniversary (2007) - 83
Taking what they had done with Lara Croft in Legend, the developers choice to celebrate over ten years of the franchise with a game that acted as a remake of the very original entry. This resulted in Tomb Raider: Anniversary.
As the rating suggests, Anniversary was well-received across the board, particularly the PC version. Anniversary acted as a special gift for both longtime fans of the series and those who wanted to get into the games much like what Capcom has been doing recently with the Resident Evil franchise.
6 Lara Croft Go (2015) - 84
- Lara Croft Go is also available on Android and Windows Phone 8.
It seemed as if the Tomb Raider series had explored all avenues as far as gaming genres were concerned, only for Lara Croft Go to utilize the turn-based gaming style. The game is entirely puzzle-based and relies on crucial movements the player makes.
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This makes it one of the smartest smartphone games out there, as Lara has to be navigated in such a way that players need to strategize their next moves. Overall, it’s an effective change from the norm the series engaged in.
5 Lara Croft And The Guardian of Light (2010) - 85
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is also available on Android and BlackBerry PlayBook.
Remarkably, the top-down camera approach doesn’t hinder the fun factor of this spin-off. The game makes puzzle-solving and platforming its greatest strength as these are bolstered by the beautiful visuals and balance with action sequences.
The slight negative here is the cheesy storyline, which is far removed from the Tomb Raider formula. Still, it’s easy to overlook that considering the remarkable replay value courtesy of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light’s fun gameplay, great level design, and utilization of traditional Tomb Raider gameplay.
4 Tomb Raider 2 (1997) - 85
- Tomb Raider 2 is also available on Android.
After exploding to iconic status with the first game alone, it was only a year later that Lara Croft returned for a sequel that fans welcomed with open arms. Much in the same vein as Die Hard 2, the series avoided peaking in the second game, but it still managed to impress and make its money back.
Though some praised it for its challenge, there are those that have thought it too difficult in spots. In the end, though, Tomb Raider 2 was considered a nearly perfect follow-up to the classic original.
3 Tomb Raider (2013) - 87
With games becoming more cinematic in quality and style, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics made the brave choice of not only completely rebooting the Tomb Raider franchise but also to give players the origin story of their favorite explorer. It took inspiration from games at the time like Uncharted and the Arkham franchise.
Did it work? Yes. Fans were quick to fall in love with the dark, gritty, and more realistic origin story that embraced new gameplay while respecting the classics with thoughtful puzzles, great third-person shooter gameplay, and more characters besides Lara to love.
2 Rise Of The Tomb Raider (2016) - 88
Rise Of The Tomb Raider takes everything that the first game did so well and amplifies it, creating a perfect sequel a la Empire Strikes Back or Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Lara’s character was explored deeper than ever, the graphics were top-notch at the time, and the Siberian setting was something different but accepted by fans.
With new survival mechanics, more crafting, and possibly the most ambitious story of the series, Rise Of The Tomb Raider is often considered the best modern Tomb Raider game by old school and new fans alike.
1 Tomb Raider (1996) - 91
There’s a reason why this franchise is as big as it is and while there are sequels, remakes, and reboots that have rightfully earned their praise, many fans can agree that they don’t match the same groundbreaking level as the original.
Mixing platforming, puzzle-solving, and action into one, the original Tomb Raider turned Lara into a PlayStation icon and a mega-franchise of gaming that has aged remarkably well. It holds up just as well today as it did back then, and gamers can thank this game for starting the entire series.
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